Shrimp Étouffée

 

 For years and years, I’ve kept a to-do list of classic dishes I want to try, and that brings us to this recipe. Finally! This is my version of shrimp étouffée! Now, you may ask “what is shrimp étouffée?” 

 Well, roughly translated, it means “smothered shrimp.” It’s a classic Louisiana dish, rich and saucy and spicy, tomato based, typically served over rice. Very often made with crawfish, but shrimp are easier to find, so here we are. 
 When I first started my search for a recipe that was classic and authentic, I immediately learned that it needed to start with a roux, (pronounced RUE) which is a mixture of fat and flour that is cooked until it’s light brown and nutty. It also includes the so called “holy trinity” of aromatics, which is celery, onions, and bell peppers. It came together in no time and was SO flavorful, I can’t even tell you. Of course, I served it over rice and it was AMAZING. I kept thinking “why did it take me so long to try this?’ I also thought this would be an impressive dish to serve guests because it tastes as fancy as it sounds. LOVE IT. 
 Of course, there are a million versions, all authentic in their own right, but this is mine. If you like a spicy seafood stew, you need to give this one a try!!

 

 

 
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 or 5 ribs of celery, chopped
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken or seafood stock
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp EACH: salt, dried thyme leaves, dried oregano, smoked paprika, Old Bay seasoning
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of cayenne pepper
A few shakes of Tabasco sauce
1 lb fresh or frozen shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails removed

 

In a large sauce pan, add the flour and oil over medium heat. Using a whisk, stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until it turns the color of peanut butter. Now add your chopped onions, peppers, and celery. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, and continue to stir and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften. Now add the tomatoes, stock, and garlic, then add the remaining ingredients, except the shrimp. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. (Now would be a good time to start cooking your rice.) After about 10 minutes, taste the sauce and adjust seasonings, if needed. Add the shrimp and give everything a good stir. Continue to simmer until the shrimp are just cooked through. About 3 or 4 minutes, depending on their size. (Don't overcook!) Serve immediately over cooked rice. Garnish with a little chopped fresh parsley or scallions, if desired. 


 

 

Tips:
Although this recipe has some wiggle room when it comes to the spices, the one thing you don’t want to skip is the roux. You can use butter instead of oil, but either way, just let it cook until it’s a nutty brown, somewhere around the color of peanut butter. You can go a little darker, closer to the color of a tarnished penny, but I wouldn’t go any darker than that. You definitely don’t want it to burn. Just as when making home made caramel, it can go from golden to burnt very quickly. So keep an eye on it. Also it's best to have your chopped veggies ready before you start. Btw, I added lots of extra celery, WHY? because I like it!
When simmering your sauce, if it starts to get too thick, just add a little water or some more stock. 
As for the spice levels, it’s meant to have some degree of heat, but you do you. I like just a little warm heat, but if you'd like it to burn your face off, who am I to stop you? Also, I included all three.. the crushed red, the cayenne, and the Tabasco, because I think they all hit differently. Use as much or as little as you want, or completely omit them. Up to you!
Oh.. one other thing… instead of using this list of seasonings, you can just use about a tbs of a Cajun seasoning blend, but I didn’t see the need to buy it since I already had all the individual seasonings on hand.

Slow Cooker Butter Beef

  Have you ever heard of Butter Beef? I must confess I hadn't heard of it, but of course as soon as I saw it, it started popping up on every feed. So I thought, "ok ok, I'll make it!"

 If you've never heard of it, it's literally just three ingredients: beef cubes, onion soup mix, and butter. That's it. Throw it all in a slow cooker, and there's dinner. Super simple, right? You can serve it over rice or wide egg noodles and it's absolutely delicious. SO easy!!! 

 Then I saw that it was wide open for one's own variations. Some people added mushrooms and bell peppers or other veggies. I decided to go with garlic, potatoes, and carrots for a beef stew vibe. It's delicious no matter which direction you choose. And it literally comes together in minutes.  

  Btw, full disclosure, I saw it on several different websites, so I have no idea whose recipe it is. One site called it "buttery beef," but it was basically the same thing. 

 Anyway, whether you serve it over noodles, or add potatoes and veggies, you definitely need to give this one a try! 

 

 

3 lbs beef cubes or stew meat

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 stick butter 

 

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. 

Cook on low for 7 or 8 hours. 

Serve over wide egg noodles or rice.  

 

 

Tips: 

The recipe calls for 3 lbs of beef, but since there's only one of me, I didn't want to cook that much meat. So I added 1 lb of baby carrots, 2 lbs baby potatoes, and some minced garlic. 

If you don't want to add any veggies and you don't want to cook 3 lbs of beef, just cut everything in half, and save the other half of the onion soup mix packet for next time. 

 

 

 

Joey' Meatball Stew

 

   So here’s what happened..
 I had just gotten home from work at the end of a long week, and tbh I really didn’t feel like cooking. My first thought was to order Chinese food, but then I thought, no, I have TONS of food in my house, lemme just see what I can throw together and use what I have. I started with a bag of meatballs. 

  Side note.. I was once told that it was SACRILEGE to use store bought meatballs. Yes, That was the word they used. Frankly it doesn’t mean that much to me, but if you want to make your own home made meatballs, who am I to stop you?
 Anyway, I knew I didn’t want to just do meatballs in tomato sauce. Then I thought maybe I’d do a variation on beef stew. So I threw some stew-ish ingredients into the pot, let it simmer, and here we are!
 Guess what?! It turned out great! I thought “why have I never done this before?” It was just basic items from the pantry, but it all came together so easily, ANYONE can make it. And then you can choose your own starch for serving. I did mashed potatoes, but it would be equally delicious over rice or wide egg noodles. So keep this one in your back pocket if you ever need an easy meal after a long week. 

You’ll be glad you did!

 

 

1 lb bag frozen soup-size meatballs, or your own
1 lb bag baby carrots
1 18oz jar beef gravy
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can whole corn, drained
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
Salt and pepper



Simply toss all ingredients into a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer. Let it cook for about 30-45 minutes or until carrots are tender. Give it a good stir from the bottom every now and then so it doesn't burn. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or wide egg noodles. 

Another idea:

For a Shepherd's Pie sort of vibe, pour this stew into a large casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese over all, then bake in a 350º oven until the gravy is bubbly and the cheese is all melted and ooey gooey.


Tips:
Using baby carrots means no peeling. Easy! If you want to speed up the cooking process, just par boil them for a few minutes before you drain and toss them into the stew.

Want to use sausage meatballs? Go for it!

Want to add a splash of red wine, Why not?
You could also cook this in a crock pot. I like to set it up at lunch time and then it’s ready by dinner time. Just toss everything in, and cook it on low for about 5 hours. Simple!

Hot Dog Stew

 

 Ok, I know this might sound weird, but just go with me on this one. 

