Roy's Recipes

Beef Bourguignon

Posted October 2023

Beef bourguignon is a delicious French burgundy wine beef stew with onions, carrots, and mushrooms. It’s a delicious meal on a cool fall day. Reheats are amazing too.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups burgundy wine
• 2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 2 medium/large carrots, chunked or use 2 c baby carrots
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 10 whole black peppercorns (remove after cooking)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 sprig fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf (remove after cooking)
• 2 pounds cubed beef chuck roast, chuck steak, or sirloin beef tips

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ½ pound bacon, cooked and chopped
• 2 sweet onions, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth (I like to use a can of Progresso French Onion Soup)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound of your favorite fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions:

1. For the marinade…mix wine, sliced onions, carrots, brandy, garlic, peppercorns, salt, parsley, and bay leaf in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add beef and toss to evenly coat; cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 days.
2. For the bourguignon…preheat slow cooker/large crock pot to low/medium heat. Strain beef from the marinade and shake off excess; pat dry with paper towels (make sure it is dried off). Strain vegetables and set aside…and keep the marinade. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef in batches; cook until browned on all sides. Transfer browned beef into a separate medium bowl; set aside.
3. Add bacon to the same skillet; cook and stir until lightly browned. Chop and transfer bacon to the bowl with browned beef. Drain the skillet and return it to the heat. Pour 1 cup of reserved marinade into the skillet; bring to a boil while scraping the browned yummy bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return this liquid with browned bits to the rest of the marinade.
4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet. Add chopped onions; cook and stir until just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in reserved onions and carrots from the marinade; mix well, then use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables into the bowl with beef.
5. Return the skillet to the heat; mix corn starch with a small amount of cold water in a small container. Add the corn starch mixture to the pan drippings and cook until well mixed, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic and tomato paste until combined. Add beef broth, remaining reserved marinade, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, whisking to remove any lumps; pour into slow cooker/large crock pot and add beef/vegetable mixture.
6. Cook on low/medium until beef is tender, about 3-4 hours; stir occasionally.
7. About 10 minutes before serving, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes; stir mushrooms into beef mixture until well combined.

Variations can include adding baby red or Yukon gold potatoes or add your favorite vegetables You can also serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

Beef Bourguignon

Chicken Pasta Perfection

Posted May 2023

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon ground thyme
• ½ cup chicken broth, divided
• ½ pound bacon or 1 package real bacon bits
• 1 (16 ounce) package angel hair pasta or equivalent amount of zoodles or spaghetti squash
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• ½ cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup Greek Yogurt (or whipping cream)
• ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place chicken breasts on a cutting board. Slice horizontally through the middle, being careful not to cut all the way through to the other side. Open the 2 sides and spread them out like an open book to butterfly.
3. Melt butter in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, oregano, thyme and Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook until golden brown but not fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth into the skillet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the centers and juices run clear, about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Drain and place bacon slices on paper towels and let cool (about 5 minutes) and chop (or use a package of real bacon bits).
6. At the same time, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and return to warm pot. Add a little olive oil to prevent sticking and cover to keep warm.
7. Remove skillet from the oven and place chicken to a plate, leaving juices in the skillet. Cover the chicken to keep it warm. Place skillet on the stovetop.
8. Place skillet on the stovetop and whisk flour into the skillet over medium heat. Add remaining chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and Greek yogurt or whipping cream. Whisk until combined. Add sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt. Add bacon and chicken back into the skillet.
9. Serve on top of hot cooked pasta and serve with your favorite salad.

Chicken Pasta Perfection

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken

Posted April 2023

Serve with a crusty bread, so you can soak up all the tasty, creamy goodness!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 2 to 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash or salt substitute
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup pitted and halved Castelvetrano olives
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream or Greek yogurt
• 2 cups torn fresh spinach
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (Optional)
• 2 tablespoons water (Optional)

Directions:

1. Spray the interior of the slow cooker with cooking spray, or use a plastic liner.
2. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
3. Evenly layer sun-dried tomatoes and sliced olives over the seasoned chicken.
4. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to the hot oil and cook until onions begin to get tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onions to the slow cooker and spread evenly over the sun-dried tomatoes.
6. Return the skillet to medium heat and add cream, stirring until all the olive oil is incorporated and the sauce begins to bubble. Pour cream sauce evenly over the onions.
7. Cover slow cooker and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours or Low for 6 to 7 hours if you prefer a longer cook-time.
8. Remove cooked chicken and vegetables to a serving platter. Add torn spinach to the sauce and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove spinach from sauce with a slotted spoon and place on top of the chicken and vegetables.
9. The sauce will be a bit thin. If you like a thicker sauce, pour into a small saucepan over medium heat. Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Stir until all the lumps are gone, to create a slurry. Add slurry to the sauce and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly and thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.
10. Step 10 Spoon sauce and spinach over the dish and serve warm.

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken

Traditional Irish Boxty

Posted March 2023

Ingredients:

• 3 Russet potatoes, divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 green onions, chopped, for garish
• 1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish

Directions:

1. Peel and cube 2 potatoes. Cube the remainder of the potatoes and place in a pot with just enough water to cover them. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Boil until fork tender. Drain and mash potatoes and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
2. When ready to make, peel and grate the rest of the potatoes. Place in a paper towels and wring to remove excess moisture. Combine mashed potatoes, grated potatoes, flour, salt, baking soda, and 1 1/2 cups buttermilk in a large bowl. If the mixture is too dry add a splash more buttermilk.
3. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the oil, pressing down to flatten each one. Fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the boxties are getting browned. Place on paper towel to drain.
4. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or butter and some green onions scattered over the top or applesauce.

Traditional Irish Boxty

Chicken Gnocchi with Sundried Tomatoes and Spinach Creamy Soup

Posted February 2023

Ingredients:

• Olive oil – For sautéing the vegetables and for frying the gnocchi
• 1 Sweet onion diced
• Several stalks of celery diced
• 1 package shredded carrots
• 5 oz package of fresh baby spinach chopped
• 2-3 oz packages julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes
• Seasoned salt & pepper to taste
• Garlic (fresh or minced) to taste
• Thyme – to taste You can use fresh or dried thyme. (Note…fresh thyme will need to be discarded before serving the soup!)
• Italian seasoning to taste
• 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
• Chicken– boneless, skinless chicken breasts or a whole rotisserie chicken works too-shredded
• 32 oz carton of chicken broth 
• 1 pt Heavy Cream or Half and Half
• 15 oz container Ricotta cheese
• 17.6 oz package Potato gnocchi – You can find it in the pasta aisle. (Racconto regular or gluten free potato gnocchi found by the spaghetti sauces or you can make your own.)

Directions:

1. Sauté the vegetables in a large soup pot. Sauté the onions, celery, and carrots in olive oil over medium heat until the onions are translucent. Season with seasoned salt and pepper as desired. Add the garlic and thyme. Sauté for an extra minute until fragrant. Add the cooked shredded chicken and sauté a few more minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
3. Boil the gnocchi in water with a bit of olive oil, garlic, thyme, and Italian seasoning added to the water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the gnocchi and boil until the rise to the top of the water. Then, drain (do not rinse). For firmer and flavorful gnocchi, now fry the gnocchi in a bit of olive oil, garlic, thyme, and Italian seasoning until firm and a bit golden.
4. Reduce to low heat, and stir in the gnocchi.
5. Mix the cream and Ricotta together and stir it into the soup.
6. Add the fresh spinach and sun-dried tomatoes
7. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes and serve or let it simmer a while.
8. Serve with toasted crusty French with butter and garlic melted on it.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup