Black bean & Corn chowder

This was a huge hit with the kids and so very simple. I served it with some homemade oatmeal bread.


Black Bean & Corn Chowder

2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 medium onions diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large celery stick, diced
1/4 cup turkey bacon, diced finely
3-4 Tbsp. flour
10 c. liquid (I used 4 c. chicken broth and the rest water, but added some chicken base)
2 cans black beans, rinsed
3 c. frozen corn
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Oregano
Chili powder
Red pepper flakes

Heat the EVOO & butter in a large stock pot. Add in onion, celery & garlic and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Add in turkey and heat thoroughly. Add in flour, mixing well. Once roux is formed add in liquid (stirring well to avoid lumps). Add in beans, corn and spices/herbs to taste. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to a simmer for at least 20 minutes or so.

Wheat Tortillas

This is a very simple recipe for wheat tortillas.

In the past, I've made it with whole wheat flour and have added in flax & wheat germ. When making it that way, you may want to make enchiladas or something else that is smothered. I love them as quesadillas, but I find whole wheat things to be more flavorful while the rest of the family doesn't share my love or enthusiasm.

Tonight I used some white whole wheat flour to make them and left out the flax and wheat germ (hubby is not a fan of flax when he is out working...hahaha). They were really good and the best part? The kids had no idea.

I have also used standard all purpose flour with very good results. Heck, I say, use whatever you like!!

Wheat Tortillas

2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. warm water

Mix together the dry ingredients and the oil. Add in 1/2 c. warm water. If more water is needed, add it one teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together as a ball. Let rest for 10-15 mins.
Pinch into balls a little bigger than a walnut (this will make an approximately 6-7" circle) and roll out as thin as possible. Cook tortillas in a dry fry pan over med. high heat. It takes just a few seconds on each side to brown lightly. After cooking place them on a plate or platter pressing them down if they develop air bubbles. Use immediately or wrap in foil to keep warm (they will keep for a few hours like that). Place any leftovers into airtight packaging. Makes approx. 10 tortillas.

I'm not sure how long they will keep as I make just enough for our dinner usually.

What to do with Chuck Steaks

So some of the cuts of beef I am unfamiliar with - especially the non-tender variety. My total beef buying before buying this beef in bulk consisted of mainly tenderloin or NY Strip/Porterhouse cuts (with the occasional package of stew beef in the winter).

Chuck is basically the term used for the shoulder/arm part of the cow. It is very flavorful meat, but is full of connective tissue which can make it tough and chewy. One of the reasons why I love my 1956 Woman's Home Companion cookbook is because it shows the different cuts of meats and tells you how they are best cooked. Most chuck is best braised. Braising is basically browning the cut of meat on all sides and then cooking it low and slow with a small amount of liquid.

Today I chose to make Swiss Steak with the chuck steaks I pulled from the freezer. First off, I cut out the bones and wrapped them in foil so I could make stock with them later this week.

I then rubbed the meat with seasoned flour. Basically I used approx. 1 c. flour for my two steaks (about 2lbs). I mixed the flour with a homemade seasoned salt and some pepper. I rubbed the flour into both sides of the meat and then I took my mallet and beat the crap out of the beef with the side that has "teeth".

I then took out my cast iron skillet, added EVOO and a pat of unsalted butter, heated the pan until just about smoking and browned all the beef placing it into a large casserole on top of a few carrots & celery stalks cut into chunks. I turned off the burner and de-glazed the pan with a can of diced tomatoes and then added those plus some onion and garlic over the top. At this point, I added about 1/4 c. of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice, covered it with foil and stuck it into a slow oven (300F) for about 3 hours.

Can I just say that this meat pretty much melted in my mouth? It had great flavor and had a nice thin gravy once it was cooked. I served it with creamed spinach & cheese, peas and mashed potatoes. For dessert, I made a Chocolate Pudding cake which came from the King Arthur cookbook that has become my go to book for anything to do with flour(s).

Here are the recipes for both the Swiss Steak & the cake:

2 lbs. beef (chuck, round or rump)
1/3 c. seasoned flour (I used more & you can season it however you'd like)
2 carrots, cut into pieces
1 med. yellow onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c. diced tomatoes, undrained (I used a 14 oz. can of ready prepared, but fresh Romas would work well)
1 large stalk celery, cut into pieces
EVOO/unsalted butter for browning
1/8-1/4 c. Pomegranate juice or red wine

Grease casserole dish and add cut carrots and celery into bottom. Rub beef on all sides with seasoned flour. With mallet, beat beef both sides (it should flatten out some and become less firm). Brown on med. high heat in large skillet with EVOO/butter mixture. Remove to casserole. Pour tomatoes, onions & garlic over the top adding a bit of juice or wine over the meat. Cover with foil and cook at 300 for about 3 hours. (You can also do this on the stove top with a dutch oven - simmering gently for about 2 hours. Just add in the veggies, etc. after browning the meat.)

