Beef Stroganoff without sour cream

2 lbs sirloin, or any other preferred cut of beef 2 medium sized onion, chopped 2 lbs sliced orchopped mushroom 1 to 2 cloves chopped garlic 2/3 cup of cream soup mix 2 Tbsp beef bouillon granules 4 cups water 3 to 4 tbsp flour depending on desired thickness Cut beef into strips, brown in large skillet. Add onion, mushrooms, garlic and cook until onions are soft. Add most of the water, cream soup mix, and beef bouillon granules. Add flour to remaining water and whisk until mixed well. Stir slurry into stroganoff mixture and cook until thickened. Serve over egg noodles.

Beef Carbonadas

A recipe from my mother-in-law. Beef Carbonadas Drege 2 pds. lean beef, cut into bite size pieces, in seasoned flour and brown quickly in hot skillet with oil. Put meat in casserole as it browns. Sprinkle meat with 3 Tbs. brown sugar, 1/2 cup minced parsley, 3 to 6 garlic crushed cloves, 1 bay leaf ,1 teas. thyme leaves, 1 can beef broth, 12 ozs. beer, 12 small whole onions. Cover dish and bake in 350 degree oven for about 2 hrs. Remove casserole from oven and re-season salt, pepper, brown sugar and 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with minced fresh parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice This is a receipe that I found that is really good....and what makes it all around is you could use inexpensive tougher meat and it still turns out tender. So much flavor ....you will want to lick the plate. Please try and enjoy. T

Spinach & Chicken Cheesy Pasta

16 oz penne pasta, uncooked 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, diced 1/2 lb. chicken breast, sliced 1 tablespoon flour 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth 1/2 (8 ounce) container PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, cubed 1 (6 ounce) package baby spinach leaves 1 cup Parmesan Cheese 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, divided Heat oven to 375° F. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, onion, and chicken; cook and stir 3 to 4 min. or until chicken is no longer pink. Add flour and seasonings; cook and stir 1 min. Stir in broth; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until thickened. Add Neufchatel; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until melted. Drain pasta; return to pan or a very large bowl. Add veggie/chicken mixture, spinach, Parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into 2 quart casserole (or 13"x9"x2" pan) sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining mozzarella. Bake 10 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

Creamy Chicken & Asparagus with Pasta

12 oz pasta, cooked and drained
1 lb. chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 c butter
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c chicken broth
2 tsp dried basil
3/4 c heavy cream
salt
pepper
1 c parmesan cheese

Cook pasta to al dente and drain.

Saute chicken until cooked. Set aside. Melt butter, saute and onion 3 minutes. Add asparagus, carrots and mushrooms, saute 7 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, basil and chicken, cook 3 minutes. Turn down heat, add heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese.

Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Potatoes & Kielbasa

2 Tbsp. olive oil
10-12 small to medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, sliced
1 lb. kielbasa, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. oregano
1-1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In large skillet, brown potatoes, onion, kielbasa and garlic in olive oil. Add spices and chicken broth. Cover and cook on medium for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and cover to melt. Serve with biscuits.

Apple Struesel Muffins

When we lived in Central Oregon I would go to Blenderz, a drive up coffee shop. They sold the most amazing huge apple struesel muffins made by a local bakery. I decided that while I may not be able to make the huge oversize muffins I could try to make normal sized muffins. I must have looked at forty recipes, none of which seemed right but did give me an estimate of where to start. They turned out perfect.

Muffins:

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces

Struesel:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oatmeal
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

Beat together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla extract.

Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Stir in chopped apples.

Mix struesel ingredients and set aside.

Place muffin liners in muffin tin. Place 2 tablespoons of muffin mixture in each muffin cup. Sprinkle with struesel topping.

Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Yield: 24 muffins

Pumpkin Muffins

borrowed from Smitten Kitchen

Pumpkin Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)**
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put liners in muffin cups.

Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.

Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.


**I substitute homemade pumpkin puree for the canned pumpkin.

Pumpkin Puree

Pie or sweet pumpkins

Cut stem off of pumpkin. Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds and "guts". Save seeds for roasting.

Place pumpkin open side down on baking sheet, bake at 350 F for 90 minutes. Allow pumpkin to cool, then remove skin.

Put pumpkin in food processor to puree.

I freeze in 1 cup portions as that is the amount generally needed for recipes. Pumpkin can be kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Pumpkin Pie

This recipe came off of a sticker on the bottom of a pie pumpkin. Adding to blog so I will be able to find the recipe in the future.

1-1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 (14 oz)can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup hot water
Single crust pie shell

Preheat oven 375 F.

Mix together first 8 ingredients. Pour into pie crust. Bake 55-65 minutes. Filling will still move slightly when done. Cool before serving with whipped cream.

Greek Pita Bread

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1-1/2 cup of warm water
4 cups of bread flour
2 teaspoons of salt
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon of sugar

Place ingredients in bread machine. Start on dough cycle, will take approximately 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F and oil baking sheets.

Take pieces of dough slightly larger than an egg and roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 3/8 to 1/4 inch. Prick the bread with a fork in several places.

Place on baking sheets and bake on the lowest oven rack for 2-3 minutes, then turn the pitas over and bake for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a tray covered with a clean dishtowel, with another clean towel on top. When thoroughly cooled, pitas can be stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or frozen.

Before using, brown in a lightly oiled frying pan for a few minutes until browned on both sides. Also reheats well in the toaster.