Pork and Leftover Red Wine Sauce Stew

So, I have made clean out the freezer stew, clean out the fridge stew, and clean out the cabinet stew.  Well, this is all of the above.

Tuesday night I made Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce for my uncle.  Thursday I made Tri Tip with Red Wine Sauce and for one of the sides baked red potatoes and carrots drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled Italian Seasoning for my cousin.  Friday I was back at my uncle’s and had the leftover wine sauce from Tuesday and Thursday and the leftover vegetables.  I put all of this in a crock pot along with beef broth, French Onion soup.  I tossed chopped, boneless pork in flour and quickly fried in a pan with olive oil.  Since I was short on time and was given 5 minutes to finish, I turned the heat to high and ended up burning some of the pork.  It all went into the crock pot, burned pieces and all.  The crock pot was turned on low while we were away, when we got back around 2 hours later, I turned the heat up to high and let it sit another 3 hours.  The stew turned out really good.  I was told the small amount of burned pork gave the stew a good flavor.  Cool!  I don’t plan on burning too many dishes just to find out what else the flavor could add to.

Approximate measurements.

Leftover baked carrots and red potatoes with olive oil and Italian seasoning. (leftovers from the fridge)

2 Cups Red Wine Sauce from both Flat Iron and Tri Tip Steak recipes. (leftovers from the fridge)

2 lbs Boneless Pork Stew Meat quickly browned in vegetable oil (freezer)

10 ½ oz can Beef Broth (cabinet)

10 ½ oz can French Onion Soup (cabinet)

Maple Glazed Carrots

The day I made this was Thanksgiving and it was the first Thanksgiving in a long time I’ve been in snow.  It pretty much snowed nonstop all day. 

This was the only dish I made this year and it’s a great recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas and it’s easy to make.  I was in a fully equipped kitchen with labeled measuring cups, a working oven and stove, no wine opener needed, but there is one because we are all sipping on wine and cooking.   I put together the recipe early and set it in the warmer.  I got to just sit and relax and wait while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The recipe link shows a picture of the finished dish.  

Recipe Link:

Maple Glazed Baby Carrots

Flat Iron Steak (or Tri Tip) with Red Wine Sauce

The adventures of cooking with cousin Dianna continue.  This time we are in Uncle Norm’s kitchen with red wine and no wine opener.  Of course it has to be a fake cork, not a real cork.  We start out with knives to try to cut / push the cork through, then moved to a metal skewer.  Uncle Norm decides to use needle nose pliers, it took awhile but it worked!  Just in time to add to the recipe.  Yes, I continued to cook as they worked on the cork. 

I did not use a grill or a bbq, I just fried it in the pan.  I used the same pan the steaks were fried in to sauté the onions in butter.  If you happen to like well done steak or almost well done, sticking the medium rare steak in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time works pretty well.  

Round two, two days later with a wine opener because this time we are at my cousin Dianna’s house.   Now her family gets to try the steak.  We are using Tri-Tip instead of Flat Iron, a Tempranillo wine instead of a Merlot, and a yellow onion instead of a white onion.

I am so excited, there is a Pampered Chef Chopper, yet, bummed because the recipe calls for thinly sliced not chopped onions…sorry eyeballs (refer to Turkey Chili adventure)!   Two reasons for teary eyes, oh well.  Do you think my cousin and her family will miss the 2^nd cup of red wine in the recipe? ;)  Oh ya, the cousin has had this recipe before...two days ago. 

Ok, next challenge, the measurements on the measuring cups have worn off.  I’m pretty sure I know which is which, but still…I think we all know what she needs to get for Christmas…a label maker!  Ok, ok, a label maker might be a bit much, maybe just a permanent marker.   Oh man, she tried that and it didn't work.  I guess she'll have to settle for a new set of measuring cups.  The non stick pan vs my uncle’s not so non stick pan was wonderful!  Nothing is burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.  So happy!

If you only have 2 cups of dry red wine because it was leftover from drinking the other night, add ½ cup of sweet wine that was leftover.

Recipe Link:

Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Flat Iron Steak

Tri Tip 

Thanks to my cousin Dianna who put together the food on the plate!  Beautiful!

Gouda Cheese Dip

In a different kitchen in a different state.  No, that would not be a different state of mind, although sometimes I can go there too, but not today.

A request to incorporate the recent skydiving experience into my blog is my next challenge.  So, let’s see, how about something with alcohol!  We planned on making this dip after the jump Saturday evening, but drank the brandy before making the dip.  In Texas, you cannot purchase alcohol before noon, so now we sit waiting to make the dip on Sunday morning.  At least the game doesn’t start until later.   Well, ok, not going to wait until later.

Gouda cheese dip

1 round gouda cheese (approximately 8 oz)

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz sour cream

3 TBSP Brandy (unless you are in Texas and don’t want to wait until the liquor store opens on Sunday in the afternoon then you use what’s in the house and that would be Hazelnut liqueur which was suggested by my cousin Dianna)

Put all of the ingredients in a crock pot and let it all melt which with this crock pot it will take about 1 hour, stirring a couple of times during that time.  If you do not have time to wait an hour, put the ingredients in the microwave to melt together, then put the dip in the crock pot to keep warm.  Another option, if you do not have a  crock pot is to put the ingredients in an oven safe dish and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until melted, stirring once or twice while cooking.

Suggested foods to dip in the dip:

Apples

Crackers

French bread (sliced baguettes work well)

Suggested foods to put the dip over as a meal:

Pasta

Chicken

Chicken and pasta together (yes, there are people that this is not obvious to even when I list then one after the other)

Sandwiches, especially turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving

Pictured below on a slice of french bread baguette and a wheat cracker.  Thanks to my cousin Dianna for setting up the picture! 

