Girl Scout Stew (Easy Beef Stew)

Girl Scout Stew

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 can of V8 vegetable juice

2 tbsp of vegetable oil

2tsp garlic powder

2tsp onion powder

2 lbs Beef Stew meat

4 or 5 medium potatoes diced

1 large carrot sliced

2 stalks of celery chopped

2 cups of chopped fresh green beans

2 medium onions quartered

3 garlic cloves finely minced

fresh parsley chopped

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Take frying pan and heat oil over medium.

Take flour, garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of salt and pepper and put in a ziploc bag.  Shake bag until ingredients are well mixed.

Place beef into bag in about 4 batches and shake to coat evenly. Set aside until oil is hot.

Place beef into pan not touching to sear until browned usually about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Once all meat is browned place beef and all remaining ingredient into crock pot.

Place on high for about 3-4 hours until meat is tender and all vegetables are softened. 

** You can add whatever veggies that you like.  I have added corn, peas, different beans.  I usually use frozen vegetables or fresh.  Canned will work as well but they tend to be mushy and fall apart.**

Creamy Potato Soup

Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients

6 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Tbsp of butter

5-6 Medium Potatoes diced

1 Medium Onion minced

1 large carrot sliced

1 package of cream cheese or Neufchatel  (light) cream cheese

3 garlic cloves finely minced or crushed in a garlic crusher

shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese for garnish

Directions

Melt butter in large pot.  Once it is melted add onions and garlic. Sautee until they are soft and translucent about 2-3 minutes.

Add chicken stock potatoes & carrots to pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 10 minutes or so until potatoes and carrots soften.

Reduce heat to medium low and add package of cream cheese. (For a cheesier preparation add 1 cup of cheddar or monterey jack cheese at this time.) Continuously stir until cream cheese is completely mixed in and melted.

Let simmer for 3-5 minutes and serve with cheese sprinkled on top.

Top with your favorite potato soup garnishes: bacon bits, chopped green onion, shredded cheddar or monterey cheese, sour cream or hot sauce.  Or combine a few for endless possibilities!

Enjoy!

**This recipe is crockpot adaptable!  Just thrown all ingredient in the crockpot on low for 4-6 hours or until potatoes and carrots are soft.**

Shrimp Bisque

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
1 quart of light cream
2 lbs of raw shrimp (shell on)
1 lg onion
4 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of celery
1 lg carrot
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1 Tbsp seafood bullion base (I used Better than Bullion Lobster Stock.  It is in the soup aisle with the other stocks)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 scallions chopped
salt
pepper
bay leaf
paprika
chili powder

Directions:
1) Take Shrimp and remove shells.  Keep shells in a separate bowl.
2)  Rinse shrimp and drain.  Then season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3) Dice up carrots, celery and onion.  Mince garlic cloves. Set all these aside.
4) Take Shrimp shells, half of vegetables and about 4-5 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Let it boil for about 5 minutes and then turn down to medium heat.
5) In a ziploc mix together flour, cornstarch, a little salt, pepper, paprika and a tiny pinch of chili powder. Shake to mix.
6) Drop shrimp into bag in batches to coat shrimp.  Shake off excess flour and set aside in a bowl.
7)  In a large pot melt 1/2 the stick of butter over medium heat.  In batches (if pot isn't big enough) cook shrimp until they are mostly cooked.  (They should be mostly cooked, pinkish white and start to curl up.)  Then take them out and set aside.
8) Melt other half of butter and put vegetables into pot.  Cook over medium until vegetables have softened.
9) Strain the shrimp shells from the broth over a large bowl to save stock.
10) Add two cups of the stock to the pot with the vegetables.
11)  Add 1 Tbsp of seafood bullion and tomato paste and melt into broth.
12)  Add 1 quart of Light Cream to pot and bring to a boil.
13)  Reduce heat to medium low and add the shrimp to the pot.
14) Cook over medium low for an additional 10 - 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
15) Serve with scallions sprinkled on top! ENJOY!

Beef with Broccoli

Beef with Broccoli
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3/4 pound flank or sirloin, sliced thinly across the grain
3 heads of broccoli chopped into florets
1 cup onions thinly sliced
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of beef broth

Marinade
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine (rice wine vinegar)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce

Sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine (or rice wine vinegar)
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 cup beef broth


Directions
Start by mixing the Marinade ingredients together if cornstarch is lumpy whisk with a fork. In a medium sized bowl stir together the sliced beef and mixture until all the pieces are coated. Let stand until other ingredients are prepared.

Stir the sauce ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Blanch the broccoli by boiling a large pot of hot water. Toss the broccoli in the water for 2-3 minutes until they soften slightly. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

While vegetables are being blanched heat a large frying pan or wok over medium high heat. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the beef slices to the wok or pan in a single layer flat. Let the beef fry undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip the beef slices over, add the garlic & onion to the pan and fry for an additional minute until no longer pink. Pour in the sauce and add the blanched broccoli. Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and turn heat to high. Continue stirring until liquid boils and begins to thicken. Remove from heat and serve.