SPICY BEEF CASSEROLE WITH BISCUITS

When the days get cooler and cooler, its time for warm casseroles. Food which appeals to your soul and has you reaching out for more and more helpings. The best part of casseroles is that how easily you can whip them up,and also lesser pots and pans to go in the dishwasher.

The man had recently picked up an Electric Blue Dutch Oven. He had been looking for a Dutch Oven for a long time, but wasn't getting one which he liked. I guess its the color which might have caught his eye. I must say, that the Dutch Oven is a pretty heavy one. My introduction to dutch Oven were the countless Paula Deen episodes I might have watched. And they all featured a normal black dutch oven. And television does not give you the impression of how heavy the utensil is. My only criticism of this favorite Casserole dish of Deb, is that its not non stick. Yes, I did try to cook in and had to baby sit the pulao literally. Its cast Iron, with an electric Blue enamel coating on the outside and a pearly white enamel on the inside. Surely a big favorite of the man.

Casseroles and Stews are more up the man's alley, as he loves trying out new things  inspired by all that he has read or seen on television recently. So he came up with the idea of making a Spicy Beef Casserole and topping it with a layer of Cheddar Bay Biscuits. A perfect one pot meal he said. and he was right. Since I have a thing for spicy food, he decided to amp up the spice factor in the casserole.

While I don't use ready make mixes as such when I am baking, but there are times when I do make an exception. This recipe which the man was talking about needed a layer of Biscuits over the hearty beef stew layer. I was not too confident of my biscuit making skills, or how soft would they be. So we settled for a pack of Red Lobster Biscuit Mix. We used half the box to layer the casserole. The helping would have served 4 people. The Biscuits make a great textural contrast to the rich stew layer. The Biscuits soak up the juices of the beef and it all comes together very well for a weeknight dinner plate.

We had just picked up a bottle of roasted bell peppers,and this was a perfect chance to incorporate them in a meal. They are just perfect in a grilled Panini. Mushrooms, Zuchhini and Red wine compliment the chuck very well.

So go ahead and give it a spin for a weeknight dinner on these cold nights. you will surely be making it pretty often.


SPICY BEEF CASSEROLE WITH BISCUITS: 

Recipe courtesy: 100 Best Casseroles and Stews


Ingredients: 
All Purpose Flour: 2 tbsp
Beef Chuck : 2 lb
Olive Oil: 2 tbsp
Onion: 1 large: Sliced
Garlic Cloves: 4 to 5 : Crushed
Chili " 1- 2 : Chopped(depending on the heat preferences)
Zucchini: 1 : sliced
Red Bell Pepper: 1: sliced ( we used roasted bell peppers) Button Mushrooms: 2 cups: sliced
Tomato Paste: 1 tbsp
Red Wine: 2 cups
Beef stock or Chicken : 1 cup
Bay leaf: 1 or 2
Salt and Pepper

Biscuit Topping:
any biscuit mix
Cheddar Cheese: Grated: 1 cup

Procedure:
Pre heat the oven to 325 F.

Put the flour in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper.Add the beef and toss until well coated and reserve any remaining seasoned flour,  heat half the oil in a flame proof casserole dish or a Dutch Oven. Add the beef and cook until browned all over.

Mix the Biscuit mix according to the package instructions. add in the grated the cheddar cheese. keep aside.

Remove the beef with a slotted spoon. Heat the remaining oil in the Dutch Oven,add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat,stirring. Add the chili, zucchini,red bell pepper and mushrooms and cook, stirring for an additional 5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining flour and tomato paste and then stir in the wine. Pour in the stock and the bay leaves,then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook over low heat,stirring until thickened. return the Beef to the Dutch Oven,cover,and bake in the pre-heated oven for around 45 minutes.

We transferred the beef to another baking dish and used an ice cream scoop to top the cooked beef with the biscuit mix. Arrange the dough circles over the top,then return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

Bon Appetit !!!! 

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PEPPERS STUFFED WITH PRAWNS: HOLIDAY HORS D'OEUVRES

My neighborhood looks like Winter wonderland. We received the season's first major snow a few days back, and after all the storm, its all calm and serene. With the golden sun playing magic on the white snow, I sip my mid-day caffeine-free fix, and  type away tales of food and some more food. Yes, its the Holidays !!! The man and me are both home, till the New Year rings in ! Yay ! Just the mere thought of all the parties, all the fun, all the Yuletide cheer, has given me an extra zeal.

