Shannons holiday prime rib

Yeah yeah I made two of these suckers this weekend and I have zero pictures...hush. They were beautiful though, nuff said!

1 Seven Pound prime beef rib roast
Olive oil
Fresh thyme leaves chopped
Rosemary fresh chopped
Salt and Pepper
Roasting Pan
6 cloves garlic chopped

*Remove your meat from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking it, so it reaches room temperature.
*Preheat oven to 475
*Put the roast, fat side up
*Rub olive oil all over the roast and cover it with chopped thyme, rosemary and garlic. Poke holes and add remaining smashed garlic cloves
Generously season the entire roast with salt and pepper.
*Roast uncovered, in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes (DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DURING THIS TIME!!)
*Reduce heat to 300 degrees and tent the roast. The roast is done when the thermometer reads 120 degrees.
* Remove the meat from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes and no more than 20. Carve the meat and serve your perfect roast.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

*Please note this is not a traditional Chicken Cordon Bleu, I just so happen to think my way is better then the normal way!

6 Boneless skinless pieces chicken
1.5 Cup fresh mozzarella slices
3 large basil leaves or 6 small
6 thin slices ham
2 Tsp crushed red pepper
1 Cup diced can tomatoes
1 Tsp dried basil
1/2 Cup flour
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper
Garlic powder


Heat NON STICK skillet over medium heat with small amount of oil. Take chicken and place it on plastic cutting board and cover with plastic. Using a meat pounder or heavy can pound the chicken until it is no more then a 1/2 inch thick (I would do 1/4 for faster cooking). Mix flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne to taste on a plate. Lightly coat one side of each piece of chicken and place flour side down on your cutting board. Season the inside (non flour side) with salt and pepper. On three of the pieces of chicken put a layer of fresh mozzarella, followed by 2 pieces of ham and the basil leaf and crushed red pepper to taste. Add a second layer of cheese on top and place the second piece of chicken pepper side down on top of the cheese. Place the chicken sandwiches in the pan and cover with foil, place something heavy like a skillet or grill press on top to apply pressure. Cook for about 10 minutes and then carefully turn the chicken and repress. You will have a lot of cheese melt out and turn dark (those pieces taste the best I like to eat em off the bottom of the pan) and this is fine and normal. Cook second side for 10 minutes and check for doneness by looking inside and making sure your chicken isn't pink. When the chicken is done put it on a plate. Quickly wipe down the pan to get out the large brown pieces of cheese out. Add canned tomatoes, dried basil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to desired taste. Cook for about 1 minute and pour over your chicken (or plate on the side like I did as a dipping sauce). I served this with garlic mashies.

This recipe can be done with portobello mushrooms also. You can also increase the amount of ham or cheese to your liking! THIS HAS TO BE DONE IN A NON STICK PAN!

Citruis steak

*Please excuse the fact that the steak is drowning in the sauce, my husband got a little carried away with plating. I wanted to show it to you cut in half so you could see I totally rocked the perfect medium rare cooking just by poking the meat, but alas he doused the shit in sauce!

2 rib eye steaks
1 Clementine (or tangerine if Clementine's are out of season)
1 Lemon
1/8 cup dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp favorite bbq sauce (not a spicy one)
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
4 cloves garlic sliced
1/2 cup water


Halve fruit and squeeze juice into large bag along with fruit halves, add all other ingredients excluding steak. Seal bag and shake up. Open and taste for spiciness. If it taste fine add steaks and seal with no air. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 1/2 hour before cooking time pull steaks out and put on counter to bring to room temperature. Grill steaks to desired doneness. In small sauce pan pour marinade minus whole fruit halves and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and simmer until marinade reduces. Pour SMALL amount of sauce over steaks and on plate to dip. (Do not get carried away like my husband, as the sauce will concentrate when reduced and be very strong). I served this with french fries, and the hubs dunked them in his sauce.

Pictures

My husband has informed my the picture of my Hawaiian chicken isn't a very pretty picture. That I should have plated it up or something. There is a reason I often take pictures of the food still in the cooking dish. I do it so you can see how the food should look finished, sauce and all, and so you can see how it REALLY looks not how I want it to look. I often cook food from a recipe and stare at the finished product in the pan and say, that can't be right can it? This way you can look at yours, then look at mine and say nope thats how it really looks. So sorry for the non pretty foo foo pictures.

