Mexican Stew

This straightforward spicy stew takes little effort and just a bit of time however it is satisfying and perfect to warm you up on a chilly Fall or Winter's night. 

Mexican Stew  ( Carne Guisada ) 

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1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 pounds stewing beef, cubed

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

2 cans (796ml, 28 fl oz) no salt diced tomatoes

2 cans (8oz) crushed tomato sauce

2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped - optional

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed - optional

In a large stock pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the stew meat and cook until browned on all sides. Add the onion and green and red peppers and sauté for a few more minutes. 

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, jalapeños, if adding, garlic, and chili powder, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer over a gentle boil, covered, for 40 to 50 minutes.

Add the salt and black pepper and adjust the seasoning according your to taste. Stir in the black beans and allow to simmer a few more minutes. Serve into bowls with a warm tortilla on the side. May also be served with rice.

Notes: I added a bit more chili powder then stated. If you can not find crushed tomato sauce then use strained tomatoes or pasta sauce. This recipe does make a large amount so there were leftovers to which I added a cup of frozen corn.   

Leftovers #38 ~ Pasta Salad

The last time I made a pasta salad, with leftover pasta, I used greek yogurt which tends to make a more thick sticky dressing. This time, sour cream was used and it was lighter  and more creamier. Reminiscent of shop pasta salad however far more tastier and less fat. 

Pasta Salad

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2 cups leftover pasta, any shape will do... I had penne

half of a green pepper, chopped 

half of a red pepper, chopped

1/3 cup of diced red onion

For the dressing:

1 cup light (low fat) sour cream

3 tablespoons light (low fat) mayonnaise

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or any vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon mixed herbs of your choice, I used a premixed maple bacon seasoning

some fresh ground pepper

Place leftover pasta into a large serving bowl. Add the chopped veggies. Toss. Set aside.

In another bowl combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mixed herbs, and the ground pepper. Stir.

Pour the dressing over the pasta and veggies. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill and mallow for a few hours.

Notes: revive leftover pasta by placing it in a colander and run a bit of warm water over the pasta and allow to drain. 


Hope everyone had a great weekend! - JD  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Asparagus Quiche

Leftover steamed asparagus plus eggs equal... one satisfying dinner. Add chopped red peppers and plenty of feta cheese, all with a dash of hot sauce. This is an easy weekday meal that has flavour and comfort waiting to be shared.   

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD 

Leftovers #32 ~ The Anything Goes Salad

Having little bits of this a that in the refrigerator and pantry can bring together a tasty meal or side under the most creative circumstances. For this salad, anything goes... or went into it. The only thing I bought were the tomatoes; other than that everything else was leftover or on hand. Sometimes, salads do not have to be about the leafy greens. 

First I made the dressing... in a dressing shaker, I mixed together avocado oil with lime zest, lime juice, grainy mustard, honey, summer savoury herb and pepper.   

I had some leftover chickpeas, lentils, and sliced mushrooms which were tossed in oil and seasoned and roasted in a 425ºF oven until browned. As those roasted I chopped and sliced the green pepper, red pepper, and cucumber. They were placed into a large bowl. I then added a handful of cherry tomatoes, almonds and dried cranberries. I found a few slices of multigrain seed bread so I cubed the bread and once the chickpeas, lentils, and mushrooms were finished roasting and placed in a separate bowl to cool, I toasted the cubed bread in the oven, under the same temperature 425ºF, for a few minutes. Creating croutons. 

I then added the cooled roasted mixture to the large bowl of fresh veggies and drizzled the avocado lime dressing over everything. Gave it a really good toss then added the croutons and tossed again. What is not pictured here is the nice golden brown slices of pan-fried halloumi cheese I placed on top. 

Notes: All ingredients made a fairly large salad which there were leftovers; and the next day the croutons softened a bit however very flavourful, crisp and still delicious!  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Zucchini and Red Pepper Lasagne

This is our vegetarian meal this week which is great because that means there will be leftovers for another vegetarian meal night. Which sounds fabulous to me! 

Sometimes it is hard to keep the Food Photo of the Day to just one photo. I had to share this. Look at the layers of zucchini and red peppers nestled between noodles and cheese. I know, I am being a bit of a tease with this photo. 

Hope everyone's week has been good so far.  - JD 

My Week In Food

This is my version of the Coronation Chicken salad. Nothing can get better unless you can add a bit of curry to it. Fresh red peepers and celery. Diced chicken. A handful of crushed almonds. Some mayonnaise and curry powder. Keeping calm and caring on never tasted so good. 

Getting back to basics with this spinach Greek salad. Colourful and fresh all settled with a savoury dressing. 

I made a pot of tangy barbeque sauce... 

That was poured over chicken drumsticks and baked in the oven. 

A trip to the farmers market earlier this week had me bringing home all sorts of fresh and tasty goodies. This red lentil pate is one of them. Delicious with crackers and pita bread. It can also be used as a sandwich spread. 

