Savory Beef and Barley Stew

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

One pot meals are a home cook's friend just like the slow cooker. There is one less pot/pan to wash, which to me is a huge hassle because pots and pans always weigh a lot for my little hands. One pot meals also usually mean some kind of soup or stew... which I love! This week I have a pretty neat stew recipe that is now one of my favorites. It's easy to prep and cook ... the hardest thing about this recipe is waiting for it to finish cooking! Although the meat is what makes this stew hearty, to me the star of this recipe is an overlooked ingredient: barley. It's delicious, filling, hearty and it's very good for you. Barley is a whole grain that helps with blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and fat. After the two hour cooking time of this recipe (the two hours seemed to drag on by as the aroma of this dish filled my nose and brain), after the dish was served and ready to eat I was shocked (pleasantly) at how tender the meat was. It was literally melt in your mouth bites of deliciousness. It was juicy, packed with flavor and I just wanted more. Each spoonful was a firework of flavor for your taste buds; a piece of meat, pieces of carrots, onion and celery, barley and of course my favorite pairing rice. I hope you enjoy this dish. Just remember to have patience as it's cooking because it is definitely irresistible!

Serves 4

2lbs chuck roast
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups beef broth
salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1/8 tsp Herbs de Provance
2/3 cups dried barley

Deep-Fried Coconut Lime Baby Octopus

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

If you like fried calamaris, I know you will like fried octopus. Personally, I think it tastes better, and if prepared right, it is way more tender. The coconut and panko coating give a nice crisp and crunchy texture and the lime livens up the flavors of the octopus and coconut. I like to serve this as an appetizer but you can easily make a light meal out of it served with a salad and a simple lime vinaigrette.

Serves 4 as an appetizer
or 2 as part of a meal or in a salad.



1/2 Pound baby octopus
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Large tablespoon coconut milk - the solid portion that is at the top of the can when you open it
Finely grated zest of one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper
1 cup toasted finely grated unsweetened coconut flakes (instructions below)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg white beaten until frothy
peanut or canola oil for frying
Lime wedges

Stuffed French Bread with Chicken, Bacon, Cheddar and Caramelized Onions

In case you haven't noticed, I've got a thing for stuffed food, and if it's stuffed bread ... oh yeah, now we are talking! When I was developing the recipe for my Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic and Mustard Green Soup, the idea for this stuffed French bread was kicking around in the back of my brain. I tried a few variations and I still wasn't quite sold on it, until I added the ranch dressing and cream to the chicken. That's when I hit the flavor jackpot. One little adjustment and it took the stuffed bread to super amped up taste and it added the tangy, creamy touch it needed. The caramelized onions added the sweetness, the bacon the smokiness, the creamy ranch chicken was just that ... creamy and the cheese? Well it's cheese, does it really need any explanation or justification? I didn't think so! And you don't need to be a bread meister either, you get your bread dough at your local bakery and you are good to go. WARNING:  friends may start asking you bring this yummy stuffed bread to parties.

Serves 4 - 6

1 10 - 15 ounce ball of French bread dough (See recipe tip)
Flour for rolling out dough
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 large vidalia onion, sliced in half moons
1/2 pack of center cut bacon, small dice (See recipe tip)
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups roughly shredded, roasted chicken (See recipe tip)
1 tablespoon ranch dressing
1/2 teaspoon of cream
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg beaten

Cocco's Chicken Curry

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

Seven years ago I landed in a foreign land called Japan ... Okinawa to be exact. It is the largest island south of Japan where the largest amphibious battle occurred during World War 2. Little history for ya! Authentic Japanese food does not compare to the food served here in the USA. There are some staples such as Yakitori, served as street food, but the menu usually consists of seafood and other items I did not recognize. However, there was one restaurant I dined in that was reminiscent of an American diner called Cocco's Curry House, where I had Cocco's Curry Chicken. The second you open the door you are blasted with the smell of curry. You can order it on any type of meat (I chose chicken) as well as the level of heat; it's served with white rice, and as odd as it may sound, it had melted cheese. It was absolutely delicious, and the crunch from the panko and the sauce slathered over top and the gooey melted cheese, just makes you hungry for more!  After the trip I HAD to recreate it and I couldn't believe how simple it was to make and that my adaptation captured it so well. With a little help from your local Asian market or Asian section of your supermarket, you too can create this authentic Japanese meal. It is very simple: panko, chicken breasts/cutlets and curry sauce. My recipe is for two people however you can certainly adjust the amount of chicken to the amount of people you are serving. Enjoy!


