Sausage, kale & tortellini stew



As part of my 40 by 40 in 40 weeks, I have new recipes I want to try. However, me being me, I don't follow the recipe to a T ever. I found this stew recipe in a Family Circle magazine, and then lost the clipping, so I did what I could from memory and taste!

I also used a new vegetable - lacinato kale - which counts as 1 of the 40 new veggies or fruits to try.

What I had:

• 1 lb sage flavored ground sausage
• 1 large red onion sliced
• 5 cloves of garlic minced
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 8 cups of lacinato kale chopped
• 4 cups water
• 1 package of frozen sausage tortellini
• salt & pepper to taste
• Italian seasoning

What I did:

• browned the sausage in a big stock pot
• took it out, leaving the sausage droppings in the pot
• sautéed the garlic and onions till soft
• added the sausage back in
• added the broth, kale, & water in & bring to a boil
• lowered the heat and added the tortellini
• let it simmer till tortellini is warmed through
• served with some warm bread

Irish Lamb Stew

While searching for Irish recipes for St. Patrick's day, beef or lamb stew kept coming up. I didn't like any recipe in it's entirety so I came up with my own and it was delicious!

What I had:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2.25 lbs butterflied lamb leg (use any cut you like), cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 5 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch rounds
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup Guinness stout beer
• 20 small white potatoes, cut into halves
• fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

What I did:

• heated the butter and oil on medium heat, with 2 sprigs worth of thyme leaves and the bay leaves, in a soup pot
• added the lamb and browned on high heat, about 5-8 minutes
• removed lamb from pot
• added onions till soft
• added carrots, stirred for 4 minutes
• added lamb back in
• poured the broth, wine and beer in
• added the potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• topped with 3 sprigs of thyme
• covered and cooked on low-medium heat for an hour

Enjoyed it immensely! It was delicious, the lamb melted in our mouths.

Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Stew

What I had:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless breasts, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bag crinkle cut frozen carrots
• 3 stalks celery, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cups chicken broth (I used 3 bullion cubes in 2 cups boiling water)
• 3 cups water
• 3.4 cup Goya Barley
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups water

What I did:

• Layered onions on the bottom of slow cooker, added the carrots and celery on top
• Added the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables
• Poured in the broth and water
• Added some coarse ground black pepper
• Cooked on low for 8 hours

We haven't eaten it yet, but it smells great. From the small taste I did, I'll probably add a little salt and paprika to my bowl. Serve it with some fresh baked rolls on a rainy evening.