Beef Stew

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live back in the days where people used wood burning cooks stove on a daily basis? It was a simpler time back then and people did not have many options for cooking meals or heating their homes. These days, as we become more aware of our carbon footprint and cost of living, maybe it's time to take another look at the old fashioned wood burning cooks stoves that our grandparents or great-grandparents may have used. The first thing about wood cook stoves is that they both cook and heat the home, which is a great use of natural resources.

Wood is among the cheapest of fuels, especially if you have the ability to cut your own wood. In this case, your only cost would be whatever permit is required by your local government, usually a nominal fee. Even if you buy your wood from a local supplier you can usually get a price that is better than home heating oil, or natural gas, and certainly cheaper than electric heat. Wood burning cook stoves have the added benefit of using a renewal resource, wood. If sourced locally, wood is a very green fuel. There is a reason that you see those cords of wood stacked up outside many a house these days. It just make good financial and environmental sense.

If you need more convincing consider the fact that many companies are still producing wood burning cook stoves. These are often replicas of vintage stoves with efficiency improvements and other modern improvements. That being said, cooking on one of these stoves takes some practice and skill, so it is not for everyone. It is really a lifestyle choice to embrace a wood burning cook stove, one that can be very satisfying. You won't be alone, however, there are many people out there doing the very same thing and they are willing to share their knowledge with you. So, if you think this might be for you, surf around the web and see what people are talking about, from cooking tips to maintenance ideas.

As with any new endeavor, however, the best knowledge is that you gain yourself, from your own trial and error. Who knows, you might become the leading expert on wood burning cooks stoves and people will be reading your blog posts for great ideas.

While new stoves can run around $1,500, you can probably find a great deal on a used or antique wood burning stove on craigslist of at local flea markets or yard sales. Make sure you take the time to have the stove properly installed in compliance with any health and safety regulations. Then you will be on your way to saving yourself some money, getting some great exercise cutting wood, and helping the environment all at the same time. Good luck!

Pam Baldwin writes about wood burning cook stoves, fireplaces, woodstoves and fire pits at http://www.TheBestWoodStoves.com.

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If there are a few who thinks that crock pot or slow cooker meals are droning, many people who likes to eat healthy and well enjoys cooking food in a crock pot. Some also believe that this style of cooking is tedious and time-consuming. Perhaps it's time to change this thinking by giving it a try and see the many wonderful ways on how you can make a dish as delicious and healthy as it can be, without much hassle.

Let's start with Chicken Cacciatore. This is an Italian dish which means "hunter-style" prepared with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, herbs, and your favorite wine.

Ingredients:

- 3 pounds skinless bone-in chicken thighs
- 14 ounce tomatoes, diced
- 1 medium-sized onions, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 big bell pepper, chopped
- mushrooms
- 6 ounce of canned tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken both
- ¼ cup dry red wine
- Salt & pepper

Procedure:

Simply place all the ingredients in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 6-8 hours. When cooked, you can serve pasta or rice alongside, or depending on what you are craving for.

Isn't that simple?

Another healthy and flavorful crock pot meal is Slow Cooker Pork Roast & Vegetables that's perfect for your Sunday. This dish is a collaboration of pork and sirloin roast with vegetables, spices and apple butter seasoning.

Ingredients:

- 3 pounds pork sirloin roast, boneless
- 4 sweet potatoes, peeled
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 acorn squash
- ½ cup apple butter
- ½ teaspoon ground all-spice
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- salt
- oil

Procedure:

Heat oil in a heavy skillet and add the pork roast, turning occasionally until all sides are evenly browned. Cut squash into 8 wedges and cut unpeeled sweet potatoes into chunks. Arrange inside the crock pot. Place browned pork roast on top. Mix together apple butter, cornstarch, horseradish, all spice, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into the crock pot. Simmer for about 6-8 hours until pork and vegetables are tender.

This surely can make your weekend warm and spicy.

Next is a delicious French dip sandwich. Imagine the presence of beer in this recipe. The exquisite flavor of beer adds a wonderful taste to your roast, yet nobody will be able to detect it.

Ingredients:

- 4 pounds rump roast
- 1 can (10 oz) beef broth
- 1 (10 oz) can condensed French onion soup
- 1 can or bottle beer
- 6 French rolls
- 2 tablespoons butter

Procedure:

Trim excess fat from the rump roast. Place meat in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup, beer and altogether cook on LOW for 7 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split the French rolls and spread with the butter. Slice meat diagonally and put inside the rolls. Then bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through. Serve the sauce for dipping.

Enjoy that crunchy bite!

There you go. Three healthy and delicious crock pot recipes that would certainly change the way you look at slow cooker meals. So if you are thinking of what to serve on a Sunday lunch or an afternoon filling snack, give your family and friends the chance of a traditionally-tasting crock pot stew, pot roast sandwiches, beef barbecue and even mixed vegetables. Possibilities abound, you can even make mouth-watering desserts. You will not only do away with the usual two-minute microwave meals, but discover amazing recipes without having to worry about the cooking, or burning the pot.

With an opportunity to be creative in your recipes, by simply adding all necessary recipe ingredients into the crock pot and pushing the button to let the pot cook the food, you can significantly cut down your time in the kitchen and take pleasure in doing other things. Now who says crock pot cooking is boring?

Terry RetterB chef@yoursmartktichen.com
Your Smart Kitchen

The online location for quality cookware, cutlery, appliances and related kitchenware. Quality products at reasonable prices with customer satisfaction guaranteed. Specializing in Fissler, Chasseur, Swiss Diamond, Clay Bakers, L'Equip, Bosch

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When the cold weather comes creeping in, one of the first foods we go in search of is something warm and savory; a dish that you can leave in the pot or slow cooker all day and munch on whenever you're peckish. Soups, stews, and chili are on the top of the list for such dishes, as they are both hardy and deliciously warm! In this article we have a few recipes that are bound to add a little warmth to the winter months ahead.

English Beef Stew

Beef Stew

Ingredients:
stewing beef (as much or little as you like)
2 turnips (peeled, chopped)
3 parsnips (chopped)
3 large carrots (chopped)
5 large potatoes (peeled, chopped)
2 large leeks (chopped)
1/2 red onion (chopped)

Place the stewing beef in a large pot and fill with water until the beef is one inch below the water's surface. Cover and cook on a medium heat for an hour. Add the turnips and onions, turn the heat to a medium low, and cook for another hour. Add parsnips and carrots then cook for another hour. Add leeks and potatoes, as well as parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for an hour and a half. Make 2 cups of brown gravy (thick) and add to the pot. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, then serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
3 cups diced, cooked chicken meat
2 1/2 cups wide egg noodles
12 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons salt

In a large pot, add water and boil egg noodles and oil for about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water. In the same large pot (or a Dutch oven, if you prefer), mix broth, poultry seasoning, and salt together and bring to a boil. Stir in the celery and onion and reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. In a mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add to soup while stirring continuously. Add in the noodles and chicken and allow to heat thoroughly. Serve with dumplings or rolls.

Beef Chili via Slow Cooker

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 (46 oz) can tomato juice
1 (29 oz) can tomato puree
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Brown the meat using a skillet. When the meat has browned, combine all ingredients into a slow cooker. Set to a low heat and cook for about 8 hours (overnight is great). Serve with saltines or oyster crackers.

Recipes - Soup, Stew, and Chili - Oh My!

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Crockpot cooking is one of the most under-utilized techniques available to help today's single mothers. Life can be pretty hectic for the single mother on any and every given day. There are lots of things to do and take care of. One of those of course is figuring out "what's for dinner".

FAST FOOD IS NOT THE ANSWER!

Unfortunately many times the answer to that becomes fast food. Of course we all know that fast food is not the healthy answer for any of us. And even though single moms are well aware that it is a bad path to take for their children, there just isn't enough time available to fix healthy dinners they will like every night. Or is there?

