Tuscan-Style Beef Brisket

Growing up, beef brisket was not something we normally ate in our home. The first time I made this dish was about seven or eight years ago when I got tired of cooking the same standard roasts that we would always make for holidays or Sunday dinners.  Luckily for me, my family likes to try new things. In fact, every holiday or family gathering, my husband insists that there is at least one new item on the menu. 

I originally posted this recipe back in July 2011 along with a recipe for potato pancakes, but recently opened up my cookbook during one of our many recent homebound snowstorms and made this Tuscan-Style Beef Brisket again.  The recipe is simple with a paste of fresh garlic and rosemary and sits in a bath of red wine and beef broth; which make a flavorful au jus when served. I've made this recipe several times now over the years and it comes out perfectly every time. ~Enjoy! 

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese

Sometimes all it takes is just a small taste of something and my mind starts wandering with all of the different combinations of food I could possibly make. Such is the case with this Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese.

I attended a small gathering recently to celebrate a close family friends' 75th birthday. At the party, which was hosted by his son and daughter in law, they had figs topped with goat cheese, rosemary and a jam (I can't remember what it was, but think it might have been apple) as one of the appetizers. They were amazing! I just loved the flavor combination and knew it would make a wonderful mixture in some other of our favorite dishes as well.

Well...my first attempt was a success! Everyone loved this Mac n' Cheese variation, even my 11 year old. She can't wait to try my new experiments when she gets home from school and we have a deal that I don't share what's inside the dish until she tries it. Even she was pleasantly surprised that it contained Goat cheese (which she never wanted to try before), but mixed with the cream cheese and rosemary, it was very subtle, yet rich and filling. If you want to impress your family and friends, you can make this as a main entree or as a side dish. It would also make an elegant addition to a buffet selection during the upcoming holidays.

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese
Prep Time: 15 minutes  Cook Time: 15 minutes  Total Time: 30 minutes  Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 14.5oz. Box Multigrain Macaroni
• 4 tbsp. Butter
• 2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 c. Milk (I used 2%)
• 8oz. Cream Cheese
• 3.5oz. Crumbled Goat Cheese (I used Alouette)
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
• 1 c. Italian Flavored Breadcrumbs
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente; then drain and place back in the pot. 
3. While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; then whisk in the flour forming a roux. 
4. Gradually whisk in the milk until the roux has broken up and there are no lumps. 
5. Next, add the cream cheese, goat cheese and rosemary. Keep whisking until the cheese has completely melted and the sauce is creamy. 
6. Add the sauce to the cooked macaroni and mix well; then place in an oven safe baking dish (8"x8"). 
7. Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl; then melt the remaining 2 tbsp. butter (either in the microwave or a small pan). Add the butter to the breadcrumbs, mix together and sprinkle on top of the macaroni.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are lightly brown and the macaroni is bubbly. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts 

Calories 465, Carbs 51.7g, Fat 21.4g, Protein 17.9g, Fiber 4.9g, Sugar 4.1g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Rosemary & Goat Cheese Mac n' Cheese Shopping List

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Stew

I don't usually make a lot of slow cooker meals; however, I had my pot still out on the counter after I made the Beef Stroganoff and I found myself with some defrosted sausage and day where I wouldn't be getting home any time soon to whip up dinner.  I decided to make a stew with it (since I never tried it that way before) and boy was it good! I threw in the potatoes as a last minute decision as well to make it a complete all-in-one meal and I was glad I did. This Italian Sausage Stew was so filling and flavorful and I was happy that there was some extra left over so that I could pick on it for lunch the next day as it reheated beautifully. 

Italian Sausage Stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 4-8 hours (depending on setting) Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 12 Italian Sausage Links (Sweet or Hot), cut in half
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Red Onion, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 3 Stalks Celery, washed and sliced
• 3 Parsnips, peeled and sliced
• 3 Large Carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 Bunch Rosemary
• 1 Bunch Thyme
• 1/2 c. White Wine
• 1/2 c. Low Sodium/Fat Free Chicken Broth
• 4 Medium Red Potatoes, washed and quartered
• Kitchen String

Directions

1. In a large nonstick saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat; then add the sausage and brown it on all sides. Place in your slow cooker. 
2. Next, add your onion, garlic, celery, parsnips, and carrots to the slow cooker and mix them in with the sausage. 
3. Tie the rosemary and thyme together with kitchen string and nestle the bunch in with the meat and vegetables. Pour the wine and chicken broth over the top, cover the slow cooker and cook on Low 6-8 hours or High 4-6 hours. 
4. The last hour of cooking, add in the potatoes. (If you don't have an extra hour, you can prepare the potatoes the night before by either boiling or microwaving them until they are soft, yet slightly firm). 

