Green Chile Chicken Stew With Green Chile Dumplings

Green Chile Chicken Stew with Green Chile and Cheese Dumplings

Heat about ½ cup oil in a large, deep Dutch oven. Add one large onion, peeled and chopped. When the onions are lightly browned, add about 3 large cloves and garlic that have been peeled and chopped, use more if you wish. Immediately after adding the garlic, add ½ cup flour and stirring constantly, cook until the flour is lightly browned. Pour in 2 quarts of chicken broth and about 1 1/2-2 cups roasted peeled and chopped green chile. Stir constantly until the gravy is thickened. Add 3-4 cups cooked chopped chicken. Reduce heat to a low simmer and stir on occasion to keep from sticking.

Now mix up the dumpling dough. Take two cups flour in a large bowl, add 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp. baking soda. Stir until all are mixed well. Melt about 2/3 cup butter and stir into the flour mixture and mix together, then stir in 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese and ½ cup grated Parmesan. Beat together 1 egg, ½ cup roasted peeled and chopped green chiles and about a cup of buttermilk. Stir this into the flour mixture until well blended. If too dry, add more buttermilk, if to wet, more flour. Then spoon the mixture on top of the simmering stew, cover and cook about 20 minutes. At that time stick a toothpick in the center of one of the dumpling, if done it will come out clean. Top each serving with some more grated cheese if you wish.

If you wish, you could do this with a beef stew or even a pork stew.   Would also be a good way to use up leftover turkey at Thanksgiving.   

Be sure to use a high quality roasted green chile, preferably Hatch.   I use the jarred 505 green chile that you can order from 505 or sometimes can be found in local grocery stores, the Topeka WalMart carries it.      

Mushroom and Leek Soup

2 quarts chicken or beef broth on 1 quart of each
3-4 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 8-oz boxes of mushrooms, of various types if you can get them, diced
4 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup of dry white wine
1 lb. very lean beef, finely cubed (optional)
1 cup quinoa, well rinsed or 1 cup orzo or other small pasta or 1 cup rice

If using the meat, place in a Dutch oven and add one quart of the broth and 2 cups of water.   Simmer until the meat is very tender and the stock reduces by a quarter.    Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet.   Add the onions, leeks and mushrooms.   Saute until they all begin to brown a bit.   Add to the Dutch oven with the remaining quart of broth, deglaze the skillet with the wine and then add to the Dutch oven, add the quinoa or rice or pasta and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer until the grain or pasta is tender.   Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve with a crusty bread.

This could easily be made vegan by omitting the beef and the beef or chicken broths, using vegetable stock instead. 

Ground Beef Rice Casserole

When I was a kid our grade school served something called Texas Hash, which was a rice and ground beef dish.   It didn't have much seasoning to it, so I didn't care much for it.   This is a variation on that dish, but it has plenty of seasoning and flavor!   This particular recipe makes enough for 2-3 people, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

1/2 cup rice
1 cup water
dash of salt

Add the rice to the water and bring to a boil.   Lower the heat as low as possible, cover and allow to cook about 20 minutes.   Remove from heat and allow to sit a few minutes to steam or use 1 1/2 cups leftover rice.

While the rice is cooking, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet.   Peel and chop a small onion, then saute in the hot oil.   Allow to brown, then add a pound of ground beef or veal or pork.   Fry until the meat is no longer pink.    Add 1 tbsp. of chili powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and salt and pepper to taste.   Finally, add a can of diced tomatoes and mix well.    Remove from the heat.     When the rice is cooked, add to the skillet of meat and tomatoes.   Spoon into an 8X8 inch baking dish, then cover with about 1 1/2-2 cups grated cheddar cheese.    Bake at 350 degrees about 30-45 minutes, until nicely browned and bubbly.   Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Curried beef with tomatoes and peas

3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sugar
2 heaping tbsp. curry paste (hot or mild as you prefer)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 serrano peppers or 1 jalepeno, finely chopped (seeded if you like a bit less heat)
2 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups or 1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef or lamb, the leanest you can get (I prefer ground sirloin)
1 pkg. frozen peas (about 2 cups)

Heat the oil in a dutch oven then add the chopped onion, garlic, chiles, and ginger.   Fry for about 3-4 minutes, then add the dry spices and curry paste.   Fry another 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant.   Add the diced tomatoes and about 1/2 cup water.   Bring to a simmer and then add the ground meat, breaking it up with a spoon, leaving no large clumps.   Simmer about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked away.   Add the frozen peas and cook another 10-15 minutes.   The curry should be nearly dry when finished.   Garnish with chopped cilantro and eat with rice and naan.   Enjoy!

