This hearty Red Wine and Herb Beef Stew recipe from TK member Anita is comforting and rich with fresh herbs and red wine. The sauce is delicious poured over polenta, rice, pasta or simple on its own. It would also lend itself well to the addition of other types of root vegetables.

Here’s what you’ll need: all-purpose flour, round roast, onion, garlic, carrots, olive oil, tomato paste, beef stock, chopped fresh rosemary, chopped fresh thyme, salt and pepper to taste.

While your oven preheats to 350F, dice your garlic, onions, and carrots.

Cut your beef into cubes.

In a large bowl, mix the flour in the beef until well coated.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add half the beef.

Sear for a couple of minutes, rotating the cubes during cooking to brown on all sides.

Transfer the cubes to a plate. Repeat the searing process with the remainder of the oil and beef cubes.

Remove all meat from the pot, and then whisk in 1 cup of the beef stock.

Make sure to scrape all the bits and goodies from the bottom of the pot to mix in with the stock.

Chop the rosemary, garlic and thyme.

Add the veggies and herbs to the stock …

Along with the seared beef cubes.

Add the red wine …

Then add the remainder of the beef stock.

Stir in the tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the pot and put in the oven to cook for 3 hours.

You now have a hearty, comforting meal you can serve over rice, potatoes, or egg noodles. I’m a purist, so I prefer the stew by itself.

Thanks for the recipe, Anita! For more recipes like this (and creative cocktail ideas!), visit Anita’s blog at Hungry Couple.

Printable Recipe

Red Wine and Herb Beef Stew

by Anita at Hungry Couple on October 18, 2013 in Beef, Main Courses October 18, 2013 BeefMain Courses

See post on Anita at Hungry Couple’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 3 hrs

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

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Not just warm, comforting beef stew but a kicked up version with red wine and lots of fresh herbs for the ultimate one-pot comfort meal!

Ingredients

• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 pound Beef (Round Roast) Cubes
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Or Canola Oil
• 4 cups Beef Stock (canned Is Fine)
• 1 whole Onion, Peeled And Diced
• 3 whole Carrots, Peeled And Sliced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves
• ½ cups Red Wine
• 1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Place the flour in a large bowl and add the beef cubes. Roll them around to coat.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a large Dutch oven or other oven-safe stew pot over medium-high heat. Once hot add half of the beef cubes (it’s important to not overcrowd the beef if you want it to brown instead of boil) and sear on medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, rotating the cubes during cooking to get the sear on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and put it on a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and repeat with the remainder of the beef.

When beef has all been seared and removed from the pot, whisk in 1 cup of stock. Scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pot and whisk them into the stock. Return the beef to the pot and add the onions, carrots, garlic, rosemary, thyme, remaining beef stock and red wine. Stir in the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the pot and put it into the 350 F oven to cook for 3 hours.

Serve over potatoes, egg noodles or rice. Makes approximately 4 servings but the recipe can easily be doubled.

 
 
_______________________________________

There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful books Girl Hunter and Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

 
My latest delicious discovery comes from the talented Melanie Feehan: luscious-looking Parmesan Polenta with Tomatoes and Prosciutto. It’s a quick and easy dish that provides the fresh comfort that we all love.

For the polenta, you’ll need water, salt, quick-cooking polenta, grated Parmesan cheese, milk, heavy cream, black pepper to taste. For the tomato and prosciutto topping, you’ll use olive oil, grape tomatoes, diced shallots, diced prosciutto, dried oregano, dried red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Boil then salt the water. Slowly stir in the polenta in a continuous stream. Continue to stir and cook for five minutes.

Add milk …

Cream …

And cheese! Lots and lots of cheese.

Season generously with pepper. Reduce to low heat.

Begin the tomato topping by heating the oil over medium heat.

Stir in the shallots.

Add the tomatoes and the prosciutto.

Stir in the seasonings, cover, and cook for ten minutes until the tomatoes are softened and the prosciutto crispy.

Spoon the polenta into a serving dish then top with your tomato and prosciutto mixture. Garnish with a little extra cheese and serve.

Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.

For other simple and delicious recipes like this, visit Melanie’s blog A Beautiful Bite. Her food lives up to its name!

