Stover Beef Stew

This week was my dear friend Anne's birthday and one of the many reasons we have always got along so well is that we both love food, passionately. Now that I think about it a  great portion of our memories revolve around food. She taught me that you can use mayo instead of butter on a grilled cheese, she introduced me to Boursin cheese, and she taught me how to make her mother's super easy, delicious, heart warming, perfect-for-cold-weather beef stew. I can easily whip up a beef bourguigbon and go the fancy French route with beef stew but I like the comfort and simplicity of this stew. It really works for the busy family! 

Stover Beef Stew

Fridge: 

1 3/4 lbs stewing beef, cubed 

2 cups carrots, 1/2 inch slices

3/4 cups white button mushrooms, sliced 

1/2 cup celery, 1/2 inch slices

Counter:

1/2 cup yellow onions, diced 

1/2 cup water 

Pantry:

2 cans of Campbell's french onion soup

2 cans of Campbell's golden mushroom soup

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

1 tbs olive oil 

Tools:

Large Dutch oven or pot that can go into the oven with lid 

Tongs 

Cutting board

Chopping knife

Measuring cups/spoons

Wooden spoon 

Large plate 

Preheat oven to 275. 

Heat Dutch oven over stovetop at medium heat. Add olive oil and heat. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper over beef cubes. In batches sear the beef pieces for a couple minutes on each side to get some color on the beef and caramelization in the pot. Use the tongs to remove the beef to a plate. And continue searing the rest of the beef. Do not overcrowd the pot while searing the beef. 

Once beef is seared and set aside, add in all the vegetables at once to the pot. Do not clean or rinse the pot. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper. Mix well and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. 

Add the beef and all its juices back into the pot. Mix well and add the 4 cans of Campbell's soups and 1/2 cup of water. Stir the soups into the pot and cover the Dutch oven with its lid. Place into the oven and cook for 3 hours. Stir a few times throughout the cooking process. 

Remove from oven and serve with your choice of sides- the kids wanted egg noodles and that's how the Stovers serve it as well. But zoodles, rice, pasta or quinoa would work as well. And a couple slices of rustic bread with butter- perfection! Enjoy this! I'm currently eating it for my mid morning snack! So good! Xo

Searing beef- don't overcrowd the pan. Meat needs space to dear well.

The Quintessential Summer Salad

I made this salad for a beach BBQ (thank you Swansons!) this past weekend and the entire party gave me two thumbs up to blog about it. Like I've said in the past, I'm more of a cheeseburger gal than a salad girl but I will say that there is something about salads that have a lot going on that really does make me happy. This salad is super healthy and really does hit the spot. This was only a side at the party but it is definitely a meal all on it's own. I think if I make it again- I'll eat it with some simply grilled shrimp and I'll be beyond content. Move over cheeseburgers...salads are taking over. 

The Quintessential Summer Salad 

Fridge:

1 bag of arugula 

1 medium red pepper, diced small

1 medium zucchini, julienned 

2 medium carrots, julienned

2 corn on the cobs, corn cooked and kernels cut off and cooled 

Four stalks of celery, cleaned and sliced thin 

*I used about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of each vegetable above 

Freezer:

2 cups of edamame, boiled for 5 mins and cooled 

Counter:

2 lemons 

1/2 medium red onion, sliced very thin 

2 cups water 

Pantry:

1 cup quinoa (I used tricolor) 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

6 tablespoons olive oil 

Tools:

Large salad bowl 

Medium pot with lid

Small mixing bowl

Whisk or fork 

Add two cups of water and a pinch of salt to the pot. Bring to a boil and add the quinoa. Turn the stove down to low and put the lid on. Cook for 10-15 mins until all the water is absorbed. Remove lid and allow to cool. I placed mine in the freezer to speed up the process- and just stirred it every 5 mins for about 25 minutes. Or you can just use 2 cups of leftover quinoa for the salad. 

Add the arugula to the large salad bowl. Then I added the quinoa, red peppers, carrots, celery, red onions, zucchini and corn and edamame. 

In the small mixing bowl add the juice of 2 lemons, salt, pepper and whisk in the olive oil. Mix well and drizzle this over the salad just before serving. 

This salad feeds a crowd or you can use the dressing on the side and keep it in the fridge in Tupperware undressed for a few days. It's really a delicious salad and really healthy! This fed about 10 people as a side- it makes a lot so adjust accordingly. Hope you enjoy it! Xo

Roasted Red Pepper and Scallion Dip

It's always nice to have a quick dip to throw together when a party appetizer is calling your name. This dip takes about 3 minutes of measuring time and quick rough chopping. And a minute of blending and you're done. It's tasty and also provides a great after school snack for the kiddies. Plus it helps me eat more veggies! 

Roasted Red Pepper and Scallion Dip

Fridge: 

4 oz cream cheese (low fat if you prefer)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

4 tablespoons sour cream 

4 tablespoons of mayo

4 individual stalks of scallions- ends cut off and roughly chopped 

2 tablespoons of cilantro minced 

Counter:

Juice of 1/2 a lime 

1/2 garlic clove minced 

Pantry:

1 large roasted red pepper- about 3/4 to almost a cup if you're chopping and measuring. 

1/4 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of hot sauce (optional)- I use siracha 

Tools:

Blender or food processor

Measuring cups/spoons

Cutting board

Chopping knife 

Toss all the ingredients into the blender and process until smooth. This can keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

I like to serve mine with chilled zucchini and squash slices and whatever other vegetables I have lying around. If you're taking this to a party- it's best to keep the cut vegetables in iced water in a ziplock baggie to keep them crisp. 

This dip also works great with grilled chicken, in tacos, with fish sticks and really anything you want to dip things in- try it out and enjoy!! Xo

Garden Veggie Pasta

I'm a total pasta junkie. No lie- I eat pasta  3 or 4 (maybe 5 or 6) times a week. I love carbs- what can I say? If you need to carb load- call me. 

And thankfully my sister has a very green thumb so I get a lot of garden fresh vegetables to toss with my carb heavy diet. And summer vegetables tossed with pasta is THE BEST! 

The simplicity of taking whatever you have in your garden and combining it with an herb and a little Parmesan and pasta water is what makes this meal. There's no stress- you don't need to measure anything. Just chop up some vegetables- whatever is lying around- and sauté it with some garlic, onion if you have it and take a ladle filled with the starchy pasta water- and you've got a meal!! Easy. I finish mine with Parmesan and I usually throw in some basil, italian parsley or even mint- and it's done. It takes 15 minutes. 5 mins to rough chop. 8 mins to sauté and 11 minutes for pasta to boil. It couldn't be more simple! 

I took garlic, red onion, zucchini, tomatoes, and basil and tossed with the pasta water. I added the al dente cooked pasta into the pan to finish cooking the pasta in the "sauce" and sprinkled on some (ok, a lot- what? I'm also a cheese junkie) Parmesan. And let me tell you- it was marvelous. 

AND better yet- the kids loved it the next day!! Yay!