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1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
6-8 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. sugar (I used half brown/half white)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. vegetable oil or unsalted butter, softened
2 c. water
1 c. total, choc. chips and/or coconut, pecans, walnuts....or none of these things

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 8" square cake pan. Mix together all dry ingredients. Pour oil and vanilla into dry ingredients. Pour water over all and mix well. Fold in chips/nuts. Pour batter into well greased pan and cook for 45 minutes. (The center will not be totally set when cake comes out.) Served warm, this cake will be like a molten cake. Served cooled, it will seem like there is pudding mixed in with the cake.

It is a very RICH cake. I added some milk into mine, but it would be great served with some vanilla ice cream or some freshly whipped cream.

Dear Mr. Sands, YOU ROCK!

I am in love with your basic white bread.
My children are in love with your basic white bread.
My husband is in love with your basic white bread (and told me this evening that if I said I would be baking this bread and not ever buying store bread again, he'd be ok with that).

For anyone who is reading this, TRY THIS BREAD! Even if you haven't made bread before, this bread is worth it.

It is my new favorite "sandwich" loaf. AND I didn't make any changes. NONE. (Ok, well, just a minor one.)

Walter Sands'* Basic White Bread
(copied from the King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook)

1 c. milk plus 1 c. hot water (should equal 2 c. warm milky water)
2 Tbsp. sugar or honey
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast (1 envelope)
2 Tbsp. softened butter or oil (I've used both butter & EVOO with good results)
5-6 cups white flour (Of course, this is where I tell you to use King Arthur Flour...hahaha)
1 Tbsp. salt

Mix all the ingredients together in a large Kitchen Aid mixer bowl adding just enough flour so it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl - usually around 5 1/2 c. (If you don't have a stand mixer, don't fret. Mix everything in a large mixing bowl with a spoon. You will likely want to use your hands when the spoon mixing becomes uncomfortable. The stand mixer just makes things easier!) Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth & pliable (this dough should feel silky smooth...it really is a joy to knead!)

Grease a bowl (or your mixing bowl), place dough in and coat with oil. Allow to rise covered in a warm, draft free place until double in size (about an hour). A finger poked into the dough should leave an impression and not fill in. Knead dough again removing as many air bubbles as possible. Cut dough into halves and shape into a loaf. Place each half into a well greased loaf pan. Allow to rise again covered for about an hour. 15 mins. before you are ready to bake the bread, preheat oven to 350. Bake for about 40 mins or until tops are golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.

*This is the bread that Frank Sands' father, Walter, President of Sands, Taylor & Wood Co., from 1941 to 1968, made faithfully once a week for years. Because of his arthritic hands, he used a bread bucket with a crank which kneaded hundreds of loaves of this fragrant bread with all its happy associations.*
Cooks Notes:
My in laws have a bread bucket and my father in law used to use it all the time to make bread. A good replacement for a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Also - Sands, Taylor & Wood Co. is the company that distributes King Arthur Flour and they are located in Norwich, VT.

For those that want to know, the only minor change I made was to add a full cup of milk. The original recipe called for 2 c. warm water and 1/2 c. of dry milk powder with all other ingredients & measurements the same.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Cream cheese frosting

These are some of the BEST carrot cake cupcakes I have ever eaten. They are relatively low fat/good fat and you can cut down on the sugar if you want to make them even healthier. Of course, the frosting is what makes them over the top yummy and unfortunately, less healthy. Even though I have eaten a couple of them sans frosting, perhaps a light confectioners glaze over the top would work for those who are trying to watch what they eat. The recipe I loosely followed was on the Joy of Baking site. Here is my version:

Cake:

2 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. oil (I used canola)
1/2 c. granny smith applesauce (I use two 4oz. prepackaged cups - regular applesauce will be fine, but won't impart the same bold flavor as the granny smith)
1 scant c. sugar (betcha brown sugar would be really good in this recipe...may have to try it or even cutting down on the white sugar and adding some molasses.)
4 eggs (egg substitute would be just fine in this recipe)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. grated carrots
1 c. grated apples

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix together the flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together oil, applesauce & sugar. Add in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla, apples & carrots.

Add in flour mixture beating slowly and mix until just blended. Drop into lined muffin tins (about 2/3 full) and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (or cake pops back up lightly pressed).

Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese (I use light)
3 c. confectioners sugar

Beat together the butter and cream cheese until well blended and fluffy. Add in the sugar one cup at a time until it is all well blended and frosting is smooth. Frost in swirls with a large rose tip or use a small knife to spread the frosting on.

Cupcakes will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge. (or if your house is a busy as mine, they will be gone before 24 hours is over.)

Beef Stew

Now that we have approximately 90lbs. of grass fed, local beef in our freezer, I probably will have quite a few beef recipes coming at you. I cannot tell you enough how much TASTIER and TENDER this beef is. I understand that buying local meat in bulk can be challenging financially & space wise, but find friends or co-workers to go in with you or ask the farm to consider selling you a partial package. If you are my age or older, you will remember how YUMMY food actually tasted when you were a kid. AND really? Less is more when things actually taste like something.

This is one of my all time favorite winter meals. Sometimes I change it up and add barley & mushrooms instead of potatoes. Stews are hearty and when served with some crusty bread make for a very happy tummy. I start this particular stew in the morning on low around 10am to be ready by 5-6pm.

Beef Stew
Makes a 3/4 full 6qt. Slow Cooker (so it probably serves 10/12 depending on portion size)

1 lb. stew beef, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 c. seasoned flour (flour mixed with some salt, pepper & maybe onion & garlic powder)*
EVOO
Beef stock, water, red wine
2-3 med./lg. potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
2-3 lg. carrots, cut into 1" pieces
1 large onion, diced
2-3 stalks of celery, cut into 1" pieces
Whatever other veggies you like (I usually add a cup of frozen corn and peas about 15 minutes before serving and stew/soup is a great way to use up any leftover veggies that are hanging around in your fridge.)
Salt, pepper & seasonings (I like thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, garlic)


Coat the stew beef with the seasoned flour. Brown it in a large heated skillet or pan that has been coated with EVOO.
*Flour is what helps to thicken up stews. You can add more flour mixed with hot water towards the end if you are not happy with the stew's thickness...and next time you make it, add less beef stock/water in the beginning.

Once meat is browned, remove from pan and place into the crock of the slow cooker, turn the heat down and de-glaze the pan with about 1/2 c. red wine, water, beef stock or a mixture of these. Pour de-glazing mixture over the beef in the crock once all the bits have lifted from the bottom of the pan.
De-glazing the pan simply means dredging up all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan by stirring it over low heat. Trust me. It's worth the extra step. Also if you use wine, the alcohol will cook off, but it does add another layer of rich flavor.

Add the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery into the crock. Add in equal amounts of beef stock and water to reach about 3/4 of the way up the crock (maybe 8 cups total?). Cook on low all day.

Cook's Notes:
I want to add two things: You can cook the onion, celery & some garlic in with the beef while it is browning or before you add the beef in to brown. Sometimes I do, most times I don't. Also, my recipe measurements are pretty rough since I don't measure anything. Definitely use them as a guide, but do what YOU think. We all have different taste buds and different likes. Recipes are great for guidance, but you should be making them yours by substituting, etc. when you think you might like something a little bit different.

Beef & Spaghetti Pie Ole

This recipe was tucked into one of my books and I think I had every intention of making it years ago, but never got around to it. It is a very easy recipe and one that will likely be moved into the rotation once a month or so. It got thumbs up from everyone, but the eldest.

Beef & Spaghetti Pie Ole

7 ounces spaghetti, uncooked
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese, or cheddar, shredded
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 ounces canned chopped tomatoes with chili, undrained
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.

Whisk together egg, half the salt, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and 1/3 cup cheese. Add pasta and toss. Arrange in 9 inch pie dish, pressing to form shell. Heat large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef and brown 4-5 minutes, breaking up into 3/4 inch crumbles.

Pour off drippings. Season with remaining salt and remaining garlic powder. Add cumin and stir in tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook 3-5 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally. Reserve 2 Tbs. beef mixture for garnish.

Stir sour cream into remaining beef and spoon into pasta shell. Place remaining cheese in center, leaving 2 inch border around edge. Spoon reserved beef mixture onto center of cheese and bake 15 minutes or until heated through.

**Cook's Notes**

I doubled this recipe to feed all 8 of us and served it with a simple tossed salad. Instead of using 2 9" pie plates, I used my large lasagna pan.

I made the following changes:

ground turkey instead of ground beef, plain organic yogurt for the sour cream, regular diced tomatoes mixed with a little bit of tomato paste and some finely chopped jalapenos instead of tomatoes w/chilis, Mexican blend cheese for the Jack cheese, part onion powder for the garlic powder.