I was in the mood to make something homey and comforting, so I did a quick inventory of my fridge and pantry. The first thing I noticed was a package of ground beef. That's a good start. I continued browsing my pantry and found cans of baked beans, which made me think of Trisha Yearwood's Baked Bean Casserole. Great! I'll make that. But that calls for bacon. Hmm... I'm out of bacon.. what else do I have? AHA! a package of hot dogs! I thought "well, it's not very likely that I'll be grilling hot dogs any time soon, and you can't go wrong with franks and beans." Perfect. From there, I just sort of used Miss Trisha's recipe as a guide, while not really using exactly the same ingredients. I didn't want it to be too sweet or too spicy, so I omitted the brown sugar, and kept the seasonings simple. And this is where I landed!

 After it was finished, I thought, "ok, now, how am I gonna serve this?" Cheddar cheese and sour cream on top? Well, I had it in my mind that it should be a stew, (NOT a chili), which made me think of my Mother's chicken stew that we used to pour over mashed potatoes. Great idea!

 The result was exactly what I wanted. It was simple and warm and hearty and satisfying. It also makes for great leftovers. It's a great mid-week meal, and it easily feeds a crowd. And it was easy as throwing things into a pan.

 Sometimes the best recipes are the ones you just come up with on the spot, dontcha think? Feel free to take this one in any direction with whatever you have in your pantry! Enjoy!

A few glugs of oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg 8 hot dogs, sliced into coins
1 can pork and beans
1 small can Rotel tomatoes
1-2 fresh tomatoes, diced
2 tbs ketchup
2 tbs mustard
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili powder to taste
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold water

Mashed potatoes for serving


In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat, then sauté onions, peppers, and garlic until they soften.
Add ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks. After it browns, add the hot dog slices. Stir and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except flour and water, and gently stir until well combined. Simmer for a  good 15-20 minutes.
To thicken it, make a slurry with the flour and cold water. Add to pan and gently stir to combine. Simmer for another few minutes until thickened.
Serve over a big pile of fluffy mashed potatoes. 

 

 

Tips:

As stated above, you can clearly go in any direction with whatever you have in your pantry. You can also play around with the flavors. Want it to be more like a soup? Add some chicken broth. Want it to be more like a chili?  Add some tomato sauce and ground cumin. Want some heat? Add some chopped jalapeno peppers. Or crushed red pepper flakes. Or cayenne pepper. And for a serving variation, instead of mashed potatoes, serve it over a pile of rice, or just in a bowl as it is! It will all work!

 

Joey's Slow Cooker Bean and Beef Stew

 

 

  Whenever we transition from Summer to Autumn, my way of cooking changes too. Suddenly, we go from cookouts and grilling to making large pots of stews and soups. I'm immediately reminded of going back to school and then returning home to the intoxicating aroma of whatever my Mother had cooking on the stove that day. 

  This year, instead of a slow transition from warm Summer days into crisper Autumn nights, it seemed like Summer clocked out on its very last calendar day, and we jumped right into Autumn. I kept thinking "whoa, that was abrupt! Time to make a pot of stew!" And so, after thinking about it for a little while, I decided to find a new beef stew recipe for just a little variety. 

  As I was browsing recipes, I found a slow cooker recipe that had beans, beef, and potatoes. Nothing else, that was it, thrown into a crock pot. My first thought was "hmm....that's probably pretty bland." No seasonings, no aromatics, nothing. Just beans, beef, and potatoes. OK, lets build on this, shall we? I bought a few ingredients, and got down to business. I started throwing things into the slow cooker, and before I knew it, I had basically just made a tweaked version of my beef stew, with the addition of baked beans. OK! Lets run with it and see where it lands!

  HOLY BEEF STEW, Batman! Why have we never added beans to beef stew before?? It's fabulous!! Not only does it add body to the sauce, it adds a fabulous, almost velvety texture to the gravy. I thought, "oh this would be perfect with some freshly baked corn bread!" Yum!

 I threw it together and let it cook overnight, just because I knew I would want it for earlier in the day, and then it occurred to me that this would be the perfect plan for your Trick or Treaters. 

 When I was growing up, my Mother always had a huge pot of something cooking on the stove all day for Halloween. It was great because we had a houseful of kids, all coming and going at different times, and this was the perfect thing whenever we returned home. It was love in a bowl, and it always warmed us right up. Plus, Mom always said it was easier because there was no worry of trying to fix dinner while answering the door all day giving treats to the neighboring ghouls and goblins. 

So, prep this the night before Halloween, let it slow cook all night, and you'll be ready for the next day. Keep this recipe handy for winter too. It'll warm you up on the snowiest of days!!
If you like beef stew and/or baked beans, you must give this a try!!!

2 lbs stewing beef cubes

1-2 lbs baby red potatoes, halved

1-2 lbs baby carrots

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 28oz can pork and beans

1 10oz jar beef gravy

1 1/2  tsp dried thyme leaves

2 tbs soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 heaping tbs corn starch

1/4 cup cold water

If the beef cubes are large, cut them in half. 

Place all ingredients except the cornstarch and water in a large slow cooker. Cover.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours. 

In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch and cold water to make a slurry. 

Add to the stew. Gently stir to combine.

The sauce will gradually thicken. 

Serve with corn bread, or a hearty crusty bread with lots of butter. 

Tips:

-For an extra added campfire vibe, add about a 1/2 cup of your favorite smokey BBQ sauce. If everyone isn't keen on BBQ sauce, just add a little to your bowl when serving!

-I mentioned cutting the beef cubes in half because I believe they should be bite sized. Sometimes, they leave them in such giant chunks, you can barely even fit them in your mouth! They need to be cut down.  

-Using baby potatoes and baby carrots eliminates the need for peeling and cutting. So much easier! I do like to cut the potatoes in half, though, because of that whole bite sized thing again. Plus, I like the way the look when they're cut in half!

-The amounts of beef, carrots, potatoes, and onions are up to you. I like a lot of potatoes and carrots, so I added 2 lbs of each. Plus adding more potatoes and carrots will make the meal go further! You can literally feed your entire family and only use one little pound of beef. The kids will never know!

-When choosing your brand of baked beans, just go for the basics. There are a million kinds from honey to brown sugar to maple and on and on. In this case, you don't want them to be too sweet. Just the plain original baked beans here. 

-Usually I would use fresh thyme, but in the case of something cooking over a long period of time, I think the dried is just fine. 

-Btw, one of the key ingredients is the soy sauce. You don't really taste it, but it gives you that little bit of savory umami flavor that you want in a beef stew. If you don't have soy sauce, a little Worcestershire sauce or a sprinkle of MSG will do the same thing.

-And as always, when a recipe says "add salt and pepper to taste", it really needs more salt than you think it does. A little sprinkle across the top of the pot isn't gonna cut it. I'm not saying to add a HANDFUL of salt, but you should definitely add a good 2-3 teaspoons of salt and a good teaspoon of black pepper for a whole pot of stew. Did you ever wonder why food at a fancy restaurant always tastes so good? It's because they use enough salt!!! True story.

