Beef Stroganoff - Prikroy menya!

Some recipes cannot be perfected immediately and require practice and tweaking to achieve the desired or optimal taste as well consistency and appearance.

I think today after two previous attempts have perfected this version of beef stroganoff.

For the first time I am going to post my tweaked recipe. I hope you give this a try it is so so good - minimal ingredients tremendous flavor.





 Ingredients

• 1.5 -2 lbs beef stew
• 3 beef bouillon
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 3 cups of water
• 2 large tablespoons of sour cream
• 4 oz of cream cheese
• Salt and pepper or steak seasoning to taste
• Coarse black pepper
• Red pepper flakes

Method

Season beef with salt pepper steak seasoning and garlic powder and leave to rest 1 hr in the fridge

Heat skillet with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Dump meat in to pan on high heat and cook until brown approx 5 minutes

Remove from heat and pour into slow cooker on high heat

Return skillet to stove add butter and when melted add chopped onion and cook till caramelized. Meanwhile add 3 bouillon to 3 cups of warm water and dissolve then add to the onions and bring to a boil for 3 minutes.

Pour everything into slow cooker.

Allow meat to cook for 3 hours or until tender.

Add cream cheese in chunks and stir to dissolve

Next add sour cream and stir to dissolve

Season to taste

Add fresh chopped chive and or parsley

If the sauce isn’t thick enough dissolve 2 teaspoons of corn starch in ½ cups of the sauce then return to the slow cooker and cook until it thickens stirring occasionally. Add Pepper flakes to taste.

Serve with pasta, rice or sauteed vegetables.

Bacon and Egg Toaster Cups with Baked Eggs and Monkey Bread.

I treated my family to a hearty breakfast today.

Ishmael had a great time and my dear wife was not  that far behind in the number of these treats they both consumed. I literally had to keep them at bay to complete the shots. Its been too long since I have posted a great breakfast like this...actually it wasnt since January 1st 2012.

For next Sunday I have already planned their breakfast which will be inspired by Cinnabon.

The right tool gets the job done easy.

Toaster Cups & Baked Eggs

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Monkey Bread - Who is your Uncle?

Finally I decided to make this breakfast treat. The first time I saw or heard of this Monkey Bread was at a Crown Hotel in Little Rock Arkansas. I went after the usual breakfast items and for some silly reason although I wanted to try this SO BAAD because of it look just gooey and cinnamoney and all the EES but I resisted.

After some research over the last few days I found a recipe that was easy and the results amazing. Next time though I will be going for increasing the goey factor exponentially. I will aim for the ultimate sugar rush, to have any diabetes society refer to me as armed and extremely dangerous to be revered as diabetes public enemy number one.... you get the picture.

Note to self...acquire a metal bundt pan as the silicon doesnt generate enough heat to make the sugar and butter caramelize. Secondly find the
ultimate home made caramel recipe!

Hope you enjoy these.

Shrimp & Bacon Personal Pizzas - Dough hot yuh head!

I spend most of my leisure time searching new recipes and learning the skills required to execute them correctly. There are several online tools I use to get the practice and knowledge that I now posses. Today I signed up for another one of those online magazines that are chucked full of recipes in blazing color that inspires and encourages one to venture in one's kitchen and just create.

I found this recipe or rather the technique from a Pillsbury site and I couple that with a seafood pizza slice I had at a local restaurant. Although I was out of the obligatory mozzarella today, I improvised with sharp cheddar and grated parmesan to produce today's post.

For a simple Saturday night dinner I served the pizza with apple juice and they were perfect. For dessert we had store bought cheesecake and though it was nothing close in decadence to my Apple Strudel Cheesecake it was good enough.

Tostones with Sauteed Seafood Medley in Shrimp Stock

I recently dined at a local restaurant and was pleasantly surprised by their menu offerings. As I perused the menu I saw an appetizer featuring plantain cups and was intrigued. Although I did not have the appetizer I did some research and found that it was quite a gourmet treat.

The Pseudo Chef (c) 2012

All the recipes I found called for green plantains which I opted out for half ripe plantains which gives the best both worlds i.e. not too sweet and not bland.

The Pseudo Chef (c) 2012

The recipes also called for a tool to shape the cups called a Tostonera or to improvise. I tried all the improvisations and they failed. I also found that most images of the cup were either to flat or the edges were irregular unlike a cup.

The Pseudo Chef (c) 2012

After many attempts I found that the use of a small ramekin and a tablespoon measuring vessel were the perfect pair.

I served my Tostones with a seafood medley, that I cooked in my home made shrimp broth, and a spicy tomato salsa to top it off.

Served with white wine these were the perfect appetizer.

The Pseudo Chef (c) 2012

Bacon, Chive,Cheese and Sour Cream Stuffed Potatoes

The Pseudo Chef (c) 2012

I have no excuse or reason that I can provide that will justify my long absence from the Blog. Its not that I have not been cooking and practising new recipes; it's just that I have been so caught up in other activities that I have not taken any shots that were worthy of being posted. Interesting recipes like Vera Cruz Styled Marlin, Smoked Garlic Marlin, Roasted Garlic Chicken and so many more didnt make to being immortalized but I promise to revisit these and other and produce the results for your viewing and inspiration.

The Pseudo Chef (c) 2012

Today's posts is based on a childhood favourite that I had some how forgotten to do for the site. I remember my Mom preparing these especially on Sunday for lunch and they were so good.

The Pseudo Chef (c) 2012

Now I have added my own twist with chive and bacon and sour cream to create the smoothest rich flavoured baked stuffed potatoes ever. In one shot I have it paired with a roasted garlic thigh and leg with an amazing pan sauce and fresh peppers.