Beef Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes and patted dry
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each, about 4 cups) reduced-sodium beef broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
6 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium Yukon Gold or boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves

Directions:
1. In large bowl, toss beef cubes with flour, salt, and pepper.
2. Warm 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add meat in a single layer without crowding. Brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove beef; transfer to a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the broth to pot and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping loose any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer cooking liquid to bowl with meat. Repeat cooking procedure with another 1 tablespoon oil and remaining meat.
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Return reserved beef and juices to the pan. Add remaining broth, tomatoes, and thyme. (Add water, if needed, to cover). Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 1 hour.
4. Add carrots and potatoes to pan. Let simmer, covered, 45 minutes or until beef is very tender and vegetables are cooked through. Add water, if needed, to bring stew to desired consistency. Serve hot, garnished with parsley.

What I changed:
1. I used white flour.
2. I didn't use the reduced-sodium broth; I bought regular.
3. I used dried thyme.
4. I didn't use parsely...had some but just didn't see the need for it.
5. I cooked all the meat at once.
6. I only used about 1.75 pounds of meat.
7. I did not buy the precut meat labeled for beef stew. I bought a small roast of some sort...shoulder I think. ??? I obviously do not know my cuts of meat.

Review:
This was very good; I just made it tonight. Seth said it was awesome.

Copycat Applebee's Blondie Brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg - beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3/8 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
3/8 cup brown sugar
8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon maple extract or flavoring
vanilla ice cream

Directions:
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add chopped nuts.
3. Mix well and set aside.
4. Melt butter.
5. Add brown sugar and mix well.
6. Add egg and vanilla and blend well.
7. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, blending well.
8. Stir in white chocolate chips.
9. Spread into a 9 inch square pan.
10. Bake at 350, 20-25 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean or with slightly fudgy looking crumbs.
11. Combine syrup and butter; cook over low heat until butter is melted.
12. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
13. Remove from heat and beat in cream cheese and maple extract until smooth.
14. Heat again either over low heat or in the microwave at short intervals to reach desired sauce consistency.
15. Serve sauce over warm blondies topped with vanilla ice cream.

What I changed:
1. I didn't see the maple extract on the ingredient list originally, so I left that out.
2. The 100% maple stuff is very expensive (about $7 for a small bottle), so I used maple-flavored pancake syrup.

Review:
This was awesome. Seth and I couldn't tell the difference between the taste of the recipe and the one we have had before at Applebee's. The only thing I didn't like was that I couldn't get the cream cheese to melt 100% even though I had let if soften for quite some time at room temperature. Even after I made the sauce and got it VERY hot, there were still a bunch of tiny little pieces of cream cheese floaties in there. It tasted fine, but didn't look smooth. Maybe next time I should microwave the cream cheese to get it to melt more before combining to make the sauce.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I decided late in January to make a late New Year's resolution to cook something new once a week. I am getting tired of cooking the same things, and since we are on a tighter budget now with a baby on the way, I really need to find more satisfying meals that can be made at home so that I don't feel deprived by not being able to eat out.

I thought keeping this blog would be a good idea so that I could keep all of my recipes organized in case I want to make them again and also so I can remember what I liked and disliked about each dish.

The first dish I made was Spaghetti Carbonara. I found the recipe online and then made a few changes based on recommendations by online reviewers.

Here is the original recipe (prior to changes I made):

Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
2 tabespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large pot, cook spaghetti. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine if desired; cook one more minute.
3. Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt an pepper to taste (remember that bacon and parmesan are very salty).
4. Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkles on top, and extra parmesan cheese at table.

What I changed:
1. I combined the beaten eggs and grated parmesan and then poured it onto the spaghetti once cooled slightly so the eggs didn't cook. Some reviewers who followed the recipe ended up with scrambled egg pieces in their pasta.
2. I used slightly less pasta than called for.
3. I didn't use wine and added 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream instead.
4. I used more bacon.

Other recommendations I didn't follow:
1. People said pancetta is typically used. I would have used it but couldn't find it at Wal-Mart.
2. One guy recommended parmesan-reggiano in addition to the parmesan for sharper flavor. That would probably be better.
3. Some reviewers recommended using nutmeg.

I served this dish with:
1. green beans with bacon (had the bacon out anyway...bonus)
2. French bread with olive oil and parmesan for dipping

Review:
This was a good recipe but not one of my favorites. Grace ate it up, and Seth really seemed to like it until I told him about all the fattening stuff that went into it. It was fast and easy, but like I said, not one of my favorites. I would probably not waste my money on the parsley next time. It was unnecessary really...just looks pretty.