What's Cooking?

Last week we made pretty much the same stew, and put it in the slow cooker in the morning before leaving to go skiing. The only real difference from yours was a few strips of double smoked bacon in the pan before browning the beef, and a half cup of red wine in place of some of the stock. Being greeted by that aroma upon opening the back door was heavenly, after a cold day in the mountains!
 
We did sugar cookies too, but I need to get a bison and a bear. We had a moose, but the legs usually broke, so it got relegated.

There was 25 of us related siblings and kids and such together for Christmas Eve. A bit of a madhouse. My dad gets excited to cook only a few times a year, and one of those is a rib roast for Christmas Eve.
My oldest sister and I helped since he's had a rough go lately.

IMG_7388.jpg

IMG_2003.jpg
 
We did sugar cookies too, but I need to get a bison and a bear. We had a moose, but the legs usually broke, so it got relegated.

There was 25 of us related siblings and kids and such together for Christmas Eve. A bit of a madhouse. My dad gets excited to cook only a few times a year, and one of those is a rib roast for Christmas Eve.
My oldest sister and I helped since he's had a rough go lately.

View attachment 128362

View attachment 128363

That rib roast looks fantastic.

We've got a moose too. I should have included that cookie in my picture, but forgot.
 
Snowy morning here in Salt Lake. It looks like we might get more throughout the week too as colder temps settle in.

I picked this up at my local grocery store a couple of weeks ago, and decided to try it this morning. I'm guessing this is the same @Bob of BCP fame? :)

001b.jpg

I used 2/3 of a cup of oat bran (this is 2 servings) put into two cups of boiling water. Reduce your heat to medium-low for three minutes and it is ready. I added a handful of raisins, a pinch of cinnamon, and about 1/2 cup of half-n-half (which will be used in a recipe later today, so stay tuned). Scatman gives this two thumbs up. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

02.jpg

The only thing that would have made this better, is if I were eating it in Bob's Canyon, on Bob's Trail, looking up at Bob's Waterfall. :D
 
Well folks, I got a request for a recipe a few weeks back from a forum member, so I ran down to the store yesterday and got the ingredients that I didn't have on hand to make a shepherd's pie.

I have never made a shepherd's pie before, so I looked online for a recipe, and pretty much just chose the first one that popped up. It was called The Best Classic Shepherd's Pie. I figured, how could I go wrong with a title like that. :)

Here is the recipe and instructions for those interested:


Best Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Ingredients:


MEAT FILLING:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 lb. 90% lean ground beef -or ground lamb

2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves -minced

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup beef broth

1 cup frozen mixed peas & carrots*

1/2 cup frozen corn kernels



POTATO TOPPING:

1 ½ - 2 lb. russet potatoes -about 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

8 tablespoons unsalted butter -1 stick

1/3 cup half & half

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup parmesan cheese


Instructions:

MAKE THE MEAT FILLING.

Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the ground beef (or ground lamb) to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste remain.

Add the broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Set the meat mixture aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


MAKE THE POTATO TOPPING.

Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10-15 minutes.

Drain the potatoes in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.

Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.

Add the parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.


ASSEMBLE THE CASSEROLE.

Pour the meat mixture into a 9x9 (or 7x11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread into an even layer.

If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.** Cool for 15 minutes before serving.



Now I altered the recipe a little bit from how it was written above.

- instead of using a baking dish, I'll be using my old standby Dutch oven
- Instead of a package of frozen peas and carrots and a 1/2 cup of frozen corn, I used 1 package of garden vegetables that include peas, carrots, corn and green beans. The reason for this is because I like green beans a lot more than I like peas.
- I also added on small orange bell pepper that I cooked up with the onion at the beginning of the instructions.
- And I only used a half-stick of butter instead of a full one

Ingredients
01.jpg02.jpg

Chopping up the veggies
03.jpg09.jpg

Cook onions and bell pepper
04.jpg
05.jpg

Add ground beef
06.jpg
Brown meat
07.jpg

Add seasonings, garlic, and tomato paste
08.jpg
Add frozen vegetables
07.jpg
Simmer for five minutes
08.jpg
Boil potatoes - 15 minutes
12.jpg
Add butter, half-n-half, garlic powder, salt and pepper then mash potatoes
14.jpg
Add as a layer to beef mixture
15.jpg
Spread into an even layer over beef mixture
16.jpg

Bake for thirty minutes, then let cool off for fifteen minutes.

Out of the oven
17.jpg
Serve and enjoy.
19.jpg
 
Last edited:
How was it? Is there anything that you might change if you prepare it again?

I’m with you on the green beans>peas. I’d eliminate the peas altogether.
 
How was it? Is there anything that you might change if you prepare it again?

I’m with you on the green beans>peas. I’d eliminate the peas altogether.

It was good. The package of mixed vegetables was just right, so that the amount of peas didn't overpower the dish. I'm not sure the orange bell pepper added anything though. One could cut that out and save some on the prep time. Otherwise, I wouldn't change anything.
 
Tonight's recipe is a Cajun15 Bean Soup. And any time you have the word Cajun in a recipe, that means you've got to haul out the Cajun Pot. :thumbsup:

001.jpg

We're going to start out with the Cajun 15 Bean Mix, that includes a packet of Cajun seasoning. Open the beans, rinse them, and then soak them overnight.
01.jpg02.jpg

Chop up one medium (I used a large) onion, three ribs of celery, four carrots, and mince four cloves of garlic.
03.jpg03b.jpg05.jpg
08.jpg04.jpg04b.jpg
06.jpg07.jpg09.jpg

Add two Tbls. of olive oil to a heated Cajun Pot, and cook the onion, celery and carrots for about eight minutes until they are soft, then add the garlic and continue cooking for one additional minute.
10.jpg11.jpg

Drain the beans that were soaking
12.jpg

Add 48 oz. of chicken stock, 1 tsp. of dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, black pepper, to taste, the drained beans, 2 cups of diced ham, 2 Tbsp. of soy sauce, 1 can of diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted), and the Cajun seasoning packet that came in the bag of beans.
14.jpg15.jpg
16.jpg17.jpg

Bring soup to a boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 90 minutes.
18.jpg
19.jpg

Finished! Ladle some into a bowl, and you are ready for Bourbon Street. :D
20.jpg

Served with some jalapeño cheese bread.
21.jpg
 
@scatman this looks delicious! And kudos for cooking on an electric stove.

Jackie made venison chili last week and it turned out great. Sadly I missed the opportunity to take photos. She used a slow cooker rather than a Dutch oven.
 
@scatman this looks delicious! And kudos for cooking on an electric stove.

Jackie made venison chili last week and it turned out great. Sadly I missed the opportunity to take photos. She used a slow cooker rather than a Dutch oven.

Venison chili sounds good. :hungry:
 
Back
Top