beef goulash soup - day 4!

Well, it's not exactly 'boeuf bourguignon', but I'm no Julia Child! :) It sure is tasty, however, and rolls in at a whopping 188 calories per serving! 

This Better Homes and Gardens recipe is published on recipe.com and has a unique ingredient that contributes to it's hearty flavor - cocoa powder. [Weird, I know, but trust me on this one...] For 188 calories, you can have two or three bowls! 

TIP: If you are a fan of game, use venison instead of top sirloin. It's quite lean and when soaked in milk and tenderizer turns out to be an excellent substitute! 

Beef Goulash Soup

6 ounces boneless beef top sirloin steak

1 t. olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion [one medium]

2 cups water

1 14-oz can beef broth

1 14 1/2 ounce can low-sodium tomatoes, undrained and cut up

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot

1 t. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup thinly sliced cabbage

1 oz. dried wide noodles [about 1/2 cup]

2 t. paprika

1/4 cup light dairy sour cream

snipped fresh parsley [optional]

additional paprika [optional]

Trim fat from steak. Cut steak into 1/2-inch cubes. In large saucepan cook and stir steak cubes in hot oil over medium-high heat about 6 minutes or until beef is brown. Add onion; cook and stir about 3 minutes more or until tender.

Stir in the water, broth, undrained tomatoes, carrot, cocoa powder, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until beef is tender.

Stir in the cabbage, uncooked noodles, and the 2 teaspoons of paprika. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes more or until noodles are tender but still firm. Remove from heat. Top each serving with some of the sour cream. If desired, sprinkle with parsley and additional paprika.

it's been too long...

Sorry folks for the delay in new posts. I've had, well, lets just say an eventful couple of months since my last post. But I'm back! Hopefully for good because cooking has proven to be a kind of "therapy" for me...it's something I can do to just get away from everything else and just be. I'm not the kind of cook I'd like to be...yet...I still get stressed when things don't turn out right, but it know that it takes time, so I'll continue to drag you all along in the process if you so wish. :)

This week I tried something I've never had before: chowder in a bread bowl. Really, why eat out of a bread bowl, I mean, what's the point? I thought I'd figure it out once I had it but...no. I think its just for looks and fun. Chowder in a bread bowl just seems so much more interesting than chowder in a plain old bowl, right? Hehe. Anyway, hubby enjoyed it and thought it was neat.

I found my bread bowl loaves at Whole Foods in Austin. I searched H-E-B Plus and couldn't find anything "carvable"... so if you go in search of some, good luck! (I wish I could say I made mine from scratch, but no..not this time!) The chowder is SOO cheesy and delicious and perfect for a cold day. The best part is that it tastes even better the next day!

Corn, Sausage and Potato Chowder
singforyoursupperblog.com
 

1 tablespoon butter
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups fresh corn kernels from 2 ears (or frozen)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
6-7 cranks of freshly ground black pepper
2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1 package fully cooked turkey sausage (about 1 pound – you can use more or less if you want)

In a deep pot over medium-high heat, melt butter. Saute onions for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add potatoes and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; add corn kernels, cayenne, salt, and black pepper, and stir well. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the milk, cheddar cheese, and parsley. Turn off heat and allow chowder to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Puree soup in two batches until smooth, and return to the pot over medium-low heat. Stir in cooked sausage and warm until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.