 

Joey's Brunswick Stew

 

Have you ever heard of Brunswick Stew? 

Basically, it's a very thick tomato based stew, with lots of beans and vegetables, and usually several different kinds of meat. It's a very Southern BBQ type of thing, and back in the day, it was a way to use up leftover smoked meats, briskets, and such. The taste is a perfect combination of smokey, spicy, and just a little bit sweet.

 Most recipes claiming authenticity call for squirrel or rabbit meat, but chicken, pork, and beef are also common ingredients. (personally, I think I'll skip the squirrel and rabbit. ) A debate currently exists as to whether Brunswick Stew was actually originally made near the town of Brunswick, Georgia, or in Brunswick County in southern Virginia. The main difference between the Georgia and Virginia versions has been the types of meat used. The Virginia version tends to favor chicken as the primary meat, while the Georgia version tends to favor pork and beef. As there is no "official" recipe, some variations have chicken, pork, beef, and other types of meat, all in the same recipe. Pretty much everyone makes it the way they like it. So there are probably as many recipes for Brunswick Stew as there are recipes for Italian Sunday Gravy. Every house makes it the way they like it, using whatever they have on hand. 

 So guess what I did? The same thing I always do! I looked at several different recipes, decided what I liked from each one, and then made my own! I noticed that all the recipes seemed to have tomatoes, corn, and lima beans in them, and many have BBQ sauce or ketchup and a little shot of hot sauce too. It all sounds wonderful to me, so I was sure to include them. 

 Originally, I was thinking this would be the perfect thing to warm you up if you're out in the subfreezing weather, but then I thought this would also be a great thing to make for a Super Bowl Party or Olympics Watch Party, or any other choose your own TV Event party. How perfect is that? Instead of doing a pot of chili, how 'bout this instead? Bake up some corn bread muffins, or some buttermilk biscuits and you're good to go!  Oh, one more thing.. If you're a novice cook, this recipe is for you! All you do is dump everything into the pot and let it cook! Easy peasy! Hope you like it!

 

 

 

4 slices bacon, cut into lardons 

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 large cans crushed or diced tomatoes

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1 cup of any favorite BBQ sauce 

1 tbs hot sauce, or to taste

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce 

1 tsp ground black pepper 

1 tsp kosher salt

2 cans cream style corn

2 cups whole kernel corn, yellow and/or white, fresh, canned, or frozen

2 cups lima beans, canned or frozen

2 cups diced carrots, fresh, canned, or frozen

2 cups peas, fresh, canned, or frozen

4 cups of stock, chicken, beef, vegetable, whatever you have

your choice of cooked meat, diced or shredded, as much as you like

Place bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Slowly let the fat render for a good 5 minutes, giving it a stir every so often. Add the diced onion to the bacon. Saute until the onions begin to soften. Now add all the remaining ingredients. If you're using canned vegetables, no need to drain them. Just pour it all in. That's all there is to it! Increase the heat and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat down to a simmer. Let it simmer for about an hour. Serve it with corn bread, buttermilk biscuits, or poured over a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes.

Tips/Options:

This is one of those stews that can go in any direction. Use whatever kinds of veggies you like, and add as much or little as you like of each kind. Instead of doing individual veggies like I did, you can just add a couple bags of mixed frozen veggies and call it a day. I just happened to have my own home canned veggies, so that's how I roll. Just be sure to include corn, lima beans, and tomatoes. They're the classics!

You can add diced potatoes, if you like, but I like the idea of serving it over a starch, like biscuits or mashed potatoes, but you do you! 

The one thing that makes this specifically a Brunswick Stew and not just any regular vegetable stew is the addition of BBQ sauce. It adds that hit of sweet smokiness that gives you a nice BBQ flavor. Basically all the other ingredients are negotiable.

Want to pump up the heat? Add crushed red pepper flakes, or a diced hot pepper of choice. 

Want to make it vegetarian? (Yes, that's actually a thing) Just leave the meat out and use a veggie stock.

Want it to be a little more smokey? Add a smoked ham hock or smoked meat of your choice. Or you could even just add a few drops of liquid smoke. 

This makes quite a pot of stew. Have fewer mouths to feed? Cut everything in half. Or just freeze half of it in containers! Giant crowd to feed? Double everything!

Joey's Slow Cooker Hoisin Beef Stew

 

 

Lately I’ve really been in the mood for a nice hearty beef stew. Maybe it was the recent blast of cold air, maybe it’s because I haven’t had it in a while. Maybe it’s because a new house immediately smells like home when you have a slow cooker of beef stew cooking all day.
 Whatever the reason, I started looking at new and different beef stew recipes, and I saw a few Asian inspired recipes that use Hoisin Sauce as a base. I thought “OK now THAT sounds fabulous.” It reminded me of when my sister, Cathy, and I decided to make our own Hoisin sauce (which was fabulous, btw. I think we need to do that again, Sis!) This time, I just used jarred sauce, which is perfectly fine. Of course, I didn’t follow just one specific recipe. I took what I liked from a few different recipes and made my own. It turned out perfectly!!
 The other thing I like about this recipe is that you can prep it the night before, keep the insert chilled in the fridge overnight, and then place it in the slow cooker in the morning. All that’s left is making the rice for dinner! Easy peasy!
I’m definitely adding this one to the repertoire!




3-4 lbs beef chuck cubes
3 large carrots
4-6 large scallions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
8 oz fresh or frozen sugar snap peas
2 cups jarred (or homemade) Hoisin Sauce
Pinch of Kosher salt
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Cooked rice for serving
Sesame seeds for garnish, optional


In a large skillet, add a few glugs of vegetable oil and place over medium high heat. Arrange beef cubes in one layer. Do this is batches so as not to crowd the pan. Resist the urge to stir them! Just let them brown on one side to a deep dark brown. Turn the pieces over, and brown on the other side. As the pieces brown, remove them to a slow cooker. Repeat with remaining beef cubes.
 While the beef is browning, peel and slice the carrots, slice half of the scallions, and add them to the slow cooker along with the Hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add a half cup of water to the now empty saute pan, and place over high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned pits that are stuck to the pan, and add to the slow cooker. Give everything a good stir until well coated with the sauce. Cover and cook on low for about 7-8 hours. You could also cook on high for 3-4 hours. Add the snap peas for the last hour of cooking. When everything is finished cooking, top with remaining chopped scallions. If you’d like a thicker stew, just add a couple tbs of corn starch or tapioca starch to about 1/2 cup cold water, then stir it into the hot stew. Let it continue to cook until it becomes rich and thick and glossy. Serve over rice. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired.




