#WFD? Out of ideas? Surprise your family tonight with something different.

I often create recipes for things I can’t find. This Chicken & Bok Choy Stir Fry is one such recipe. I had a craving for some Asian cuisine and I just couldn’t find what I was looking for. So, this recipe was born. Sometimes it’s difficult to find good recipes to replace eating out Chinese, but this one does the trick!

It’s also a pretty healthy choice. It’s got so many very good for you vegetables in it.

Bok Choy Stir Fry:

Cut chicken and brown in skillet or wok with  Peanut Oil . Then remove.

Wash and chop veggies – onion, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, red pepper, ginger and garlic.

Still fry just till they begin to get tender.

Add a tbsp. of natural peanut butter and blend. It may sound weird but it’s delicious and adds a nutty flavor.

Add ribbons of bok choy. Stir fry for a few minutes but don’t over cook. Add low sodium soy sauce.

Lastly, add chicken ,  cornstarch chick broth mixture, and sweet rice cooking seasoning. Cook while siring till thickens.

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Bok Choy Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 1 lb. of free range chicken breast
• A few tbsp. of peanut oil as needed
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2-3 chopped carotts
• 1-1½ c. snow peas
• 1-1/2 c. broccoli florets
• 1 chopped red pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic pressed or finely chopped
• 1 piece of fresh ginger root finely chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 14 oz. of chicken broth
• 1-2 tsp. of cornstarch
• 2 tsp. sweet cooking rice seasoning

Instructions

1. Cut chicken and brown in skillet or wok with peanut oil. Then remove.
2. Wash and chop veggies - onion, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, red pepper, ginger and garlic. Still fry just till they begin to get tender.
3. Add 1-2 tbsp.of natural peanut butter and blend. It may sound weird but it's delicious and adds a nutty flavor.
4. Add ribbons of bok choy. Stir fry for a few minutes but don't over cook. Add low sodium soy sauce.
5. Add chicken , cornstarch chick broth mixture, and sweet rice cooking seasoning. Cook while siring till thickens.

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The post Bok Choy Stir Fry appeared first on Dymphna's Song.

This recipe is for a soup style stew. For a traditional stew check out my Polenta and Stew recipe.

Just follow these easy steps for a warm and hearty soup. Start it in the morning or at noon and have it ready at the end of the day.

Cut stew meat into small bites and cover in unbleached flour and pepper mixture.

In a skillet brown 2 cloves of garlic in 3 tbsp. olive oil. Add floured meat pieces to skillet and brown well. The meat doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through; it will have more time to cook once in the crockpot. Browning the meat is the key to my beef stew for the crockpot and gives it great flavor. Once browned, place in crockpot.

Chop carrots, onion, and inside of celery stalk and leaves. Add to the crockpot and combine.

Add 2 cans of beef broth and one can of undrained diced tomatoes ( low salt preferred).

Lastly, add 1-2 tsp. of dry basil leaf and 2 bay leafs.

Cook on high till carrots are cooked OR cook on low for 4 or more hours as required.

Optional: 1/2 hr. before serving add cooked wheat noodles or brown rice.

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Beef Stew for the Crockpot

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. stew meat
• several tbsp. of olive oil
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 4 tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 6 carrots
• inside of celery- stalk and leaves
• 2-3 cans of beef broth
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp dry basil
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Cut stew meat into small bites and cover in unbleached flour and pepper mixture.
2. In a skillet brown 2 cloves of garlic in 3 tbsp. olive oil. Add floured meat pieces to skillet and brown well. Add more oil if needed. The meat doesn't need to be cooked all the way through as it will have more time to cook in the crockpot. Once browned, place in crockpot.
3. Chop carrots, onion, and inside of celery stalk and leaves. Add to crockpot and combine.
4. Add 2 cans of beef broth and one can of undrained diced tomatoes ( low salt preferred).
5. Lastly, add 1-2 tsp of dry basil leaf and 2 bay leafs.
6. Cook on high till carrots are cooked or cook on low for 4 or more hours as required.
7. Optional: ½ hr. before serving add cooked wheat noodles or brown rice.

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Linked up with more amazing recipes from the bloggers of iHomeschool Network.

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The post Beef Stew for the Crockpot appeared first on Dymphna's Song.

