Beef, Wine, and Mushroom Stew

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Ingredients:

2 1/2 – 3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of fat, cut the meat into 1 inch chunks.
1 onion, cut into thick slices
1 pound small button mushrooms, cleaned well, left whole, and trimmed at the stem
1 bunch young carrots, peeled and sliced
5 red potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t paprika
1/4 t ground white pepper
1 bay leaf
4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups beef stock, low sodium, reserve 1/2 cup
1/2 cup red wine
1 T flour
2 t extra virgin olive oil Read More

Roasted Garlic and Short Ribs in Tawny Port Sauce with Spaghetti

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4624415290612f15177a0953a151ce25_khn2Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 T vegetable oil
2 T butter, unsalted
3-4 lbs meaty short ribs
1 onion, chopped
2 (15 oz) cans tomato puree
1 (28 oz) can peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
1 cup tawny port
2 heads garlic, roasted and peeled, leaving the cloves whole
1 large handful fresh basil, torn (approximately 1/2 cup tightly packed)
2 T butter, unsalted
2 Parmesan rinds
1 bay leaf
2 t balsamic vinegar
2 T garlic powder
1 T dried basil
1 1/4 t dried Mediterranean oregano
1 1/4 t dried rosemary
1/2 t ground black pepper
1-2 T dark brown sugar, packed
Salt to taste
2 T flat Italian parsley, chopped
1 pound spaghetti or your favorite pasta

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon lightly toasted and ground fennel seed, extra garlic
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Light Waldorf Salad

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WaldorfSalad Ingredients:

1 cup celery, sliced
2 apples, Fuji, cut into chunks
2 T dried cranberries
1 T parsley, minced
2 T walnut pieces
4 lettuce leaves, such as Boston or Bibb

Dressing Ingredients:

2 T Greek Yogurt, 2%
2 T lemon juice, fresh squeezed
Pinch salt
1/8 t ground white pepper
1/8 t dried ground mustard
1 t honey Read More

BlogBlast4Peace every November 4th

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World peace may seem too impossible to imagine. But what if more of us imagined peace?

What if the world got together and not only imagined it, but created imagery and blogs all focused on simmering up a world full of peace?

What if the number of Peace Bloggers grew with each year as a result of the hard work of Blog Blast 4 Peace’s founder, Mimi Lenox?

Is it possible to grow peace? With enough voices, yes we can.

Read More

Red Onion and Raisin Sauce

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ravioli w sicilian sauce-1Ingredients:

3 T olive oil
2 red onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/2 cup richly flavored red wine
2 T red wine vinegar
1 1/2 T tomato paste
3/4 t dried oregano
1/8 t hot red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, including liquid
1/3 cup seedless raisins
2 T pine nuts
Optional: 1/3 cup sliced black olives Read More

Making Ginger Lemongrass Tisane

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GingerLemongrassTisaneWhat is a tisane?

Tisane is the correct name for what people like to call herbal tea.

An herbal brew cannot be a tea because all tea is derived from the same type of plant – and that plant is not ginger or lemongrass or chamomile.

The source plant is camellia sinensis. Yes, white, green, or black , if it is tea, it comes from the same plant. The different teas are the result of how the plant is grown and harvested.

If tea is your preference, you can always grow your own!

The following technique works for many tisanes. First, let’s make a wonderful tisane of ginger and lemongrass. Read More

Leeks in the Kitchen!

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1024px-Au_marché_-_poireaux,_céleriMindfully delicious leeks are nutritious low calorie power houses that belong in the onion and garlic family of plants. Add them to any dish that would benefit from a mild oniony flavor. They work a special magic in soups and stews.

Leeks usually come bundled with twist ties or rubber bands. The bundles usually contain either two large bulbs or 3-4 smaller bulbs. It does not matter whether your leeks or large or small, they will taste the same.

What does matter is whether there is a lot of white and light green from the base of the bulb upward, because that is the part you eat! Look for leeks that have a lengthy edible area.

Don’t throw away the dark green leaves though, they are perfect for simmering a delicious stock and are a welcome addition to the compost bin. Read More