 

 

Smothered steak with onions

2-3 lbs. chuck steak, cut into serving sized pieces
flour for dredging, about 1 cup or so
seasoning to taste (I used about 1 tsp. Mrs. Dash, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. paprika)
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
2-3 cups water or broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Place the onion slices evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Dredge the meat slices in the seasoned flour and place on top of the onion slices.   Bake about an hour or until the slices begin to brown a bit.   Add the water or broth and continue to bake.   In another hour turn the meat slices over and return to oven.   Continue to bake until the meat is very tender and the gravy thickens.   This is good served with some type of potato (mashed is quite  nice!) or buttered noodles or pierogies.    As always, enjoy!

Hamburger Casserole

I love this dish and it has been a favorite of mine for a long time.   I don't remember what I was trying to recreate when I came up with it, but it turned out to be a real winner.   I make it kinda spicy, but feel free to adjust the seasonings according to your personal tastes.    It is also an easy and economical way to feed a lot of people, just double or triple the amounts.   And as always, ENJOY!

1 pound ground chuck
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 14-oz cans of diced tomatoes
2-3 tsps. chili powder
1 1/2 tsps. garlic powder
3-4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. dry macaroni, cooked al dente

Heat a dutch oven and fry the onion and ground chuck.   If fatty, drain off the excess fat.   Add the tomatoes, the garlic powder and chili powder.   Add the cooked macaroni, then place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.   Cover with grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes, until it is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.   Allow to cool briefly before serving.   With a steamed vegetable (buttered corn goes very well with this) and some crusty bread you have a good meal.

Variations:   core and chop a green pepper, saute it with the onion and ground beef.

for a warmer version, add some chopped jalepeno peppers or a tsp. of crushed red pepper.

Beef Madras

Another tasty Indian inspired dish that I find quite tasty.   It is a luscious beef curry, with lots of creamy coconut milk and lots of spices.  Make it has hot or as mild as you like.   I tend to make it a bit warm, but if you want it mild, just use less crushed red pepper or substitute a good quality paprika for it.



1/2-1 tsp. crushed red pepper (if you like it really hot use even more or for mild substitute a good quality paprika)
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground tumeric
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 can coconut milk (1 1/2 cups)
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 lbs. lean beef, cut into cubes
1 can chicken broth (about 1 1/2 cups)
the strained juice of 1 lemon

Mix together with coriander,  crushed red peppers (or paprika), mustard seeds, tumeric and ginger with about 1/4 cup of the coconut milk to make a loose paste.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven.   Add the onion and garlic, cooking until they begin to brown and are very fragrant.   Add the spice paste and cook, stirring often about 1-2 minutes.   Add the stock and beef cubes, bring to a simmer and cook until the beef is very tender.   If the liquid reduces too much add more broth or water.   When beef is tender, allow the cooking liquid to cook away until you have a thick gravy.    Add the remaining coconut milk and continue to simmer until it thickens again.   Add the lemon juice and serve with rice or naan.   Enjoy!

Mushroom flavored soy sauce and pot roast

There is a local local steak house that used to sell an awesome mushroom steak sauce.   It had a nice mushroom flavor and really enhanced everything you put it on.   I also loved to use it in cooking, especially pot roast.   Unfortunately, they stopped making it and I went without for ages.   I never really knew what went into that sauce, but always suspected it was based on a dark soy sauce.   Fast forward a few years to the summer of 2010.   I was in Denver and checking out an Oriental grocery store when I stumbled across something that looked promising, a mushroom flavored soy sauce.   I bought a bottle just to see if it might be close to the mushroom flavored steak sauce.   It turned out even better!    This stuff if awesome in cooking Chinese foods, but my favorite use is for flavoring meats and gravies.

For example, this weekend I made a pot roast.   I haven't had one in ages, and the weather this weekend made me want something homey and comforting.   I saw a nice chuck roast at the store so bought it.   It weighed about 3.7 pounds, fairly lean and very pretty.    It cooked up tender and tasty, with killer brown gravy.   Here's how I did it:

3-4 pound chuck roast, not too fatty or with excess fat trimmed off
mushroom soy sauce (or regular soy sauce if you don't have the mushroom flavored stuff)
Mrs. Dash to taste
1 1/2 cups liquid (water, broth, tomato juice, V-8 juice, wine, you name it)