Printable Recipe

Parmesan Polenta with Tomatoes and Prosciutto

by A Beautiful Bite on August 12, 2013 in Sides August 12, 2013 Sides

See post on A Beautiful Bite’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

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Creamy cheesy polenta topped with pan-cooked tomatoes and prosciutto. A wonderful way to use up ripe tomatoes.

Ingredients

• FOR THE POLENTA:
• 4 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Quick Cook Polenta
• 2 cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated
• 1 cup Milk
• 4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
• Black Pepper To Taste
• Optional Garnishes: Basil Chiffonade And Grated Parmesan Cheese
• FOR THE TOMATO AND PROSCIUTTO TOPPING:
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 cups Small Tomatoes (like Grape)
• ½ cups Shallots, Diced
• ¼ cups Prosciutto, Diced
• ½ teaspoons Dried Oregano
• ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flake
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Then add salt. Slowly pour in the polenta in a continuous stream, stirring continuously until incorporated. Keep stirring and cook for five minutes. Then add cheese, milk, cream and a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper. Reduce heat to low and prepare tomatoes.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the rest of the topping ingredients and give it a stir. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for ten minutes.

Pour polenta onto a large serving dish and top with tomato mixture. Garnish with basil chiffonade and grated Parmesan cheese.

 
 
_______________________________________

There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful books Girl Hunter and Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

There’s nothing like ending a hard day of work with a healthy dish your family will surely find irresistible. This Garden Vegetable Ragu from TK member Laurie is especially perfect for a hearty yet meatless. They’ll never guess it’s actually (gasp!) good for them!

To make it, you will need: olive oil, butter, diced onion, sliced zucchini, sliced yellow squash, carrot (peeled and grated), minced garlic, tomato sauce, diced can tomatoes, dry red wine (e.g. Merlot), sugar, basil, oregano, italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

After heating the olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat, add the veggies and sauté until golden brown.

Pour in tomato sauce and canned diced tomatoes.

Add the red wine …

Season with the dried herbs, salt, pepper …

And sugar.

Stir, cover, then reduce heat to a simmer for 35-40 minutes. Finally, add half of the Parmesan. The red wine sauce will thicken as it cooks.

Boom! A chunky, savory sauce you can serve over pasta, rice, even spaghetti squash if you really want to increase the nutrition factor. Thank you, Laurie! For other hearty recipes that are sure to please your loved ones, visit her blog Simply Scratch.

Printable Recipe

Garden Vegetable Ragu

by Laurie - Simply Scratch on October 25, 2011 in Special Dietary Needs, Vegetarian October 25, 2011 Special Dietary NeedsVegetarian

See post on Laurie - Simply Scratch’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 35 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

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Comfort food made healthy… who knew? It’s so hearty you won’t even notice it’s all vegetables!

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 2 whole Small Zucchini, Trimmed And Sliced Into Half Moons
• 2 whole Small Yellow Squash, Trimmed And Sliced Into Half Moons
• 1 whole Medium Carrot, Peeled And Grated
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced Or Pressed Through A Garlic Press
• 1 can (28 Oz. Or Two 15 Oz.) Tomato Sauce
• 2 cans Diced Tomatoes (15 Oz. Cans)
• 1 cup Good Dry Red Wine (like Merlot)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dried Basil, Or More To Taste
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Or More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning (or More To Taste)
• Kosher Salt And Black Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Divided
• Optional Add-ins Listed Below (Italian Sausage, Sliced Mushrooms)

Preparation Instructions

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and butter in a very large, deep skillet or a Dutch oven on medium heat.

Once hot and working in batches, sauté the onions, zucchini and yellow squash until soft and slightly golden. Remove to a bowl after each batch. When done, add all the vegetables back into the skillet, including the carrot and the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce and the diced tomatoes. Add in the cup of red wine. Season the sauce with the sugar, dried herbs, a little salt, and a lot of black pepper. Stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 35-40 minutes. Lastly add the half cup of Parmesan (reserve the rest to garnish), taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve over pasta or prepared spaghetti squash.

