Blog Archives
Favorite Beef Stroganoff
First, I’m going to give the recipe so you can easily jump to top of page for ingredients and instructions and then add helpful photos. TIP: Rather than putting raw ingredients into the slow cooker, I highly suggest following first two steps thoroughly for best flavor.
Ingredients
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 pounds boneless beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 sweet yellow onion , thinly sliced
• 8 ounces crimini mushrooms , sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire
• 1 teaspoon dried green herb blend (thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, etc)
• 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 16 ounces egg noodles, cooked about a minute or two less than done
Instructions:
• With high heat and tablespoon of oil in skillet, brown beef on all sides. Move the beef from skillet into the crockpot pot (or Dutch oven pot, if you’ll finish the cooking process in the oven instead of slow cooker crockpot.)
• Add thinly sliced sweet yellow onion into the skillet with a tablespoon of butter and a generous sprinkle of salt. Cook on low-medium until onions become translucent and quite blond. This step can take about 30 minutes, so it is a great time to tend to another task and just stir onions occasionally.
• Once onions are ready, add a few cloves of finely chopped garlic and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook until the liquid from mushrooms has released.
• In a small bowl (I used a 4 cup glass) mix together the 2 cups beef stock, 1 Tbsp mustard, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire, herbs, paprika, & pepper. Add this mix to the skillet of onions, garlic, & mushrooms. Stir thoroughly.
• Pour this full skillet over the beef in the slow cooker crockpot.
• Set timer for 6-8 hours and walk away. (-or- Cover pot and roast in the oven for 2-3 hours, until beef is easy to shred.)
• Near end of beef cooking time, boil egg noodles according to package directions (about 7 minutes.) Drain.
• Using two forks, easily shred the tender beef into bite size pieces. Stir in the sour cream. Add your cooked noodles. Serve and Enjoy!
Well, is this a recipe you’ll try at home, too?
I’m not promoting this recipe as a “one pot meal,” like the ones where authors suggest putting a bunch of raw ingredients into the slow cooker. I truly, truly believe this dish is infinitely elevated if you take the moment to pre-brown all sides of the beef. Likewise, using that same skillet, cooking the onions over low-medium heat for an extended period of time really brings out a sweetness in the onions that you wouldn’t get if added to slow cooker raw.
Rather than standing over onions in the skillet for half an hour, I simply just tend to other tasks in the room and only stir them every 5-7 minutes. (I’ll unload the dishwasher, or catch up on email, or just anything else I can do while loosely keeping an eye on the onions.)
Let me know if you have questions! I’m also always interested in hearing about ways you make adjustments for your particular taste preferences. I hope you find this as a great base to make it your own. The meat is so tender! The sauce is so rich and flavorful.
(Using a red wine, like a Malbec, in addition to or instead of beef stock yields great results, too!)
Later Gators & Afterwhile Crocodiles! Your Friend, —AmberHH
Chicken, Olive, Feta, Pesto, SourCream Bake
🍗🍈🥛
How about a high fat, high protein, low carb dish? Sounds good to me! If, like me, you like olives, feta, & pesto, then this may be the perfect dish for you to make, too! On Sundays, I like to meal prep my lunch for the week. This recipe makes 6 servings, so I’ll enjoy one serving tonight and one serving for lunch each day mon-fri this week. Yay! 🙌🏻
DIRECTIONS:
1. Chop boneless skinless chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté in olive oil until done.
2. Arrange chicken, olives, and feta cheese in a 9×12 glass baking dish.
3. Stir together the sour cream and pesto. A spoonful at a time, add it to the top of the baking dish, then smooth it over, thus coating the top of the chicken, olives, & feta with the sauce.
4. Bake in preheated 375*F oven for 20-25 minutes. The Sauce will bubble and edges will brown.
5. Portion into 6 servings. Enjoy!
🍗🍈🥛🙌🏻🥛🍈🍗
Ingredient Detail Photos:
Process Detail Photos:
Enjoy:
The macros were calculated by MyFitnessPal app when I created the recipe and scanned the ingredients into the app.
525 calories per serving
40 fat
3.5 carb
32.5 protein
Your Friend,
AmberHH
Flavorful Meatless Stuffed Jumbo Pasta Shells!
Easy recipe! Don’t overthink it; just adjust for your preferences as you go! I love this combination of flavor! You might leave out the crushed red pepper or kick it up by adding a lot! I’ve added lots of photos for reference!