EASIER AND CHEAPER WAY?

Not only can the preparation of a healthy dinner be pretty easy to prepare it can be tailored to the types of dinners your children will like. Plus it can save you a lot of money in the long run. Although a couple bucks here and a couple bucks there to pick up fast food doesn't seem like much when you are in a hurry it can add up to some very expensive eating over the course of a year.

Not only can you prepare some really good meals ahead of time using Crockpot cooking but it will save you money. And not only can it save you money on the original meal, but it can save you money for the left-over's it can provide.

WHAT A MENU!

Spend a little time planning out some basic menus that you and the kids like. How about homemade chicken soup, or beef stew? Crockpot lasagna? Did you know that you can use your Crockpot to make an amazing rotisserie style chicken?

There are dozens of great dinners you can make with a little ground beef and different types of beans or pastas. As well as some hearty chicken chili. How about some minestrone Soup? There are hundreds if not thousands of free Crockpot recipes all over the internet.

Remember also that you decide what you put in your dishes. One of the greatest things you can do here is use a few more herbs or salt-free substitutes for flavor. Almost everything you buy already prepared has way too much salt in it for anyone. You can also switch up flavors. Try using some chicken stock in basically beef recipes or beef stock in basically chicken recipes.

SAVING TIME!

You can make these dishes simply by spending a couple hours once a week setting up your menu, chopping, cutting and freezing the mixed basics that can be used in several different dishes. Then it's just a matter of putting them together in your Crockpot the night before which only takes a couple of minutes and then pulling the Crockpot out of the refrigerator the next morning and putting it on a slow cook during the day.

When you and the kids get home and are ready for dinner, there it is. Hot, done and ready for your families dinner table.

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Do yourself a favor and check out some of the wonderful and inexpensive Crockpot stoneware available today. You will be surprised at the quality and price of one of the most overlooked, forgotten and underutilized accessories you can have in your kitchen.

CHECK THIS OUT!

If you are looking for a better way to cook your meals, you will find Crockpot Stoneware to be your best bet.

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Cut the fat and concentrate the taste with a few simple changes in an old standby beef stew recipe. Choose leaner cuts of beef whenever possible, cook vegetables in wine instead of butter, and you will find you have a fresh-tasting hearty meal.

You will need

Beef Stew

Vegetable Oil or Cooking Spray

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of well-trimmed beef rump or top round, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup of dry red wine (Please, do not use anything labeled 'cooking wine. If it isn't good to drink, don't use it.
• 1/2 cup each chopped onion, celery, and carrot
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup reduced-sodium (I love Herb Oz with 0 sodium- mix one packet in 1 cup hot water) or homemade beef broth
• 1 cup canned, drained, plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 sprig fresh thyme,parsley or basil,or a pinch of dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 small new potatoes
• 2 packed tablespoons fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves plus tender stems
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 cup peeled, cubed parsnips
• 1 cup trimmed,peeled baby carrots
• 1 cup trimmed, cut fresh green beans
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat a large, 4 to 5 quart, non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water upon contact. Spray the bottom of the pan lightly with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Add the pieces of meat, a few chunks at a time. Cook, turning until browned on all sides. About 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add the wine to the pan and boil 2 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and 1 of the garlic cloves. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, and thyme sprig, or other herbs. Return the browned meat and any juices in the dish to the saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until the meat is fork-tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the meat to a side dish and cover with foil. Transfer the vegetables and juices to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return to the saucepan, add the meat, cover and keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium, 8 to 10 inch, skillet over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a piece of potato. Add the potatoes, cut sides down, cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and turn heat to medium-high. Cook the potatoes, turning, until golden brown on all sides,about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a side dish. Finely chop the parsley, thyme leaves and remaining garlic clove together, add to the potatoes and toss to coat.
5. While the potatoes are cooking, add 1 inch of water to a large, 4 quart, saucepan. Set a folding steamer basket over the water. Place the parsnips, carrots, and green beans in the basket. Cover and steam about 10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove the basket from the saucepan.
6. Season the meat and blended sauce with salt and pepper. Add the steamed vegetables and toss to coat. Add the potatoes and stir just to blend.

Server immediately. Makes about 4 servings with only 427 calories per serving and about 204 mg of sodium

The extra few steps in this recipe create a depth of flavor that you would traditionally get only by cooking everything together for a long time, such as in a crock pot. While it may seem from the reading that this is a complicated process, you will be surprised at how quickly you can pull this dish together. I hope you will give it a try soon.

How to Make a Low Calorie Beef Stew

I am Barbara Cagle and I have been working and playing online since 1989. I am a certified teacher and as such I find that people are constantly asking me how to do ____. I started CagleOnline in 2001 and it has evolved into a portal for my many interests.

At http://www.caglecooksonline.com you can download free cookbooks and find great recipes. At http://www.cagleonline.com you can access information on a variety of subjects, find free products and resources, and get help for your business or just to make your life just a little bit easier. Check it out and don't miss the Master Site Index with links to all my online content. So,How can I help YOU today?

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If you like experimenting in cooking, then some of the crock pot stew recipes could be all you need to get started. You do not have to be a professional to make a great delicacy. All you need to do is follow a few steps to the letter and the result will be excellent. With these kinds of stews, you may get recipes from all over the world like the Thailand, Mediterranean, Arabia and Italy among others. Great chefs have already prepared and tested most of the recipes and all you need to do is go to the shop, get the right ingredients and start doing your thing.

With the Mediterranean stew, you may need to have 2 well sliced zucchini, 1chopped egg plant, 1onion cut, a red /green pepper with seeds and sliced,3 big size tomatoes,2 cans garbanzo beans rinsed and drained, ground black pepper, salt, 1 packet egg noodles cooked, 1 can artichoke hearts packed in water. Cooking this recipe does not require any wisdom. Just mix all the uncooked ingredients together in a crock pot and stir. Cook the meal for 8 minutes under low heat. Serve the noodles first then top up with the stew. The food is ready for consumption.

You may also choose to go for a vegetarian diet by making this simple beans and vegetables stew recipe. Here are few ingredients that go with it. Dry beans, 2cups veggie juice, 1/3cup apple/pineapple juice, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/2cup parsnips chopped, ½ cup mushrooms, 1 onion sliced, ½ cup celery chopped, 1tablespoon basil, parsley all dried, bay leaf, 3 cloves garlic smashed, black pepper, 1 cup cooked pasta or rice and water. Making this recipe a reality, one needs to soak the beans overnight then drain them and put in a crock-pot. Mix the soy sauce, vegetable juice, pineapple juice, and cover with water. Let them cook for 2 hours then mix vegetables, aromatic plants, spices, and let cook for up to 5 hours under low heat until the vegetables are tender. Add the rice or pasta and cook for another 1 hour. The stew is ready for serving.

After comparing the two crock pot stew recipes, you will realize that they are delicious and also nutritious. The only thing left for one to do is to practice by following the directions available then you will surely enjoy the outcome. Do a lot of research and get to know about all the recipes you may come across. This information is not enough to satisfy your curiosity thus it is a recommendation for one to read widely.

If you love stews then you know that you are eating healthy foods because they constitute all the nutrients needed for a healthy body. No matter what kind of stew you choose to cook, remember that some of these delicacies are yummier. Go for the crock pot stew recipes and you will sure get an amazing experience. Do not hesitate to excite your family with something they have never eaten before. Let them reserve their comments for later.

G. Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from chicken stew recipes to professional basketball. Thanks for reading!

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We all have our comfort food. For some it's chicken soup while for others it's the beef stew. Just imagine walking in your mom's kitchen and the smell of beef stew is all over...now, there's no need to just imagine...here is a tremendously good and comfortingly delicious beef stew recipe with a twist.

It may take long hours to cook but the effort and time are well worth it.

Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 kg. Boneless Stewing Beef - cut into cubes

2 Large Onions - chopped

3 Medium Tomatoes - chopped

1/3 Cup of Chopped Garlic

2 Medium Green Bell Peppers - cut into thick strips

3-5 Medium Potatoes- cut into wedges

2 Medium Carrots - cut into bite-size pieces

12-15 Black Olives (green olives may also be used - either stoned or pitted)

1 Bay Leaf

Chopped Parsley for Garnish

¼ kg Chicken Liver

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup of shredded mild cheddar cheese

½ tsp. Dried Thyme

½ tsp Dried Rosemary

4 tbsp. Soy Sauce

2 tbsp. Lemon Juice

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

425 g. Canned Tomato Sauce

5 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 ½ cups Cooking Oil for frying potatoes

1 cup of Water

2 tsp. Sugar

 

Good for 10 servings.

Procedure:

Marinate 1 kg beef in 4 tbsp. soy sauce and 2 tbsp. lemon juice for an hour but preferably overnight.

In a large casserole or heavy sauce pan, heat the 5 tbsp. of cooking oil. Add the beef chunks and fry until brown on all sides. Save the marinade for seasoning. You may do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan and ensure the beef will be browned evenly on all sides. Set aside.

In the same pan, sauté the onions until caramelized but not burned, add in the garlic and brown it as well. Add in the tomatoes and chicken liver.

Place the beef back in the pan and pour over the soy sauce and lemon juice marinade. Let it simmer for 3 minutes over low fire.

Add the bay leaf, dried thyme, dried rosemary and ½ cup of water. Continue to simmer over low fire.

While the beef simmers, prepares the extenders needed (carrots, bell pepper, potato). Wash the carrots, bell pepper and potatoes. Peel the carrots and potatoes. Cut the carrots into chunks or bite-size pieces and the potatoes into wedges. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cut them up into thick strips or wedges.

With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken livers from the pan and mash it using a blender or food processor.

Check the simmering beef if there's still enough liquid. Add in the other ½ cup of water and tomato sauce. Let it simmer until tender.

In a separate pan, heat the 1 ½ cup cooking oil. Fry the potatoes until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and set aside.

Once the beef is tender, ad in the carrots, bell pepper, mashed chicken liver, and olives then season with salt and pepper plus 2 tbsp sugar.

You may add the potato when the carrots and bell peppers are almost cooked or you may serve it separately.

The sauce may become thick with the simmering process but if not, you may dissolve 2 tbsp cornstarch in 2-3 tbsp of the liquid from the stew. So you don't have to adjust the seasoning again. If the consistency is not thick enough, you may add in more corn starch.

The key here is to simmer the beef over low fire to make it tender. This also allows the flavour of the ingredients to mix together before you do the final seasoning adjustments.

Alternatives:

The olives are optional and you can use either pitted or stoned green olives or the black olives.

If you want this beef stew a bit spicy, chop some red hot chilli peppers and add them together with the carrots and bell peppers.

Celery may be used in lieu of bell peppers. Green peas can also be used as extenders.

This dish is very healthy because you get carbohydrates from potatoes, protein from the beef, calcium from the cheese and vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and other ingredients. Make sure not to overcook the vegetables so as not to lose its nutritional contents.

Beef Stew Recipe With a Twist

This isn't the only stew recipe around - or maybe you'd prefer one of these sauce recipes instead.

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During the fall and winter months, I enjoy making hearty soups and stews in my crock pot for my family. I love the fact that I can spend a few minutes in the morning preparing it, put it into the slow cooker and walk away...a few hours later, our dinner is hot and ready to enjoy.

The following recipe was given to me by my 83 year old great aunt about 25 years ago. To this day, I still enjoy making it for my family. If you don't like okra, you can certainly omit it from the recipe. At times, I have actually substituted the okra with some fresh green beans or green peas, and the stew was just as delicious.

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe

2 lbs. beef cubes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup beef bouillon

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons table salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

4 carrots, peeled and sliced in 1" sections

1 cup celery, chopped

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

4 medium-sized turnips, peeled and quartered

4 1/2 cups water

1 cup partially cooked okra

In a large frying pan, heat up the vegetable oil over medium heat. Brown beef cubes on all sides.

In your crock pot combine the browned beef cubes, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, onion, bouillon, pepper, salt, granulated sugar and the vegetables listed in the recipe. Pour in 4 1/2 cups of water and stir so that everything is combined.

Cover and set the dial to high heat and slow cook for 6 hours. Remove lid and stir in flour if it is needed to thicken the soup. Replace lid and turn the dial to low heat and simmer for 1-2 additional hours.

This recipe will make 6 hearty servings.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a manager with Tupperware. Shelly enjoys cooking and baking for her friends and family. Shelly likes to use her crock pot to make family dinners 2-3 times every week. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her recipe blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com for additional free recipes.

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When you are cooking a Crockpot beef stew, there are some important tips to keep in mind. While there are certainly a number of different recipes you can find, they all have different variances to them and the process can become very confusing. As long as you focus on these tips, you will be able to successfully create any of the different choices that you might find online.

The first tip is probably the most important. When you are making this Crockpot beef stew, it is important that you choose a fatty cut. While many people pick up lean pieces of meat, they do not offer the same flavor and the grease from these meats will end up giving your meal the depth you might find that they are normally missing.

Beef Stew

Your next tip to keep in mind is that some vegetables should wait until later in the cooking process to be placed into the mix. The longer that these items cook, the mushier that they are going to be. Potatoes and similar vegetables are fine to put in at the start. These tend to need some extra time to cook. Carrots and celery can be added at the start if you want them to very mushy. If you wait until an hour before you serve them, you should find that they are tender and perfect.

Your third tip in the process of making a Crockpot beef stew is that using gravy mix in place of flour will add in some additional flavor. We find that this move not only deepens the flavor, but it should also help to maintain a good consistency inside of your stew. The best choice would be brown gravy mixes in this case as it is designed to help bring out the flavors of beef more than other choices.

Finally, for the perfect flavor consider adding in your spices at the start and use less than you might think. While these spices have all day to break down and mix with your stew, they will intensify. Putting in too much at the start will only result in your mixture being too spicy to eat. Here is a simple choice for a Crockpot beef stew that you can make.

Toss and Walk Beef Stew

What You Will Need

• 1 pound stew meat
• 4 large carrots cut
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 stalks chopped celery
• 2 diced potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon of oregano
• 2 cups of water
• 1 packet of brown gravy mix
• Salt & pepper

How to Make It

Begin by preparing and washing all your vegetables, and then place them in the Crockpot with water. Next, add in your seasonings and your gravy mix. Blend it well until it has combined. Finally, add in your stew meat and stir well. Cook on low for about 8 hours and serve warm.

Tips For Cooking Crockpot Beef Stew

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Beef pot pie was always my favorite as a kid. Chicken and turkey were ok, but I guess I am just a meat and potatoes girl from way back. I loved coming home from school to the smell of a homemade beef pie cooking in the oven. I can almost taste it as I write this.

Meat pies became popular in about the eighteenth century. Mention of Mutton Pies can be traced back to about 1596 where a recipe for this dish is included in the Good Housewife's Jewel by Thomas Dawson in 1595. This version was seasoned with sweet and savory spices, prunes, raisins, dates and even eggs. Other versions followed and by the mid to late 1700's shepherds pie and cottage pie became popular rural dishes and eventually made it to the queen's table.

Today we think of pot pies as a stew-like meal encased in a pie crust. This version is satisfying, full of flavor, and easy to make if you take advantage of some help from the grocery store. As a dish made from leftovers, however, it can't be beat. Simply substitute left over stew for the filling, with a couple of additions, and you quickly have a meal to satisfy even the ravenous appetites of teens. But you don't have to have leftovers to make this version.

You will need
1 package prepared pie crust (2 crusts) or your best homemade 2 double crust recipe pie crust dough
1 10 ounce package frozen mixed vegetables or frozen peas and carrots
3 -6 small potatoes, cut into small pieces and peeled
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms or 1 small can drained, reserve the liquid
1/4 cup butter, margarine, or olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove minced garlic
About 2 pounds beef, cut into one inch cubes.
1/4 cup red wine

Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder (if used) and flour. Dredge or coat the meat in the flour mixture. Sear the meat in the 1/4 cup fat in a hot skillet. Add the onions and garlic (if using fresh) and continue cooking on medium heat until the meat is almost done (about a medium rare or warm red centers) and the onions are soft and translucent. Add the potatoes and 1/4 cup of water and cook until the potatoes are beginning to get tender and the liquid is almost absorbed.

Add the frozen vegetables and the mushrooms. Stir in the liquid from the mushrooms and the wine Continue to cook on low heat for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, lay one of the two pie crust rounds in the bottom of a pie pan or even better use a round cake pan. You can also use 4 ramekins. A ramekin is a small oven-proof dish with straight fluted sides that is meant for a single serving. You will have to cut out the shapes from your dough and may need additional dough.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon the meat mixture with all the liquids into the crust. Dot with the butter or olive oil. Cover with the other pastry crust. Crimp the edges with a fork or with your thumb and index finger to seal. Brush the crust with a little oil or melted butter. Cut slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Place on a baking pan (to catch any boil-over) and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the pastry crust is golden brown.

Serve with a nice salad or bowl of fruit for a complete meal. Enjoy.

I am Barbara Cagle and I have been working and playing online since 1989. I am a certified teacher and as such I find that people are constantly asking me how to do ____. I started CagleOnline in 2001 and it has evolved into a portal for my many interests.

At http://www.caglecooksonline.com you can download free cookbooks and find great recipes. At http://www.cagleonline.com you can access information on a variety of subjects, find free products and resources, and get help for your business or just to make your life just a little bit easier. Check it out and don't miss the Master Site Index with links to all my online content. So, head on over and see how I can help YOU today?

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I have several family members who are now venturing out on their own and starting their own homes, or going off to college. One of the first things I love to give is a crock pot. This is a versatile piece of equipment and it can even be used in some college dorms. I even tuck in a couple of easy recipes and some tips to get them started. Here is one of them for making beef stew. Adapted from an old recipe of my grandmother's, It is simple and anyone can follow the directions to make a delicious, hearty meal with little effort. The pot does most of the work of cooking the meal.

You will need:

Beef Stew

A crock Pot. I prefer one with a removable crock, but they all work well.

2 pounds of chuck or rump roast cut into 1 inch cubes. You can also purchase stew beef at the grocery. This is usually provided already cut into large chunks. I will usually cut each of these chunks into smaller, bite sized pieces.

1 cup chopped onions. You can cut these into large chunks if you prefer a chunky stew. Otherwise dice to about 1/4 inch pieces.

1 cup diced celery

1 cup carrot rounds. Cut the carrots into rounds that are bite sized. After washing and removing the ends, simply cut 1/4 inch slices from the carrots.

4 large potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces. I love using the buttery gold potatoes or small reds cut in half, but an Idaho will be fine..

2 cups canned or fresh tomatoes. I like to use the canned, chopped stewed tomatoes for a little extra layer of flavor.

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil

2 cans or 1 quart chicken broth

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Saute' the onion, celery and carrots in the oil until the onion becomes translucent. Coat the meat pieces in the flour. Cook the meat with the onion mixture until just browned all over. This will add a good flavor to the stew. You could just add it to the pot without browning if you are in a hurry, but I suggest that you take the few minutes required for this step. It will give you a better flavor in the end.

Pour this mixture of meat and vegetables into the crock pot. drop in the bay leaf. You can go ahead and turn the pot on to let it get started heating up.

Pour the chicken broth, tomatoes, salt and pepper in, stirring well to mix the salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and give it one more stir.

If you haven't already, set the pot on high and cover. Let cook about 5-7 hours or until the meat is tender.

30 minutes before ready to serve, stir in the can of mushroom soup.

Heat your bread and toss together a quick salad. Serve with a steaming bowl of this hearty beef stew and you will see smiles around the table as your family and friends take comfort in the time-tested meal.

Making Beef Stew in a Crock Pot

I am Barbara Cagle and I have been working and playing online since 1989. I am a certified teacher and as such I find that people are constantly asking me how to do ____.

If you are looking for products and services to help you improve your life, or build your business, http://www.cagleonline.com is your one stop resource. Get FREE reports and information, find recipes and finish your shopping, articles and information to keep you on track. People Helping People is what I am all about. How can I help YOU today?

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Typically a stew will be prepared on the stove top, while a casserole may be done in the oven. Having said that, we tend to mix up the words nowadays, and in reality both of the methods are equally very nice. It doesn't matter if making a stew or simply a casserole, the two very important factors are to give it a good deal of time, and not to use too much heat, otherwise it will dry out.

This recipe comes from a small book that my mother had and dates from 1950. I often ate this dish when I was young and I still eat it today. It is a great comfort food and wonderful to eat when it's cold outside.

1 chuck roast about
2 pounds without bones, cubed
1 cup of carrots, cut into large dices
1 cup of turnips, cut into large dices
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 cups potatoes cut into chunks
1 tablespoon of herbs de Provence

Coat the beef cubes with flour seasoned with salt and pepper and sauté in olive oil. Add 1 cup of boiling water and deglaze, then add 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for about 2 1 / 2 hours.

Add vegetables and cook for 1 hour. Add dough by the tablespoon on top of beef. Cover and cook for 1 hour.

Dumplings 2 cups flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk

Sift flour with baking powder and salt, add milk and mix well to form a ball.

You can prepare the stew in advance (without the dumplings). Simply let cool and place in airtight containers. It will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can then reheat on the stove top and proceed with the dumplings.

I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

To find more great beef stew recipes, you can visit my blog http://beefstewrecipes.org/beef-with-dumplings/

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Americans love chili and we have hundreds of recipes for it. For some, this national dish is a thin soup. For others, it is a thick stew. White chili is made with chicken or pork. Mole chili, which originated in Mexico, contains unsweetened cocoa. Every home cook has his or her twist on the recipe.

Chili is not the same as chile. The word that ends with the letter e signifies a vegetable, whereas the word that ends with the letter i signifies a recipe.

"Southwest Cooking," a Betty Crocker cookbook, says these versatile peppers add flavor to many dishes. "No other vegetable has had a greater effect on a way of cooking--or a way of life--then the chiles of the Southwest," the cookbook notes.

Chili is the state dish of Texas and many think the original recipe came from San Antonio. Legend credits the invention to an Englishman who lived there in the early 19th century, according to Sylvia Windle Humphrey, author of "A Matter of Taste." As she writes, "When the supply of curry ingredients he had brought with him ran out, the ingenious chap devised an American equivalent of curry powder."

I love chili, but the beans don't love me. When I eat them I have severe abdominal pain. So I leave out the beans and add other vegetables. The powder you buy in the grocery store is a combination of chili pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, and salt. Sometimes I add extra cumin to this powder.

Though fall was delayed this year, it finally came to Minnesota. The leaves changed color, turned brown, and fell from the trees. Night temperatures dropped into the 30s and in the morning there was frost on the ground. Suddenly, I felt like making chili. To avoid another trip to the grocery store, I used available ingredients, and created my own recipe.

There was no crying when I chopped the onions because I used dehydrated onions. I didn't have smelly hands from chopping garlic because I used powdered garlic. I added carrots for sweetness and coffee for an undercurrent of flavor. It was one of the best batches of chili I have ever made. I served it with corn muffins. You may serve it with muffins, too,or crackers. Kids will like this recipe because it isn't too hot.

