Wednesday Recipes

Enjoy!

SLOW-COOKER BEEF AND BARLEY STEW

Two of my favorite e-newsletters are from The Kitchn and its sibling site, Apartment Therapy. If you haven't checked them out (and signed up for their newsletters), I highly recommend both of them. Go ahead, I'll wait...

This recipe comes from here.

Canola oil

1 (2- to 3-pound) chuck or round beef roast, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper

1 large onion, diced

8 to 10 ounces medium whole white button or brown mushrooms, stems trimmed

3 celery stalks, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup pearl barley

Film the bottom of a large frying pan or skillet with canola oil and set over medium-high heat until the oil is hot. While the oil is heating, season the meat generously with salt and pepper.

Working in batches, add a single layer of meat to the bottom of the pan. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes until the cubes loosen and are seared golden-brown. Flip the cubes and sear the other sides. When all sides are seared, remove the meat to the insert of a slow cooker that holds at least 4 quarts. Sear the remaining meat in batches. If there is any liquid in the pot after the last batch is finished, pour it over the meat. Place the pan back on the stove.

Heat 1 teaspoon of canola oil in the pan and cook the onions with a pinch of salt until they are translucent and brown around the edges. Add the mushrooms and another pinch of salt, and cook until they have released all the moisture and have turned golden-brown. Add the celery and cook until just softened.

Clear a space in the middle of the vegetables and sauté the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the thyme and bay leaf.

Pour the wine into the pot to deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as the wine bubbles. Let the wine reduce down until most of it has evaporated or been absorbed by the vegetables. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.

Add both stocks to the slow cooker and top with enough water to cover the meat and veggies by about 1/2 inch. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low. Stir in the barley, cover again, and cook until the meat and barley are tender, about 2 hours more on low. Skim off any fat if desired, taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.

Recipes Notes:

Cooking the barley: If you will be out of the house and unable to add the barley 4 hours into the slow-cooking time, just boil the barley separately ahead of time in water until tender, about 45 minutes. The cooked barley can be stored in the refrigerator up to a day or two. Cook the beef for the full 6 hours on low, then add the cooked barley in and heat through before serving.

Stovetop instructions: This recipe can be made on the stovetop instead. Sear the meat in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot instead of the frying pan and transfer to a bowl or plate. Proceed with cooking the vegetables and deglazing in the same pot. Add the meat back into the pot, along with the stock and water. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and let simmer for 1 hour. Add the barley and continue cooking for another 45 minutes, until both the barley and meat are tender.

ABSURDLY EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE

What's better than chocolate fudge? If it's also easy to make. This yummy recipe comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times' Cooking e-newsletter. Time: 15 minutes; makes 16 two-inch squares.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing the pan

1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation

Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line with parchment or wax paper, letting edges of paper hang over sides of pan.

In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over (not resting in) simmering water, combine all ingredients except nuts. Mix just until melted and well combined. (Alternatively, use a microwave on low power to melt ingredients, stopping every 10 to 20 seconds to mix well.) The mixture should be heated as little as possible. Mix in nuts, if using.

Scrape mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or overnight. Lift fudge on paper out of pan and use a large knife to cut into squares.

NO-BOIL MAC AND CHEESE

This comes from the Tablespoon's e-newsletter. It begins, “Did you know you can make mac and cheese without boiling noodles? Here's how!” Prep Time: 10 min; Total Time: 45 min; Makes 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni

3 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

4 1/2 cups milk (I use 2%)

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper

1/2 cup shredded havarti cheese

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 clove garlic minced or grated

1 cup Progresso™ panko crispy bread crumbs or Progresso™ plain bread crumbs

Parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray.

Add the pasta and about 1 cup of cheddar cheese to the prepared baking dish, set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until a very thin, glossy sauce forms, about 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard powder, cayenne pepper (if using), salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese until smooth.

Pour the sauce over the pasta, stirring to coat. The pasta should be submerged in the sauce. Cover with foil and bake until pasta is almost tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, wipe your same sauce pot clean, then add remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter. Add garlic and breadcrumbs, toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. If desired you can toast the crumbs over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.

Remove the pasta from the oven and remove the foil from dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup havarti cheese, then the breadcrumb mixture. Bake until pasta is tender, edges are bubbling, and top is golden brown, about 10-20 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.

CHEESECAKE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

This also comes from PureWow. It begins, “We love cheesecake. We love cookies. Naturally, we had to combine them to make the greatest recipe mashup ever: cheesecake thumbprint cookies. Let's waste no time and get right to baking.” Start to finish: 1 hour; makes 8 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Cookies

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/3cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 crackers)

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg white

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the cookies: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix to combine, 1 to 2 minutes more.

In a medium bowl, stir the flour with the graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt to combine. Add to the mixer and mix just until fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball; repeat with the remaining dough. Transfer the balls to the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each one slightly, then use your thumb to make a deep impression in the center of each cookie.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the cream cheese with the sugar, egg white and vanilla extract to combine.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each cookie. Top each cookie with 1 teaspoon jam and then use the tip of a knife or a toothpick to swirl the jam into the cream cheese filling.

Bake until the cookies are lightly golden brown at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Store them in an airtight container for up to 6 days at room temperature.

EASY ITALIAN FRITTATA

I discovered frittatas several years ago and fell in love with them. This wonderful one is from Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food expert. She writes, “This delicious potato, bell pepper, and olive frittata is perfect for your next brunch, and guests will never know how easy it was go make. Serve it warm or at room temperature. It also makes a quick weeknight dinner.”

Prep time: 10 minutes; Cook time: 40 minutes; total time: 50 minutes; serves 4 to 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large Yukon Gold or russet potato, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seed and chopped

1 small zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

6 large eggs

1/3 cup pitted, chopped black olives, such as kalamata (optional)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup shredded Fontina cheese

2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Layer half of the potato, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini in the skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potato, onion, and bell pepper, and season again. Cover and cook, stirring and turning frequently with a spatula until tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the thyme over the mixture. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the olives,if desired, and then add the potato mixture to the eggs, stirring to blend.

Wipe the skillet clean, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and warm over medium-low heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and sprinkle with the Parmesan and Fontina cheese.

Cook, drawing eggs away from the sides and bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula so that the uncooked egg runs underneath. When the mixture is loosely set around the edges, place pan in the oven, and bake until puffed and completely set, about 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and slide out onto a serving plate. Sprinkle the parsley. Cut into wedges and serve.

PUMPKIN MOUSSE

Not sure which emailing list this is from, though I have a feeling it might be from About.com. The recipe starts off, “Inspired by Martinique's tropical cuisine, mildly spicy whipped pumpkin can stand alone as a dessert or accompany seafood as an exotic side dish.” Prep Time: 1 hours, 10 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 15-oz can pumpkin puree

1 cup plus 2 cups chilled heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ounces white chocolate, shaved

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, 1 cup heavy cream, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Chill for at least 1 hour before preparing the mousse.

Whip the remaining 2 cups chilled cream into peaks. Gently stir 1/2 cup of the chilled pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream. Once the 1/2 cup of pumpkin is almost fully incorporated into the cream, fold in the remaining pumpkin. Serve chilled with white chocolate shavings as a garnish.