Irish Corned Beef Potato Skins

Do you ever look in your refrigerator at your leftovers and think, “What can I create with these?” Well, look no further when it comes to your St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef Dinner leftovers. Irish Corned Beef Potato Skins is so satisfying. Make a big salad and slice some of your Irish Soda bread and you’ve got a great “new” dinner.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking,

Vonnie

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

4 large russet potatoes, 8-10 oz. each, scrubbed clean

oil for rubbing on potatoes

2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoon milk

1 Tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 1/4 cup rough chopped corned beef

2 cup leftover cooked cabbage

2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

 

Instructions:

1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Rub each potato lightly with oil. Bake the potatoes until completely tender, about an hour. Remove potatoes from the oven but don’t turn the oven off. Let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes.

 

2. Halve each potato lengthwise and scoop out the potato flesh into a large bowl using a soup spoon, being careful to leave about a 3/8 inch layer of potato flesh in the skin (this keeps the potato skin stable). Return the hollowed-out potato skins to the oven to dry out and crisp up slightly, about 10 min. Remove from the oven and set aside.

 

3. Mash the potato flesh until mostly smooth using a fork or a potato masher. Add the melted butter, salt and pepper, mix to combine. Add the sour cream, milk and mustard, mix to combine again. Add the corned beef, cabbage and 1 cup of the cheese, mix thoroughly.

 

4. Mound the filing into the potato skins on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining cup of cheese. Return to the 400 degree oven, bake 10 min. Keeping the oven rack in the middle position, turn on the broiler and broil until the cheese turns is bubbly 3-5minutes.

 

 

Slow Cooker Beef and Pepper Sandwiches

I was shocked when I was reading a recent article about the advantages of using a Slow Cooker and read many people around the world simply haven’t heard of a slow cooker, yet alone have they had the pleasure of cooking in one. Think about it, for decades now, we’ve all been brought up that most of our mom’s kitchens and now ours have at least one slow cooker ( I have three). But the slow cooker still remains widely unknown. The slow cooker, also called a Crockpot is an appliance which takes longer to cook your food. But, as a wise person once said, “those who wait and are patient, always win the race”.
Now yes, slow cooking your food may take up to 8+ hours in length, but the process is well worth it. You can set up your slow cooker and leave it cooking for hours without looking at it once. In fact, that’s the main selling point. You can leave it cooking away while you’re at work. And when you walk in the door, Dinner is Served (well…almost!!)
You can adapt many conventional recipes for the slow cooker. Any oven or stove top recipe that has some moisture in it–whether from water, broth, wine, sauce, or canned soup–should work beautifully in your favorite appliance, just keep these things in mind:
•Cut all liquid amounts in half when adjusting for the slow cooker.
•The low heat setting is approximately 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) and high heat is about 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
•For every hour you’d cook something in the oven or on the stove, allow 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
This sandwich recipe is to die for! The slow-cooked beef becomes so tender that it shreds easily with a fork. And the banana peppers add so much flavor. Top it with a slice of Swiss cheese and it becomes indescribable!
Enjoy and Happy Cooking,
Vonnie

Ingredients:

3 pound boneless beef chuck or eye of round roast
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP. instant beef bouillon granules
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-16 ounce jar Banana peppers (mild or hot), drained. Reserve a bit of the juice
Swiss Cheese slices (optional)
Buns

Directions:
In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker and combine meat, onion, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, oregano, basil, thyme, and garlic.
Cover; cook on low setting for 10 hours or on high setting for 5-6 hours. Shred meat with fork/s. Stir in drained banana peppers and a little of the juice.
If adding cheese, spoon meat on buns and top with cheese. Broil sandwiches until cheese melts.
Servings: 8 large sandwiches

Beer Braised Beef with Fall Vegetables

When the air turns a little crisp here in Michigan I grab my box labeled Fall Recipes. This is my most  meals this time of year.  I love to braise beef.  It is a wonderful way to turn an inexpensive piece of meat into a moist and tender dinner with a huge outcome of flavors and praise!  I also like to use our local brew-pubs in-season beers.  My favorite is the Pumpkin Ale.  If you don’t have a brewery close by Guinness is a great choice.  Also, I have used Blue Moon Belgian-Style Wheat Ale.

