Old-Fashioned Beef Stew from Once-A-Month Cooking

This is an interesting recipe from this terrific book that I won a few months ago at a giveaway at Jane Doiron's....Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms.

This cookbook is authored by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg.  I'm honored that Mary Beth signed the book for me.

When I spent time at my daughter's a while back, this dish was something I was able to whip up in just a few minutes, to put in her freezer for them to eat later.

It's truly an amazing concept!

Place the ingredients in a ziploc freezer bag, then toss into the freezer until you're ready to thaw, then cook it in a crockpot.

(Deb said they really enjoyed this meal.  She added a little more worchestershire and thickened the gravy.  She also said it was ready after 6 hrs. in the crockpot.)

Here's what you do....

MAKE AHEAD OLD-FASHIONED BEEF STEW

1 lb. beef stew meat

3 cups (24 ozs) V8 juice

1 cup (8 ozs) beef broth

1/2 sliced onion

1 tsp. worchestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 cup (8 ozs) frozen green beans

1 cup (8 ozs) frozen whole kernel corn

1 cup chopped carrots

(To save time and work, we opted to use a bag of frozen stew vegetables instead=)

Pour all the ingredients, with vegetables still frozen, but broken apart as much as possible, into a 10-cup freezer container (gallon ziploc freezer bag works fine).

To serve, thaw.  Pour into a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.

(My thinking is that if you are not using fresh veggies, you may not have to cook it as long)?

SUMMARY OF PROCESSES: Slice 1/2 onion; chop 1 cup carrots

Serves 8

(The authors suggest you always use fresh meat before freezing...refreezing meat that has once been frozen, is not a good idea)

If you want to thicken sauce, mix some cornstarch with water then stir into stew before serving.

Some of the other recipes in this cookbook that sound wonderful...

~Sweet and Sour Chicken

~Apricot-Glazed Pork Roast

~Egg Bake

~Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken Pie

~Smothered Burritos

Cherry Chocolate Cake

I saw this picture recently and had to share the grins....

It's so appropriate for today's recipe....*-*

I like this cake...a lot!

It's easy to mix up and the flavor combination is great!

The last time I made it, I crumbled it up and made a trifle - layering instant white chocolate pudding, whipped topping, and cake.  It was fabulous!

(Sorry - I didn't think about taking a picture of that!)

You can sugar it 'down' by using a reduced-sugar cake mix and no-sugar added cherry pie filling.

It's delicious and moist - I hope you'll give it a try!

Just so you are aware, I decreased the frosting ingredients because it made too much for us.

If you want to cut even more sugar, just pour instant chocolate pudding over the top...using less milk than the box calls for.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 18 ozs. pkg. chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1 20 - ozs. can cherry pie filling

FROSTING:

1 c. white sugar (I used 3/4 c.)

5 Tb. butter (used 4 Tb.)

1/3 c. milk (used 1/4 c.)

1 c. chocolate chips  (used 3/4 c.)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 9" X 13" baking dish. In large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs and pie filling.  Mix until well blended and pour into prepared pan.  Bake 30-35 minutes. Frost when cool.

To make frosting: In small saucepan, combine sugar, butter and milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cool 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth.  Pour over cake.

​

Linked to Sweets for a Saturday

Melt in Your Mouth Monday

Sharing Sundays

Mix it up Monday

Weekend Potluck

Homemade Window Washing Recipes

It's springtime and don't we love looking out clean windows?  I sure do.  Thought this was good info to share with you now....

This is one of those valuable ‘Hints from Heloise’ that has been passed down from generation to generation. It not only works great, but is money-saving as well.

Photo credit: NYC library

HOMEMADE WINDOW WASHING RECIPE

Mix 1/2 cup nonsudsing ammonia with 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol and 1 tsp. dishwashing liquid with enough water to make 1 gallon of cleaner. Put in a clearly marked spray bottle. Drying with crumpled-up newspaper will give you a streak-free window too.


I also saw this recipe in my good blogging friend Lark's cookbook, so I'm sharing it also.  Maybe you have these ingredients on hand instead...

OUTDOOR WINDOW CLEANER

1/2 gal. warm water
2 - 3 Tb. (liquid) laundry or dishwasher detergent
1 Tb. liquid Jet Dry or other dishwasher wetting agent

Mix ingredients. Brush or sponge on window.  Immediately hose off.  Water will sheet off. No drying necessary. (sounds like my kind of work!)

CAUTION:  Be sure windows are tightly closed!  :-}

Parfait recipes from Cooking with Libby & Hungry Girl too!

