It’s All About A Good Recipe: November 2024

Spicy Beef and Potato Soup

Here in Texas it is finally getting cold! The low today was 33 degrees and it will warm up to nice 61 degrees.

So let the soups began!

I thought that I got this recipe from my friend Shari who lives in Minnesota but a couple a years ago I was telling her how much I like this soup. She had never had the soup so I have no idea where I got this recipe.

I will add about a tablespoon of Chicken Base to give it that heartiness. I do that with other things when it just needs something. I get my Chicken Base at Sam’s but you can get it at any grocery store.

Also here is a great recipe for cornbread using Bisquick and cornmeal …. Like it’s even good the next day!

https://itsallaboutagoodrecipe.blogspot.com/search?q=Cornbread

Spicy Beef and Tomato Soup

1 lb lean ground beef

4 cups cubed peeled potatoes

1 small onion

1 lg can (29oz) tomato sauce

4 cups water

2 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp pepper

1 can rotel or ½ to 1 tsp hot pepper sauce

1 Tbl chicken Base

In a large dutch oven or stick pan brown ground beef, drain the fat. Add potatoes, onion & tomato sauce. Stir in water, salt & pepper and rotel tomatoes. Bring to boil; reduce heat & simmer 1 hour or until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened.

I do however cook the potatoes separate in a pan then I drain them and pour into the soup.

Serves 6-8 about 2 qts

Here is the Chicken Base I use, I buy their Beef Base too it’s basically like adding chicken bouillon cubes but better. I do however love Knorr’s chicken bouillon cubes that would work too.. they are soft and dissolve well.

Crepes

My Mom LOVED crepes! Years ago at NorthPark Mall in Dallas there was a restaurant called The Magic Pan which was a San Francisco based eatery. They served over 27 varieties of crepes filled with savory things like specialty eggs crepes, spinach crepes, mushrooms crepes, cheese crepes, chicken filled crepes, lobster crepes and many more. Then they had the sweet filled ones with ice cream in the middle with chocolate on top and a pecan crème. There was a apple filled crepe, crepe beignet strips served in a basket with a Brandie’s apricot sauce. But the famous one was called Crepes Suzette it was served at your table with a flambé brandy which the brandy cooked out of with the flame as my Mom would say. It was fun to watch them make it at your table with the flame and all.

It opened in Dallas in 1974 and closed in 1991. I believe there is one still at the Denver Airport and Washington National Airport.

The Magic Pan was one of my Mom’s all time favorite restaurants!

I bought this awesome crepe maker on Amazon 2 1/2 years ago and love it! It’s so fun when you have people over to go around the table and let everyone make their own crepe. I will say the trick is to put the crepe maker into the batter and quickly take it out. If it’s in there a few seconds too long it starts to cook and messes up like it basically leaves the crepe in the batter so you have to scoop that layer out.

Once your crepe maker is hot, dip in the white plastic dish it comes with kinda pressing down quickly so that it covers the hot service then pull out. Wait till it basically falls off holding it at an angle to fall onto your plate.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled it out to use with friends and family. It’s truly a lot of fun!

I set out some cut up strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries then some Nutella that I first put in a small bowl then I place that bowl in the microwave for like 10-15 seconds so it’s easier to spoon out and spread. I whip up some whipping cream and put a little powder sugar in a bowl.

My sister Julie gave me a lazy Susan once which works well for this! Oh and I get out a long extension cord so the crepe maker can go around the table.

I didn’t use strawberries this time because they we were outrageous in price. Like almost $9 for 2lbs!

Recipe - Makes 7-8 Crepes

Basic Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Place ingredients in blender container in the order given. Blend 30 seconds, stop and stir down sides. Blend 30-60 seconds until smooth. Or, mix in bowl with wire whisk or mixer, first combining flour and eggs, adding liquid gradually. Beat until smooth; add other ingredients. Makes about 16 crepes.

NOTE: Measure flour and liquid carefully, since consistency of batter is Important. (It should be about the consistency of thick, heavy cream.] Spoon flour into 1 cup measure and level off with straight edge of knife or spatula.

These fold or roll well, and keep for weeks in the freezer, days in the refrigerator.

Batter can be used immediately. However, an hour or two standing time will produce slightly more tender crepes. Or, refrigerate batter up to three days for use as needed.

Bang Bang Chicken

I found this recipe earlier this year and have made it at least 12 times. It was a good find for sure! I also double the bang bang sauce (which I think is also called yum yum sauce at some restaurants) almost always and sometimes I even triple it like today. I have some medal skewers that I use but I have used wooden ones before, if you are are using wooden skewers make sure you soak them in water for at least 30 minute’s because they will catch on fire possibly not all of them but let’s just say I’ve had it happen. 😅

Trader Joe’s is a great place to get the Sriracha and Sweet Chili sauce! They have a Thai one but I generally just get the Sweet Chili sauce. They are good and much cheaper than the grocery however you can get both at a grocery store.

Bang Bang Chicken

2 lbs Chicken breasts, boneless skinless - cut into medium size cubes

2 tbsp Honey

1 1/4 cups Mayonnaise

2 tsp Sriracha

2/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce

1/2 tsp Black pepper

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Garlic powder

1 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin

Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes

Marinate chicken cubes for at least 2-4 hours or over night. Use part of the sauce for marinating then reserve part for dipping.

Add marinaded chicken cubes to the skewers about 5-6 to each skewer then grill till they are done.

Right before you take off grill brush some more marinade - yum yum sauce on the chicken while hot. I let it set there a few minutes before I take it off the grill.

You can also keep the chicken in the marinade for a couple of days before you grill it or like today I grilled half of the chicken and I’ll grill the other half in a day or 2.