Stewing With Ideas

Hello Sweets,

Well last night was the first step in moving forward with my little business, and it was more stressful than I anticipated -_-  I am trying to create my website and just like when I was designing my blog I am putting entirely too much pressure on myself, but I just want it to be perfect!  I found the right layout, now to focus on color, pictures, content.....  Ya that is what is tripping me up, lol myself :p  So I decided to take a little break and write a little post for y'all :)

This is the last post from my Texas stash :(, but as the saying goes I've saved the best for last.  For the last two years Nathan has been bragging about his delicious stew, yet until recently we had never made it.  Lucky for me he made it a few days before I left, and I made my deliciously sweet cornbread to accompany it :)  Growing up when my grandfather made stew it was a thicker style broth, the way Nathan prepares it it's more of a broth.  Now don't get me wrong it's absolutely delicious, it's honestly the best stew I've had :)  And now it's time to share with y'all!

  Nathans Super Delicious Stew

Ingredients

2lbs stewing beef, cut into bite size pieces

red potatoes, chopped

onion, chopped

carrots, chopped

celery, chopped

2 cans tomato sauce

Worcestershire sauce

teriyaki marinade

garlic, chopped

parsley

black pepper

salt

seasoning salt

garlic salt

garlic powder

oregano

beef bouillon cube, dissolved into hot water

 

  

 

Directions:

1)   Tenderize meat, season with spices and add marinade and Worcestershire sauce.  Mix well and allow to sit for at least six hours.

 

 

2)  Meanwhile, chop all veggies.  Don't worry about uniformed cuts as it is a rustic meal :)

 

 

 3)  Place veggies into a large cauldron with the tomato sauce and dissolved beef bullion cube.  Keep on a low simmer.

 

4)  Take the beef and place into a frying pan, be sure to save the marinade to add to the broth.  Brown the meat slightly as to not fully cook it, the beef will finish cooking in the cauldron.

 

5)  Add the partially cooked beef to cauldron, also adding the marinade.  Also add in additional seasonings, but not too much because as it cooks you'll taste and adjust. 

 

 

6)   Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, covering with a lid to cook for 2-3 hours.  Taste as you go along adjusting spices as needed.

 

7)  Once all the veggies are soft and you've achieved the flavor you're looking form enjoy!

 

doesn't it look so delicious!!

This stew is so good, it's full of flavor and very filling.  I didn't add anything extra to mine because Nathan made it perfectly delicious!!  Once it was paired with the sweet cornbread it was a perfect dinner, not that it needed anything more.  To be honest, this would be the perfect dinner for a cold Canadian night....which is now so I want!!  Lol I don't have any so I'll have to make something else for dinner :(

Now I need to get back to creating my website, but I don't know why I'm having such a difficult time :(  Maybe I just need to remember why I'm doing this, and stop over thinking it.......but if any of my lovely readers has any helpful suggestions they are more than welcome :)  But in the meantime I'll be brainstorming away behind my laptop, until something wonderful hits me :p lol ya I'm cheesy.  Until next time.....


Stay sweet,



Jennifer xoxoxoxo

Never Judge A Dish By A Cook

Hello Sweets,

Did you enjoy your weekend?  Hopefully you are having a relaxing Sunday and maybe even tried a new recipe :)  I've been try a lot of new recipes lately with great results mind you ;), but the one thing I've realized is that normally I will end up craving some of my "regular" favorites, but not lately I just want to try something new.  I am really enjoying exploring new foods and new techniques, I feel like I'm spreading my little kitchen creative wings (I know I'm just too cute right?).  Now don't get me wrong, I have been using familiar ingredients a lot, but I'm trying to use them in new, unique, and tasty ways.  I try to choose healthy choices when I come across them but I'll be honest that I enjoy all foods even the bad ones, but I strongly believe in moderation so you can still enjoy the finer, tastier things in life.

