Beef Stew with Ranch Mashed Potatoes

Let's just ignore the fact that I haven't posted a new recipe in ages, okay?

I've been wanting to try this recipe since last winter at some point. I'd been searching for beef stew recipes that I felt would be flavorful enough to counteract Hubby's dislike for your standard-issue beef stew and I think I've got it pretty well ironed-out!

I served this with some steamed green beans because I needed something green and it was gone in seconds. I'll definitely be making this again this fall/winter for sure!

Beef Stew with Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Slightly Adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Serves 6
Estimated Point Value: 8 pts

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp light butter, (Land O'Lakes Light Butter is my favorite)
1 lb stew beef
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
Worcestershire, to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
1 cup carrots, diced
8 oz mushrooms, small whole or quartered medium sized
~2 lbs red potatoes
5 tsp Ranch Seasoning
1 Tbsp light butter
2 Tbsp light cream cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large dutch oven heat the olive oil and first tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. 
2. Brown the stew beef and season with salt and pepper.
3. Remove the beef from the pan and saute onion and garlic until soft in the deliciousness that the beef leaves behind.
4. Stir in tomato paste, then add in beef stock, sugar, and a few dashes of Worcestershire, to taste.
5. Add the beef back into the pot, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
6. Add in carrots and mushrooms, stirring to combine. Simmer for a half hour, covered.
7. While the carrots and mushrooms are simmering, prepare mashed potatoes. In a large pot cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil then cook for ~20 minutes or until done.
8. Drain potatoes and add in butter, cream cheese, and Ranch seasoning (I realize making your own Ranch seasoning is way better for you, but I have yet to find a seasoning combination that I think tastes as good as the classic Hidden Valley variety...it's my cooking fatal flaw, we eat so much ranch I know I should find a healthier alternative...suggestions welcomed.) 
9. Mash using extra beef broth for liquid if necessary (yes milk is more delicious, but...broth has zero points and we're in diet mode people!)
10. Serve one serving of the beef stew over one serving of the mashed potatoes in a shallow bowl.

Also this is totally one of my 30-by-30 items so I'm counting it as a double-win!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Forget regular Snickerdoodles, I'm sticking with Snickerdoodle Blondies and these new gems and calling it a win!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Annie's Eats

Makes 3 1/2 dozen

3 3/4 c (1 lb 2 3/4 oz) flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c (7 oz) sugar

1/2 c (3 1/2) light brown sugar, packed

3/4 c (180 grams) pumpkin puree 

1 egg

1 Tbsp vanilla

For rolling:

3 1/2 oz sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

Dash of nutmeg

Dash of cloves

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg then set aside.
2. Cream together the butter, pumpkin, and sugars in a stand mixture with the paddle attachment.
3. Add in egg and vanilla until combined.
4. Add in the dry ingredients until combined.
5. Cover and chill for at least an hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350.
7. Mix the rolling sugar and spices in a shallow dish.
8. Roll dough into balls (a generous tablespoon of dough) and roll in the sugar.
9. Bake for 13-14 minutes (the cookies are more cake-y than crumbly, so keep that in mind when judging their done-ness.)

30 by 30 Update

Well seeing as my 29th birthday has just happened, the clock is ticking on this 30 by 30 list I figured it was time for an update on my list:

