Veggie Pot Pie

Pot pie is another one of those comfort foods that I like to make every couple of weeks. Not only is it yummy, but it's easy to switch things up flavor-wise and make it with pretty much any vegetable and protein combination I've got on hand. Plus, it's pretty hassle-free because I like to use refrigerated pie crust... which also makes it easy to throw together either a full-size dish to share, or a single-size casserole like today's version. Truth be told, I kind of prefer making this smaller version because the crust just seems to turn out better, and you're pretty much guaranteed a bite of crust with each forkful. ;)

Veggie Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. onion, diced (you guessed it- straight from the freezer!)
1/2 tsp. herbes de provence
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
pinch of garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
4 ounces mixed vegs (again, straight from the freezer)
1 Tbs. AP flour
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
protein of choice, pre-cooked: chicken, turkey, beef, tofu, beans
1 refrigerated pie crust

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove pie crust from the fridge and set aside to come to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium-low heat, cook the onion and all spices in olive oil until slightly softened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the mixed vegs and continue cooking for another 2 minutes or so until defrosted and starting to warm. Sprinkle on the flour and cook for another minute before adding the vegetable stock. Bump the heat up to medium and stir the veggie mixture until thick and bubbly, about 7-9 minutes. Stir in your protein of choice (I went with cannellini beans today) and set aside to cool slightly.

Unroll the pie dough and cut it to fit the casserole dish of your choice. (Because I decided to use an individual-size dish, I cut the rest of the dough into strips, sprinkled it with cinnamon & sugar, and spread them out on parchment paper to bake alongside the pot pie.) Spoon the veggie mixture into the casserole dish, cover with pie dough, making sure to cut several vent slits in the top to allow the steam to escape. Bake at 400 degrees until the crust is golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before breaking into the creamy goodness.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Beef & Barley Stew

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love this time of year! When the weather turns cool, all I want to do is make soup because, hello?!, who wouldn't?! As much as I enjoy standing over a simmering pot of something on the stove top, nothing beats the convenience of using a slow cooker... that's if you've got the patience to actually WAIT for the final product some 6 to 8 hours later. Beef stew is really one of those soups that is best when done in the slow cooker, mainly because the cut of meat traditionally used in beef stew is a cheap cut which translates to a very tough cut of meat that benefits from slow cooking at low heat. I suppose if you want to make a quick version of beef stew, you can always use a more tender cut of meat... but why bother? It just won't taste the same. 

Vegetable Beef & Barley Stew

Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 (14.5 ounce) can of diced tomatoes with their juice
1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into slightly larger than bite-size pieces
2 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. red new potatoes, diced
3/4 cup barley
4 cups beef or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup of peas

Directions:
Okay, so I know it's an incredibly looooong list of ingredients, but it really is easy to put this stew together and here's the breakdown:

Step 1: Get your slow cooker out from wherever you keep it hidden.
Step 2: Dump the onions, carrots, celery, and parsnips in the bottom of the slow cooker then cover them with the tomatoes.
Step 3: In a large bowl, toss the beef together with the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until well coated.
Step 4: In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, quickly brown the beef on all sides.
Step 5: Dump the beef into the slow cooker then add in all the rest of the ingredients (except the peas), making sure that there's enough liquid to mostly cover the ingredients.
Step 6: Put the lid on the slow cooker, plug it in, set in on LOW for 6-8 hours, then walk away. Works well overnight.
Step 7: Unplug the slow cooker, stir in the peas, and dish up a big ol' bowl of beefy goodness.

Enjoy!

Red Chili

Chili was always one of my favorite meals that my mother made when I was growing up and I thought she made the best. Well, the best until I started making my own versions. It’s been a number of years since I’ve eaten any of Magee’s chili, but what I remember was a pretty basic (I’ve come to learn) ground meat/bean/tomato based thick stew which also included elbow macaroni to stretch a pound of meat into a bigger pot of food to feed the family. Imagine my surprise when I realized that there are other types of beans out there besides red kidney beans! And playing around with spice blends… absolute nirvana! I’ve made many different versions of chili, and here’s the first of this season’s offerings…


Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil or vegetable oil (the olive oil was close at hand in this case)
1 lb. lean ground beef (I also use ground chicken or turkey in other versions)
1 sweet onion, diced
½ tsp. ground cinnamon (it’s warm and spicy at the same time and such a small amount isn’t glaringly obvious)
1 Tbs. cumin (the smoky scent just screams chili to me!)
1 tsp. garlic powder (do I have to remind you that fresh garlic gives me migraines? Of course you could use real garlic instead!)
1 tsp. onion powder
3 Tbs. chili powder (you could always use one of those pre-packed spice blends for chili, but I like to play around with the flavors myself)
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I’ve also used hot sauce, but today it was the powder)
1 sm can (4 oz.) tomato paste
1 lg can (28 oz.) tomatoes (diced or crushed)
2 sm cans (16 oz. each) fire-roasted tomatoes (diced or crushed)
3 sm cans (16 oz. each) beans, drained and rinsed (I used a mix of cannelloni, red kidney, and dark red kidney)

2 cups water (no reason you couldn't use chicken or vegetable stock, I just didn't have an open carton in the fridge)
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar (this adds a sweetness and tang in the background)
1 package of extra-firm tofu, drained, diced (I actually like the texture of this added protein and tofu soaks up flavors like a sponge!)

