Banana Bread Muffins

Tomorrow I am in charge of bringing snacks to C's cooperative preschool.  Last time I brought snacks I made homemade mini banana muffins and dried craisins.  Most kids ate two muffins and one kid even tried to fish one out of the garbage can!  Gross...  Needless to say, it was easy to decide what to make for tomorrow.  Banana muffins!

When B was in coop preschool almost every parent brought homemade treats, or very creative store bought treats.  Now that C is in coop preschool, on the other side of the lake, we've found that no one brings anything homemade.  Treats are usually from a can, crackers, or individual slices of banana.  This may explain why kids were shoving the homemade banana muffins in their mouths or eating them out of the garbage can?  The whole phenomena is shocking to me.  I'm not sure why, but I figured where we live now would be filled with health minded parents and had some 'extra' time, or would want to provide something yummy for their kids at preschool.  Apparently people on 'this' side of the lake have less time?  Don't even get me started on the discussions about food when a nutritionist came to the classroom.

Okay, enough of my rambling.  Back to the bananas!  Today I tried a new banana bread recipe and it was quick, easy, and chock full of banana.  I used mini muffin tins and made three dozen minis with one batch of batter.  And there was enough batter leftover to make five normal sized muffins.  The big guys got a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top!

I pushed the chocolate chips down a bit so they wouldn't get burnt sitting on top of the batter.

The mini muffins were so small, but they are a perfect size for a two year old's hand. And mouth!

If you decide to make mini muffins, spray the tins with a nonstick spray and start checking at 8 minutes.  You may need to add a few more minutes on to cook time depending on your oven.  I tested the cook time by baking one single mini muffin before baking the entire batch.  The larger muffins took closer to 12 minutes, but keep an eye on them!

If you want to make a loaf, use a standard 9x5 pan and grease well.

Banana Banana Bread, courtesy of many random internet searches

2 c. flour

1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/3 c. mashed very overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease 9 x 5 loaf pan.  In large bowl, combine flour, soda and salt.  In separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.

Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Homemade Baguettes

Yup, Pinterest did it again. The food section was flooded with photos of two baked baguettes.  After a closer look, I discovered the photo belonged to a recipe from The Sisters Cafe blog.  By the way, if you're a Pinterest user, have you noticed recently that some photos lead you to an advertisement or a dead end instead of the recipe or information related to the photo?  Annoying.  Anyways, back to the carbs... I read the recipe and it didn't seem right.  How could a standard baguette have so few ingredients with a fairly basic recipe?  I buy small baguettes every week or two to accompany a pasta or salad, and knowing I could make them myself for a fraction of the cost was to tempting to ignore.

Blake helped me make these.  Yes, they are that easy.

Mix 1 1/2 Tbsp yeast with 1 1/2 cups warm water and 2 tsp sugar.  Meanwhile, gather the remaining dry ingredients (3 1/4c flour and 2 tsp salt),  in the bowl of your stand mixer.  A dough  hook is a must with this recipe.  Add the yeast mixture after about five minutes and let mix until dough appears slightly smooth. 

Take dough out of bowl and divide dough in half.  Shape in to baguettes and set in a warm corner somewhere for about 30 minutes to rise.  Now you're basically done.  No, really.  Just turn on the oven to 450 degrees about half way through the 30 minutes and sit down and relax for a bit.

After 30 minutes the two baguettes are nice and plump.

With a sharp knife, cut a shallow line down the center of each baguette to give it the traditional look, spread with a little melted butter and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Presto!  Fresh, homemade baguettes! 

Yum is all I have to say.  You gotta try this recipe.  The bread was great alongside our dinner and made a great sandwich the next day.  I'm thinking a bahn mi style sandwich on this bread would be phenomenal!

Click here to view The Sisters Cafe baguette recipe.

Kings Cake

Ahhhh, a King Cake.  A sweet treat typically served on Fat Tuesday in New Orleans and across our country.  I tried my first King Cake after visiting New Orleans quite a few years ago.  It is sweet, moist, and has a great flavor that makes it hard to have just one slice.

I saw a recipe in our newspaper for a King Cake and decided to give it a shot.  This dish is not for someone who is short on time or is afraid to use yeast.  Because you'll need a lot of time for King Cake so the dough can rise.  Twice.  And yeast is necessary for the Brioche base.  Its worth it though - take a risk and give it a try!  The end result was everything I had hoped it would be.  Tender, sweet but not too sweet, and colorful due to the sprinkles in honor of Mardi Gras official green, gold and purple colors. 

Side note - King Cakes usually contain a mini plastic baby hidden inside.  Whoever ends up with the plastic baby in their slice is traditionally in charge of bringing the King Cake to the next year's Fat Tuesday gathering.  Because I didn't want to go and buy a mini baby and I didn't want anyone in my family swallowing said baby, I excluded it.  A friend suggested using an almond as a baby alternative next time - great idea!

After rising once, the dough is rolled out and scored down the center...

Then the cream cheese and apple fillings are added.  Fold the sides back up to create two tubes, side by side and still attached to eachother (due to scoring and not cutting the rolled dough).

Twist and shape in to a ring.  Let rise again.

Brush with an egg wash before baking.

20 minutes later and my King Cake was done.

Apply the cream cheese glaze while the cake is slightly warm, then cover with traditional Mardi Gras colored sprinkles (or any colors of your choosing).

And slice up and serve!  This makes for a great dessert or breakfast item.

Mardi Gras King Cake with Cream Cheese and Apple Filling, courtesy of Los Angeles Times
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes, plus rising times
Servings: 12 to 16

Note: The cake can be adapted to any occasion by substituting or eliminating the colored sugars. Colored sugars and plastic king cake babies are generally available at baking supply stores, as well as online.

Apple filling
2 tablespoons butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch slices
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, just until the apple starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes (the slices should still be crisp). Remove from heat and stir in the raisins and toasted pecans. Spread the apple mixture onto a baking sheet to stop the cooking process and allow the apples to cool quickly, then cover and refrigerate until needed.


Cream cheese filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons sugar
½ beaten egg (save the other half to make the egg wash for the cake)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese with the vanilla, salt and sugar. Add the beaten egg to the cream cheese mixture and beat until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.


Cream cheese glaze
2 ounces (1/4 of an 8-ounce package) cream cheese
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt until completely combined. With the mixer running, add the sifted powdered sugar, one spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated.


Brioche dough and assembly¾ cup milk, divided
1 package (2 ½ teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
2 eggs, plus ½ beaten egg (use the remaining half egg leftover from the cream cheese filling), divided
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
3 ½ cups (15.75 ounces) bread flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
Apple filling
Cream cheese filling
Cream cheese glaze
Purple, green and yellow colored sugars for decorating
Plastic baby, if desired (or you can use an almond)

In a small pan, heat one-half cup plus 2 tablespoons of milk over medium heat just until warmed. Remove from heat and pour the milk into a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar, then set aside until the milk is foamy and the yeast is activated, about 10 minutes.

Whisk the 2 eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in the yeast mixture and remaining one-third cup of sugar until fully incorporated.

If using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With the mixer running, add the flour mixture, one spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is soft and somewhat silky (it's a rich dough and won't be entirely smooth), 5 to 7 minutes. Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, make an egg wash: Combine the remaining beaten half egg with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk.

When the dough is doubled, punch it down (it will be very smooth and elastic) and roll it out onto a lightly floured surface into a 10-by-28-inch rectangle. Lightly score the dough lengthwise to divide the dough into 2 equal halves.

Spoon the apple filling down the length of one side, leaving a 1 ½-inch border on the top, bottom and sides. Repeat with the cream cheese filling down the other side of the dough, leaving a 1 ½-inch border on the top, bottom and each side. Lightly brush the edges and center of the dough (along the score) with the egg wash to moisten. Gently and carefully pull the dough over the cream cheese filling, sealing the edge of the dough along the score mark. Repeat with the apple filling. Press the sealed edges, making sure they are secure (otherwise the fillings could spill out while the cake bakes).

Gently twist the length of the dough to form a braid-like shape. Wrap the dough so it forms an oval wreath and gently press the edges together. Carefully transfer the wreath to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush the top of the wreath lightly with egg wash and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until almost doubled in volume, 45 minutes to an hour, or loosely cover and refrigerate the dough overnight, removing it from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking for the dough to come to room temperature.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush the wreath with any remaining egg wash and place the sheet in the oven.

Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (the toothpick will remain moist if it hits the cream cheese filling, but there should be no crumbs sticking to it), about 30 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.

Allow the cake to cool slightly before it is frosted (if it's too hot, the glaze will run off the cake and not adhere). Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake, then lightly sprinkle on the colored sugars. If using the plastic baby, hide it somewhere in the cake (press the baby in through the bottom of the cake so as not to disturb the top or sides of the cake). Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

Only read this if you don't scare easily...
Each of 16 servings: 387 calories; 7 grams protein; 42 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 22 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 86 mg cholesterol; 20 grams sugar; 224 mg sodium.

Bread Machine Fail

This is what happens when you don't confirm that the paddle is securely attached to the bread machine pan before adding ingredients.  Talk about major lesson learned.  Our entire house smells like warm, fresh bread and we can't eat a bite of it!

Focaccia Bread

My mom's kitchen and floors are under a major remodel.  Meaning no real kitchen and all furniture packing in a couple rooms.  Since late May.  Upside?  Her contractor brings her his fresh, homemade focaccia bread and his wife's favorite soup.  He shared the focaccia bread recipe with us and I couldn't wait to try it.  Mike (the contractor) prefers topping his focaccia with jalepenos and cheddar, but I went with my favorite toppings... sea salt and chopped fresh rosemary.

Add the ingredients and let your mixer do the work for about five minutes.

After a quick knead, let the dough rise.  I let it rise for at least an hour in a warm spot.  I put mine in the oven (it was off!) for almost 2 hours.  It was huge when I took it out.  (before pic below)

After spreading the dough out on the cookie sheet, it rises once again. Don't forget to poke the dough with your fingers for the traditional look!  I let it rise for another 2 hours and it was ready for a sprinkling of sea salt and rosemary. 

My bread only took about 18 minutes to bake, so keep a close eye on your oven and set the timer for 15 minutes just to check on the progress.

When I say this bread is amazing, I mean it.  We couldn't wait for it to cool.  Within five minutes of the focaccia being out of the oven we had eaten almost a third of the pan.  This is a must try, and really, its fairy basic.  You just need to have time to let the dough rise.... do some laundry, catch up on reality television, or play outside!

Focaccia, courtesy of Anne Burrell
1 3/4 c. warm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
5 c. all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading
1 Tbsp kosher salt, plus coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
1 c.extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Put the bowl in a warm, not hot or cool, place until the yeast is bubbling and aromatic, at least 15 minutes.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1/2 cup olive oil and the yeast mixture on low speed. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft. Give it a sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.

Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface, then knead it by hand 1 or 2 times. Again, give it another sprinkle of flour if the dough is really sticky and tacky.

Coat the inside of the mixer bowl lightly with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.

Coat a jelly roll pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. (Chef's Note: This may seem excessive, but focaccia is an oily crusted bread).

Put the dough onto the jelly roll pan and begin pressing it out to fit the size of the pan. Turn the dough over to coat the other side with the olive oil. Continue to stretch the dough to fit the pan. As you are doing so, spread your fingers out and make finger holes all the way through the dough. (Chef's Note: Yes, this is strange. But when the dough rises again it will create the characteristic craggy looking focaccia. If you do not make the actual holes in the dough, the finished product will be very smooth.)

Put the dough in the warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising a second time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Liberally sprinkle the top of the focaccia with some coarse sea salt and lightly drizzle a little oil on top. Bake the dough until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool before cutting and serving.

Panzanella Salad

I'm addicted to Panzanella salad.  It is all Ina Garten's fault.  She always has the best combinations of flavors, and the colors in this salad are hard to beat.  I've used this salad for a few picnics and its great the next day too, as long as you don't mind your croutons being slightly soggy.  Which I don't mind because the flavors are even more developed.  You can also make extra croutons and just add to salad on following days so they remain crispy. 

I made a few changes to Ina's recipe.  Sorry Ina!  I omitted the capers and basil and added a good handful of crumbled feta.  This is the perfect summer salad and everyone that has tried it raves about the flavors.

