Free Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook by Debbie Macomber

side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
    3. For sauce: In a medium bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Serve with warm crab cakes.

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    TIP
    Crab cakes hold together better if refrigerated at least 30 minutes before cooking.
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Beef Stew with Red Wine
    S erve this family favorite over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
    Serves 6
    3½ pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
    Salt and pepper
    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    5 tablespoons vegetable or light olive oil
    1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided
    1 large onion, chopped
    1 14½-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth
    1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    1 bay leaf
    5 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
    1 10-ounce package white button mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
    1. Using paper towel, blot beef dry with paper towels. In large bowl, toss beef with salt, pepper and flour.
    2. Warm 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat in a single layer; cook 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pot and transfer to a bowl. Add ½ cup of the wine to pot and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up loose bits on the bottom of the pot. Wine will thicken and combine with pot bits to make a thick sauce. Lift pot off heat and scrape this sauce onto the browned beef. Return pot to heat; add 2 tablespoons oil. Brown remaining beef as above and transfer to bowl. Add another ½ cup wine; deglaze pot as above and transfer to browned beef.
    3. Warm remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add remaining ¼ cup wine, stirring until wine boils off. Return beef and juices in bowl to pot. Add broth, tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally and adding water to desired consistency.
    4. Stir in carrots, mushrooms and 1 cup water; cover and cook 1 hour, until meat and vegetables are tender. Do not let stew boil; keep at a low simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
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    TIP
    The key to rich beef flavor is deglazing the pan using wine. This process scrapes up all the browned bits left from cooking the beef and incorporates them into the sauce. The alcohol is cooked off in this process.
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Thick Pork Chops with Apple-Walnut Stuffing and Cider Gravy
    F or the most succulent chops, select cuts that are at least 1-inch thick.
    Serves 4
    4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    ½ small onion, chopped
    1 celery stalk, chopped
    1 small apple, peeled and diced
    1 ¼ cups apple cider, divided
    ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
    Salt and black pepper
    ½ cup small bread cubes (from 2 slices)
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    4 bone-in pork chops, 1 inch thick (about 10 ounces each)
    1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    1. Preheat oven to 425°F; set an oven rack in lower third position. Place a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet in oven to warm.
    2. Warm 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring. Stir in apple, ¼ cup of the cider, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; fold in bread cubes and parsley.
    3. Using a paring knife, cut a 2-inch-wide pocket into the fatty side of each chop, cutting almost to the bone. Spoon a quarter of the stuffing into each pocket. Using your fingers, pinch the seal together. Season the chops with salt and pepper.
    4. Warm the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chops and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer chops to the preheated roasting pan; set aside the skillet with the cooking fat in it. Roast the chops 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the stuffing registers 140°F. Transfer the chops to a serving