Hawaiian chicken

1 Pack chicken thighs bone in skin on
3 cloves garlic
1.5 inches fresh garlic
3 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp chicken broth
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Blend all ingredients except chicken in food processor. Place chicken in greased baking dish and season generously with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and turn to coat. Bake for 20 minutes covered skin side down, turn and bake for another 20 minutes. Continue turning every 5 minutes until done. Remove foil for final 5 minutes to crisp skin. Plate chicken and spoon sauce from pan over the top. I served this with fresh corn on the cob!

Feiry lemon cream sauce

Salt and pepper Three 3-inch piece peel of 1 lemon 1.5 cups heavy cream 4 pinches cayenne pepper 2 pinches poultry seasoning

In a small saucepan, cook the cream, lemon peel, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and cayenne over medium-low heat until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning a few times. This goes great on chicken, vegetables and salmon!

Chicken with fiery lemon cream sauce, Parmesan risotto & asparagus with pancetta (vegetarian alternative at the end)

First of all I stole this recipe from Everyday with Rachael Ray. As always I tweeked it some. Also it is a 30 minute meal and it was really really made in 30 minutes. I was thrilled.

3 cups chicken broth 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 cup arborio rice Salt and pepper 1 split champagne or sparkling wine(eliminated) 3/4 cup heavy cream One 3-inch piece peel and juice of 1 lemon 1 pinch cayenne pepper 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/8 pound sliced pancetta, chopped 1 small bunch asparagus, cut on an angle into 1-inch pieces 1 large shallot, thinly sliced 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese 3 to 4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and chopped 3 Tsp poultry seasoning 1/4 Tsp ground corriander seed

Before I post the directions I did edit this a little. I changed the pinch of cayenne to about a 1/4 teaspoon or more. I also added about 3 Tsp of poultry seasoning & 1/4 Tsp ground corriander seed becuse of the nice lemony flavor. I'll tell you where in the recipe, I will bold my changes.




1. In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth over low heat. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the champagne and boil to evaporate slightly, about 2 minutes. (I eliminated this..seemed to hoity toity for me)
2. Stir a couple of ladlefuls of warm chicken broth into the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates. Add more broth, a few ladlefuls at a time, reserving 1/2 cup. Add 2 Tsp poultry seasoning & corriander seed. Cook until creamy, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.
3. While the risotto cooks, in a small saucepan, cook the cream, lemon peel (I increased this to 3 pieces of lemon peel) and cayenne (increased by a lot, I tasted it each time for flavor), I added salt, pepper and poultry seasoning to the cream to cut the sweetness over medium-low heat until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. REMEMBER TO TASTE THIS BEFORE SERVING IT TO CHECK FOR FLAVOR. JUST BECAUSE THIS IS A RACHAEL RAY RECIPE DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T TASTE IT AND CHANGE IT AND ADD THINGS.
4. Meanwhile, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, & poultry seasoning. In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO , 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board (reserving the skillet); add the reserved 1/2 cup chicken broth to the pan juices in the skillet and stir. Stir this liquid into the risotto as it cooks.
5. In the nonstick skillet (I did it in the same skillet as my chicken which was not non stick), heat the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO , 1 turn of the pan, over mediumhigh heat. Add the pancetta and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and shallot and cook, stirring, for 3 more minutes.
6. To serve, stir the cheese and thyme (I used dry thyme because I accidentally grabbed rosemary at the store) into the risotto and spoon generous portions onto plates. Slice the chicken breasts on an angle and fan out over the risotto. Discard the lemon peel from the reduced cream; spoon over the chicken. Pour the lemon juice over the asparagus and toss; spoon around the risotto.

THE MEAL TURNED OUT FANTASTIC. I DON'T EAT MEAT BUT I TASTED EACH ELEMENT ALONE AND TOGETHER. IT WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME IN ABOUT 5 YEARS THAT I HAVE WANTED TO EAT CHICKEN THE MEAL WAS THAT GOOD. THE LEMON CREAM SAUCE WITH CAYENNE BLEW MY DAMN MIND AWAY AND I DUNKED THE CHICKEN IN THAT AND THOUGH WHOAH THIS SHIT IS GOOD. THE COOLEST PART IS THE SAUCE WAS ALSO AMAZING ON THE ASPARAGUS AND IF YOU WANTED TO TURN THIS MEAL VEGETARIAN YOU COULD USE VEGGIE STOCK IN THE RISOTTO AND PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS INSTEAD OF CHICKEN AND DAMN THAT CREAM SAUCE WOULD KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF ON SOME PORTOBELLO! OH YEAH YOU WOULD NEED TO ELIMINATE THE PANCETTA FROM YOUR PORTION OF ASPARAGUS!

