Eating with Ellie: Stew

The coldest days we have had are coming up this week. Lows will be in the upper 20s this week and that is chilly for Central Louisiana. And it is perfect weather for comfort foods – like Ellie’s Hearty Beef Stew.

It is chock full of beef, potatoes, carrots, peas and flavor. I did make a few changes. I used venison instead of beef and left out the rutabaga. Not a fan.

¼ c all-purpose flour
¼ tsp paprika
1 lb lean stew beef (round or chuck shoulder) venison, cut into cubes
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 sm rutabaga or turnip (10 oz), peeled and cubed
1 lg carrot, chopped
1 lg russet potato (12 oz), cubed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 c dry red wine
21/2 c reduced-sodium beef broth
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen green peas

Mix flour, paprika, and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper. Coat meat well.

In a large pot (or Instapot) heat 2 Tbsp of the oil in large over medium-high heat. Brown meat.

Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add carrot, and potato and cook until vegetables begin to soften.

Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute longer. Add wine, and boil for 3 minutes. Add broth and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered until meat is tender, about 90 minutes. Add peas and cook 5 minutes longer

The original recipe can be found in Ellie’s Comfort Food Fix (pg 136) or here.

Ellie’s stew is filling, flavorful, and comforting on a cold night. You should try it!

See what Kayte, Peggy, and Gaye had in their kitchens this Thursday.

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{EwE} Mash Ups!

When Gaye suggested Mash-ups for this week’s theme I was thinking fancy.  Two or three different foods to make one – like a cookie baked inside a cookie or a pie within a cake.  I was wrong.  Her idea was for, simply,  for mashed food.  Like potatoes, or sweet potatoes, or turnips or something.  Easy Peasy!

How about Ellie’s herbed mashed potatoes?

Like most people we eat mashed potatoes.  Usually loaded with milk and butter.  These aren’t loaded with those but they are loaded with flavor.

Tarragon and chives along with the salt and pepper give the flavor.  There is SOME milk and butter but not a lot.  Not like usually.

And since I am following the Whole30 program I’m not supposed to have dairy at all.  So I subbed in coconut milk and clarified butter.  Just right.  There is no coconut flavor with the coconut milk so it just adds moisture.  Good!

The recipe is from Ellie’s So Easy (page 174).  I also found it HERE.

For more Mash Ups -> Eating with Ellie

 

{CC#14}Indian-Style Okra with Potatoes

One last recipe from my cookbook choice for Cookbook Countdown for February – Eat to Beat High Blood Pressure.

If you have read my past posts you know how much I love Asian and Indian cuisine.  I guess they are my favorites over all.  Sure, I like Italian and American and Mexican but the flavors of the “Orient” just draw me in.

You also know I am on the Whole 30 Program so finding recipes that are compliant are not easy.  But many are easy to adapt.  Like this Veggie dish.

Lots of wonderful spices mixed and sauteed with some fresh okra and potatoes. Tumeric, coriander, cumin, cilantro.  All blended together to soak into the potatoes and come out with lots of flavor.  {I have to say the flavors weren’t as strong as I would have liked but it was still good.}  And it was fairly easy.  16 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking.    

To make this compliant I left out the raisins and used coconut oil rather than canola or sunflower.  Everything else was good to go.

I found the recipe HERE!

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 14 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{WWDH}Onions!

This week’s theme – chosen by Kayte – is ONIONS!!  I love cooking with onions.  So much flavor and so many things you can do with them.  Usually onions are NOT the major ingredient unless you are making Onion Soup or Onion Rings but in this recipe they are the star of the show.

Caramelized Onion and Potato Stacks

The onions are browned first in a skillet and then layered in a muffin tin with slices of potatoes.  Drizzled with melted butter and moistened with chicken broth {I used Veggie}  the onions caramelize and add their flavor to the potatoes.  The recipe called for thyme sprigs but the Man doesn’t care for it so….. {and really neither do I}  Super simple!!

I made 1/2 of the recipe in large muffin cups and they were done in about an hour.  While the recipe didn’t call for salt and pepper I did add some before I cooked the potatoes.

These are a good alternative to your everyday potatoes and made a great side.

The recipe is on Donna’s Website.   

More onions -> Onions! Any way you slice ’em!

 

{CC#14} Cream of Leek/Potato Soup

The Man’s Favorite soup is Potato Soup.  And I make a darn good one.  Not the healthiest in the world, but good.  But I needed a healthier version.  I found this one in my cookbook pick for Cookbook Countdown #14 (February) – Eat to Beat High Blood Pressure. [Simple delicious recipes for a long healthy life] 

This was pretty good.  Not as rich as I usually make, but still good.  No cream cheese.  No bacon.  No carrots.  Just plain onions. leeks, and potatoes.

1 Tbl olive oil
8 ounces leeks, white part only, thickly sliced
2 cans reduced sodium chicken broth {You could use veggie broth}
1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
salt to taste
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
chopped chives

In a large saucepan heat the oil and add  the onions and leeks and 3/4 cup of the broth.  Cook until soft.

