The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings

The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings

A slow cooker is a magical thing. How many other appliances do you know that allow you to throw in a few inexpensive ingredients in the morning and at the end of the day, dinner has miraculously prepared itself?

With most dinners, a little planning goes a long way. I started my morning browning cubes of stew meat and sauteing diced onions and garlic. My Oldest commented that she thought it was odd I was starting dinner at 6:30 in the morning while wearing my pink robe. She did not think it was so odd when she was devouring The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings for dinner that night. Some tomato paste, flour, paprika, oregano, beef stock, and lemon juice are stirred in and added to the slow cooker along the the seared beef and dinner is under way.

Off to work I go while my trusty slow cooker does the work.

Upon arriving home, another 20 minutes are spent preparing the potato dumplings, and they are oh so worth the extra 20 minutes of work. Don't skip this step. Saute a couple zucchinis for a fresh tasting side dish and, dinner is on the table.

My husband who said he wasn't in a stew kinda mood had two servings plus the leftover bite or two from No Thank You Boy's dish. At first glance, My Middle One and No Thank You Boy turned their noses up at the new dish gracing our dinner table. After one bite, they were hooked and requesting that I make this entree again. My Oldest's only concern was that there was enough for leftovers the next day.

Print out the recipe. Add it to your list of dinners to make. Now.

Dinner's ready!

The Great Goulash with Potato Dumplings

The potato dumplings are a delicious addition to this tasty goulash. If you are pressed for time, serve goulash on top of wide noodles or mashed potatoes.

adapted from a recipe in The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes

serves 5
for the goulash,
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 pounds stew meat, cut in large chunks
2 cups onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups beef stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup sour cream

for the potato dumplings,
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubes
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

In a large saute pan over medium high heat add the olive oil and brown the stew meat in batches. Transfer to slow cooker.

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add onions and garlic and saute for 3 - 4 minutes. Add paprika, oregano, pepper, and flour and cook for an additional minute. Add tomato paste and stir well. The mixture will be thick. Add beef broth and lemon juice and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.

Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 - 5 hours. The beef will be very tender and shred easily.

About 45 minutes before dinner time, make the potato dumplings. Cook potato chunks in a large pot of water until tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Add bread crumbs, egg, and salt and mix well. Form into 2 inch balls. Set aside.

Stir sour cream into goulash. Top with potato dumplings, spooning some of the sauce over them. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes.

To serve, spoon goulash and dumplings into shallow bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Artichokes

Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Artichokes

I have found that my best dinners are the ones in which I do not put much thought. Even though I am a firm believer in planning dinners and limiting my grocery store trips each week, being able to toss together dinner with the ingredients I have on hand is a satisfying experience. By keeping a few staple ingredients on hand, I can improvise our dinner without too much strain on my brain.

My pantry usually contains rices, pastas, olives, canned artichoke hearts, canned diced tomatoes, olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, canned beans, potatoes, garlic, and onions. My freezer holds chicken, fish, ground turkey, edamame, peas, spinach, and corn. The refrigerator always has milk, half and half, eggs, butter, soy sauce, mustard, Parmesan cheese, and a vinaigrette dressing for a quick marinade.

With the varying palates of the members of my family, my meal plan revolves around serving dinners that have something for everyone. I am of the tough love school of thought in that you eat what is served for dinner. I save my short order cooking skills for weekend mornings. With a variety of ingredients in each dish, those who like chicken and potatoes are just as happy as those who prefer artichokes and sun dried tomatoes in a creamy lemon sauce.

By using ingredients such as tangy artichoke hearts, slightly fruity and chewy sun dried tomatoes, and crispy roasted potatoes, the dish is infused with a variety of flavors with minimal work. Combining roasted vegetables, sauteed chicken, flavorful tomatoes and fresh herbs with a creamy lemon sauce, dinner can be on the table before in a snap. With the variety of ingredients, all who join your dinner table will find something to please their tastes.



