What''s for dinner?

[zoebartlett]

What''cha making for dinner tonight? I''m making this recipe (minus the Worcestershire sauce and celery and adding red potatoes):

Beef stew

Ingredients
2 pounds stew beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Directions
Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

 

[zoebartlett]

I forgot to add that it''s more like beef soup, not stew because it will not thicken. We don''t have cornstarch either, or else I''d add a little.

 

[sunkist]

Yummm, beef stew/soup sounds like a delicious fall meal Zoe! Need to put that on my dinners list!

We''ll probably be having left over spaghetti and meatballs that I made last night.

Sauce:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
oregano
salt, pepper
micro-planed grated carrots to sweeten it
crushed garlic clove
meatballs

Thin Spaghetti,
Salad with hubby''s homemade ranch dressing,
& Garlic buttered bread loaf from Costco toasted in oven! Yum!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Zoe, that sounds delicious! If you do want that beef soup to thicken, just coat the beef in a flour, salt, and pepper mixture before you fry it up. That flour will help thicken it up without cornstarch.

Tonight, I'm roasting some pumpkins to make some more pumpkin puree. I'm trying to make some sort of Pumpkin Soup as a starter, and then making a variation on the Butter Roasted Chicken I made a couple of weeks ago.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds)
a good knob of butter, softened
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 orange
1/2 an onion
12 cloves of garlic, peeeled
1 - 2 lb. of red potatoes, chopped into 1/2 pieces
drizzle of olive oil

Directions:

Ensure your rack is in the upper 1/2 to 1/3 of your oven. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Wash the chicken inside and out with water, removing the giblets and neck, reserving for a good chicken stock later. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, and let it sit in a colander until itfs fully dried and room temperature. Look for any imperfections and missed plucked feathers all over the skin. Feathers are not really appetizing.

Rub the softened butter all over the outside of the bird, and then, loosening the skin, rub some of the butter into the meat under the skin, pressing the skin into the meat to squish it down farther than you can reach. Make sure to get some of the butter into the cavity Chop up some of the onions and orange, and while squeezing together with about 6 of the garlic cloves in your hands, insert them into the cavity of the bird. Squeeze as much in there as you can, itfll pay off later. Season with salt and pepper, salting a bit more heavily over the breasts. This will help crisp up the skin.

Lay out the potatoes along the bottom of the roasting pan, drizzling with olive oil, mincing the rest of the garlic cloves and sprinkling around the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper, and place the chicken, breast side up, on top of the potatoes. After the first 5 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees F and continue to cook, basting with the juices occasionally, for about the next hour or so.

You should continue to bake the bird until the skin looks golden and crispy, and the internal temperature reaches at least 170 degrees. and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Most publications tell you to wait for 180 degrees, but I think that dries out the bird, too much. Just cook it to your comfort level, but I prefer mine right around 172-ish since it will cook a bit while you rest it on a tinfoil covered dish for 10 minutes before you carve. Serve with the potatoes and a veggie (I made some garlic sauteed spinach).

 

[miraclesrule]

Every time I see that chicken picture, it makes me wish I had someone to cook with and/or for...besides myself. It''s so beautiful and drool worthy.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 11/8/2009 1:25:34 PM
Author: miraclesrule
Every time I see that chicken picture, it makes me wish I had someone to cook with and/or for...besides myself. It''s so beautiful and drool worthy.

Janice. Thank you, hun! I''m taking another stab at it tonight.

 

[elrohwen]

Probably curry, because I'm lazy tonight

and I don't have a lot of time. I have a jar of this curry mix that I'm trying for the second time. Last time I used it I followed the recipe on the jar and added water and canned tomatoes. Not so yummy

This time I'm going to try it with coconut milk as the base and see how it tastes. I usually add onion, garlic, chicken, and steamed cauliflower and serve over basmati rice.

LTP: That's exactly the same way I cook a chicken. It's awesome! Butter makes everything taste better

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 11/8/2009 4:35:29 PM
Author: elrohwen
Probably curry, because I''m lazy tonight

and I don''t have a lot of time. I have a jar of this curry mix that I''m trying for the second time. Last time I used it I followed the recipe on the jar and added water and canned tomatoes. Not so yummy

This time I''m going to try it with coconut milk as the base and see how it tastes. I usually add onion, garlic, chicken, and steamed cauliflower and serve over basmati rice.

