This might be your next dinner.
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Hearty stew
2 lbs. ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) stewed tomatoes, undrained
8 medium carrots, thinly sliced
4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 C water
1/2 C uncooked long grain rice
1 to 2 tbsp. salt
1 to 2 tsp. pepper
In a Dutch oven, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomatoes, carrots, celery, potatoes, water, rice, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender.
Uncover; simmer 20-30 minutes longer or until thickened. You can freeze in 3-cup portions for up to 3 months. Note – I added 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce for more flavor.
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Onion soup
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
3 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced, separated into rings
3-1/2 C beef broth
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
5 slices Italian bread (1/2 in. thick), toasted
1 C Touch of Philadelphia Shredded Creamy Mozzarella Cheese
2 tbsp. Parmesan light grated cheese
Cook and stir bacon in large saucepan on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 tbsp. of drippings from pan. Add onions to reserved drippings; cook 20 min. or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add broth, pepper and thyme; stir. Simmer 15 min. Remove from heat; stir in bacon.
Heat broiler. Ladle soup into 5 ovenproof bowls; top with remaining ingredients. Broil, 4 inches from heat, 2 to 3 min. or until cheeses are melted and golden brown.
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Orange dream sickles bread
1-1/3 C vegetable oil
3 eggs
1-1/4 C milk
2-1/4 C sugar
1/4 C orange juice
3 tsp. orange extract
3 C flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
orange food coloring (optional)
Cream cheese filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. flour
Cream frosting:
1/4 C butter, softened
2 C powdered sugar
1 tsp. orange extract
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (8×4-in.) loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, beat oil, eggs, milk, sugar, orange juice and orange extract until smooth. Add in flour, salt and baking powder and mix until well incorporated. Stir in orange food coloring a drop at a time until desired orange color is reached. You can omit the food coloring if desired; it just makes bread appear orange like traditional orange dream sickles.
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour. Fill loaf pans each with 1/6 of batter. Spoon 1/3 of cream cheese filling onto top of each loaf pan. Swirl in cream cheese filling by cutting it in with a knife. Pour 1/3 of remaining batter onto tops of each loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cream frosting: Cream butter in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar, orange extract and heavy whipping cream. Beat until smooth. Frost tops of each cooled loaf.
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Jane said, “I started a new egg diet today.” Her friend asked her what kind of eggs she had and her reply was, “Cadbury!”
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marsvillejt.com)