A St. Patty's Slaw

How perfect is this green Fennel and Apple Slaw for St. Patty's Day?  Another great dish that I picked up in cooking class last night (courtesy of Jan Tang-Sayvongsa).  This class has been so much fun... having the chance to sharpen up my knife skills and experience new flavor combos like no other!  And this slaw completely put my cutting skills to the test but also woke up my sometimes simpler pallet.  Packed with sweet, tangy, peppery and sour flavor combos, this slaw is going to be fun and tasty for the upcoming green holiday and even better for a hot summery day.

What you'll need:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp coarsely chopped fresh tarragon

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp sugar

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on a diagonal

2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, julienned (very thin strips)

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, tarragon, lemon juice and sugar.  Add the celery, fennel and apple.  Toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  It's that easy!

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

My father cooked a meal!  This maybe doesn't sound like much but he makes dinner about once a year if that, since he's never been as comfortable in this department as let's say... the yard.  So, when my dad gets in the kitchen, it's a big deal.  Living in a small town of Pennsylvania, life moved a bit slower and old fashioned traditions of one-pot-wonders were easy and helpful in a house full of rambunctious boys.  My father saw a lot of meatloaf, beef stroganoff, and stew in his day, so when it's time for him to cook, these are the dishes he gravitates to and I am more than happy to enjoy a tasty rustic slow cooker meal.  This time around he made Beef Stew which is packed with veggies, beef and spices (and no flour!) and it tenderized in the crock-pot for 8 whole hours.. just enough time for all the flavors to meld together for a delicious old fashioned pot of goodness.

What you'll need:  Serves about 4-6

2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes

2 tbsp canola oil

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 cup beef stock

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsp salt
pinch of red pepper flakes (or to taste)

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 cup celery, sliced

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes (same size as beef)

1 small pkg fresh green beans, halved

3 cups water

1 cup red wine

2 tbsp cornstarch

Over a medium flame, heat the oil and brown the meat in a skillet.  Once the meat is brown, remove it and put in the crock-pot (set on low heat) leaving the beef juices in the skillet.  Add the onions and wine to the beef juices and let cook for a few mins.  Pour all of this into the crock-pot.  Then add to the crock-pot the bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, red pepper, raw veggies (no green beans yet), beef stock and water.  Stir and cover.  Let cook on high for about 8 hours.  Add the green beans during the last half hour.  Because this recipe calls for no flour, it's thickened by cornstarch instead, which works best over high heat on the stove.  So before serving, ladle most of the juices from the crock-pot and put into a smaller sauce pan on the stove.  Dilute the cornstarch with a little bit of water so when you put it into the juices, it doesn't clump up.  With a whisk, stir the juices and cornstarch until completely incorporated and thick.  Pour the juices back into the crock-pot, stir and serve!

I've Been Featured!

Many thanks to one of my favorite and most talented bloggers/writers I know, Melissa Blake, for featuring my up and coming blog!  Check it out.

Behind The Blog: Because of Madalene

Christina of Because of Madalene is a woman after my own heart. As she says, her family and friends have always called her an "old soul" for her love of scrapbooking, crocheting and playing Bunco. Check out her story, and as always, I'd love to feature you and your blog, so feel free to email me (mellow1422 [at] aol)...

Quick facts
Name...Christina
Birthday...January 3
Where are you from...Southern California
Three words that describe me...Passionate, methodical and artsy
Occupation...Retail manager
Blog...Because of Madalene
When did you start your blog...October 2011

What inspired you to start a blog?
It was a good excuse to get back into the artsy side of life that I lost touch with simply due to life getting in the way. And it turned into something so much more! Dedicating this open-book diary to my Great Grandmother Madalene inspired me to not lose sight of the things that really matter...like good food, family and fun hobbies!

What do you love the most about blogging? Does anything about it stress you out?
Due to all the family recipes and stories I've shared on the blog, I adore the deeper connection it has allowed me to have with my loved ones. It often triggers old memories from my mom that I am so excited to learn and share through the blog. Blogging is a full time job! Wanting to stay dedicated, it sometimes can be stressful to find time to blog every day, especially since I already have a full-time job and a busy life.

If you had to describe your blog in one sentence, what would you say
Because of Madalene is a blog about family history, delicious food, fun crafts and life lessons.

What has blogging taught you?
It has taught me how much potential I have to explore other creative avenues in life, like writing and cooking.
(Christina with her my mom, sister and nephew)

What advice do you have for new bloggers?
Keep it up! Stay dedicated and loyal to your blog. If you are committed, only good things can follow.

