Take Your Peanut Butter and Stew It!

Is there nothing peanut butter can't make better? I am seriously addicted to peanut butter - perhaps to the point of insanity.  When I saw this recipe, my husband thought I was crazy to try it, but I knew it was something more like destiny.  We both ended up loving it!  I've served it up to a variety of people, and only one lonely, sad, pathetic individual hated it.  You know who you are.  Shame on you. 

I pulled this recipe from a South Beach cookbook, but I modified it to reduce the oil and so that I could throw it in my slow cooker.  Using the slow cooker makes the meat melt like butter in your mouth, but if you're craving it in a hurry or don't have a crock pot, just cook the meat all the way through and simmer the ingredients together for twenty minutes.

Peanut Butter Stew
Difficulty: Easy to Medium if you're unfamiliar with browning meats
Time: Expect 15 to 20 for prep, then let it cook in the slow cooker for at least four hours on low.  I tend to do it one hour on high, then let it sit on low for at least another three.  The longest it's ever sat was ten hours, and it was still deliciousness in a pot!
Serves: Four if you have a salad or something similar to accompany it.  I have to say... if I don't put the leftovers up right away, I seem to keep going back until it's gone....

Requires: Crock pot, or follow instructions above for just a big pot

• 1 lb lean steak, about 1 inch thick, cut into cubes (Sirloin or Eye of Round are my picks)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tube double concentrated tomato paste (usually found with the sun dried tomatoes, pizza sauce, etc, and it's usually a tube inside of a box)
• 1/2 c peanut butter (freshly ground is the most divine)
• 3 1/2 c water
• 1 tsp red pepper (or to taste for the spice-weaklings out there)
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive Oil or Cooking Spray

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and use the wipe-on method with olive oil, or spray it with cooking spray.  Add the onions.  Brown according to taste and then dump them in the crock pot.
   
2. Next, you're going to brown your meat on both sides.  You may need to spray the pan again after the onions.  Two things to this - it only takes about a minute a side (possibly less) to sear the meat at this temp, and you may need to work in batches so you don't overcrowd your pan.  As you sear the meat, move it to the crock pot.
   
3. Next, combine the tomato paste, peanut butter and 1 cup of water in a bowl.  It's easier to do it like this so that when you pour it all together you won't have clumps of tomato and peanut butter swimming about!  Add it to the crock pot.
   
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and then stir.  While I do add the red pepper at this point, I hold off on the salt and pepper until it's done, as my experience shows crock pots do weird things to the salinity levels. Throw the lid on for at least four hours, then salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
    

Chocolate cake, chocolate cake everywhere....

And lots of bites to eat.  Here's an example of a Diet Soda Cake, with a chocolate cake mix and a Diet Coke.  These two pair-up so nicely it's hard to pass up!.

Chocolate Diet Coke Cake

• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 10 oz Diet Coke
• 3 egg whites (normally two, but I wanted this cake to really have some stability)

Chocolate Icing

• 1 sugar-free chocolate pre-made pudding
• Chocolate icing at room temp - fill the empty pudding container with icing and that's how much to use

1. Bake the cake according to directions.  I went with two nine-inch rounds.  Let them cool completely before icing.
2. Mix the pudding and chocolate icing until smooth.  If you're like me and super lazy about icing, you won't mind how spreadable the icing is.  If you're wanting to be a bit more professional looking with your icing, refrigerate the mix to let it firm up some.
3. For me, I stacked the cakes, with icing in between, and just quickly iced the outsides.  If your cake rises too much, be sure to level the bottom layer before stacking, or you could get cracks in the top layer.  I threw on a palm-full of mini-chocolate chips for garnish.  Because there is pudding in the icing, keep this cake in the fridge!  Otherwise, enjoy.  =)

Ode to Vegetarian Corndogs

Oh Morningstar Farms,
When thou pulled these Corn Dogs

My heart did mourn and my taste buds weeps.

Oh Morningstar Farms,

Now you've brought these dogs back,

And I really hope that they're back for keeps.

Seriously.  These disappeared like two years ago, which made me incredibly sad because they were one of my default go-to's for quick dinners.  They're low in fat, only 150 calories per corn dog, and they're not made from pork.  In fact, they're not made from any meat at all.  Hungry Girl alerted me that they were magically coming back and I started scouring the shelves of my nearby markets.  When they were suddenly there in the Kroger's display... I think I may have shed a tear.  Maybe two.

Somewhat Piccata

Two things:  1.  You know, veal is actually a fairly lean meat... until your standard Italian restaurant adds in a pound of butter.  It's also not the easiest meat to find.  Luckily, my Krogers has started stocking 'fancy' stuff, I'm assuming in an effort to differentiate themselves from a Walmart grocery, and they have several cuts of veal on hand.  Still nothing really in the lamb department, though....  2.  I love lemon in non-dessert dishes.  It's just so.... fresh!  So, in my eternal quest for that which has taste without penalty in the waist, I suggest you make this dish... with haste. 

Lighter Veal Piccata

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Requires: Nothings fancy!

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 lb veal scallopini
• 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup white wine (I use non-alcoholic; you could also sub extra chicken broth)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 garlic clove (as always, I used my Garden Havest blend)
• The juice of a lemon - about 2 tbsp worth.  Before you cut your lemon, try pressing and rolling it on your countertop.  This makes squeezing easier.  I got 2 tbsp without even trying!
• Optional: 2 tbsp capers (I had none, so I used none)

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  If at any part your oil starts to smoke, your pan is too hot!  Simply remove it from the heat for a few moments (you can keep cooking) until it cools down.  While it's heating, mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
   
2. Coat your veal in the flour mixture and shake the excess off.  I usually get several pieces coated before moving to the oil, because they're not going to cook for long.
   
3. Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the veal, cook it on each side until brown, about 1 minute (it's crazy fast).  Use that extra 1/2 tbsp of oil between batches if you need it.  Set veal aside on a plate when done.
   
4. Carefully, add the wine and bring it to a boil.  Scrape up all the brown bits stuck on the bottom - we call that taste.  Boil until about half of the wine is gone, then add the remaining ingredients.  Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes until the sauce is greatly reduced and a little thick.
   
5. Add the veal back into the pan, coating on both sides and heat until warmed through.  Serve and enjoy!