Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

Ingredients:
550g (19oz.) of Diced Beef or Stewing Steak
2 cans of chopped tomatoes in juice
A few Tbsp. (roughly 1/2 cup) sour cream
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
2 stalks celery
2 medium carrots
2 cloves of garlic (pressed)
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. Smoked Spanish Paprika
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Bay leaf
Pink salt and cracked black pepper to taste
A large slow cooker (crockpot)


*Smoked Spanish paprika is definitely the star of this dish and gives it all of the signature flavour.  For the sake bold flavour, I normally insist on using only quality Italian chopped tomatoes, even if they're more expensive.  Cheaper tinned tomatoes can be watery and lacking in flavour, but if you need to skimp and save the money by using less expensive ones, this is one dish where you may just get away with it.  Since the smoked paprika is the most important ingredient, the exact type of tomatoes isn't as important, as long as they taste like tomatoes.  Ordinary sweet paprika doesn't give it the right punch, so be sure to use the good smoked stuff.  Schwartz makes one in addition to their normal paprika.  You can also get it in tins imported from Spain in farmers markets or in good fruit and veg/deli shops like 'Get Fresh.'

Method:
First, prepare your vegetables and mince the garlic cloves.  Split the celery stalks lengthwise and dice into small chunks.  Cut the carrots into small coins at the smaller end and half-coins at the larger end.  Dice the onion.  Place all the veg in the slow cooker, but not the garlic.  Next, prepare the meat.  Mix the 2 tablespoons of flour with the tablespoon of paprika and the raw minced garlic in a large bowl.  Add the meat to the bowl and mix thoroughly around by hand or with a spoon until the meat is coated.  Put the meat mixture into a non-stick pan on a medium heat and toss around for a few moments to seal the meat on all sides if possible.  Put the meat in the slow cooker with the veggies.  De-glaze the pan with a little water and scrape the juices into the slow cooker.  Next, pour in 2 cans of chopped tomatoes with juice, add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and a few dashes of cracked black pepper and pink salt (Go light with it at this stage, as you can taste it when the meat is cooked and add more at that stage.) and a bay leaf.  Stir the mixture well and put the slow cooker on low for roughly 6 hours.  Taste towards the end to judge whether you need to add more salt and pepper.  About half an hour before the end of cooking time, remove the bay leaf, stir in sour cream and re-cover to finish cooking.  Serve over macaroni or rice.  

This amount serves 3 of us for 2 nights with some left over.

Ginger's Chili

Ingredients:

700g (1.5 lbs.) minced beef

½ an onion - diced

1 Tbsp. Mild Chilli Powder

1 Tbsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Onion Granules or Onion Salt

1 tsp. Dried Minced Garlic or 2 cloves of garlic – minced

1 tsp. Dried Oregano

½ tsp. Ground Coriander

1 x 142g (5 oz.) can of tomato puree/paste

1 can of Borlotti or Pinto Beans with juices

A few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

A few dashes of Tabasco Sauce (original)

Several tablespoons of water
A large slow cooker (crockpot)

I’ve changed my chilli recipe many times over the years, doing it by taste and never really following a recipe.  I’ve often heard that original traditional Texas chilli doesn’t have beans in it and that beans are mainly added in the Northern part of the United States, but never in Texas.  I was born in 1972 and grew up in Texas, even living and spending time in different regions, and had chilli made by many different people and in many different restaurants, etc.  It always had beans in it, so perhaps the tradition of having it without beans is on the decline.  I like it with beans, but you can leave them out if you don’t.  People often use kidney beans, but we like the softer Borlotti or Pinto beans, which are also easier to digest.  My father’s chilli was heavy on the tomato and very very spicy, always leaving us wishing it was milder.  My grandmother’s chilli had no tomato, but lots of onion and was heavy on the Cumin – a spice I adore.  In years past, I tried to marry those two ideas and used to add canned diced tomatoes to my chilli, but between that and liking it mild, I felt it came off like a slightly spicy Bolognese with beans, so I started changing my method.  I came up with this recipe after years of experimentation.  I discovered that it tastes best out of a slow cooker and with plenty of Cumin, just a mild to medium kick of chilli, and with tomato paste, but no diced tomatoes.  I add my spices by taste and instinct, so these measurements are approximate.  Feel free to alter them to make it spicier or milder to your taste. 

Method:

Dice half an onion and put it in a large slow cooker.  Next, lightly brown the ground beef in non-stick pan for a few minutes and then put it into the slow cooker.  Keep the meat pan on a low heat and begin adding your dry spices into the pan for toasting.  Toast them for a minute or two until aromatic, stirring around with a wooden spoon.  Dump the toasted spices into the slow cooker with the meat and onions.  Then, de-glaze the pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and pour this liquid into the slow cooker.  Finally, add a few more tablespoons of water, a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce and a dash of salt to the mixture and stir well.  Place the lid on the slow cooker and set to high.  After 1 hour, turn down to low and stir the mixture.  After another hour, add the tomato paste, a couple more dashes of salt, and a few tablespoons of water and stir.  Place the lid back on and wait a further hour.  Add the beans, stir and taste for spice.  At this point, add any additional spice you think it may need (I like a few dashes of Tabasco, a few more dashes of salt and a dash more of chilli powder and cumin at this stage) and leave to cook for a further 2 to 2 and ½ hours.  This is minimum time – you can cook for longer if it suits your schedule.  As with most meat or stew-type mixtures in a slow cooker, it only improves with time.  If you’re going to cook it for longer, you need not turn it to high for the first hour.  **Please note that this does come out fairly mild with these amounts and types of spice.  My young son likes just a tiny bit of spice, I like a little more and my husband likes a bit more than me.  I find it's easiest to make something relatively mild and then we adults can add Tabasco to our bowl to spice it up a little.  If you prefer, you can use a medium or hot chilli powder instead of mild.

I like to serve mine with scratch-made cornbread and grated cheddar and sour cream to garnish.  It really hits the spot on a cold, wet winter night.  We also carry on my family's tradition:  we cut our cornbread in half and eat half with the chili.  After we've finished our chili, we eat the other half with butter and honey for an after-dinner treat!  My son loves this as much as I did as a child.

Scrumptious Banoffee Pie

Ingredients:
160g (5.6 oz) of Digestive Biscuits (These are thick sweetmeal wheat cookies here-you can use Graham Crackers in the States, but should reduce the sugar to 1 Tbsp, as they're sweeter.)
1 & 1/2 Tbsp. soft light brown sugar
80g (2.8 oz) real butter
a 397g (14 oz) can of Nestle Carnation Caramel (same shelf as condensed milk) or a jar of Dulce de Leche (if you can't get the pre-made caramel, you can make it by submerging a can of condensed milk in simmering water for a couple of hours-see online for instructions to avoid an exploding can!)
3 to 4 bananas, depending on size - start with 3
500ml (just under 17 oz) single (whipping) cream
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract or essence
cocoa powder for garnish
a 9" or 10" round springform pan (I use 10")  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springform_pan

Banoffee has become a very common dessert in the UK & Ireland over the last two decades & when I first tasted it around 15 years ago, I honestly thought it was an American dessert that had made its way over here along with things like Mississippi Mud Pie, etc.  It turns out that it's a UK invention & every time I mention it, my American friends & family ask what it is.  When I describe it to them, they're very interested.  I've decided to post it here, mainly for the benefit of those friends & family who have never had the chance to try it.  I called it 'Family Banoffee' because it's so much fun to make & really very easy.  Everyone in the family can get hands-on & pitch in & there's no actual cooking or baking involved, unless you count melting the butter!  My hubby & son helped me make this one. It's a great dessert to make if you're short on time or don't enjoy baking & it also tastes & looks impressive.  Once you've tasted Banoffee, you'll never forget it.  When I have a choice of desserts in a restaurant & Banoffee is one of them, I always choose it.  It is very sweet & filling (but not quite sickly), so it's perfect if you want to get one slice & share it with your partner or child.  Everyone makes it pretty much the same way, with the only real variations being size of pan (which alters the thickness of the caramel layer - I like the thinner layer because it's strong in taste & doesn't require a thick layer to leave its mark), whether to put cocoa powder or chocolate syrup on top & how much banana to use. For my version, I like lots of banana, I prefer cocoa powder on top & I add a little vanilla to the cream.  There is no need to sweeten the cream, as the base & the filling are so sweet, making the lighter cream layer a nice contrast.  I hope you enjoy this delicious treat!

Method:
Firstly, you'll need to prepare the crumb base.  Break up the digestives (or graham crackers) into rough chunks, then place in a food processor & blitz until finely ground.  Place in a bowl & add the brown sugar, stirring until well blended.  Melt the butter in a pan & pour the melted butter into the crumb mixture.  Quickly toss around until all of the crumb mixture is fully coated.  Making sure the springform pan is closed & locked with the base in place, transfer the crumb mixture into the pan & press out with clean hands until you have a nice flat, even layer of crumb crust covering the bottom.  Place this in the fridge for around an hour to set firmly.  After an hour, open the can of caramel & pour all onto the crumb base.  Spread out with a rubber spatula until a nice smooth layer is covering the crumb.  Next, slice up 3 or 4 bananas into thin rounds.  Cover the caramel layer in concentric circles until you have the coverage you desire (kids love helping with this part!).  When this is done, whip the cream with a whipper attachment in a food processor or kitchen mixer until it is very thickly whipped, making sure to add the vanilla while it's whipping.  Transfer all of the thickly whipped cream onto the pie & spread out with a rubber spatula once it's all on.  This will make it easier to spread around without gouging the banana & caramel layers beneath.  Finally, sprinkle cocoa powder on top of the cream & put the pie back in the fridge for an hour or two.  When you're ready to serve, gently unlatch the springform pan & carefully lift off.  You may sometimes get parts of it that want to cling, but you can easily push them away with a knife or spatula & still maintain a smooth & set edge.  Slice like a pie, serve & enjoy.

The crumb base in the tin

Add a caramel layer.

Add bananas.

Add stiffly whipped cream & cocoa powder.

Serve...

... and enjoy!

Spiced Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. mild chilli powder
32 fluid oz. vegetable stock (I used Knorr concentrated gel stock pots.)
1 cup red lentils 
1 large carrot or 2 medium carrots, diced
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 Tbsp. dried coriander leaf (cilantro)
1 tsp. dried oregano
More salt to taste
Lemon slices or olive oil to garnish

A friend of mine was moving away & gave me the contents of her kitchen press, which included a full bag of red lentils.  I'd always wanted to make my own lentil soup & this was the perfect opportunity.  I looked up several recipes online in order to get an idea about method & amounts & then I added elements of several recipes together, along with my own ideas, to develop this warmly spiced soup.  It's so satisfying, warming & enjoyable with a bit of a Mexican flair.  It  leaves you always wanting to go back for another taste or two, even if you're full.  This amount usually serves 3 of us for 2 nights in a row.

Method:
Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Stir in the chopped onion & minced fresh garlic & cook until the onion has turned golden (around 5 minutes).  Stir in the cumin, sea salt, black pepper & chilli powder.  Cook & stir for another 2 minutes or so until the spices are fragrant.  Next, stir in the vegetable stock (you can also use chicken stock if you prefer), lentils & carrot.  Bring to a boil on high, then reduce to medium-low, cover & simmer until lentils are soft (around 30 minutes).  Using a good quality hand blender, blend on a medium setting until the soup is thick, smooth & silky, but not completely chunk-free.  You want it to be almost smooth, but with a few tiny chunks of carrot, etc.  If you don't have a hand blender, you can transfer it to a food processor or blender, being careful not to overfill with the hot liquid or allow the lid to come off while blending. Once blended, add in the lemon juice, oregano & coriander & stir well.  Salt further to taste if necessary.
That's it - it's now ready to serve!  You can garnish each bowlful with a slice of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil or a sprig or two of fresh coriander.  Serve with chunky rustic bread.

So delicious!

Ginger's Cheese Log

Ingredients:
1 200g tub of either garlic&herb, chive, cucumber or grilled pepper light Philadelphia cream cheese
Half of a 250g tub of plain full fat Philadelphia or Tesco cream cheese
200g grated red cheddar or red cheddar
1 tsp. of dried chives (leave out if using the chive cream cheese)
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
A 100g pack chopped walnuts or chopped toasted pecans (if you can't find chopped, use halved & bash with a rolling pin or a mortar & pestle
A large sheet of parchment paper 

Every Christmas & New Year, my family had a cheese log & a cheese ball.  My Gramma made the cheese log & rolled it in dried parsley, while my Aunt made a cheese ball (similar ingredients but in a round shape instead of a loaf) & rolled it in chopped walnuts, pecans or finely chopped black olives.  Cheese logs & cheese balls are a very traditional party food in America & there are so many varieties.  This is my version.  The great thing about a cheese log/ball is that you can choose from many different ingredients & make it your own.  I've even had them rolled in chilli powder or paprika for a little extra kick & I often do the parsley option instead of nuts.  I've also had them with finely minced onions or scallions, olives, pimentos or bacon in them & some people add a bit of mayonnaise or some chopped sun-dried tomatoes. You can also play around with the type of grated hard cheese you use.  I sometimes use mozzarella & cheddar mix.  Adding a little cheddar with port, smoked gouda or Applewoods cheddar (maybe about 1/3 of your total amount) would be nice as well.  You can swap it around & use a whole tub of the plain cream cheese & just a half tub of the flavoured one.  The possibilities are endless & you should make it your own.  I have many different recipes for these, but this is the one I created & it's always my 'go to' one.  It takes only minutes to make & is easy, but looks impressive.  I've lost count of how many times I've brought this to a gathering or party & had rave reviews about it, requests to make it again & requests for the recipe, so here it is!

Method:
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients except the grated cheddar & the chopped nuts.  (If you can't get garlic & herb cream cheese, you can also use light chive cream cheese or use plain light cream cheese & add 1/4 tsp. each of onion granules, mixed dried herbs & garlic salt.)  Once the spices & cream cheese are well blended, add in the grated cheese.  Mix with a spoon until completely blended.  You should have a fairly thick & stiff mixture that is still moist.  Spoon out the entire mixture into a rough round or oblong shape on your piece of parchment paper.  The videos between the photographs demonstrate what to do next.  After the cheese log is made, it will be a little soft from handling.  It's best served chilled & set.  I like to allow at least a couple of hours (preferably overnight) in the fridge for it to set & to allow the flavours to marry.  Serve it on a cheese plate with a variety of crackers & some grapes or olives on the side & enjoy!

the finished mixture in the bowl

... and on the parchment...

the shaped 'log'

the first stage of coating

 The finished product

Easy Baby New Potato Salad

Ingredients:
750g (roughly 26.5 oz.) Mini Baby New Potatoes (don't peel them)
3 scallions
Dash salt
Dash pepper
3 heaped Tbsp. natural Greek yogurt
3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. French's yellow mustard

Traditionally in my family, we make an American style mashed potato salad with onions, peppers, hard-boiled eggs, mustard, mayo, pickles & all kinds of herbs & spices.  My grandmother's recipe just couldn't be beaten & we all still make it from time to time.  In Ireland, potato salad tends to be more of the whole or chopped new potato variety with chives or scallions & usually without mustard.  I've come up with this refreshing little simple recipe that marries ideas from both kinds.  It's quick & easy for those times when you decide at the last minute to make a zippy little side dish for a barbecue or picnic & don't want to put in too much hard work.  The yogurt gives it such a fresh taste.  It makes a great side dish for burgers, hotdogs, barbecue & sandwiches.  Every time I make it, it disappears quickly. 

Method:
Steam your baby new potatoes whole until you can easily stick a fork in them, but they are not falling apart.  Rinse in cold water & set aside or in the fridge to cool.  When the potatoes have cooled, cut them in half & put them into a tupperware bowl.  If there are some larger ones, cut them in half & the very tiny ones can stay whole.  After standing your scallions in a glass of cold water for half an hour or so to draw out some of the heat, cut the white bulbs from the bottom of 3 to 4 of them (depending on their size & your taste preferences), chop them & add to the potatoes.  Add the salt, pepper, yogurt, mayo & mustard & give it a good stir, trying not to break up the potato pieces too much.  This is such a fresh & zippy little salad.  The flavours are not very intense - just nice & natural.  I usually put the lid on & leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the flavours marry before deciding if it needs any more salt or pepper.  When it's freshly made, it can taste a little plain, but a couple of hours later, the flavours come through perfectly.  Because of this, I recommend only a dash of salt & pepper at first.  You can always add more when you taste it later, but you can't take it away if add too much!  Once it's been sitting in the fridge for a couple of hours, you may also decide to stir in a little more yogurt or mayo if it's too dry.  It's hard to mess it up and always turns out delicious! 

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:
1 cup yogurt
1 & 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 & 1/2 tsp. mild chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground black pepper
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
5 long skewers
1 Tbsp. butter
1 clover garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
1 Tbsp. dried cilantro (coriander leaf)
2 & 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 & 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. onion salt or onion granules
8 oz. (226 gr) passata (tomato sauce)
8.8 oz  (260 ml) double (heavy) cream
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander leaf) to garnish

This is one of my favourite Indian dishes.  I like my Mexican food spicy, but I like my Chinese & Indian food mild.  Korma & Tikka Masala are among my favourite Indian dishes, because you can taste the sweet smoothness of things like coconut milk or cream alongside all the exotic spices & the flavours in the rice & naan bread, etc without setting your mouth on fire & ruining the experience.  This dish is extremely mild, but if you like it with a little kick, you could always add another jalapeno or two to the mix.  I had never attempted to make my own Indian food - I'd always ordered it from the local takeaway - but then I found this recipe online.  It was such a hit that we never order Tikka Masala from the takeaway any more.  As with almost every recipe I've ever used, I made a few small changes & personalized it.  I like to serve it with Basmati rice & a shop-bought good quality naan bread.  This will serve around 4 to 5 people & it's even nicer the second night.  I also sometimes use the marinated Tandoori chicken (without creating the sauce) to skewer & cook on the barbecue - it's amazing.

Method:
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 tsp. of cumin, 2 tsp. of mild chilli powder, 2 tsp. of black pepper, 2 tsp. of ground ginger, 2 tsp. of salt & 1 tsp. of cinnamon.  Stir in the raw cubed chicken, cover & refrigerate for at least 1 hour (I have left this for several hours & it works out fine).  After an hour, proceed.
If using wooden skewers, pre-soak them in water.  Pre-heat your grill (broiler) to high.  Lightly oil the grill grate & place over a grill drip tray.  Thread chicken onto skewers & discard any marinade remaining in the bowl.  Grill until juices run clear.  This only takes about 5 minutes on each side, as the yogurt & lemon & spice combo has already begun to 'cook' the chicken.  Melt butter in a large deep skillet or wok over a medium heat.  Saute garlic & jalapeno for 1 minute.  Season with 1 Tbsp. dried coriander leaf,  2 & 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1 & 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt & 1/4tsp. onion salt or granules.  Stir in tomato sauce & cream.  Simmer on a low heat until the sauce thickens, approximately 20 minutes or so.  Add the grilled chicken & simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes on a low/medium heat while you prepare your rice & naan breads.  You can garnish with fresh coriander leaf (cilantro) or parsley at the end, but this is optional. 

The chicken pieces in the marinade

On the skewers before the grill...

...and after the grill...  Edible & delicious already!

Almost ready...

Oscar loves it!