Mom's Oven Stew

I adapted this recipe from the Real Mom Kitchen cookbook. This is a super easy crock-pot meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cups potato, diced
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 2 cups carrots, sliced
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup
• 1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 c. quinoa (uncooked)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on high for 3 hours, stir occasionally. Serves about 8. 

 Notes about this recipe:

1. After making it once I thought it might also be yummy to add some corn and green beans or peas to the mix as well. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet though.

Lentil Barley Soup

(Picture from Karen Madsen)

This recipe was sent to me by Aubrey B. She says it is a family recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. lentils
• 1 c. barley
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (crushed would work too)
• 1 c. onion, chopped
• 1 c. celery, sliced
• 2 T Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dill weed (or your favorite spice blend)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 10 c vegetable broth (I usually do just 8 cups broth, and two cups water)
• Salt to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water if soup becomes too thick. Serves 10 normal eaters (or 4 if you have a Kevin [her hubby] eating it).

To make it into a stew, mix flour and water together and add to the soup until it reaches the thickness you desire. Wonderful served as a "gravy" over mashed potatoes.

Lentil Stew

This recipe was sent by Whitney H. She made a post about it on her blog and found the recipe at All Recipes. She made her own adaptations based on the comments others made on the original recipe, and considers the following recipe a masterpiece in her personal culinary history. She says of the recipe, "Seriously, this is the best lentil soup recipe EVER! I would like to make a public service announcement that everyone in the world should eat more lentils. You really won't regret it."

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 4 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, choped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 C dry brown lentils
• 1 C dry red lentils
• 1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
• 4 C broth (chicken, vegetable, whatever you want to use)
• 1/2 C spinach, thinly sliced (sometimes I add more - just depends on my mood)
• 2 Tbs basalmic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic and all the spices. Cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, add tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, stir in spinach and cook until it wilts. Stir in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add whatever else you think it needs to be delicious!

Vegetable Stew with Dumplings

This is a family favorite and sadly I have no picture for it. We are always too excited to eat it and then it's gone before we know it. In the past I've always made it using canned chicken but I turned it vegetarian by adding more vegetables and nixing the chicken. My husband said it was blog worthy. I adapted the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Chicken Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings recipe.

Ingredients:

Stew

• 18 oz of water
  
• 1 or 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
  
• 5 oz frozen peas
• 5 oz frozen corn
• 1 cup chopped onion (can use dried onion if you want, check the ratios)
  
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• 1/8 tsp. dried basil
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup flour

Dumplings

• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tb. shortening or butter/margerine
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don't have butter milk add 1/2 Tb. of lemon juice to your milk)
  

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl combine the dry dumpling ingredients. Cut in the shortening until you have course crumbs. Add the buttermilk, stirring until just moistened.

2. In a large saucepan combine the water, potatoes, frozen veggies, onions, herbs, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Boil for about 10 min.

3. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine the milk and flour. Mix into the saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce the heat to a medium low and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the potato chunks are getting soft. Make sure to stir occasionally so the stew doesn't cook onto the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the dumpling dough from a tablespoon into 6-8 mounds onto the top of the stew. Simmer, covered (do not lift the cover), over low heat for about 10-12 minutes. Check dumplings using a wooden toothpick.

Notes about this recipe:

1. We have found that this recipe serves about 2 people, with a tiny bit of leftovers.
2. If you prefer more stew with your dumplings, then I would double the stew recipe but not the dumpling recipe.

Chickpea and Roasted Cauliflower Stew

I found this recipe at Rachael Ray's website. It serves 4-6 people. My husband thought it had great flavor, and I loved the cauliflower!

Ingredients:

• 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
• 3/4 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4-5 cups chicken stock or water
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (15 ounces)
• 2 cans chickpeas (15 ounces each), drained
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Toss together the cauliflower, 1/4 cup olive oil and a little salt and place on a baking sheet. Roast until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil over a medium-high flame. Add in the shallots and garlic and cook for a minute or so, just to release the aroma and flavor the oil. Add in the cumin, cinnamon, fennel seed and cayenne pepper and stir to release the aroma of the spices, about 15 seconds.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and add in the chicken stock, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and roasted cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the stew over medium heat until it thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley before serving. Serve alongside couscous or rice.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I used less than 2 heads of cauliflower.

2. The 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (or ground red pepper, in my case) was just enough to spice up the back of my throat. My husband thought the soup was great, but I think next time I would reduce it to 1/4 tsp of cayenne/red pepper.

Simple Summer Stew with Herb Butter

This recipe was submitted by Ryann P. She found it in a cookbook called Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. We were given special permission from the author to have this recipe posted on the blog. Thanks Deborah!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 TBSP marjoram
• 1 1/2 TBSP basil
• 1 1/2 TBSP parsley
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• salt and freshly milled pepper
• 4 TBSP butter, softened
• 8 oz. green beans , preferably skinny ones, tipped, cut into 3-inch lengths
• 1 TBSP olive or sunflower seed oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. small summer squash, diced or sliced into rounds
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into squares
• 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 4 ears corn, shucked, about 3 cups kernels
  

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the marjoram, basil, parsley, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and the butter. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook the beans, uncovered for 2 minutes and then drain.

Heat the oil in a wide pan over high heat with the onion and garlic. Saute for 1 minute, then add 1/2 cup water, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the beans, squash, pepper, tomato, and corn. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in the herb butter, taste for salt, and season with pepper.

Notes about this recipe:

We've had this recipe a few times and discovered that it is tremendously delicious with fresh vegetables from the Farmer's Market. Four servings was barely enough to feed two. It is also tasty with grocery store vegetables, but difference is noticeable. This recipe is the perfect reason to support your local Farmer's Market before they close for the season and enjoy a little bit of vegetable heaven.

Quinoa Stew

I found this recipe at Whole Food Mommies.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. quinoa (can use 1 c. as well, for a chunkier stew)
• 1 c. water (2 c. if using 1 c. quinoa)
• 2 c. chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tb. olive oil or less
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 carrot, cut on the diagonal into 1/4 inch think slices
• 1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 c. cubed zucchini
• 2 c. undrained chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
• 1 c. water or vegetable stock
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• Pinch of cayenne (or more to taste)
• 2 tsp. fresh oregano (1 tsp. dried)
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Using a fine sieve, rinse the quinoa well. Place it in a pot with the water and cook, coverd, on medium low heat for about 15 minutes, until soft. Set aside.

While the quinoa cooks, saute the onions and garlic in a deep pot in oil for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add celery and carrots. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and stock.

Stir in the cumin, chili powder, ground coriander, cayenne, oregano, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Stir cooked quinoa into the stew and add salt to taste.

Notes about this recipe:

1. The picture posted with this recipe shows that avocado was also added. I tried adding some to mine when I made it and I thought that was an excellent choice. Oh how I love avocados!

2. I served this with tortilla chips.