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts 

Calories 420, Carbs 33.9g, Fat 16.8g, Protein 30.6g, Fiber 4.3g, Sugar 4.5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Stew Shopping List

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Bruschetta and Chick Peas

Remember when I did a photo retake of one of my favorite recipes for Bruschetta last month? In that post, I also mentioned how bruschetta can be used for other dishes other than to top toasted bread as an appetizer. One of those suggestions was to mix it with pasta; which is what I did with the leftovers from my last batch. This Mediterranean inspired meal has so many wonderful flavors and the chick peas just add another dimension of texture to the dish; not to mention added protein! It is also a quick meal to throw together during a busy weeknight. 

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Bruschetta and Chick Peas

1 lb. Spaghetti (I used Barilla Plus)
2 c. Prepared Bruschetta
15oz. Can Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, shredded
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Drain water reserving 1 cup to use in the pasta. 
2. Add the bruschetta and chick peas to the pot and allow to heat through for about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the pasta, pasta water and cheese; mix well and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 441, Carbs 58.9g, Fat 14.2g, Protein 20.4g, Fiber 8.1g, Sugar 5.7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

This will be my last new recipe post this week as the kids are off from school on their Spring Break. I'll be back with a new post on Monday, April 8th. In the meantime, take a look around the site and catch up on some posts you might have missed. There are also two giveaways happening so if you didn't enter yet, now's your chance!

• Spring Celebration KitchenAid Giveaway-Enter for your chance to win a shiny, new, red KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Contest ends 4/23/13. 
• Catching Fireflies Giveaway-Enter for your chance to win a $43 Gift Certificate. Contest ends 4/7/13. 

Enjoy the rest of your week! 

Italian Beef Stew

I couldn't believe that I had never posted a beef stew recipe here on the site until I decided to make it last week. It's one of those recipes I don't make very often, maybe 1-2 times per year, but is a wonderful one-pot meal that my family loves, especially in the winter. I also prefer to make my stew on top of the stove, so I have to plan on being home for several hours when I decide to prepare it, but you can also make this in a slow cooker if you prefer cooking it that way. 

When making a stew, you want to choose a tougher cut of beef so that your meat doesn't fall apart during the long cooking process. I look for what happens to be on sale that particular week. Most of the time, it actually works out to be less expensive if you purchase a bottom round (like I did here) and cut it down yourself, then buying the prepackaged beef cubes. Also be careful not to cut the pieces too small or they will simply fall apart and turn your stew to mush. You want to be able to see whole pieces and by cooking this low and slow for several hours, the meat just melts in your mouth. I like to add potatoes to my stew and eat this 'as is'; however, you can also omit the potatoes and serve this over egg noodles or rice if that's your preference. 

 Italian Beef Stew
4 lbs. Bottom Round Beef, trimmed and cut into 2" cubes
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. All-Purpose Flour
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
3 Celery Stalks, rinsed and chopped
2 Plum Tomatoes, chopped
2 c. Carrots, sliced
1/2 c. Red Wine (I used a Super Tuscan)
32 oz. Fat Free-Low Sodium Beef Broth (I used College Inn)
2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1 Bay Leaf
3 Large Red Potatoes, skins washed and cut into 2" cubes
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large stockpot. 
2. Add in the garlic, onion, celery, tomatoes, and carrots and saute until they start to soften. Remove from the pan and set aside. 
3. Next, dredge the meat in the flour, then add to the pot. Allow the meat to brown on all sides; then remove the meat and set aside. (You may have to do this in two batches to avoid overcrowding). 
4. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan; then add in the beef broth, rosemary and bay leaf. 
5. Add back in the vegetables and meat; mix well. 
6. Bring to a boil; then simmer for 2 hours over low heat. 
7. Add in the potatoes, cover pot and simmer for an additional 1/2 hour. Serves 8

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 477, Carbs 7.6g, Fat 18.3g, Protein 64.3g, Fiber 1.4g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

*It is very important to clean celery to avoid harmful bacteria to grow and come in contact with your food. Back in my commercial kitchen days, the food inspector would head directly to the tuna or chicken salads first to test for bacteria, as unproperly washed celery was the main culprit. 

Here is the proper way to clean celery and should be done before consuming. 

Step 1: Trim the top and bottom of the stalk and rinse under tap water. 
Step 2: Chop your celery. If you're using it in a stew like this, the pieces should be about 1/4" thick. If you're using celery with a dip, a good size would be approximately 3" or the size of your middle finger. 
Step 3. Boil a pot of water, add your celery to a small strainer and dip the celery into the water (this is called blanching) leaving it in there for approximately 2 minutes. 
Step 4. Remove the celery and then shock it in a bowl of cold water and ice (this is called an ice bath) to stop the heating process and return the celery to it's crunchy state.