Friday, October 29, 2010

Steak Goulash Stew

Stews are one of our favorite things to make during the fall season, it is actually a staple food in our family and requires very little time to make. I am a huge fan of goulash, this recipe is not a typical goulash that you would make based off of the Eastern European recipes (just as a heads up when reading the recipe).

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 T. sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 lb. sirloin steam, trimmed, sliced into to 2-inch strips (we cut our meat smaller in that our daughters can eat it more easily since they are younger).
2 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 T minced garlic
1 T tomato paste
1 tsp. caraway seeds (optional if you are not a lover of caraway seeds)
2 c. beef broth
1/2 c. sliced roasted red pepper
1-2 T red wine vinegar
Sour cream

Combine the flour, 1 T paprika, salt and pepper and toss the steak so that it is covered with the flour mixture; set a side.

Add oil to your pan and sear your steak for roughly 1 minute per side. Remove steak and set aside.

Saute your onions, garlic in the same pan. Stir in tomato paste, 1 T paprika, caraway seeds, and remaining flour mixture.

Add your beef broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer stew until thickened, roughly 5 minutes. Add steak, peppers and vinegar; simmer. Add salt and pepper.

Serve stew onto of noodles, rice, etc. Can top with sour cream.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

We love just about anything pumpkin in our home, it seems like the only time that we eat pumpkin is in the fall. I guess it makes sense considering if you planted pumpkin in your garden, it ripens for the fall season. But to be honest, I can not complain, because we just love it. My mouth is just watering for some pumpkin pie right now, my oldest daughter even requested that we make a pumpkin pie this week...that will not be twisting my arm.

I came across this pumpkin pie spice that was all natural and "perfected" it a little to fit our tastes.


4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg


Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.