Tag: celery

Roast Beast

Posted on by M.

I know, by now you’re saying to yourself, “Does this woman use her oven to cook everything?!” Yes. The answer is yes.

Keep in mind that this will take several hours to cook. I like my meals to either require effort or take time, but never both. This one takes time, but requires no effort.

Preheat oven to 275*.

Obtain & place in large skillet:

1 Chuck Roast (or whatever is the cheapest chunk of meat you can find that is generally super tough)

Season generously on both sides with:

3 – 4 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 – 3 T. Worcestershire Sauce

Sprinkle on top:

5 Sprigs Rosemary

5 Sprigs Thyme

Cut into quarters & scatter on top of roast:

6 Garlic Cloves

Cook in oven, uncovered, for 3 hours.

If you are making Yorkshire Puddings as a side, I would recommend starting the batter now.

Cut into wedges or large chunks:

2 Onions

8 Red/Gold Potatoes or 4 Russet Potatoes

10 Thin or 5 Large Carrots

10 Branches or 1 Stalk Celery

Arrange vegetables around roast.

Combine & pour over everything:

3 c. Water

2 Beef Bouillon Cubes or 2 t. Beef Broth Base

2 T. Cornstarch

Cover with foil.

Cook, covered, for 4 – 5 more hours.

This can be a meal all by itself with the potatoes & carrots; but if you have a very hungry family like I do, you can stretch things by adding Rice, Yorkshire Puddings, Brussel Sprouts, Green Beans or several other sides into the mix.

Easy Chicken Salad with Fresh Basil

Posted on by M.

I once worked in a deli where I made chicken salad from leftover chicken on a daily basis. Since then, my homemade chicken salad recipe has been based on the same basic principles.

My #1 Tip for Easy Chicken Salad

If you have no time to cook, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken! It’s the ultimate shortcut for flavor and convenience. (And don’t forget to save the broth for soup—it’s liquid gold!).

The Non-Negotiable Ingredient

The basil is the absolute key to this recipe. It adds that fresh, vibrant flavor that makes it special.

  • No fresh basil? No problem! You can use dried basil or even basil paste in a pinch.
  • Whatever you have to do, make sure there is some form of it in there! 😀
    (P.S.: Want to learn more about growing and using this amazing herb? Check out my Basil Herb Guide!)
Fresh chicken salad with basil on a slice of rye bread topped with a simple bruschetta

Chicken Salad with Fresh Basil

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Yellow or White Onion
  • 1 Whole Cooked Rotisserie Chicken
  • 1 Large Red Onion
  • 5 Stalks Celery or 1 English Cucumber, peeled
  • 1 Cup Lightly Packed or 1 Large Handful of fresh basil (about 15 Leaves)
  • 2 T. Basil Paste or 3 T. Dried Basil (if you don't have fresh basil)
  • 1 1/2 c. Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 c. Plain Yogurt (I really like this, but you can always sub in more mayonnaise.)
  • 3 T. Mustard (optional)
  • 1 1/2 T. Salt

Instructions

  1. Finely chop red onion and celery.
  2. Roughly chop or tear basil.
  3. Combine completely cooled chicken in a large bowl with the red onion, celery and basil.
  4. Add yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard and salt and mix well to combine.

Notes

  • If you love the chicken salad available at the grocery store deli counter, my homemade recipe is based on the same basic formula.
  • The basil is the key to this recipe. Whatever you have to do, make sure there is some form of it in there!
  • With guacamole, salsa and crackers or on a sandwich, it’s a perfect quick meal or snack.

© A Kitchen of Herbs
Category: Lunch

How We Love to Eat It

I love having a batch of this chicken salad on hand every couple of weeks. It’s the perfect quick meal or snack:

Next to a dollop of guacamole and salsa for a full-flavor lunch

When I worked in the above mentioned deli, my go-to lunch was actually a small container of the chicken salad. I also enjoyed a small container of the medium spicy guacamole from the produce department. A few water crackers completed my meal. If I was craving more vegetables, I would add a small container of the freshly made pico de gallo! It is still one of my favorite meals! It’s high in protein, low in carbs and even has veggies because of the guacamole!

On a sandwich or in a wrap

My favorite breads to use for this sandwich are sourdough and rye. Any type, really. Personally, a good dark pumpernickel floats my boat.

With crackers or sliced cucumbers for scooping

Obviously, I usually involve crackers. I have recently experimented with substituting the celery for cucumber, which I really like. The diced cucumber is easier to chew while still adding a nice crunchy texture.

Quick & Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Posted on by M.

Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with lamb.

But the whole purpose of these cottage-type recipes is to do with what you have and make a delicious meal. So remember, my recipes will always be predicated on the idea that you should use what you have, season the heck out of it and it will be a success!

This page may contain affiliate links, which means I receive commissions for purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. 

melted cheese on top of mashed potatoes, vegetables and ground meat for shepherd's pie

Simple Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 – 1 lb. Ground Meat Stuffs (use anything you like, even plant-based)
  • 4 – 5 Potatoes (I peeled mine just because they had super tough skins this time.)
  • 4 Carrots, peeled or 1 small bag Mixed Vegetables
  • Handful chopped Celery
  • 1 Small Bag or 1 Can Peas or Peas and Carrots (even if you have nothing else, some peas or corn make the difference)
  • 1 Small Bag or 1 Can Sweet Corn
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 2 – 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • 3 T. Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/4 c. Butter (any kind)
  • 1 – 2 t. Salt/Garlic Salt/Lawry’s Salt
  • 1/4 c. Milk (any kind)
  • 1/4 c. Sour Cream (optional, but makes a difference!)
  • 4 oz. Cheese Block (or use grated cheese or sliced cheese…there are no rules here.)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350*.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the meat or 'meat'.
  3. Place a large pot of water on the stove at high heat.
  4. Add a couple dashes of salt.
  5. Throw in your potatoes, peeled or not, according to your preference.
  6. Boil the potatoes until they are very soft.
  7. Meanwhile, chop your chosen vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
  8. Dice and saute the onion and garlic in a large skillet. (I like to use iron or stainless steel so that I can shove the whole thing in the oven to finish it off.)
  9. Add the chopped vegetables to the onions.
  10. Stir the cooked meat into the vegetables.
  11. Generously season the whole mixture with the steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
  12. Save 1/4 c. of water from the potato pot.
  13. Drain the rest of the water from the potatoes.
  14. Add butter, salt, milk and sour cream to potatoes and mash vigorously.
  15. Spread the mashed potatoes over the meat and vegetable concoction.
  16. Grate the cheese and sprinkle liberally over the whole pan.
  17. Bake in the oven just until the cheese is melted!
© A Kitchen of Herbs
Category: Dinner

This is one of my favorite dishes to throw together at the last minute because even if you don’t have time to thaw the ground meat, it will cook just fine from frozen. Just throw it in the pan and cover it with a lid. Dinner doesn’t have to wait just because you didn’t remember to pull the meat out of the freezer or simply couldn’t decide what to make until just now.

If you have a mixer, I like to let it do the work with a whip attachment. If you don’t even have a potato masher, like I apparently don’t, a sturdy wire whisk is an effective tool as well!