Leftover Salsa Beef Stew Made with Love From MY Kitchen

Last week the most amazing thing happened.  I met someone with my name.  I know it may not sound like anything all that special to you BUT when your name is Tomika, spelled T-o-m-i-k-a, it's pretty special.  Yep, that's my name.  Tomika.  

Feeling a little Rumplestiltskin-ish huh?  Been wondering what "Tomi" was short for all these years.  

With a name like "Tomika" you won't find many personalized items but times have changed.  Thank goodness for the internet now I can practically have anything personalized with MY name on it including *drum roll* including recipe labels.

Now that the weather is cooler and the holiday baking season is near, I am looking forward to sharing homemade goodies with my beloved family and friends.  I like to prepare foods for some of the elderly members of my church from time to time and this year I am sharing some fab soups. There's nothing like bowl of hot soup to warm you up on a chilly Fall day and this is something different I'm sure they'll enjoy.

Soup is one of those foods you can add your own personal touch to a basic recipe and make it completely your own.  If your soup doesn't have the flavor you're looking for you can add a little of this or a little of that and voila you've got a masterpiece.    

I had a few leftover cups of salsa in the fridge from a visit to one of our fave Mexican food restaurants and decided to use them to add a little zing to my quick and easy beef stew recipe.  I can whip a pot of beef stew in 30 minutes or less.  It's an easy recipe and I can sneak in tons of veggies so it's nutritional as well.  Winner!

Leftover Salsa?  Make Leftover Salsa Beef Stew.
http://threeboysandanoldlady.blogspot.com/ 

Ingredients:

• Leftover salsa
• 3 12-oz bags of frozen veggies 
• 1 14-16 oz. can of beef broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 lbs. beef (I use sirloin steak, sliced into strips fajita style)
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 tbsp. oil (I use olive oil or vegetable oil)
• Onion (OPTIONAL)

Additional ingredients (add to your liking.  Be mindful you may need to add more water to make stew to your desired thickness)

• Beans
• Onions
• Cilantro
• Oregano

Directions:

1.  Pour leftover salsa, frozen veggies, beef broth and water into large stockpot and turn on low heat

Leftover Salsa?  Make Leftover Salsa Beef Stew.
http://threeboysandanoldlady.blogspot.com/ 

2.  Heat skillet and add olive oil.  Allow oil to heat before adding sliced beef.  

3.  Brown beef on all sides.
4.  Add flour to browned beef and stir to coat 

Leftover Salsa?  Make Leftover Salsa Beef Stew.
http://threeboysandanoldlady.blogspot.com/ 

5.  Add beef to stockpot and stir.  
6.  Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes and reduce heat to a simmer until veggies are of desired tenderness.   

This recipe makes a lot of stew and after I let if cool down a bit, I fill up containers, slap on a Kidecals personalized label and share my creation with family and friends.  The labels are waterproof so if I spill a little soup on them I can just wipe it clean.

Check it out.  

Kidecals Personalized Labels
http://threeboysandanoldlady.blogspot.com/

Next time you have a little leftover salsa from your fave Mexican restaurant, don't toss it.  Save it and add it to your favorite dish to create a one of a kind dish for your family.

What do you do with leftover salsa 

from your fave Mexican restaurant?