I did say curry earlier and I am saying it again. I found this spice mix at the grocery store, Save On Foods. Just add the chicken, tomatoes, and cream. Making curry from scratch just got easier. I found the chicken curry to be spicier than others however I feel it is more of a true chicken curry. I highly recommend this spice brand.     

And finally... I used the Camp coffee in baking and last night I decided to make a coffee with it. Very easy to make add about 8 ounces of hot milk to 1 1/2 teaspoons of Camp coffee. As the milk was heating I used a whisked to give it a bit of froth. It had a lovely mild caramel flavour. I have also been told that you can make it with hot water and then add the milk. 

Hope everyone has a good weekend! - JW 

Leftovers #10 - Rice Salad

While putting away leftovers in the refrigerator a slight clanking sound kept repeating. Foraging my hands towards the back of the shelf I couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Pulling the glass dish towards more of a recognizable light I popped the lid and realized the contents were leftover rice. I could not have been more delighted and immediately decided that it was going to be the inspiration for my rice salad.

Since I already had rice that was cooked and a few days old, all that was needed were a few vegetables, black beans, cheese and a dressing. A trip to the grocery store found everything that I was looking for. Green leafy, potato and pasta salads may take a back seat after you have tried this rice salad.           

You can make this salad using freshly made rice however I like to used cooked day old rice. It seems to absorb the flavours better. My leftover rice was a mixture of jasmine and brown rice. The veggies, fresh and crisp and the thinly sliced spinach leaves added little shards of greeny goodness.    

Rice Salad

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2-3 cups cooked, few day old rice 

1 red pepper, diced

half a red onion, diced

1/3 of a cucumber, sliced and then quartered or halved

1 small can of organic black beans, rinsed and drained 

1 tomato, diced

A handful or two of thinly sliced spinach leaves

feta cheese, crumbled 

Dressing

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In a glass jar add the following ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced/crushed

2 teaspoons oregano 

a bit of freshly ground black pepper

Put the lid on tightly and shake madly. Blending all the ingredients. This will help you vent any frustration you may have. 

I placed the leftover rice into a large bowl. I used a fork to separate any clumps... in fact you can probably use your clean hands to break up all the clumpy bits. Rinse and drain the black beans and set aside. In the meantime... chop, dice, and slice the veggies.   

I pre-chopped the veggies however you don't have too. Place the red pepper, red onion, and cucumber in the bowl with the rice. Once the black beans have drained for a bit add the beans to the bowl as well. Giving everything a gentle stir. 

Pour half of the dressing over top of the rice and veggie mixture. Stir to make sure everything gets coated with the dressing. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours so that the everything can absorb the flavours from the dressing.  

An hour before serving pour the rest of the dressing over the salad and toss. Add the sliced spinach leaves and the diced tomatoes. Stir. Place the crumbled feta cheese on top. The salad is ready to be served.   

Notes: You can also add some freshly grated lemon rind to the dressing or salad. You can use other veggies or different kinds of cheese. Try adding wild rice. 

I added the tomatoes last because, I find, as tomatoes sit they tend to get mushy so either add them at the last moment or use them as a garnish.

  

Leftovers #4 Garlic Herbed Spaghettini with Sausage and Red Pepper

Leftover sausages not a problem! First take about a 1/2 cup of olive oil and warm in a pan  over medium heat. Then add 3-4 crushed cloves of garlic. Let the garlic brown nicely. Making sure not the burn the garlic. Remove from heat. Boil water in a pot. Add whatever pasta you fancy. I chose spaghettini. Cook until al dente. Drain. Pour the olive oil with garlic over the drained pasta. Toss to coat. Add the chopped sausages and red peppers or whatever meat, soy or veggies you have. Add the herbs. Then toss again. Making sure everything comes together and all is coated. You can grate some parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately! An excellent way to use leftovers. A very filling meal or side dish. An all around feel good meal! - JW         

Fennel and Red Pepper

The other day when I did my shop I was compelled to buy a fennel... well two in fact. I have had fennel before, on rare occasion. So I was excited to take them home and bake them along with the red peppers I already had. At first I thought this was a more of a  fall/winter dish but now I think roasting vegetables at any point during the year is fine. Depends on what veggies are available in your area.  

I quartered the fennel and red peppers. Tossed them in a large bowl with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Making sure they were coated well. Then laid them on a foil lined baking tray for about 30-40 minutes in a preheated 400º oven. You want the fennel to be golden... slightly caramelised, not over cooked. I do like my roasted veggies to have some crunch. The red peppers you want slightly blackened, so to speak. Soft and fleshy but not mushy. When the veggies are done. Take them out of the oven and sprinkle with just a pinch of sea salt. 

This is easy make and will accompany salmon, chicken or pork very well. An egg dish would also work and that is what I served it with the other night. -JW