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Orange Ginger Honey Mini Cakes — A Little Slice of Christmas Sunshine

Melinda

Overview

Nutritious vegetables and chunks of lean meat simmering in their own juices come together to create a simple yet hearty slow-cooker dish that’s perfect for chilly weather.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1 cup low-sodium beef stock1/2 cup red wine

One 15-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, in juice

2 russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, diced1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Tools

Measuring cups

Liquid measuring cup 

Measuring spoons 

Chef’s knife Cutting board 

Can opener Vegetable peeler 

Resealable plastic bag 

Large skillet 

Tongs

6-quart slow cooker

Wooden spoon

Directions

Working in 2 batches, combine the beef and flour in a resealable plastic bag; seal and shake until the beef is completely coated with flour. Set aside.

Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (see Cook’s Note). Working in batches and adding more oil as necessary, add the beef in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until the beef is nicely brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer the beef to a 6-quart slow cooker.

Add the stock and red wine to the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, and continue to boil until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Transfer the liquid to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours. The beef and vegetables should be tender. 

Cook’s Note

Alternatively, use a slow cooker that can be placed on a stovetop to sear the beef.

Yummy! Perfect cold weather meal.

Melinda

Reference:

Food Network

The link takes you the recipe.

Melinda

Reference:

Food Network

Improving your cooking skills is never a bad idea. Around 28% of Americans admit to having little or no skills in the kitchen. Everyone needs to eat, and preparing your own healthy, home-cooked meals can help you improve your health, reduce your reliance on junk or processed food and help you learn skills you can apply in other areas of your life too.

That being said, not everyone is a natural in the kitchen, and you only need to watch one of the many cooking shows to see the lack of skills some possess when it comes to whipping up meals. Hence, finding tips and hacks that can allow you to still eat well without the effort is an excellent way to build confidence in the kitchen to build on this and further improve your skills.

 Read on for some tips to hack cooking and help you become a better cook and enjoy better meals and improved health.

Use A Slow Cooker

Slow cookers are a great way to help you eat better and also cut down on the prep work involved while building up your skill set. You can use low cookers for a wide range of meals, from soups and stews to pasta dishes and even desserts. Why not try this chicken cacciatore for an easy go-to midweek meal? The beauty of slow cookers is that, generally, you put everything together and let it do its thing. There is physically minimal prep depending on the meal or dessert you are making.

Use Gadgets

While you need to know your way around a knife for cooking, different knives have different uses; in the early stages or to cut down on prep work using kitchen gadgets such as mandolins for slicing and chopping blenders can help you out in a pinch, and get the ingredients prepped while you get to grips with cutting and chopping. Multi-tools, chopping boards with measures on, splash guards, and more can all come in useful throughout your cooking journey.

Bulk Prep

If you are prepping for your meals and practicing your skills, try bulk prepping or meal prep to help you out for future cooks. It can be tricky initially to get your technique sorted or to make the right quantities, so making more on purpose not only gives you more practice but can also give you some bits ready-made that you can use to help your next creation a bit easier.

Preheat

One of the best tips you can have when learning to cook or expanding your skills is to preheat. Preheat your pan, oven, grill, etc. Never pour your oil into a cold pan, and always check that your oven is at the right temperature before popping food in to ensure an even cook. It can be worth investing in a thermometer if needed for your cooking appliances and your food to ensure everything is at the right temperature.

Conclusion

A kitchen is a place where you can have fun and get creative, but learning the basics will go a long way in helping you to create some fabulous meals. Start simple, and build your way up to more complex dishes to really make a move from beginner to Masterchef.

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

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