As with most stews, this is great the first day, but even better the next.  I love to serve this with a nice salad and thick bread. My friend Sue Ford’s Oatmeal Bread is perfect. (Recipe is in the archives)

Enjoy and Happy Cooking,

Vonnie                                                                                                     

Ingredients:

3  tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2  tablespoons canola oil

1  (2 pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed

1  teaspoon salt, divided

1/2  teaspoon black pepper

1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

4  garlic cloves, crushed

1  (12-ounce) bottle dark beer

1  bay leaf

3  carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices

3 parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices

3 small turnips, peeled and cut into wedges *

1  medium onion, peeled and cut into wedges

1/4  cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef evenly on all sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add beef to pan; cook 10 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through bay leaf), scraping pan to remove browned bits; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 300° for 1 1/2 hours. Add carrots; cover and cook 25 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, turnips, parsnips and onion; cover and cook an additional 1 hour and 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and beef is fork-tender.

Remove beef and vegetables from pan; discard bay leaf. Cover beef mixture; keep warm. Let cooking liquid stand 10 minutes. Skim fat off of broth or try this great tip. (Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour cooking liquid into bag; let stand 10 minutes fat will rise to the top. Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain cooking liquid into a medium bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat). Serve cooking liquid with beef and vegetables. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon parsley.

* Note……If you have never tried turnips, try them. They are wonderful, especially in this recipe but if you just aren’t a fan you can substitute  3 Yukon potatoes peeled and cut into wedges.

.

Related articles

• Fall Beef Stew (livelifewholesome.com)
• Hearty Beef and Barley Soup (fabulousfamilyfood.wordpress.com)

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Original post: July 16,2010

When I found the grocery list this morning at my local market I thought it would be fun to share with all of you since that was my intention when I started Chellengeu2cook. I read the list and my mind went back in time probably 14 years. I had been invited to my very first Pampered Chef party and the consultant made this dinnertime salad. Needless to say, I had to buy the Busy Mom’s cookbook. I used to make this for summer lunches when we lived in Ohio, but haven’t made it once in the 9 years we have lived in Michigan. Funny how the mind works isn’t it?  Anyhow, I hope you enjoy! Mark and I had it for lunch today and it was delightful. Just as I remembered!  From the list I used sausage, potatoes, onions, Dijon mustard, sour cream and good beer. Not Bad!!
Hope you enjoy and Happy cooking,
Vonnie                                                                                                                      

PS…Share your recipes you came up with for the latest grocery list!

From The Pampered Chef Busy Mom’s Cookbook, 1996.
Opening page:
This book is for all the mothers, fathers and caregivers who make careful, loving meal preparation part of their busy lives… and for the thousands of Pampered Chef Kitchen Consultants who help make the lives of everyday cooks a little easier and a lot more fun. Doris Christopher, Founder and President.

Meat”n” Potato Salad
1 pound smoked sausage cut into 1/2 inch thick slices ( I used a pre-cooked Italian sausage)
1 pound small red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used white potatoes)
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
2 TBSP. cider vinegar
2 TBSP. mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup red onion chopped

Place sausage, potatoes and chicken broth in a large frying pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.   Meanwhile combine sour cream,vinegar,mayonnaise,mustard,sugar, and salt in a 2 qt bowl. Set aside.
When sausage and potatoes are finished cooking, drain and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, potatoes, bell pepper, and onion to sour cream mixture. Toss to coat. Serve warm or cold.
Yield: 4 servings

Grandma Taylor’s Cabbage Rolls

an·tic·i·pa·tion

noun

1.the act of anticipating or the state of being anticipated.

2.realization in advance; foretaste.

3.expectation or hope.

4.previous notion; slight previous impression.

5.intuition, foreknowledge, or prescience.

Origin:  1540–50; (< Middle French ) < Latin anticipātiōn- (stem of anticipātiō ), equivalent to anticipāt ( us ) (past participle; see anticipate) + -iōn- -ion

Why did I start my blog off with the definition of anticipation?