*optional toppings: sour cream, queso fresco, cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, hot sauce… the ideas are practically limitless!
I know, long list of ingredients, but it really is one of the easiest dishes to prepare. I’ve used the slow-cooker for this process, but I prefer to just do it the old fashioned way: On the stove top. So, in a large soup pot over medium high heat, cook the ground beef and onion in the oil until browned. Drain off any excess fat if necessary. Add in all of the dry spices and continue to cook the meat mixture for 3-5 minutes or until the spices become very fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes before adding in the canned tomatoes and water. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chili starts to thicken. Stir in the beans, balsamic vinegar, and tofu. Drop the heat to low and cover the pot (I cock the lid so steam can still escape), allowing the chili to gently simmer for another 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, before serving with the desired topping(s). I didn’t have any sour cream in the fridge (my topping of choice) so I used a little queso fresco and cilantro instead.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

So you may have noticed I've been on hiatus from posting any new culinary adventures. If you read my other blog, you already know that I was diagnosed with Lyme disease 2 weeks ago. Before that diagnosis, I wasn't feeling very well for several weeks and one of the things affected was my appetite so I didn't do much cooking; I ate quite a few peanut butter sandwiches because I just didn't feel like anything else. My taste buds were also affected and some of my favorite foods (especially coffee... oh the horror!) tasted wrong, adding to my lack of interest in food.

But now that I've been on antibiotics for the Lyme infection, things are starting to get back to normal and I am once more venturing out to the kitchen in pursuit of good food. As a matter of fact, this soup was my first epicurean effort as I started to feel better... not bad, if I do say so myself.

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef, cubed (I had a package of stew meat in the freezer)

3 cups vegetable stock (I prefer the lighter taste of veg stock over beef stock, especially when it's prepared in a slow cooker)

3 medium red potatoes, diced

mixed veg (I had a bag of "soup vegetables" in the freezer- mix of carrots, onions, green beans, lima beans, okra, corn, and peas)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. herbes de Provence (any seasoning blend would be fine)

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

salt to taste

In a 6 quart Crock Pot, start with the beef cubes and vegetable stock, cooking them on high for 4 hours. After 4 hours, tumble in the potatoes and check the level of liquid in the pot to make sure it still covers everything (add more stock if need be). Continue to cook on high for another hour before adding the rest of the ingredients. Once everything is in the pot, turn heat to low and let it simmer for another 1-2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Burger Creativity For The Lazy

Last night I found myself craving a good old fashioned cheeseburger and fries, but I didn’t feel like going out again in search of one or the proper ingredients to make one. Now, I usually have some sort of ground meat in the freezer and I just happened to have some lean ground sirloin on hand this time. We all know that the leaner the beef, the drier the burger, so I decided to get a little creative with my very lean beef and add in some diced turkey bacon… a sort of bacon cheeseburger with the bacon built right in adding both flavor and moisture. Then I figured, since I’m putting the bacon directly into the meat, why not put the cheese in there as well? So there you have it, my latest version of a bacon cheeseburger. Only problem was, I didn’t have any regulation hamburger buns or my favorite toppings like lettuce or tomatoes. And I had to nix the fries because I didn’t have any sweet potatoes left. *sigh* This is where me being lazy really caused me to get creative with this burger masterpiece…


Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
3 pieces of turkey bacon, diced (I suppose real bacon would be fine… if you like that sort of greasy stuff)
1 oz. cheddar, diced (I also like to melt a slice on the finished burger)
garlic powder
onion powder
pepper
choice of delivery system (bun, bread, pita, wrap)
choice of toppings (I like ketchup and dill pickle chips)

In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, turkey bacon, and cheddar, mixing just to combine. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form into patties, pressing your thumb in the center to form a shallow dip (like a Life Saver). Set aside to rest and allow to come to room temperature (room temperature beef cooks more evenly) while you preheat a grill pan over medium heat.

*Note: If you’re one of those people that like to grill in any kind of weather, I don’t need to tell you that just about any kind of meat tastes better when cooked over an open flame. My old roommate, Chuck, is the quintessential grill man, and before he moved out he fired up the grill at least 5 nights a week. Well, since he moved out, I can’t be bothered to grill outside so instead, I use one of those stove top grill pans. Not quite the same, but it works for me.

Sprinkle one side of the burgers with the garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. I don’t use salt because the bacon is salty enough for me, but if you want the extra salt then go for it. Place the burgers, seasoned side down, on the grill pan. Season the other side and cook to desired doneness, flipping once. Ok, here’s where most people I know cringe: I like my beef cooked well done. A sacrilege some might say, but if I’m going to eat it, I want it damn near leather consistency. So for me, after I put the burgers on the grill pan, I cover them to help speed the cooking process as well as keep them from drying out, and cook them for about 4-5 minutes each side. Now, you may be asking why I bothered to press a thumb print into the center of the burger. Here’s why: As the burger is cooking, the juices inside get rockin’ and rollin’, creating steam inside the meat. This creates a bulge in the center of the patty so by creating a dip in the middle of the burger, when it starts to bulge it evens out with the rest of the burger. And you thought I was crazy.

Now here’s the other draw back to being lazy (give me a break… I put in 10 hours at work yesterday and I was tired!) and not going out to the store at the last minute: No hamburger buns. So, what to serve this burger on? In my case, I may not have had any of the traditional burger buns available (and when I do, my first choice would be a soft potato roll), but I did have some whole wheat wraps in the fridge. With a little creative folding, this makes a fantastic burger “bun”… maybe even better than the original because toppings don’t drip or fall off. Maybe I’ll start a new trend in burger construction? Anyway, I melted a slice of white cheddar on my burger and topped it with ketchup and dill pickle chips. While lettuce and tomato would have been my first choice (along with the ketchup and pickles), I was still happy with what I ended up with. They say necessity is the mother of all invention, and that was certainly the case with this burger creation.

(In case you were wondering, I served this burger with some mixed grilled vegs which included eggplant, potatoes, peppers, and zucchini as well as some broccoli topped with shredded parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. If I hadn’t run out, I would have made baked sweet potato fries or chips… ‘cause what’s better with a burger than fries?)

Enjoy!