~Slow Cooker Beef Stew~

~Slow Cooker Beef Stew~
(reheating in a sauce pot)

Oh, it sure is frigid outside!  It's the time of year when our treadmill & I bond!  Well, this time of year & also when we have a heat wave during the HHH weather.  It's also the time of year when a bowl of steaming hearty Beef Stew tastes so good.  Beef Stew is one of those easy prep meals for my Slow Cooker.  Everything goes in the Slow Cooker's pot & a few hours later a scrumptious healthy colorful dinner is ready- without much fuss.

My Slow Cooker's cooking pot has a nonstick coating, but I always spray the cooking pot with PAM.  Then, Carrots are placed on the bottom with the cut up chunks of Beef placed on top.

This tasty easy dinner is always enjoyed the first evening & any extra portions can be placed in the freezer.  After the stew has cooled, individual portions are packaged in Ziploc Freezer Containers, labelled & frozen for a "take out" meal after a busy day when there's no time to cook dinner!  It can be defrosted/ reheated in a sauce pot along with about 4- 6 ounces of water.  Defrosting overnight in the fridge works great, also!   

~Slow Cooker Beef Stew~ 

Ingredients:
1 lb. Baby Carrots
about 1 lb. Beef Stewing Meat
(1) 16 oz. pkg. defrosted Mixed Veggies
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Basil
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder (optional)
chopped Onions
chopped Parsley
(1) Potato
(1) 14 oz. can diced Tomatoes
28 oz. Tomato Sauce
 
Method: 

1.  Spray Slow Cooker's pot with PAM. 
2.  Rinse 1 lb. Baby Carrots in cold water.  Place on bottom of pot.
3.  Rinse about 1 lb. Beef Stewing Meat under cold water.  Cut in chunks and place on Carrots.
4.  Add (1) 16 oz. pkg. defrosted Mixed Veggies on top.
5.  Sprinkle on Oregano and Basil.
6.  Add Garlic Powder (optional).
7.  Add desired amount of chopped Onions and Parsley. (I use 1 teaspoon of each, dehydrated.)
8.  Wash (1) Potato and cut into small chunks.  Add on top.
9.  Place (1) 14 oz. can diced Tomatoes on top.
10. Top with 28 oz. Tomato Sauce.
11.  Set Temperature on High for 3 Hours.  Reduce to Medium for 1 Hour. With my West Bend Slow Cooker I set to #5 and then reduce to #3 and 1/2.

**Sometimes I add 2 Bay Leaves before adding the Tomato Sauce.

The weekend is a great time to use your Slow Cooker/ Crock Pot to prepare Beef Stew!  Have you tried it yet?  Tastes so good on a chilly day.  Perfect for tonight, it's snowing!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

         

Baked Haddock

Waiting for warmer weather!

Looking out onto our deck four days ago only a small amount of snow was in sight!  Woohoo!  Glancing slightly to the left our much used grill sits... patiently waiting.  I was thinking about grilling fish.  Grilled Fish is so tasty and so easy to prepare.  However, around dinner stepping outside with a winter coat to grill seems... well, frankly, it's uncomfortable.

It's at these times that baking a fillet of fish in my warm kitchen is the thing to do!  There will be plenty of time for grilling.  When?  I don't know, but I'm sure there will be!  BTW Baked Haddock is delicious!  So there's no need to step in snow to prep dinner.

The method of baking Haddock is similar to grilling Haddock.  However, 2 Bay Leaves are placed under the fillet in a baking dish. 

Baked Haddock 
Oven:  350°F     Time:  20-22 Minutes

Ingredients:

PAM
1 lb. fillet of Haddock - can be fresh or defrosted
1 teaspoon Olive Oil for sauteing & baking
2 Bay Leaves
 Paprika
Thyme

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a shallow baking pan with foil. Spray with PAM.
3. Place Bay Leaves on foil.
4. Rinse fillet in cold running water.
5. Place fillet on Bay Leaves in baking pan.
6. Drizzle Olive Oil on fillet.
7. Sprinkle small amount of Paprika on fish.
8. Then, repeat with a small amount of Thyme.
9. Bake for 20- 22 Minutes.  (It will be done when fish flakes easily with a fork.)

**Small amount = 2 shakes of the Paprika or of the Thyme.

We enjoy Baked Haddock with a microwaved "baked" potato and a salad.  This is an easy and a very tasty dinner!  Great for this time of year!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

Savory Steaming Stew

Hot Hearty Beef Stew

Two weeks ago Beef Stew cooked itself in my Slow Cooker after all of the ingredients were added to the pot.  It's great to prepare and then enjoy a no fuss meal at dinner.  Dinner was definitely hot, hearty and filled with veggies and color!

