Michael Symon's Fall Harvest Hungarian Goulash Recipe

So I LOVE this version of Hungarian Goulash from chef Michael Symon.  He did this Fall Harvest one on "The Chew" but since that show stopped being broadcast over a year ago, the links to it online have disappeared.  I am so glad I printed it out back in 2017!

This one is a lighter Goulash but still beef.  What brightens/lightens it is the addition of Fall veggies.
It calls for cooking in a dutch oven but it can be done in a crock pot as well with an adjustment on when you add the veggies in.

"Fall Harvest Hungarian Goulash" from Michael Symon

* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3/4 lb. beef chuck roast(cut into 1.5 inch pieces
* 2 portabella mushrooms
* 2 large Spanish onions
* 2 bell peppers(seeded, sliced)
* 3 garlic cloves
* 2 small sweet potatoes
* 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
* 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
* 2 cups chicken stock
* 1 cup water
* 1 28 oz.. can whole peeled tomatoes(crushed)
* 2 tablespoons parsley(finely chopped,, plus more to serve)
* quinoa rotini(to serve)
* Greek yogurt(to serve)
* dill(finely chopped, to serve)
* Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1- Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.  Season the meat with Kosher salt and ground black pepper, then add it to the pan.  Deeply brown the meat on all sides, about 10 minutes, then remove from pan and set aside.

2-To the same pot add the mushrooms, onions and peppers.  Cook while stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften and brown, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, sweet potatoes, caraway seeds and paprika and toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3-Add the stock, water and tomatoes and add the beef back in along with any juices that have accumulated and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until the beef is tender and the liquid is slightly reduced, about 2 hours.  Stir in some fresh parsley.

4-Cook the pasta according to package directions then serve the goulash over it, topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt.  Add some extra parsley and dill on top.

5-If your local market doesn't carry quinoa pastas, substitute with whole wheat pasta.


Now for my Tips-------

1.  If you want to do this in a crock pot, follow Steps 1 and 2 in a pot on the stove and then transfer ingredients at this point to the crock pot.  In Step 3 omit adding the water and cook on low for 3-5 hours depending on the heat variances of your crock pot and how soft/tender you want your beef and veggies.
2.  Using smoked paprika will result in a better flavor over plain paprika.
3. I put my caraway seeds in the blender to crush them as I don't own a mortar and pestle.
4. I serve over egg noodles or any pasta we like(gluten-free or zoodles too).
5. If you want a thicker sauce, add some corn starch to a ladle of the sauce, stir together then re-add to the pot about 20 minutes before serving.
6. I chunk my peppers not slice them and you can add or reduce the amount of the veggies depending on your taste.  We like this with more peppers and sweet potatoes.
7. You could also substitute other Fall squashes for the sweet potatoes....butternut, acorn, etc.  Use what you like and/or what you have.
8. Sour Cream or Greek yogurt works as a topping, or leave it off altogether if you aren't a fan of either.

I hope some one will give this recipe a try if you like beef.  It's a winner!


Sluggy

Cap'n Crunch FRENCH TOAST

If you have kids who love Cap'n Crunch Cereal, then you are going to have to try Cap'n Crunch French Toast. I saw this recipe on an episode of that Food Network Show, "Diners Drive-Ins & Dives". One of the Diners the host featured on the episode has this treatment for French Toast on their menu. Something about this just called my name! And when I scheduled a BREAKFAST FOR DINNER into the Meal Plan, I got my chance to give it a whirl.

Here is what you do.....
Grab a box of Cap'n Crunch, a Ziploc type baggy and a rolling pin.

Pour about 2-3 cups of the Cereal into the baggy and seal it. Leave some air in the bag before you close it. Lay the sealed baggy flat and use the rolling pin to crush the cereal until it looks pulverized like this....

Pour the freshly crushed up cereal into a bowl or platter.

Next make your egg wash (eggs beaten up in some milk).

Heat up your griddle. When it's hot and ready to cook, dip your bread slices in the egg/milk batter quickly and then into the crushed cereal crumbs, flipping the bread to coat both sides.

Then place your coated bread slices on the griddle and brown, flipping to brown both sides. When done, serve immediately.

First off, you will NOT have to call the kids to eat. The sweet Cap'n Crunch smell will permeate your house and the young ones will be drawn to the stove like fleas on a dog.

Sorry I don't have a nice photo of this French Toast artistically plated. It was all I could do to get it off the griddle without the kids drooling all over it.

Before letting the kids pour their usual 1/2 a bottle of syrup on their French Toast, make them taste this Cap'n C. variety first. Even the biggest sugar fiend may find that syrup is unnecessary. I'd suggest a light dusting of powdered sugar instead or some fresh fruit.

I will also tell you that you want to use a firm, or even dense bread for this French Toast. For goodness sakes, don't use Wonder Bread or any lighter than air white bread for this! Between dipping into the batter and then having to coat both sides with the cereal crumbs, you'll probably end up with torn bread by the time it makes it onto the griddle. Try to sneak in a nice wheat or other heavy grained bread. With this sugary sweet coating on the bread, the kids will hardly object or even recognize they are eating healthy grains underneath.

As for being a healthy meal, well......'parts' of it are-the eggs, milk & bread. lol The Cap'n Crunch coating means you don't need to use syrup so it's probably no worse for you than regular French Toast w/syrup.

It was a fun thing to try but not something we'll make a habit of eating on a regular basis.

Sluggy