1. Bake a cheesecake in my spring-form pan, not from a box mix.
2. Create a Beef Stew recipe that Hubby will eat.
3. Scour the Internet for a Chicken with Black Bean Sauce recipe reminiscent of the dish at PF Changs. (Hubby's request)
4. DONE! Perfect Snickerdoodles (since they have eluded me thus far!) - Abandoned for delicious Snickerdoodle Blondies,
5. Bake bread made with yeast.
6. Attempt one Julia Child recipe.
7. Bake a Martha Stewart cupcake successfully.
8. In Process! Reorganize/redesign pantry storage situation (okay, so this will mostly be Hubby, but I can help!) - working with what I have, but moving things around seems to be helping...we'll see if we go for a more long-term solution or not...right now life is good in the pantry.
9. DONE! Discover a delicious beef brisket recipe...smoker or no smoker I need to figure out how to get some tasty brisket into my belly! - This was delicious and most definitely something that has happened more than once!
10. DONE! Get a decent understanding of the book of Revelation. - Last spring I participated in a Beth Moore study on Revelation through our women's ministry at church and it was amazing!
11. In Process! Scripture Memory - complete at least one year of the Living Proof Ministries (Beth Moore's) Scripture Memory Challenge. - I did really well at the beginning of the last year, so this goal may have to be modified to a specific number of verses rather than a full year of completing the challenge and it only runs every so often and not every year...I'll keep working on the goal, not sure of the number just yet!
12. See Beth Moore live, or attend another women's conference.
13. In Process! Reacquaint ourselves with a young couples' ministry. - We gave the new group at church a shot, but it didn't work out for us...still trying to see how things can be a thing in our early parenting years since most of the small groups in our neighborhood are not kid-friendly.
14. In Process! Read through the Bible chronologically.
15. Watch the Godfather Movies.
16. In Process! Do one of the Oscar days at the movie theater where you watch all the best picture nominations in one day/weekend. - I have a buddy lined up and we're doing this next year...totally happening, even if it has to be my birthday present and just squeak in before the deadline ;-)
17. DONE! Read more...a lot more. Granted this isn't measurable, so let's say (realistically) 15 books. I got a Nook last year for my birthday and read 27 books! Not only that, but now I get to guest blog over at Hooked to Books whenever I feel like it =P
18. DONE! Get a library card to assist in accomplishing #17.
19. DONE! Be better about having Date Nights and actually taking advantage of babysitting offers. - We're definitely less shy than we used to be about asking for help which is a win =)
20. Become a KCBS Certified BBQ Judge, just like Hubby.
21. Complete wedding scrapbook.
22. Dine at one of the Top Chef contestants' restaurants...or more ;-)
23. Attempt a Top Chef contestant recipe.
24. In Process! Attain a reasonable/healthy weight and maintain so I can go through my closet and actually get rid of some clothes that are never going to happen again. - I'm almost halfway there with the hopes of achieving the goal weight in April 2012...just a few months away and totally do-able!
25. Figure out a plan for the master bath (our master suite is structurally confusing and slowly we're working on it.)
26. In Process! Take a vacation... preferably one that does not require me to cook or clean house although a rental situation requiring such things would be an acceptable second vacation ;-) - We've got a small trip in the works for just the Hubby and I and a few other trips in the works for this summer including DISNEYWORLD!
27. In Process! WVU Girls Weekend =) Maybe two of them ;-) Or three 0=) - We're working on this one legit...like dates are being discussed and something WILL happen this year.
28. Swimming lessons, namely for LJ, but it couldn't hurt me either to become more comfortable in the water.
29. Go to the eye doctor, probably should happen since it's been since my 2002 Lasik surgery.
30. Figure out what I want to be when I'm not a stay-at-home-mom anymore =P

Well this isn't awesome, but it's not too terrible...almost half of the things in my list have at least been touched on in the last 8 months since I came up with the actual list. I can do this, it'll be a good time and I know when a couple more of these will be taking place so that's a start!

Beef Brisket

One of my items on my 30 by 30 To Do List was a beef brisket. We haven't been able to smoke brisket successfully (yet, we've only really tried once -- too dry) but it is something I love if done correctly (and served chopped rather than just sliced). I knew Hubby was having a rough series of meetings starting today so I decided it was as good of a day as any for my first oven brisket attempt.

The results were delicious and I'm not planning on doing anything differently next time this bad boy makes an appearance on the menu. Number 9 is off the list!

Beef Brisket

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 4

2.5 lb beef brisket

2 Tbsp Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple Seasoning

1 packet dried onion soup mix

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1. Grease a casserole dish and trim fat off the of brisket.
2. Dry rub the brisket using the seasoning and 1 Tbsp of brown sugar.
3. In a small bowl combine the onion soup mix, ketchup, water, Worcestershire, and 1 Tbsp of brown sugar.
4. Pour the sauce over the brisket and cover the casserole with foil. Refrigerate until you are ready to bake (2 hours to overnight...can't go wrong!)
5. When you are ready, bake the covered dish at 275 (you can go ahead and throw it in while the oven is preheating, no big deal).
6. Cook for about 3 hours then uncover and turn the meat over. Recover and bake for another 2-3 hours.
7. The brisket should easily fall apart when done. Remove from the dish and slice, against the grain. Return to the pan with the sauce to serve.

