Beef Stew

Beef stew just screams "comfort food" to me. I'm not sure why, but I haven't made it in years. I stumbled across this particular recipe on Allrecipes.com about a month ago and it was to die for! The beef literally melted in your mouth and the vegetables remained slightly crisp...far from being overcooked. When I've made beef stew in the past, I've found the meat to be rather dry and tough and the vegetables to be mushy. I read through a great number of the reviews, prior to making it, and I did take a few suggestions, in addition to tweaking it a bit on my own. The original recipe did call for 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed, but my family prefers it served over mashed potatoes, so we omitted them in the stew. If you prefer to add them while cooking, they would be added to the pot the same time as the other veggies. As written, this recipe should easily feed 5-6 people.

1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 lbs cubed stew meat
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
32 oz beef broth (or 4 beef bouillon cubes, dissolved in 4 cups water)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces (or 1 lb baby carrots)
6 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons cold water

Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper and onion powder in large ziploc bag or bowl. Add cubed stew meat and shake to coat.

In a large pot or dutch oven, cook beef in oil over medium heat until brown. Add beef broth to pot. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.

Stir carrots, celery, and onion into the pot. Dissolve cornstarch in 4 teaspoons cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer 1 hour more.

Serve over mashed potatoes.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Goulash

My sister, Sarah, is SUCH a good cook and has an unbelievable knack for finding good recipes to try! A couple of weeks ago, I bought about 5 lbs of ground beef, intending to make meatloaf, but then realized that I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand. I was a bit flustered, trying to figure out what to make, without having to make a trip back out to the store and I noticed this recipe on her blog. My husband and I have always loved cooking-themed shows, whether it be Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, Chopped, etc, and we've heard people mention Goulash multiple times, yet have never tried it. My sister said that they truly enjoyed this recipe and it's from Paula Deen, so I knew I couldn't go wrong! I did make a couple of changes--the biggest being that I omitted the ground turkey altogether...it makes me want to gag and used all ground beef. I also used an entire 1 pound box of macaroni and am confident that this would easily serve a family of four and depending on how hearty your appetites are, you likely may even have some leftover! I made it later at night, after the kids had gone to bed and my husband and I each ate a large bowl-full and we had 2 decent-sized containers left. As my sister suggested, I served salad and garlic bread with it. Definitely a great "comfort food"!

Bobby's Goulash

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey (again, I used all ground beef!)
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2- 15 oz cans tomato sauce
2- 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon House seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder)
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked) ***I used a full pound of uncooked macaroni***

Directions:

In a dutch oven, saute the ground beef and ground turkey over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (I added a little extra, b/c of the additional pasta) of water, along with tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15-20 minutes.

Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30minutes. (My sister suggested stirring periodically to ensure that it doesn't stick and burn to the bottom of the pot). Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Delectable Dining; originally from Paula Deen Celebrates!

Marinated Flank Steak

I can count the amount of times I've purchased flank steak on one hand--it's a cut of meat that I seldom buy, because it tends to be rather pricey. I happened to find a piece marked down at the grocery store last night, so I thought I'd treat my husband and I to one of my favorite recipes from growing up! My Mom used to make this flank steak for special occasions--mostly for my Dad's birthday, as it was one of his favorites. It's so very simple to do and the marinade only calls for three ingredients. The hardest part is having to patiently wait 24 hrs to let it marinate before being able to cook it!

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!!!

Marinated Flank Steak

5 Tablespoons Italian dressing
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons Russian dressing
Flank Steak (Approximately 2 lbs)

Directions:

Mix all marinade ingredients well in a shallow dish. Place meat in dish and turn to coat meat evenly. Marinate meat at least 24 hours, turning every 4-6 hours. Grill meat until cooked as desired and serve with sliced mushrooms. (Make sure you slice against the grain!)

NOTE: You would be surprised at how far that amount of flank steak goes--it doesn't seem like a lot, but 2 lbs should easily serve a family of 4-5. Also, I used a grill pan and cooked my steak on my stovetop. I grilled the meat approximately 4-5 minutes on each side for medium rare. My husband NEVER ate steak prepared anything less than "well done", but after the first time I convinced him to try medium rare, he was sold! I owe it to my Dad for convincing me that meat tastes so much more flavorful when it's prepared this way!