Let me share with you two holiday family favorites from my husband’s side of the family. His grandfather was Italian, full Italian, and his grandmother Croatian. I know that it’s not quite the same without Brian’s grandfather playing his accordion in the background and his grandmother’s secret ingredient– the love that came from her years of experience. – But I do my best to add something from the past to our holiday table each year.

The following are two wonderful Christmas favorites, one from each of their families.

Italian Knot Cookie Recipe: From the Piziali side.

You will need:

• 5 1/2 c. Flour
• 3/4 c. Butter
• 1 1/2 c. Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 c. Milk
• 1 Tsp. Anise Extract
• 1 Tsp. Lemon Extract

1. Place flour in large mixing bowl and with a pastry blender cut in butter ( be sure to use real butter) until resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in sugar and baking powder till well blended.

2. In a small bowl lightly beat eggs with milk and extracts. Stir in all flour till moistened. Turn out dough on well floured surface and knead till smooth (about 2 min.). Place back in bowl.

3. Refrigerate 1 hour.

4. Preheat oven 325 degrees.

5. Cut off small amount of dough and roll on highly floured surface into 6 inch strips. Twist /tie into knots and place on cookie sheets.

6. Bake 15 minutes or till lightly browned in oven. Remove and cool; do not over cook.

For Frosting: Mix Powdered Sugar and Milk to make glaze and add  Christmas Sprinkles  if desired. Enjoy!

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Italian Knot Cookies

Ingredients

• 5½ c. Flour
• ¾ c. Butter
• 1½ c. Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
• 4 Eggs
• ½ c. Milk
• 1 Tsp. Anise Extract
• 1 Tsp. Lemon Extract

Instructions

1. Place flour in large bowl and with pastry blender cut in butter ( be sure to use real butter) until resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Stir in sugar and baking powder till well blended.
3. In a small bowl lightly beat eggs with milk and extracts. Stir in all flour till moistened. Turn out dough on well floured surface and knead till smooth (about 2 min.). Place back in bowl.
4. Refrigerate 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven 325 degrees.
6. Cut off small amount of dough and roll on highly floured surface into 6 inch strips. Twist /tie into knots and place on cookie sheets.
7. Bake 15 minutes or till lightly browned in oven. Remove and cool; do not over cook.

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Walnut Povitica

Walnut Povitica- from the Urich side. Pronounced ( Poh-vee-TEET-sah). The word makes me think of Christmas even though it wasn’t a tradition that I myself grew up with. This nut roll is a Slovenian favorite. It can be filled with various other ingredients but in our family it was always walnuts.

If you’d like to make this delicious roll you will need:

For the dough

• 2 to 2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1.4 c. butter
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs

For the walnut filling

• 3 c. ground walnuts
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 slightly beaten egg
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

In a bowl combine 1 cup of the flour and the package of yeast. Set it aside. In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, sugar, and salt till warm (120-130 degrees) and the butter almost melts. Add to flour mixture. Then add 2 eggs. Beat with electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 sec. and high speed for 3 minutes. Next, using a Wooden Spoon, add as much of the remaining flour as possible.

On a lightly floured surface knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic. ( Kneading from 3-5 minutes will accomplish this.) Shape in a ball and place in a greased bowl turning once to grease surface of dough ball. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double-approximately 1 hour.

While the dough is rising in a warm spot, make the filling. Mix walnuts, sugar, butter, honey, beaten egg, milk, and vanilla. Set aside.

Punch dough down and let rest 10 minutes. While you wait grease 2 loaf pans and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. After 10 minutes roll dough out on a floured surface to make about a 15 in. square. Cover and let rise another 10 min. Roll again but this time try to roll out the dough to about  a 20 to 25 in. square.  Then cut into 2 rectangle dough pieces, one for each loaf pan. Now spread the filling on both dough rectangles leaving an inch on each end of the dough. Once filing is spread well on top both of them, roll each one like a jelly roll or in cinnamon roll style. Except instead of slicing, punch ends and seam the bottom to completely shut the roll. Lastly, place loaf in greased loaf pan seam side down. Cover and let rise one last time until it has once again doubled it’s size.

Bake at 325 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes or till golden brown. If the outside browns too quickly then just cover with foil the last 10 or 15 minutes. The type of pan you use may also effect cook time so make the necessary adjustments.

Remove from pans and cool. This recipe makes 2 loaves and 32 servings. We like to enjoy this on Christmas morning with coffee.

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The post Two Holiday Family Favorites: Italian Knot Cookies and Walnut Povitica appeared first on Dymphna's Song.