LTP: That''s exactly the same way I cook a chicken. It''s awesome! Butter makes everything taste better

I love curry with coconut milk/creme bases. Yum!

 

[Skippy123]

Homemade pizza

yeast, water, sugar (let foam)

wheat/white flour combo and evoo and salt

then mix together and let rise.

homemade mozzarella, basil, tomato sauce and garlic

Zoe, your beef stew sounds YUMMY!

Lauren, is just all around cook extraordinaire.

 

[Kaleigh]

Your Pizza sounds so yummy Skippy. I need to try it!!!

 

[ladypirate]

I'm making Julia Child's French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée des Trois Gourmandes). Had some fresh brown stock left from a few days ago and that sounded like an awesome way to use it.

Everyone's food sounds so tasty! Thanks for the recipes.

 

[miraclesrule]

I'm having blanched organic green beans and Jalapeno Kettle chips from Lay's. Man, I slaved over this meal.

ETA: ladypirate

I haven't seen you in forever!! I miss you!

 

[zoebartlett]

Well, the beef stew I made on Friday night was really good, but not quite as thick as I''d like it to be. I ended up doubling the recipe because all the reviews online for this recipe (Paula Deen''s) said that it didn''t make quite enough for leftovers. We have plenty left over, so I''m glad I doubled it. I used a bunch of cornstarch (4-5 tablespoons?) and it still didn''t thicken up quite so much. Oh well. For the first time, it was a good try, and I''d still make it again. I''d make some modifications though.

Everyone''s food looks/sounds so yummy! Lauren, thanks for the tip about coating the beef with flour. I''ll definitely try that next time! I love pumpkin soup. Mmmm...

Sunkist -- spaghetti and meatballs is one of my husband''s favorites. Homemade sauce is so easy to make, isn''t it? Love it!

Elrohwen -- curry is delicious! We''ve used some type of jarred stuff and it''s pretty good (although spicy!).

Skippy -- you and your pizza! I bet it came out great.

LP -- my husband and I LOVE French onion soup! We''ve never made it before but it doesn''t sound too hard.

Next on my list is Mara''s chicken and dumplings recipe.

 

[Haven]

Oh, LTP, that chicken looks amazing.

We''re eating my special homemade marinara meat sauce with pasta tonight. It''s DH''s favorite meal, so we eat it at least once a week. I just picked up some asparagus for the side.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I made an amazing pot roast with polenta last night and had left overs for lunch today. TBH I''m not really hungry at the moment. Steak looked good this morning so that came out of the freezer so I''ll probably broil that and have it with a very yummy skillet potato gratin and green beans.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Nothing much tonight, I can't be bothered and DH is working late. Tomorrow though, DH's family are coming, so we're having my Dad's Special Occasion Beef.

This looks v impressive but is really easy to do and great for a crowd. It's expensive, but really nice for special occasions / visitors.

My Dad's Special Occasion Beef:

1 single piece of fillet of beef, size depending on how many people you're feeding (I think it's called fillet mignon in the US?)
fresh green pesto, enough to rub a thin layer all over the beef
enough parma ham slices to wrap the beef up in (will depend on the size of the beef fillet, sorry that's a bit vague)

Sauce:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 heaped teaspoons of butter
2 heaped teaspoon all purpose flour
1 can tomatoes
2 glasses red wine
salt & pepper
bay leaf
sprig of fresh thyme

To cook the roast, rub the beef all over with pesto, then sear in a really hot frying pan for a few minutes, until it's browned all over.
Let it cool slightly then rub with a little more pesto.
Lay the ham slices over the beef so they overlap slightly and wrap the beef up with the ham.
Put it in a very hot oven to roast - keep an eye on it, but how long you roast it for depends on how rare you like it and how big a piece of beef you are using. Push it with your finger - the more 'springy' it feels, the more rare it will be. If you aren't sure, you can turn it upside down and cut into the bottom to see how done it is. The parma ham will get lovely and crisp, but if it's going to burn before the beef is done enough for you, put some loose tinfoil over it (don't wrap it tightly with foil or the ham will go soggy).