I've been seeing recipes all over the net for yogurt parfaits. 

Delicious & healthy!

I love them and get one every time we go to the 'Golden Arches' with the grandkids!

Check out Cooking with Libby's Yogurt Brunch Parfait recipe.  MMM! 

(Libby will be doing a guest post for me soon while I'm gone on vacation soon!  I'm sooo excited about it!)

Beautiful!! Easy!

I love fresh strawberries too.

Isn't her picture just mouth-watering???

Regular Ingredients:

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1 and 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

2 cups yogurt of any kind

1/2 cup granola


Low Fat Ingredients:

1/3 cup honey

1 and 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

2 cups plain yogurt

1/2 cup low-fat granola

Directions:


1. Place the apricot preserves in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds or until it starts to bubble up.

2. Mix the warm preserves with the sliced strawberries and stir until well combined.

3. Layer a glass bowl or parfait cup, starting with half of the strawberries, then half the yogurt, then half the granola. If using honey, place some of the honey on top of the strawberries before the yogurt.

4. Keep layering until you run out of ingredients.


5. Top with an extra spoonful of granola and serve immediately.

***Recipe Tip: You don't have to just stick with strawberries, you can use bananas, raspberries, blueberries, or any other combination of fruit you desire.***



Take a look at these mouth-watering parfaits from Hungry Girl... (link to recipes below)

 

Peaches 'n Cream Oatmeal

Magical Maui Oatmeal

Parfait Recipes from Hungry Girl

(with WW points plus figured)

Davey Boy's Cheesey Garlic Chicken Breasts

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVEY!

Today is my 'baby's' birthday - he's 33!

(Now don't be saying how that makes me old, OK?)

This picture was taken last year on his birthday. We have so few of the 2 of us together, that I'm thrilled to be able to share this one with you today.

I'm very proud of him.  He served 9 years in the navy as a corpsman and served 2 tours overseas on the USS Bataan.

He's the proud daddy of 3 great kids (Charlie, Chloe & Caden) and a sweet husband to my daughter-in-love, Lyn!

Growing up, he filled our home with laughter.  If only those walls could talk...what stories they would tell!

When I was putting my cookbook together, I asked him for a recipe and I was SO tickled when he gave me this one....that he created himself! And he gave me this name for it too.

The 'note' under his recipe in my book reads..."Our son Dave always enjoyed being in the kitchen with me when he was growing up.  I can't count the times he's called to ask me about a recipe since he left home.  I am honored to add this delicious dish that he has created.  His dad and I have lovingly called him Davey Boy, so I was delighted when he gave me this title for his recipe also".

SA-WEEETT!!

This next picture is from one of my older cookbooks (& the bottom part of the picture of Dave's recipe in my own cookbook).  When Dave was not quite 4, he was sitting on the counter while I made that granola recipe, and he printed his name at the top of that page.  His sister has marked this cookbook to be his when I'm no longer in need of it. *-*

That 'signature' is absolutely priceless!

Below is Dave's 4 yr. old picture - toooo sweet!

(melts my heart just to look at it again)

 A copy of this picture hangs on the wall in our bedroom...along with pictures of his sister and brother when they were about this age.

This is a delicious dish created by my youngest and I do hope you'll give it a try!

DAVEY BOY'S CHEESEY GARLIC CHICKEN BREASTS

4 - 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 (12 ozs) box garlic and cheese croutons

(get the best brand)

1 (16 ozs) tub sour cream

1 (8 ozs) pkg. mozzarella or monterey jack cheese

toothpicks or cooking twine, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9" X 13" baking dish. Crush croutons into medium to med-fine consistency; pour into bowl and set aside. 

Place sour cream in large bowl and set aside.

Slice cheese into 1/4" slices so that they are slightly larger than the size of a pat of butter.

Trim fat from chicken and make a slice down thickest partion of the breast, without going through to the other side.

Insert 1 - 2 slices of cheese into chicken. To keep chicken in place, if desired, use toothpicks or twine.

Roll chicken in sour cream, then in crushed croutons.

(I like to add a little grated parmesan to croutons also)

Place in prepared dish sliced side up.  Once all chicken has been rolled and placed in the dish, mix remaining croutons and sour cream together and sprinkle over chicken.

Cover; bake 40 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes more. 

Time will vary depending on number of breasts and heating elements.

(He's pretty darn good, wouldn't you say??? I WOULD SAY!=)

The gift of David Benjamin Baker 33 years ago today is one of the very best I've ever received.

How thankful I am God chose me to be his mom!

Linked to Melt in Your Mouth Monday