Rub the mushroom soy sauce all over the roast, dust with Mrs. Dash and place it in a dutch oven or roaster.   Add your choice of liquid to the bottom of the pan (I used chicken broth).   Cover tightly and put in a preheated oven at 350 degrees.     Cook for 3 hours, checked after an hour and a half to two hours to see that it hasn't cooked dry.   If it is dry, you can add just a bit more liquid.   If you like, you can add peeled and quartered onions and potatoes, with peeled carrots during the last hour of cooking.   When it is done, remove to a serving platter, cover and set aside while making the gravy.    Pour off any fat in the bottom of the pan and add 2 cups of your desired liquid to the roasting pan and stir to dissolve any browned bits and fond on the bottom of the pan.   In another sauce pan, heat three tbsp. of either the drippings from the bottom of the pan or some oil.   Add three tbsp. flour and cook until the flour begins to brown a bit.   Add the liquid from the roasting pan and cook, stirring constantly until thickened.   Allow to simmer at least one minute.    Then enjoy!

With my pot roast and gravy,  I served mashed potatoes (Aaron and I are both fiends for mashed potatoes and gravy), and maple glazed carrots.   For dessert I made an apple crisp.

Oven Beef Stew

I like tough meats baked low and slow in the oven, with plenty of gravy or juices.   One of my favorite things done that way is this beef stew.   The meat gets falling apart tender and the gravy and vegetables are to die for.   This particular recipe came from a nurse I worked with years ago.    I make it all the time now.   Although the recipe calls for cubed beef, I have also made it with cubed pork shoulder or country style ribs and it is just as delicious.   Enjoy!

Oven Beef Stew:

2 pounds of chuck cut into small cubes (cubed pork shoulder works well too)
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups sliced celery
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
4-5 peeled cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

Place the vegetables in a large roaster and sprinkle 1/4 cup quick cooking tapioca on top. Then top with the meat.

Stir together:

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
2 tsp. dried basil or thyme
1 tbsp. crushed red pepper (optional, but I like a bit of fire)
1 cup red wine (or chicken broth or water or V8 juice or whatever you have)

Pour over the meat and vegetables. Add enough water/broth/juice to come at least half way up the side of the pan. Top with a large can of crushed or diced tomatoes...approximately 3 cups or so.

Bake at 350 degrees about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, adding more liquid if it looks dry or the gravy thickens too much. You can also cover it for the first hour or two if it looks as if the liquid is evaporating too quickly.

Serve with oven roasted potato wedges or mashed potatoes or even just a loaf of crusty bread.  

You can substitute other meats for the beef, such as cubed pork or even quartered boneless chicken thighs.     The same for the vegetables:   pearl onions, sliced leeks, carrots, peas, cubed turnips or rutabagas, anything you might like.  My favorite is carrots, peas, mushrooms and celery.    I like to omit the tomato paste and use a can of crushed tomatoes.    I also leave out the sugar and thyme.    So be creative.   You can also substitute soy sauce for the worchestershire sauce.   I also use a quart of chicken broth instead of the three cups of tomatoes. 

Swiss Steak

While growing up my family didn't have a lot of money, so we ate lots of whatever Mama found on sale or cheap or we could grow ourselves.   We ate lots of hamburger and cheap cuts of meat, including chuck steaks and roasts.   Luckily, for all of it's toughness, chuck has a really good beefy flavor.   In fact, along with brisket, it is one of the tastier pieces of a cow.    But it does require proper cooking, usually a long, slow, moist braise...pot roast, smothered steak, stew or one of my especial favorites, Swiss steak.   What's not to love...tender meat, flavorful gravy, lots of tomatoes, onions and peppers.   The measurements given below tend to be approximate only, and feel free to vary as your taste or cupboard demand.   This will make enough to feed about 4 people.

2 pounds of chuck steak, cut into serving size pieces or, if you prefer bite sized pieces, trimmed of as much fat as possible
about 3/4 cup flour
seasoning to taste (I use garlic powder, celery salt, Mrs. Dash and paprika)
3 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 large green pepper, cored and cut into bite sized pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Mix the seasonings with the flour and dredge the pieces of meat.   Place in the bottom of a deep roaster and place in the oven for about an hour, or until the top pieces have begun to brown a bit.   Stir the meat, then scatter the onion and pepper on top, finally pour the tomatoes and water over the vegetables and return to the oven.   Continue baking another hour and a half to two hours, until the meat is tender and almost falling apart, stirring every 30 minutes or so.   The gravy should be thick and lightly brown.   If it looks like the meat is getting too dry, add water as needed.  It should never cook dry.   Eat with mashed potatoes or roasted potato wedges.    It is also good served with rice or noodles.   Enjoy!

For smothered steak, add sliced mushrooms when adding the vegetables, omit the tomatoes and use 4 cups chicken broth instead of water.   Wine or beer is nice for the liquid too.