Belgian Beef and Beer Stew

There is only one beef stew I’m use to making and it’s Mediterranean but I came across this one and seeing that  beer was a main ingredient raised my interest in this dish.  I have no interest in making American or Irish beef stew for it’s lack of use of flavor enriched ingredients nor do I care for potatoes so this one was  perfect for it’s use of carrots, mushrooms and parsnips.  I’m keeping this one on my reuse menu.   I can’t remember where I got my Mediterranean beef stew recipe from so I can’t post it, I’ve been using it for years and it is by far my favorite recipe to make.  This one is really good too and low in carbs.  I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

• 3  center-cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 1/2  pounds  boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2  cups  chopped onion (about 2 medium)
• 5  cups  sliced cremini mushrooms (about 12 ounces)
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1  (12-ounce) bottle amber beer
• 2  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) slices carrot (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 3/4  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) slices parsnip (about 1/2 pound)
• 1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 2  tablespoons  country-style Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 1/2  teaspoon  caraway seeds
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  bay leaf

 

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings; set aside. Add half of beef to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef.

2. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until half of liquid evaporates. Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add bacon, beef, carrot, and remaining ingredients to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf.

Beer note: With Belgian Beef and Beer Stew, focus on Belgian beers in the style of Dubbel or Brune. These words indicate a dark-colored, malty beer that goes well with braised beef. Moinette Brune ($9/750 ml) offers fruity sweetness that works with caramelized vegetables and a bready quality that matches any stew, while the beer’s lively effervescence and surprisingly light body won’t weigh down a winter meal. –Jeffery Lindenmuth

 

Nutritional Information

Calories:

373

Fat:

12.2g (sat 5g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.4g)

Protein:

40.4g

Carbohydrate:

18.4g

Fiber:

3.9g

Cholesterol:

118mg

Iron:

5.1mg

Sodium:

780mg

Calcium:

56mg

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Brown Sugar Cheesecake With Cranberry Compote

Good God was this good, adapted from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

• Cheesecake:
• 1 3/4  cups  gingersnap crumbs (about 30 cookies, finely crushed)
• 2  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 1  tablespoon  fat-free milk
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  (1 pound) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1  cup  (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
• 1/2  cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  granulated sugar
• 1.3  ounces  cake flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 2  large eggs
• 1/2  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
• 2  tablespoons  maple syrup
• 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
• Compote:
• 2  cups  fresh cranberries (about 8 ounces)
• 1  cup  shredded peeled ripe pear (1 medium)
• 1/2  cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4  cup  fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges)
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. To prepare cheesecake, combine gingersnap crumbs, butter, and milk in a medium bowl; stir with a fork. Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 3 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

3. Place cheeses in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Add sugars, beating until well combined. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour to cheese mixture; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream, syrup, and vanilla; beat well. Pour cheese mixture into crust. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Turn oven off. Remove cheesecake; run a knife around outside edge. Return cheesecake to oven, and partially open oven door. Cool cheesecake 1 hour in oven. Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

4. To prepare compote, combine cranberries and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until the cranberries pop, stirring frequently. Cool to room temperature, and serve over cheesecake.

 

Nutritional Information

Calories:

272

Fat:

10.6g (sat 6.2g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

7.4g

Carbohydrate:

37.2g

Fiber:

1.4g

Cholesterol:

55mg

Iron:

1.5mg

Sodium:

320mg

Calcium:

92mg

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Black Pepper and Molasses Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

This is so tasty and it’s from Cooking Light with only 294 calories!   You must use chicken thighs when making this and not the breast as it is the most tender part of the chicken. It also suggest to use pork in replacement too. I used 100% whole grain bread extra thin for a more healthy dish.  Don’t skip the pickles it is a really nice crunchy addition and the flavors incorporate really good together.

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  ketchup
• 1  tablespoon  cider vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  prepared mustard
• 1  tablespoon  molasses
• 3/4  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground ginger
• 12  ounces  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4  (2-ounce) sandwich rolls, cut in half horizontally
• 12  dill pickle chips

 

Preparation

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 23 minutes or until chicken is done and tender. Remove from heat; shred with 2 forks to measure 2 cups meat. Place 1/2 cup chicken on bottom half of each roll. Top each with 3 pickles and top half of roll.