Add in the potatoes and stir well.  Then add about 1/2  of the remaining broth, cover and simmer until potatoes are soft. about 15 – 20 minutes.  Blend this mix using a mixer, blender or immersion blender.

Add the rest of the broth to the pan and add in the potato/onion puree.Simmer 1 – 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and add in the sour cream. Serve in bowls with chopped chives if desired.

I did the miss the cheese and bacon in this soup but it was healthier and that is what we need right now.

Recipe is from eat to beat high blood pressure page 227.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 14 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#13}Herbed Baby Potatoes

Yes, we do eat more than just potatoes!  But I keep trying new recipes because we are trying to go without baked potatoes and all that lovely luxurious  unhealthy butter.  **SIGH**

In a bowl toss baby potato quarters (1 1/2 lbs) with 2 Tbl melted light margarine, 2 Tbl fresh chopped parsley, 1 Tbl chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.  Add some pepper to taste.

Place the potatoes in a casserole dish and bake at 350F for 30 – 40 minutes or until lightly browned.  Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

6 servings.  2.0 gm fat, 0 Cholesterol.

I ran across this one on pate 250 of Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook , my book for January’s Cookbook Countdown.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 13 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#13} Home Fried Potatoes

I love a good home fried potato.  Many restaurants can do them right.  But not all.  I really needed to make them myself.   I get tired of simple roasted, baked, or boiled potatoes. Now I have another way to cook them.

Basically what you have are 1 1/2 lbs boiled new potatoes in their skin which are then quartered and cooked in a skillet with about 1 Tbl veggie oil (I used Canola), 2 medium chopped shallots, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp crushed dried rosemary,  and salt.  Simple.  Good with just about anything.

Most of the time home fries are cooked in lots of butter so this is a healthier version.  Of course, I LIKE the all butter, but…..

104 calories, 0 cholesterol, 2.5 gm fat in a serving (6 servings)

Recipe is from Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cooking from the American Heart Association {page 251} my book for January’s Cookbook Countdown.

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 13 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{CC#11} Oven Roasted Potatoes

We are definitely a potato eating family.  Baked, fried, mashed, salad, boiled, and roasted.  The problem with the roasting is that usually I cannot get them to come out crispy on the outside and soft on the end.  No longer a problem!

Mixed with some onions part way through these potatoes are tasty and perfectly cooked.

2 1/2 lbs unpeeled potatoes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2/3 cup corn canola oil
2 1/2 cups chopped onions

 
450° oven.
Cut the potatoes into small chunks, about 3/4 inch. Toss with the oil, salt and pepper. Turn them out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped onions and continue to bake, stirring occasionally for additional 25 minutes or until crisp and brown.

I liked the extra flavor added by the onions. Just the right touch.

The recipe is from The Frog Commissary Cookbook – page 204

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown 11 hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2).

 

{EwE} This Spud’s for you!

The potato!

Plain Jane.

One of the ultimate comfort foods when it’s filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream, etc etc etc.  But do you have to fill a potato with lots of calories to make it good? Ellie doesn’t think so.

Her smooth and creamy mashed potatoes are just a simple mix of steamed {I baked mine – sweeter} potatoes, sour cream, milk, salt, and a singe Tbl of butter.  The potatoes are wonderfully smooth because they are pressed through a ricer before mixing with the other ingredients.

Perfect flavor – mild but tasty – and just right with some steak and gravy.

Thanks, Kayte, for this weeks pick.  I needed a better mash recipe.

The recipe is on page 233 of Comfort Food Fix.

More potato dishes on Eating with Ellie.

 

{EwE}One Potato, Two Potato

Three potato, four.  Remember that old round we used as kids to out somebody from the circle?  It still plays in my head even tho’ I haven’t used it in 60+ years.  My grands use it.  My kids used it.  It will never die. Ad it came into my head when I had to pick a theme for this week’s Eating with Ellie.AND you can never go wrong with a good potato recipe – especially when it has lots of cheese, herbs, and sauce.

Scalloped Potatoes au Gratin

This is one dish that is always a hit at the dinner table but usually it has tons of cream and butter involved.  Not with Ellie’s recipe.  Low fat milk, Gruyère cheese, garlic and thyme make this dish tasty but also much lower in calories.  Only 280 a serving rather than 380.  

Using a little flour to thicken the low fat milk  results in lots of creamy sauce and room for lots of cheese.  And since it’s Gruyère there is already tons of flavor.

The recipe is from Ellie’s comfort food fix (page 221). but also on FoodTv.  I made 1/2 of the recipe and it was more than enough for 4 healthy servings.

More potatoes on Eating with Ellie.  The themes through the end of September are posted.  Why don’t you join us.  Just cook, blog, and leave a link to the Ellie page.  Easy Peasy!