Turkey Chili

I’ve received a couple of versions of this recipe from different people.  It’s a favorite of many friends and family. 

I’ve modified the recipe a few times.  Sometimes I use stewed tomatoes and sometimes I’ll use different flavorings of diced tomatoes like Roasted Garlic Diced Tomatoes.  I’ve used canned corn and I’ve used frozen corn.  I’ve added Two Sisters Gourmet Outrageously Garlic seasoning and Two Sisters Gourmet Tearless Onion & Chives seasoning.  

Seasoning Website:

Two Sisters Gourmet Seasoning

Yesterday I was at a Pampered Chef party and the consultant demonstrated how to use one of those Pampered Chef Food Choppers.  While chopping the onions today, I really wished I had one of those food choppers as my eyes watered.  I think my nephews wished I had one of those when they came into the kitchen to get a snack.  

For those that need Beano with chili, and you know who you are, make sure you have it on hand.

Turkey Chili

Olive Oil

1 TBSP crushed garlic or more if you love garlic  

1 onion chopped

1 lb ground turkey

1 pkg chili seasoning (I use McCormick Original Chili Seasoning Mix)

1 large 28 oz can stewed tomatoes

1 can pinto beans, not drained

1 can black beans, not drained

1 can kidney beans, not drained

1 can corn, drained (or 1 Cup frozen corn)

Saute’ onion and garlic in olive oil until they start to brown. Add the turkey and brown then season with salt and pepper. Add the chili powder (depending on which chili powder you use, the directions will tell you whether to add water or not).  Add the beans and the corn.  Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes.

Suggested toppings:

Cilantro

Sour Cream

Shredded Cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack or other)

Other serving ideas:

Pour over a baked potato.

Two of my nieces like to put sour cream in the chili and dip tortilla chips in it.

Drain some of the liquid and pour over a block of cream cheese and dip tortilla chips in it.

Drain some of the liquid and add to a quesadilla, taco or burrito.

 

London Broil with Herb Butter

Ok...two postings today!

Beef Top Round London Broil

Continuing the freezer challenge.  Today is beef top round London broil.  Ok, two pieces of large steak.  If I stand these up to the small dog that lives in this house, they are taller than the dog.  In fact I pictured putting the steak on the back of the dog just to see a large raw steak with little legs walking around the house…but then I know the owner of the dog would not appreciate the humor of the idea and we wouldn’t be eating steak for dinner tonight.  So…back to the recipe!

Searched online again for a recipe.  Found one on www.foodnetwork.com.  Made the marinade this morning.  After putting the marinade and the steak in the fridge, I went to the store for the rest of the ingredients.  After getting back from the store I was able to make the herb butter.   I have nothing else to do for the recipe until 4:30 pm.  Fast forward to 4:30 pm.  I removed the steaks from the fridge, then removed them from the marinade and patted them dry.  Sliced each steak in half and waited until the steaks were room temperature to cook.  Used a large skillet to cook the steaks and pans with water in them for the weight to place on top of the steaks.  After the steaks were done, I placed them on a plate and put the herb butter on top, covered and let sit for 10 minutes.  The steaks were served with red potatoes, asparagus and multi-grain garlic bread. 

Recipe Link:

London Broil with Herb Butter

Peanut Butter and Yogurt Smoothie

The Flat Belly Diet has a good Peanut Butter and Yogurt Smoothie.  It contains peanut butter and yogurt of course, along with honey, milk, banana and ice.  Put all ingredients in a blender and blend.  The smoothie will blend a little better if you remember to take the spoon out of the blender before turning it on.   If you run out of bananas and the smoothie isn’t for someone on a diet adding ¾ cup frozen sweet cherries and chocolate syrup tastes pretty good.

Recipe Link:
Peanut Butter And Yogurt Smoothie

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

I have taken on the task of using up items in a freezer that need to be used up.  One of my favorite challenges, someone else's freezer.  First item on the list was sliced beef bottom round roast.  I did my normal search on the internet and came up with a very easy recipe from the Betty Crocker website.  Slow Cooker Root Beer Barbecue Beef Sandwiches.  Barbecue sauce and root beer in a slow cooker!  Very easy!  Instead of using buns we used multi-grain flatbread and flour tortillas.  Sprinkled shredded blended cheese on heated tortillas or flatbread and rolled up like a jelly roll.  Leftovers were served on buns and as wraps.

Recipe Link:
Slow Cooker Root Beer Barbecue Beef Sandwiches

Introduction

I enjoy cooking!  I’m not a professional chef, I didn’t attend cooking school, but both parents were great cooks and I started learning to cook from them.  In addition to cooking in my own kitchen, I cook for family and friends in their kitchens, which is how I came up with the title Rachel’s Kitchen-to-Kitchen Cooking.  Each kitchen is different; the oven temperatures are different, the measuring spoons and measuring cups, or lack of, types of kitchen gadgets, the list goes on.  Some of the meals are the same and some are different.  Someone might be on the Atkins diet, another might be on the Flat Belly diet, and some of them aren’t on a diet at all, but may have allergies.  Many go grocery shopping and don’t use everything in the fridge before it starts going bad, some hardly go shopping at all.  I’ve heard many times, “I have nothing in the house to eat, or I don’t know what to make”.  Whether I’m in their kitchen or on the phone, I enjoy the challenge of brainstorming with them to try to figure something out without having to make a trip to the store or at least not buying too much.   In many cases I’ve been asked to share the recipes, especially the ones that I call “Clean out the Fridge Soups” (in some cases this is the freezer and / or cabinets).  So, here I start a blog of my kitchen adventures!