Beefy Beef Stew with Bacon and Rosemary

2-1/2 lb. Chuck Roast, cut into 1" pieces
4 slices Bacon
1/2 cup flour
Olive Oil
Unsalted Butter
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper
3-4 Bulbs Garlic, Pressed
1 Tsp. Oregano
1 Tsp. Thyme
1 Stem Rosemary
2 Bay Leaves
1 Sweet Onion, Chopped
4 Carrots, Chopped
4 Potatoes, Chopped
3-4 Cups Beef Stock
1 15 oz. can roasted diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
Worcestershire

Steps:

• Place cut up roast in a resealable bag and add the flour, sea salt & pepper.  Toss and shake until the roast is coated.
• Add a couple tablespoons olive oil to a dutch oven on medium high heat.  Once the oil gets hot, add a tablespoon of butter, and start searing the roast, a few pieces at a time, on all sides. 
• Once seared, put on a plate and set aside.
• To the same pot, add 1 cup of broth and stir to scrape up all the browned bits.  
• Add roast back to pot, along with any juice that collected on the plate.  
• Add remaining stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, a few dashes of worcestershire, thyme, oregano, and garlic. Stir.
• Add the onion, carrots, and potatoes.  Stir.  Top with slices of bacon, rosemary and bay leaves.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 2 - 3 hours.  Or, put all ingredients into the crockpot and leave for 8 hours on low.  

Orange Beach Fishing

Red Fish, aka Red Drum, is one of many fish in the Gulf Coast that provides sport in the fall and winter months.  They are edible, however, I do not cook them because they are prone to be wormy.   Gross!  Here is a fish chowder recipe from Dr. Bob Shipp that uses Wahoo, a very mild tasting fish, that is caught off shore.  I just wanted to describe the fish in the picture, which has nothing to do with this chowder.  Enjoy!

Gulf Coast Fish Chowder

2 medium potatoes, cubed

5 Tbsp. butter

5 Tbsp. flour

1 cup celery, chopped, including hearts

2 onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small jar pimentos

4 cups whole milk

1 cup water

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp. each thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper

Dash Worcestershire

1 to 2 cups Wahoo, cubed

Sea Salt to taste

Lemon Zest

Boil potatoes separately and set aside.

Blend flour and butter on low heat in a dutch oven.

Add celery, onion and garlic, and cook til tender.

Slowly add milk, and when thickened and bubbly, then slowly add water.

Blend in can soup.

Add all other ingredients except lemon zest.

Bring slowly back to boil and serve with grated lemon zest on top.

Adapted from Dr. Bob Shipp's recipe.

I am loving this new recipe I adapted from GAC Kimberly's Simply Southern.   Try my version where I roast the chicken in the oven.  Chicken gets a lot of flavor from the skin and bones.  All that is needed is some evoo, sea salt, and pepper.  

Spicy Chicken & Dumplings

2 chicken breast with skin and bones
sea salt & cracked pepper
evoo
1/2 stick unsalted butter
4 carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks with hearts, sliced
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
3 jalapenos, deseeded and chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tbsp. thyme
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups self-rising flour
3 tbsp. butter flavored shortening Crisco®
1 cup cold whole milk

Start by preparing the chicken.  Wash chicken & pat dry with paper towels.  Drizzle with evoo, sea salt & pepper.  Roast in 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  Let cool.  Shred chicken and set aside. (discard skin & bones)

In a dutch oven set on medium high,  add a couple tablespoons evoo and 1/2 stick butter.  Saute carrots, celery, onion and jalapenos.  Sprinkle with cayenne and thyme, continuing to saute for about 5 minutes.  Add shredded chicken and broth and let simmer for 30 minutes.  

Add the heavy cream and mix well.  Make the dumplings by combining flour, Crisco® and milk.  Mix well to form a dough.  Use two spoons to drop dumplings in the pot.  Cover and let simmer 20 to 30 minutes.  

Adapted from GAC's Kimberly's Simply Southern

We are all Alabamians

On a walk with Jake

He loves bacon and cheese!
Meet my four legged friend, Jake 

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Start by preheating the oven to 350.  Line 2 - 12 count cupcake pans with cute paper liners.  

Cake Ingredients

1 box white cake mix

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. pure vanilla

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Icing Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temp.

3-3/4 cups confectioners sugar

3 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. pure vanilla

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, blend the cake ingredients, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula, until well mixed.  Using a ice cream scoop, fill each liner about 2/3 full.  

Bake cupcakes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Cool cupcakes completely on wire racks before icing them.

To make the icing, blend the room temperature butter in a bowl until fluffy.  Add confectioners sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon.  Blend on low until sugar is incorporated, about 1minute.  Increase mixer speed to medium and continue to mix icing until light and fluffy.  Add another teaspoon of milk if icing seems stiff.  Now it's time to spread the icing goodness onto the cupcake goodness.   Lick the bowl.

Addictive Spinach Dip

2 cups sour cream
1-1/2 cup mayo
1 pkg. veggie soup mix
2 dashes worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
dash of sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 pkg. frozen spinach, defrosted, squeezed & chopped
1 loaf round pumpernickle bread
1 loaf italian bread

In a bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayo, veggie soup mix, worcestershire, garlic, sea salt, pepper and spinach.  Cover and place in the frig for 30 minutes or longer.  Cut out the top of the pumpernickle to make the shape of a bowl.  Cut bread into squares.  Pour dip into bowl.  Dig in and enjoy!