Beef Stroganoff

via Lizzy Writes

2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/2" thick strips (against the grain)
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
4 green onions, sliced
4 Tablespoons flour
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup white wine*
salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season beef with salt and pepper and add to pan when butter is bubbling. Brown beef strips for 5 minutes and then push to one side of the pan. Add the green onions to the beef juice and butter and saute for 4 - 5 minutes, then push to side with the beef. 

Stir the flour into the juices and the melted butter until combined and thick. Slowly pour in beef broth, stirring continuously, and bring to a boil. Stir beef, onions and sauce all together along with the mustard. Lower heat and cover. Simmer for one hour over low heat, stirring occasionally.

After meat is tender (should take the full hour), stir in mushrooms, sour cream and white wine. Let simmer another 10 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Serve over cooked egg noodles. 

*if you don't want to use white wine, you can use a 1/4 cup of beef broth just to thin the sauce a little.

Brussel Sprout Salad

via The Endless Meal

A tasty, tasty salad that was part of our 2013-14 conversion to the brussel sprout.

Ingredients

• 2 strips thick cut bacon
• ½ cup toasted walnuts
• 3 cups (6 ounces) shredded brussel sprouts (see note)
• ½ cup (3 ounces) chopped dried apricots

For the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon honey
• A pinch of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 420 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Lay the bacon on the parchment lined baking tray and the walnuts on a separate baking sheet. Bake the bacon for 13-15 minutes, or until it is quite crispy. Remove it from the oven and, when it is cool enough to handle, crumble it into small pieces.  the walnuts in the oven at the same time as the bacon for 10 minutes, or until they are fragrant and light brown. Remove them from the oven and, when they are cool enough to handle, roughly chop them into medium-sized pieces.
3. Combine the crumbled bacon, toasted walnuts, shredded Brussels sprouts and apricots in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.
5. Pour the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Make ahead: Prepare the salad ingredients and dressing up to 2 days in advance and store them separately. Toss the salad just before you serve it.

Notes

To shred the Brussels sprouts: cut off the hard end piece then cut them in half so you have 2 identical pieces. Then starting at the tip (or top) thinly slice the brussels sprouts working your way to the bottom.

Make ahead: Prepare the salad ingredients and dressing up to 2 days in advance and store them separately. Toss the salad just before you serve it.

Simple Vinaigrette

via Serious Eats

Great tutorial on making vinaigrette available on this same website.

Ingredients

• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedures

1. 1
   Combine shallot, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and water in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a tightly sealing jar, seal, and shake vigorously until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

via Farm Flavor

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fine pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• 6 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Place chicken breasts in zipper-seal bag. Using a rolling pin or similar implement, flatten the thicker parts of the chicken so they match the thinner parts. You want a consistent thickness (no thinner than 3/4 of an inch) throughout to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.


2. Mix marinade ingredients and pour over chicken. Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.


3. Remove from bag.


4. On gas grill over medium-high heat, grill chicken breasts with lid down for six minutes. Turn and grillwith the lid up 6 to 10 more minutes or until chicken reaches 170 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

via Brown Eyed Baker

INGREDIENTS:

5 egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar, divided
1¾ cups heavy cream
¾ cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¼ cups chopped Oreo cookies (about 15 cookies)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Set a wire-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks and ¼ cup of the sugar in a large bowl; set aside.

2. Warm the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, cream, milk and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to simmer, slowly drizzle it into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir in the vanilla extract. Place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally, until the mixture reaches room temperature. Cover the bowl and place the mixture in the refrigerator and chill at least 2 hours, or overnight.

4. Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream is ready, layer it into your freezer-safe container with alternating layers of the chopped cookies, beginning and ending with the ice cream.

(Recipe adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones)

Olive Garden Copy Cat Chicken Scampi

via CopyKat.com

Because M wanted it. Sauce was a little bland; chicken was great.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil - divided use
• 1/2 green bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 orange bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 medium sized red onion sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic sliced thin
• 1 pound pasta cooked according to package directions
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasonings

Instructions

Place flour, salt, and pepper into a shallow dish and mix well with a fork. Place milk in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken first in flour, then dip into milk, and then dredge again in the flour. Place breaded chicken on a wrack and allow to rest 10 minutes before cooking. While the chicken is resting, cut peppers, onions, and garlic.

Saute peppers, onions, and garlic in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season peppers, onions, and garlic with a light spinkling of salt. Saute until peppers begin to brown. Remove from skillet.

Place remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in hot skillet. Place chicken in skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until the chicken has browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan. Deglaze the pan by adding white wine to the pan and add italian seasoning blend. Scrape the bottom with a spoon scrapping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add heavy cream and mix well. Return cooked vegetables to the pan and stir. Add cooked pasta to the skillet. Plate the pasta and sauce, placing a few pieces of cooked chicken with each plate.

Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

via Heather's Dish

Tasty, easy to make, decently healthy.  Win.  I

CILANTRO LIME CHICKPEA SALAD

• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 loosely packed cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 onion, chopped small
• juice from 4 limes
• 1 bunch of cilantro (about loosely packed cup)
• 3 Tbsp sugar [I reduced by half.]
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated on a microplane
• 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Chop the spinach very finely (feel free to use a food processor and pulse 3-4 times).  Add the chickpeas, onion, and spinach to a large bowl.  In the same food processor add the lime juice, cilantro, sugar, mustard, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil.  Process til it comes together into a dressing, about 30-45 seconds.  Pour over the chickpea mixture and stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Let sit for about 10 minutes on the counter or overnight in the fridge to let the flavors marry.  Enjoy!