Steak and Ramen Salad with Peanut Dressing

HEY HI HOW YA DOIN'?

Want a big bite of this pretty, colorful tasty salad? I would love some. This salad is fresh, filling, and full of bold flavors.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I am 100% obsessed with peanut butter. I could eat peanut butter with any meal, any time. One of my current obsessions is fresh spring rolls with spicy peanut dipping sauces. This salad is a bit of a spin on a deconstructed spring roll.

Crispy crunchy romaine lettuce, purple cabbage, cucumbers, edamame, carrots and celery are an essential place to start. Juicy grilled steak gives this salad some oomph. Sesame peanut dressing is the grand finale - creamy with a little bit of tang and spice. This is the dressing to end all dressings. In fact, this salad is so delicious and wholesome, you won't even feel like you're having a salad. Yes, it is THAT satisfying!

OH did I mention that we are going to crumble up a bit of uncooked ramen noodles and sprinkle them on top of the salad? Well, we are. And it's fantastic.

P.S. Sorry about the quality of these photos. I really wanted to share this recipe with you but my good camera's battery was exhausted! These are straight from my iPhone. This meal is worth it though - trust me!

Crockpot Lamb Stew

September is here. Isn't that weird? Time flies when you're having fun.

I'm not too mad about September being here. I love the Fall! Fall foods, fall activities, crisp weather. Plus, I feel like I jam-packed my summer with lots of activities--I'm ready to slow it down for a few months before the Holiday season hits.

Speaking of slow, I think it's time we get back into the slow cooking spirit. Let's rev up our Crockpots for some delicious Lamb Stew.

This recipe is hearty and healthy and bursting with flavor. I've combined carrots, turnips, celery, and onions with chunks of lamb shoulder and rosemary. Everything cooks low and slow while you're at work, and when you come home, you're house will smell AMAZING and dinner will be on the table in no time!

How do you guys feel about turnips? I've never even thought about trying them. I just assumed I didn't like them. Recently, however, I've had a change of heart. I love replacing potatoes with turnips in slow cooked stews (see also: Homestyle Beef Stew). They are a little bitter but become more delicious the longer they cook. And they hold up very well in the slow cooker, which is a critical part of creating a good Crockpot meal. Of course, if you don't like turnips - diced potatoes will work beautifully.

I also strongly recommend getting up a little earlier and browning your lamb chunks in a skillet before tossing them in the Crockpot. The depth of flavor that comes from a quick sear is not worth sacrificing for a few extra minutes of shut eye!

To keep your morning effort minimal, try chopping up all your vegetables the night before and storing in an airtight container. Also, if necessary, butcher your lamb shoulder the night before as well.

I served this lamb stew over big egg noodles. The whole meal with keep you feeling full and satisfied. Take a time out from this busy life of ours and curl up on the couch with a bowl of warm, rustic stew.

Home-style Beef Stew

Are you guys watching Shark Week?

Don't act like you're not. We all watch it, because it's awesome. I'm obsessed with Shark Week and sharks. Sharks are amazing and powerful and still so mysterious.

If I were a little better at this blogging game, I would have made a Shark Week inspired meal this week. Or better yet, a shark inspired cocktail. My shark inspired cocktail would be called "Shark Bait BREW-haha" and it would have Landshark beer in it. HAHA GET IT?! Shark?! BREW?!

I shouldn't quit my day job.

What I did make this week was this yummy Home-style Beef Stew. The mornings and evenings are getting a lovely crispness to them here in New England, and I was craving a nice home-cooked, heart-warming meal.

I have had a bit of a crazy week, so I actually made this stew on SUNDAY and kept it stored in an airtight container in the fridge and cooked it up for dinner on TUESDAY. I have to say, the longer it stayed tucked away in the fridge, the more the flavors melded together and the more delicious this stew became.

The stew is a breeze to pull together. Start by chopping and dicing 1 medium yellow onion, 2 large carrots, 1 medium turnip, and 2 stalks of celery.

In a large stock pot, heat up some olive oil and butter over medium heat, then brown a bunch of stew meat on all sides until browned. Beautiful! Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the same pot, juices and all, saute the onions and a big clove of minced garlic. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn't burn!

After some time has passed, you will want to add a dollop of tomato paste and a whole container of beef stock or broth (low sodium variety is best, so we control the salt, not the broth man). Return the beef to the pot as well.

Season the stew with a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and pep-dawg. Boil it. Lower the heat. Cover the pot and walk away. I'm talking a whole hour and a half (stirring occasionally).

Scurry back to the kitchen an hour and a half later and plop the turnips, carrots, and celery into the pot. Actually, don't plop them in. The stew will be hot and a "plop" usually comes with a "splatter" and that might result in burns. I don't want you to get hurt. So, rather, gently add them in.

ACTION SHOT!

30 minutes later, and it's time to finish it off with some parsley. At this point the stew should be nice and thick and completely irresistible!

Serve over mashed potatoes, because this meal is built on the principle of comfort food (and nothing is more comforting than mashed potatoes).

Beef Barley 'Stoup'

There are few things I love more than a big blanket, a comfy couch, the Food Network, and a warm bowl of soup. If it were socially acceptable to do this every day, I would. I'd be really good at it, too.

I'm pretty much an expert couch potato. Not to say I don't stay active, because I do. I'm just saying that my delusional fantasy would be kicking back and relaxing from morning to night.

In any couch-slouching situation, one must have a heart-warming bowl of goodness on hand. I just love soups. Tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, potato leek soup...for me, no food is more comforting.

This week, my soup of choice turned into more of a stew because it is quite rich and hearty. It wasn't as thick as a stew, however. So, as Rachel Ray says, this mixture of a stew and a soup can affectionately be known as a "stoup."

Beef Barley Stoup is a great marriage of beef barley soup and a traditional beef stew. With a little help from the grocery store, the stoup tastes like it's been simmering all day (even though it comes together in about 60 minutes!) Whenever you feel like you need a big bear hug, try pulling together a pot of this stoup--it'll have you warm and comforted in no time!

Asian Steak Roll Ups

I love Asian cuisine. I love the flavors of soy, lime, teriyaki, honey, and sesame--combinations of these flavors are some of my favorites.

I have unfortunately found that Asian foods tend to be some of the most difficult to pull together in my own kitchen. It is difficult to find sesame oil, hoisin sauce, or miso paste in the average person's pantry. However, this should not discourage us!

A few nights ago, I pulled together an Asian-inspired steak dish that had bold flavors and textures for the whole pallet. Even my recipe guinea pig boyfriend enjoyed the strong essences of soy and honey. This will definitely be a dish I will be making variations of over and over again!

Now, I didn't run to the specialty store and pick up a myriad of Asian marinades, sauces, or seasonings. In fact, the main flavor agents here are pantry staples, namely low sodium soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.Still think you can't bring the flavors of Asia into your own kitchen? Think again!