January 2011

Porcini Stew

by Suzanne on January 24, 2011

Last week I had the pleasure of helping out three outstanding young women learn a bit about basic stuff around the kitchen. Ellen, Melinda and Jenn learned how to melt chocolate and create sweet, chocolate dipped fruit. Just in time for Valentine’s Day. I didn’t have to teach them anything about how to eat them, though! They learned a bit about kitchen knives, cutting boards and how to care for them. Then we ventured into a lesson in chopping. (Pictures will be forthcoming next month. We were so busy having fun and learning that I completely forgot to take pics this go around. So stay tuned for visuals in February!) The results were great! Lots of nicely chopped veggies and herbs. And no one lost a finger. Sah-weet! My bonus was all the chopped veggies that went into my refrigerator after they were finished. Sure makes short work of meal preparation! This stew used several of my perfectly chopped vegetables and of course, it was a snap. Not just because many of the ingredients were already prepared for me (thanks, ladies) but because this is just so simple to make. And the flavor is out of this world!!! I’m doing my best to cut way down on my carbohydrates. I watch them carefully most of the time and work diligently to make sure that the majority of my carbohydrate intake is of the complex variety, e.g. whole grains, beans, etc. However, if you will recall, over the past couple of months there have been at least three occasions for me to veer completely off course. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. That kinda shoots my simple carb and calorie intake through the roof! And, once off course, finding my way back requires much more than a map or GPS. It’s called “willpower”. THAT is in short supply around here. This stew will not only make you feel totally satisfied, but will WOW your taste buds way beyond your expectations. No feeling deprived here. This dish is one that you can make a part of your new “lifestyle” and have you wanting more on a regular basis. and feel good about it. So, sit back and enjoy. And, if you can talk someone into chopping up a few veggies for you, well, Wooohooooo! Porcini Stew Serves 4 2 cups Water 1 cup dried Porcini Mushrooms (Portabellos will do just fine, too.) 1 […]

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