Creamy Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Artichokes

serves 5

5 red potatoes, cubed, bite-sized
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered and drained
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 sun dried tomatoes, soaked in boiling water to rehydrate, and sliced thin
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once, until beginning to become golden brown. Add artichoke hearts and roast an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium high heat, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the chicken. Saute for 6 - 7 minutes or until chicken to cooked through. Add wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and chicken stock and let reduce for 3 - 4 minutes. Add roasted potatoes and artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, parsley, Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

French Silk Pie

Pie is very high on my list of Favorite Things. And French Silk Pie is the number one pie on that list.

While I was growing up, my older sister would take me to Bakers Square Restaurant for pie. When you walked in the door, a large glass case was filled with the most glorious pies. Caramel Apple Pie, Fruitabulous Blueberry Pie, Caramel Pecan Silk Supreme Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pie, Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie, and the pie of my dreams, French Silk Pie. This award winning pie is a chocolate lovers dream. Velvety smooth chocolate silk is topped with fluffy whipped cream and milk chocolate shavings.

I no longer live near a Bakers Square Restaurant so I make my own version of the ultra chocolaty and sinfully rich dessert. A large dollop of fresh whipped cream catapults this pie to the highest heights of piedom. It is so loved by No Thank You Boy that he composed a poem about French Silk Pie.

PIE

by

No Thank You Boy
Pie is a wonderful thing. Pie is a really cool thing. There are so many to pick from like apple, pumpkin or maybe even French Silk. I wish I were a PIE.

No need to say more. Make a French Silk Pie today.



French Silk Pie

adapted from Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook, 1981, Ringbound

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell, cooled
Whipped cream

In a bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 - 5 minutes. Beat in the chocolate, canola oil, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of bowl as needed. Spoon chocolate mixture into pie shell and chill for at least 3 hours. Top with whipped cream.

Notes: 3 (1-ounce) squares of unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled, can be substituted for the cocoa powder and the canola oil.

Print recipe

Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables

Do you ever get that feeling that you have been eating too much bread, pasta, cheese, bacon, butter, and eggs? That was me last week. I satisfied my insatiable cravings all week with hardly a vegetable in sight. Falling behind on my dinner planning, the vegetables served at dinner time last week were ice-crusted frozen edamame and a sad looking tossed salad of romaine, mushy tomatoes, and sliced carrots. I needed to get back in the swing of planning meals for my family. Thanks to my husband's bum knee, I had plenty of uninterrupted time to plan a week's worth of new dinner recipes loaded with vegetables as I sat in the waiting room while he had knee surgery.

I came across a recipe for roasting spring vegetables that looked intriguing. I decided to roast seasoned shrimp right along with the red potatoes, carrots, asparagus and portebello mushrooms for a colorful and healthy dinner, and I would have only one pan to wash when dinner was done.

Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables is a one pan meal that completely cooks in the oven. The recipe is loaded with vegetables and has something for everyone to enjoy. Some friends dropped by with their 4 kids as well as an extra friend of My Oldest over for dinner and all were happily fed with this meal.

I served the Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables with a big pot of pasta, fresh marinara sauce, and grated Parmesan cheese allowing diners to design their own dinner. Some had pasta topped with the shrimp, roasted vegetables and marinara. Others ate the shrimp and roasted vegetables sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. And the really adventurous eaters had buttered noodles. Add a few bottles of wine for the adults and a couple pitchers of lemonade for the kids and all were very, very happy.

And my husband even did the dishes.


Roasted Shrimp and Balsamic Spring Vegetables

A versatile recipe that can feature different vegetables such as vidalia onions or radishes. Just make sure all the vegetables are cut in the same size chunks.

serves 5

olive oil
salt
pepper
6 red potatoes, cubed in bite-sized pieces
1 pound asparagus, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups quartered baby portebello mushrooms
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 pounds shrimp (21 - 25/pound) peeled and deveined
1 1/2 teaspoons grill seasoning such as Penzey's BBQ of the Americas

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

On a large, rimmed baking sheet, place red potatoes and toss with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once.

Remove sheet form oven and add asparagus and carrots and drizzle with another tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return sheet to oven and roast for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and add the portebello mushrooms and drizzle all the vegetables with balsamic vinegar. Return baking sheet to oven and roast for 5 minutes.