To enrich my readings vocabulary?

Sure…but I am confident you already frequent this word in your daily life.

To educate you in the origin?

Ok….I do love finding the derivation from a source.

To make my readers wait just a few more seconds for my most requested recipe?

YES!!

                                                                                                       

SO…..here it is the most requested recipe.  When I make these or my mother makes these for parties everyone asks “Can I PLEASE have the recipe?”

BUT…before I divulge the secret,  I have to tell you how this recipe started in my family.

Here goes….

As you have read in my other posts, I had the most wonderful Grandma in the world.  She was smart, and funny, and beautiful.  I loved her with all my heart and I wanted to grow up to be just like her.  She worked in the Trumbull County Recorders office. Anything that when through the courts, crossed my Grandmother’s desk and she recorded it in huge ledger books. I used to love to go to her office. Anyhow…

She was friends with the”local” celebrity Norma Antenucci.  Norma had a local cooking show back in the 60′s, and she published a cookbook called “Norma presents….. a collection of her favorite recipes. (I have my Grandma’s signed copy)

My Grandma would make these cabbage rolls when I was growing up and it was always a big family favorite.  My mother carried on the family tradition after my Grandma passed. And now it is my turn.

My family isn’t one of those richly ethnic families with great traditions passed down generation to generation. I always dreamed of being in a family that was so lucky .  But I do have some stories and recipes that come close. We were a very close family and I always loved my Sunday’s with my Grandma and Grandpa Taylor.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do and my family does.  And I would be honored if it became one of your traditions and much-anticipated recipes in your repertoire.

Hope you enjoy and Happy Cooking,

Vonnie

Grandma Taylor’s Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound pork sausage or ground pork

3/4 cup raw rice

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/8 tsp. celery salt

1 large head cabbage

1 large can sauerkraut, drained

1 can tomato paste diluted with 3 cans of water.

Directions:

Cook head of cabbage, core side up, in saucepan with about 2 inches of water.  Cover.  Steam just long enough for the leaves to become pliable and easily removed.  Cut off tough core at bottom of leaf.

Combine meat, raw rice, slightly beaten eggs and seasonings.

Place a large spoonful of meat mixture on cabbage leaf and roll leaf starting at the bottom end of leaf.  Tuck under the sides to give packaged look.  Make as many rolls until you’ve used all the meat mixture.

Make a layer of sauerkraut in bottom of roasting pan.  Place a layer of cabbage rolls on top of kraut.  Repeat until all cabbage rolls are used and end with sauerkraut on the top.  Pour tomato sauce over all.  Cover tightly.  Bake in a moderate oven 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours.

My Grandma and my mother always serve these with Mashed potatoes.

*I have also done this recipe in the crockpot and it comes out perfectly.

Summer Time Strawberry and Nut Salad with a Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette

This morning I woke up realizing “Today is the first day of my summer break! I am home… Well, that isn’t going to stop me.”  I got my chores done early, I made myself a glass of sweet tea, I suited up in my beach attire, and grabbed my sandchair….”WAIT…. no beach or ocean?….No worries”. I grabbed my Ipad, set up my sandchair in the middle of my patio, sweet tea in hand, chicklit beach book in the other and I was off to the “beach”!

 

 

“Except I don’t smell fresh ocean air. I smell the remnants of my dogs morning feeding that didn’t get picked up(if you know what I mean), and I don’t hear seagulls or waves crashing….WAIT!….I have Ambiance on my Ipad!… I hear waves and seagulls!! I have a sweet tea, a sandchair and a smutty book… Still no sand, but the bricks are hot and it’s a sunny day with a breeze…..EXCEPT… The neighbor kids are riding their bikes and ringing their bike bells yelling, “Shut up, I’m telling!”…NO!!…I am at the “beach”! I hear the waves and seagulls, I smell my suntan lotion, and I feel the heat of the sun…BEEP, BEEP, BEEP… What is that? Is that a delivery truck? ….DING, DING, DING….SHUT UP!!….I’M TELLING!!…MOM!!!……. What’s that odor? Oh yea….Stupid Dogs! …. OMG!!!…. Was that a frog that just hoped by my feet?…. MOM… I’M TELLING…. DING, DING, DING!!!

