Witches Brew Stew

All day rain, cold weather and memories were my inspiration for last night's dinner. My Mother used to make this dish  all the time when I was growing up and we called it "Witches Brew", although I'm not quite sure why. I admit I took cook's license and added a few flavor boosters. Bless her heart, my Mom was from the era that thought salt and pepper were spices so quite honestly there weren't many little spice bottles hanging around the kitchen and no hotsauce of any kind either.  As you can tell, this apple fell a rather long distance away from the tree.

Simply a cross between a hamburger soup and a stew, it's made from a mere pound of lean ground beef, onions, garlic, carrots and potato along with dried onion soup mix, canned diced tomatoes and a can of beef consomme. Feel free to add a little pasta to the mix if you're so inclined for added heartiness like I did and I added some peas too just because it's guaranteed to get a rise outa' you know who.

It was darn near perfect with a little cheese garnish and you can be sure I'll be enjoying it for the next several days because it made a rather large pot. No matter though because it does get better with age.

 Witches Brew Hamburger Stew An original from JBug’s Kitchen

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano

1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

1 – 10 ounce can beef consommé

1 cup water

4 small carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1/3 cup small pasta (I used Orzo)

1/2 cup frozen green peas

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is softened. Crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring until beef is no longer pink. Add salt, pepper, basil, oregano, red chile flakes and dry onion soup mix and stir well to combine. Add tomatoes, beef consommé, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add carrots, onion and pasta. Cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until pasta and veggies are cooked. Add green peas and cook for additional 3-4 minutes.  Serve garnished with grated cheese if you wish.  Serves 4 to  6.

A year ago - Whip Lash Chicken 

Two year's ago - Six Sided Burger

 

Comments

[Big guy]

Peas, Peas , Peas! Guess it's good you are getting them out of your system. :-)

LU

[June]

Says who - oh, oh ya. LU2

[Lea M. Callais]

That looks good - the fruit of death stuff & I don't mean peas hehehehehe!

[June]

I know Lea and I think of it every time I put tomatoes in something.

[Lorraine]

The perfect dish to warm you up on the inside as the wind and rain are happening on the outside. Love the name.

[June]

Lorraine - it's been quite the week hasn't it, but then again just when you think you've had enough of the rain, there's a sun teaser. Yesterday was glorious wasn't it? Today however I'm trying to talk the fur kids into NOT going for a walk; however, they're not listening. LOL

[Betty Prewitt]

Witches Brew Stew is great even here in very hot Tucson. I made it Saturday and my guys all went back for seconds. I also made the mini orange muffins for breakfast and that was a hit also. I had made a desert for dinner (a fruit pizza) and my son was too full for any so he had it for breakfast on Sunday. Don and I will enjoy leftover Stew for lunch today. Thanks for all the good ideas. Betty P

[June]

Hey Betty - glad you liked it and thank you for the idea too. Fruit pizza sounds like a great idea!