To make the sauce, saute the onions gently in the butter, don't let them turn brown.
When they are soft and transluscent, stir in the flour and cook gently for a few minutes.
Add the wine and stir it well into the floury onions. Let it simmer for a few minutes to burn off most of the alcohol.
Add the tomatoes, bayleaf, thyme and salt and pepper to taste, then let the sauce cook very gently for about half an hour. It will thicken up a bit, which is fine.
Push the sauce through a fine seive, returning the liquid to a clean saucepan to heat up when you're ready to serve. Another dash of red wine added at this stage gives it a nice kick.

When the beef is ready, serve it in really thin slices, with the sauce. It looks really nice on a bed of rocket. I serve it with scalloped potatoes, or just plain boiled new potatoes and a green salad, but any veggies would work fine.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 11/9/2009 3:18:18 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
I made an amazing pot roast with polenta last night and had left overs for lunch today. TBH I''m not really hungry at the moment. Steak looked good this morning so that came out of the freezer so I''ll probably broil that and have it with a very yummy skillet potato gratin and green beans.

That sounds yummy. I had polenta for the first time last week, and loved it. I have been missing out, LOL!!!

 

[EricaR]

Tonight is grilled chicken with spinach and pine nut pesto and pasta with roasted garlic, olives and artichoke hearts on the side. Can''t wait to eat!

 

[Bia]

Date: 11/8/2009 10:07:51 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Well, the beef stew I made on Friday night was really good, but not quite as thick as I''d like it to be. I ended up doubling the recipe because all the reviews online for this recipe (Paula Deen''s) said that it didn''t make quite enough for leftovers. We have plenty left over, so I''m glad I doubled it. I used a bunch of cornstarch (4-5 tablespoons?) and it still didn''t thicken up quite so much. Oh well. For the first time, it was a good try, and I''d still make it again. I''d make some modifications though.

Next time try mixing some butter (melted but not hot) and all-purpose flour together - do like two tbsp of butter and 1/3 c of flour. Add it to the stew and it should thicken up pretty nicely. I made beef bourguignon the other day (which I will remember to share because it came out soooo good) and this is exactly what the recipe calls for. It was perfect!

 

[zoebartlett]

I think I need help. So I''m making Mara''s recipe for chicken and dumplings, and I''m not sure what the consistency of the dumplings should be. Should they taste like underdone biscuits? If so, I''m right on track! If not, I may need to start over. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Mara]

lol zoe...yes they taste like underdone biscuits...well like soft cooked dough i guess. but cooked through. make sure you let them simmer with everything for at least 10 min. this is a 'quick' southern QnD recipe but i guess the REAL recipes have you make dumplings from scratch! you rolled them out thin right? the longer they sit in the broth the more 'done' they seem to get if that makes sense. if they are still really puffy and peforated looking, then cook them a few more min. when done they are thinner, saturated with broth and more like the consistency of something you'd see in a chinese wonton soup.

the first time i made them they curled up into themselves as i left them a bit longer and made more like real little dumplings, the 2nd time i cut them shorter strips and some did and some didn't.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Mara! I did cut the dumplings up into little rectangles with a pizza cutter before putting them in the broth.

Problem solved -- I ended up turning off the burner and let the dumplings and chicken hang out in the broth while I cooked egg noodles to go with the dish. Turns out, that''s all the dumplings needed, and the extra time cooked them more. When I first checked, they were still kind of uh, slimy (for lack of a better word) and I got a little nervous. In the end, everything turned out great and my husband even loved it. I laughed because he never likes my cooking (he''s very picky!), and he loves to kick things up a notch by adding spices to everything, yet he loved the most plain thing I could have made. Yummy dinner, definitely.

Thanks again!

