Crockpot Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 pounds stewing beef
2 pounds potatoes
1 pound carrots
1 onion
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
6-8 sprigs of thyme
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon pepper
Olive oil

Preparation:

1. Mix flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat stewing beef in flour mixture, and shake off excess.
2. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add meat in batches, approximately 1/2 pound at a time, and brown on all sides. After each batch has browned, add it to the crockpot. Note: You may need to add more olive oil to each new batch or even clean out olive oil with a paper towel if it becomes too burned. 

3. Dice onions, peel and slice potatoes and carrots into large chunks, and add to crockpot with tomato paste, thyme, and broth. 
4. Cover crockpot, and cook on low for eight hours. Stir stew once during cooking.

Note: Depending on the desired consistency, you may want to add more broth. 

Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:

12 ounces egg noodles
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced (approximately 1/4 large onion)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of chicken soup (can also substitute cream of mushroom or cream of celery)
10 ounces tuna (albacore)
2 cups frozen peas
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Cook noodles in large pot according to package directions.

3. While noodles are cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
4. When onions are cooked, add garlic, and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove onion/garlic mixture from the heat.
5. Open tuna cans and cut tuna into smaller pieces.
6. When noodles are cooked, drain, place back in pot, and add onion mixture, tuna, soup, peas, salt, pepper, and enough milk to thin out the sauce. Mix well.
7. Spread noodle mixture in a 9 x 13 inch pan, and cover with shredded cheese. Bake in oven until cheese is melted, approximately 20 minutes. 

Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 medium sweet potatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or a little cloves, ginger and more nutmeg to taste)

1 teaspoon salt

1 bag mini marshmallows

candied pecans

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot of water (enough water to cover sweet potatoes), and bring to a boil.

3. When sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes), drain and let cool or rinse under cold water. When cool enough to handle, the skins should easily fall off the sweet potatoes.

3. Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl with cream, butter, sugar, spices, and salt and blend with an immersion blender. 

4. Spread sweet potatoes into a square pan (8 x 8, 9 x 9), cover with marshmallows and pecans, and place in the oven until marshmallows are melted and browned. 

Note: 

This recipe can easily be prepared a day before. Once sweet potatoes have been blended, store in the refrigerator. Before serving, warm sweet potato mixture in the microwave, then spread in pan and top with marshmallows and pecans, Place in oven to melt and brown the marshmallows.

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients:

32 oz hash browns (freshly shredded or thawed)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
2 cups (1 pint) sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterrey and Cheddar cheese
1/2 of a medium onion, diced
1/2 - 1 Tablespoon diced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 Tablespoon paprika

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Combine onions and garlic with hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt and pepper and combine well.
4. Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch dish.
5. Mix the panko bread crumbs with 1/2 cup of melted butter and the paprika and top the mixture.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes. If bread crumbs are not golden, broil for a couple of minutes.