I am going to share with you a recipe I found on a wonderful blog site of a company called Peacock Pottery.  Link here to see the recipe blogpost of this recipe.  Growing up enjoying my Ukrainian Baba’s cooking, this recipe jumped out at me and I had to post.  Plus I am a fan of this kind of pottery.  Peacock Pottery has some beautiful and time-less pieces!

As detailed by Leah, Bigos is Poland’s national dish.  It can be made with any kind of meat even wild meat.  This is the perfect cold winter dishes that tastes better and better every time you reheat it!  Make a big pot, slow cook and enjoy for days or freeze into smaller portions so you have something to pull out, heat up and feed hungry families when your calendar is jam packed with activity!  Go ahead. Get messy!

• 4 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 lb lean pork – cut into cubes (may substitute venison, wild boar, elk etc.)
• 1 large onion – chopped
• 3 apples – cored and cubed
• 1 – 10 oz can of beef broth
• 2 cups water (can substitute 1 cup water & 1 cup red wine)
• 2 cup Carrots – diced
• 1 lb Kielbasa (Polish/Ukrainian meat sausage) – cut into chunks
• 1 can of Sauerkraut
• 4 cup shredded Cabbage
• 2 cloves Garlic – chopped
• 1 T caraway seed
• pinch allspice
• Salt & pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to your crockpot, stir, cover and cook on low 8 – 10 hours.

Nothing better then introducing a little foreign spice and food to warm our children’s inners and expand their knowledge of the world and cuisine!

Today is a cold bitter day so try this little recipe that I found from Barbara Barnes of ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen.  As she quotes on the little Calgary Herald recipe clipping, a few statements that we all would agree upon:  ”Always glad to get home from work and be greeted by the welcoming aroma of a simmering beefy ragout” &  ”Rush-hour drive home is also more relaxed knowing there will be no panic to get dinner on the table”

Ideas for some learning opportunities:

• Map exploration:  Where is Morocco?
• Animals that you would find in Africa
• Smell the spices that are in the stew
• Play moroccan music during dinner time
• Make some crafts – make some wind chimes, finger painting on material painting (batik), decorate a cardboard magic carpet, pictures using the triangles (pyramid shapes), make a picture by using recycled little bathroom tiles, picture collage of old national geographic magazines (animals, desert, africa), glue painting with couscous grains
• Build a tent
• Introduce vibrant colours, silks and materials (batik) ie. decorate the table with bright colours
• Food texture discussions: Figs, dates, chickpeas, couscous, spices
• Dance to some Moroccan music

This is not a difficult recipe and I have played around with it by adding different vegetables like carrots, turnip, throw in a handful of frozen peas or edamame beans.  A nice addition is a can of chickpeas or lentils for increasing the fibre content.  I have even added curry and coriander for a spice-flare.  Serve this with fluffy white rice or couscous so the delicious gravy can be soaked up and enjoyed.

• 3 pounds (1.5 kg) boneless beef chuck steak, cubed
• 3 cups cubed peeled yams
• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 1 cup pitted prunes (I have used 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries if I didn’t have any prunes in my pantry)
• 4 cloves chopped garlic or 2 tbsps jarred chopped garlic
• 1 – 1/2 cups beef broth
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup cold water

Combine first 12 ingredients (beef through to pepper) in a 4-5 quart (4-5litre) slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for  6-7 hours or until meat is tender.

Increase to high heat setting.  Whisk together flour and water until smooth.  Stir into stew.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until stew is thickened.

Here is a easy recipe to prepare, have cooking slow and steady until the end of the day when little tummies are growling.

• 3lbs (1.5 kg) beef cut in stewing chunks
• 2 onions, sliced thin
• Sliced mushrooms (be adventurous and try different kinds of mushrooms or a mix – white, brown, crimini, shiitake ) Here is a great link from Mushroom Canada that has everything about mushrooms and even learning  resources
• 2 cups beef stock (can use chicken stock if you don’t have beef stock)
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce

Season beef cubes with salt and pepper and brown in frying pan over stovetop using olive oil.  Place into slow cooker.  Add sliced mushrooms and onions, garlic, thyme, worchestershire sauce, paprika and beef stock into slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

30 mins before serving, mix into slowcooker and continue cooking while preparing side dishes:

• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen baby peas
• 1 cup sour cream

This is great over hot buttered egg noodles or fluffy rice.  It is also great over boiled German Spaetzle (Traditional German Egg Pasta).