Toss the shrimp with the grill seasonings and place on top of the roasted vegetables. Return pan to oven and roast an additional 5 - 7 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove pan from oven and serve in large bowls.


Thanks to everyone who left comments for The Great Beef Giveaway. The winners of The Healthy Beef Cookbook: Steaks, Salads, Stir-fry, and More - Over 130 Luscious Lean Beef Recipes for Every Occasion are Martha, Lori, and Angela. And the winner of the $100 American Express gift card was The Paskins. Please email me your addresses so I can send your prizes to you. Congratulations to all and thanks for participating in Beef Week.

The Great Beef Giveway

As the Beef Week comes to an end, it will go out with a bang.

The giveaway I promised earlier in the week is finally here. Four lucky readers will win prizes for leaving a comment to this post. Visit the Beef It's What's for Dinner website and comment on my blog about a recipe you want to try, a shopping tip that made you say "Wow!", or a lean beef nutritional benefit. Make sure to leave your email if your profile doesn't include one. It's that easy.

For the lucky winners, the prizes are....

Three readers will win a copy of The Healthy Beef Cookbook: Steaks, Salads, Stir-fry, and More - Over 130 Luscious Lean Beef Recipes for Every Occasion. It is loaded with over 120 recipes for grilling beef, entree salads, heart sandwiches, beef stews, soups, and chilis, one-dish beef favorites, and easy entertaining. Wouldn't you love to add this beautiful book to your cookbook collection?

A fourth reader will win a $100 American Express Gift Card for groceries to prepare some favorite lean beef recipes. A $100? Is she kidding? No she is not!!

What are you waiting for? Spend some time perusing the Beef It's What's for Dinner website. Leave me a comment. I know you are feeling lucky.

Deadline for entries is Friday, March 27th at 11:59pm. Winners will be chosen with the help of Random.org.

It's Beef Week -- Part 3 -- Tunisian Steak Lettuce Wraps

Today's post is the third in a series about lean beef meals I am preparing for my family using recipes from the Beef It's What's for Dinner website. As I perused the website for an entree to prepare, I was intrigued by a recipe for Tunisian Steak Lettuce Wraps. A family favorite at our house is Barbecued Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps so I thought another lettuce wrap entree would go over well.

I wrote down a grocery list and off to the grocery store I went without much thought as to how this new lettuce wrap recipe would go over with my family of taste testers. Beef top round steak was marinaded in a mixture of chopped dates, garlic, lemon juice, coriander, salt, and pepper. Some of the marinade is also set aside to use as a sauce in the lettuce wraps.



What I like most about Tunisian Steak Lettuce Wraps is that it is a self-contained meal; the lettuce leaf holds the whole meal in a tidy package. The grilled steak is sliced very thin and placed in a lettuce leaf topped with some of the reserved marinade/sauce and a lightly seasoned carrot and cucumber slaw.

I was slightly wary of my family's reaction to a steak marinaded in a date based sauce. I'm not even sure my kids would know what a date was if it hit them in the head. I did not tell them what ingredients were in the dish until after they all tried a lettuce wrap. Dinner success! We all agreed that we liked this new steak lettuce wrap with its lemony slaw, sweet and garlicky date sauce, and char grilled steak.

The dates seemed like an odd ingredient, but they were a delicious addition to the dish. Sign up for the to have new beef recipes delivered directly to your mailbox each week from the Beef It's What's for Dinner website. Experimenting with new foods and recipes can yield a family favorite meal.



Tunisian Steak Lettuce Wraps

from Beef It's What's for Dinner website Tunisian Steak Lettuce Wraps

1 beef top round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 1 pound)
8 large lettuce leaves (such as leaf, Bibb or iceberg)
Finely chopped fresh mint leaves

Date Marinade and Sauce:
2/3 cup pitted dates
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Slaw:
1/2 cup julienne-cut carrots
1/2 cup julienne-cut hothouse cucumber
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place Date Marinade and Sauce ingredients in food processor container. Cover; process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1/2 cup for spread. Place beef steak and remaining marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally.

Combine Slaw ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 8 to 9 minutes for medium rare, turning occasionally. (Do not overcook.)

