Braised Beef with Barley

This was a new recipe I tried from Taste of Home's cookbook this week. Had a very unique taste to it, and the barley really complimented the braised beef for something different. I will tell you, this is not a quick recipe! :) Be prepared for about 3 hours in the kitchen on this one. It was well worth it though; so tasty! Braised Beef with Barley is Whats Delectable for Dinner Tonight!

Braised Beef with Barley Recipe

4-6 ServingsPrep: 30 min. Cook: 2 hours 20 min.Ingredients
1 boneless chuck roast (2 to 2-1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup medium pearl barley
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup sour cream, optional
Directions
In a Dutch oven, brown meat in oil on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove roast and set aside. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings. Saute the onion, mushrooms and garlic in drippings until tender.


Return roast to the pan. Add the broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Add barley. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until meat and barley are tender. Add peas; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until peas are tender.
Discard bay leaf. Set the roast and barley aside; keep warm. Skim fat from pan juices. If desired, add sour cream to the pan juices; stir until heated through over low heat (do not boil). Slice roast; serve with barley and gravy.


Yield: 6 servings.

Quick Easy Beef Stroganoff

So when you need a quick meal and you are tired of just the plain old spaghetti, or tacos to use your ground beef with, Try this one! I made this up one time and have been using it whenever I get into those binds of needing something quick! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Quick Easy Beef Stroganoff is Whats for Dinner Tonight!

1 lb. ground beef
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 TBS. Olive Oil
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
Pepper to taste
A dash of Garlic Salt to taste
"A Spoonful of Sour Cream if you want it even creamier"
1 package of cooked Penne Pasta or whatever small size pasta you have in pantry.
"I have also done this over white rice as well and it is just as yummy!"

In a large sauce pan, saute the onion and celery with the olive oil. Once they are softened, add the ground beef and cook until brown. Drain the pan.
Add in the can of cream of musroom and stir until evenly blended. Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste and add a spoonful of sour cream if you want it extra creamier. Serve over cooked pasta. ENJOY! Simple as that.

Shrimp Newburg

Tried another recipe featured in Rachel Rays magazine tonight. It was featured in the "Good For You" section. It was a shrimp dish full of flavor and served over brown rice. To save time, I used minute brown rice and it was just as good as the regular. Hope you enjoy. Shrimp Newburg is whats delectable for dinner tonight!

RECIPE

1 1/2 cups brown rice
1 TBS plus 1 tsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp- cleaned and cut into thirds, shells reserved
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
2 tsps cornstarch
1 onion, finely chopped
2 TBS flour
1/4 cup sherry wine
Salt and Pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped chives

FUN Facts with this recipe:
Slash sodium by serving the shrimp over brown rice instead of buttered toast.

Keep the flavor but lose the fat by replacing heavy cream and egg yolks with fresh shrimp broth and milk.

Shrimp is a good source of low-calorie protein—and it's more affordable than the traditional lobster.

In a small saucepan, combine the rice with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes; fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.



2.Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt 2 teaspoons butter over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes.



In a small bowl, whisk the milk with the cornstarch,

then whisk into the shrimp shells. Bring to a simmer, whisking, then cook for 1 minute.

Strain the mixture into a bowl, pressing the shrimp shells to get all the liquid; discard the shells.



Wash and dry the saucepan.



3.In the saucepan, melt the remaining 2 teaspoons butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes.


Stir in the flour for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture and bring to a boil.


Lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the shrimp and sherry and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is firm, about 2 minutes;


season with salt and pepper. Stir in the chives. Serve over the rice.

Double-Decker Sheperds Pie

This was a very different version of a sheperds pie, but still very tasty. It had a little kick to it, and rather than carrots and peas, it has green onions, poblano chile and fresh mushrooms! This was very tasty and we will definetely hold on to this one for another time. I pulled this from Rachel Ray's February issue of her magaine from a chef named Diana Sturgis. It was featured in a (Dinner for 4 for $10!)
ENJOY!

RECIPE
2 and 1/2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1in pieces
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 TBS extra virgin oil
One 8-oz package white mushrooms, caps quartered and stems chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 bunch scallions, green portions thinly sliced, white portions finely chopped
1 large poblano chile, seeded and finely chopped

1. Position a rack in the upper 3rd of the oven and preheat to 425'. In a saucepan, combine the potatoes and salted water to cover 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender , 12-15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water; return the potatoes to the pot. Mash with the cream until smooth; season with salt.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden about 5 minutes; transfer to plate.


Crumble the beef evenly across the pan and cook, undisturbed, until the liquid cooks off and the meat begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the finely chopped scallions, the poblano, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper;


cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved mushrooms,


1/4 cup mashed potatoes and the reserved 1 cup cooking water. Lower the heat and simmer until juices are thickened, about 3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.
3. Spread slightly more than half of the potatoes evenly in a greased 9x11 inch baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture evenly on top, then spoon the remaining mashed potatoes evenly across the filling to enclose.

Bake until lightly golden, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with a few more sliced scallions; let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


ENJOY!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Man this was an awesome soup. I tried this from an article a friend found online for me. It was DELECTABLE to say the least! I copied the recipe below and added in my pictures with it. ENJOY this yummy soup tonight!


Ingredients
2 cans Crushed Tomatoes
2 cups Chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarians
1 bunch Fresh basil
1 large Shallot
1/2 whole Onion diced
3 cloves Garlic sliced
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 cup Cream
-- appliance required: blender or food processor
3 tablespoon Sugar more as desired
Ground pepper to taste


PreparationIn a large stockpot, heat vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic, finely diced shallots and onion. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until onion starts to caramelize.



Add cans of crushed tomatoes; add sugar.


Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir in chicken broth. Remove from heat and let cool a bit. Working in batches, puree the soup mixture in a blender or liquid-tight food processor. (NOTE: Heated liquid expands tremendously when you try to puree it -- only fill it halfway full at most, each time!) Put pureed mixture in a bowl, then rinse the stockpot out and put pureed soup base back in.


OPTIONAL: If you'd like a smooth texture to the soup, you should cool it and strain it at this point, working in batches. "I used my food processor."


It can remain in this state (refrigerated) for a few days, until ready to serve.


To serve, bring tomato soup mixture to medium heat, and then stir in cream.

(In this way, you are keeping the cream out of the pureeing step -- which might whip it -- and also the heating-to-boiling step -- which might curdle it.)


Top with basil, rolled gently and sliced very thinly (i.e., chiffonade). Serve with crusty bread, salad, or cheese toasts; pair with a crisp Pinot Grigio or Savignon Blanc, or even a deep red like a Cabernet.