Crockpot: Beef & Potato Stew

The Husband is deploying soon and truthfully, I am absolutely not prepared for this. He went to Korea for a year and I was okay, but I swear, ever since I turned 30... my emotions have heightened. Too many feelings are happening. Ask my friends Ana and Noel.

Anyways, one of his requested meals was beef stew. I've tried a couple recipes in the past, but I think this is by far my favorite. Maybe it's from the added french onion soup or instead of making a slurry, the recipe calls for instant potatoes. This one was a huge hit for us and I can't wait to make it again when he comes back home.

Beef & Potato Stew
recipe from the chic site

1 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1- 10.5 oz can condensed French Onion soup
1 cup water
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
3 pounds stew beef
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half or quarters
1 medium onion, large dice cut
3 medium carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
additional salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup potato flakes (instant mashed potato), as need to thicken stew

1. Add chicken broth, onion soup, water, tomato paste, and soy sauce into bowl of slow cooker. Whisk to break up and distribute tomato paste.

2. In a large bowl, season beef with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

3. Add seasoned beef, potatoes, onion, and carrots to slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on high for 6-7 hours until the beef is tender.

4. Stir in 1/4 cup potato flakes to thicken soup. Add additional potato flakes 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve desired thickness. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Korean Chicken and Potatoes

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, fat trimmed & cut into small pieces
3 potatoes, cut into large chunks
2 large carrots, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, cut into large chunks

Sauce
3 Tbs Korean chili flakes
2 Tbs Korean chili paste
4 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs mirin
2 Tbs honey or corn syrup
1 Tbs sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced

Garnish
sesame seeds
green onion, chopped

In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well.

Add prepared chicken and vegetables to crockpot. Stir in sauce and mix well until evenly incorporated.

Cover and cook for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high until the chicken is fully cooked. Once done, stir in chopped green onion. Top with sesame seeds and serve with rice.

Crockpot Brown Butter Marinara Sauce

I went to LA a couple weeks ago as a surprise gift for my Mom's 60th birthday (Nov 7th) which my brother secretly planned. I flew in the Sunday before and the only people who knew I was in California was my Dad and Jenny. And of course my Facebook and Instagram friends. My brother is extremely busy working 2 jobs, so eating at home is pretty rare. His roommate Kevin also work long hours and homecooked meals are rare, so I thought since I'll be in town for a week, I might as well make dinner for the boys to freeze and reheat for those busy lazy long nights.

My brother is a huge foodie and has an incredible and memorable palate. My cooking skills isn't that advanced and I was looking for simple meals so we didn't have to spend a fortune buying tools and ingredients to make one meal. A crockpot was purchased and honestly, it's the best purchase he's ever made! Truthfully, I have never browned butter, so thankfully my brother was home to do that :) What a huge difference it made! The sauce was delicious as is, but wow! Definitely can't wait to make this for the hubby :)



Crockpot Brown Butter Marinara Sauce
original recipe from half baked harvest

2 (28 ounce) cans whole, peeled, san marzano tomatoes
1 sweet onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, skin removed and crushed
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sugar
2-4 tablespoon fresh parmesan cheese
fresh basil, sliced

Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and 2 tablespoon butter to the bowl of a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or 3-4 hours on high).

Use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to break down the tomatoes. If you like a smooth sauce use an immersion blender to puree the sauce or transfer to a blender or food processor and then return the sauce to the crockpot, leaving the lid off.

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan add 6 tbsp of butter, melt butter over medium heat until just browned. Butter will melt, foam, and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan and stir into the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Top with fresh parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Baked Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

Friends! I have started a new journey. I've been working out. I KNOOOOOW right? I recently joined Curves and I'm on week 2, but as you're reading this, I'm on week 3, but I'm actually on vacation in LA.

I haven't tried too many of the recipes, but these meatballs were really good! I added a bit of salt & pepper and used panko instead. In some of the meatballs, I stuffed some mozzarella pearls in the middle and this is a great dish with some pasta too.