Ingredients:
2 cups of ricotta
0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
fresh smashed garlic clove
frozen chopped spinach ( squeezed and drained)
Jumbo pasta shells, boiled
salt, pepper
roasted butternut squash
grated lemon peel
stick of butter
Fresh sage leaves, garlic powder, red pepper flakes
fresh lemon
DIRECTIONS:
1) Peel, chop and toss in olive oil your butternut squash, then in a hot oven roast at 425 degrees fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes. Cook your jumbo pasta shells according to directions. Steam your spinach according to directions.
2) In a bowl add approximately 2 cups of ricotta, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 fresh smashed garlic clove, frozen chopped spinach ( squeezed and drained), salt, pepper, your cooled down roasted squash, and grated lemon peel. The lemon peel was key to this dish and added a nice bright flavor. Stuff the shells with the mixture and place in a buttered baking dish and top with shredded pepper jack cheese.
3) Place your shells in a 400 degrees fahrenheit oven until heated through around 20-25 minutes.
4) While it bakes, make a sage brown butter sauce by melting 1 stick of butter in a saute pan until golden brown and bubbly. Add at least 10 sage leaves until slightly crisp, garlic powder, & crushed red pepper flakes. Turn off heat and squeeze in fresh lemon juice. When it finishes baking and cheese is melty, spoon your warm sage sauce all over and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Enjoy!
Try it?
Your Friend, AmberHH
pi Day = 3.14 “Cheesy Crab Pie”
I like theme days! They’re like simplified, fun holidays! You? In honor of 3.14, March 14th, we made Pie for pi day! Specifically, this is an easy, cheesy Crab Pie!
(More photos after these not too wordy instructions)
Ingredients:
2- 9″ deep pie crusts (baked 3 minutes and cooled)
1 lb. lump crab meat *
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup whole milk
12 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1- Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1- Tbsp. finely chopped green pepper
Directions:
1) preheat oven to 350*F
2) whisk together eggs, milk, flour, seasoning
3) fold in mayo
4) add crab, cheeses, onion, & pepper
5) divide evenly into two pie shells
6) bake for 50 minutes
*) optional, create a “pi” template, then sprinkle seasoning spices (Old Bay) into the negative space of the template to create the pi 💞👍👍
I served it with a sauté of squash, zucchini, carrots, & onions.
Happy “pi Day,” Friends!
😊 — Amber Hamilton Henson
Quick Crab Bisque!
Serves: Serves 6
Ingredients
1 pound lump crab meat
2 stalks celery, reserve the celery leaves, finely diced (about ¾ cup)
1 cup of shredded/grated “matchstick” carrots
1 clove garlic, minced
celery leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1-2 cups fresh spinach leaves
3 tablespoons reduced fat butter
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups half-‘n’-half
½ cup sherry (can use cooking sherry)
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot. Add the carrots and celery, cook until just softened, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the sherry until all absorbed, stir, browning slightly for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth, add the garlic, chopped celery leaves, chopped parsley, spinach, and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat, stir in light cream, stir and cook over low heat until heated through, then add crab meat, stir, and serve!
Enjoy! Daughter paired it with garlic cheese toast!
💞😃
Your Friend, AmberHH
TexMex Spaghetti Squash for “National Spaghetti Day!”
Another low calorie yummy meatless meal rich in vitamins and fiber!
Spaghetti squash, black beans, corn, sautéed onions, peppers, & garlic. + cilantro, cumin, oregano, & chili powder!
This is my new replacement for taco night!
(Mitch had cheese on his! I didn’t.)
Easy instructions:
1) split your spaghetti squash and cook it face down in 1″ of water in a casserole dish. Shred with a fork after its done.
2) chop veg and sauté, stir in beans, and taco seasoning or other TexMex spices.
3) stir the sauté ‘d veg into to spaghetti squash shell and serve! *Optional, coat with shredded cheese and bake until cheese melts!
Enjoy!
Your Friend,
Amber Hamilton Henson
Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich for Dinner
GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE
Dill havarti cheese, asparagus, spiced avocado, & sharp cheddar on seeded rye
Easy! You already know how to use a griddle to make a grilled cheese sandwich, so just add some fun between the layers of cheese!
I used great a great dill infused cheese, sharp cheddar, asparagus that was quickly prebaked in olive oil and s&p, and avocado mashed with cayenne pepper and s&p. I used olive oil to lightly coat the bread, assembled, then put it on the hot griddle for a few minutes, flipped it, cooked it a few more minutes. Then, I plated it, took a photo, and ate it! It was super yummy!! You’ll try it? 😃
–AmberHH
Balsamic, Cream, Truffle Oil Mushroom Pasta!
Super Yummy!
So decadent and rich!
Prep in under 10 minutes and ready in 25!
Ingredients
8 ounces wheat pasta
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoon black truffle olive oil
1/2 cup shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh parsley paste
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a few tablespoons for garnish
salt & pepper
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking prepare the mushroom sauce.
In a large pan, melt 2 tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoon of truffle olive oil over medium heat. Once melted, add in the shallots and garlic and cook for a few minutes or so, just until softened. S&P
Add in the sliced mushrooms and toss them around to get them coated in the butter and olive oil. If needed, add an additional tablespoon of truffle olive oil if the mushrooms get too dry. S&P. Let them cook and brown for about 8 minutes.
Pour in the balsamic vinegar and stir everything together making sure to scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add in the other tablespoon of butter. Cook everything together for 5-8 minutes and then turn off the heat and move the pan off the burner.
Pour in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Add in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with additional parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top
Enjoy!
ProjectSTIR
#PhotoChallenge #October #2015
#ProjectSTIR
Use your social media to share your family’s cooking traditions!
Details about the project, prizes, and so forth can be found by clicking here –> http://www.sarahshotts.com/projectstir/
In addition to posting my photos on my personal fb page, IG account and Pinterest, I’ll update this blog daily to add new photos to THIS post!
Day 1: kitchen tool
(Yes! I have a kitchen utensil or two! Here is one of many drawers that house my kitchen utensils.)
Day 2: recipe card
(Yes! I have LOTS of cards. My favorites: those that family members have filled out for me and my extensive collection of cards that I used to pick up for free in the @WalMart produce section years ago. I have like 100 of them in this square basket. It’s not hard to tell that I’m born and raised in Arkansas!)
Day 3: Mixing Bowl.
FireKing Jadeite. I don’t have a complete collection. My first one was passed to me from my great grandmother via my Gram. I’ve purchased several at antique stores to accompany it. I use them all the time. They’re the best for cheese dip. They’re fabulous to serve salad. They’re my “go to” mixing bowls.
Day 4: Memory
I remember my great grandparents (my dad’s mother’s parents.) I have vivid memories of sitting at their kitchen table drinking a malt, picking up pecans in their backyard, and so many more. They were amazing. These are photos of them as I remember them, one of her recipe books that my grandmother has trusted me to care for and pass to future generations, and a glass juicer from their kitchen. You can read quite a bit about the amazing life of my great-grandfather, Bill Seiz, at: http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=2719
Day5: Globe
💞🌍🌏🌎🇦🇺🇧🇪🇺🇸🇹🇷🌎🌏🌍💞
I have 100 or so #cookbooks. Here are a handful of favorites representing various cuisine. Chinese, Spanish, Italian, American (specifically, Southern,) English. 😊
Day 6: Ingredients
🌿🍐
I like using seasonal ingredients and prefer to include at least one ingredient a day from my garden.
Today, I made scones using Rosemary, Pear, Asiago cheese, and Eggnog! They turned out great! The Rosemary is from my 15 foot long, evergreen Rosemary Hedge! Love it!
Get my recipe for these scones, here: https://whatamberloves.com/2015/10/07/scones/
Read more about my love and uses for Rosemary on another post:
https://whatamberloves.com/2014/06/23/rosemary-water/
DOLMA! (Lamb in GrapeLeaves!)
LAMB DOLMAS
1 1⁄2 Lb lean ground lamb
1⁄2 medium sized leek (finely chopped)
5 cloves garlic (minced)
2 lemons (zested and juiced)
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
small handful of mint leaves (chopped)
small handful parsley (chopped)
small handful fresh dill (chopped)
2 tsp mustard
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper to your liking
1 jar grape leaves (drained of brine and soaked in fresh cold water)
*Place a medium to large size sauté pan over medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of grape seed or olive oil and lightly cook leeks and garlic till softened but not browned (about 5 minutes), to cool. set aside
*After allowing leeks to cool, add all ingredients except grape leaves in a sufficient mixing bowl. Begin to mix filling until just thoroughly combined making sure not to over mix . *Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
*Lay out a clean towel or some paper towel. One at a time, take a grape leave, place shiny side down on towel stem facing yourself. Add a couple small spoonfuls of lamb mixture to center of grape leaf. Firmly tuck in left and right side of leaf, then with both of your thumbs tightly roll forward. (You can do this one by one or lay ten leaves out at a time)
*Place each dolma on a lightly sprayed (with olive oil) sheet pan seam side down. Place sheet pan on middle rack in a preheated 400 oven and bake for about 8 minutes or until internal tem- perature is 140 degrees.
Makes 25-30 dolmas. ENJOY!
🙂
~Amber Hamilton Henson
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