So as I have been mentioning over a few posts that I've been reminiscing about when I was younger, memories being in the kitchen with grandma and mother or even when I started cooking on my own.  It's funny how things that completely gross us out as children can become a food that we love as adults.  Now don't get me wrong, there are some that don't (for me it's olives, ick!).  What I've found is that it's not the actual food that I didn't like but just the way it was prepared, an example would be I love my grandfather's, mother's and my own spaghetti,  but take me to a restaurant and there is no way I'm ordering it after every disappointment.  What do you think the main difference is?  I think it's two things; 1) it's made with care because you're feeding the ones you love and 2) it's made with love, cooked slow and constantly adjusting the spices to achieve the right flavors.  It's not rushed, but almost built into a beautiful masterpiece that you are more than happy to share with everyone.

So I decided to do today's post on something that I absolutely HATED as a child, no matter who made it or what was in it I was not touching it, and that was coleslaw.  However I've always liked English style fish and chips (thank you grandma :)) which normally comes with coleslaw as a side, a side that always stayed in its little dish.  That was until one day at a restaurant (which I can't remember the name of, it's been a few years) the coleslaw looked much different than I had ever seen, and appetizing enough to give it the good old college try!  The main aspects to the dish that really caught my interest was it was very colorful (full of more than just green cabbage) and the dressing was very light and not a mayonnaise base dressing, and low and behold it was delicious!  From then on unless it looked like a sloppy mayo mess I tried, and then had a desire to make some of my own and see if it works out like I was envisioning.  Then came the perfect opportunity, every year our home office has a potluck lunch where each department brings a dish or two and everyone enjoys a free delicious lunch.  Since I work for a fitness company I figured it's healthy, high in fiber, and it makes a big portion, that it would be the perfect chance to really shine (and yes I had a back up just in case it was a flop).  So I prepped my coleslaw a day in advanced to really let the dressing absorb in, tried it to make sure it was edible lol and it was same quality as the dressing that turned me into a real cabbage patch kid (lol 80'd kid joke).  When I brought it to work I created a little information card that so people would know what's in it and to let them know some of the healthy parts of it, and I think it's a good sign when you pick up the bowl and it's completely empty!!  Definitely made me feel pretty good and I love my recipe so much that I'm going to share it with you today :)

Canuckette's Colorful Coleslaw

Ingredients
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 1/2C carrots, grated
2 stalks celery, chopped
1C white sugar
1C white vinegar
3/4C extra virgin olive oil
3/4Tbs salt
1Tbs dry mustard
1/2Tsp garlic powder
black pepper to taste

 garlic not pictured as it was a last minute addition, again lol

Directions:

1)  In a large  bowl, combine cabbage, onion, carrots, and celery.

2)  Sprinkle with sugar, and mix well.

 

second picture is to show the neat texture and colors

 3)  In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, oil, salt, dry mustard, garlic powder, and pepper.  Bring to a boil.

4)  Pour dressing while still hot over cabbage mixture, and mix well.

Simple and easy but healthy side dish great for anytime of the year, for lunch or dinner.  I let the coleslaw sit for at very least 24 hours (longer if I can), and drain any excess liquid before plating or serving.  Now that I've made this I'm craving fish and chips lol.  Dang not sure if I have what is needed to whip that up hmmmmmm.  I guess you'll find out in the next few posts :)

  Well my lovely readers, I have not slept in over 24 hours again and as my wonderful roommate would verify I am going a little crazy, in the certifiable way ;)  I  think it's time for a mid day catnap :)  Until next time...............

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo

Soup's On!!

Hello Sweets,

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.  Mine so far has been fairly low key, which is a good thing, but I may get to see a couple of friends tonight for some post birthday laughs!  I talked with Nathan last night, and we've decided that I am still twenty-eight since we have yet to celebrate my birthday together (every girls dream lol), but I really liked the sound of that because he is the one person I do want to celebrate my birthday with!  Now don't get me wrong, I love all my family and friends, but he has a way about him that can make me forget, even if just for a moment, that I'm constantly in pain.  But enough about me, lets get to the meat of this blog, or in this case the chicken lol!!

