Sunday, November 2, 2008

Because I'm into sharing... (and this post doesn't require pictures).

Awhile back my good friend Rachel invited me to participate in a recipe exchange, part of an email chain thingy that I had actually expected to benefit from. Like many others before me I copied and pasted and composed my favorite quick-fix recipe to share then clicked send to at least twenty people as instructed. After sitting back for a WEEK waiting to harvest the fruits of my labor, I hadn't received a single recipe beyond that initial invitation. Instead, I received an email from my lovely mother-in-law (one of my twenty attempts to boost the recipe box) who was refusing to participate because of some suspicions surrounding the Internet and a whole host of other words that just made her sound a little too nuts for me to get into. So, one down... nineteen to go.

After more waiting a few recipes started to trickle in, but unfortunately they all sucked. I always intended to share these gems with you so that you too can benefit from a good laugh over a failed email forward (and at my expense). Thank you to Jordan who sent me a recipe for an alcoholic beverage and who wasn't even following the instructions by doing so. The deal was that you forward the last recipe to your twenty peeps and then the recipes you receive are from the twenty strangers of the person who originally sent the invitation to you. Make sense? Who cares, I'm too tired to proof read and clarify. The point is to get you new recipes from outside your normal social circle. That beverage suggestion was a shining beacon of hope in a sea of crappy meals. Thank you also to Rachel for making my MIL's suspicions of strangers on the Internet that much more valid.

First, Beet Soup by Leona. Remember how I asked you guys for beet recipes? That's because even though I had this suggestion from Leona, I really needed some more ideas because this just sounds awful to me. I have to admit it was really nice of her to break down the nutritional information for me though... were I to actually keep from ralphing afterwards. Two words "cooking light."

Hi Cameron!

This is Leona, a friend of Kristen’s in Mexico. I’m sending you one of my favorite soup recipes – it’s easy and really good (if you like beets!) I got it from Cooking Light Magazine and have made it several times.

Beet Soup

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 medium beets, peeled and halved
1 medium potato, peeled and halved crosswise
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon lemon juice
8 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream

Preparation

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until beets and potato are tender. Discard bay leaf.

Place one-third broth mixture in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Place pureed mixture in a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining broth mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Warm soup over low heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.

Combine 1/2 cup soup and the sour cream, stirring with a whisk. Divide soup evenly among each of 8 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream mixture; swirl sour cream mixture using the tip of a knife.

Yield

8 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup soup)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 74(16% from fat); FAT 1.3g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.4g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 23mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.3g; SODIUM 343mg; PROTEIN 3.3g; FIBER 2.2g


Now one from Paul (or Paul's wife?) which just couldn't be any easier. I don't know why I didn't think of it myself... I mean, it's practically demonstrated for you at Costco between noon and 2pm daily. Way to pay attention while you're on the TP isle Paul/wife.


Easy Tangy Meatballs
(Perfect for potlucks.)


Set a standard CrockPot to High.
Add and stir together thoroughly:
1 (16-ounce) bottle chili sauce
1 (16-ounce) jar grape jelly

Add and mix well with sauce:
1 large bag of precooked small meatballs, 40 to 50 count
Cook on High for 2 to 3 hours, can be left on Low for another 5 to 6.


Lastly, one from Martina who apparently forgot that there were other ingredients in the world and who seems to have no need for seasoning of any kind. Also, FIVE POUNDS OF POTATOES??? A true Irish woman. My stew would kick her stews ass TWICE.

here's your recipe



Irish stew




bring half pound of minced beef and a half pound of stewing steak to the boil in an half pint of water, in a very large pot

while waiting for the beef to boil chop up one whole onion and three carrots, also peel and cut circles or cubes, 5 pound of potatoes (approx. 10-14)
when meat is cooked put all other ingredients into the pot and bring back to the boil and at this stage mix in two beef stock cubes. then turn down the heat a simmer for approx. 30mins


when potatoes and carrots are soft the stew is ready to be served



martina

3 comments:

always sunny said...

seriously. let's take that stew out back and just kick it because we can. jeeze.

bandofbrothers said...

thanks so much for popping by with your well wishes! how sweet of you!

and your doggies are darling!

so i read below that you were into knitting...just the other day i was telling a friend how i wanted to learn to knit. is it tricky? in high school, i crocheted a bit and all my scarves came out twisted and curling, LOL.

i would love to see pictures of your creations...when your poor camera gets back from the doctor:( how sad.

nice to meet you!

Sidney Ann said...

So sorry, I'm one of those people that didn't respond, BUT I have a good excuse: I don't cook. See? It's so simple. Here's my favorite recipe to date:

1. Call 206.889.5657 and politely ask for one order of Tom Kha and one order of yellow curry with rice for two, both 4 stars.

2. Wait 10 minutes.

3. Walk 3 blocks and pick up aforementioned delicacies.

4. Walk back home.

5. Devour.

The best part: no clean up!