Panzanella Salad, courtesy of Ina Garten

3 Tbsp good olive oil

1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)

1 tsp kosher salt

2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced

20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped (I excluded)

3 tablespoons capers, drained (I excluded)

1 c. crumbled feta (optional)

For the vinaigrette:

1 tsp finely minced garlic

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp Champagne vinegar

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

My favorite napkins... "Dinner Is Poured".

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Today I am Irish.  I love St.Patrick's Day.  The green beer, the wearing of green, the goofiness, and eating good food.  St.Patrick's Day isn't quite the same once you have kids (compared to college, etc), but that doesn't mean you can't have fun!

I made corned beef, vegetables and cabbage in the slow cooker.  It smelled delicious!  I used a recipe I found at Food Network online.  Click here to view.  The recipe says to add the potatoes at the same time as everything else, and microwave the cabbage.  I recommend adding both the uncooked potatoes and uncooked cabbage wedges when there is about 60-90 minutes left in the slow cooker.  Otherwise, they'll be complete mush.

In the afternoon I made an Irish soda bread.  I'm usually  not a huge fan of Irish soda bread because it seems dry. This Ina Garten recipe had rave reviews so I knew I couldn't go wrong.  Ironically, my friend Jesica has made this recipe many times and loves it.  Instead of using the currants she'll occasionally use dried cranberries.  We plan to eat the leftovers with breakfast tomorrow - its that good.

I need to remind myself to keep my phone away from my cooking area.  Flour is not easy to get out of tiny cracks...

The dough is pretty sticky.

The stickiness requires a good amount of flour on your work surface when you form in to a round shape.

Don't forget to lightly carve an 'x' in to the top of the dough with a sharp knife.  I dipped my knife in flour so it wouldn't stick. 

The finished bread.  It smelled so good it was hard to wait until dinner!  Serve with butter.

After school B and I made green, shamrock shaped cookies. He loved wearing the hat he made at school - he said it helped him bake better.  And I'll admit.  We did not make these cookies from scratch.  We used a box mix, and I have to say they turned out great.  If you're feeling lazy, try Krusteaz's sugar cookie mix.  The box includes directions for rolling cookies (slightly altered with 1/4c. flour compared to their basic recipe).

Dinner time!  The soda bread was amazing and soft.

The corned beef and vegetables were some of the best we've had.  

And what really made the meal?  The horseradish sauce that is included in the corned beef recipe.  Oh my gosh.  To say I loved it is an understatement.  I'm not a fan of spice, but love the sting of horseradish.  It is very easy to make...some of the juice from the slow cooker, sour cream, and horseradish sauce/cream mixed together.  A super tangy kick of a sauce for dipping your meat and veggies, and much better than a squirt of straight horseradish on your plate. 

Happy St.Patrick's Day!  Time for another green beer!

Fresh from the Garden

I was very proud to serve our salads tonight.  Everything was fresh from our garden! So cool.  Lettuce, cucumbers and snap peas.  Blake told me how cool it was that the basic Bisquick biscuits I made came from the garden too.  Hmmm, I wish!

Bisquick Biscuits

1/3 c. butter
2 1/2 c. Original Bisquick® mix
2/3 c. milk
Butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 450ºF.

Cut firm butter into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss Bisquick mix and butter pieces with fork until coated. Add milk; stir just until milk is absorbed (do not overstir).

Turn dough onto surface dusted with Bisquick mix. Knead 5 times. Pat to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet with sides touching for soft sides or 2 inches apart for crispy sides.

Bake about 9 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter.

Roasted Shrimp with Orzo & Homemade Baking Powder Biscuits

I originally made this Barefoot Contessa dish in the fall and fell in love with the crunch of the english cucumber, creamy feta and roasted shrimp capped off with the flavor of dill.  It would make for a great side with grilled chicken, but we prefer to eat it as a main course.

Roasted Shrimp with Orzo

Kosher salt

Good olive oil

3/4 lb orzo pasta

1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

2 lb (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 c. minced scallions, white and green parts

1 c. chopped fresh dill

1 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 English cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced

1/2 c. small-diced red onion

3/4 lb good feta cheese, large diced (or pre-crumbled)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

*I typically add more feta than called for (heck, I always add more cheese or garlic than instructed!) and strongly suggest eating at room temperature.  Eating this salad cold hinders it's flavor!