2 chicken breasts, halved
2-3 tablespoons flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Japanese panko
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
1 3.5oz box Golden Curry Mix
1 Polly-O string cheese (optional)

Creamy White Bean and Chicken Chili

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

While it's still in the 90's here in south Florida, I have been craving chili, not the usual red bean and beef variety but a lighter, paler, creamier version. And my creamy white bean and chicken chili is just the thing to calm that craving. You can make this chili stove top and you'll be diving in, in under 40 minutes or use your slow cooker (scroll down for instructions) and have the warm, homey scent of the simmered beans, chicken and earthy spices greet you at the door, after a long day at work. All the work is done, and all you need to do is grab a bowl and a spoon to dig in.


Serves 4-6

2 white corn tortillas, chopped
1/2 cup of cream or milk
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 or more jalapeño (or chili of choice), white membrane removed and seeded*, finely diced.
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 ounces of tequila
1 lime juiced
1 quart chicken stock
2 cans green chilies
3 151/2 oz cans of white bean*, undrained, set aside 1/2 can
1 can of corn, undrained
2 cups of cooked and cubed chicken breast*
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Palm full of cilantro, chopped (or to taste)

Easy Does It Baked Corn Tortilla Chips

A Two for Tuesday Recipe

Generally speaking, I do not keep junk food in the house, especially chips. So, if I am in the mood for tortilla chips and I have corn tortilla, I am in good shape and I make them myself. These are very easy and simple to prepare and are baked not fried. I actually prefer them to the fried version, because they hold up better and don't turn to mush in chilies or soups. Serve them with your favorite salsa or use in a salad or crumbled into chili like my Creamy White Bean and Chicken Chili. Personally, one of my favorite way to enjoy these chips is with a dollop of crema, one cilantro leaf and a drop or two of habanero hot sauce. It's the perfect little bite!





1 package of white corn tortillas
Cooking spray or 1/4 cup canola oil
Coarse kosher or sea salt

Mini Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Chicken, Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Sometimes you want or rather crave a big plate of baked, cheesy, saucy goodness that generally comes from a baked pasta dish, but you don't want the overload of carbs that go with it. My Mini Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Chicken, Goat Cheese and Sun-dried Tomatoes tackles that craving head-on without weighing you down with carbs. The mini peppers are sweet, the chicken filling is creamy and gets a nice zip from the green onions and a tang from the goat cheese. They are baked in a cheese sauce that incorporates just a bit of the filling and then sprinkled with gruyere cheese. It satisfies that craving and doesn't leave you feeling ... stuffed.

Serves 4

For the stuffing:
1 pound of chicken breast (raw), cut in small chunks or you may use ground chicken
6 green onions, white and green parts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
10-15 mini sweet peppers

Remove tops of each pepper, remove seeds and veins. Set aside. Place the chicken breast chunks in the bowl of a food processor. (If using a mini food processor work in batches). Process until it is almost a smooth paste. Set aside.
Do the same for the green onions and sun-dried tomatoes. Add to chicken.
Add the remaining ingredients except for the peppers, to the chicken. Mix well so that all the ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside 1 cup of the filling. Using a piping tip and bag or a heavy duty zip bag, with a corner snipped off, generously fill each pepper. Lay the peppers, in rows, in an 8x8 greased baking dish.

For the sauce and assembly:
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk (avoid using skim milk)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup of reserved chicken filling
2 ounces room temperature goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a sauce over medium heat melt the butter and then add the flour. Stirring well to incorporate, cook for 2-3 minutes, lower heat to avoid scorching. Slowly whisk in milk, until the roux - flour and butter mixture - is incorporated. As milk starts to thicken, add in all the remaining ingredients except the gruyere cheese.
Once sauce is thickened, pour over the stuffed mini peppers. Sprinkle the top with the gruyere cheese. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes to allow the sauce and cheese to firm up just a bit.

Serve with egg noodles, steamed green beans or a light romaine and arugula salad and a glass of white wine. ENJOY!

Recipe tips:
This tip came from a reader.  If you like a crunchy crust run it under the broiler for a minute or two. Do be sure to keep any eye on it to avoid burning.