I'm delighted to be in a full kitchen again while Lynn is recovering. I love to cook and the bigger the meal like at Thanksgiving or Christmas is wonderful! I have five things to cook a meal with at the ranch as I don't trust the electricity in our very old mobile home: toaster oven, electric skillet, slow cooker, microwave, and outdoor grill. Believe it or not I cooked an entire Thanksgiving Meal with the first four items including a Fresh Turkey Breast in the slow cooker. Everyone was quiet during the meal which meant it was great in my household.
So I thought I would share my joy while Lynn is recovering from surgery to be back in the kitchen. Titled: Recovery Recipes. Understand she is unrestricted diet. I'm trying to keep the fat content down though. I also love to cook whole foods, no preservatives and no salt.
You won't be able to find the Weatherford's Seasoned Pepper in any store. Weatherford is a Oil Field Service Company. Their Seasoned Pepper and Salt it only available as a promotional item. It is supplied to both land and offshore rigs as they do all their own cooking at the rigs to feed all of the rig hands. One has to realize the Oilfield is made up mostly of Texans and South Louisianans. And let me tell you in Louisiana cooking for both sexes is a MUST learned task. Their food is wonderful. Almost all oilfield service companies have their own spices they give out to customers. Two Weatherford locations near us we serviced their transportation needs and we always get salt and pepper seasonings from them. The Pepper Seasoning has no MSG which I love! So use your own favorite seasoned pepper blend.
Slow Cooker Stew:
I've been cooking stew for 30 years and to me I finally GOT IT RIGHT last night. I'm not a stew person but the rest of the family is: I've cooked it stove top and slow cooker. I prefer the slow cooker so I don't have to babysit the pot on the stove.
Feeds 4
1.5 lbs Lean Beef Stew Meat
Baby carrots approximately 15
4 Stalks Celery chopped
1/2 White Onion sliced into half rings
5 medium large new potatoes cut in eighths
1/2 cup flour seasoned with 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash and 1 Tblsp Weatherford's Seasoned Pepper Blend
Olive Oil - Texas Olive Ranch
1 teaspoon ground dried garlic (Drogheria Alimentar Garlic Mill)
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon Marjoram
2 teaspoons Dried Parsley Flakes
1 teaspoon Weatherford's Seasoned Pepper Blend
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
2 cups Beef Broth (I usually use my homemade stock but this time all Lynn had in fridge was Kroger Beef Broth)
Season Flour, dredge beef in flour to cover heavily. Add Olive Oil to large skillet to coat bottom. Heat to Medium High heat and sear beef until oil is absorbed by flour. I continually turned beef for even sear. I even put in all of the excess flour. Place beef in bottom of Slow cooker. Add seasonings so they are in the beef broth when added. Add Vegetables then Broth. Cover and cook on high 3 1/2 - 4 hours until a beautiful gravy forms. Stir vegetables only every 45 minutes for fist hour and half. Then stir entire stew every 30-40 minutes until gravy forms. Serve with favorite salad.
I'm the type of person that does not add salt to any dish but boiled or mashed potatoes and eggs. Of course baking is a different story. The rest of the family adds salt at the table. Food tastes so good without salt to me. For this dish it tasted salty to me because of the Kroger Beef Broth. A trip to the store today for beef bones and chicken thighs to make stock before the crop this weekend as it will be a slow cooker weekend due to the crop. I'll post the Beef & Chicken Stock Recipe later this week.
