Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

1 2/3 cup lentils
5 cups water
1 yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 red bell pepper, chopped
green beans, chopped
3/4 cup frozen corn
carrots, chopped
celery, chopped
1 - 15oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
3 tbsp tomato paste
6 large russet potatoes
milk of your choice/cream/vegetable broth
butter/margarine/earth balance

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook lentils according to directions on package (mine said to bring 1 2/3 cups lentils to boil in 4-6 cups water, covered. Once boiling, partially uncover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Drain).

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and onion. Saute for a few minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant.

Add carrots and celery. Cook until beginning to soften. Add green beans, bell pepper, and corn. Mix well. Stir in diced tomatoes (with juice). Add tomato paste. Mix with cooked lentils.


Peel potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes, cover with water (plus a couple of inches), add some salt. Once soft, drain, mix with milk of choice and butter. Mash.

Pour lentil mixture into casserole dish.
Cover with mashed potatoes. Pour some melted butter on top.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until potatoes start to turn golden and the butter on the top is bubbly.

Beef and Guinness Stew

Recipe based on Irish Beef Stew from The Little Kitchen

4 lbs potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks, about 4 cups
4 stalks celery, chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
4-5 carrots, peeled, cut into chunks, approx. 2 cups
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lbs stew beef, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp salted butter
2 cups beef broth
3/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup Guinness
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp cold water, mixed
salt and pepper, to taste

Place all vegetables in crock pot. 

Rinse beef, and pat to dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large skillet until hot. Add beef. Cook about five minutes. Add garlic. Cook about a minute longer. Pour beef over vegetables in crock pot. 

Melt butter in the skillet you just removed the beef from. Add Guinness, wine, beef broth, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce and time. Heat to a boil, then let simmer, about 15 minutes. 

Add in cornstarch slurry, whisk together until mixed together. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour over vegetables and beef in crock pot. Add in bay leaves. 

Stir. 

Cook on high for 2 hours, then on low for 5 hours (or low for 6-9 hours, high for 4-6 hours).

After a few hours, when everything is soft, remove a large spoonful of potatoes and carrots, along with some of the broth. Blend in blender until smooth. Pour into crock pot and mix well.

Serve along with homemade rolls.  

Cleaning out the Pantry (or Southwest Chicken Casserole)

In an attempt to use up things lingering in the pantry, I threw together this casserole the other night, and since it turned out decent, I figured I should try to remember it.


Southwest Chicken Casserole


1 cup (uncooked) brown rice, cooked
1 can condensed cheese soup
1 can black beans
1 can original Rotel
1 cup (or so) frozen corn
1 can chicken
1 cup Mexican 4 cheese blend


Mix all ingredients together in a 2 1/2 qt casserole dish. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until heated. 


Garnish with sour cream or guacamole, if desired.
I may have eaten some of this like a dip, with tortilla chips. 

Chicken Enhiladas

Tonight was one of those nights that I got home from work, had nothing planned for dinner, and didn't want to run to the store but didn't want to make the same old things. These enchiladas got the husband's stamp of approval, which is no small thing.

Chicken Enchiladas
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse on foodnetwork.com

2 cups (4 chicken breasts) shredded cooked chicken
3 1/2 cups (or more) shredded Mexican 4 cheese blend, divided
1 yellow onion, diced
6 (or so) large (that's what my package said; they were bigger than taco size, but not huge) flour tortillas
Enchilada sauce (below) or a jar of prepared enchilada sauce
Shredded lettuce and sour cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine chicken, onion, and 3 cups of cheese.

Pour enough enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan to cover (about 1 cup). Heat tortillas in microwave 10 seconds (I did 3 at a time). Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas, rolling tightly and placing into the pan with the seam at the bottom. Repeat until you've used up all the chicken mixture. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, making sure to completely cover the tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top, getting some on each tortilla.

Bake 30 minutes uncovered.

Garnish with shredded lettuce and sour cream (cilantro, tomatoes, and avocado would also be good).


Enchilada Sauce
Adapted from Vegetarian Times (Dec. 2011 issue, the recipe isn't on their site as of tonight)

1 15 oz can tomato sauce (I used Hunts)
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne chili powder

Bring all ingredients to a boil in medium saucepan (2 qt) over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired (I didn't).

Sourdough Bread

Up until this week, my experience with sourdough was limited. I had made quite a few loaves of Amish Friendship Bread/Herman Bread, and had unsuccessfully tried to make my own sourdough starter, but that was it. This week I was determined to make a loaf of "real" sourdough bread.

I didn't get any pictures (it was too good, I cut into it right away), but here's what I did. This makes a good bread, my husband said it reminded him of French/Italian bread, but it doesn't have an overwhelming sourdough flavor.

Sourdough Starter:

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp instant yeast

Mix flour and yeast in plastic or glass bowl (not metal); add 2 cups warm water. Cover with a towel or set a lid on top (do not cover tightly) and set aside for 12 hours. It should get bubbly and smell yeasty, but not rancid.

Every 12 hours, stir starter (it will separate) and then discard half of it. Stir in equal portions of flour and water (I used a cup of each). Do this for about 3 days, longer if you want it to be extra sour.

After the starter is sufficiently sour, use it and store leftovers in the refrigerator. Every once in a while feed the starter with flour and water.

Slightly Sourdough Bread

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tsp instant yeast

1 tbsp sugar

2 1/2 tsp salt

5 cups flour (I used 3 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups bread flour)

Combine all ingredients. Knead until you have a soft, smooth dough.

Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel. Let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours.

Gently place dough in a greased 9x5" bread pan.

Let rise, covered, for about an hour.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when you knock on it.

Store in an airtight container for a few days, or put in the freezer to enjoy later.