I WOULD HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND USING THIS CREAM SAUCE ON SOME SALMON ALSO!

HOME MADE POTATO CHIPS & BAKED BBQ CHICKEN

First of all I reused the Baja Chipotle marinade from last nights dinner as the base of this meal since I still had half a bottle left and I had planned ahead to buy chicken at the store so I had two meals plus two lunches for my husband all for about $15.00. Four meals for $15.00 is awesome huh?

Home made potato chips

3 White potatoes sliced thin
Vegetable oil
2 Tbsp Seasoning salt
dash cayenne pepper
dash garlic powder


Preheat oil over medium high in frying pan. Mix all spices together in bowl. Place potatoes one at a time in the hot oil. They should sink then float up. Allow to darken on both sides. Pull out of oil and dust with spices. Place on paper towels to drain. I serve with sour cream mixed with a little ranch seasoning.

Baked BBQ chicken

4 chicken thighs bone in skin on
1/2 bottle Lawry's Baja Chipotle marinade
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1 Tbsp McCormicks Grill Mates Spicy Montreal Seasoning

Combine all ingredients in large plastic bag and marinate for at least 5 hours. Preheat oven to 375. Spray Pyrex baking dish with nonstick spray and add chicken skin side up. Pour remaining marinade over chicken, cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Turn and bake for 20 minutes. Turn and remove tin foil and bake for 15 more minutes skin side up. Serve and enjoy.

Shannon's potato salad (not to be compared with gingers at all because hers is amazing but secret)

First of all, I mentioned this can't be compared to Gingers. While I do know the recipe I will never share it. You see some recipes are meant to be kept secret, like my turkey or Gingers potato salad. You know some things, well they just can't be shared!

Anyway here is mine which still kicks major ass!

This is for meant to make about 3 servings, enough for two people and then lunch for one the next day (or enough for my husband for dinner and then his lunch the next day)

4-5 large white potatoes peeled
1.5 cups mayo
2-3 tbsp mustard
3 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion
3 finely chopped sweet pickles
2 hard boiled eggs chopped (if your in a hurry leave these out)
1 tsp ranch dressing/dip powder
1 tbsp pepper
salt to taste
5 pieces crispy bacon crumbled
dash cayenne pepper

Peel and chop potatoes into large bites. Boil until fork soft. Remove from heat immediately and drain. Place in fridge to cool. While potatoes are cooling mix all other ingredients in a bowl and adjust for your taste. Add in potatoes and lightly fold together so as not to mash potatoes. Cover and place in fridge till ready to serve.

White wine chicken

First, sorry I've been lacking on the photos, since CLEARLY I'm the only one who is posting recipes lately (Ginger Lisa I'm talking to you). You have to excuse me, I just had a baby so cooking hasn't been a top priority for me!

10 oz dry white wine
1 large shallot sliced thin
6 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup chicken stock
Chicken bone in skin on
1 package mushrooms chopped
2 tbsp rosemary
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbsp butter
splash of cream (milk or whatever you have is fine)
3 tbsp soy sauce
Olive oil
salt & pepper

In deep stainless steel saute pan coat pan with olive oil and heat heat pan over medium high heat. Add chicken skin side down to crisp. Cook on medium low heat until done.

In second stainless steel pan (non stick won't work for either of these). Add small amount of olive oil over medium high heat and add mushrooms. Brown mushrooms then add shallot and garlic and saute. Add in salt and pepper (about 2+ tbsp pepper), cayenne and rosemary. Stir then turn heat to high. Add wine and scrape bottom of pan to get all bits off. Once wine has reduced down add chicken broth, soy sauce, cream & butter. Add chicken to pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Place chicken on plate and top with sauce and mushrooms.

Fresh Mozzarella

Should look something like these!

Turkey gravy that will knock your socks off

I must be drunk on coffee right now because as a general rule of thumb I sooo don't give out my super uber awesome recipes because then you know, you might out do me or something, but this shit is so good you get to have it so, yeah, here, next year go be a star!