Frankie really wanted some meatballs too



Baked Meatballs w/ Tomato Sauce & Mixed Vegetables - 2 serving(s)*
recipe from Curves Complete

2 slice(s) bread - whole wheat
1/2 onion(s) - medium
10 oz beef - ground (95% lean)
1/2 cup(s) egg substitute
1 cup(s) sauce - tomato (meatless)
2 cup(s) vegetables - mixed, fresh

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Crumble bread into bread crumbs. Dice onions. Gently combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg substitute, and diced onions. Wet your hands and form into meatballs. Brown the meatballs on the stove, and finish cooking in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Place a steamer insert in a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover and bring water to a boil. Place mixed vegetables in steamer insert and cover. Steam for about 5 minutes or until tender.

Top meatballs with warmed tomato sauce and serve with steamed mixed vegetables.

Tip: 1/4 whole = 1/4 cup chopped onion
*Directions are only for one serving.

Easy Peasy Shepherd's Pie

It's been over a month since we've been back from our vacation and getting intro the groove of things has been tougher than I thought. I've become lazy and use to not cooking while on vacation, so all quick and simple meals is a huge plus in my book and this is definitely one of them!

Easy Peasy Shepherd's Pie
recipe from six sisters stuff

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 can condensed minestrone soup
1 can green beans
4 cups mashed potatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger and drain.

Add soup and green beans; season with salt and pepper.

Pour into large 9x13 casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes (real potatoes, instant, pre-made or tater tots).

Spread cheese on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Garlic Butter Spaghetti

I have a bad habit of skipping brunch and end having dunch at an awkward hour which leads me eat dinner/snack at another weird hour of the night. I was craving for pasta and after browsing on my Pinterest, I decided to just make garlic butter spaghetti from Pinch of Yum.

I love garlic as much as the next person, but I think I might of added a little way too much. Same with the butter. It was delicious, quick and I used the same pot that cooked the pasta to save myself extra dishes.



Garlic Butter Spaghetti
Original recipe from Pinch of Yum

leftover box of spaghetti
6 tablespoons butter + more for serving
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch basil, chopped
1 large bunch baby spinach, chopped
Sprinkle of crushed red peppers
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, heat the butter over medium low heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes, until soft and fragrant.

Chop the spinach and basil into small bite-sized pieces and add to the pot, stirring for just a minute or two to get the greens softened slightly. Season with salt.

Add the spaghetti and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine and let it all rest for a few minutes to stick together a bit.

K'ya Bistro Bar in Laguna Beach, CA

June 20, 2013. Here I go, having drinks again... the person who drinks maybe once year has had 2 drinks in the span of a couple days. This is a record for me you guys! I also must have sign on my forehead that reads "She doesn't drink, let's make it extremely strong for her" because again, my drink was extremely strong. Later, when we went up to the roof top, Jenny ordered the same exact drink and her drink looked a whole lot different then mine. *sigh* I have decided that I do not like mint. Actually, I detest the taste unless it's in candy, gum, ice cream... anything but the leaves in the bottom of my drink. While taking out the lime and mint I discovered a loooooong strand of hair, so that ended my drinking for the day.



We came specifically for the view (The Roof Top) and for their happy hour menu and let me just say... these filet mignon tips with horseradish sauce? BOMB.COM We were tempted to order another plate, but I was already full and had a pretty late lunch to boot. Seriously, if you go, I highly recommend ordering these. We started with chicken empanadas (not pictured) which were really delicious!



Mmmm their caprese skewers with pesto and sundried tomato toast was so refreshing after stuffing our faces with nothing but meat.



Jenny was still hungry, so she ordered Thai chicken drumettes with a coconut dipping sauce. The drumettes were delicious... a little spicy, but delicious. I didn't discover the sauce til after I ate the whole thing, but the sauce was to die for!



After a delicious snack we went to check out the beach scene.... people were surfing and we met the cutest puppy. Jenny went and frolicked in the ocean while I played paparazzi. Gorgeous! I wish we could of just sat there with a packed picnic and just hung out. We were both pretty exhausted and cranky and ended up going to her beloved Pho Tastee after a quick Target run.



