Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cookers are a convenient way to prepare meals.
Amazing results are achieved with little effort!

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 12 servings

• 3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 4 large potatoes, cubed
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Place meat in a large plastic bag. Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups of boiling water and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker.
3. In the same skillet, melt butter and saute onions until softened; remove to the slow cooker. Pour beef broth into the skillet, and deglaze the pan, stirring to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Remove from heat, and pour into the slow cooker.
4. Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Easy Pico De Gallo Recipe

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 3 cups

• 
  6 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced 
• 
  1/2 red onion, minced 
• 
  3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 
• 
  1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 
• 
  1/2 lime, juiced 

• 
  1 clove garlic, minced 
• 
  1 pinch garlic powder 
• 
  1 pinch ground cumin 
• 
  salt and ground black pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Stir the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

The Story of Stone Soup

By working together, with everyone contributing what they can, 

a greater good is achieved.

Once upon a time, somewhere in post-war Eastern Europe, there was a great famine in which people jealously hoarded whatever food they could find, hiding it even from their friends and neighbors. One day a wandering soldier came into a village and began asking questions as if he planned to stay for the night.

"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "Better keep moving on."

"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his wagon, filled it with water, and built a fire under it. Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a velvet bag and dropped it into the water.

By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come to the square or watched from their windows. As the soldier sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their skepticism. "Ahh," the soldier said to himself rather loudly, "I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage -- that's hard to beat." Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a cabbage he'd retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot. "Capital!" cried the soldier. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king." The village butcher managed to find some salt beef . . . and so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for all. 

The villagers offered the soldier a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell and traveled on the next day. The moral is that by working together, with everyone contributing what they can, a greater good is achieved.

Mediterranean Lemon Chicken

Boneless Chicken Legs are high in flavor and low in price.

This recipe is easy and delicious. Try it served over rice with some sauteed asparagus spears.

Ingredients:

1 lemon (juice and zest) 

2 teaspoons dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

6 Boneless Chicken Legs

Preheat oven to 425˚

In a 9" x 13" baking dish, grate the peel from the lemon, squeeze out the juice (about 1/4 cup) and add to the peel with the oregano, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Stir until mixed.

Coat chicken pieces with the lemon mixture and arrange in the baking dish. Cover dish and bake for 20 minutes. Turn and baste chicken. 

Reduce heat to 400˚ and bake uncovered, basting every 10 minutes, for about 30 more minutes. Serve with pan juices.