Old fashioned Beef Stew - Crock-Pot Version

What's for dinner tonight!

Beef Stew - Crock-pot version

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2-3 cups carrots, peeled and large chopped

2-3 stalk celery, large chop, with tops

1 can plain diced tomatoes with juice

4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon real bacon bits or equivalent

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

a 6-inch stalk fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

1 - 1 1/2 pounds beef cut into 2-inch cubes*

about 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Salt and Pepper

1 can beef broth plus 1/2 cup water

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

3/4 cup frozen peas

1. Combine the first 9 ingredients in the Crockpot. Turn pot to high and continue.
2. Heat a sauté pan with some coconut oil in it. Drudge beef in flour seasoned with salt and pepper and sear meat in hot pan until brown. Remove beef, add to Crockpot.
3. Deglaze pan with the beef broth and add the liquids to Crockpot. The liquids should come up to within 1 inch of the solids. If too low add a little chicken broth or water.
4. Cover pot and cook for 4-5 hours on HIGH. About 3 hours before dinner, peel and cube potatoes. Add these to Crockpot with peas. Cover and cook an additional 3 hours or until all is tender.
5. Remove bay leaves and rosemary. If a thicker gravy is desired, sprinkle top with 1-2 packages brown gravy mix. Stir into liquid, and return to simmer to thicken. Check seasoning after gravy mix as some can be salty. Alternately, if you don't want to use a mix, turn Crockpot to low, drain liquids from pot with a ladle or turkey baster. Make gravy as usual using these liquids, then return to Crockpot.

* can use any cut of beef, venison, etc. Steak tips work great too.

Recipe Remake - Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Olive Garden-ish

This is an amazingly creamy soup. We loved it and had to find a way to copy it. In an attempt to google it we were displeased with the results. Below is our version of it. We love it, hope you'll try it!

2 Chicken breasts, cooked and diced, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 celery stalk, small dice

1 large clove garlic, small chop

1/2 carrot, shredded

1/2 onion, small dice

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cans chicken broth plus 1 can water

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 package potato gnocchi

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, cooked, wrung out, and rechopped

1. Prepare chicken, this can also be made with perdue done it chicken if you're in a hurry

2. In a dutch oven or stock pot saute the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery in the olive oil until they are soft. Add broth and water and bring to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, prepare gnocchi as directed. Cook until they raise to the surface of the water. Strain off and add to soup. Cook uncovered for 2-4 minutes until tender. Add thyme and chicken and reduce heat to simmer.

4. Make a slurry by combining 2 Tbsp. cornstarch with enough cold water to make it thin add this to the pot and stir to incorporate. Soup will not fully thicken until it comes to a boil. Bring to slight boil then turn down until it stops.

5. Slowly stir in heavy cream. Do not boil after this point as it will curdle the cream and become separated. Bring to temp and add chopped spinach. Stirring to dispurse.

Makes about 4 good-sized servings.

Homemade Jam

Today was a day to make more homemade jam. We ran out early this year and boy is it good!

Homemade Jam

Yield: 8 jars

Assorted berries (1 ½ quarts strawberries, mashed up, 1 bag frozen raspberries,

 and 1 bag frozen Wyman’s blueberries) which will equal 5-6 cups when mashed

1 box Sure-gel

½ tsp butter

7 cups sugar, measured and ready

1. Mash fresh berries to 5-6 cups; do not mash frozen berries. Put these in a stockpot; mix in the box of Sure-gel, and butter. Heat on high to a rolling boil (this means you stir it and it keeps boiling). Be sure to stir it as the frozen fruit melts so it won’t burn. When it reaches a rolling boil, add the sugar all at once and stir to mix thoroughly. Keep mixing and bring up to a rolling boil again. Cook at a rolling boil for 2 minutes (1 minute if all the berries are fresh). Remove from heat.
2. In the meantime, bring a small pan of water to a boil. Turn off burner and add your lids. Be sure to separate each lid in the water; don’t leave them in a stack. Let these sit while you’re making the jam.
3. Also, wash glass jars and metal rings. Put in a very clean sink submerged in the hottest water you can get.
4. When the jam is done use a glass measuring cup to scoop out the jam. Be careful this is VERY hot! Pour jam into HOT glass jar to within ½ inch of edge, wipe clean the edges, place a hot, dry lid on top with a magnet rod, and then screw on metal ring. Place upside down on towel. After about 5 minutes turn jar right side up you should hear the jars popping (sealing) within a few minutes to an hour.
5. Let the jars rest for 24 hours before storing. Tighten lid more, if necessary and store in a cool, dry place.