Source: My Mom :)

Fiesta Taco Casserole

Well, well, well...it has been exactly one month since my last post--pretty awful, huh?!? It has just been one heck of a couple of months, between finding out about different family members who are really ill and three deaths between my family and my husband's...two in the past week. We're very much looking forward to a fresh start this New Year and hoping it brings good health and happiness to all of our family and friends!

Although things have been unbelievably crazy/stressful, I still have been attempting to try new recipes! I have several I need to post, but I thought I would go ahead and post this particular recipe, as it's a quick weeknight meal and I know everyone is incredibly busy this time of year! My sister, Sarah, will probably make fun of me, but I'm still borrowing cookbooks from the library to "preview" them and decide if I want to go ahead and buy them. I found a cookbook called "Betty Crocker Money Saving Meals" on a shelf they have with newer released books and figured that was a "must have"! It features over 200 recipes and breaks down the cost per serving...some are much more inexpensive than others. I'm becoming a big fan of "one dish meals"--this recipe would be great by itself or you could even serve it with a Spanish/Mexican rice as a side dish. I have a good 20 or so recipes marked to try, from this cookbook alone, so be on the lookout for other inexpensive/easy meal ideas!!!

To all fellow bloggers: I'm looking forward to catching up on all of your blogs very shortly! I apologize I haven't been commenting as frequently! Aside from checking my email/Facebook, I haven't been doing much on the computer at all.

Fiesta Taco Casserole

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 can (15-16 oz) spicy chili beans in sauce, undrained
1 cup chunky-style salsa
3 cups coarsely broken tortilla chips
3/4 - 1 cup sour cream
5 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce, if desired
Additional salsa, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a 10 inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in beans and 1 cup salsa. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

In ungreased 2 quart casserole, place broken tortilla chips. Top with beef mixture. Spread with sour cream. Sprinkle with onions, tomato and cheese.

Bake uncovered 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with lettuce and
additional salsa.

Source: Adapted from Betty Crocker Money Saving Meals

Steak Burritos

I was starting to feel like an awful wife, because my husband is Hispanic and grew up eating more traditional Mexican food, but I, personally, have never been much of a fan. I may have made mention of this in another post, but I absolutely despise things like tamales and will only eat enchiladas if they are made with flour tortillas...I don't know what it is about the corn tortillas that makes me want to gag--the soft ones, that is! I love corn tortilla chips...I could make a meal on chips and salsa! I also love the more "Americanized" versions of Mexican food like fajitas, quesadillas, tacos, etc. Okay, enough of my rant! The point of my story was that I was feeling badly that I don't make more of an effort to incorporate some of the "comfort foods" that he was used to eating during his childhood. I tend to make comfort foods I remember my Mom making (ie: meatloaf), but always kind of cringed when I thought of the smell of some of his "comfort foods" permeating through the house--certain spices literally make me sick to my stomach! Anyway, I went in search of a dish that I thought would be a good compromise...one we'd both enjoy and I found a recipe for steak burritos. The recipe I found was relatively simple and it didn't call for much in the way of toppings, so I followed it for the basic cooking method of the meat and then I added all of our favorite toppings. This is something you could easily customize to your family's liking and the best part is that like tacos, you can kind of create your own burrito with whatever you like--it's not as if everyone has to have onions, tomatoes, cheese, etc. We ate after my son went to bed, but I know he would have had a lot of fun making his own burrito! My husband was very grateful and said he'd most definitely eat them again--when he walked in, he said the house smelled much like he remembered his parents' house smelling when he was growing up...I guess that was supposed to be a compliment :)

Steak Burritos

2 flank steaks, 1 pound each (I used round steak)
2 envelopes taco seasoning mix
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilis
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 cup water
8-10 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Your favorite toppings (Might I suggest any of the following: refried beans, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream)

Salsa Verde (Green salsa), for dipping

Directions:

Rub steaks on both sides with taco seasoning. Place in slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Top with onion, chilies and vinegar. Add 1/2 cup water to bottom; cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove steaks and cool slightly; shred meat with two forks (or cut into small chunks). Return to slow cooker; heat through.

Warm flour tortillas and top with meat mixture and any combination of your favorite toppings. Fold ends and sides over filling. Serve with salsa verde for dipping.

NOTE: When I prepared my husband and my burritos, I did so in the following order: I warmed the tortillas, spread a thin layer of refried beans, put the meat on top of the beans, sprinkled Mexican-style cheese over the meat and then topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and sour cream. They were REALLY good like that!

Source: Taste of Home Online

Stuffed Green Peppers

My sister, Sarah, made these stuffed peppers several years back and I immediately fell in love with them! We were all up north visiting my parents together and she so kindly offered to prepare dinner...I knew it would be delicious, as she is a wonderful cook! My kids absolutely love the meat and rice mixture and will often make a meal out of that alone :) My VERY picky husband even loves them! My sister served them with mashed potatoes and corn, which is what I've done ever since--definitely great comfort food!

Stuffed Green Peppers

2 cups water
1 cup uncooked white rice
3 large green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 1/2 - 2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and begin to brown meat in a large saucepan, over medium heat. While meat is browning, place green peppers in a large pot, with enough water to cover. Boil peppers for approximately 15 minutes. Once meat is browned and drained (and while peppers are boiling), add onion, cooked rice, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the large saucepan with the meat; simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Remove peppers from the water and set aside in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture onto each half of the green peppers. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until mixture begins to turn golden brown.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Adapted from Allrecipes

Herb-Crusted Chuck Roast

Well, my husband and I decided to start doing Weight Watchers...not "formally" or anything, but just following the whole point system. I need to lose those last few pounds from when I had my little girl and my husband...well, he needs to lose the weight he gained with me throughout both pregnancies and kept on :) His weight gain doesn't bother me from a "physical standpoint", but as a nurse, I worry from a "health perspective". Needless to say, this recipe probably was not the best choice for dinner, but it is SO hard for me to resist these delicious recipes I've been trying!!! I purposely "banked" my points throughout the day so I could indulge myself this evening :) I did not have any savory or ground mustard, so I substituted marjoram, sage and Dijon mustard, per a reviewer's recommendation. I also did not want to press my luck and make the sauce, so I cannot tell you firsthand how it was, but it looked great, so I figured I'd go ahead and include it! PLEASE let me know if any of you make it...I'd love to know your thoughts...or know if I should remove it if it's awful!

Herb-Crusted Chuck Roast

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon dried savory
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 (3 pound) boneless chuck eye or top blade

SAUCE:
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Rub over entire roast. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender and reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well-done, 170 degrees F). Let stand 10 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Serve with the roast.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Classic Hamburgers and Crash Hot Potatoes

The summer is winding up and I just could not resist making grilled hamburgers at least one more time! This recipe comes from a cooking magazine that I recently won in a giveaway...there are SO many wonderful recipes--thank you again, Lynda!!! We're having some "grill issues", so the hamburgers did get a tad bit charred on the outside, but they were still really good and actually were a little too rare on the inside...I hate to admit this, but we actually just stuck them in the microwave for a minute! I kept trying to decide what to serve with them (in addition to corn on the cob) and as I was looking through my refrigerator, I came across about 8 good-sized red potatoes that I needed to use. I went in search of a recipe and found this recipe for "Crash Hot Potatoes" on For the Love of Cooking. Pam has absolutely wonderful recipes on her blog--I've never been disappointed by anything I've tried! The potatoes were a little too "grown up" for my 4 year old and 17 month old, but my husband and I really liked them.

Classic Hamburgers

1 pound ground round
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, minced (about 3/4 cup)
1 large egg white (I used the whole egg)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
4 slices Provolone cheese (*my addition*)
4 lettuce leaves
4 slices red onion, separated into rings
8 thin slices tomato
4 whole wheat kaiser rolls, split (or your "roll of choice")

Directions:

Prepare grill. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Shape into 4 (1/4 inch thick) patties---(I actually increased the ingredients and made them closer to 1/3 - 1/2 pound each!).

Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. (Add cheese last couple of minutes, optional!)

Top hamburger with lettuce, onion and tomato...and any other condiments you so desire!


Crash Hot Potatoes

12-15 baby red potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Place on a cooking sheet coated with cooking spray or drizzled with olive oil. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and with a potato masher, gently smash each potato. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper (I also added a Rosemary Garlic Seasoning that I had from Sam's Club!).

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Eat plain or top with a little sour cream and green onions. (I didn't have any green onions, so I actually sprinkled them with chives).