Tips:
When you’re browning your beef cubes, really take the time to do it properly. Be patient! This is not a time for taking short cuts. And when I say not to crowd the pan, I mean it! There should be space between them. And I know you want to stir them around. Don’t do it! Resist the urge! Just put them in the pan, and don’t touch them. You want a nice dark sear. And if you try to turn them over and they’re stuck to the pan, it means they’re not ready yet. They’ll release from the pan when they’re ready.
This brings me to my next tip: Unless it’s the only kind of pan you have, don’t use a nonstick pan. You really want all the bits to brown on the pan. They add so much flavor!
 Don’t have snap peas? Use snow peas instead. Don’t like peas at all? Leave ‘em out! Want more carrots? Go for it! You do you!
One other tip.. when you’re making rice… saute some chopped onions or scallions in a little oil… then add the rice to the pot. Stir to combine. And here’s the real tip: Use chicken broth instead of water to cook the rice. Game changer! Best. Rice. Ever.

New Year's Cabbage and Peas

 Have you ever heard of the tradition of eating black eyed peas on New year's Eve? It's actually a pretty huge tradition in Southern USA, and it has come to mean many things, but mainly health and prosperity. It’s very often served with collard greens, since collards are green like money, and the peas would serve as a stand in for coins. If you serve it with corn bread, it’s meant to represent gold, and if they’re stewed with tomatoes, it’s meant to represent health and wealth.
 Being from the Northeast USA, I was never familiar with these traditions. I happened upon them just because I love delicious food! So when I saw Miss Lori on Whippoorwill Holler (one of my favorite youtube channels) making this, I immediately added it to my to-do list. Actually, I think I made it that very day! It turned out to be so delicious and so flavorful, I couldn’t stop eating it! Not even kidding. It’s true that she uses cabbage instead of the collard greens, but either way works for me! And I think the cabbage was my favorite part of the whole dish. And it was so easy! You just brown some ground beef, and while that’s happening you just throw everything else into a large slow cooker. That’s literally it! Nothing difficult or fancy, but OH SO GOOD!
 Will making this dish for the new year bring you health and prosperity? Who knows? Anything’s possible! But one thing is for certain, it will definitely give you a warm full belly. This is absolutely now one of my favorite dishes of all time. Do give it a try!
And have a safe and happy new year!
 

 

1 lb ground beef
1 head cabbage, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 whole garlic bulb, minced
32 oz. chicken stock
1 c. water
16 oz. frozen black eyed peas
1 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbs oregano
I small can of tomato paste
1 32 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can rotel tomatoes and chilis
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef in a skillet until no longer pink, drain excess fat.
Place browned beef and all remaining ingredients in your large slow cooker.
Cook it on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

 

 

 Tips:

Be sure to taste it and adjust the seasonings as you like. I found that it needed just a little extra salt when all was said and done. Maybe you might want some extra cumin, or maybe you'd like a little extra garlic. Or maybe you'd like to leave the cumin out altogether. Season it the way you like it!

Spring Pork Stew

  I was looking for some lovely colorful Springtime recipes, and I happened upon this one from Martha Stewart. It's exactly what I wanted! Lots of fresh vegetables in a rainbow of colors, and a light sauce to pull it all together. It's the perfect thing when you're looking for something hearty but not too heavy. Btw, this can also be tweaked to make a meatless meal, if that's what you're going for. In fact, I think this qualifies as completely vegan if you leave out the pork and use vegetable stock instead of chicken. Tbh, you won't even miss the meat. It's just that good! It comes together pretty quickly too! Light, healthy, colorful, fresh, and hearty! That works for me!! Pretty sure it'll work for you too!



1 lb lean pork roast or stew meat, trimmed of fat, cut into 1" pieces
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 yellow squash, sliced into half moons
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 (28oz) can plum tomatoes
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
 Rice for serving


 Heat oil in a high-sided skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork; saute stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate; cover.
 Place 1/2 cup stock, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots in pan. Cook, stirring occasionally until they soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, squash, and peppers. Toss well; cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
 Stir in remaining 1/2 cup stock and tomatoes with juice, breaking tomatoes apart with a spoon. Stir in thyme and parsley.
 Return pork to pan, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until pork and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve over rice.



Tips:
-Instead of adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, I just let all the veggies saute for a bit, and then added the broth at the same time as the tomatoes. It allowed the veggies to form some browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and then I used the liquid to deglaze the pan. Turned out great!
-You definitely want to use FRESH herbs. There's just no comparison, especially when you're making a fairly quick sauce. I usually save the dried herbs for the sauces that simmer low and slow all day.
-Be sure to taste it and adjust your seasoning accordingly. It might need a little more salt than you think it will. You could even add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes for a little spicy kick!
-This recipe can easily be done with boneless chicken instead of pork. I think I would dredge the pieces of boneless chicken in a bit of seasoned flour first, and then saute until they're partially but not completely cooked through. Then let them cook the rest of the way when you add them back into the pan and simmer everything together.
-For the most flavorful rice, use chicken broth instead of water. Just use twice as much broth as rice, bring it to a boil, then cover and reduce it to low for about 15-18 minutes. Sometimes I like to saute finely mined onions in some butter first, then add the rice and broth. Best. Rice. EVER!

Joey's Slow Cooker Ratatouille

  Do you have a vegetable garden? I must say that one of the drawbacks of living in an apt building is that I don't have a back yard in which to grow my own vegetables. I just love the idea of planting tons of zucchini and eggplant and peppers, and of course I would also grow lots of fresh herbs. I remember my brother Denny used to have a garden when I was growing up and I loved all the fresh tomatoes an basil he would grow.
 Anyway, when Denny had his garden, I remember thinking "what are we gonna do with all of this extra eggplant and zucchini?" Well, ladies and gents, here's your answer! You throw them into a slow cooker and you make ratatouille! Now, I know that this is not the same ratatouille as in the Pixar movie (eventually I'll get around to making that one). This one is just a basic vegetable stew, and it's absolutely fantabulous. It's super simple too! Make as much or as little as you like. Then serve it with some crusty bread. YUM. Sounds like the perfect summer dinner to me! And you didn't even need to turn on the oven.  Hmm.. maybe SOME DAY I'll have my own garden!!! Who knows?



1 large eggplant
2 medium zucchini
2 medium yellow summer squash
1 large red bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
1 large yellow onion
2 large tomatoes
3-4 cloves garlic
1 small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
6-7 sprigs of fresh thyme
a pinch or two of crush red pepper flakes
kosher salt to taste
1 tbs sugar
fresh basil
grated Parmesan cheese


Cut eggplant into large cubes (no need to peel). Lay the cubes in one even layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a few teaspoons of kosher salt. Set aside for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, slice all other veggies into large chunks. Chop garlic. Tie a few sprigs of thyme together with cotton twine.
 Rinse eggplant cubes of excess salt and drain well. Pat extra liquid dry with paper towels.
 Add everything to the slow cooker except for the basil and grated cheese. Stir well until the tomato paste is mixed throughout. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, stirring about halfway through.
To serve, sprinkle with grated cheese and chopped basil. Can be served hot, chilled, or at room temperature.