Speaking of parties, I am sure all of you are gearing up. So many parties to host, and so many parties to attend. Not to forget all the festive food. What strikes us first at a party are the hors d'oeuvres. For me, that is the make or break situation for a party. Just like first impression almost. A good appetizer helps the guests unwind in the best possible way, helps kick up the tempo of any party. So if the host or hostess have been cringing with the appetizers, that's a let down for me. As a hostess, what I plan the first, is what I am gonna serve as hors d'oeuvres. The Man excels in his list of hors d'oeuvres. He does not believe in repeating appetizers, for the same group of guests. So usually its always something new which the Man whips up.Are they lip smacking, or not!! The way the appetizers fly off the trays should qualify him to compete in culinary competitions popular on television(read Chopped or even Iron Chef maybe).

So for a recent party, the Man decided to make some Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Shrimp. I kept scooping spoonfuls of the stuffing, when he was not looking, as it was super tasty. Finally he had to warn me that we would have nothing to serve the guests, if I carried on like that. Cravings or no Cravings ! So I just carried on being the photographer,as he went on creating magic with the Peppers. The Man had picked up multicolored Poblano Peppers, making sure that they were nice and firm, and checking if the skin was intact through out. He is a bit particular about his ingredients, when he is in charge of the kitchen. The peppers themselves were such a lovely sight, as he laid them out on the cutting board, I could not stop but admire. The Shrimp mixture was very French, with the butter and the garlic and onions. The kitchen was insanely aromatic. Now this is a dish, which requires some patience and surely some time. One cannot hurry with this, as stuffing something like small peppers,without tearing them apart, surely needs some time.The guests at the party could not help gushing about the hors d'oeuvres,and nearly everyone was taking down the recipe from the man, even before they refilled their spirits. Now that is success !!! If you want to be the star of the party you host this holiday season, give Deb's Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Shrimp a try and see how you become the star of your own party.

So here's hoping that all of you have a Happy Holidays. Wine and Dine with family and friends, cook up a storm, eat your heart out, dance like there's no tomorrow.

Merry Christmas !!

Oh ! Don't forget the cookies and milk for Santa . He is packing his sleigh and checking his list.


STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS WITH SHRIMP: 

Ingredients: 
Shrimp:  1 lb: Cleaned and De-veined
Onion: 1 medium: Chopped
Garlic Cloves: 5-6 large cloves: Chopped
Green Chilies: 2 :Chopped
Black Pepper: 1 tbsp
Salt: To Taste
Butter: 1/2 stick
Olive Oil: 2 tbsp
Canola Oil: : 1-2 tbsp
Poblano Peppers: 10 (The store did not have that many Poblanos, so Deb used a few Green Ancho Peppers)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese: for topping the peppers
Coriander Leaves/Cilantro: Chopped: 1/2 bunch
Green Bell Pepper: 1: Chopped

Procedure: 
Chop the shrimp into bite sized pieces. Wash the Poblano Peppers and dry them with a paper towel.

In a large non stick pan. add in the butter and the olive oil. When the butter melts, add in the chopped onions, chopped green chilies and chopped bell pepper. Fry them, till the onions start getting translucent and the bell pepper has softened. Add in the chopped garlic, fry till the garlic is aromatic, and has started to change color.

 Add in the chopped shrimp, the black pepper and the salt. Cook on medium heat, till the shrimp is cooked. Do a taste test. Dry out any of the cooking liquid. Remove from heat and keep aside.

In another non stick pan, add a dash of canola oil. Once its hot enough, add in the Poblano Peppers and fry them for around 3-4 minutes. The idea is to soften them a bit so that they become pliable, while getting stuffed. Remove from heat onto paper towels, to remove excess oil.

Once the peppers have cooked, make an incision on one side,and use a teaspoon to stuff in the shrimp mixture in the prawns. Then add in the chopped cilantro and stuff them in lightly.

Place all the stuffed papers, in a lightly greased baking dish.

Top the stuffed peppers with shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350F for about half an hour.

 Serve hot !!!

Bon Appetit !!

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