Beef Stew

 I had a friend ask if my beef stew was on my blog and I realized that it isn't so here's how I do beef stew...

I buy a small beef roast and cut it into bite size pieces.  I toss the meat in 1/4 cup flour.  I heat about 2 tablespoons of oil on low.  Add the beef and a diced onion to the oil.  Cook until beef is slightly brown and onions are tender.  Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.   Add beef broth.  The amount you add depends on how soupy you want it.  Add I can petite diced tomatoes and whatever vegetables you like.  I add potatoes and carrots.  Cover pot with a lid and simmer on low for about 30 minutes or until meat is tender.

Mexican Stew

2 Tablespoons of oil

1 yellow onion diced

Jalepenos diced - I used the kind in a jar. I diced up 6 or 8 slices.  You can do more and you choose your heat.

1 tablespoon minced garlic - I used the kind in the jar

1 pound of pork loin cut into bite size pieces

1 can Rotel.  You choose the heat.

1/4  cup chopped fresh cilantro or 2 tablespoons of the dried.

1/2 teaspoon cummin 

1/2 teaspoon  chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chicken broth 

1/4 cup flour

Toss the pork loin pieces in the flour.  Heat the oil on low.   Add the pork loin pieces and the diced onion.  Cook until the meat is slightly brown and onions are tender.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir.  Cover with lid and simmer on low for about 30 minutes.   Serve over cooked rice and top with grated cheese.

Or, you can add more broth and diced red potatoes and eat it as a soup with Jalepeno cornbread.   

You can also add diced avacados, Cheese and sour cream and eat with tortilla chips.

Pineapple Dump Cake

2  20 ounce cans crushed pineapple 

1 box yellow cake mix

1 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

Pour pineapple, juice and all into 9x13 pan

Sprinkle box of cake mix over pineapple 

Spread pecans over cake mix

Sprinkle brown sugar over pecans 

Drizzle melted butter over the entire thing

Bake at 350 degrees until brown around 45 minutes.  More if needed. 

This can be done with any fruit actually. 

Quick and Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip

 2 10 oz cans of chicken

1 cup Hellman's Mayonnaise 

1 cup shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)

1/2 onion diced

1 teaspoon lime juice (lemon will also work)

1/3 cup Frank's Hot Sauce (use your favorite)

1/4 cup ranch dressing (blue cheese if you'd rather.  Use what ever you normally dip your hot wings in)

Drain the chicken and break it up into shreds. 

Add all other ingredients, mix and pour into an oven safe dish you have sprayed with PAM.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

I cut the recipe in half and it works great for just two people.

FYI...Publix frequently has the chicken BOGO. 

I keep it I'm my pantry.  Works great for when I make chicken and dumplings and things like that.

Tortellini with Alfredo Sauce

 This is another one of my own creations.  It turned out so tasty I just had to share. 

1 pound Italian sausage 

2 10oz.  packs of Rana cheese lovers tortellini from the refrigerated section

8 oz cream cheese 

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup milk

1 stick of butter 

Brown the Italian sausage.  Drain and set aside. 

Prepare the tortellini according to package directions.   Drain and set aside. 

In a sauce pan melt the butter over low heat.   Dice up the cream cheese and add to  butter.  Stir to blend as the butter and cream cheese melt.  Add the the Italian sausage and parmesan cheese and continue to stir until its smooth and well blended.  Carefully fold in to avoid breaking up the tortellini.  Ready to eat!

Sweet and spicy nuts

 2 cups nuts

3 Tablespoons melted butter

1 Tablespoons  sugar

1 Teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper 

Mix all ingredients except nuts and stir until blended. 

Add nuts and stir until they are coated. 

Bake at 350 degrees on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  If nuts are already toasted cook for 5 minutes.   If they are raw,  cook for 10 minutes stirring once half way through. If nuts are not already salted you can add salt to taste when they come out if the oven. 

Key lime cookies

 Use the lemon cookie recipe I posted already.  Substitute key lime juice for the lemon.  Bottle key lime juice is fine. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes.

Make a glaze from 1/4 c powdered sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon key lime juice.  Let the cookies cool.  Spread on the glaze and sprinkle just a tiny pinch of zest to make them pretty.

Or...you can roll them in the powdered sugar as I described in the lemon cookie recipe.