AWWWWWW……

OK….

I am not at the beach….I am on my patio, hearing sounds and smelling odors that do not resonate from the beach….BUT I am thinking of summer time recipes and most importantly recipes that are easy to put together, but really pack a punch of different flavors and “challenge” me to try different ingredients together!” 

This salad is your canvas. Add your own colors and make it your own!  It’s the delectable match. If you want, add some grilled chicken, steak or a fresh crab cake. It’s perfect!

PS….this dressing is to die for!!

Enjoy and Happy cooking,

Vonnie

Salad:

5-6 cups Mixed Greens of your liking

1 Pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

1/2 cup nuts( almonds or macadamia nut work best) chopped  

1 handful of white chocolate shavings

Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette:

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. unsalted butter

2 1/2 oz. brown sugar

2 oz. honey

1 vanilla bean

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 oz. olive oil

Directions:

In a large serving bowl, place washed and spin-dried greens. Toss in sliced strawberries and chopped nuts. Meanwhile in a saucepan melt butter over medium-low heat and stir in brown sugar and honey. Split vanilla bean in half and core (use the pulp only). Transfer butter mixture and vanilla pulp to a blender. Add vanilla extract and pulse for 2 minutes. Slowly add olive oil, pulsing to incorporate. Return to saucepan and keep over low heat until ready to use.

  Dress salad with vinaigrette and top with white chocolate shavings and choice of meat if desired. 

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• Summer Fruit Salad with Coconut Whipped Cream (livelearnloveeat.com)
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Seven Layer Meatless Tortilla Pie

I love this recipe! It’s a great dinner for your busy summer evenings.  It’s also super quick to assemble and so versatile. If you want you can add meat ground beef or turkey seasoned with some taco or fajita seasoning.  Grilled chicken, turkey, pork also seasoned and sliced thin works great. If you are going to add a meat layer, do so after spreading the beans on the tortilla. Top with cheese and continue with standard directions.  

This is a dinner that will please everyone in your family. I like to serve mine with shredded  lettuce and diced tomatoes. If you don’t want to use sour cream, for a dip or dressing to drizzle on top of the pie,  I mix some picante sauce and Ranch dressing together.

Enjoy and Happy cooking,
Vonnie                                                                                                

 

 

 
Ingredients:
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
1 cup picante sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
2 small tomato, chopped
7 (8 inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Optional toppings:

sour cream
green onions, chopped
black olives, sliced
jalapeno, sliced

Directions:
Mash pinto beans. Stir in 3/4 cup picante sauce and garlic powder.
Mix remaining picante sauce, cilantro, black beans and tomatoes.
Place 1 tortilla on baking sheet. Spread 3/4 cup pinto bean mixture over tortilla to within 1/2-inch of edge. (Add meat layer)  Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with 1 tortilla and 2/3 cup black bean mixture. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice more. Top with remaining tortilla and spread with remaining pinto bean mixture. Cover with foil.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes or until hot. Uncover. Top with remaining cheese. Cut into wedges. Serve with additional picante sauce, sprinkle with additional cilantro if desired, and optional toppings

Kentucky Burgoo

This is one of my favorite recipes from Simply Recipes. I wanted to pass it along to all of you!

If you haven’t checked out Elsie Bauer’s website please do.  She has wonderful stories and her recipes are divine. http://www.simplyrecipes.com  You can find her on Facebook too!

Burgoo!

Just word itself sounds like there should be a song about it (and there is). If you are unfamiliar with the concept of burgoo, it’s Kentucky’s most famous stew, usually made for big gatherings (such as Derby Day) in huge kettles. Burgoo dates to before the Civil War and as legend has it, was invented by a French chef. Like a Mulligan stew, it’s sort of empty-the-fridge recipe. Burgoos typically have at least three different meats, and plenty of vegetables such as corn, okra, and lima beans. Burgoo lovers differ on whether the stew ought to be cooked into a brown, undifferentiated mass, or whether you can still see individual ingredients. Some say burgoo is just a stew if you can’t stand a spoon in it. In this version of burgoo, we like to know what we’re eating (pork, beef, or chicken), so it’s not cooked as long as others. If you want more of a mélange, just cook the meat longer. As with most stews, burgoo is even better the second day. It’s excellent as a Sunday dinner when you want lunches for the coming week.

