Stove Top Beef Stew

Brrrr it was cold today! I really was craving some beef stew! In our house the beef stew is very basic and heavy on the meat, potatoes, and carrots.

I had planned on making it in the slow cooker but errands (including the grocery store where I was getting dinner ingredients) took longer than expected. So I cobbled together several recipes to make some beef stew on the stove!

I wish I had grabbed some bread for this because then the meal would have been perfect!

Do I prefer my stove top beef stew or my slow cooker beef stew? The stove top beef stew was very rich because it had added butter and the potatoes/carrots were on the crunchier side - but that could have been because I was rushing to get dinner on the table! The easier version is easily the slow cooker but if you have the time then making it on the stove is a great option!

Stove Top Beef Stew

adapted from Food Network, Once Upon a Chef, and Delish

serves 6-8

Olive oil for searing
1/2 cup flour
2-3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 small onions, cut into sixths (or blitzed in the food processor)
3 tsp garlic powder
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups cold water

2 cups chicken or beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
2 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 lbs medium red potatoes, quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 bag frozen peas

salt & pepper

Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil to fill the pan about 1/4-inch deep. Spread flour out on a plate. Season half the beef generously with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour. Shake off the excess flour, and add to the pan. Saute the meat, uncovered, stirring only occasionally, until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted wooden spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef.

In the same pot with the beef grease and such, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Return the beef to the pot and add the red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, water and broth, and bring to a boil. Cover and set to low. Stew the meat until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. I stirred mine about every 15 minutes to keep it from sticking but I also struggle with the temperature of my stove.

Add the potatoes and carrots and bring back to a simmer. Stew, uncovered, on top of the stove, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened and the beef and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among bowls and serve immediately.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes are one thing that someday I'll be able to cook without fear! I haven't been able to time the correctly to be ready with the rest of the food. This means I start the potatoes very early so they will be done before I cook the rest of the meal. These are

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes (1/2 to 1 per person)
a healthy drizzle Olive Oil
2 tsp herbs (Oregano, Italian Seasoning, parsley)
Cracked black pepper
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400F.

Wash and scrub potatoes. Cut potatoes into a large dice.

In a large bowl combine olive oil, herbs, and seasoning. Stir in potatoes until all of it is coated. If you need to add more olive oil.

Put in a 9x13 baking dish. Add a splash of chicken broth and bake until fork tender. Depending on the size of the potato that could be between 30-60 minutes.

Dad's Beef Stew

I know, its practically summer and is expected to be in the 70s this weekend. But I've been a little slow with updating and this was from a cold snap we just had! I swear!

But if you are looking for a hearty stew recipe, look no further! Here is my dad's famous beef stew recipe!!

Feel free to substitute varying amounts of the root veggies (carrots, potatoes, parsnips, etc) depending on what you enjoy eating. Since this will simmer for a while, it is okay to rough chop everything on the larger side since they will cook much longer.

This is a great meal because it is easy to make larger portions of without any added time. Chopping up the veggies can take a little longer but you can use pre cut veggies as well. Once everything is in the pot it is easy to leave and just let is simmer away for a couple hours.

Carrots, onions, celery

Potatoes, Parsnips, Turnips

Beef coated in flour

Onions and Celery

Floury and softened meat mix

Add root veg and some broth

Add more broth and cook until the stew is tender

Dad's Beef Stew

Makes approx 6 - 8 servings

2 lbs stew beef,  roast: top round or chuck), diced and trimmed into 1 x  1 inch pieces

3 Tablespoons oil

6 Tablespoons flour

1 Tablespoon salt

1 1/2 c onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, use the garlic press

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 jar of tomato sauce

1 teaspoon Gravy master (its a small bottle with an orange cap)

A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

14 oz of chicken broth

1 cups chopped celery

3 chopped/cubed potatoes

1 cups carrots - sliced

1 cups parsnips cubed --optional

1 cups turnip cubed --optional

Heat oil in large pot. Mix the salt with the flour, dip the beef into the flour mixture and then add into the hot pot. Brown the meat. The bottom of the pan might get caked with the flour.

