Winner... and a Recipe

"I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work.
That is the recipe.
It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near."

~Maraget Thatcher

Congratulations..............................

MonaRae!

You are the lucky random winner of my Sari Snapshot Bead Soup. Please email me your address and I will ship it right out to you (and I would love to see how you are inspired by it!).

Do you know Miss Mona Rae? I discovered that she makes the most yummy glass beads. Like this one in her Etsy Shop.

{MonaRae Beads Vanilla Fleurs XL Lampwork Lentil - oh! The colors!}

 And these bumpy bits of fun. I love them for their textural quality and fun pops of color.

{MonaRae Beads Lady Lumps Big Hole Sliders - the name is so kooky and the colors are punchy!}

I am in awe of glass bead artists. That is something I would love to try someday. Until then, I am thrilled when I find a new-to-me artist. Check MonaRae Beads out!

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I am not the best cook. Have I told you that I am lazy? Unfortunately, my family demands meals with great regularity. It counts as homemade if you use a box mix and add some unexpected mix-ins (and by unexpected I mean whatever you have on hand that isn't expired. Why did I buy those green chilies again?). Right? 

{No author....picked it up at a school book fair....}

I like cookbooks that show pictures (sort of like how I like bead resources that show me great pictures). A recipe is a success if I can use three ingredients and make it in 30 minutes...and it looks like the picture. ;-) I have a cookbook that has a lot of dog-eared pages on called Meals in Minutes. Not all the recipes have pictures, which is a flaw in my eyes, but I do like that they arrange it by the time it will take ("20, 30, 40 minutes from start to finish") and have a shopping list and pantry list. Of course, I usually don't have anything near what they suggest my pantry should hold, but that is beside the point.

I looked in the vegetable bin and noticed some aging mushrooms. My daughter Tiny Dancer is nuts about mushrooms. Her pizzas usually only have mushrooms as an ingredient. So I started with that. There were a few contenders that I could have made (Chicken with Pan Sauce... Pasta with Mushrooms and Aged Jack Cheese...). None that I had all the ingredients. And it was already 6:00 pm. No last minute trips to the store. But then I flipped the page found the right thing. I have made it before and everyone loved it. Surprisingly, I actually had all the ingredients on hand! I made this on Sunday and it is so good, I have to share.  

How about a recipe to go along with these beady appetizers in the spirit of the Soup party? Think of this recipe as your consolation prize if your name isn't MonaRae. ;-)

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Pork and Chorizo Stew

Start to finish: 40 minutes (of course, I usually have to add about 20 minutes to the total for me standing dumbfounded in the middle of my kitchen, getting distracted, or my too-slow chopping skills or the fact that I usually have an epic fail at following printed directions and skip a step... or an ingredient)

1 1-pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes (whatever pork you have on hand...I think I used some boneless short ribs...chicken or beef would work, too. It's stew. Buy cheap meat ;-)

8 oz cookded smoked chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4-in slices (have you ever tried to slice chorizo? It is more like a paste. It doesn't slice. It mushes. I just squeeze it into the pan. This is what adds the flavor. It is flavorful, not spicy, so don't let that worry you. Put the other chorizo log back in the freezer for another time.)

1 cup coarsely chopped onion (1 large) (Does half of one mostly dried out onion count? I also added the MUSHROOMS for Tiny Dancer at this point)

2 cloves garlic, minced (Or two or three dollops of the already chopped and minced garlic, so much easier!)

2 T. all-purpose flour (This is actually the only thing that I always have in my pantry.)

1/2 t. dried thyme, crushed (I actually had this in the cupboard! Color me surprised. I was thinking of substituting Italian seasoning in case I didn't.)

2 1/2 c. reduced-sodium beef broth (Used the new Knorr concentrate. Heat some water and let the gelatinous dollop melt. So much better! No waste!)

1 c. frozen peas and carrots (I use a frozen California blend. Peas make me shudder.)

salt and ground black pepper (Of course, I forgot this ingredient. Put the salt and pepper on the table in case this happens ;-)

2 c. dried egg noodles (Not enough. I make up a whole bag. My family loves noodles.)

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook the pork cubes and chorizo in hot oil over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until brown.Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate; set aside.
2. Add onion and garlic (and MUSHROOMS) to pan juices. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Return meat and juices to pan. Add flour and thyme. Cook and stir for 1 minute. (This would be where I lost my focus and started opening mail and cleaning the dishes. Stay focused and you might still make it in 40 minutes!) 
3. Gradually add broth, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of pan. Add frozen veggies. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, in a large pan cook egg noodles. (And make Krusteaz Natural Honey Corn Bread muffins. Yum.) Drain well. Serve stew with noodles. (And a nice salad from the grocery store ready made deli case. Opening a bag takes too much work. ;-)

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You're welcome! ;-)