Guinness Hungarian Beef Goulash...

Many years ago there was a bakery in my hometown that made Goulash...When I grew up at my house we called goulash a macaroni noodle dish with tomato sauce and hamburger....The town bakery called Goulash a spicy, flavorful beef stew....the most wonderful stew you have ever eaten...we did not have much money at that time in our lives but we would sometimes splurge on a bowl of Goulash and a big piece of Black Forest Cake...This recipe is very reminiscent of the wonderful goulash from the favorite bakery....you could absolutely add any other vegetable and red peppers to this dish...red chili pepper flakes would 'kick it up a notch'....make it your own!

Slow cooker Guinness Beer Hungarian Beef Goulash

1 pound beef chuck roast trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
8 tablespoon paprika
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 onions chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 cup of red wine
1 Guinness beer
3 cups of beef broth
1/2 cups all purpose flour

Dry the beef with paper towels and then season with 1 tablespoon of paprika and salt and pepper.  heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the beef about 10 minutes, then add to the slow cooker. Return the skillet to medium high heat and repeat with 2 more tsp oil and remaining beef. 
Add the remaining 2 tsp oil to the empty skillet and heat over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onions, and remaining paprika, tomato paste and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook until vegetables are softened about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the wine and scrape up any bits and browned pieces and cook until reduced by half ...add to the crock pot...add everything to the crock pot...add the whole potatoes, carrots and beer and beef broth...give a big stir and cook on high for 7 hours...or 9-10 hours on medium...
After 7 hours take out the potatoes and cut in half...add 1/2 cup beef broth and 1/2 cup of flour (can use gluten free all-purpose flour) and stir into the sauce in the crock pot....add the potatoes back in and cook for approximately 30 more minutes...taste and adjust any seasoning...
 

vegetables ready!

beef browned and ready to go...

put in crock and add beer....

add onion wine mixture (house smells heavenly) and beef broth....

add vegetables...

give a good stir...put on the lid and go rake leaves!

7 long hours later....cut reds in half....add the flour and beef broth mixture...give a great stir...put the lid back on cook another 30 minutes (just enough time to set the table and make a salad)...

It is seasoned perfectly and ready to go!

This is the best comfort food money can buy! Large chunks of beef, great gravy, carrots and potatoes....Heaven!!!

Cheers to Happy !!

Sunday Fishing in the Fall....

My sister Mary took a bunch of our nephews and great nephews fishing today...they had a great time catching their limit! 10 fish each...take a look!

I have a new hobby. Fishing.  Go figure in my 63rd year an adventure would begin.
I have been fishing with a dear friend, I had forgotten the zen of standing out on the shore of a lake with my fishing pole, no cell phone, no worries.  We all need a little break now and then, who knew it would be fishing.

It is truly a blessing to be a member of our great extended family.  Jody my nephew lives next door, next door to him is my sister and her family.  On the other side of me is my older sister Candy,  well that was getting off of the subject wasn't it?  Ok so back to the reason for this blog.  Jody and I have been going fishing too.

That being said we decided we needed to take Jaegar and Brendan, my great nephews.  (Trina's grandson's)

 

Jaegar

 Brendan

We rounded up the usual suspects, packed peanut butter sandwiches, snickers candy bars, a can of corn (bait)lots of tackle, rubber boots, poles, buckets for our great catch. (we are optimistic fisherpeople).

Friends, family, jumped in the cars and away we went.

We arrived at the lake, (Alder) in the foothills of Mount Rainier. Grabbed our gear, donned our boots and we were ready.  I had my dear buddies marvelous fishing pole....  oh yes you already know what is coming.  It was really slick and muddy and ROCKY....  as you can see in the picture above.  When I fell I landed on the fishing pole and broke it.  Sure I hurt myself but I was more upset about that broken pole. I decided then and there that I would probably not fish today or any other day for that matter.  

