Recipes
Well I think every family is different, but here are the ones I mentioned, more or less:
Stew
- small amount of olive oil or (shhh) bacon grease
- 1-2 lbs stew beef, trimmed and cubed in larger chunks (do not use a better cut)
- flour, salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1-2 baking potatoes, scrubbed and diced
- 2 ribs celery, sliced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
- 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons dried rosemary or 2-3 sprigs fresh
- a few shakes soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
For best results dredge stew beef in flour, salt, and pepper and brown in olive oil/fat. However you don't have to.
Layer onions and potatoes on bottom, then meat, then everything else and pour liquid over. Sometimes I add water to bring the level up a bit higher. Cook 8-10 hrs on low.
The potato soup recipe is here, but I use either no milk or evaporated skim milk:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/fo...ve-Soup-237290
Chili is verrrry personal. Our white chili is based on this recipe:
http://southernfood.about.com/od/cro...r/bl118c19.htm and our red chili never really comes out the same twice.
The baked beans are pretty much the Moosewood ones. Basically, two cans of navy beans (or equivalent), one chopped onion, a whack of chopped garlic
, a cup of barbeque sauce, a tablespoon or a bit more of dijon mustard, two tablespoons of maple syrup, one tablespoon molasses. Ideally you saute the onions and garlic and then mix everything and put in the crockpot for 8-10 hrs on low, but sometimes I just toss everything in.
Also from Moosewood, the cassoulet:
http://www.jewishfood-list.com/recip...uletveg01.html
Chickpea stew: Ummmm a big can chickpeas, a can of diced tomatoes, a bunch of washed spinach, 1 onion, a whack of chopped garlic, two tablespoons tomato paste, copious amounts of oregano, salt and pepper, and either water + soy sauce or 2 cups of vegetable stock. I throw in potatoes or carrots sometimes too. Top with feta cheese after serving.
Pea soup: 1 smaller package green or yellow split peas, 1 tablespoon thyme or a bit less, 1 chopped onion, one finely diced carrot, 1 diced potato, two bay leaves, about a half teaspoon of hungarian paprika, salt and pepper, and 6 cups of water or stock. If feeling indulgent, either two rashers of bacon, a ham bone, or a handful of diced ham. But you really don't need that (although then it does help to have proper stock).
My hummus is a can of chick peas, squirt of lemon juice, two cloves of garlic, and a tablespoon of tahini if I have it, 1 tablepoon or a bit more of olive oil and then water until it's the right consistency with some sea salt and pepper. I whirl it all in the food processor.
Polenta: 1 cup cornmeal to 4 cups of water - boil water, whisk in cornmeal, simmer for a while stirring now and then. Add salt to taste. You can add cheese and stuff but I don't usually.
Orzo and peas - cook orzo pasta; throw in frozen peas for last couple of minutes. Toss with a couple tablespoons of butter and salt and pepper to taste.
Quiche is variable but I usually use refrigerator pie crust (I know, but seriously), layer vegetables on it, pour 8 eggs mixed with a bit of milk over it, top with grated cheese. Vegetables are usually leftover.
. I am not going to post what I made, because i will more then likely get flamed, but the kids loved it and we were eating by 530. I usually get home around 445-5, and if my husbands starts dinner, we are eating by 530. If I have to do it all myself due to his hours changing, we are not eatng til 6 or 630.
