Top Tips for March

Delicious St. Patrick's Day Dinner

Slow Cooked Beef Brisket

Cook the Beef Brisket in a slow cooker with spices provided in the package (if you have) a generous glug of Worcestershire Sauce and Beef Stock ( fluids no more that 1/3 of the way up the joint of meat.  If no spices were provided add your own - pepper corns, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Cook for 6/7 hours until tender, remove from pot and slice

Celebration Colcannon

1 medium Swede (Yellow Turnip), peeled, cubed

2 medium Parsnips, peeled, cubed

4 good sized Potatoes, peeled, quartered

I carton of chicken stock

1 stick of Butter

Ground White Pepper

Salt

2 Medium Onions, peeled, cut into rings

EVOO

I Head of Curly Kale

Using 2 tblspns of Butter and a glug of EVOO cook onions on a low heat until they are caramelized.

Wash and tear into pieces the Kale, sprinkle with salt and wilt with boiling water.  Cook until tender, drain

Place Swede and Parsnips in a pot with chicken stock, bring to boil, cook for 15 minutes, then add potatoes, cook for 10 mins longer until all vegetables are soft.

Mash root vegetables with remaining butter, add white pepper.  Fold in cooked kale, top with onions.

Pea & Carrots

Six Carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp sugar
2 oz butter
1 cup frozen peas

Cook carrots in water, sugar and butter on low until just tender.  Add frozen Peas cook for a further 2/3 minutes.

Watch this space....

I'm so happy that my family favorites are to be included on The SavingStar Blog!

Before and After Pictures

I am working on a very challenging job that will take a long time to complete, in terms of physical effort and the emotional journey with my client.  Here are two rooms that have been organized to date.  The space still needs further tweaking, as my client has to sell, consign or donate unwanted items.

Continuing the project, two bedrooms have been cleared.  We are now ready for our first tag sale!

It maybe the shortest month of the year but it feels like the longest. Here are some tips for February.

Conquering Clutter by Ginny Underwood

My Favorite Easy One Pan Meals

STEAK        

PIZZAIOLA

Cooking time 30 minutes. Serves 2

Ingredients

2 good sized NY strip steaks

1 green pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 garlic cloves roughly chopped

5 mushrooms, sliced

4 ozs sausage, diced

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Olive Oil, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano

Splash of red cooking wine or chicken stock

Parmesan cheese for the table

Cooking Instructions

Heat oil in pan, brown steak on both sides over a high heat, season with black pepper and

remove to rest.

Add more oil to the pan, if required, reduce heat to medium and add green pepper, onion,

garlic, sausage and mushrooms - cook for 5 minutes.

Add the wine or stock to clean the bottom of the pan

Add crushed tomatoes and oregano to pan, slide steaks back into the pan and cook for

10-12 minutes.

Serving choices -Pasta, Smashed Potatoes, Baked Potato or Salad



JAMBALAYA

Cooking time 35 minutes. Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken tenders, halved

8oz. medium shrimp, peeled

8 oz. Kielbasa sausage, sliced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Olive oil to cook

1 pack of Zatarain's Jambalaya Rice

Cooking Instructions

Heat oil in skillet and sauté chicken tenders and sausage until golden on both sides,

remove to one side. Add a little more oil, if required, and cook peppers, onion and

garlic until they start to soften. Add the water as directed on the rice package and the

rice mix, stir to mix all together, bring to boil then reduce to a simmer, return chicken

and sausage to the pan, cover and cook for 8 mins, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp

and cook 5 minutes more, with lid on.



CHICKEN CACCIATORE

Cooking time 45 minutes. Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped ham, sausage or bacon

1 garlic clove, smashed

4 scallions, sliced

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

A sprinkle of red pepper flakes

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into 1/3rd’s

2 stems of celery, plus the leafy center, sliced

1/2 cup of white cooking wine or chicken stock

14 oz can chopped tomatoes

14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon sugar

A handful of baby spinach leaves, optional

Parmesan cheese for the table & crusty bread, to mop up the juices

Cooking Instructions

You will need a pan with a lid

Heat the oil in the pan on a low/medium heat with the smashed garlic to flavor the oil,

while you prep the vegetables.

Up the heat a little and Add the ham, bacon or sausage along with the scallions, celery,

herbs, and pepper flakes, sauté for a few minutes, until vegetables soften.

Add the chicken thighs and season with salt & pepper, brown meat on both sides.

Add the wine or stock and clean off the bottom of the pan.

Add the tomatoes, bay leaves and sugar, stir, bring to boiling then reduce to simmer

and put the lid on - cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add rinsed beans and warm thru with the lid off if there is an excess of juices or leave

the lid on, if it looks just right. At this point you can add a handful of baby spinach if

you have it, serve once the spinach has wilted,

Serve with some Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.