Tuesday 30 April 2013

Hearty Beef Stew Recipe


I love a good beef stew - and I'm proud to say that my beef stew recipe is one of the best I've had.  Now that Sam has braces, I'm making lots of "soft" meals these days, and this recipe couldn't be better.  This beef stew is a very hearty meal, complete with carrots, parsnips and turnips. The spice blend I put together really compliments the beef and my house smells amazing when I make this.  Also, the beef is so tender it just melts in your mouth.  This is a great dish to make with Homemade Broth if you happen to have it on hand, if not, your favorite beef broth will work great (I use Safeway Kitchens Beef Broth) or even chicken broth.   We love this stew with grilled flat bread on the side.

Hearty Beef Stew Recipe

Olive oil
2 lbs Beef Bottom Round Roast or other beef stew meat (Boneless Beef Chuck Cross Rib Roast is especially excellent!)
3-6 carrots
2 medium parsnips
2 medium turnips
1 cup fresh chopped parsley leaves (this will go in the stew last)

1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
4 bay leaves

4 cups beef broth (one 32 oz. container)
Salt to taste after tasting added beef broth

3 heaping tbsp unbleached flour whisked with 1/3 cup water for slurry

Sour cream for garnish

To start with, cut the beef into 1" or so bite-size squares and set aside.  Peel the carrots, parsnips, and turnips (for the carrots and parsnips I use a potato peeler, for the turnips, I use my knife).  Chop the carrots, parsnips and turnips into 1" or bite-size pieces and set aside.  Rough chop a handful of fresh parsley leaves to get 1 cup worth and set aside.  Mix all of the spices together in a small mixing bowl and set aside. 

Drizzle a good amount of olive oil into a large pot, then over High heat, add the beef.  Wait a minute, then use a wooden spoon to move the beef around the pot and brown it.  While the beef is cooking, it will release a lot of liquid into the pot.  Cook the beef through, then add the spices and bay leaves and give everything a good stir with the wooden spoon.  Next, add the carrots, parsnips and turnips and the beef broth and stir it again to mix it all together.  Taste the beef broth before adding any salt to the stew.  Salt to taste.  Wait for it to come to a boil, then cover the pot, turn the heat to Low, and let it simmer for at least 2 hours (preferably 3 hours or longer).

When the 2+ hours are up, add the flour and water to a small bowl and use a small whisk to whisk the flour with the water to make a slurry to thicken the stew.  Whisk it until it is smooth with no lumps  Remove the pot lid and pour the slurry in, using the wooden spoon to gently stir the stew as the slurry mixes with it.  Turn the heat back up to High and stir it for a couple of minutes to thicken it a bit.  Turn it back to Low and add the chopped parsley leaves to the stew, stirring it again.  Remove the bay leaves at this point.  Leave it on Low without the lid until you're ready to serve the stew.  Serve it in large bowls and put a dollop of sour cream on it.   Serves 4-6 people as a main course. 

We like our beef stew with grilled flat bread on the side.  To make grilled flat bread, drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle a little salt on one side of the flat bread and add it to a hot grill pan, oil/salt side down, for 3 minutes.  Sprinkle a little more olive oil (no salt this time) on the remaining side, flip it and grill it for 2 minutes.  Remove the flat bread and cut it into triangles.  It's great dipped in the stew!

Saturday 20 April 2013

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Are you dreaming of Summer yet?
Having visions of sitting by the pool with a refreshing drink in your hand?
I have a delicious summery treat for you...Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes!

 
I am really excited with how well this idea turned into delicious cupcakes,
because this recipe is simple and just SO good!

I started with my favorite strawberry cake, which uses a white cake mix.
Then I added some frozen lemonade concentrate to give it a new, intense flavor.
The sweetness of strawberries + the tang of lemonade = YUMMY!


Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
by Bird On A Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 (3 oz.) box strawberry instant gelatin
  • 1/2 cup pureed strawberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 4 eggs
Strawberry Lemonade Frosting
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 6 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup pureed strawberries (frozen or fresh)
  • 2 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)
Instructions
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix and gelatin powder. Add lemonade concentrate and oil; mix on medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add strawberries and beat until blended. Pour into prepared liners and bake for 18-20 minutes.
Strawberry Lemonade Frosting
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar, pureed strawberries and lemonade; mix well. Mix in the remaining confectioners' sugar. Keep covered.
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Enjoy!

Even more strawberry cake deliciousness...
 Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Cake

I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree w/ Streusel Topping



Sweet Potato and Apple Puree with Streusel Topping

I have been making this dish for many, many years (with some variations from time to time).  I meant to get it posted before November, but with baby on the way then (and now here), it just didn’t happen.  Better late than never. 

Serve this as a side dish at Thanksgiving or during the Fall and Winter months.  It’s so delicious, one of my absolute favorite side dishes. 

Enjoy!

{Affiliate links included help support this blog}

Equipment: Food Processor, Baking Pan, Casserole Dish

·      5 organic sweet potatoes (such as Garnet)
·      2 organic sweet apples (such as Fuji)
·      6 tablespoons pasture butter + ½ cup, divided (See Resources)
·      ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)
·      ¾ cup gluten free rolled oats, ground into flour
·      ¾ cup coconut palm sugar
·      ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.   Wash sweet potatoes and apples.  Poke a few holes with a knife in the sweet potatoes.  Cut apples in half, peel and remove core.  Place sweet potatoes and apples on a baking pan.  Bake for about 60 minutes or until soft.  Remove from oven, carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half (they are HOT!), allow to cool about 10 minutes. 

3.   To food processor – Add sweet potato flesh (remove skin) and apples.  Add 6 tablespoons butter.  Add sea salt.  Puree until smooth and combined. 

Please excuse the color, I was cooking in the dark with awful lighting.

4.   Add sweet potato apple puree to casserole dish. 

Streusel Topping

1.    To food processor – Add oats.  Pulse until finely ground into flour. 


2.   Add ½ cup pasture butter, coconut palm sugar and cinnamon.  Pulse until combined into a crumb mixture. 



3.   Add crumb topping to sweet potato apple puree. 


Bake

1.    At this point you can refrigerate over night if you want to bake it off the next day or you can bake immediately in a preheated 400 degree F oven. 

2.   Bake for about 20 minutes.  Serve immediately. 

Yield:Makes about 5-7 servings.  

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Monday 8 April 2013

Oreo Cookies and Cream Cake

  
There are many different ways to eat an Oreo cookie.
My older daughter dissects them, eating the filling and cookies separately.
My son pops the entire cookie in his mouth and munches away!
I like to dunk them in a cold glass of milk.


Whatever method you choose to enjoy your Oreos,
you are going to love this Oreo Cookies & Cream Cake!


I started with my vanilla sour cream cake recipe and added Oreo cookie chunks.
Then I made Oreo whipped cream frosting...WOW, is it yummy!!
It's so light, fluffy and full of Oreo flavor!
And it's the perfect match for the moist, dense cake.


Oreo Cookies & Cream Cake
by Bird On A Cake
Ingredients
Oreo Cake
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water
  • 3 eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 Oreo cookies (chopped into quarters)
Oreo Whipped Cream Frosting
  • 1 quart heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 12 Oreo cookies (remove the filling and crush the cookies)
Instructions
Oreo Cake
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottoms of two 9 inch round cake pans with wax paper and grease the sides.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder and baking soda. Add the oil, water, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat with mixer on medium speed until well blended. By hand, mix in the Oreo cookies.
Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for approx. 30 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

Oreo Whipped Cream Frosting
With an electric mixer, whip the cream and sugar until it forms stiff peaks (4-5 minutes). Fold in crushed Oreos. Keep refrigerated.

Assembling Your Cake
Level your cakes and slice them each in half, to make four cake layers.  Spread frosting between the layers and cover the entire cake with frosting. Keep refrigerated and garnish with Oreo cookies right before serving.
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Enjoy!
With a cold glass of milk. :)

I share my recipes and tutorials at these fun link parties.

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