After years of collecting cookbooks and individual recipes on cards or scraps of paper, it has become more and more difficult to remember the origins of some of the recipes.
While recently flipping through my collection, I came across the recipes that I am featuring this week.
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Stew and Cheese Dumplings
Stew:
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small zucchini, thickly sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienne cut
1 lb. ground buffalo or lean ground beef
2 cups water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsps. beef base or cube
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
In a large oven-safe pot, over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, zucchini and red pepper. Add meat and brown. Add water, ketchup, vinegar, pepper, beef base and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Dumplings:
1/2 lb. medium cheddar cheeese, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. parsley
1/4 cup crumbled bacon bits
1/2 lb. butter, softened
2 cups flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup cold milk or as needed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix grated cheese, garlic, parsley, bacon and butter in a bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pepper and salt. Mix well. Add only enough milk to form a dough.
Spoon dumpling batter over top of stew. Cover.
Bake in oven for 30 minutes. A crust will form, sealing in stew.
Makes 6 servings.
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Skillet Shrimp and Potatoes
2 tbsps. olive oil
2 tbsps. butter
2 medium white onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 baby carrots, cut in 3 pieces each
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
juice and zest of one lemon
3 scallions, chopped fine, using green and white parts
3 slices bacon, fried crisp and finely crumbled
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Place the olive oil and butter in a large heavy skillet over medium low heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion, garlic and carrots. Stir until all the vegetables are well coated. Add the potatoes and stir again until potatoes are well coated.
Add the dill, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until potatoes are almost done, covering the skillet for 3-4 minutes at first.
Lay the shrimp on top of the vegetables and cook until just done.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with lemon juice, scallions and crumbled bacon. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil. Makes 3-4 servings.
Joyce Walter can be reached at [email protected]
