Beef stew is classic comfort food. It’s a simple dish yet satisfying to the core. This recipe for Balsamic Beef Stew filled the house with a wonderful aroma while it slowly simmered on the stove, and was the perfect meal for a cold Fall day. Husband was almost giddy when he found out what we were having for dinner.

I added 4 oz. of quartered mushrooms along with the potatoes and carrots. Also, I let the stew simmer for a total of about 3 hours to ensure that the meat was fork-tender. The small amount of balsamic vinegar gives the stew a slight tang…boy, was it good! Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Balsamic Beef Stew
-Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Simple Suppers, by Melanie Barnard (Oxmoor House, 2007).

From the muscular shoulder section, beef chuck is a tougher cut of meat that is ideal for stewing. It becomes delectably tender with long, slow cooking.

3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
2 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 Tbs. canola oil
1 large red onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 lb. red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, the 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the beef, seal the bag and shake to coat the beef with the seasoned flour.

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, remove the beef from the bag, shake off the excess flour and add the meat to the pot in a single layer. Cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the onion to the drippings in the pan and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bay leaves, wine and broth.

Return the meat and any juices from the plate to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and braise until the meat is nearly fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots, re-cover and continue to braise until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more.

Season the stew with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Stir in the vinegar, divide among individual shallow bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Tags: balsamic beef stew, balsamic vinegar, beef stew, boneless beef chuck, Comfort Food, slow cooking, soup, stew

One of the beautiful things about summer is the abundance of fresh-tasting recipes like this one for Blue Cheese-Grilled Chicken over Balsamic Tomatoes. It’s super easy to make and a great way to feature those sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes.

If you don’t like blue cheese, a good substitute would be slices of fresh mozzarella. Serve the grilled chicken with summery side dishes like Sagaponak Corn Pudding and Green Beans Vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Blue Cheese-Grilled Chicken over Balsamic Tomatoes
-recipe from Chicken and Egg: A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading with 125 Recipes by Janice Cole

I love the simplicity of this dish. It contains only a few ingredients, but it’s bursting with flavor. Choose your ingredients carefully, starting with great-tasting free-range chicken and mellow blue cheese, such as Maytag. The tomatoes should be sweet, tangy, and juicy because the tomato juice mingles with the balsamic vinegar, creating a light sauce for the chicken. Serves 4.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
12 tomato slices (about 2 tomatoes)

Preheat the grill to medium. Brush the chicken with the olive oil. Scatter the garlic over the chicken breasts and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Brush 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar over the chicken.

Oil the grill grate. Grill the chicken, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, sprinkling the blue cheese over the chicken during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes on a platter and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Serve the chicken over the tomatoes.

Tags: balsamic vinegar, blue cheese, grilled chicken, Quick Cooking, tomatoes

I love pork tenderloin because it’s difficult to mess up. This recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce is a perfect holiday dish because it’s easy, delicious, festive looking, and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed more people. The slightly sweet, slightly savory balsamic-cranberry sauce is a great compliment to the tender roasted pork.

It took longer than 2 minutes to get a good sear on the pork. To save time, you can start the sauce while the pork is browning. For the cranberry sauce, I used some leftover homemade Triple Cranberry Sauce which is lightly flavored with orange…it was perfect with the rosemary, onion and balsamic vinegar in the sauce. You could probably even make the sauce a day ahead to simplify things, then all you’d need to do is roast the pork, heat the sauce, and make a side dish or two. I served the tenderloin with bread stuffing and Green Beans with Caramelized Red Onion and Mushroom Topping.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine, November 1998

To round out this menu, serve roasted squash, corn muffins and boiled green beans with orange zest. End with vanilla ice cream topped with warm chestnuts in syrup.

Yield: Serves 2, can be doubled

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 8- to 10-ounce pork tenderloin
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1/3 cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Sear pork on all sides, about 2 minutes. Place skillet with pork in oven. Roast pork until thermometer inserted into center registers 155°F, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and rosemary; sauté until onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add broth, cranberry sauce and vinegar and whisk until cranberry sauce melts, about 2 minutes.

Transfer pork to work surface. Scrape any juices from large skillet into cranberry mixture. Boil until sauce has reduced enough to coat spoon thickly, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Slice pork and serve with sauce.

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Tags: balsamic cranberry sauce, balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, Christmas, cranberries, holidays, onion, pork tenderloin, whole berry cranberry sauce

I love broccoli but sometimes I want to serve something a little fancier than the plain ol’ steamed version. This recipe takes only a few minutes to prepare and makes a nice side dish to many other meals. I served it most recently with Really Good Lasagna.

This recipe is good as is but sometimes I add in a pinch or two of crushed red chili pepper flakes for a little kick. To keep the broccoli bright green, serve it right after cooking. Enjoy!

Broccoli with Caramelized Onions and Pine Nuts
Recipe courtesy EatingWell.com

Broccoli’s impressive nutritional profile (think folate, vitamins C and A, fiber, phytochemicals) puts it high on the list of foods to eat more of, an inviting task when you toss it with crunchy pine nuts, soft, sweet onions and tangy balsamic vinegar.

 Serves: 4 servings, 3/4 cup each.

3 tablespoons pine nuts or chopped slivered almonds
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 cups broccoli florets
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Toast pine nuts (or almonds) in a medium dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.

Add oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add onion and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, adjusting heat as necessary, until soft and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam broccoli until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the nuts, onion, vinegar and pepper; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Tags: balsamic vinegar, broccoli, caramelized onions, pine nuts, Side Dish, Vegetable

Most people fall in one of two categories with eggplant: you either Like It or Hate It. I happen to be in the Like It category. Recently I was looking up new sandwich recipes and came across this “sandwich” using grilled eggplant. Not only are these Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches beautiful, but they’re also delicious, incredibly easy and vegetarian.

I misread the recipe and put a slice of mozzarella on each slice of eggplant so I got extra cheesy sandwiches…no big deal! I loved the flavor of the smoky grilled eggplant with the melty cheese, fresh basil and the crunch of the pine nuts…Delicious!

Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Sandwiches
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Makes 4 servings.

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
8 1/2-inch-thick eggplant slices
4 1/4-inch-thick slices part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove
4 large bunches arugula
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Spray grill with oil spray and prepare barbecue (medium heat). Spray eggplant on both sides with oil spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Place 1 cheese slice atop each of 4 eggplant slices; top with remaining eggplant slices. Grill until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add arugula, tomatoes and basil; toss. Divide among 4 plates. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Top each with 1 eggplant sandwich.

Tags: arugula, balsamic vinegar, basil, eggplant, fresh mozzarella, Grilling/BBQ, olive oil, pine nuts, tomato

Words can not express how much I love this appetizer! In fact, it’s what I had for dinner last night. I didn’t intend to eat only the crostini for dinner but I ate several of them, which led to several more and before I knew it, I was full. This is one of those appetizers that is always a hit at parties and potlucks. Plus, it’s delicious, full of fresh flavors and easy to make. I seriously think I could eat it everyday and never grow tired of it!

Since it’s hot right now, I grilled the bread outside on the grill so I wouldn’t heat up the house by turning on the oven. I used small mozzarella balls called ciliegine that I got at Trader Joe’s. I sliced each cherry-sized ball of mozzarella into several slices and put 2-3 slices on each piece of grilled bread. Sometimes I like to put the cheese on the bread while it’s on the grill so it melts. If you want a little zip, add a few dashes of crushed red pepper flakes to the tomato-basil topping. Yumm!

Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Crostini
-recipe from Williams-Sonoma

Easy to make, crostini are an excellent way to showcase fresh seasonal ingredients. This simple combination of ripe tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese makes a perfect beginning to an alfresco meal.

Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing, plus 1/4 cup
1 baguette, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Salt and coarsely ground pepper, to taste
8 vine-ripened tomatoes, about 1 1/2 lb. total
1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
2 Tbs. finely minced red onion
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. aged balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and arrange the baguette slices on the sheet in a single layer. Brush the tops with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden, 15 to 18 minutes. If not using immediately, let the crostini cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

Core, seed and dice the tomatoes. In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, half of the basil, the onion, garlic, vinegar, the 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.

Slice the mozzarella into 1/4-inch-thick pieces or into smaller pieces so they fit on the crostini. To assemble, lay a piece of mozzarella on each crostini and spoon 1 to 2 Tbs. of the tomato salad on top. Garnish each with a pinch of the remaining basil. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

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Tags: balsamic vinegar, basil, bruschetta, crostini, fresh mozzarella, garlic, olive oil, red onion, tomato

A good roast chicken is one of the ultimate comfort foods. This recipe, an updated version of a classic, uses balsamic vinegar which adds flavor and creates a great pan sauce that gets drizzled over the carved chicken. It’s hard to believe that something this good is so easy to make.

The recipe says it serves 6 but I guess that depends on serving size. When I make roast chicken for 6 adults, I roast 2 birds (it’s just as easy to double the recipe). My philosophy: I’d rather have too much than not enough. Whip up a few side dishes and you’ve got a wonderful dinner that’s easy enough for weeknight cooking yet delicious enough for company. Heck, you could even make this for Thanksgiving if you didn’t feel like messing with a turkey.

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Sage
(Pollo Arrosto al Balsamico)
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

Serves 4-6.

For cooking purposes, the less expensive commercially made balsamic vinegars will suffice. They add a pleasant sweet-tart lift to sauces and soups and form a lovely brown glaze on grilled meats and poultry.

1 chicken, about 5 lb.
12 fresh sage leaves
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 350ºF.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Tuck the wings behind the back. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin on the breast and legs, being careful not to tear the skin. Insert a few of the sage leaves and some of the garlic under the skin, distributing them evenly. Pat the skin firmly back in place. Tuck the remaining sage leaves and garlic into the cavity.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Rub some of the mixture over the chicken and pour the remainder inside the cavity. Cross the drumsticks and, using kitchen string, tie the legs together. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

Roast the chicken, basting occasionally with the pan drippings, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 170ºF and the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Skim off the fat. Reheat to serving temperature, if necessary.

Carve the chicken and arrange on a warmed platter. Pour the pan juices over the chicken and serve immediately.

Tags: balsamic vinegar, Comfort Food, roast chicken, sage

Here’s a good, quick springtime recipe if you’re hankering for a steak. The colors and flavors of the tomato salsa are vibrant and fresh, and it adds an Italian flare to the pan-seared rib-eyes. This is an easy recipe to cut in half if you’re only cooking for two (or even one). I served the steak with crusty bread and sauteed zucchini.

Pan-Seared Rib-Eye Steak with Balsamic Onion & Tomato Salsa
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice (to yield about 1-1/2  cups)
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 boneless rib-eye steaks, 3/4 to 1 inch thick (6 to 8 oz. each)

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add the onion and sugar. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften but not brown, 4 to 5 min. Add the vinegar and cook until the onions are soft, 2 to 3  min. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they just begin to soften, 1 to 2 min. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the basil, and season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and keep warm.

Season the steaks generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Wipe out the skillet and melt the butter in the skillet over high heat. Cook two of the steaks until nicely browned on both sides and cooked to your liking, about 3 min. per side for medium rare. Transfer the steaks to plates or a platter and keep warm while you cook the remaining two steaks. Serve the steaks topped with the onion and tomato salsa.

Serving suggestions: Serve alongside a mixed salad of Bibb lettuce, spinach, and torn basil.

Tags: balsamic vinegar, basil, Beef, onions, Quick Cooking, rib-eye, steak, tomato salsa, tomatoes