Moroccan Beef stew with chickpeas

Moroccan Beef stew with chickpeas

I have been so busy with work lately, that I needed a  recipe that calls for a one-pot- wonder. Enter Moroccan Beef stew with chickpeas recipe. Literally, you throw everything in your crock-pot and a few hours, while you do your errands or work around the house, you have food ready in a few hours and your house smells great with the dish cooking. Pretty much most of the ingredients called for this recipe are pantry ready, {I usually stock my vegetable tray in the fridge with potatoes, carrots or any vegetables I need or want to experiment- they usually last for at least 2 weeks, potatoes maybe longer}. I stock my pantry with  canned beans of any kind- red, white, kidney, chickpeas or mixed.  These are so handy, and any canned  tomato sauce, paste, crushed, or minced variety. Also, the weather has dipped to -40 this week and this recipe is one that calls for cocooning at home! 

Ingredients:

Beef {cubed}

1-2 carrots chopped

2 peeled potatoes cubed

1 onion sliced

crushed garlic

salt and pepper

1 can diced or crushed tomatoes

1 cup raisins

1 can drained chickpeas {or whatever beans you have in your pantry}

dried oregano and basil

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. tumeric {optional, if you don't have it}

Throw all your ingredients, except your chickpeas to your crock-pot on low or high and let it cook away for couple hours {about 5-6 hours}. When the meat is cooked through and fork tender, pour your drained chickpeas and let it simmer for another half-an hour or so. Serve and enjoy!

Diced, cubed, and mixed all your vegetables and place everything in your crock-pot and leave it alone. Easy peasy as that.

The house smells so great while this dish was simmering.

The chickpeas added is a low-fat protein that sure is great for the body! Bonus!

After 5-6 hours, this dish looks like this.

Moroccan Beef Stew with chickpeas, I love this dish! Comfort food when its too cold outside and you don't want to cook. Easy to prepare and yummy!

Creamy Zucchini Risotto

Zucchini Risotto

I had risotto so many times in high end restaurants and frou- frou events- and never really attempted to recreate it at home. I never really cared enough about this recipe, considering all the considerations to make note in making risotto. Not until recently, I saw a bag of Arborio rice while grocery shopping for my regular  Jasmine rice- like a light-bulb, I decided to try it and on a whim it was in my grocery cart! {I'm so bad for this}. I always ended up with too many grocery items than my grocery lists tells me.{my poor wallet}. I am getting better at this though!. I try. Going back to my risotto- here's a risotto recipe that I really loved- actually it is much, and waaaaaay better than the fancy restaurants I've dined to. It's so easy to make as well!

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth or water {I prefer the chicken broth}

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and a tsp. of butter

1/2 medium diced onions

1 medium zucchini {diced}

1 clove of garlic {minced}

2 cups Arborio rice

basil and salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup white wine {optional}

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring chicken broth to a simmer. {I just warm the chicken broth in the microwave}. Putting cold broth to the risotto will shock the rice grain and split it- make sure the broth is simmering but not boiling. Set aside until ready to use.

In a sauce pan, heat olive oil and butter together over a medium heat. Add onions and saute slowly until soft. Add the zucchini and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir until rice is translucent, about 1-2 minutes.

Slowly add the hot chicken broth to the rice mixture, one ladle at a time, stirring gently. Wait until liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful of broth. Midway during cooking, I added 1/4 cup of white wine {Barefoot Pinot Grigio wine- it adds a flavorful aroma, and a zippy finish-this is optional}. Continue cooking until all the broth has been added and the Arborio rice is cooked--- "Al Dente" {tender crisp}.  Season it with salt and pepper, and basil. When risotto is ready, remove from heat and add the parmesan cheese and serve to enjoy!

Diced up zucchini and onion. Zucchini is my next favorite vegetables! It's so versatile.

Sauteing the vegetables.

Add fresh grated parmesan cheese when the risotto is cooked. {Al dente}.

You can serve this risotto to any meat dish you have or serve it as is. You can also add any meat to the dish. {lobster, poached egg on top, salmon, pork chops, or roast beef}. Mmmmmmmmh. Mmmmmmmmh. Mmmmmmmmmmh.

This risotto is so yummy. Need I say more?

I never thought, I could perfect this recipe in one try. 

I added 1/4 cup of the Pinot Grigio to this risotto.{optional}. This adds abit of the aroma to the dish. These are the wines that I'm so into these days. They are so refreshing, fruity, and goes well with anything. It doesn't have too strong of the lingering alcohol content in most strong wines. This is so light. Try Barefoot wine selection.

Zucchini Risotto! These are so good. It beats the restaurant kind that we get. Try this at home and you will not be disappointed.

Chili

Chili

Ingredients:

Ground beef or pork {I prefer both}

Celery, onions, garlic

carrots {or whatever vegetables you have on hand}

salt and pepper to taste

tomato paste

tomato sauce

Worcestershire sauce

Red kidney beans

Directions:

Saute garlic, celery, and onions until translucent. Add ground meat and cook through. Pour tomato sauce, tomato paste, and vegetables. Add kidney beans, salt and pepper to taste, worcestershire sauce and let simmer for an hour. The longer they are cooked through, the better the flavor get. I like it the day after. 

Chili to warm you up in the winter time! Enjoy!