Irish Chicken and Stout Stew

I love theme cooking with theme music.  Tonight's dinner was some good old Irish cuisine and lots of pub music.  It might be dorky to some, but to me - it is the best way to have a family dinner.

 

Irish Chicken and Stout Stew

6 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 Tbsp olive oil
3 pieces bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 2/3 cup Guinness beer (or another stout beverage)
1 pounds carrots, peeled, sliced into 1 inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms
2 cups onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups chicken broth
2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Combine 6 Tbsp flour with salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken thighs through the flour mixture.  Coat completely and set aside.  Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place half of the chicken thighs in the hot skillet.  Brown on both sides.  Remove chicken to a plate.  Repeat with the other chicken thighs.  Reduce heat to medium.  Arrange thighs in the slow cooker, evenly.  Place bacon pieces in skillet.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  Top bacon with 1/2 cup flour.  Stir.  Cook for another two minutes, stirring continuously.  Add 1 2/3 cups Guinness.  Continue to cook while scraping up the brown bits at the bottom of the skillet.  Pour mixture over the chicken and spread evenly.  Top with carrots, garlic, onion, mushroom and thyme.  Spread evenly.  Pour broth on top of mixture.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.  Stir in peas.  Stir mixture thoroughly.  Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve over mashed potatoes with a side of Irish soda bread.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with a Drunken Sailor apparently...  :)

Coq au Vin

This meal is rustic and full of rich flavors.  The French know what they are doing...in the kitchen :)

 

 

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 pound bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 chicken breasts (I cut mine into thirds)

1 yellow onion, diced

2 large carrots, sliced

1/2 pound mushrooms

1 cup chicken stock

6 cloves garlic, mashed

1/2 bottle red wine (about 3 cups)

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

salt & pepper

 

Add olive oil to dutch oven.  Bring to heat and add bacon pieces.  Cook until lightly browned.  Remove bacon using a slotted spoon.  Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place in dutch oven and brown on both sides.  Remove chicken.  Add onion, carrots, mushrooms and garlic to dutch oven.  Pour in wine.  Add bacon.  Stir thoroughly.  Bring to a light boil.  Add chicken to mixture.  Add thyme.  Pour in chicken stock.  Cover and cook in preheated oven at 350 for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on stove at medium heat.  Prepare a "Beurre Manie" paste - combine butter and flour in a small bowl, mix until it forms a paste.  Mix the paste into the stew a little at a time.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

 

Delicious served with parsley potatoes, buttered peas and a delicious hunk of French bread!

Pot Roast with Carrots and Mushrooms

Photo by my children...

I was trying to strain the juice for the gravy before everything got cold.

 

 

Super easy, super delicious slow cooker pot roast!  Delicious flavors, savory sauce and tender baby carrots.  One of the best roast recipes!

 

1 pound baby carrots

1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms

3 pound beef roast (rump or bottom round)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1  12 ounce jar beef gravy

1  10 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 cup water

1 envelope onion soup mix

 

Place baby carrots on the bottom of the crockpot.  Sprinkle roast with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet.  Brown the roast on all sides.  Set aside.  Sautee the mushrooms in the vegetable oil.  Drain and place in crockpot with carrots.  Place roast on top of the carrots and mushrooms.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the gravy, mushroom soup, water and onion soup mix.  Pour mixture over the roast.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender.  Remove the roast and vegetables from the crockpot.  Strain the gravy/juice to remove bits.  Pour juice into serving container to pour over roast. 

Crockpot Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

This was soooo good.  I have had this pinned from The Pioneer Woman, but it is summer and this is Texas and I am not about to have my oven on for more than 30 minutes.  So this recipe went into the crockpot.

And came out divine.

Just look at how delicious it looks by itself - all shredded and juicy.  Now that's some good eatin'.

Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

Pork shoulder (5 to 7 pounds)
salt and pepper
1 large onion
2 cans of Dr. Pepper
1 Tbps brown sugar
1 can Chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce

Chop up the onion and sprinkle over the bottom of the crockpot.  Rinse the pork and season generously with salt and pepper.  Place on top of the onion, fat side up.  Pour the can of peppers over the pork.  Pour the cans of Dr. Pepper over the peppers.  Add the brown sugar to the liquid.  Cook on low for about 9 hours.  Flip the pork over several times during the 9 hours.  Remove the meat from the crockpot and shred with a fork.  Remove any fatty pieces while shredding.  Remove any pepper chunks from the meat and the juice.  Place in separate containers and store in the refrigerator.  When the juice is chilled, remove the fat layer and discard.  Reheat the meat with the less fatty juice when ready to serve.

Oh. My. Goodness.  It's that good.

Spicy General Tso Chicken

Tonight's dinner: Spicy General Tso Chicken.  Delicious.  Delicious and Spicy!

Ingredients

2 lbs. chicken
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
vegetable oil
3 green onions
3 tbsp. rice vinegar
4 tbsp. rice wine
6 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tsp. cornstarch

Directions

Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet.  Add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes.  While oil is heating cube chicken breast into 1 to 2 inch pieces.  Add chicken to skillet and cook until done.  While chicken is cooking mix rice vinegar, rice wine, sugar, soy sauce and cornstarch in a medium size bowl.  Add sauce mixture to chicken and simmer until sauce is thickened.  Top with sliced green onions.  Serve over a bed of perfect white rice with a side of stir fry vegetables.  So easy and so good!