Soup

Beef Stew

~ lindy

 

This is a Basic Beef Stew recipe we made at our St.Patrick’s Day Dinner, along with Reuben Sandwich.

 

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*This is partially a Crock-Pot Style Beef Stew.  I like to Braise the beef Stew pieces to bring out more flavor but you can combine all the ingredients in the Crock-Pot and slow cook for easy fixing.

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Beef Stew

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*2 pounds Beef Stew Meat Super Trim or trim off extra fat, braise  for extra flavor
*2 tablespoons extra Light Olive Oil, or Butter, sautéing meat
*1/2 teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper
*1 teaspoon Sea Salt
*4 large Carrots,Chopped
*4 Celery Sticks, Chopped
*4 Coves Garlic, minced or pressed
*1/2 cup minced onions
*1/3 cup Tomato paste or 1 can 14 ounce Diced Tomatoes, puréed
*2 cans 14.5 ounce Beef Broth (50 percent less sodium), more if needed
*12 ounces Coca Cola
*1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, optional
*1/2 cup Quaker Quick Barley
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In a heated seasoned cast iron skillet with olive oil on medium heat.  Add stew beef seasoned with pepper and salt, braise or brown the stew beef on all sides if possible and add to a crock-pot with liner.  Add the remaining ingredients except for the Quick Barley and add the last 1-2 hours of cooking, cook the beef stew on high for about 4-6 hours or on low for 8 hours or until beef is very tender.
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Optional:  I also boil the potatoes and carrots until barely tender and add the last two hours of cooking.
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Enjoy!

 

Lindy

Bacon and Kale Potato Soup

~ lindy

 

Bacon and Kale Potato Soup Crock-pot Style

First Option:  I cooked the potatoes, carrots in water filed stock pot on medium heat boiled until slightly tender and drain off water.
 
Then in a sauté pan on medium heat sauté the onions 1-2 minutes and adding the garlic the last minute.  Then add the kale to the sautéed onions and garlic, warm until barely wilting, combine with all the rest of the soup ingredients.  Now pour all the soup ingredients in a crock-pot with liner added using a twist tie to close.  Place liner with soup ingredients in a sealable plastic container with lid and refrigerated overnight until the ready to heat and serve. (When ready place crock-pot liner with soup into the crock-pot and cook on low for 2-3 hours.)  
 
*Note that you can place and cook all of the ingredients in a crock pot at once on low for 6 hours.

Second Option:  Add 1/2 cup chopped, sautéed green cabbage and 1 washed, cleaned Leek, chopped for a more Irish type soup.
*4 medium Russets Potatoes, diced (We used Yukon Gold and Red Pontiac Potatoes)
*4 Celery Stalks, diced
*4 medium Carrots, diced
*2 cups chopped Kale, wilted
*1/2 Onion, minced
*2 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
*12 pieces cooked Bacon, chopped
*32 ounces Chicken Broth, more if needed
*Sea Salt and Ground Pepper
*1/2 cup Whipping Cream OR (1 cup 1 percent Milk and using a emulsion blender, blend 1 heaping cup cooked potato soup mixture and re-added  to soup as thickener)
Toppings/garnish
*Freshly grated Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Cheddar Cheese or cheese of choice
*Chopped Green Onions
In a crock-pot with liner, set on low, add all the above ingredients and cook 6 hours or until potatoes are tender or (See the above for first option for cooking the vegetables before putting in crock-pot.)
   

    

 
 
Enjoy!
Lindy