Carve steak into very thin slices. Spread 1 tablespoon reserved Date Sauce on each lettuce leaf. Top evenly with steak slices and slaw. Sprinkle with mint, as desired. Roll up.

Nutrition information per serving: 364 calories; 15 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 10 g monounsaturated fat); 61 mg cholesterol; 413 mg sodium; 32 g carbohydrate; 3.1 g fiber; 29 g protein; 5.3 mg niacin; 0.5 mg vitamin B6; 1.5 mcg vitamin B12; 3.0 mg iron; 31.6 mcg selenium; 4.9 mg zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber and iron.

Check back in the next couple days for a BIG giveaway. You'll be sorry if you don't.

It's Beef Week -- Part 2 -- Beef Kebobs with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

Today's post is the second in a series about lean beef meals I am preparing for my family with help from the Beef It's What's for Dinner website. I typically purchase the same cuts of beef each grocery shopping trip. After spending some time on the website, I discovered a few new lean cuts of beef for my family to try. Armed with my next beef recipe, my shopping list, and a copy of the Lean Beef Wallet card, I headed to the grocery store. Here are a few handy hints from the website to follow on your next shopping trip for beef:

Make the refrigerated meat case your last stop to ensure that beef stays cold as long as possible until you get home.

Choose packages that are cold, tightly and completely wrapped with no tears or punctures.

Be sure the packages do not contain excessive liquid – this can be an indication of problems with temperature or storage.

For vacuum-packaged beef, be sure that the seal has not been broken and that the package is not leaking.

Choose beef with a bright cherry-red color, without any grayish or brown blotches.

A darker purplish-red color is typical of vacuum-packaged beef. Once exposed to oxygen, beef will turn from a darker red to bright red.

Choose steaks and roasts that are firm to the touch, not soft.

Don’t forget to check the “sell by” date printed on the package label. If you can’t read it or it’s not there, select a different package of beef.

Back from shopping, I prepared Beef Kebobs with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce which is a quick dinner that would also make a tasty appetizer. A dry rub of pepper (I decreased the amount of pepper in the recipe to 1 teaspoon), salt, paprika and minced garlic is tossed with the beef cubes and threaded on skewers before being grilled or broiled. The red pepper sauce enhances the flavor of the grilled sirloin and is more unique than barbecue sauce or ketchup.


The sauce ingredients involve some chopping and simmering. I slightly changed the sauce recipe from the one listed on the website in that I blended the cooked sauce with an immersion blender to make it less chunky and easier for dipping.

Making dinner time unique and fun is one way to have kids try new foods. This recipe has a high fun quotient with the steak served on a skewer. Who doesn't like to eat food on a stick? Kids also love sauces for dipping and this recipe has a new one for them to try.

There was a pleasantly surprising spicy bite from the rub on the beef cubes, but the red pepper sauce cooled the heat. I can see serving the sauce as a bruschetta topping or tossed with hot pasta and fresh basil also. My family gave the recipe a thumbs up, and I will be adding it to my summer barbecuing rotation.


Beef Kebobs with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

adapted from Beef Kebobs with Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

serves 6

1-1/2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
1 teaspoons coarse grind black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced

Dipping Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jars (7 ounces each) roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 cup ready-to-serve beef broth (I subbed 1 tsp. beef bouillon in 1 cup water)
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion and 3 cloves garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is tender.

Add red peppers, wine, tomato paste and thyme, stirring until tomato paste is blended. Combine broth and cornstarch in small bowl, mixing until smooth. Stir into pepper mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.

Meanwhile cut beef steak into 1-inch pieces. Combine pepper, salt, paprika and garlic in large bowl. Add beef; toss to coat. Thread beef pieces evenly onto six skewers, leaving small space between pieces.

Place kabobs on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, about 7 to 9 minutes for medium rare to medium, turning once. Serve with dipping sauce.

Nutrition information per serving: 235 calories; 28 g protein; 8 g carbohydrate; 9 g fat; 689 mg sodium; 76 mg cholesterol; 4.3 mg niacin; 0.5 mg vitamin B6; 2.5 mcg vitamin B12; 3.9 mg iron; 5.7 mg zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron and zinc.