Add onions, garlic, and thyme to the beef. Cook about 15 minutes until the onions are soft. Add in a couple cups of the chicken broth and stir. The flour will be thickening the broth. Add tomato sauce, gravy master, and Worcestershire sauce. Add in celery, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips to the stew. Stir around for a couple minutes.


Cover with the rest of the broth. Simmer stirring occasionally until the meat is tender and the veggies are soft. If the broth isn't thick enough add in a few tbsp of flour every 15 minutes until it reaches the consistency you want. If the broth is too thick add additional water or broth.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is one of my favorite comfort foods and is tastes great as a leftover. When I was in college I realized that I should make the crust separate from the filling so I could make individual servings and not have a soggy crust. It would taste fresh made instead of leftovers! And cooks faster than having to heat it in the oven or risk a soggy crust in the microwave.

This recipe was adapted from my own kitchen and from Simply Scratch. I like to think that this is a straightforward recipe with no random ingredients. It cooks quickly and makes quite a bit. I only used 3 chicken thighs and it could have used probably an additional one. I am actually really happy with how this recipe came out and wouldn't change any of the seasonings.

Note: The chicken could cook in the pot with the rest of the meal instead of in a frying pan. Add the chicken (small dice) in just before adding in the liquids. Cook a few minutes then add the potatoes and about 1 cup of stock. Stir around to create the thickened gravy. Add the rest of the stock and simmer until potatoes are fork tender and chicken is done.  

Another option is to use a rotisserie chicken from the store.

Fork tender potatoes literally means, when a fork is poked into the potato that it will come off the fork easily.

Enjoy!

Saute the veg in some oil

Cover in the flour

Add butter

Meanwhile cook some chicken

Add liquids, potatoes, seasonings

Add chicken and frozen veggies when potatoes
are tender and liquid is thickened

Top with a biscuit!

Chicken Pot Pie

serves 4

3 - 5 pieces of chicken thighs, or breast

3 tbsp Butter

2 whole Carrots, peeled and diced small (or about 1 ½ cups of baby carrots)

2 Celery Stalks, diced small

1 small Onion, peeled and diced small 

3 medium Potatoes, diced small

1/2 cup Flour

2 - 3 cups Chicken Broth, warmed

1-1/2 cups Whole Milk

1 tablespoon Dried Parsley

1 teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, more or less to taste

1 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, more or less to taste

1 bag frozen mixed veggies (Mine was a country mix with carrots, peas, green beans, corn, and lima beans)

1 can of Pillsbury biscuits (cooked according to directions for as many servings as you want)

Heat a frying pan and add some oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until done (no pink inside), dice.

Melt 1½ tablespoons of butter in a large pot. Add in the diced carrots, celery, onions, salt, and pepper (1 tbsp) cook. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent and the carrots are soft, approx 5 minutes. Add another 1½ tbsp of butter and stir until melted. Add in flour, stir until all the veggies are coated with the flour and the flour isn’t white anymore.

Pour in ½ cup to 1 cup of the chicken broth and stir until slightly thickened. Pour in the rest of the chicken broth, milk, potatoes, parsley, and thyme. Simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened and potatoes are fork tender (approx 10-15 minutes).

Add more flour in about ¼ cup at a time if broth/gravy isn’t thick enough.

Add chicken and frozen veggies. Once the veggies are warmed it is ready to serve!

Pot Roast

Today, I made my first pot roast. I found Pioneer Woman's pot roast recipe and I just had to try it! The only changes was that I made a smaller portion, added mushrooms, and only used rosemary. I also made a lovely side of garlic mashed potatoes. 

This recipe had very minimal prep work which was awesome: halve the onion, cut carrots into big chunks, and I quartered the mushrooms. 

Brown the veg and the seasoned meat. "Browning" just means to put the item into a really hot pan with some hot oil for a minute or so. You are literally looking for the ingredients to just turn a little goldeny brown, we don't want to cook the ingredients yet. 