30 by 30

I decided to make a list of thirty things that I want to do by the time I'm thirty. As I most recently turned twenty-eight, I thought this was appropriate. This in an all encompassing list of items spanning various areas of life and should be pretty entertaining to complete. Since most are in fact food related I thought this was as good of a place to publish this list as any...and maybe, just maybe, by putting myself out there, I'll actually get through my list before I'm forty...you know...since it's already been several months with my list kept to myself and not a lot has gotten done...oops, my bad!

Without further adieu, in no particular order, here is my list:

1. Bake a cheesecake in my spring-form pan, not from a box mix.
2. Create a Beef Stew recipe that Hubby will eat.
3. Scour the Internet for a Chicken with Black Bean Sauce recipe reminiscent of the dish at PF Changs. (Hubby's request)
4. Perfect Snickerdoodles (since they have eluded me thus far!)
5. Bake bread made with yeast.
6. Attempt one Julia Child recipe.
7. Bake a Martha Stewart cupcake successfully.
8. Reorganize/redesign pantry storage situation (okay, so this will mostly be Hubby, but I can help!)
9. Discover a delicious beef brisket recipe...smoker or no smoker I need to figure out how to get some tasty brisket into my belly!
10. Get a decent understanding of the book of Revelation.
11. Scripture Memory - complete at least one year of the Living Proof Ministries (Beth Moore's) Scripture Memory Challenge.
12. See Beth Moore live, or attend another women's conference.
13. Reacquaint ourselves with a young couples' ministry.
14. Read through the Bible chronologically.
15. Watch the Godfather Movies.
16. Do one of the Oscar days at the movie theater where you watch all the best picture nominations in one day/weekend.
17. Read more...a lot more. Granted this isn't measurable, so let's say (realistically) 15 books.
18. Get a library card to assist in accomplishing #17.
19. Be better about having Date Nights and actually taking advantage of babysitting offers.
20. Become a KCBS Certified BBQ Judge, just like Hubby.
21. Complete wedding scrapbook.
22. Dine at one of the Top Chef contestants' restaurants...or more ;-)
23. Attempt a Top Chef contestant recipe.
24. Attain a reasonable/healthy weight and maintain so I can go through my closet and actually get rid of some clothes that are never going to happen again.
25. Figure out a plan for the master bath (our master suite is structurally confusing and slowly we're working on it.)
26. Take a vacation... preferably one that does not require me to cook or clean house although a rental situation requiring such things would be an acceptable second vacation ;-)
27. WVU Girls Weekend =) Maybe two of them ;-) Or three 0=)
28. Swimming lessons, namely for LJ, but it couldn't hurt me either to become more comfortable in the water.
29. Go to the eye doctor, probably should happen since it's been since my 2002 Lasik surgery.
30. Figure out what I want to be when I'm not a stay-at-home-mom anymore =P

I reserve the right to alter this list as I deem necessary...

I'll revisit the list and give updates periodically, I'm already impressed by how many things I'm actually working on without having looked at the list since February, ha! Stay tuned!

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Since my quest for the perfect Snickerdoodle has been put on the back burner (hehe) I thought this might satisfy the Snickerdoodle craving that is frequently in my house.

Confession: I'm terrible at baking bar cookies. They are always weird when all is said and done, but I have been wanting to try Snickerdoodle Blondies for a few weeks now and today seemed about a good of a day as any!

I've seen this recipe on several different websites and every couple of months it seems to get a re-boot. The one I used came from Baked Perfection back in June 2010 since I trust Risa with all things baking-related!

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Recipe from Baked Perfection

Makes 20-24 bars

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and/or line a 9×13 inch pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan (mixture will be somewhat cookiebatter-ish, so it’s best to spread it out with a greased spatula or your hands). Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting.