Irish Stew in slow cooker

Irish Stew

As soon as October hits, I pull out the slow cooker. It's that time of year when the temperature dips and the hunger for warm comfort food rises. I love chilli, soup and stew, so I decided to start with an Irish stew on this cool Autumn day.

Below is a delicious recipe for Irish stew in a slow cooker. I swear, if you give this a try you will not be disappointed. The beef literally falls apart, it's so tender and delicious. The flavours are intense, and so savoury! I only wish I had a larger slow cooker so I could make double the servings to last all week. Yum!

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2lbs top sirloin beef or lamb, cubed

3 large potatoes, cubed

3 large stalks celery, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 large onion, diced

1 cup frozen peas

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tbsp olive oil

3 cups rich beef broth

1 cup Guinness stout 

1/2 cup red wine

3 tbsp flour

2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp dry thyme

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp Worcestershire 

1 tsp back pepper

parsely for garnish 

Method

In a hot pot with some oil, brown the beef/lamb.  Do not over crowd the pot, so you'll want to brown the pieces in batches. When you've finished browning, add garlic for a minute, then add Guinness and red wine. After a few minutes of simmering, transfer all of it to the slow cooker. In the same pot, add a bit more oil, and all the vegetables. Let cook to soften on medium heat for about 20 minutes, then transfer to slow cooker. 

Grab a large mixing bowl and add broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, dry thyme, bay leaf, worcestershire and black pepper. Mix and add to the slower cooker. It should be nice and full. Give it a bit of a stir to incorporate everything, and set it on high. Let sit 4 - 6 hours. 

Not long before serving, mix 3 tbsp flour with some of the hot broth, then pour back into the stew. I also add more green peas at this stage because I like the pop of colour. Let sit for 10 minutes to thicken, and then serve.

Enjoy hot with some buttered bread.

Happy Autumn everyone x

Chipotle Chicken Chilli with Sweet Potato

It's Autumn and you know what that means fellow foodies! COMFORT FOOD!

One of my favourite kitchen gadgets to use this time of year is the slow cooker. Here is a different kind of chilli recipe that I came up with based solely on my love for sweet potato and also by being a bit tired of the conventional chilli recipes out there. Give it a try!

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts, cubed

2 sweet potatoes, cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 cup canned black beans

1 cup corn niblets

1/2 cup water

3 chipotles peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp canola oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black cracked pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

Method

In large pan over high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of canola oil. Add chicken and onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add potato and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes until slightly tender. Move all contents of pan to a slow cooker, add remaining ingredients and stir. Set on low and cook for 5+ hours. Serve with green onion, sour cream, avocado or crushed tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Double chocolate Nutella cookies

Like cookies?
Like dessert?
Like chocolate?
Like Nutella?
.......... Like it with a glass of cold milk? Like no further. Just bake. Here's my recipe for my double chocolate Nutella cookies.
Be careful, they're addictive and so delicious. . You've been warned!

Ingredients
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup Nutella
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 1/4 cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chips
(more Nutella if you'd like to pipe 1 tsp within the cookie)

Method
Preheat oven to 375F.
With an electric mixer, beat butter, nutella and sugars for 5 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs and vanilla and beat another 2 minutes. Slowly add the flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt and mix for 2 minutes. Finally mix in the chocolate chips for a few more seconds.
Tip: I usually refrigerate my cookie dough for 1 hour before I roll out the balls. I find it bakes better that way.

Roll into 1" balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Make sure cookies are a little soft in the centre to ensure they stay chewy and soft after cooling down.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Pie

Who doesn't love pie? Especially in the summer months when fruit is ripe and in season! One of my favourites is blueberry pie.. homemade! None of that store bought stuff (it makes me run for the hills, ugh!)

I feel like pie is one of those foods where if you don't have the best tasting slice to eat, don't bother eating. Am I just a pie snob? I'm certainly picky with the crust, as I always enjoy using an all butter dough.
Today I am sharing with you my blueberry pie recipe. If you're in the mood for deliciousness, give it a try and if you have some vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet in your freezer, enjoy your slice a la mode.