Source: Cooking Light Healthy Summer Grilling and For the Love of Cooking

Beijing Beef

This might honestly be my new favorite "at home" Chinese food recipe!!! (Thank you, Sarah!!!!!!!!!!) I've tried and tried over the years, to make something that tasted even remotely close to what I have when I eat out and this was pretty darn close. I did make a couple of minor changes and will reflect them below--I definitely trust my sister's judgment and thanks to her suggestions, it turned out perfectly! My husband not only had seconds, but made a point to mention that he thought it was the best "Chinese-style" dish I had ever made.

Beijing Beef

1 1/2 lbs flank steak (sliced thinly, against the grain)
6 tablespoons cornstarch (for dusting)
oil (for frying)

Marinade:
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Sauce:
10 tablespoons water
10 tablespoons sugar
7 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crush chili pepper (I substituted a little chili powder and red pepper flakes, b/c I didn't have chili pepper)
5 teaspoons cornstarch

Vegetables:
2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
1 medium red bell pepper (cut into chunks)
1 medium green bell pepper (cut into chunks)
1 medium vidalia onion (cut into chunks)

Directions:

In a bowl or resealable bag combine all marinade ingredients and mix well. Add beef slices and marinate for 15 minutes. While beef in marinating, mix all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate. When the beef is done marinating coat the beef slices with 6 tablespoons of cornstarch. Remove any excess cornstarch and deep fry (either in a deep fryer or wok) beef slices in batches until floating or golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Add a couple tablespoons of oil to the wok and add minced garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add red and green bell peppers and onions and stir fry for 2 minutes. Remove vegetables and set aside. Pour sauce into the wok and heat until boiling. Return veggies and beef to pan and mix with sauce mixture until well-coated.

Source: Delectable Dining

"77" Meatballs

I must start this post by giving credit to my sister, Sarah, for the presentation of these meatballs...I was struggling a bit with getting them to photograph well and she came to my rescue :) I have previously posted a meatball recipe and within that post, I'm fairly certain I made reference to these meatballs. Yet again, this recipe comes from one of my bridal shower cookbooks (put together with recipes from my family and friends). This recipe is from one of my Mom's friends, who she has known since college. I made these a couple of years ago as an appetizer for my son's birthday party and they were a huge hit! I kept asking my sister what I could bring on the 4th and since she refused to tell me, I decided that I was going to make these to snack on before dinner. (My family LOVES appetizers...we tend to make way too many and fill up on them before we even eat dinner!) These meatballs are equally as good reheated...I've even served them leftover as a "meal" with mashed potatoes. The nicest part is that you can make them ahead of time and then just bake them right before serving--I'd think you could even bake them the day before and heat them up in the crockpot, if you wanted.

"77" Meatballs

2 pounds ground lean sirloin or turkey (I just used ground chuck)
1 cup cornflakes
1/3 cup fresh, chopped parsley
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons minced onions
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

SAUCE:
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
(1) 12 ounce bottle chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients and roll into balls (about 3/4 inch diameter). Place in rows in a 9x13 inch pan. Combine all sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Pour sauce over meatballs and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Source: Tricia Smith

Mom's Meatloaf

Okay, so I know everyone tends to think that their own mom's or family's recipe for meatloaf is the best, but I honestly feel as if my mom's is hands down, the best I have EVER tried! My husband is the world's pickiest eater and never ate his own mom's meatloaf growing up, but he LOVES my mom's :) This was another recipe enclosed in my bridal shower cookbook, containing favorite recipes of my family and friends and I think it's probably the one thing I have made more than anything else since I have lived on my own. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes are my all-time favorite comfort food! I love the addition of applesauce...I think it gives the meatloaf a wonderful consistency and I am also a big fan of the green pepper! This reheats so well and my Mom has tried to convince me time and time again that it would make wonderful meatloaf sandwiches. I know I really need to give them a try--I don't know why cold meatloaf doesn't appeal to me?!?

Mom's Meatloaf

3 pounds ground chuck
3 large eggs
2 medium to large onions
1 small or 1/2 of a large green pepper
25 saltines, finely crushed
3/4 cup milk
BBQ Sauce (I only use Sweet Baby Ray's!)
1 cup applesauce (optional)
Garlic salt
Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Break apart ground chuck in a large mixing bowl. Place eggs into a food processor and add onions and green pepper (both quartered). Process eggs, onions and green pepper until finely chopped. Add egg mixture to meat, along with crushed saltines, milk, BBQ sauce to taste, applesauce (if desired) and seasonings. Mix well and place meat mixture in a 9x13 pan. Form into oblong loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes.

