Friday, September 30, 2011

September 30, 2011

We love pumpkin around here!!! But you already know that, since I mentioned it last week. This week we found a new pumpkin recipe - Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread. Moist, delicious...the kids can't get enough of it. It was so good that we actually made it twice in one week! We made it on Saturday, and then we made it again on Tuesday night. Clearly, this was a keeper recipe!

Also, except for during the summer, we like to have soup once a week. We are a soup family. For years my husband kept asking for beef stew, and I tried quite a few out. I can honestly say I did not like a single recipe I tried...until I found the one I am going to share with you this week. Of course, I don't really like red meat, so you are probably wondering how it is that I would ever really love a beef stew. I'll admit it, I was on the hunt for a recipe he would love and that I could tolerate. But once I finally stumbled across the one that is listed here, I found I could love a beef stew! The secret to this one is that you don't cook it all for the same length of time. The carrots and potatoes go in only for the last hour, and the peas only go in once you take the stew out of the oven and let them cook for five minutes while you get everyone to the table! There's the genius in the recipe...cook the meat for a while, and the veggies only as long as they need! If I can find it in my heart to love this beef stew, you just might, too!

And if you do have a soup recipe you want to share with me...send it along! We are always looking for a new recipe to try for soup night!

New Recipe
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Tried and True

Beef Stew

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread



Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 cup pumpkin puree
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup water
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 3/4 teaspoons salt
* 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, vanilla and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Bake for about 70 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before removing from pan.

Notes

I also like to trace my pan on parchment paper and put it in the bottom of the loaf pan just to guarantee the loaf will pop out without any trouble!

Beef Stew



Ingredients

* 2- 3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
* salt and pepper
* 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
* 2 onions, minced
* 1 tbsp tomato paste
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
*3 tbsp AP flour
* 1 cup dry red wine
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme (1 tsp of dried)
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 1/2 lbs of potatoes, peeled, and cut into uniform chunks
* 4 carrots peeled and cut into uniform chunks
* 1 cup frozen peas

Directions


1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle, and set oven temp to 300.
2. Dry the beef with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper. Brown the beef in one tbsp of the oil in two batches over medium high heat, adding another tbsp of oil for the second batch. Use a dutch oven, as you can put this in the oven when it is time to do so. Reserve the browned beef on a plate or in a bowl.
3. Heat the final tbsp of oil and add the onions. Cook about 5 minutes or until softened.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add the flour and cook for one minute.
6. Slowly stir in the wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
7. Stir in the stock, thyme, bay leaves. Add the beef back to the pot. Bring the stew to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven.
8. Cook for 1 hour.
9. Open the open the pot and stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover again, and cook for an additional hour.
10. Remove the pot from the oven, stir in the peas and cover again. Let the pot stand off the heat for 5 minutes.
11. Remove the bay leaves, and serve!

Notes


I buy a chuck roast and cut my own stew beef - it definitely makes a difference as it ensures the beef pieces are all cut about the same size. Also, remember my tip about tomato paste? If you open a new can for this recipe and only need the one tbsp, mound out tbsp portions on wax paper and freeze. Once frozen, put them in a freezer bag and you'll have recipe ready tomato paste when you need it! And finally, for cooking wine...you should be able to drink the wine you cook with - so here is what I do: I like to keep those little 4 packs of wine in my pantry - the ones that are about 6 oz to the bottle. They are good enough the drink, so they are perfect for cooking! No need to open a whole bottle if you only need a cup or so...though opening a bottle is also a great idea. If you do open a bottle, serve the rest with dinner!

One more tip...don't try to double this recipe for a bigger crowd. I tried to double it for a dinner party, and the stew definitely wasn't as good as it always is when I just follow the recipe listed here!