1- bag of turkey ummm innards
1- turkey neck
1- box chicken stock
5- chicken bouillon cubes
11- cups water
about 1/4 cup turkey drippings, the fatty ones
2/3's cup flour
1 stick butter
lotta pepper
pinch salt

Pour about 6 cups of water in a pan over medium high heat (high enough for a small boil) add innards and neck and bouillon cubes and some pepper. Boil until liquid reduces by half and add in half of chicken stock. Continue boiling until you've used all the stock. At the end I start adding a cup of water here and there so I keep a decent amount of gravy I think I made about 8-10 cups total (this is never enough, in my house there is never enough gravy). Anyway I basically cook this for as long as I cook the turkey. After the first two hours I just let it simmer and add broth or water as it evaporates. Right before the turkey is done I strain out all the parts and leave in the tiny bits. I pour the liquid into a bowl and over high heat I melt the butter and combine it with the fatty drippings, then I add in the flour making a roux. I whisk that until it turns a golden brown and pour the gravy liquid back in and whisk on high heat with remaining pepper and salt until it boils and starts to thicken. Then I reduce to low and keep stirring until serving time. If it is too thin I pour it back out and make a second roux. If it is too thick I keep about a cup of stock left over to thin it out with.

This shit will blow your mind!

My stuffing recipe

1 Pack large Italian Sausages (mild) (I actually use hot but a lot of people whine about that)
1 box seasoned stuffing (with out mix)
1 white onion, chopped
Garlic chopped
Carrots to taste
Bunch of celery chopped
5 cans chicken broth
1 stick of butter
Olive oil

* Remove the casing from the sausage and separate into pan
* In a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil, brown the sausages until still just pink inside. Be careful not to overcook. Discard oil and put sausage aside.
* In another saucepan, melt 1/2 stick of butter. Add carrots, salt and pepper. Cook till carrots soften.
* Add onion, celery and garlic and cook until all is soft.
* Add one can of chicken broth
*Allow meat and veggies to cool.
* Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl and slowly and gently add the sausage/veggie mix. Do not over-mix or the stuffing will turn mushy. If the stuffing seems dry, add more chicken broth.
* Place the stuffing mix in baking pan.
Bake for 45 minutes. If stuffing is still too moist, continue cooking. If it's too dry, add some chicken broth and cook until satisfied. Uncover and cook for 5 min to crisp top.

This can be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth and eliminating the sausage. You will need more broth since you will not have the fat from the sausage.

Tuesday's dinner, steak with carmalized onions & garlic, mashies with beef gravy and a caprese red onion salad.

First of all I'm a huge asshole who didn't take a picture even after my husband said are you sure you don't want a picture. But I didn't' because I didn't like the presentation. Yeah I suck I know. This is also another one of those recipes with absolutely no measurements to most of it.

Also the marinade and salad and gravy all tie in so I recommend using my marinade and not your own for this.

Steak
Place on tri tip whole in a large plastic bag add the following (stab it with a knife a few times first)
Balsamic vinegar, umm about a quarter cup
Soy sauce, about the same
5 cloves rough chopped garlic
Lot of pepper
Couple squirts lemon juice
Couple squirts hot sauce
About a tbsp or more of crushed red peppers
about 1.5 cups of water

Allow to marinate on counter for about an hour (on the counter brings the steak to room temperature causing it to be more tender when grilled.)

Throw steak on grill on low heat. I did my outside burners on low and the inside one off. I like to cook slow and steady it taste better and cooks more even.

Mashed potatoes
If you don't know how to make mashed potatoes, I can't help you.

Gravy.
2.5 cups chicken stock
3 beef bullion cubes (I use a lot when its beef because their bullion cubes tend to be less flavorful then chicken.)
Chopped onion, couple tbsp
chopped garlic, couple tbsp
Shit load of pepper
2.5 tbsp butter
2.5 tbsp flour

Bring broth and bullion to a boil and stir until bullion dissolves. Pour into heat safe glass and put butter, onions and garlic in pan and stir over medium heat until bubbly then add in flour and stir until combined and bubbly. Pour broth back in pan, add pepper and stir over high heat until it is almost boiling. Reduce to low heat and stir till it thickens. Keep on low heat and stir occasionally until serving time.

Caramelized onions and garlic
1 Onion sliced into quarter inch rings
lot of garlic sliced
Butter

Throw all this into a pan and allow to saute, being stirred often until onions caramelize. Watch heat level so as not to burn garlic.

Caprese salad with red onions
7 small sweet tomatoes chopped into bite size pieces
1/4 small red onion chopped thin
Basil chopped
about 1.5 cups chopped fresh mozzarella (bite size pieces)
1/2 cup balsamic
couple squirts EVOO
Kosher salt
Pepper

Toss in bowl. Leave on counter to bring to room temp.