Tips:
Fresh herbs are definitely the way to go. Just sayin! I mean, sure you could use dried herbs but it won't be the same. 
Be sure to salt the eggplant for at least a half hour before you cook it. It helps pull out all the bitter liquid inside the eggplant, so I stand by it for all eggplant dishes. This is one rule that I NEVER skip!!

Moroccan Summer Vegetable Stew

  Whenever my schedule becomes a little bit hectic, I find myself falling into that all too familiar trap of ordering a lot of take out food. Pizza, Chinese food, and of course, Wawa hoagies. Yes, of course, it's very convenient to just stop and pick something up on my way home from whatever show I'm rehearsing, but after a while, I CRAVE something fresh. So, inevitably, I wind up going to the produce market, seeing which veggies look the best, and then making something a little more colorful and a little less fried.
 Since I happen to live in the Garden State, I have access to an entire rainbow of fresh produce, and Summer always brings some of my very favorite veggies. All it took was a quick google search which brought me to the perfect recipe for all of my fabulous faves.
 It's from a blog called Veganosity and it's absolutely delish! One of the things I like about it (just like the website says) is that it just happens to be Vegan. In other words, there aren't a whole lot of Vegan versions of non Vegan ingredients. That always seems to be a better choice, in my book. For instance, if I were choosing a low carb menu, I would prefer to have foods that were naturally low in carbs, instead of, say, a low carb "pasta" or low carb "bread", know what I mean? It just tastes better! So, in this case, you just have vegetables, broth, aromatics, herbs, and spices. I wasn't necessarily looking for something Vegan, but it just so happens that it is! This is DEFINITELY the welcome change I had been craving. It's also really quick to throw together, so you don't have to worry about slaving over a hot stove. Usually, my go to summer veggie recipe is the Avocado Gazpacho recipe that I got from my school pal, Kathleen. I think this recipe needs to be added to the rotation!



1 tbs vegetable oil
1 red onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch coins
1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and diced
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 yellow summer squash, diced
1 tbs ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
1 tbs (or more to taste) garam masala spice blend
1 tsp coarse salt
2 medium tomatoes, diced

fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
couscous or rice for serving



 Heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrots. Cook until the onion becomes translucent. Add the zucchini and cook until it begins to brown around the edges. Add the yellow squash, ginger, and garlic and cook for two minutes. Add the vegetable broth (if you want a stronger coconut taste, only add three cups of broth instead of four), coconut milk, garam masala, and salt and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer for five minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another five minutes.
Cook the couscous or rice according to package directions. Fluff with fork. Place on a plate, pour stew over. Top with chopped cilantro.



Tips:
I've often heard that some people find cilantro to have a soapy taste. If you fall into this category, just use fresh parsley!  And btw, instead of sprinkling it just over the top, I added the cilantro right into the stew at the end.
The stew will thicken just slightly as it simmers. If you would like a thicker stew, make a quick slurry of a couple tbs of flour with an equal amount of cold water or broth, then stir it into the stew. Bring it up to a boil until it thickens.

The Very Best Gumbo

If you know me, you know that one of my favorite things to do is to cook dinner for my friends. It's a great way to test any new recipes I want to try, and most times my friends are all too happy to be my taste testers. Most times I'll choose a theme, and very often we'll watch a movie that goes with it. This was basically how it came to be for this dish.
 We decided to watch The Princess and the Frog, so of course I needed to make a big pot of gumbo! Now, as far as I can tell, Gumbo in New Orleans is like Sunday Gravy with Italian Grandmothers. Everyone has a cherished family recipe, and of course each one is labeled The Best. So how does one choose the DEFINITIVE gumbo recipe? Basically, I just did what I always do. I looked at several recipes, decided which one is closest to what I had in my head, and then tweaked it to how I like it.
I knew I wanted to start out with a roux (pronounced as RUE), which is just a mixture of fat and flour. Some will argue that it's not a gumbo if you don't start with a roux, so who am I to question it?
 I also knew that I wanted it to have chicken and sausage in it, and I also wanted it to include okra. This recipe from Valerie Bertinelli seemed to hit all the right notes, so here we go! It was basically as easy as throwing everything into the pot and letting it cook!
 I have to say, I think this is one of my very favorite things that I've ever cooked. Like, in the history of ever. And honestly, that's kind of saying a lot! It's SO flavorful, you can make it as spicy or mild as you like, and it can feed a crowd! It was the perfect thing to serve to my gang as we watched Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. It should also be noted that Kelsie, in particular, was a HUGE fan, and still asks me all the time to make it again. OK, Kelsie, Kels, I promise I'll make it again soon!!!
 Even if you're not having a New Orleans night, you should still give this one a go. It's just so good!


 1 cup plus 2 tbs oil
 1 cup all-purpose flour
 6 ribs celery, chopped
 2 green bell peppers, chopped
 1 large white onion, chopped
 1 bunch scallions, chopped (plus more for serving, if desired)
 8 to 10 cloves garlic, chopped
 2 quarts chicken broth
 2 (15oz) cans diced tomatoes
 12 oz Andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
 12 oz smoke sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
 1 tbs cayenne pepper
 3 bay leaves
 salt and pepper
 1 1/2 cup sliced okra
1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
 White rice for serving


 Warm 1 cup oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until hot. Add the flour to the pot all at once, whisking until the consistency is uniform. Cook the roux, whisking occasionally, until it is the color of a tarnished penny, about 20 minutes. Do not let it darken any further. Carefully add the celery, bell peppers, onion, chopped scallions and garlic to the pot, working away from you as the hot roux may spatter. Stir until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add enough stock to just cover the vegetables, about 1 quart, and stir to combine. The roux may separate. Add the tomatoes with their juices, Andouille and smoked sausages, cayenne, bay leaves, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper and the remaining stock, about 1 more quart. Partially cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the okra and cook, stirring, until the gel dries out slightly, about 3 minutes. Add to the Dutch oven.
Taste the gumbo for seasoning and adjust as desired. Add the chicken, cook until warmed through and serve, or simmer up to 2 hours more to concentrate the flavors, adding the chicken 20 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with more chopped scallions and serve over rice.


Tips:
It's very important to cook the roux before you add anything else. Some recipes just cook it for a little while, other recipes cook it until it's REALLY dark, almost black. I decided that it doesn't need to be completely black to give a deep rich flavor.
Be sure to saute the okra before you add it to the pot because this helps to get rid of that distinctive stickiness. Actually, I also browned the sausage in the pan for a little bit before I added it to the pot, just to add a little deeper flavor, and then I used the same saute pan to cook the okra.