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds 93% lean hamburger

28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups water (I rinsed out the tomato can.)

1/4 cup fresh coffee

1 green or red pepper, chopped

1 cup petite carrots

2 tablespoons dehydrated onions

24.5 can diced green chiles, drained (I used 1/4 of a cup. You can buy a smaller can.)

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon sugar

Method

Put a liner in the slow cooker. Saute meat in a nonstick or cast iron skillet until it turns brown. Transfer meat to slow cooker and add remaining ingredients. Mix well with a rubber scraper. Put on the lid, set the dial on low, and cook for 6 hours. Top with shredded Mexican cheese and fat -ree sour cream. Makes 8 generous servings.

Copyright 2010 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 30+ years. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from Amazon.

Centering Corporation has published her 26th book, "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life" and a companion journal with 100 writing jumpstarts. It is also publishing her latest book, "The Spiritual Woman: Quotes to Refresh and Sustain Your Soul," which will be available shortly.

Harriet has another new book, "101 Affirmations to Ease Your Grief Journey: Words of Comfort, Words of Hope," also available on Amazon. Please visit her website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.

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I am a meat lover. I love steaks, roasts, burgers and even hot dogs. I also really enjoy cooking with my crockpot. You can put in the meat, in the morning and by dinner time it's ready. I'd like to share three recipes for cooking roast in the crockpot.

Roast in Beef Broth

3-5 pound brisket
2 cans beef broth
1 cup red wine
Cut up onions and celery

Cook on low about 8 hours.

This is one of the simplest recipes, yet is very tasty. We have substituted a tri tip roast for the brisket and it also came out quite well.

Roast with Mushroom Gravy

2-3 pound roast
1 packet Lipton's Onion Soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Cook for 8 hours on low.

Both of these recipes are so simple to make with only the few ingredients, yet full on flavor.

Roast in Beer Sauce

2-3 pound roast
1 package of Good Seasons Garlic Dressing
1 package of Italian (or Zesty Italian) Dressing
1 can of beer (do not use dark beer)
Cut up vegetables
Water

Pour one envelope of the salad dressing in the bottom of the crockpot. Place the roast on top. Pour the other package of salad dressing over the meat. Add your cut up vegetables. Then pour the beer over the top. Add enough water so that your crockpot has enough liquid in it, (I fill my crockpot about 3/4 full) Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

When you cook a roast all day in the crockpot it becomes very soft, so the cut of meat you buy is not important. If there is fat on the roast, I trim it off before putting the roast into the crockpot. Watch for sales at the store on roasts.

When we cook roasts in the crockpot, we add onions, celery, carrots and sometimes baby potatoes or red potatoes. The potatoes can be pierced before cooking. They then absorb in the liquid. If you like bell peppers, consider adding red or green bell peppers to your recipe.

Enjoy these very simple yet delicious recipes.

Audrey's mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com

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2 T Oil
1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak, cut in cubes
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 cans (16 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 c water
2 t chili powder
3 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3 potatoes, diced

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add cubed sirloin steak and cook until browned. Add onion soup mix, tomatoes, water and chili powder. Stir well and heat to boiling. Turn down heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. While meat cooks, prepare vegetables. Add sliced carrots, chopped green pepper and diced potatoes to meat; cook covered for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and gravy is thickened. Makes 6 servings.

Beef Stew

Corn Bread

1 c all purpose flour
1 c cornmeal
2-4 T sugar
4 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 c milk
1/4 c oil or melted shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium mixing bowl. Stir in milk, oil and beaten egg, beating by hand just until smooth. Heat pan in oven for 5 minutes. Pour batter into pan and bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Top should be golden brown.

If you are short on time, you can use a cornbread mix. Martha White Sweet Corn Bread Mix is very good.

Easy Beef Vegetable Stew and Corn Bread

My mother taught me to cook when I was only 5 years old. I remember standing on a chair to reach the cabinet and spooning flour into a mixing bowl. Cooking brings back happy memories and cheers me up when I'm bored or feeling low. I especially love baking Christmas cookies with the grandkids. I've made it a tradition.

When I'm not cooking, I enjoy working out, shopping and writing travel articles and romance novels.

For more great recipes that I've tried and tested on my family, go to:
http://favritrecipes.blogspot.com

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These may not look like your typical rolled-up enchiladas, but they are delicious and simple to make in your slow cooker. You will need to brown the meat, vegetables and spices ahead of time which can be done the night before. For those of you who like things on the spicy side, you can add a bit of cayenne pepper (about an 1/8 of a teaspoon) or you might want to try to add a tablespoon of diced jalapeno peppers while cooking up the vegetables.

Slow Cooker Layered Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can(15 ounces) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can Hunts fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained (if you can't find fire-roasted, use regular diced tomatoes)
1 can (4 ounces) of diced green chilies, undrained
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp cheese
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas ( 6 or 7 inches diameter)

Directions:

In a skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender; drain. Add the next nine ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the two cheeses.

In a 5-qt slow cooker starting with the beef mixture, place about a 3/4 cup of the beef mixture on the bottom of the pot followed by one tortilla and 1/3 cup of cheese. Repeat layers ending with the cheese layer on the very top. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours or until heated through. Slice like like you would a pie and serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: To make chicken enchiladas, substitute the beef with 1 pound of cooked, shredded chicken. Add the vegetables and onion to the cooked chicken and cook until vegetables are tender. Proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions.

Leah is a full-time working mom living in Southern California. She loves cooking, baking, traveling, playing tennis and most of all spending time with her family and raising her beautiful German Shepherd Dogs. Please visit her other site that informs you about safe car travel with dogs, by protecting them using a simple dog car harness or dog car seats that could save your pets life.

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I like to make beef stew, especially as days get cooler. It's a crock pot meal; tasty, easy, and it lasts for days. It also tastes generally the same no matter how much you try to play with the recipe. Unless you start adding strong flavors like chipotle (not a bad idea) or other off the wall ingredients, it's going to come out as the same comforting beefy goodness that's familiar to all of us. Here's how I make it, with a couple of tips if you don't have any stock around.

The Beef

Beef Stew

The best stew beef is chuck. You want it fresh, with a decent marbling of the meat, just like if you were looking for primal steaks like ribeye. This is the best rule of thumb I can give when choosing beef: look for the cuts with the most intramuscular marbling. This isn't the larger pieces of fat around the meat, it's the fat in the muscle that you will be eating. For the tastiest, tenderest meat you want a lot of it, even if it's for pot roast. That's why I generally stay away from London broil or other big sirloin cuts. They don't have the fat necessary to make it tasty.

Preferably you can find some bone-in chuck to give your broth some extra body and flavour. The bones of any meat are what contain the gelatin, and the gelatin is what gives body to the soup. If you can't find bone in you can get gourmet and add some short ribs, or just get boneless.

The supermarket near me has small packs of short ribs for sale. They add fantastic flavor but the meat can fall apart after a long cook time. If your watching the budget go ahead and get the boneless chuck. Boneless beef is usually a better bargain because the bones are the first to spoil. This makes anything you buy with bones need a quick turn around time, and more of a risk for the butcher.

The Prep

When I get the beef home I trim up some of the fat and cut it into large chunks. You don't want to go too small here because you want to have chunks of meat left after the long cooking process. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, and Worchestershire sauce. If you like, you can get funky with different spices, though it doesn't make that much difference at the end. Garlic powder doesn't hurt.

At this point if you can let the meat rest at room temperature for an hour before cooking or so I'd recommend it, but that's probably me being too cheffy. Rest or not, throw it in the crock pot. Add some chopped veggies. Carrots, onions, celery, potatoes. Any combination that you like. I like the carrots so my ratio of carrots is a little higher. I don't add anything too creative here, no sense messing with tradition.