*Next Recipe*

I was craving some sort of bread as a side to the orzo so I helped Blake make my grandma's baking powder bisquits.  They are very basic and a good recipe for a kiddo to help with.  Blake had a great time until I asked him to use his hands to squeeze/mix the dough together.  He claimed it was too messy, removed his chef's hat and went to play with his trains.  (side note - he requested his apron and hat.  He must see how dirty my clothes can get!)

These bisquits have a plain taste which is nice when your main course has such strong flavor.  But I prefer these biscuits with butter and/or some sort of spread to give them some oompf!  Next time I may top bisquit rounds with melted butter and a few sprinkles of sea salt before I place in oven.

St. Patrick's Day Feast

Today we celebrate everything Irish and green.  Being scandinavian, I basically use this day as an excuse to drink green beer and eat corned beef. Nothing wrong with that!

For dinner we had Irish soda muffins, corned beef with vegetables, black and tan brownies and of course Guinness and green beers (oh, and green milk for Blake!).

The Irish soda muffins are such a nice change from the usual soda bread.  And, they make for a good breakfast pastry that isn't overly sweet.  Here is the recipe courtesy of a long lost relative, Colleen.

Irish Soda Muffins

1 cup quick or old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 egg
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup golden raisins (if you can't find golden raisins you can use a total of 1/2 c. regular raisins)
1/4 cup raisins

Combine oats and buttermilk and refrigerate for one hour or overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. In a large bowl, combine egg, butter, brown sugar and mix well. Add oat mixture alternately with combined dry ingredients to egg mixture, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be lumpy). Stir in raisins. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Food tip: To make sour milk, place 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in glass or plastic measuring cup. Add enough milk to equal 1 cup, mix well. Let stand 10 minutes before using.


For the corned beef, I combined three or four recipes trying to find a good combo of ingredients...

Jodi's Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Vegetables and Cabbage
4lbs corned beef with seasoning packet (usually 1lb per person)
1.5lbs carrots, cut in to 3" lengths
1 leek, cut in to 2" lengths
1 rutabega, cut in to 8 or so wedges
1lb med size potatoes
1 head of cabbage
1 bottle Stout (I used Guinness Extra Stout)
Hot water

Horseradish and ground mustard for serving.

Place meat in slowcooker and sprinkle with spice packet, then all the veggies except the cabbage (cabbage is cooked last).  Pour beer over everything and then add enough hot water so the beef is covered by an inch or so.  Turn cooker on low for 7-8 hours. 

Keep an eye on your veggies as they may cook fast depending on how big they are.  If necessary, remove the veggies if they start to get to soft and add back in for last 30 or so minutes.  Add cabbage for last 30 minutes so it can get tender but not overly mushy.
*I took my veggies out after 6 hours, and then turned the heat to high for two hours, adding veggies and cabbage back in for last 30 minutes. (I also don't like my veggies super mushy, but leaving them in would have been fine).

When meat is falling-apart-tender, remove and slice on serving tray.  Surround with veggies and drizzle the cooking liquid over everything.

Chicken Stew and Biscuits?

Yes please! Kim made this for the main course at our dinner party last week and it was fantastic. Of course, it is another Ina Garten recipe!

Tony was away all day riding in the Chilly Hilly....

So the fact that this dinner is pretty easy to prepare was key. Especially with a clingy baby and an active preschooler! Half the veggies in this dish are frozen which cuts down on prep time, and you could actually use all frozen veggies to make it even faster. The most time consuming part was cutting up the chicken.

Making the biscuits wasn't too tough - just a couple ingredients, hand mixer and rolling pin.

After waiting very patiently and Tony getting home from a long day of bike riding and delayed ferries...

A hearty, comfort food meal and a very happy boy.

Below is recipe, courtesy of Ina Garten. I do warn you, my batch was too big to fit in the pan she recommends. This dish ended up lasting 4 meals for two adults! Is a great sit-down dinner party dish, and can be made in advance.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits
3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes (I didnt precook my carrots)
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

For the biscuits:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.

Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done.