Joey's Slow Cooker Ham and Cabbage Stew

 Usually, when you think of ham (or corned beef) and cabbage, you probably think of just throwing everything into a big pot of water along with lots of potatoes and boiling everything to death, am I right?? Well, actually, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but recently I was in the mood for ham and cabbage, but I wanted MORE. More vegetables, more flavors, more seasonings, more gravy. Just MORE! So, I decided to continue my ongoing obsession with slow cookers and decided to come up with a stew. Basically, I just bought one of those small "football" hams, and a small head of cabbage, and threw in a bunch of other things I happened to have on hand.
 And OMG it came out so good, I couldn't stop eating it! It was warm, and comforting and hearty and exactly all the MORE I was looking for.
 So, for this St Patrick's day, instead of just filling up a pot and boiling everything to death, give this recipe a try. It might become your new go to when you want something more!!!


1/2 lb bacon
1/2 head of green cabbage, roughly chopped
2-3 lbs boneless ham, cut into large chunks
2-3 lbs baby red potatoes, halved or quartered
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 large apples, any firm variety, peeled, cored, and diced
1 lb baby carrots
1 small can chicken broth
1 tsp celery seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a very sharp knife, cut the bacon into large pieces and slowly saute over medium heat. Meanwhile, add all of the remaining ingredients to a large slow cooker. When the bacon is browned to your liking, add it to the slow cooker including the drippings in the pan. Cover. Cook it on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

 Optional:
After it is finished cooking, remove everything from the slow cooker to a big bowl, leaving just the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high. Add about a quarter cup of flour to a mason jar along with about a half cup of COLD water. Tighten the lid, and then shake to create a slurry, then whisk it into your slow cooker until the cooking liquid has thickened into a gravy, then add the meat and vegetables back to the slow cooker.
Serve with warm crusty bread and lots of butter.



Tips:
The amounts are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot! Want to add a whole pound of bacon? Go for it. Want to add more carrots? Perfect! Want to leave out the apples? I say you're crazy, but hey, you do you!
You don't really have to do the optional step of thickening the gravy, but I think it makes all the difference, and it's what turns it from a soup into a stew.
You also don't even have to use the slow cooker liner as seen in the picture. I just happened to have some and decided to try it. Easy clean up!
Oh, and yes, I know this picture is the "before" instead of the "after", but the colors looked so appealing, I decided to go with it!

Joey's Autumn Harvest Stew

Ok, so let's talk about my FAVORITE new recipe in quite a long time.
Every so often, I'll come up with an idea that I can't seem to get out of my head, and this was absolutely one of those times. I was thinking that I wanted to do a savory something with fresh pumpkin. A one-pot dish sounded like a good idea... maybe a soup? or a stew? Yes, definitely something along those lines. I also thought it might be cool to add a few other autumnal ingredients. Another kind of squash, maybe some corn, and definitely something green for color. I also had the idea to include barley to add a little body to the stew. Again, ideas that just stick in my mind until I go ahead and try them. I did some googling, found a couple recipes to use as inspiration, and this was the result! This stew has the most AMAZING flavor, you won't even believe it. I'm not even kidding when I tell you that I couldn't stop eating it! It's rich but not heavy, hearty but not too filling, fresh but still very deep with flavor. It's also cozy and comforting and it'll definitely hit the spot. It only took about an hour to make, but it has the taste of something that is simmered all afternoon. And it lends itself to any number of variations. I think that's one of my favorite things about this recipe. I'll probably NEVER make it the same way twice! Want to make it completely vegetarian? Use vegetable broth and leave out the meat. Don't like barley? Add rice instead! The possibilities are endless.
 I think the reason I love this one so much is that it feels like something my Mom would make. She used to say to me "Just put it in a pot and let it cook." It sounds simple, but seriously, that's how she always did it. It's definitely the best way to cook and it's how I learned! So you should absolutely give this one a try. It definitely tastes like home, like a big hug in a bowl.
 I hope you like it :)
 


2 tbs butter 
2 tbs olive oil 
1 medium onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped
several sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together with cotton twine 
2 tbs fresh sage, chopped
1 or 2 bay leaves
2 tsp kosher salt 
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika 
2 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cubed
1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
1 can cream style corn
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup pearl barley, uncooked 
2 big handfuls of kale, chopped
1/2 rotisserie chicken, pulled from the bone and shredded
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup flour 
crisped and crumbled bacon, optional


In a large pot, melt butter and oil together over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Saute for just a few minutes until the onions begin to soften and the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the herbs, seasonings, pumpkin, and acorn squash. Toss all until well coated. Add the corn and the chicken broth. Bring it to a bowl then reduce the heat to simmer. Add the barley and give it a good stir. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Add the chopped kale and the shredded chicken. Stir in the cream. Make a slurry with the flour and 1/2 cup cold water. Add to the pot. Stir and simmer until it thickens. Adjust seasoning if needed. Remove thyme bundle and bay leaves from the pot. Serve deep soup bowls. Garnish each bowl with crumbled bacon, if desired.


Tips:
This is one of those recipes where you really don't need a recipe. The amounts are just guidelines. Taste as you go, and add as much or as little as you like. It will all work!
I used pumpkin and sweet dumpling squash, but you can use butternut, acorn, or literally any of the nearly 150 varieties that are out there. Use any kind you like! Use potatoes instead of barley, add carrots, parsnips, turnips, or any other root vegetable. Use the recipe as a springboard to make it your own!

Indian Kidney Bean Stew

 A while back, I saw Bal Arneson making this recipe on her show "Spice Goddess", and I thought "ooooo I need to try that." And then I promptly forgot all about it. Cut to several months later, I happened to turn her show on again, and I saw the same episode. I thought "OH! There's that recipe I never tried!" And now that I've built up my collection of Indian spices, I finally have all the ingredients on hand to make it! Perfect!
 It's spicy and warm, it has a couple sweet elements, it's comforting and aromatic and flavorful, and it all blends PERFECTLY! It's really easy too! If you like Indian flavors, you MUST try this. Serve it up in big bowls as is, or serve it over rice as I did. (Yes, yes, I know this stew already has potatoes in it so it should be served in a bowl, but I served it over rice anyway!) Either way, it's absolutely delicious. I'm so glad I finally gave it a try. You should too!


2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or vegetable oil)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds*
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tamarind pulp*
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups diced sweet potato
1 cup water
1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 small seedless oranges, peeled and cubed

 *Can be found at specialty Asian and Indian markets!