Optional Ingredients:
1/2 to 3/4 pound of Italian Sausage; for a spicy and meaty ragu. If preparing this with the Italian sausage… Brown up the ground sausage, remove it from the pan, then sauté the onions, squash etc in the sausage renderings, adding olive oil if needed.

8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, which you will slice and saute with vegetables.

Parmesan Cheese Rind; just throw the cheese rind in while sauce simmers and remove it before serving.

 
 
_______________________________________

There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful books Girl Hunter and Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

In a season filled with hearty stews, warm baked goods, and rich sauces, we found this Orzo with Kale and Roasted Tomatoes from TK member Lindsay to be refreshing and light while still being festive for the cold months. This recipe is quick with flavors that, although simple, will knock those winter socks off. And it’s perfect for the day after all that Super Bowl noshing!

Here’s what you’ll need: dried orzo cooked to package directions, kale, whole Roma tomatoes, salt, sugar, olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese, either shaved or grated.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Cut your tomatoes into 1-inch pieces …

Like so.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the tomatoes on the pan, and then sprinkle with salt and sugar.

Place in the oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours.

Right before tomatoes have roasted, begin preparing the rest of the ingredients by removing the stems from the kale.  

Thinly slice the leaves.

Add the kale to a large bowl, and sprinkle with salt.

Massage the leaves for 30 seconds to tenderize the kale.

Mince the garlic clove.

Measure out ¼ cup of the olive oil.

Saute the minced garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat. Stir until just fragrant. Turn the heat off and let the oil cool.

When tomatoes are done roasting, they should come out dried and wilted with the edges slightly dark.

Stir the cooked orzo into the bowl of kale.

Pour the garlic oil into the same bowl and stir. Add salt to your taste preference. It’s best to do this a little at a time while tasting.

Add most of the Parmesan …

And roasted tomatoes.

Toss well.

Serve the orzo in a bowl, and then top with the rest of the shaved Parmesan. This could be served as a side or a main course. The roasted tomatoes added a whole other level of depth to the dish. Lindsay created a masterpiece that is just as hearty as it is simple! Visit her blog FunnyLove for more inspired recipes like this.

Printable Recipe

Orzo with Kale and Roasted Tomatoes

by Lindsay @ My Therapist Cooks on November 22, 2013 in Special Dietary Needs, Vegetarian November 22, 2013 Special Dietary NeedsVegetarian

See post on Lindsay @ My Therapist Cooks’s site!

0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 2 hrs

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 10

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Vegan if you omit the cheese. But oh, the roasted tomatoes. Oh, my goodness.

Ingredients

• 12 whole Roma Tomatoes, Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces
• ½ teaspoons Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt, Plus More To Taste
• 1 bunch Kale, Stems Removed And Thinly Sliced
• ¼ cups Olive Oil
• 1 clove Minced Garlic
• 3 cups Dried Orzo, Cooked To Package Directions
• 2 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved Or Grated.

Preparation Instructions

Heat the oven to 325 F. Place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet that you’ve lined with parchment or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with the salt and sugar. Roast for 1.5 to 2 hours or until tomatoes are dried, wilted and slightly dark at the edges.

When tomatoes are roasted or nearly roasted, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Add the kale into a large bowl with a sprinkle of salt and massage for 30 seconds or so to tenderize.

Add the olive oil into a small pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic to the oil and stir until just fragrant, then turn the heat off and let the oil cool.

Into the bowl with the kale, add the cooked orzo and garlic oil. Stir and taste. Add salt to your preference. Very gently stir in the tomatoes and most of the Parmesan. Top with the rest of the Parmesan and serve.

Best served warm or at room temperature, but also can be served hot or cold.

 
 
_______________________________________

There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful books Girl Hunter and Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

The only thing Texans love more than game day is an irresistible game day wing! This week, our love for all things tailgate inspired us to test out these Sticky Lime Chicken Wings provided by TK member Mike.       Here’s what you’ll need: 3 pounds chicken wings (3 pounds should be roughly 25 […]

   I found this scrumptious Chocolate Orange Mousse recipe from TK member Riley, who paired the classic flavors of orange and chocolate to create this easy dream of a dessert. The best part is that you can make them in Mason jars of many sizes instead of ramekins and simply screw a lid on […]