Where do you see yourself and your blog in 5 years?
I plan to continue to share my family stories and recipes, but also hope the love I've found in blogging can lead me into a creative career I adore doing.

What has surprised you the most about blogging?
I never realized how ginormous the blogging community is. I've learned so much from others about their thoughts on life and experiences. It really has opened my eyes to a different networking world that I've unexpectedly come to love.

Go Greener

The month of green is inspiring me to Go even Greener in the kitchen than I already think I am.  Everyday kitchen items can sometimes be toxic and/or wasteful, so I am super excited to have found these environmentally friendly essentials.

1. Greenpan Nonstick but PTFE-free Pots and Pans

2. Kyocera Noncorroding Ceramic Peeler

3. Lunchskins Reusable Sandwich Baggies

4. DIY Recycled Grocery Totes

Loadin' Up

After a long, busy day in the hot sun on Saturday, I wanted to take it easy in the kitchen but still relax and enjoy a scrumptious meal.  And a Loaded Baked Potato is just what I needed.  A fluffy and creamy wonder stuffed with lots of flavor and color.  I personally like my potatoes simple, but they are such a great base for any toppings you can creatively conjure up!  But this time around, I loaded it with butter, ground black pepper, broccoli, cheese and crispy bacon - reminiscent of broccoli potato soup.  Ya know, I sometimes think if I was a poor Irish woman living in the early 1800s, I would have been completely satisfied living off of potatoes.  Okay, maybe not.  But I definitely know I cannot live without them.  

What you'll need: Per potato

Russet Potato

Kosher Salt

Canola Oil

Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Steamed Broccoli

Bacon

Ground Black Pepper

Butter

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Wash, scrub and pat dry the potato.  KEY:  To ensure a crispy skin, brush a thin layer the canola oil all over the skin of the potato and drizzle on kosher salt for extra flavor.  To avoid a potato explosion, with a fork poke a few holes throughout the potato.  Uncovered and on a foil lined baking sheet, place in the oven for about 45 mins or until tender.  While they are cooking, place a few strips of bacon on a foil lined baking sheet and put into the oven.  I love mine extra crispy so I let them bake for about 30 mins.  Let them cool and then crumble them for a bacon bits topping.  Once the potatoes are done, cut open and start loading!  I like to start with the butter and pepper, then the cheese, steamed broccoli, more cheese and bacon.  So simple, yet so satisfying.  I eat the whole thing every time. 

Lunch Date

I've recently discovered that I love Dates, because they're sweet and chewy and taste even better when they're stuffed with... Cheese!  I thought these little treats would be an appetizing start to a lunch my mother attended last weekend and sure enough, the plate was empty in no time.  In one small bite, you'll get a mouthful of Spring flavors... Dill and Lemon Zest that I used to liven up the mild Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese.  Top if off with a Pecan Nut and you've got yourself a chewy, creamy and crunchy delight!

What you'll need: for about 3 doz.

About 2 pkgs of Pitted Dates (depending on how many come in each pkg)

2 pkgs of Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese (8 individual triangles in each pkg)

Dill

Zest 2 Lemons

Ground Black Pepper

Pecan Nuts

With a small knife, cut a lengthwise slit for each date.  Set aside the open dates while you make the filling.  In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, lemon zest, dill and black pepper (according to taste) with a fork.  Scoop a spoonful of the filling and stuff each date.  Place a pecan nut on top and serve immediately. 

A Black and White Dessert

I had a hunch that The Artist was going to win.  Although, I didn't find it to be the best movie of the year (slow in parts, over-dramatic music...), I can understand why it won based on its uniqueness for its time.  But, boy am I glad we have eventually graduated to the more exciting world of color and sound.  So, continuing on with our movie themed food, I ended the night with a Black and White Dessert with a pop of color - Meringues!  Crunchy on the outside by pillow soft like a marshmallow on the inside.   I found a great recipe for meringues from Joy of Baking, but patience is required for this, because it takes time for the egg mixture to create stiff peaks!  But it was all worth it in the end, especially due to the Macerated Blackberry Topping (berries soaked in Grand Marnier and orange juice).  Once the meringues finished drying out (over several hours), I cut their sweetness with this tangy topping that made all the difference in the world.  

What you'll need: Berry Topping

1 pkg of blackberries (about 8 oz)

2 tsp of sugar

2 tbsp of orange juice

1 tbsp of Grand Marnier

With a fork, crush a few blackberries and combine the rest of the whole blackberries, sugar, orange juice and Grand Marnier in a bowl.  Gently mix all together.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, occasionally stirring.  Pour it onto of the meringues just before serving.

Piping out the meringues

Marshmallow Center