Ingredients
Dough/Crust

1 cup cold butter, cubed

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup ice cold water

3 tbsp granulated white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg (for crust egg wash)

Filling

4 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp butter

Juice and rind of 1/2 a lemon

Method
Crust

In a stand mixer, add flour and butter and mix using dough hook attachment. Mix for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until flour resembles cornmeal, then add remaining ingredients until it mixes into dough. If you don't have a mixer, you can use a fork to press the pieces of butter into the flour, and slowly add the other ingredients until dough forms. Roll by hand and plastic wrap, then place into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Filling

Add blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt and lemon into large bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes +. 

Preheat oven to 400F. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut in half. Roll out both into the shape of a circle and line bottom of 9" pie dish with one crust. Add blueberry filling and dot with 1 tbsp butter, and then add the other crust over top. Seal edges of both crusts

with a fork, or fold over to close. Give crust an egg wash, sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar and poke a small hole or two in the centre of the top pie crust.

Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown. 

Enjoy!

Zucchini Tart

Everywhere I look these days, I see Zucchini. From local farmers markets to backyard gardens. They're so fresh and so delicious that I've decided to come up with different ways to use them in my cooking. The other week I made some delicious patty cakes (recipe is on my Instagram). Today though, I have decided to make a tart. Give my recipe a try. You'll love it.





Ingredients
Dough/Crust
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup ice cold water
1 tbsp granulated white sugar
1 tsp salt
(make sure to wrap dough and place in refrigerator for 3hrs)

Filling
6-8 medium zucchini
1 onion, diced
3 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out crust and place into tart dish or pie dish. Peel the zucchini into thin slices, and set aside. Mix all other ingredients and pour into pie dish. Roll zucchini thins into little roses (see my Instagram video) place around the rim of the pie and move inwards until the whole top is covered. Bake in oven for 50 minutes. Enjoy!





Peach Galette

Peaches are in season right now which gave me the hankering to make a delicious peach dessert. I decided to be a little different today and made a peach galette which tastes very much like my peach pie or tart. A galette is a French term used to describe a large round pastry or pancake. It's rustic looking appearance and simple yet delicious ingredients make it a popular go to dessert and is commonly enjoyed in the summer months.

Ingredients
Dough/Crust

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup ice cold water

3 tbsp granulated white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg (for crust egg wash)

Filling

8 peaches, sliced

1 cup granulated white sugar

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tbsp orange blossom water

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cardamon

or

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

Method for crust

In a stand mixer, add flour and butter and mix using dough hook attachment. Mix for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until flour resembles cornmeal, then add remaining ingredients until it mixes into dough. If you don't have a mixer, you can use a fork to press the pieces of butter into the flour, and slowly add the other ingredients until dough forms. Roll by hand and plastic wrap, then place into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.



Method for filling

Wash and slice yellow fleshed peaches. Place in large bowl and add all other ingredients. Mix well, then let sit for 20 - 30 minutes to soften and for liquid to release from fruit. 

Assembly

Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out dough on a floured counter top into a large circle. Make sure to not roll it too thin. If convenient, place dough on pan lined with parchment paper before assembly to prevent galette falling apart during transition. Lay peach slices clockwise in a circle within a circle in the centre of the dough, and fold over the sides. Give crust an egg wash and sprinkle sugar and salt over top. Place 2 or 3 pea sized pieces of butter on top of the peaches and drizzle the remaining peach liquid overt top the fruit and pop into the oven for 1 hour. 

Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes

If you want to eat the most yummiest and fluffiest pancakes, give my recipe a try. It's easy and delicious but be warned, if people see you making them, you'll spend an hour serving up many of them because they are so delicious.
Here is a recipe that makes enough pancakes for two (or one super hungry pancake lover)

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp melted butter ( extra 1 tsp butter for pan)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt

Method
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together for a minute or two.

Heat and lighly grease a pan or griddle with butter on high for 2 minutes and lower to medium heat.

Pour a small ladle's worth on pan, and wait until the batter shows a few bubbles - about 1 minute. Flip over for about 20 seconds until lightly golden brown. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
Enjoy!