When steak is done (about 20 minutes for medium rare) place on cutting board and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Slice into thin pieces and put on place. Top with onions and garlic. Plate mashies and top with gravy. Add your salad to the side and wala!

Sorry I have no pictures like I said I'm an asshole!

LOADED MASHIES

First of all, this is one of those recipes with no actually recipe involved because really it's all about taste.

Potatoes-skinned and boiled ( I prefer white)
Mild chedder- shredded
Sour cream
Bacon
Salt
Pepper
Milk (more fat the better)
Real butter (A lot)

While potatoes are boiling fry bacon in a pan and set aside to cool and dry (I like to let it cool and dry so it gets more crispy). After potatoes are soft drain, put back in pan and set on low heat for about 1 minute to boil out all water. Add in about 1/4 cup milk and half stick butter, 2 tbsp salt and some cracked pepper. Use a potato masher (I prefer a masher for this dish because I like a few lumps) and mash it all together. Put in a bowl while steaming hot and top with tons of fresh shredded cheddar cheese. Allow cheese to melt then top with sour cream (a big heaping spoonful) and a handful of crispy crumbled bacon.

Spicy beef and sausage chili

1 lb good ground beef
1 package spicy Italian sausage removed from casing
1.5 large onion diced
7 cloves garlic rough chopped
1/8 cup chili powder
4 Tbsp ground cumin
2- Tbsp crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1- Tbsp cayenne pepper
1- 16 oz can diced tomatoes
1- 4 oz can tomato sauce
Lots of shredded cheddar cheese
Salt
Pepper

In large pot/dutch oven brown beef. In skillet crumble sausage into 1 inch pieces and brown with 1-onion (reserve rest for topping) and garlic. Once beef is brown add chicken stock and spices. Cook until mixed well, add sausage, onions and garlic and combine. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce and simmer on low until you are ready to eat. The longer it cooks the spicier it will get. Also the longer it simmers the more flavor you get. Top with cheddar cheese and onions. I like to dunk Fritos in mine!

Also, this recipe has no beans because my husband hates them. I think you should add a can of red beans though!

Beef Stew with Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Beef Stew with Polenta (premade) and Parmasen

To start off, this isn't one of the quick and easy receipes that could be features on Rachael Ray's "30 Minute Meals". This meal takes some commitement. But the rich stew and creamy polenta you end up with are worth it. And to make you feel better for the 3 hours you'll spend on making this the first time, if you make enough to freeze a few servings, the stew freezes and reheats great!

I divided this receipe into 2 parts. The first part is the stew, which of course, can be served without the polenta. The second part is the receipe for the polenta.

Ingredients for Beef Stew

• Olive oil, for searing
• 1.5-2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, cut into 6ths
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour or to cover
• 10 cups beef broth or cold water (broth leads to a more intense favor)
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 large bay leaves
• 1 1/4 pounds medium red or yellow potatoes, quartered --> do not use russet potatoes, the texture is not right for a stew
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
• 5 (for step 2, 1 tbsp of tomato paste can be substituted) + 7 medium sized tomatoes (for step ___, canned whole tomatoes can be substituted), cut into medium-large pieces
• 2 to 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar, or to taste

Cook's Notes:

• You will need some kitchen twine for this recipe.
• Beef chuck, from the shoulder, because of its marbling of intra-muscular fat, is the choice for any type of stew. If you can't find chuck cubed for stew in your meat department, buy a thick chuck steak and cut it into 2-inch cubes.
• I've found that using tomato paste in step 2 leads to a much more tomato-y (how's that for a word?) base for the stew. I'm not really a big fan of tomatoes so I use fresh ones because the tomato flavor is much more subtle than when using the paste. By the way, I totally cannot spell tomato.

Directions for Beef Stew

1. Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. You can also use a large soup pot with a well-fitting lid. Pour in enough oil to fill the pan about 1/4-inch deep. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Saute half the meat, uncovered, stirring only occasionally, until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef. Discard the oil and wipe out the pan.
2. If using a Dutch oven, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. If using a pot, you will not be using the oven. Return the pot to the stove and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the 5 chopped tomatoes (or tomato paste) and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Add the reserved beef and scatter the flour over the vegetable and beef mixture (enough to lightly coat) and cook stirring until lightly toasted. Add the water or broth, and bring to a simmer.
3. Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaves together with a piece of kitchen twine and add the bundle to the pot. Season with 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste. Cover and transfer to the oven (if using the Dutch oven) or cook over low simmer on the stove. Cook the meat until just tender, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove pot from the oven (if using the Dutch oven). Skim the fat from the cooking liquid with a spoon or ladle. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and the tomatoes, and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.
5. Remove and discard the herb bundle. Stir in the vinegar (taste as you go along...too little and the flavor isn't right, too much and you may have just ruined an entire pot of stew!) and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. If serving without the polenta, divide among bowls and serve. Remaining stew can be frozen.

