Beef and Barley Soup

I made this a few days ago, but I was the only one that ate it.  Best of intentions, but things here aren't really under any kind of plan or control.  It was good, and most of it is in the freezer.

It's easy to make, I tried to find a recipe but just ended up tossing it together.

My apologies in advance if I forget anything.  I am exhausted.

Beef and Barley Soup
- 2 lb lean beef stew meat
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup barley
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 package sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp pepper

Heat oil and brown meat in large stock pot.  Add broth, water and barley.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes.  Add celery, onion and carrots, bring back to a boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes.  Add mushrooms and pepper, bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. 

Beef Stew

I have posted a recipe for beef stew before, but that one is more a sweet and savory variety.  You can get the recipe for Strange Brew Beef Stew here. 

This recipe is a more traditional beef stew, with a little twist.

It makes enough for about 6 adults.

Beef Stew
- 2 pounds lean beef roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups peeled and sliced carrots
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup flour, divided
- 2 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp coarse ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary (or 1 tsp fresh minced)
- 2 tbsp water
- dash pepper
- 1/2 bag egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

Use half the flour and coat chunks of meat.  Heat oil in large stockpot and brown meat in batches, then remove meat and put in a bowl.  Cook onion and mushrooms in drippings until onion is transparent.  

Add broth, Worcestershire sauce and mustard, stirring to combine.  Scrape any browned pieces of meat and vegetables from bottom of pot and stir in to mixture.  Return meat to pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add carrots, then cover and simmer for one hour.  Mix water, remaining flour and pepper in a separate bowl, then add to soup.  Bring to a boil and stir until thickened. 

Layer cooked egg noodles in bottom of bowl, then spoon stew over top.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

This is awesome, and possibly the most awesome thing about it is that it's quick and easy to make. 

Even my hugely anti-tomato husband ate it.  And he liked it.  He's a smart man.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 large can (28 oz) tomato puree
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup cream (can use skim milk to cut fat and calories)
- pepper to taste

Run tomatoes, peppers and oil through a food processor, adding a bit of the chicken broth if more fluid is needed.  Add puree to large stockpot.  Mix in tomato puree, remaining broth and sugar to pot, stirring thoroughly.  Add pepper to taste.  Heat soup to boiling and reduce heat, simmer for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cream.

Bacon Cheddar Paninis

If you are anything like me, and truly believe that sandwiches taste better when someone else makes them, then thrust this recipe into the hands of another if you must. It's that good.

Bacon Cheddar Panini
- 8 pieces wheat bread
- butter for toasting
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 pieces bacon
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Spread Mixture
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp course ground prepared mustard
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp parsley

Combine mayo, mustard, garlic powder and parsley in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Cook bacon, preferably on a griddle that can be used for cooking sandwiches as well. Drain on paper towels and remove most of the grease from the griddle, leaving a little for cooking the sandwiches.

Lightly butter the outside of 4 pieces of the bread, placing butter side down on griddle. Generously smother spread mixture on bread. Top each piece of bread with two pieces bacon, broken into smaller pieces to fit. Layer tomatoes, then 1/4 cup cheese per sandwich. Before placing top layer of bread on the sandwich, coat inner side with spread, outer side with light butter.

Toast both sides until golden brown, cooking until cheese is melted, pressing down evenly to squish the sandwich a bit. Ideally, you would have a panini maker to create this sandwich.

I'm telling you, this sandwich is that good. I've got to stop cooking or my life of eating out will forever be ruined. This is better than any sandwich I've ever paid for.

Guacamole

I made a big giant bowl of this last night to go with the carne asada we had for dinner.   I figured I might as well share it here.  I have a special love of guacamole.  When I was pregnant with Aidan, I actually made it every single day.  Love, love, love it.

This is a basic version of the recipe, subject to the additions you would want to make.  I tend not to add much heat to it since the kids love it too.  But if you like it spicy, feel free to add whatever it takes.  You can use dried cayenne pepper or fresh peppers.  Chili peppers should be seeded and finely minced, then evenly distributed.   If you like it mild, add an Anaheim chili or two.  I'd recommend a Serrano chili which is medium heat.  If you want it even hotter, add half a habanero.

Whatever you do, don't buy one of those guacamole mixes ever again.

Guacamole
- 3-4 ripe avocados, should have blackened skin and yield to slight pressure, but not feel mushy
- 1 large hothouse tomato
- 2-3 green onions
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1-2 limes
- salt and pepper

Cut avocados in half, remove pit and scoop out flesh.  Roughly chop and put in a bowl.  If a smoother texture is desired, mash with a fork.  Dice tomato into small pieces. 

Some recipes call for white onions or red onions, but I personally prefer the green onions.  Slice tops and roots from onions, thinly slice, then separate layers by rolling through hands and add to bowl.  Stem and chop cilantro.  Roll limes firmly on counter before slicing.  Squeeze juice over mixture.  Stir until completely blended.

Add salt and pepper to taste, then chili peppers if desired. 

I serve it with chips, but I'd eat it with a spoon.  ;)

Buttermilk Blueberry Crumb Muffins

I got a craving for something today.  This is what happens when I have a craving for something. 

These muffins will change your life.  Really.  I dare you to tell me otherwise.

At the request of a reader, I will include substitutions to make the recipe lower in fat.  In the above pictured version, I used the regular recipe.   This yields about 16 regular sized muffins or 10 jumbo.

Happy Baking!

Buttermilk Blueberry Crumb Muffins
For Muffins
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp, plus 1 tsp baking powder
- 2/3 cup buttermilk (to make lower in fat, I make my own with 1 tbsp vinegar and skim milk, just let sit a few minutes)
- 2/3 cup oil (can substitute with smooth plain unsweetened applesauce)
- 2 whole eggs (can substitute with 3 egg whites)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 cups blueberries

For Crumb Topping
- 2 tbsp butter, softened (can substitute with light spread)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray.  (You could use paper liners, but you would be sacrificing all the muffin stuck to the paper, and believe me you don't want to do that!)  Combine dry muffing ingredients, then add buttermilk, oil and lemon juice.  Add eggs one at a time.  Fold in blueberries until just mixed.  Pour into prepared pans.

For topping, combine with a fork until mixture resembles course crumbs.  Sprinkle generously over muffin batter.  Bake for 23-25 minutes, until toothpick insert in center comes out clean.

Quick and Easy Chili

I've used the same basic recipe for this forever.  It's something you can throw together in 15-20 minutes for dinner or put into a crockpot and let cook all day.  You can use it to make chili dogs, serve it over fritos for homemade gutbusters or just have a bowl of it all by itself.  I made this just last night.  One of these days I will fiddle with it and try adding more stuff to it, but I haven't yet.  Why mess with a good thing?

Chili
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- dash pepper
- 1 large can chili beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 small can tomato paste
- shredded cheddar cheese and/or diced onions for garnish

Brown ground beef in deep skillet, adding the onion, garlic, chili powder and pepper to the meat.  Cook until meat is done and onions transparent. 

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.  You can warm it all together on the stovetop or put it in a crockpot on low for a few hours.  I opt not to add more heat to the chili since the kids don't like it too spicy, but you can add hot pepper sauce or dried cayenne pepper to make it hotter. 

Rosemary Chicken

Hello blog.  I've neglected you.  But I've been busy....had a good excuse and all I suppose. 

Here is one of the things I cooked since I've been here.  It ain't fancy, but it's good.

Rosemary Chicken
- 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 springs fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Heat oil in large skillet on medium, then place chicken in pan.  Cook until browned on that side, then flip.  Brown on the other side, then add butter, garlic and rosemary and cover.  Reduce heat to low-medium and cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center.