Oven Baked Stew

I had been wanting to make beef stew for awhile now! I know, it's like practically summer where I am right now, but I have just been craving some major comfort food lately, and well, Beef Stew fell right into that category for me.  You'll come to realize with me that when it comes to food, Well, there really are no rules.

Like for example, I could eat pumpkin crumble any time of the year! It doesn't have to be Fall time for me to break out pumpkin desserts.  And as far as soup goes, well, I like a good soup now and again even if it is in the middle of the summer.

So when I came across this recipe over @ The Girl Who Ate Everything I knew at once that my craving was going to be fulfilled. And fulfilled fast too, cause boy, was this recipe a cinch to throw together!

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Recipe:

1 (1oz) pkg of Dry Onion Soup Mix (I use the Lipton brand)

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1 pound of lean Beef Stew Meat (cut into bite sized pieces)

1 can Cream of Celery Soup

1/2 cup Ketchup

2 medium sized potatoes (peeled and diced into bite sized pieces)

3 large carrots (peeled and diced)

1/2 of an onion (diced)

In a large bag, combine the seasonings and stew meat and shake until all the meat is well seasoned.  Place into a lighlty greased casserole dish and top with the sliced potato, carrots, and onion. Next mix together the ketchup and soup and pour over the top of the stew.  

Cover the casserole dish with a lid if it comes with one (if not, then just cover with foil) and bake @ *325 for 2 hours.  Serve with warm bread or a roll for dipping! 

(recipe source: The Girl Who Ate Everything)

Creamy Vegetable Bake

Ok, so one thing that you should all know about me is that I LOVE Cream Cheese! Like, I REALLY like cream cheese! I love it when it's in desserts like cheesecake, or in a pastry, but I also love when you can incorporate it into a savory dish like these Chicken Rolls, and this Casserole Italiano.

So when I heard that Kraft came out with a new product called Cooking Creme (it's pretty much a cream cheese in a creamier, more liquid-y, form) I knew that I was definitely going to want to give it a try, and that's when this dish was created! 

It's a dish full of delicious veggies, some egg noodles, cooking cream, then topped off with bread crumbs.  Really, it's a perfect side dish to any meal, or for you vegetarians out there, this would make a great entree too!

Plus! Don't Forget to ENTER the Giveaway! It ends tomorrow at midnight! If you already entered you may just want to double check that your entry is still there! Sorry, But Blogger decided to delete the contest the day after I put it up and a bunch of entries were deleted! CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Recipe:

1 medium zucchinni (sliced)

1 medium yellow squash (sliced)

1 cup of grape tomatoes (cut each tomato in half)

1/2 of a red onion (diced)

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 (10oz) container of Savory Garlic cooking cream

1/2 of a (12oz) package of egg noodles (cooked and drained)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3/4 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs

3-4 Tbsp. Butter (melted)

Slice and dice all the vegetables then put them in a large saute pan, and saute them in 2 Tbsp. of Olive oil for just a couple of minutes (about 3-4 min)  Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles as directed on package. (it's generally about 6 minutes for al-dente). 

Once the noodles are done cooking, pour them into a strainer, and drain them completely. Now, when the veggies are just about done cooking, stir in the container of cooking cream and noodles till everything is well incorporated.  

Now place your noodle/veggie mixture into a casserole dish or an 8x8 baking dish.  Melt your butter and combine it with the bread crumbs.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of your noodle mix and place into the oven @*350 and bake for 15 minutes or until the bread crumbs are slightly browned.  Serve hot!

Sauteed Vegetable Medley

I honestly NEVER in a million years thought that it was possible for me to crave vegetables till I came across this delightful recipe for sauted vegetables.  Ever since I have made these, all I can think about is how I have to get back to the store and get me all of these veggies again!  I was so happy cause even the whole family loved these including the hubs who usually doesn't care for most of the vegetables that go into this dish.  I have never wished for my own garden more than after making this!

Recipe:

1/2 of a whole red onion (diced very small)

1 large Garlic Clove (minced)

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 medium Zucchini (cut into 4ths)

1 medium Yellow Squash (cut into 4ths)

5-6 Button Mushrooms (sliced)

A handful of Cherry Tomatoes

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic and stir till the onion has softened a bit (about 2-3 minutes) add in the squash and zucchini stirring well to make sure all the veggies are coated with the oil. Lastly, add in the tomatoes and mushrooms and seasoning with the salt and pepper. Give it one last good stir then cover and let cook for about 7-10 minutes.  Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the veggies, then cover until the cheese has melted.  This makes a great side dish to any meal!

(Recipe Source: Family Comfort Favorites Cookbook)