I don't know about you guys, but the smell of freshly made soup wafting through the house is absolutely divine.  I don't remember clearly who had made soup from scratch in my house, but smelling the soup I am making right now, is giving me a nostalgic feeling that is reminiscence of my childhood.  Soup is really a great dish to make during the colder months, not just because it warms you up inside or is easy to make, but more importantly it stores and keeps fabulously!  You can literally throw in whatever your heart desires, because after all, it is your soup :)  I feel like soup is the "everything but the kitchen sink" kind of meal, because you can go through your crisper, cupboards, and leftovers to create a one of a kind creation, that is completely reflective of your pallet.  Now I made a dumb move, and instead of boiling down the bones into a broth, I threw them out (smh).  A girlfriend of mine (Heather), her boyfriend just got back from deer hunting, so overnight she had made the broth for her soup (yes I am a little jealous but now I know for next time).  So I just ended up using boxed broth.  I know not a great choice, but I did buy the lower sodium, and used all fresh ingredients for the rest (with the exception of my leftover chicken).  As of right now, it has been simmering for just over 35 minutes, and I have topped up the broth and added the noodles, within 30 minutes it will be all done and ready to eat!  Now lets get to this delicious recipe, so all of your homes can smell as savory as mine ;)

Canuckette's Chicken Soup

Ingredients

1/2 Box Whole wheat rotini noodles (or which ever you prefer)

1Qrt Chicken broth (or make your own)

1-2C Chicken, diced

1Tbs Extra virgin olive oil

3 stocks Celery, diced

3 Carrots, diced

2 potatoes, diced

1/2 Spanish onion, diced

Bay leaves

Garlic

Celery Salt

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Whole Coriander, crushed

Oregano

Directions:

1)  In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil, meanwhile dice all the vegetables.  Place vegetables into pot and stir for 3-5 minutes, or until they start to soften.  Then add the garlic (about 1Tsp), allow to become aromatic (about 30 seconds), before mixing into the vegetables.

Before and After

2)  Dice the chicken, add to the vegetables, and top with the broth.  Add all your spices, I didn't give measurements because I don't use them I use my nose (if I had to guess; 4 bay leaves, 1Tsp garlic (after softening the veggies), 1/2Tsp celery salt, 1/2Tsp sea salt, 1Tsp pepper, 1/2Tsp coriander, and 1/2Tsp oregano).  Let simmer for at least thirty minutes, on low to medium heat.

Before and After simmer

3)  While that is simmering, boil your noodles.  I tend to leave them "al dente", because they will cook a little more on the final simmer.

4)  Add the noodles to the simmered vegetables and broth, at this point you'll be able to see if you need to top up the broth, or if you need to adjust the spices.  Let simmer on low for another fifteen minutes at least.

already looks and smells so good!

5)  Remove from heat, and serve, or divide up among containers to freeze and store.  But most importantly enjoy the fruits of your labor.

one for the fridge and one for the freezer :)

Now I like a heartier soup, so I opted out to adding anymore liquids to mine, but I did try some and it is a very nice, mild chicken noodle soup with plenty of vegetables with each bite!  I don't add a lot of salt because some people like it saltier than others, but you can always add this when you make your own bowl. Every time I make a new recipe I always make mental notes, what could I add more of, what can I include next time that I didn't this time.  And this soup is no different, although I think my next adventure will be trying my hand at the McWhorter stew that Nathan and his grandmother make :) I do after all, love family recipes that get passed down from generation to generation, like my grandmothers banana bread, or my grandfathers baked rice.  Perhaps tomorrow I'll do a biscuit or bread to accompany my soup, I guess you'll just have to come back and see ;)

Do you have a favorite soup you like to make?  Or maybe a favorite that someone in your family makes?  I always love hearing from everyone, with suggestions or even just fun facts.  Until next time..........

Stay sweet,

Jennifer xoxoxo