Beer Note: Apricots are a popular fruit among brewers of beer, and for very good reason. Their distinctive fruity flavor is especially refreshing with grilled, spicy, and barbecue-style dishes. Magic Hat #9 from Vermont ($8/6-pack) has more subtle apricot notes, finishing crisp and dry. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

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Spiced Rubbed Pork Chops with Sweet Potato Wedges and Green Beans

If you’re looking to cut out the carbs from your diet, try this recipe!  Quick and easy too.  Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.   If you would love to take part in the Magazine Monday event  or you just want to see what other  magazine recipes are out there visit Cream Puffs in Venice site.

Ingredients

• 2  (4-ounce) boneless pork loin chops (about 3/4-inch thick)
• 1/8  teaspoon  garlic salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground coriander
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/4  teaspoon  brown sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  olive oil

 

Preparation

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt. Combine coriander, cumin, and sugar in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over 1 side of pork. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan, spice side down. Cook 2 minutes or until browned. Turn pork over, and cook 4 minutes or until done.

 

Nutritional Information

Calories:

193

Fat:

9.8g (sat 2.8g,mono 5.3g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:

23.9g

Carbohydrate:

0.7g

Fiber:

0.1g

Cholesterol:

65mg

Iron:

0.8mg

Sodium:

109mg

Calcium:

27mg

For the green beans- just steam them until crisp, grate about 1 tsp of lemon peel and  a dash of salt.  For the Sweet Potatoes- cut into wedges toss in a bowl with 1 tsp paprika, salt and olive oil toss to coat and bake or fry which ever method you prefer until soft.

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Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

So, I’ve got the pumpkin, the chocolate and the lemon for the tart lovers.  A dessert for all taste types.  I will also be posting some more desserts in the next couple of weeks when we get closer to Christmas.  My Mom is a huge tart lover, lemon desserts is what she prefers so I made this cream cheese lemon tart on Thanksgiving for her.

I found this at Joy of Baking

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Chocolate Mousse Pie with Peanut Butter Toping

Okay….so it is the Holiday season, all the reason to post all these dessert recipes for anyone that would like to give them a go for Christmas.     It is a rich chocolate mousse with a light peanut butter topping.

I pulled this one out of an old Magazine and have used it for years, so it will require for me to dig some in order to find it online.

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 7 whole graham crackers, coarsely broken
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons sugar, divided

• 1 1/3 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
• 2/3 cup plus 1 3/4 cups chilled whipping cream, divided
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

• 6 ounces (1 cup) peanut butter chips
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish with nonstick spray. Blend graham crackers, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in processor until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture over bottom and up sides of prepared pie dish. Bake crust until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine chocolate chips, 2/3 cup cream, corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium heat until chocolate softens, about 3 minutes. Whisk until melted and smooth. Spread chocolate mixture over bottom of crust. Freeze 10 minutes.

Microwave peanut butter chips and 3/4 cup cream in large microwave-safe bowl on medium heat at 15-second intervals just until chips soften, stirring often. Whisk in peanut butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool to barely lukewarm. Beat remaining 1 cup cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until very thick but not yet holding peaks; fold into peanut butter mixture in 3 additions. Spoon mousse over chocolate layer. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Recipe found in an old Bon Appetit Magazine

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Maple-Pecan Sweet Potatoes

Mmmm… I love sweet potatoes.

This was not only tasty but low in Calories!  I grabbed this recipe from Cooking Light and it made a perfect addition to our Thanksgiving Holiday Feast.   I forgot to take a picture of it after I melted the topping in the oven…. click on the link for a finished pic.

I decided to start adding in the recipe  just in case something goes wrong with the link location.

• 2 3/4  pounds  sweet potatoes
• 1/4  cup  half-and-half
• 3  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 3  tablespoons  maple syrup
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/8  teaspoon  ground allspice
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  mini-marshmallows
• 2  tablespoons  chopped pecans

 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork; place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool slightly; peel and mash in a large bowl.

3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

4. Stir half-and-half and the next 8 ingredients (through egg) into sweet potatoes. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the top with mini-marshmallows and chopped pecans; bake 12 minutes or until the mini-marshmallows are slightly melted. Serve immediately.

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