There were extra portions, so enough for dinner servings (again in two days) was placed in the fridge.  Then, the remaining veggie filled stew was packed in 2 cup Ziploc Freezer Containers.  Into the freezer they went!  These homemade nutritious meals waiting in the freezer are perfect for this time of year.  Many "common colds" and other viruses are making their rounds...all part of the season.  Very happy that my family members did get our flu shots!  There can be a day or two when making dinner is not a top priority.  On such a day defrosting a nutritious homemade meal tastes even better.     

As in so many parts of our country, my area has felt the low temps along with the frigid wind chill during the days into nights.  A bowl of savory steaming stew just hits the spot on a cold night like these past few nights! No, my Slow Cooker was not in use yesterday.  A Ziploc Freezer Container of Beef Stew had been placed in the fridge overnight - to defrost - for last night's dinner.  As it reheated in a sauce pot on my stove, about 8 oz. of Tomato Sauce was added.  Thick, seasoned, hot, hearty Beef Stew tasted great!  A slice of Oatmeal Bread dunked into the rich tomato sauce while enjoying the stew...YUM! 

Slow Cooker Beef Stew  see: recipe posted 1/22/12

Ingredients and Method:

1. Spray Slow Cooker's pot with PAM.
2. Rinse 1 lb. Baby Carrots in cold water.  Place on bottom of pot.
3. Rinse about 1 lb. Beef Stewing Meat in cold water.  Cut in chunks and place on Carrots.
4. Layer (1) 16 oz. pkg. defrosted Mixed Veggies on top.
5. Sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon Oregano and Basil.
6. Add 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder (optional).
7. Add desired amount of chopped Onions and Parsley. (I use dehydrated.)
8. Wash (1) Potato and cut into chunks.  Add.
9. Place (1) 14 oz. can diced Tomatoes on top.
10. Top with 28 oz. Tomato Sauce.
11. Set Temperature on High for 3 Hours.  Reduce to Medium for 1 Hour. With my West Bend Slow Cooker I set to #5 and then reduce to #3 and 1/2.

Have you enjoyed Beef Stew at dinner this winter?  Do you freeze the extra portions to enjoy again?  The weekend is a great time to take out your Slow Cooker/Crock Pot!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

          

Baked Sockeye Salmon

Looking out my kitchen window this past weekend I saw sunshine, shadows, perennials budding and flowers!  It's quite amazing, considering the Halloween Nor'easter that visited my area of my state late last October.  Things are looking good and we are really thankful!

 
Yesterday, the Irises were still beginning to blossom, but our skies were filled with clouds and raindrops were falling.  The plan of Grilled "Wild Caught" Sockeye Salmon for dinner needed to be changed.  As during the cold winter weeks Baked Sockeye Salmon was a great alternative.  Yum! It's another quick and easy entree that tastes so good!   

Baked "Wild Caught" Sockeye Salmon

Oven:  350° F     Baking Time: 20 Minutes for a 1 lb. fillet

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with PAM.
3. Place 2 Bay Leaves in middle of baking pan.
4. Rinse fillet under cold running water.
5. Place on Bay Leaves, skin side down.
6. Drizzle about 1 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Olive Oil for baking and sauteing over fillet.
7. Sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon Paprika on top of fillet.
8. Bake in 350°F oven for 20 minutes.

It's always great to have another quick plan.  Baked "Wild Caught" Sockeye Salmon tastes delicious!  While on vacation or when at home, we enjoy seafood every week!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

          

Smells Inviting, Tastes Great!

This past Sunday was Mother’s Day and my hubby was the chef!!! Nice!!! He used our outdoor grill – even better! These days we eat many meals of fish or of chicken, so enjoying Luscious London Broil that he prepared and grilled was totally a treat!

Earlier in the day he prepared the London Broil. (Click here for my printable recipe card with the directions.)

Parsley, Chopped Onion, Garlic Powder, Pepper, Basil, Oregano and (2) Bay Leaves were placed in a Gallon sized Ziploc Bag along with Lemon Juice. After rinsing the meat in cold water, add it into the bag. Carefully, remove the air from the Ziploc Bag and zip. Then place it on a dish and refrigerate the London Broil for at least 3 hours. 5 hours is better. During this time, carefully, turn the bag over at least once and continue refrigerating.

Before dinner heat the grill and then remove the meat from the Ziploc Bag. Place the London Broil on a large plate and spread about 2 TBS. Gulden’s Mustard on top. Place this side down on the hot grill. Carefully, place and spread 2 more TBS. Gulden’s Mustard on the meat side facing up.

Grill to desired doneness. Place on a clean plate and slice on the diagonal.

Luscious London Broil served with a Salad and microwaved Baked Potato – Yummy!
How sweet!

Enjoy!