K'ya Bistro Bar
La Casa del Camino Hotel
1287 S Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651 | 949.376.9718
Website

Simple Kale Salad with Feta and Cranberries

Hellooooo Summer! There I was complaining about the overcast and rain and bam! The sun came out and you know, anything over 70 is sizzling hot for us here in Washintgton state. One of the good things about summer is that it makes me not want to eat heavy foods, but at the same time it makes me feel lazier in the kitchen and I get hungrier more often.



When I was in Southern California, I had the best salad at true food kitchen and a side salad at the gypsy den. The contents itself is very easy to recreate, but its the dressing that I can't recreate. I actually stood in the salad dressing aisle for a good 5 minutes pondering which one to buy. I settled with a raspberry vinaigrette which isn't perfect, but I do plan to test out some homemade dressings this week. The one at true food kitchen, they had a champagne vinaigrette which was soooo good! Plus, I had this delicious kale salad from Trader Joe's and that inspired me to make this salad for last night's dinner.

Kale is extremely good for you. You know... that dark leafy green goodness. A sprinkle of feta, a bit of red onion and I of course had to add my cherry tomatoes. Some grilled chicken would be perfect too.



Simple Kale Salad with Feta and Cranberries

1 small bunch of kale, leaves torn
sprinkle of feta cheese
sprinkle of dried cranberries
1 TBsp red onion, or to taste
black pepper to taste
small handful of cherry tomatoes
2-3 TBsp vinaigrette of your choice

Mix and serve. Best when served cold.

Roast Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Cranberry over Barley

Now that is one long title! I am so excited today to share with you this recipe I adapted from Cookie + Kate. Also, did you know brussels sprouts has a 'S' after brussel? YEA ME NEITHER. I am too lazy to go back to adjust my photos though. Okay, back to the sprouts! I tried roasted brussels sprouts sometime last year and I was hooked instantly. I love to season mine with a little salt & pepper, squeeze of lemon and some chili pepper flakes. Another all time favorite is drizzling it with some balsamic vinegar... sprinkle of parmesan is also really good. How do you like your brussels sprouts?



I had pinned this recipe from Pinterest and with the sun out yesterday, I knew I had to grab the chance to make this so I can take some photos. The original recipe uses a different method and it calls for maple syrup and Gorgonzola cheese. I omitted both ingredients and just roasted the sprouts on a cookie sheet like I usually do.

The dish is light and healthy which is always a plus. You get that sweet candied tartness from the cranberries (I used dried cranberries) and then you have the fluffy barley. Honestly, I wish I made more! I like the way I made it... might be a little bland for others, but just season it a little more with salt and pepper. For leftovers, I added some leftover cut up rotisserie chicken.

Roast Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Cranberry over Barley
recipe adapted from cookie + kate

1 pound Brussels sprouts, tips cut off, discolored leaves removed and sliced in half
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used EVOO)
Salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups cooked barley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

Cook the barley according to package direction.
Preheat oven to 375F
Add cut Brussels sprouts and drizzle with EVOO and seasoned with a bit of salt. Roast 10 minutes.
Add dried cranberries and balsamic vinegar and roast for another 5 minutes.

Chicken Roulades with Mustard Sauce

The thing with me, is that i like to try new recipes (we barely have repeats) and i like to test the waters of certain recipes. I think this one let me step out of my comfort zone a bit. I mean, sure we love chicken and how can you go wrong with something breaded? The sauce was properly what threw me off a bit. I enjoy yogurt in smoothies and fruit parfaits, but I don't think i've ever had it as a condiment for savory dishes. The chicken itself was delicious and moist and next time i will add more basil. The sauce was refreshing with a bit of the yogurt tang you expect and the mild spiciness of the mustard. Overall I think i would put this on our "make again" list.

Chicken Roulades with Mustard Sauce
Recipe from The Williams-Sonoma Cookbook
The essential recipe collection for today's home cook

1/2 C. plus 1/3 C. low-fat plain yogurt
1 TBsp plus 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
2 TBsp unsalted butter, melted
2 TBbsp chopped fresh basil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breat halves, about 6 oz each, pounded to 3/8 (1 cm) thickness
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 C. fine fresh bread crumbs (i used the store bought kind)
1/2 C. grated Parmesan


To make the sauce, stir together the 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 TBsp mustard and the chives in a small bowl. Let the sauce stand at room temperature to lose its chill while the chicken breats bake.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Light brush a baking sheet (i just lined mine with aluminium foil and sprayed cooking spray) with some of the melted butter.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp of the basil in the center of 1 chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the short ends of the breast about 1/2 inch. Starting at a long side, roll up the breats, enclosing the basil. Repeat with the remaining breasts.

In a shallow bowl, stir together the 1/3 cup yogurt and remaining 1 tsp mustard. In a shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs and cheese. Roll each chicken breast in the yogurt mixture and then coast the the crumb mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining melted butter. Bake until the coating is golden brown and the chicken shows no sign of pink when cut in the center, about 30 minutes. Serve hot, with a dollop of the sauce on the side.

Lemon Pesto Shrimp Pasta Salad

Lemon Pepper Grilled Shrimp
Recipe from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
3 TBsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare a grill. Toss the shrimp with the oil, add the salt, pepper and lemon zest. Grill until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and drizzle with the lemon juice. Enjoy hot or at room temperature.
Pesto recipe from Elise.

Baked Garlic Lemon Tilapia

Baked Garlic Lemon Tilapia
6 6oz. tilapia filets
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 TBsp butter
2 TBsp fresh lemon juice
4 tsp fresh parsley
salt & pepper
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400F.

Melt butter on low. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add lemon juice and remove from heat. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Place fish on top, season with salt & pepper. Pour lemon butter sauce over fish. Top with parsley.

Bake about 15 minutes.

Fettuccine with Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Sauce

This use to be my go to dinner recipe. Simple and quick, perfect for the every day week night meal.


Fettuccine with Creamy tomato italian sausage sauce
Recipe from Simply Recipes

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 pound spicy or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup whipping cream
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 Tbsp dried sage
3/4 pound fettuccine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add sausages and sauté until no longer pink, breaking up the sausages a bit, about 5 minutes. Add cream; simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices. Add sage. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Return pasta to same pot; add sauce. Toss over medium heat until sauce coats pasta, adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Original recipe from Gina

Peanut Sauce:

* 1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
* 6 tbsp peanut butter
* 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
* 2 tbsp honey
* 2 tbsp soy sauce
* 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Chicken:

* 16 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips
* salt and pepper (to taste)
* 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)
* juice of 1/2 lime
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
* 1 tbsp soy sauce
* 8 oz rice noodles (I used rice stick noodles)

Veggies:

* 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
* 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
* 1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw
* 2 tbsp chopped peanuts
* 1 lime, sliced
* cilantro for garnish (optional)


For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 1/2 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

Mix everything together in a large bowl.

Chipotle Inspired Rice Bowl

Chipotle Inspired Rice Bowl
Original Recipe from Gina

2 cups cooked long grain rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and heated
1 cup corn, heated
1 large tomato, diced
1 large scallion, diced fine
2-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 fresh squeezed lime juice
salt to taste

Mix everything in a bowl! Top with homemade or pre-made salsa and guacamole (or mashed avocado).

Roast Chicken with Potatoes in Creme Fraiche Chive Sauce

The chicken was seasoned with salt and pepper than rubbed down with softened butter mixed with thyme and garlic paste. I stuffed the cavity with half a onion, lemon slices, thyme and 2 garlic cloves.

The potatoes in Creme Fraiche Chive sauce was so good!! I misread the recipe and added a whole container of creme fraiche instead of 1/4 cup. Overall, still delicious and it went fabulously with the chicken.

Creme Fraiche Chive Sauce
Original recipe from Mycookinghut

1 lb. petite idaho potatoes
1 cup crème fraîche
1/2 fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp minced chives
salt & pepper to taste


Method:

1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add cold water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes depending on their size (test doneness with a fork).

2. When the potatoes are done, drain all the water and let them sit in the pot for five minutes to steam and dry.

3. Whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and chives in a small bowl until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Halve or quarter the potatoes, if large and toss with the crème fraiche mixture.

Broccoli Sausage Pasta

Just posting old recipes from my old blogspot which I plan to delete once everything is transferred over! Definitely expect loads of recipe posts coming soon!



