Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

 Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4735-old-fashioned-beef-stew

1/4 c flour

1/4 tsp pepper

1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

5 tsp veg oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 c red wine

3.5 c beef broth (added extra later too)

2 bay leaves

1 T herbs de province

1 med onion, chopped

5 med carrots, peeled and cut into 1.4 inch rounds

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

2 tsp salt

Mix flour and pepper and coat beef. Fry in oil in two batches until browned, adding extra oil inbetween batches if needed. Remove beef, add vinegar and wine over med-high heat and scrape away bottom of pan. Add beef, broth,  herbs de province, and bay leaves and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer.

Cover and cook for 1.5 hours. Add onion and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add potatoes and simmer until all veg are tender, 30 minutes more. Add extra broth if stew is dry.

Pumpkin Pancakes

 https://cookieandkate.com/pumpkin-pancakes-recipe/

Pumpkin Pancakes

I doubled this recipe for Ila's birthday breakfast and it was a perfect amount.

Cheesy Potatoes

 https://www.spendwithpennies.com/easy-cheesy-potatoes/

Cheesy Potatoes

Made these to go with ham on christmas, used real potatoes (peeled and diced, then boiled). I used an entire can of cream of mushroom, and reduced sour cream by half or more. Likely did not use all the cheese either. Split between two pans and froze one half. The other half I put 1 cup cornflakes and 1 T butter on top in lieu of cheese.

Easy Lasagna

 I really liked this lasagna. It was easy and Ila helped me, did practically everything herself except browning ground beef. The wavy style of the creamette no-boil noodle was helpful for spreading the cheese over since there were ridges to smash it into.

This is enough for 2 meals.

Gooey Swedish Chocolate Cake Kladdkaka

 https://scrummylane.com/6-ingredient-gooey-swedish-chocolate-cake-kladdkaka/

Gooey Swedish Chocolate Cake Kladdkaka

I made this by lining my 10 in tart pan with parchment, sprayed the parchment, didn't push in the edges much. It took 30 minutes to get the top crusty like the recipe describes. It was gooey and perfect when inverted.  We ate half of it tonight, cut in 5, and the other half tomorrow. So delicious and really easy.

Apple Pancakes

 https://lilluna.com/apple-pancakes/

Shredded Apple pancakes on halloween

We used halloween cookie cutter shapes (ghost, pumpkin, bat) to cut shapes in these pancakes on halloween for fun. The kids liked them.

Butter Vodka Pie Dough

 https://bakingthegoods.com/2014/01/17/butter-vodka-pie-dough-recipe/

Butter Vodka pie dough

This pie dough makes 2 crusts. I only make a half recipe when I need just a bottom crust. I use a pastry cutter and refrigerate only for 15 min or so, then roll out between two pieces of plastic wrap.

I like this better than my "no fail" recipe. It is much more convenient to use butter than shortening (which I never have on hand), and I don't have to go find lard either. I think the sugar made it like a shortbread cookie on it's own, because I found myself wanting to eat the crust of my apple pie for the first time in a very long time. I will try to remember to use this recipe as my standard from now on.

Open face Tomato Sandwich

In order of layers:

Mayonnaise

Sandwich sprinkle

Shredded cheese

Thin sliced tomato, marinated in olive oil & balsamic vinegar

Salt on top

Broil sandwiches without tomatoes until cheese is melted, then add tomatoes and broil a little longer.

Tuna Melts

 https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/tuna-melt-recipe-2125452

Tuna melts

Make with 6-8 pieces of bread.

This is a favorite meal for Laura that David makes frequently.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

 https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/double-chocolate-zucchini-bread.html

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This was delicious. I am sure I used more than two cups of zucchini, more like 3 probably. It was very wet but worked in a bowl with ice cream when hot. 

When cooled it was dense but still very good. Definitely keeping this recipe, and recommend extra zucchini for the same level of moist.

Apple Steel Cut Oatmeal

 https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/265168/instant-pot-apple-pie-steel-cut-oats/

Apple Steel Cut Oatmeal

1.5 times this recipe. Use dried apples, added extra 1 cup liquid (or 1/2 cup for 1x recipe). Did part milk, let sit overnight on delayed start mode. 

Magic Custard Cake

https://omgchocolatedesserts.com/vanilla-magic-custard-cake/
Magic Custard Cake

This was ok. It was not as cakey as I'd hoped, not cakey at all actually. The top was mostly egg whites and the heavy bottom overcooked german pancake consistency. The kids really liked it but it wasn't worth the effort.

Ginger Pear Puff Pastry Tart

https://www.forkknifeswoon.com/ginger-pear-puff-pastry-tart/
Ginger Pear Puff Pastry Tart

Ginger is important. Use medium firm pears. Don't bother with pretty slice arrangement. Slice and chop, no need to peel.

This is delicious. A winner with apples too.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/hot-fudge-pudding-cake/

Definitely one to repeat. It was very dark and a little bitter with regular cocoa, will try dutch processed cocoa next time. Perfect with ice cream.

Sourdough Pizza

Night before, mix 75 grams sourdough starter + 75 grams white flour + 75g water
Cover overnight.

In the morning, add 75g white flour + 75g water. Mix and cover.

Then, either lunchtime or early afternoonish, add 125 g whole wheat flour, 1 tbsp oil, and 1 tsp salt. I stir the oil and salt in first before adding the flour since it's easier. You may need to knead it a bit to get it to mix well. Then cover until needed for pizza.

Heat oven to 500F.  Stretch out dough by hand and place on oiled half sheet. Add toppings, bake for 10-12 minutes.

Adapted from https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/sourdough-recipes/sourdough-pizza-crust/


Note: If you forget to start the night before, you can do the first feeding in the morning, second at lunch, and third an hour or more before it goes into the oven.