Brighten Up The Winter Blues With Stew
by Nancy E. Radler
Valentine's Day is over and the Ground Hog saw his shadow which means winter is really starting to feel like it'll never end. I don't know about you, but I think now is the perfect time to spice up the winter blues by trying a new dish or two. And nothing beats the cold-weather doldrums like a hearty stew.
The great thing about stew is that you can make it in the oven, on the stove top or in a crock pot using a variety of ingredients. For meat lovers there's Healthy Rustic Beef Stew:
Tons of veggies make this is meal in itself and perfect for warming up on a cold winter day.
Healthy Rustic Beef Stew
Ingredients.
3-4 lb. boneless beef stew meat, cut into small pieces 2 qt. beef stock 2 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces 5 large celery stalks, cut into 3 inch pieces 1/2 C. diced sweet red and/or green pepper 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks 1 large onion, peeled and chopped roughly 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced 2-3 lb. small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, cut in half 1 qt. diced tomatoes with juice 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried) 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried) 1 sprig fresh savory (or 1/2 tsp. dried) 2-3 bay whole bay leaves Salt and black pepper to taste Olive oil
Directions
Sauté beef in olive oil until well browned. Add onions and sauté for a few minutes more until onions are tender. Add beef stock, herbs, garlic, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 55-60 minutes until meat starts to get tender. Add mushrooms, carrots, parsnips, bell peppers, tomatoes with juice, and celery and simmer another 30 minutes. Add potatoes and simmer until tender. If juice does not cover stew, add between 1/2-1 C. hot water. With a slotted spoon, remove meat and veggies from stew. Discard herbs and bay leaves. Thicken gravy with arrowroot or cornstarch. Return meat and veggies to gravy and simmer another 10 minutes. Serve over whole-wheat noodles or with crusty French bread.
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Beef Stew with Winter Vegetables Fajita Stew South of the Border Stew
If you're looking for lighter fare, try making a this traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Stew. This is a hearty stew that makes a fabulous meal in the winter time! Make a whole pot and it'll feed your family for a week. With potatoes, squash, carrots, onions and corn, you'll be full for a while!
Ingredients
2 10 3/4 cans reduced-fat condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted 2 C. 1/2-inch diced Yukon Gold potatoes 2 C. 1/2-inch diced peeled butternut squash 2 C. 1/2-inch thin thick sliced carrots 1 1/2 C. frozen, small white onions 1 C. frozen corn 2 ribs celery, chopped 2 Tbs. snipped fresh dill 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 6 skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour 1/4 C. water 3 Tbs. fat-free sour cream 1 C. frozen baby peas, thawed
Directions
Freshly cooked and drained egg noodles. In a 4 or 5 quart slow cooker, combine soup, potatoes, squash, carrots, onions, corn, celery, dill salt and pepper. Put thighs on top, bone side up. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 6-7 hours until chicken and vegetables are tender. Transfer chicken to cutting board to cool slightly. Skim fat from surface of vegetable mixture.
In a small bowl, stir together flour and water until blended; stir in sour cream. Stir into vegetable mixture; cover, and set slow-cooker on high. Cook 30 minutes longer, until mixture thickens. Meanwhile remove bones and fat from chicken. Shred meat, then stir into vegetable mixture with peas. Heat through. Serve over noodles.
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Vegetable Pork Stew Sausage Stew African Vegetarian Stew
And of course, when you're crunched for time nothing works better than this Crock Pot Chicken Stew:
This flavorful stew cooks in your crockpot so you don't have to worry about it. Absolutely mouth-watering and freezes well, too. Ingredients
2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes 2 can fat-free chicken broth 3 C. potatoes, peeled, cubed 1 C. onion, chopped 1 C. celery; slice 1 C. carrots; slice thin 1 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. rubbed sage 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1 6 oz. can no-salt-added tomato paste 1/4 C. cold water 3 Tbs. cornstarch
Directions
In a slow cooker, combine the first 11 ingredients; cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Mix water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into stew. Cook, covered, 30 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender.
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Beef Crockpot Stew (French Style) Waldorf Astoria Stew -
Crock Pot Slow-Cooker Rustic Stew
If you're really adventurous, try one of these flavorful favorites that'll have the whole family asking for more. Crockpot Cabbage Stew :
While the recipe includes ground beef, you can also add chopped up corned beef for that extra something Ingredients
1 small head cabbage sliced 1 large onion sliced 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic minced or garlic powder to taste 6 Tbs. powdered beef soup stock 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice 1/2 small pkg. frozen sliced carrots 1/2 small pkg. frozen cut green beans 1/2 small pkg. frozen corn 1/2 small pkg. frozen green peas 1 1/2 lb. ground beef Creole/Cajun seasoning Black Pepper Directions
Put cabbage, onion, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, and frozen veggies in crockpot. Add only enough water to just cover the ingredients. Turn crockpot to high. Leave on high until mixture gets warm. Add powdered soup stock. Turn to low. Put ground beef in fry pan. Season with Creole/Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper. Brown beef. Drain on paper towel. Add seasoned and browned/scrambled ground beef to crockpot. Cook on low to medium for several hours. Taste test and add salt if needed (may not need if soup stock is used).
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Hot Dog Stew Ravioli Stew County Cork Irish Stew Recipe
These, and other great winter busting recipes can be found at www.recipe4living.com. Remember, the season may be cold and dark, but your meals don't have to be the same. Enjoy a hearty stew with a delightful salad and warm chocolate dessert. If that doesn't restore a sunny mood, nothing will. Have a tasty week!
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© 2007 Ampere Media LLC, All Rights Reserved Recipe4Living.com features more than 11,000 user submitted recipes, ideas and recipes from Wolfgang Puck, reference guides, healthy living advice, tips for kids, and much more. All of the recipes mentioned in this article can be found at www.recipe4living.com.
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Recipe4Living.com is a growing community of home chefs sharing recipes, cooking tips, advice on topics such as healthy living or planning meals for kids, and a general love of food.
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(3--2007)
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