 Place the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bay leaves, cumin seeds, garam masala, fenugreek seeds, oregano, rosemary, and turmeric, and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the tamarind pulp, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the kidney beans and oranges and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Turn the heat off, cover with a lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Tips:
Before you start  cooking, make sure you have all of your spices measured into a small bowl and ready to go. You don't want one spice to burn in the pan while you're searching your spice rack for the next one! 
There are A LOT of very strong flavors here. The spices bring quite a lot of flavor to the party. So it's nice to have the sweet potatoes and oranges to help balance everything out. Definitely be sure to include them!
 When I bought the tamarind, it was a solid block. So I soaked it in some warm water for a while, just to soften it, used my fingers to separate it and smash it up a bit, then strained it and pushed the pulp through a sieve. If you can't find tamarind, just use mango or peach puree.
 Instead of cooking the sweet potatoes in the stew, I roasted them on a sheet pan in the oven until they were just about cooked through, and then added them to the stew at the last minute. I think it helps to keep the them from becoming too mushy. Then you can just simmer them in the stew until they're done. Oh, and be sure to be gentle when you stir everything together!
 If you don't like kidney beans, you can substitute chickpeas or any other kind of bean. Just be sure to drain and rinse them, just as with the kidney beans. 

Joey's Ghoulish Goulash

 Ok, so it's Halloween, you're busy getting the kids' costumes together, you're answering the door a million times a day to give yummy treats to neighborhood ghosts and goblins, and you've already eaten too many mini Snickers bars and Milky Ways, right? Do you feel like cooking an elaborate dinner? I'm thinking probably not. When I was growing up,  Mom always had a pot of soup simmering on the stove, just because it was easier and it would warm us up after spending all afternoon trick or treating. Usually I would post a soup recipe for Halloween, just for the family tradition of it all, but today I decided to go a little rogue, and try a stew instead.
 For years, I've been wanting to find a really hearty authentic Hungarian Goulash, which is classically a tomato based beef stew with lots of paprika. The more I searched, the more I discovered that classic goulash is like classic tomato sauce. Everyone makes it differently, everyone has a grandmom who makes it the best, and all are equally authentic. So, as I often do, I deconstructed a few recipes, took what I liked from each of them, and made my own! And of course, since I'm doing it for Halloween, I MUST call it GHOULISH Goulash. Of course, I'm not the first person to ever think of this, but the alliteration and play on words is just too good not to!
 So here it is! It's easy to make, feeds a crowd, and it's absolutely delicious! Actually, I liked it so much, I made it twice in one week! It's warm and hearty and comforting. You could even prep it in the morning, (or the night before) and then let it cook all day in the crock pot. Enjoy it on Halloween or any night when you want something warm and cozy!


2 lbs beef cubes
olive oil
3 medium onions, roughly chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
5 tbs paprika
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Extra wide egg noodles


Heat oven to 350ºF.

Place beef cubes on a tray in one layer. Pat them dry with a paper towel. (This is a very important step, so no skipping!!) If the cubes are very large, cut them into smaller pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Add a few glugs of olive oil to a large heavy pot or Dutch Oven. Brown the beef in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan, removing to a separate bowl as you finish each batch. Meanwhile, chop your onions. After you've finished browning the beef, add the onions to the pot with a little extra oil. Stir and saute until they begin to soften. Add the remaining ingredients and the browned beef along with any accumulate beef juices. Give it a good stir, cover, then place in oven for about 2 hours. When the stew is almost done, boil your egg noodles according to package directions. Serve stew over noodles with some warm crusty bread.

Tips:
As noted above, it's very important to pat the beef cubes dry before browning them. It's also just as important (if not MORE!) to not crowd the pan. You don't want to steam them, you want to BROWN them. So just take your time and brown the beef in smaller batches. (Can I possibly say the word BROWN any more????) You'll get a much deeper flavor!
As with every stew, make it how you like it! Do you want it to be saucier? Add more crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Do you want it to be spicier? Add more pepper and paprika. Taste as you go, and tweak as you like!
If the sauce is too thin, make a slurry of a little corn starch and water, then add it to the stew to thicken it. Easy!

Feijoada, Brazilian Black Bean Stew

 Are you as excited for the Olympics as I am??? If you know me, you know that I don't watch sports AT ALL. But when it's time for the Olympics, I'm glued to the TV for two weeks. I love all of it! The ceremonies, the victories, the lifelong dreams, the backstories, and of course I love learning about the culture of the host city. When I learned that the Olympics were going to be held in Rio, I immediately started researching Brazilian recipes. I decided to go with their national dish, which is this delicious and hearty black bean stew called Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZHWA-da).
 Now, I have to confess, I had never heard of it, I've never cooked Brazilian food, and the closest I've ever been to Brazil was when I went to a Brazilian restaurant. But from what I understand (and correct me if I'm wrong) this is one of those dishes that has as many versions as there are home cooks. Everyone has a family recipe, which of course is better than any other. This is clearly Brazilian comfort food at its best! I just like the fact that it's another delicious stew to add to my repertoire. You put the pot on the stove, let it simmer all afternoon, and the whole house smells amazing. 
 I made this for my family's Opening Ceremonies party (in which everyone brings a different International dish), but you don't have to have a party to make this. Just pick a Sunday when you know you'll have a few hours at home and let it simmer all day. I promise you'll be glad you did!



1 lb dry black beans
a few glugs of olive oil
1 lb boneless pork, cut into chunks
1 lb beef cubes
2 large onions, chopped
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb carne seca or corned beef, cut into chunks
1/2 lb sausages, such as chorizo or Italian sausage
1 lb smoked sausage, such as linguica or kielbasa
1 smoked ham hock or shank
3-4 bay leaves
Water
1 6 oz can tomato paste
Fresh parsley or cilantro
sliced oranges


 Pour boiling water over the black beans and let them sit while you prepare the rest of the stew.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the pork. When it has browned, remove the meat from the pot, set aside. Do the same thing with the beef cubes, removing them from the pot after browning. Now add the onions to the pot. Brown them, stirring occasionally, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic and stir well. Add the beef and pork back to the pot along with the other meats and the bay leaves. Add just enough water to cover. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for about an hour. Drain the black beans from their soaking liquid and add them to the stew. Simmer gently, covered, until the beans are tender, about an hour and a half. Add the tomato paste, and stir well. Continue to simmer, uncovered for about another hour or until the meat begins to fall off the ham hock. Serve over white rice with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or cilantro and a few slices of fresh orange. A classic side dish would be sautéed collard greens, if desired.


Tips:
The key to this dish is having lots of different meats and letting them simmer for a long time. It also lends itself to using whatever kind of meats you like. It's basically just a lot of pork and beef, leaning a little more on the pork side. Do you like things spicy? Use a spicy sausage to flavor your stew and serve it up with some hot sauce. You could also add some crushed red pepper. 
Full disclosure, the addition of the tomato paste is not authentically Brazilian, but I found several recipes that include it, so I went with it. I've also seen recipes that use different kinds of beans, white beans, etc, but from what I understand, black beans are classically used here.
I didn't add any salt at all because there is quite enough from the corned beef, the ham hock and the smoked sausage. Just sayin!

