Hearty Beef Stew

This recipe smells heavenly as it's cooking right now. I don't even like meat, but I might have to eat some of this....at least the veggies, anyway. (-;

Here's my recipe:

• 2 pounds stew beef (I used some of the front quarter meat that is really tough)
• 1/4 cup flour
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups water
  
• 1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
  
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
  
• Dash of ground ground cloves
• 3 large carrots, chopped
  
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Toss meat with flour to coat. Heat oil in bottom of a dutch oven. Brown meat on all sides in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and cloves. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. If you want it thicker, in a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

Herb and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

Totally made this on a whim last night with no recipe. I was a bit frightened on how it might turn out and had the local pizza place's phone number on standby in case this one was a flop. (-:

Luckily, it wasn't a flop and my husband AND my 3 year old son both ate their fair share of this dish.

Ingredients:

1 package cream cheese
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp course salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 T milk
1 garlic clove (pressed or minced)

4 chicken breasts
3 T melted butter
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 T paprika

Directions:
Mix the first 7 ingredients together.

Pound chicken breasts until they are thin. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of chicken breasts. Fold the breasts in half so the mixture is contained and secure with a toothpick.

Brush chicken breasts with melted butter. Mix bread crumbs and paprika and roll the buttered chicken breasts in the bread crumb mixture.

At this point, you have two options. I used my Deep Covered Baker (a stoneware piece that I sell made by one of the best makers of kitchen products on the market) and placed them in the bottom. Put the top on. And I microwave them for 12-15 minutes. They were done and perfect.

OR

You could just put them in the oven at 350 until they are done.

Enjoy!