The Broth

The broth arguably the most important part of a good stew. You have several options; bullion, broth, homemade broth, cream of mushroom soup, Liptons onion soup mix, beer, wine or water. All of them are flavored liquids used for the same purpose: to boil the meat. If you use beer or wine you will need to keep the ratio to about 25% of the total liquid in the stew. The rule here is that the ingredients must be covered in liquid. If you don't have enough of one thing, just add some salted water. It's very important that you have some salt in the stew at this point. This allows the salt to marry with the other ingredients, making each bite seasoned.

My order of preference is: homemade broth, bought broth (chicken), cream of mushroom soup, water (see below), onion soup mix, and bullion. Beer and wine I don't really use, but it'll happen if I feel the need. Here's a little trick if you use water, it turns out surprisingly good. Season the water well and add some soy sauce and Worchestershire. It darkens it like broth and gives it good flavor. I like to stay away from the bullion powders, they are full of crap. When I use store-bought broth I use chicken, it's generally a better quality then the beef.

Put your crock pot on high while your gone for the day, and dinner should be served when you get home. Don't forget to check and re-season before serving. I don't adorn my stew too much, though I will crush the potatoes as I spoon it into a bowl so they absorb more of the broth. No butter necessary.

Some Fine Beef Stew

Ryan Brower is a chef, blogger, and gallery manager in Asheville, NC.

Visit my website for more on life in Asheville, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness: http://www.ryan-brower.com

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When I was a kid I knew I was luckier than the other kids. I knew that everyday my mom would have something good to eat for dinner. One of my absolute favorites was her meatball stew. I've made a few modifications to make it a bit easier and quicker to prepare. Give it a try, your family and your taste buds will thank you!

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped coarsely

1 medium green pepper, chopped coarsely

1/4 cup dry roux *

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 cups water

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add beef, 1/4 of the onion, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Mix well.

2. Add vegetable oil to skillet and heat over medium heat.

3. Form beef mixture into meatballs. You should be able to make about 8-10 meatballs. Add meatballs to skillet and brown. Stir meatballs often to keep them from sticking. Cook time should be around 3-5 minutes.

4. Remove meatballs from skillet and set aside in a clean bowl.

5. Add bell pepper and remaining onion to skillet. Reduce heat to low and saute until onions become transparent. Move vegetables to one side of the skillet and add the dry roux. Add water to skillet and mix well with dry roux to remove clumps. Mix roux in with vegetables and increase heat to high and allow to boil for one minute.

6. Reduce heat to low and put meatballs back into skillet. Cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

7. Remove cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes if gravy is too thin.

8. Serve over steamed white rice with whole corn as a side dish.

* Note that you can make your own roux or use 'wet' roux if you have that on hand. I prefer using the dry roux as it is extremely quick to go from powder to ready to use.

About the Author: Charlie Thibodeaux is a native Louisianian and Cajun. He runs a cajun recipes website offering tons of great cajun cooking recipes as well as many

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Beef stew is one of those delicious and hearty meal that is considered the ultimate comfort guaranteed to bring delight to the whole family. When you cook it through the pressure cooker, you will be amazed that the flavors are even intensified even if you cook it for just around 30 minutes. A traditional beef stew recipe can take hours to simmer on the stove but with pressure cooker, it only requires less than 40 minutes. You will be rewarded with a tender and moist beef that is flavored with a thick savory warm sauce.

Start by cutting 1 and 1/2 pounds of beef into cubes. You can use the inexpensive cuts like chuck and the pressure cooker will take care of that. Cut carrots and potatoes about 4 pieces each into chunks. You will use need 1 small onion cut into wedges, 3 cloves of garlic and 3 stalks of celery cut into about 1" thick. Prepare 2 cups of beef stock for the liquid and you can also add 1 small size can of tomato sauce if you wish.

Beef Stew

Start cooking by adding around 2 tbsp of vegetable oil onto the bottom of the cooker. Once hot, saute the onion and garlic and start browning the beef. Once it is brown on both sides, add the liquid (beef stock and tomato sauce) and the cover securely with the lid. Once you hear the cooker sizzle or if the indicator valve says the pressure is build up already, set your timer to 20 minutes.

Once the timer is done, release pressure either through automatic release or by running cold water on the lid. Add the rest of the vegetables and drop about 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce plus salt and pepper to taste. Cover it with the lid again and cook for around 15 minutes more.

Serve with brown rice or bread.

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Recipe - How to Make a Delicious Beef Stew Using Your Pressure Cooker

Visit us at Pressure Cooker Recipes for more delicious meals. You can also check us out at Pressure cooker reviews to read reviews and comparison of different brand names in pressure cookers.

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When acid reflux becomes a regular part of life, the sufferer is commonly advised to change his or her diet. Try to avoid citrus, Try to avoid acids. See if changes make it better. So you try. You experiment. And all the time, you're wishing there were acid reflux cure recipes.

You finally go looking for such, and you find that there are cookbooks that focus on eating to avoid acid reflux. The trouble is that neither you nor your doctor can say for sure that your current diet is the problem. You hate to put out money for an acid reflux cookbook only to learn that your acid reflux stems from another cause. You'd like to find someone that inserts one little word in the phrase acid reflux cure recipes.

Acid reflux FREE cure recipes!

If you could just find acid reflux free cure recipes, you would try them. If it turned out that they did help, you wouldn't mind investing in one or two good acid reflux recipe cookbooks.

The author can't take space here to give you a collection of acid reflux free cure recipes, but let me contribute to your search.

Acid Reflux Free Cure Recipes

Acid reflux free cure recipes have three things in common.

1. They eliminate or reduce portions of those foods that are typically difficult to digest.

2. They include or increase portions of those foods that are known to aid in digestion.

3. They are FREE!

Orange juice, for example, is acidic. Many people claim that it increases acid reflux. So replace breakfast orange juice with a ripe banana, which is easy to digest. Or opt for an apple.

Brownies and donuts are considered foods to be avoided by acid reflux sufferers. They tend to sit, undigested, in the stomach. Choose an easily digested dessert such as a fat free cookie or jelly beans.

Acid Reflux Recipe Ideas

Here are a handful of ideas for acid reflux recipes.

1. Waldorf salad, made with ripe, healthy apples, nuts, and raisins, is a good acid reflux cure recipe. Use any traditional Waldorf salad recipe, but substitute low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream. You will have a great-tasting salad that contains no recognized acid reflux trigger foods.

2. Beef stew is another great acid reflux cure recipe. Use any beef stew recipe you like, omitting the onions. Cut the fat from the beef. If the stew seems to trigger acid reflux, eat a smaller portion next time.

3. Gingerbread is a marvelous dessert for acid reflux sufferers. Find a recipe that uses canned pumpkin and wheat germ. Make it with unsweetened applesauce and low-fat buttermilk. Then resist the temptation to mound whipped cream on top of it! Try a low-fat imitation whip instead.

4. Roast turkey breast is a good main course. Cranberries should be fine with it. Serve the potato baked instead of mashed.

5. Lowly meatloaf is thought to have no specific acid reflux triggers.

6. Spaghetti may cause acid reflux in some. You can reduce the possibilities by beginning with acid-free tomato sauce. Omit garlic and onion from your sauce, and try using more basil and less oregano. There are a number of Italian spices that are great in spaghetti sauce. Try fennel with basil.

7. Cheesecake, too, can be an acid reflux cure recipe. Make it with reduced fat or no-fat cheeses. Use egg whites and/or egg substitute.

While trying your acid reflux free cure recipes, learn what the actual cause of acid reflux is. You may be surprised to know that it is a muscular problem. There may be things you can do other than alter your diet.

CAUTION: The information presented here is for educational purposes only. If you have ongoing acid reflux problems, please see your physician for advice.