Fragrant Coconut-Lime Beef Stew

  If you're one of my faithful readers, you know by now how much I love a good beef stew recipe, or any recipe for which I can use my dutch oven. You also know how much I love trying new and different recipes, especially different types of International cuisine. This is another great recipe from my long distance friend and former classmate, Kathleen. I can't remember how we arrived at the topic of Indian Cuisine (for which I get MANY requests, btw), but I was thrilled when she offered this recipe. No, Kathleen isn't of Indian decent, but she told me she thinks she must have been (in a previous life) because she loves the food so much. hehehehe
 Just wait until you taste this! First and foremost, yes, it still tastes like a hearty beef stew, but it has the subtle hints of coconut and lime to add just the tiniest little twist. And the spices make the whole thing warm and mellow. Kathleen gave me this recipe literally YEARS ago and I'm just now finally getting around to posting it. I've made it several times and it's always a huge hit! If you're looking for a new recipe to try, this one is it! It's REALLY wonderful.
Thanx again Kathleen!
 

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch chunks
14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2-inch strip lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 bay leaves
1 pound baby carrots
1 pound baby red potatoes, halved *
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)


Heat oven to 325 degrees.
In large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add onion and saute until they begin to color, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Transfer mixture to a large plate.

Return Dutch oven to burner. Increase heat to high and add another 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil to pot. When oil is hot, add a quarter of the beef and cook until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate. Brown remaining beef in 3 more batches, adding oil as needed.

Return onion mixture and browned beef to pot. Stir in coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, bay leaves, and baby carrots. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, then place in oven for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until beef is tender. Alternatively, stew can be simmered over low heat on burner. Season with salt. Serve garnished with chopped peanuts (if desired) over a helping of steamed white or brown rice.

*If you'd like to add sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes, they'll become too soft if you cook them in the stew. My answer is to peel and cut them into chunks, then toss with a little oil, salt and pepper, and roast them separately on a baking tray, then add them to the stew as you serve.

Tips:
You can easily adapt this to a crock pot instead of a dutch oven. Just brown everything in a skillet as the recipe directs, and then transfer to a crock pot. Kathleen said she likes to cook it on high until it simmers and then cook it on low for about 4 more hours, placing the potatoes and carrots in about an hour before it's done. I think I'd probably wind up just throwing everything in and letting it cook on low for 6 or 7 hours.
If you want to take the heat even further, use a modest amount of chopped, fresh Scotch bonnet chili pepper instead of the cayenne.

Joey's Lamb Stew

 If you know me, you know how much I love a fabulous hearty stew. It's just one of those things that makes the whole house smell like home. And as many times as I've made beef stew, oddly enough, I had never tried lamb stew. We never had lamb growing up, probably because it's a tad more expensive than beef. But now that I can afford a little splurge when I feel so inclined, I decided to make it. So, I looked for a few recipes. Basically, many of the recipes that I found can be used for beef or lamb, so I wondered what the difference would be.
 Let me just tell you, if you've never tried it before, you simply must! There is a HUGE difference! For me it was not only the taste, but it was also the texture of the sauce. The meat just fell apart, just as any beef cubes would, but the sauce was so velvety and rich! OMG I couldn't stop eating it.
 So if you're looking for a something other than corned beef or ham and cabbage this St. Patrick's Day, give this one a try. On second thought, don't even wait until then. You should make this right away! Like, today. Like, right now. If you like a hearty stew, I just bet you'll love this one.

Flour for dredging
1-1/2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 or 6 strips bacon, cut into thin pieces (or lardons)
3 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
3 or 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 lb carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
a bundle of fresh thyme sprigs, tied together
3 or 4 bay leaves
1 pkg frozen peas
few splashes Worcestershire sauce
Fresh parsley, optional

 Heat oven to 350ºF.
Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add lamb, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. In a Dutch oven, brown lamb in batches in 2 tablespoons oil. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, saute bacon until some of the fat is rendered. Add onions and continue to cook until they begin to soften. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Return lamb to the pan. Add potatoes, carrots, thyme bundle, and bay leaves. Cover and place in oven for about 2 hours. Remove from oven and place pot over low heat on the stove. Remove bay leaves and what is left of the thyme bundle. Make a slurry by adding a few tablespoons of flour to the same amount of cold water. Add to the stew and stir until thickened. Add the peas and Worcester sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed. Top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Tips:
I like to braise the meat in the oven and then thicken it on the stove afterwards, but you can just simmer it on the stove for a couple hours until the meat is tender and skip the oven altogether. You could also do the whole thing in the crock pot. Just brown it up as directed and then cook it on low for 9 or 10 hours. I'd still wait until the end to add the Worcestershire sauce and the peas.
If you can't find lamb cubes for stew, you can use lamb shanks or chops and then pull the meat off the bones after it is cooked. Not a fan of lamb? Use beef instead!!
Now I'm just waiting for someone to ask how the lamb stew is so I can say "not baaaaaad". LOL

Savory Pork Stew

 I usually save the stew recipes for the colder weather, but sometimes you just need a little comfort. I recently made this for my sister Reen when she wasn't feeling her best, because, well, that's just how I do. I guess I get that from my Mom. Whenever someone isn't feeling well, or if someone needs a smile, my first thought is "what should I cook?" It's like giving someone a big warm hug. Whether it's Corn and Cheese Chowder or Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup, something savory and hearty always makes you feel better and fills up your belly. It's really easy to make too! My Mom used to always say "Just put it in a pot and let it cook." She was right, you know. You basically just thrown everything in the pot and let it cook, and before you know it you have a big batch of wonderful, ready to give someone a smile. This recipe is not mine, but it's definitely a keeper. I found it on Allrecipes.com. Serve it with some crusty bread and you're good to go.
I'm sure your family will love it!

olive or vegetable oil
2 pounds cubed pork stew meat
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch, or as needed
1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
8 red potatoes, halved or quartered
1 (11oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cups milk
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning


 Heat oven to 350F.
 Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle pork on all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and lightly coat with cornstarch. Place pork in the pot and cook until lightly browned but not done. Add onions and peppers to the pot and let them saute until they soften. Add potatoes and corn.
 In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, cream of mushroom soup, milk, broth, and Italian seasoning. Pour into the pot and give everything a good stir. Cover. Place pot in the oven and cook for about an hour or until the meat is tender.

Tips:
-I think I'll add carrots and peas the next time I make this. Switch the veggies up however you like!
-If you want to add more than 2 lbs of pork (say, if you're making a bigger batch), you could always brown the pork in batches, and then add everything back to the pot when it's all browned.
-I suppose you could dredge the pork in flour instead of cornstarch (which is how my Mom always made beef stew) but I've haven't tried it yet with this recipe.
-You can make this in a crock pot. Just cook it on high for 5-6 hour or on low for 10-12 hours, and don't add the milk until the last hour of cooking. 
-You could easily add a tsp of dried thyme instead of Italian season. It won't be exactly the same, but it'll still work beautifully!