Monthly Archives: March 2010

Guinness Stew is Good For You!

Time in the kitchen has been short and sweet these days. I’ve been focusing on making large amounts of one thing, and then eating it for days. It’s the price I pay for being overworked and underpaid. But I don’t mind. Especially if it’s this fabulous Guinness Stew. I’d like to say I came up with this all on my own. I’m quite surprised I didn’t actually, since it includes all the components of my beef stew, with the addition of some other yummy ingredients that I should have been adding to my beef stew all along (like parsnips!!). It’s from Cooking Light magazine, and it’s to die for.

This is not a quick stew. All told it took me about 4 hours to make. But the house smelled divine all day, and the end result (especially the day after) was a warm and wonderful, hearty stew filled with delish root veggies, raisins, caraway seeds, and best of all, Guinness. The whole meal rounds out nicely with a my Grandma Murphy’s Irish Soda Bread, and, well, more Guinness.

Guinness Beef Stew

Guinness Beef Stew from http://www.cookinglight.com

Ingredients

  • 2  tablespoons  canola oil, divided
  • 1  tablespoon  butter, divided
  • 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
  • 2  pounds  boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
  • 5  cups  chopped onion (about 3 onions)
  • 1  tablespoon  tomato paste
  • 4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
  • 1  (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness Draught
  • 1  tablespoon  raisins
  • 1  teaspoon  caraway seeds
  • 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
  • 1 1/2  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices carrot (about 8 ounces)
  • 1 1/2  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices parsnip (about 8 ounces)
  • 1  cup  (1/2-inch) cubed peeled turnip (about 8 ounces)
  • 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons butter to pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt; dredge beef in flour. Add half of beef to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, and beef.

2. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return meat to pan. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, raisins, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

May the road rise up to meet you – feet first!

~ Gal Foodie

Dishin’ Up Love Recipe Contest Winner!

OK, OK, OK. I know it’s WAYYYYY past Valentine’s Day. And I am weeks overdue in posting our winner of the recipe contest. Several freak illnesses, a few major storms that knocked out utilities, and one Valentine’s Day later, we have a winner!

Valentine's Day Meal

The "Wooing Meal"

There was a husband who loves cheese. There was a dorm room kitchen experience that ended in a proposal, there was a strawberry pizza. Again, you guys never cease to amaze me with your stories and your culinary talent. The winner was chosen for several reasons. I love the idea of the “wooing meal.” I think all us Gal’s have one or two of those up our sleeve. I get all warm and fuzzy thinking of new love. And, it’s hysterical that this recipe came off a bottle of Amaretto. I have a funny picture in my head of a bunch of marketing executives in 1978, sitting around a conference table trying to come up with recipes they can use to sell more Amaretto. (Of course! Amaretto Chicken! It’ll sell CASES!) So, Karen Christiansen, you won our hearts with your “wooing meal.”

This is a recipe I got from the tag hanging from a bottle of Amaretto di Saranno over 30 years ago.   I was in college at the time and it is one of the first meals I made for my boyfriend, who is now my husband.  He still calls it the “wooing meal”.  Every time I make it I think back to those days when our love was new.

Chicken Amaretto | Serves 4
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Curry powder, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Flour, for dredging
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup Amaretto liquor
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Directions

  1. Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch slices. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, curry powder and garlic powder. Dredge in flour.
  2. Saute in melted butter until brown on all sides. Add mushrooms, Amaretto and lemon juice. Simmer 5 minutes.
  3. Mix chicken broth with cornstarch. Pour over chicken.
  4. Simmer until sauce thickens. Serve over patty shells or cooked white rice.

Note: If you’re cutting down on fat, you can make this using just 2 tbsp. of butter and it’s almost just as good.

It was so hard to choose a favorite (oh my job is so hard!), so I wanted to share with you one more recipe that made it to the top of the list. It was submitted by Kimberly Woods, and we LOVE it!

This is one of my favorite recipes to make for romantic sleepovers.  It is also perfect for a Mother’s Day breakfast in bed.  Children enjoy the strawberries and love when a cookie cutter is used to make the french toast into a fun shape (heart, star, etc).

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
¾ cup milk
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tbs sugar
8 slices French bread, 1 ½ – 2 inches thick
10 ounces brie cheese, sliced
3 ¼ cups strawberries, sliced
¼ cup butter
powdered sugar
maple syrup

Directions

  1. In large bowl, beat together milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar.
  2. Cut slices of bread horizontally to form a pocket.
  3. Set aside 1 cup of sliced strawberries for garnish. Place remaining strawberry slices and brie in bread pockets.
  4. Dip bread slices in egg mixture, coating them completely. Place bread slices on a plate, cover and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
  5. In large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add bread slices, cooking on each side about 2 minutes or until golden and cheese starts to melt.
  6. Remove from pan, dust with powdered sugar and garnish with strawberries. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Either of these recipes is a great excuse to dish up some love in your kitchen!
~ Gal Foodie