© 2007, Anna herself lives with a husband who used to suffer heartburn frequently, and she empathizes with your problem. She invites you to read more of her articles about heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD at http://www.heartburnreliefblog.com. Anna continues to research and post regular information on that site. If you would like to use bananas for relief from acid reflux, you will want to read what Anna says about them.

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Beef short ribs were a bargain meal during my graduate school days. How things have changed. My local butcher shop stopped carrying beef short ribs because they had gotten so expensive. "Most of the short ribs are being shipped to the Orient and this drives the price up," he explained. "Now that the price has dropped a bit I'm carrying them again."

When the weather turns cold I crave "stick-to-the-ribs" meals like beef short ribs. The ribs, a combination of lean meat and fat, are cut from the end of a standing rib roast, and this is what makes them so tasty. Many cultures have recipes for beef short ribs.

Beef Stew

The Polish fix beef short ribs in a sauce made with bacon, onions, and caraway seeds. Texas short ribs are a different thing all together. "The Complete Round the World Meat Cook Book" by Myra Waldo contains a recipe for Texas short ribs made with bottled chili sauce. The book also has a recipe for deviled short ribs.

But I didn't want caraway seeds, or chili sauce, or lots of spices in my short ribs, so I braised them in red wine. For a more complete meal I added onions, tomatoes, and carrots to the sauce. You may bake the covered short ribs in a 325 degree oven for two hours if you don't have a slow cooker.

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 pounds beef short ribs

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil (more if you need it)

3/4 cup regular flour

14 1/2-ounce can of no salt diced tomatoes and juice

2 cups red wine (cabernet or hearty burgundy)

3 inch-wide pieces of orange zest

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon prepared chopped garlic

1 cup frozen pearl onions

3 carrots, peeled and cut into one-inch chunks

3 tablespoons gravy flour

METHOD

Ask the butcher to cut the short ribs in half. Remove extra fat from ribs with a boning knife. Dredge the short ribs in flour. Pour olive oil into a cast iron skillet. Brown the short ribs, front and back, and them set aside. Add the red wine to the skillet. Cook over high heat for two minutes to evaporate the alcohol.

Pour canned tomatoes and juice into the slow cooker. Add orange zest, thyme, pepper, and garlic.
Transfer short ribs to the slow cooker. Pour the red wine over the ribs and stir with a rubber scraper. Sprinkle pearl onions and carrots over the short ribs. Cover and cook on low for four hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove ribs from cooker and set on a large plate. Remove and discard orange zest.

Pour the sauce into a large pan and carefully skim fat with a spoon. Put gravy flour into a cup and, stirring constantly, add a little cold water. Pour this mixture into the sauce, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens. Return the short ribs to the sauce, cover, and cook over low heat for five minutes. Serve immediately with ciabatta bread and a green salad. Makes 6 generous servings.

Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs and Vegetables in Red Wine

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 29 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for a city magazine. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find other reviews on the American Hospice Foundation Web site ("School Corner" heading) and the Health Ministries Association Web site.

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Making a delicious Crockpot beef stew can be one of those things that some might find to be a little difficult. However, there are some easy ways of making this delicious recipe, without too much trouble at all. You will find that any cold winter day will be the perfect time to create a batch of this delicious food and in no time, your whole family will be celebrating the dish you have created.

Before you begin this process, you will want to ensure that your meat has been lightly browned, but not cooked to ensure you have tender and juicy morsels that are perfect when you serve them. This process is actually called searing and you might find that term used in a number of recipes.

From this point, you will want to add about four cups of beef stock to your Crockpot. From here, you will add in your 2 pounds of cubed stew meat and the seasonings that you might like. Some of the more common choices will be rosemary, parsley, and even black pepper. It is important than you lightly season during this time, as the best Crockpot stew recipe will end up having a more intense flavor after it cooks for some time.

Allow your mixture to cook on high for one hour, you will be turning it down shortly, but you want to ensure that the meat has a chance to cook before you add in your vegetables. This will add additional flavor that they will pick up in the process.

When the time has passed you will add in 4 chopped carrots, 5 chopped stalks of celery and 3 cubed potatoes into your mix. Stir them in well and then turn your heat down to low and allow this mixture to sit for about 4 or more hours if possible. You can also add in an onion at this time, depending on if you want that flavor mixed in with your dish.

Once you have cooked up this mixture, you will want to thicken it up. Depending on your desired thickness, you will want to add 1 - 4 teaspoons of corn starch. Remember that the more you add, the thicker this mix is going to be. So decide on that and then proceed carefully. It can take about 5 minutes for this addition to show the true thickness your dish is going to have.

There are other options that you have to add into your mix as well. You can add in okra or other vegetables that might appeal to you. Just know there is no right or wrong way to make a Crockpot beef stew recipe, so find the best balance for you and enjoy the stew you have made.

From crockpot beef stew to other delicious crockpot recipes you will find our website is full of delicious meals and tips for creating the perfect dishes for you. Take your time to explore the site and find something for dinner.

The Best Crockpot Recipes Start With Our Recipes - BestCrockpotRecipes.net

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Rather than making a canned pumpkin soup recipe the next time you fancy this warming dish, how about making a classic pumpkin soup with your own produce? You can grow pumpkins from seeds or from baby plants which are available from the nursery. Pumpkins are a long season crop but growing your own can be very rewarding.

Sow the seeds directly in the earth after the last frost, in manure and compost-enriched, well-draining soil, somewhere that gets full sun. The seed packet will tell you how much space to leave between the plants because there are different pumpkin varieties. Once the plants start to grow, use organic matter as mulch to deter weeks and keep the soil moist.

Beef Stew

More Tips for Healthy Pumpkin Plants

Give the pumpkin plants a couple of inches of water every week, especially when the fruit starts to appear. Use seaweed extract or compost tea to feed them every couple of weeks.

When the fruit appears, pinch the vines back to stop them growing too much. It is a good idea to put boards underneath any big pumpkins to keep them off the wet ground. This stops them from rotting. Orange pumpkins should be picked before the first freeze and after the vines have dried up. White pumpkins should be picked when their skins are streaked with green lines.

Recipe for Pumpkin and Beef Stew

Once you have grown your own pumpkins, you will be anxious to make some tasty recipes with them. The following recipe combines beef, garlic, vegetables, tomatoes and more and this wonderful beef stew recipe is served inside a pumpkin bowl. This pumpkin recipe feeds four to six people and is a real winter warmer.

What you will need:

• 2 lbs stewing beef
• 4 minced cloves garlic
• 1 cup water
• 4 sliced carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 sugar pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 peeled, cubed potatoes
• 14 1/2 oz can chopped, peeled tomatoes
• 1 chopped onion

How to make it:

Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a pan and heat it over a medium high heat. Cut the beef into 1 inch cubes and add it to the oil. Brown the beef cubes all over. Add the carrots, potatoes, water, garlic, salt, pepper, onion and bell pepper to the pot.

Bring the stew to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer it for a couple of hours. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Stir in the bouillon granules and tomatoes. Cut the top off the sugar pumpkin and take out the pulp and seeds, leaving an inch thick wall. Chop the pulp and add it to the beef stew.

Fill the pumpkin shell with the beef stew and brush the rest of the oil over the pumpkin exterior. Bake for a couple of hours or until tender. Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scraping out more of the pumpkin flesh from inside the shell.

Growing Pumpkins at Home

Growing pumpkins is easy and you can make a classic pumpkin soup with your homegrown pumpkins, as well as many other recipes. Out of season you might need to make a canned pumpkin soup recipe instead but all pumpkin soup recipes are full of flavor, no matter which you choose. Find all the best pumpkin soup recipes at PumpkinSoup.org.

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If you have been looking for slow cooker rib recipes, here are 2 to try. I think you will want to make both of them more than once. I have included a recipe for both pork and beef slow cooker ribs. Both of these recipes are quick to put together and easy to make. Both recipes taste very good, with very tender meat. I think you will be happy you tried them.

Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients:

2-3 pounds pork spare ribs
1 can tomato soup
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:

Place spare ribs in slow cooker.

Mix together soup, onion, garlic, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Pour sauce into cooker and stir until ribs have been coated on all sides. Cover with lid.

Set slow cooker on LOW setting and cook for 5 to 7 hours. Ribs are done when tender and meat pulls away from the bone easily. Don't overcook or the meat will fall off the bone into the sauce.

Tip: You can substitute thicker country style ribs for spare ribs, but will need to allow up to an hour additional cooking time.

Beef Ribs

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds beef ribs, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 packages French Onion instant soup
2 cups water

Preparation:

In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour with a little water to form a paste. Add the rest of the water, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, mustard, pepper and dry soup mix. Stir well.

lace the beef into slow cooker or crock pot. Mix together until all side of ribs are coated with seasoning mixture. Cover with lid.

Set slow cooker on LOW setting for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH setting for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. Ribs are done when tender and pull away easily from the bone.

Tip: Serve over cooked egg noodles or with mashed potatoes. Leftover beef is great to use for making open faced roast beef sandwiches.

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Ingredients:

2-pounds Beef roast, cut into small pieces,

Beef Stew

4-tablespoons Oil,

1-cup Flour,

4-medium Potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces,

1-large Onion, chopped,

8-ounces Chopped & frozen green chilies with juice,

2-cups Tomatoes and green chilies with juice,

16-ounces Pinto beans, drained and rinsed,

1-cup Green salsa,

1-teaspoon Garlic powder,

1-teaspoon Salt,

1-teaspoon Pepper,

6-regular Flour tortillas.

Instructions:

Trim fat from beef and cut into small pieces. Place flour in a 1-gallon zip lock bag; place cut up beef in bag and shake. In a large skillet heat up 4 tablespoons of oil and place beef and flour mixture into hot skillet and brown over medium-high heat.

Place browned meat in a 4 to 5-quart slow cooker; add 1-inch potatoes, chopped onion, chopped frozen green chilies with juice, tomatoes with green chillies and juice, pinto beans, green salsa, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Serve with warmed tortillas.

Note: This dish is even better with fresh roasted green chilies chopped, but for those of us on the run the frozen chilies is next to best. Avoid using the canned, because they have no flavor compared to the fresh or frozen.

Serves 6

Beef 'n Green Salsa Stew

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Good crockpot beef recipes can help dress up a cheaper cut of meat. Slow cookers are not only convenient, but the slow cooking also helps tenderize the meat and really infuse it with flavor. Try these easy crockpot recipes for beef that both taste great and are quick to whip up.

Beef and Creamy Mushroom Crockpot Recipe

Ingredients You Will Need:

1 pound beef sirloin tips, trimmed and cubed

½ cup diced button mushrooms

1 cup green peas

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

¼ cup apple juice

¼ cup beef broth

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

Place beef, mushrooms and peas in a medium crockpot that is at least 2 quarts in size. In a small bowl, stir together soup, juice, broth, pepper, Italian seasoning and salt. Pour mixture into crockpot. Mix well. Cover crockpot with lid, and turn heat to low. Cook for 11 hours. Remove lid, stir well and serve.

Beef Stew Crockpot Recipe

Ingredients You Will Need:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound beef stew meat, cubed

1 cup diced red onion

1 cup chopped carrots

½ cup diced celery

1 10-ounce can condensed tomato soup

3 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon cornstarch

Place oil in a large skillet, and turn heat to medium. When oil is hot, add cubed beef to skillet. Brown beef for 3 minutes. Add onions to skillet, and cook beef and onions for 3 minutes. Make sure beef is cooked. Drain half of the fat out of the pan, and discard. Pour browned beef, onions and remaining drippings in a large crockpot, at least 3 quarts size.

Add carrots and celery to the crockpot. In a medium bowl, stir together the soup, broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, pepper and cornstarch. Pour mixture into crockpot. Mix well. Cover crockpot with lid, and turn heat to low. Cook for 10 to 12 hours. Remove lid, stir well and serve.

Crockpot Beef Curry Recipe

Ingredients You Will Need:

2 cups cauliflower florets

½ cup uncooked white rice

½ cup raisins

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon yellow curry powder

1 teaspoon minced garlic

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 pound beef stewing steak, cubed

1 cup beef broth

¼ cup water

Place cauliflower, rice and raisins in a medium crockpot, at least 2 quarts in size. Combine flour, curry, garlic, pepper and salt together in a large plastic bag. Place cubed meat in bag. Shake bag, and cover meat with mixture. Pour beef and remaining mixture into crockpot. Pour beef broth and water into crockpot. Mix well. Cover crockpot with lid, and turn heat to low. Cook for 10 hours. Remove lid, stir and serve.

For more information on crockpot recipes, visit the food section of Life123.com.

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The major staple of survivalist has been and will likely continue to be the bean. Beans are easy to store, they last a long time and provide the human body with vital energy. In any emergency pantry you will likely discover several different varieties of beans however, the one I am going to describe is generally lacking in most emergency supplies.

Little popularity has been provided to the Tepary bean from the southwestern portion of America and Mexico. It has been grown in those areas by the native people since before the Europeans stepped foot on the continent. It is a drought resistant bean which can be grown under desert conditions in locations from Arizona through Mexico. When growing it the necessary water requirements are extremely low permitting the crop to grow in areas where the annual rainfall would be less than 16 inches annually. In recent times this plant has been introduced to drought suffering nations of African.

Beef Stew

To use the Tepary beans you cook them just as you would any other dry bean usually soaking in water overnight. In some Native American cultures the beans are toasted and then ground into a meal. The meal is mixed with some water to create a paste and that is eaten as their main meal.

Some studies which have been conducted indicate that the lectin toxins obtained from the tepary beans may actually act as a form of chemotherapy for treating cancer but additional research is necessary to confirm this theory. Other health benefits from this variety of bean include less calories then usual, a higher fiber factor then found in most beans and lower fat levels per serving although you will generally discover that the carbohydrate levels are slightly higher.

You won't readily find these beans available in supermarkets across the nation so it's unlikely you can rush out to your local Wal-Mart and purchase a pound or two however, there are website on the internet which sell them and also provide a multitude of recipes for their use. Here is a very tasty method of preparing these beans and it will give you an idea of their versatility so here is my Tepary Bean with Beef Stew.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of dried and rinsed Tepary beans
10 cups of water
1 cup of diced carrots
1/2 of a diced onion
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves
1 pound of cubed beef
1/2 cup of brown rice flour
1/2 cup of corn flour
Olive oil for cooking the meat

Since this is a crock pot recipe place the rinsed and cleaned tepary beans, the water, salt and pepper, your two bay leaves, the thyme, carrots and onions together in the pot and start cooking on low heat.

In a medium sized bowl pour the rice and corn flour together. Drop the meat cubes into the mixture to coat them. Put a lid on the bowl and vigorously shake the contents to assure that all the cubes are coated with the flour.

Take a large skillet and cover the bottom with olive oil. Preheat the oil before placing the cubes of stew meat into it. Cook until the meat is lightly browned while turning continuously to avoid burning. Drain the oil from the cooked meat by placing the finished meat on a paper towel. Now, scrape the roux that has formed from the bottom of the pan and place it into your crock pot along with your browned cubes of stew meat. Stir well in order to blend the roux and the meat into the liquid. Continue to cook the stew mixture until the beans become tender. Since cooking times vary according to the crock pot used it is impossible to state a firm cooking time.

After experiencing these unique beans you may wish to add them to your emergency food supplies.

Copyright @2010 Joseph Parish
http://www.survival-training.info

The Draught Resistant Bean in Action

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