This recipe makes a lot! Feel free to halve. Otherwise, it makes great leftovers.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking,                                                     

Vonnie

 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3-4 pounds pork shoulder or country ribs, cut into large pieces (3 to 4 inches wide)

2-3 pounds chuck roast, stew meat, or other inexpensive cut of beef, cut into large pieces (3 to 4 inches wide)

3-5 chicken legs or thighs (bone-in)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 quart chicken stock or broth

1 quart beef stock or broth

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

2 large potatoes (we used russets)

1 bag of frozen corn (about a pound)

1 bag of frozen lima beans (about 14 ounces)

Salt and pepper

4-8 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco or other hot sauce on the side

 Directions:

Heat vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large soup pot (at least 8 quart size). Salt the meats well on all sides. When the oil is shimmering hot, working in batches brown all the meats. Do not crowd the pan or the meat will steam and not brown well. Do not move the meat while browning a side. Let the meat pieces get well seared. Remove the browned meats to a bowl.  Add the onions, carrots, celery and green pepper to the pot and brown them. If necessary, add a little more oil to the pot. After a few minutes of cooking, sprinkle salt over the vegetables.  When the vegetables are well browned, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, until fragrant. Add back the meats, and the chicken and beef broths and the tomatoes, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 hours.  Uncover and remove the meat pieces. Strip the chicken off the bone and discard skin if you want. Break the larger pieces of meat into smaller, more manageable pieces. The reason you did not do this at first is because the meats stay juiciest when they cook in larger pieces. Return all the meat pieces to the pot and bring it up to a strong simmer.  Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks about the same size as the meat pieces (if using new potatoes, you can skip the peeling, but russets you’ll want to peel). Add them to the stew and cook them until they are done, about 45 minutes. When the potatoes are done, add the Worcestershire sauce, mix well and taste for salt. Add more Worcestershire sauce to taste if needed.  Add the corn and lima beans. Mix well and cook for at least 10 minutes, or longer if you’d like. Here is the point where you decide whether you want a burgoo that’s been hammered into a thick mass or a stew with bright colors in it. It’s your call. To serve, taste one more time for salt, and add either Worcestershire or salt if you want. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread and a bottle of hot sauce on the side.

Serves a small army. Or 12-16.

Related articles

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Irish Bacon and Cabbage Soup

This is what I like to make on St. Patrick’s Day.  It is so satisfying and easy to make.  I always serve it with some homemade Irish Soda Bread and a Killians beer, but since I was traveling yesterday I didn’t get a chance to make it.  It doesn’t have to be St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy one of my favorite soups.  The next day works too!

Hope you enjoy and Happy Cooking,

Vonnie

 

 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound Irish bacon, diced

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

3 cup chicken stock

salt and black pepper to taste

2 cups thinly sliced dark green savoy cabbage leaves

 

Directions:

Place bacon in a large, deep stockpot or saucepan.  Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.  Drain off any excess fat.

Stir in potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, and chicken stock to cover.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in cabbage and allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes longer before serving.

Serves: 6

 

 

Zuppa Toscana

In need of a great dinner? Look no farther. This soup is so satisfying and takes no time to prepare! If you are not a fan of Kale or Swiss Chard you can substitute Spinach.  A nice salad and crusty bread makes this a perfect meal!

Enjoy and Happy Cooking,

Vonnie

 Ingredients:                                                                               

1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage

1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups chicken stock or broth

6  Yukon potato, thinly sliced

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups kale or swiss chard,  chopped

                                                                                                                

    Directions

Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.  Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat. Add potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add Kale and simmer another 10 minutes. Check potatoes. They should be fork tender. Add cream and cooked sausage. Heat until warm.