 

[ladypirate]

Date: 11/9/2009 4:21:56 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 11/8/2009 10:07:51 PM

Author: ZoeBartlett

Well, the beef stew I made on Friday night was really good, but not quite as thick as I''d like it to be. I ended up doubling the recipe because all the reviews online for this recipe (Paula Deen''s) said that it didn''t make quite enough for leftovers. We have plenty left over, so I''m glad I doubled it. I used a bunch of cornstarch (4-5 tablespoons?) and it still didn''t thicken up quite so much. Oh well. For the first time, it was a good try, and I''d still make it again. I''d make some modifications though.

Next time try mixing some butter (melted but not hot) and all-purpose flour together - do like two tbsp of butter and 1/3 c of flour. Add it to the stew and it should thicken up pretty nicely. I made beef bourguignon the other day (which I will remember to share because it came out soooo good) and this is exactly what the recipe calls for. It was perfect!

LOL Bia, you and I had the same idea! Noms.

 

[Bia]

Great recipe!

Made it with mashed potatoes and garlic bread. FI rarely requests beef (or meat in general) but this one he can''t help but love. Great cold weather recipe. yum.

Beef Bourguignon - Courtesy Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced
For serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

 

[Bia]

Date: 11/10/2009 3:36:09 PM
Author: ladypirate

Date: 11/9/2009 4:21:56 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 11/8/2009 10:07:51 PM

Author: ZoeBartlett

Well, the beef stew I made on Friday night was really good, but not quite as thick as I''d like it to be. I ended up doubling the recipe because all the reviews online for this recipe (Paula Deen''s) said that it didn''t make quite enough for leftovers. We have plenty left over, so I''m glad I doubled it. I used a bunch of cornstarch (4-5 tablespoons?) and it still didn''t thicken up quite so much. Oh well. For the first time, it was a good try, and I''d still make it again. I''d make some modifications though.

Next time try mixing some butter (melted but not hot) and all-purpose flour together - do like two tbsp of butter and 1/3 c of flour. Add it to the stew and it should thicken up pretty nicely. I made beef bourguignon the other day (which I will remember to share because it came out soooo good) and this is exactly what the recipe calls for. It was perfect!

LOL Bia, you and I had the same idea! Noms.

great minds, LP, great minds

 

[trillionaire]

tonight, either chicken and parmesan pasta with zucchini or asparagus, or Turkey meatloaf. I''ve never made meatloaf before

On the other hand, if I don''t take the food out of the freezer, we might not be having anything!

 

[ladypirate]

We''re doing black beans & rice tonight--keepin'' it simple.

The black beans are in the crock pot right now.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Ugh . . . this thread makes me so HUNGRY! I always tend to browse it around 4:30 . . .

I think we''re having leftovers tonight in the form of a chicken + sweet potato stuffing with bacon and thyme + cranberry sauce sandwich!

 

[steph72276]

Thanks for the beef stew recipe Zoe. I actually went to the store and bought all the ingredients EXCEPT BEEF!! Even though it was right there on my list...gotta love pregnancy brain. I am going to try it tomorrow night. Now I have spaghetti and turkey meatballs going for tonight.

 

[brooklyngirl]

Pot roast and mashed potatoes. It's my first making pot roast, but it smells delicious -- one hour to go!

ETA: Here's the recipe (Alton Brown):
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) blade cut chuck roast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cumin
Vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 to 6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup tomato juice
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup cocktail olives, drained and broken
1/2 cup dark raisins
Directions
Preheat the oven to 190-200 degrees F. Place a wide, heavy skillet or fry pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, rub both sides of meat with the salt and cumin. When the pan is hot (really hot) brown meat on both sides and remove from pan. Add just enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan then add the onion and garlic. Stir constantly until onion is softened. Add the tomato juice, vinegar, olives, and raisins. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by half. Create a pouch with wide, heavy duty aluminum foil. Place half the reduced liquid/chunk mixture on the foil, add the roast, and then top with the remaining mixture. Close the pouch, and wrap tightly in another complete layer of foil. Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until a fork pushes easily into the meat. Remove from oven and rest (still wrapped) for at least 1/2 hour. Snip off 1 corner of the foil pouch and drain the liquid into a bowl or measuring cup. Add some of the "chunkies" and puree with an immersion blender. Slice meat thinly, or pull apart with a fork. Serve with sauce.