Jody's good friend and his son when along with us and Trevon one of the heroes of the day had an extra pole along with him and lent it to me.  It was so kind of him especially after he had seen me fall on one pole already.  I used his pole and caught the first fish and then limited first.  It was a good thing because after that I got to take pictures, lots of picture.  They appear below. 

Jake joins the "I caught a fish" club.. Note Trevon and Tim's catch back there to your right.

Brendan, Jody,  and Jaegar.




Tim and Trevon



Trevon taking another fish off the hook.



Jody,  he is the best guy.




 

Bringing in another one,






Jaegar



Oh boy another fish to clean...



Mike and Matt getting serious .





Jake




Hadyn and Emily future fisher woman.





Beautiful blue skies today.



At the end of the day.  We all caught our limit of ten fish each.  We had a wonderful time, It sounds so ordinary doesn't it.  What I want to say is that it is extra-ordinary.  We not only enjoyed our day, we made memories that will stay with us for a long time.  One of the highlights of my life is spending time with my dear family and friends.  We all walk the trail together and smile.

CHEERS TO HAPPY !!!!

ALL YA ALL!!!

Sweet Potato Praline Cake...

sweet potato praline cake

Time is speeding like a bullet train lately...there is not enough hours in the day...Thanksgiving is just around the corner and then we sleigh ride right into Christmas..I am not ready mentally...We need longer seasons...more of this fall weather would be nice...I made this cake yesterday...It seemed the right kind of cake for this time of year...I love sweet potato pie and couldn't wait to make this cake...and it is worth the extra time to make...it is spiced perfectly, moist and dense...everything I love in a cake....

Sweet Potato Praline Cake

INGREDIENTS
26 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for pan
3 cups flour, plus more for pan
1 ¾ tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
¾ tsp. ground cardamom
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. ground allspice
2 ¾ cups packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
2 cups mashed roasted sweet potatoes
¾ cup sour cream
2 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. whole pecans
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 egg whites
1 cup confectioners' sugar
¼ cup milk

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the cake: Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans; set aside. Brown 16 tbsp. butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; chill until solid. Whisk flour, 1 tsp. salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, baking soda, and allspice in a bowl; set aside. Beat browned butter and 2 cups brown sugar on medium speed of a mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until smooth; beat in potatoes, sour cream, and 1 ½ tsp. vanilla. Add dry ingredients; beat until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula; bake until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool;

2. Make the candied pecans and marshmallow icing: Heat 4 tbsp. butter in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat; add pecans, ¼ cup sugar and 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring often, until thickly glazed, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a sheet of foil in an even layer; cool. Boil remaining sugar, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ cup water in a 2-qt. saucepan over high heat, without stirring, until syrup reaches 250° on a candy thermometer. Place whites in a bowl, and beat on high speed of a mixer until frothy, about 1 minute; slowly pour hot syrup in a steady stream into whites. Continue beating whites until cooled; stir in ½ tsp. vanilla. Spread icing evenly over bottom cake layer; cover with top cake layer.

3, Make the praline topping: Bring remaining butter, salt, brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, and milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over high heat; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining vanilla, and let cool, without stirring, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Pour sauce over cake, and arrange candied pecans on top.

this is just browning the butter...

you can do this and cook the sweet potatoes the day before and save some time...

I used 'real' sweet potatoes, but yams would work well too....

the nuts could be made the day before also....

this is the cake making...the butter and brown sugar, eggs, potatoes and sour cream...

flour and spices (I used gluten free all purpose flour)....then mix them into the rest of the batter...

into the oven...

making the sugar for the marshmallow filling

here is a helpful hint...pour the liquid sugar really slowly and don't pour on the beaters...

add all the ingredients to the pan for the praline topping...

bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes and take off burner...

we are ready to assemble....put all of the marshmallow on the first layer...add the second layer..

praline sauce over top....kind of push to the sides

 (very sticky)

ready for the nuts...

ready to serve!

so moist and sweet and good!!!! You will love it...now where is the hot tea?...

Cheers to Happy  !!