Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika

This is a wonderful stew! (And I don't like beer!) Serve this with Beer Bread and everyone will thank you.

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter
2 lbs stew meat

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bottle of beer (12 oz)
4 cups beef stock (or 4 cups water + 4 beef bouillon cubes)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp sugar
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
4 medium red potatoes, cubed

Heat oil and butter in a Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside. Reduce heat a little and add chopped onion to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back to the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer on low for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for approximately another 30 minutes (carrots and potatoes should no longer be firm and beef should be fork tender).

Note: I did not have a problem with the stew getting dry, but if you do, just add one cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid. I actually ended up thickening the stew at the end with a little flour dissolved in cold water. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

(Recipe slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman.)

Beer Bread

I had not heard of beer bread until I ate at the Wunsche Brothers Cafe in Old Town Spring a few months ago. It was so tasty I bought a packaged bread mix from the cafe so I could make my own beer bread at home. And then later I discovered I could make this delicious bread from scratch with just four ingredients! So easy and yummy!

3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
12 oz beer
2 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and beer and mix well. (Mixture will be sticky.) Pour into prepared pan and bake for approximately 50 minutes (bread should be a nice golden brown color when done). Remove from oven and brush 2 tablespoons of melted butter all over top of bread and bake for an additional 3 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes and then remove from pan and enjoy!

Tuscan Sausage Ragu

Having guests over for dinner and don't know what to cook? Go get your slow cooker because when you serve this flavorful sauce (over your choice of pasta), everyone will be happy!

1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed

1/2 cup red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 (28 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt to taste

1 cup heavy cream

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the sweet and hot Italian sausage until browned. Break the meat up into crumbles as it cooks. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion is translucent. Carefully drain excess grease. Pour the mixture into a slow cooker. Add the wine, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil and oregano and mix. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Pour in the cream, stir, cover, and cook for 1 more hour. Add salt if desired, and serve over your choice of pasta.

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.)

Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles

Super easy and yummy!

1 1/2 lbs stew meat
1 can cream of chicken soup (yes, chicken!)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
Approx. 3/4 can of water (using empty soup can)
Package of egg noodles

Mix everything in slow cooker, except noodles, and cook on low about 8 hours.  When ready, cook noodles according to package directions and serve beef mixture over noodles.  (My hubby likes this served over mashed potatoes.)

(Recipe adapted from The Crockin' Girls.)

Orange Toffee Almond Sandies

This is another great Paula Deen recipe and it makes a ton of cookies!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp orange extract
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
3 TBSP orange zest
2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups English toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, add butter, oil and sugars.  Beat until combined, then add extracts.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well each time.  Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in separate bowl.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture.  Stir in orange zest, almonds and toffee bits.  Drop by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.  Cool on wire rack before serving.

(Recipe from Paul Deen.)

Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

I made these hash browns for a brunch recently...delicious! This recipe can be prepared the night before so all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven.

1 (32 oz) pkg frozen hash browns (southern style type)
1/2 lb cooked, diced ham (I used Black Forest from the deli)
2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of potato soup
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups grated/shredded Parmesan cheese (I used the kind sold in a bag near all the other shredded cheeses)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 dish. In a large bowl, mix hash browns, ham, soup, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Spread evenly into prepared dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake approximately 1 hour in preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned.

(Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.)

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

This is my new favorite dish. It is so good! You need to go buy the ingredients and make this. Now. Go. Your family will thank you.

8 soft taco size flour tortillas (my grocery store makes these fresh daily...woohoo)

3 cups shredded cooked chicken (make it easy and grab a rotisserie chicken from the deli)
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack and cheddar cheese blend, divided
3 TBSPs butter
3 TBSPs flour
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can fire roasted diced green chiles, mild
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. Mix the chicken together with all of the pepper jack cheese and 1 cup of the jack/cheddar cheese blend. Place an equal amount of the chicken mixture into each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down into prepared pan. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour; cook and stir with a wisk for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat until sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and green chiles. Pour the sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of jack/cheddar cheese blend. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving, if desired.

(Recipe adapted from Let's Dish.)