Broccoli and Sausage Pasta
Original recipe from Good Life Eats

2 cups broccoli florets, cooked till tender crisp
3 links mild italian sausage
1 red onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, more if you like
salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces Ronzoni garden delight radiatore pasta, cooked according to package instructions

In a large saute pan, drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil. Add the sausage, cooking until browned on all sides. Remove sausage and slice into rounds. Return to pan. Add onion to the sausage and saute until the onion is tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, making sure to scrape up all the browned bits. pasta, and broccoli. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

I've been trying to make this beef stew since Sunday, but this recipe calls for it to cook on low for 8-10 hours! Yes, I know, I can put it on high and cut the time, but I figured I'd be a good girl and let it cook all day. Except, I got tired of looking at the ingredients cluttering up my counter top last night and thank God I already chopped all my veggies and all that was left was to open some cans. I even browned the meat and what a mess that was! I have to say though, cooking this recipe at the hour I did and having the smell wafting through your house ALL night is possibly one of the dumbest things I've ever done! I couldn't go to bed til almost 5AM and the smell was just tormenting me.

I have come to the conclusion that I may or may not be a stew-type person. I've made stew a couple times in the past and even then, it's just not my thing. Just like pot roast. I can eat a bowl, but I get over it quickly, but thank God for my husband who loooooves it and will eat the leftovers :) As delicious as it smelled, my first bowl was kinda lacking flavor even though I added a bunch of black pepper (I have an addiction), but I added an extra 1/4 tsp of kosher salt and it's fine now. The stew itself is good, but could be better imo. I think next time I'm either going to add more seasoning, maybe some thyme and I wonder if red wine would give it a little more depth? Overall it's still a good recipe. I ate it for brunch and for dinner and that usually never happens. I don't like to eat the same exact thing (unless it's Pho) in one day.



Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Original recipe from Movita Beaucoup

1-2 lbs of stewing beef, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 medium sized onions, chopped into large pieces
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup of baby carrots, chopped
about 10 mini-potatoes, cut in half or quartered
1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 cups sodium reduced beef broth, divided
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then lightly brown the meat in batches. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.

Dump the tomatoes into the slow cooker (juice and all). Crush them with a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the vegetables and then add the beef and any accumulated drippings. Pour 2 1/2 cups of the beef broth over the beef and vegetables. Give the mixture a quick stir. Add the bay leaves.

Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, add the peas, salt and pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the flour and remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth, creating a smooth paste. Stir into the stew. Replace the slow cooker cover and cook until thickened (about 15-20 minutes).

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Roast Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

After coming home from leave, we're trying to get our life back into a routine and getting back into cooking. I was definitely spoiled this trip, eating delicious food all day every day. It was nice not having to plan out meals and cooking for awhile.



I came across this roast chicken recipe and best of all, it was simple quick and it was one in one pan! Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a Sunday meal. I used chicken thighs since they were on sale last week at Safeway. Bone-in and skin will help keep chicken moist, but you can also choose skinless boneless option.

Roast Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans
Original recipe from Real Simple

6 tablespoons evoo
2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound trimmed green beans
4 red potatoes, quartered
3 chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.

Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender.

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole

Now and days I'm feeling too lazy to slave away in the kitchen, so any quick and simple meals are a plus in my book! I found this recipe over at The Creative MaMa and have been wanting to try it for quite some time now. There's only 3 ingredients used with a knife, 1 ingredient used with a can opener, 1 pot, 1 baking sheet, 1 casserole dish and arm strength. Easy peasy! The ending result is yummy in your tummy!

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
Original recipe from The Creative MaMa

2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
3 chicken thighs, cooked (i baked salt & peppered mine and baked at 375F for about 30 minutes)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup salsa
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper
juice of 1 lime
2 cups shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
cilantro
sour cream

1) Cut up chicken into bite size pieces. Chop cilantro, slice green onions.
2) In a large bowl, combine rice, beans, corn, chipotle powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
3) Add the chicken, salsa, cilantro, green onions, and about half of the cheese. You want to save some for the top.
4) Mix Mix Mix and taste to see if you need more seasoning.
5) Press it into a casserole dish that you have sprayed with cooking spray.
6) Cover with remaining cheese.
7) Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.