De-glaze the pan, aka get the yummy bits off the bottom. I didn't have too much stuck to the bottom of the pan but I did use a little beef broth and let that bring up the little bits. Put into the oven and let is slowly cook for 2 hours.

My mother used to call veggies "Nature's Candy" (...right). But the sweet flavors that come from these roasted veggies, wow! Rich and soft with a slightly firm texture, not at all mushy like they can get in a some beef stews. And the onion! So tender and yummy!

Before

After

Any changes? I would add extra carrots and onion (so flavorful and yummy!!). Maybe add potatoes. I'd use a little less broth and/or turn some of the broth into gravy because its delish!!

I would also find a way to contain the rosemary leaves. I've never cooked with them before, I thought they would soften and become one with the meal. They do not. They maintain their pine-needle texture and you pick it out of your mouth in a not very attractive manner (at least I did...)

Otherwise, this recipe is here to stay and perfect for a hearty meal. I bet this would be good in a slow cooker too. 

Pot Roast

Makes approx 3-4 servings 

Ingredients

      2 lbs Chuck Roast

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 of a big sweet onion (cut in big chunks)
2 big carrots (big chunks, peeling is optional)
4-5 button(?) mushrooms
Salt
Pepper
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
½ tsp dried rosemary

Heat some oil in a pot (or dutch oven, I don’t have one...yet!)

Once the pot is VERY hot, brown the onion (1-2 min)

Put onion on a plate

Add more oil if needed, brown the carrots (again, 1-2 min)

Put carrots on a plate

Add more oil if needed, toss the mushrooms around in the pot (about 1 min)

Add mushrooms to the plate

Salt and pepper both sides of the meat

Add more oil if needed, brown meat in the pot.

Deglaze pot with a few splashes of the broth

Put meat into an oven safe container with a lid. Cover 1/2 of the way with the broth. Add onions, carrots, and mushrooms. Sprinkle the rosemary all over it, make sure some of it goes into the broth too!

Cover and roast at 275 degrees for 2 hours.

Enjoy!!

Cabbage Soup

I am part of a farm share program, so each week I get lots of veggies that I try to to use up in a creative manner. However, my go-to creation? Soup.

I just love soup. It is so versatile and you can put almost anything into it and it will be good. So today I  set out to use up some of the lonely veggies that were sitting in my fridge.

Oh, I also received a beautiful Cuisinart food processor for Christmas this year. Any excuse I have to use it, I use it. That said, I put some onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms through the grater section of the food processor. I am still in awe of how fast it chops things.

Next sauteed the veggies and some seasonings (garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano) in some oil in a big soup pot for a few minutes. I also had some potatoes from the past 2 weeks of veggies, so I needed to start using those up, so added in some diced potatoes.

Now for the star (and mystery) ingredient: Cabbage. I have never cooked with cabbage and I don't think my mom has made it for me before. I researched it a little, its in the same family as broccoli and cauliflower, its green and leafy so I figured it would be similar to cooking with kale, chard, or spinach... So I wash it, chop it up into ribbons, and find it has a stem in the middle! So I cut the stem out and into the pot it goes!

Soup does its flavor blending thing on the stove for probably half hour. (And I found about half a cup of rice in the fridge, so that went into the pot too).

As one of my friends the other day said, "Soup is the tea of food." Enjoy!!

Next time, I would include some chopped chicken or a can of beans (white beans or chick pea) for a more filling soup. And maybe some red pepper flakes.

FYI: Generally when I make soup, I just keep adding to it, and have huge vats that I can freeze. BUT potatoes get funky when frozen.


Ingredients:
1/4 (?) Onion
5 Smaller Carrots
3 stalks Celery
4 little Mushrooms
1 tsp Oregano, Garlic Powder
S&P to taste
4 small Potatoes (diced)
1/2 head of Cabbage
8? cups of chicken broth

Saute first 6 items. Add in the rest of the ingredients.

Makes approx 6-8 servings.