Ingredients for Polenta

Polenta is now readily available in most grocery stores. You can either by it in a roll that just needs to be reheated, or you can buy uncooked, dry polenta/corn meal. I prefer the uncooked because it is so easy to make and tastes a little fresher than the roll. The crappy picture I included is featuring the premade roll of polenta instead of homemade polenta.

• ~1 cup Dried Polenta or Corn Meal
• 4 cups water
• Salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp butter

Directions for Polenta

1. Boil water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low and add dry polenta until mixture begins to thicken. Continue to stir and add polenta until mixture is like a think gravy, but not too thick. The polenta will continue to absorb water over the next few minutes so there should be some free water in the pan.
3. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. Add grated Parmesan and butter, stir to combine.
4. To serve with the stew, add a serving of the polenta (~1/2 cup) to the bottom of a bowl. Fill remainder of bowl with beef stew and top with some freshly grated Parmesan. Serve and Enjoy!

Walnut, Pear & Jack Cheese Salad

It's just what the title says it is...a quick, easy and tasty salad.

Ingredients
Green Lettuce (for decoration)
4-5 Ripe Pears
.5lbs Jack Cheese, cut into ~1/2" cubes
1/2 cup Roughly Chopped Walnuts

Directions
Line medium sized bowl with green lettuce. Chop pears and jack cheese into ~1/2" pieces. Roughly chop walnuts and combine with pears and cheese. Serve.

Mozzarella Tomato chicken...or mushroom

First of all I totally spaced that I was taking pictures so there are a few gaps.

5- Pieces chicken flattened
7- Cloves garlic diced
4- Small tomatoes diced
Lots of fresh basil chopped
1.5 cups fresh mozzarella, 1 cup diced .5 cup sliced thin
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Egg
Splash of milk
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (found in Japanese isle)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
Salt
Pepper
Cooking twine

Preheat oven to 475. In small bowl combine, garlic, tomato, basil, 1 cup mozzarella, balsamic, salt and pepper. Flatten chicken and fill with mixture. Roll up. Tie shut with twine. On two separate plates combine egg and milk and then the bread crumbs on the other. Roll chicken in egg and then bread crumbs. Place in baking dish and bake for 45 minutes. Remove and spoon tomato sauce over each one and top with remaining sliced cheese. Bake until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Finished product.

Vegetarian low cal style cooked in portabello minus bread crumbs.

If you use chicken breast it will be much easier to use a whole breast and just cut a pocket in the side. Since I had to de-bone thighs that is why I flattened it out. For a low calorie version measure your cheese and eliminate the bread crumbs. Also for gluten free eliminate the bread crumbs.

Mushroom bacon brandy gravy & spicy fried chicken

1/4 package bacon sliced into 1/2 pieces
1 package mushrooms chopped up
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp pepper
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp garlic powder

In large saute pan saute bacon until crisp over medium high heat. Add mushrooms into bacon grease and saute until brown. Pour in brandy and light on fire. Wait for flame to die down and reduce heat to medium low. Pour in cream, stock and garlic, pepper and garlic powder and simmer until thickened. Serve over steaming hot bowl of mashed potatoes.

I also served it with my fried chicken.

12 chicken drumsticks
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup Franks Red Hot
2 tsp Tapatio
2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups flour
3 tbsp pepper
3 tbsp salt
3 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp ranch flavoring
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp poultry grill seasoning
enough vegetable oil to fill frying pan half inch

in large bag combine buttermilk, Franks, tapatio, red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper and chicken. Let sit for an hour. On plate combine all dry ingredients on plate. Roll chicken in flour and put in hot oil. Reserve marinade. Fry until chicken runs clear inside.

In small sauce pot pour marinade in and simmer on low until thickened. Serve on the side as a sauce to dip chicken in. It will knock your socks off!

Sauteing mushrooms and bacon

After cream, brandy and bacon

As gravy on the tatoes mmmmm so damn good

Frying chicken

Finished product!