Note: The meatloaf can be baked adding nothing or you can choose one of the following options: 1) Brush top with BBQ sauce and also placed sliced onions on top or 2) Mix one can of tomato or cream of mushroom soup with 1/3 can of water and pour over meatloaf before baking. I, personally, just add some BBQ sauce to the top!

Source: Adele Fine

Baked Ziti

I bet you'd never guess that I am a huge fan of Italian food, would you?!? If I could only eat Italian food for the rest of my life, I'd be quite content :) I came across this recipe on Amber's Delectable Delights and the picture itself sold me! I followed her basic recipe, but changed around a few things...just because the pork sausage I bought came in a 1 lb roll (and her recipe only calls for 1/2 lb) and we also quite enjoy cheese, so we added even more than what the original recipe called for. The pork sausage gave the dish a nice little kick--not too spicy by any means, though! This was a nice, hearty meal that I served with salad and the cheesy garlic bread that I made earlier in the week. Now I just hope I saved enough room for one of the brownies that I made this afternoon!

Baked Ziti

1 box (16 oz) Ziti pasta (I couldn't find ziti to save my soul, so I used mostaccioli)
1 1/2 jars spaghetti sauce
3/4 lb ground beef
1 lb pork sausage
Salt, black pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes (all to taste)
16 oz cottage cheese (or ricotta if you prefer)
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
8 slices provolone cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season water with salt, boil pasta till al dente; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile brown sausage and ground beef in skillet and season with desired amounts of salt, black pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes. Drain excess grease away from meats and return back to skillet. Add the jar of spaghetti sauce and let simmer until you are ready to assemble the dish. Place enough sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan so the noodles won't stick. Then assemble the rest of the dish- half of the cooked noodles, all of the cottage cheese, 4 slices of provolone cheese, 1/2 of the remaining sauce, remaining noodles, half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, remaining sauce, remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let set 10 minutes to cool before serving.

Source: Adapted from recipe posted on Amber's Delectable Delights

Hearty Hoedown Burgers

Oh my goodness--this picture does not do these burgers justice! We had a late dinner last night and this was the best picture I was able to get...after about 30 attempts! I think I'm seriously starting to drive my husband crazy, but he usually waits patiently to start eating until I sit down with my plate :) Back to the burgers, though! First of all, I am a BIG fan of adding Worcestershire sauce to burgers, so that alone, led me to believe that this recipe would be outstanding! I was a little nervous about my husband's reaction with the onions and peppers, but he really seemed to enjoy his burger! I have never bought "sandwich spread" at the store and spaced buying it for this recipe, so I improvised at the last minute. I found a recipe on Cooks.com for a "Special Sauce Burger Topping" and I thought it tasted a lot like the sauce on McDonald's Big Macs. My first thought was actually to use Donna's sauce recipe (from My Tasty Treasures), but I didn't have any French dressing. I'll include the sauce recipe below, in case you don't have any sandwich spread on hand!

Hearty Hoedown Burgers

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/3 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 slices American cheese (we used Smoked Provolone)
6 burger buns, split
1/4 cup sandwich spread (found in the mayonnaise section of the grocery store)
Red onion slices, if desired

Directions:

Heat gas or charcoal grill. In a medium bowl, mix ground beef, onion, bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper until well blended. Shape mixture into 6 patties, 1/2 inch thick.

Place patties on grill. Cover grill; cook over medium heat 13 to 15 minutes, turning once, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160 degrees. Top each patty with cheese slice; cook just until cheese is melted.

Spread cut sides of toasted buns with sandwich spread; top with onion slices. Place cheese-topped patties on buns.

Special Sauce Burger Topping

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish (I only had dill relish, so I added a teaspoon of sugar to cut the tartness)

Combine all ingredients and serve over burgers. (I would suggest chilling if you have time, but if not, it's not the end of the world!)

Source: Pillsbury Potlucks & Reunions

Chinese Broccoli Beef

Beef and broccoli is my favorite Chinese dish EVER! My husband and I have both attempted to recreate it at home on countless occasions over the years and it never tastes even remotely close to authentic Chinese food. I was hopeful that I would fall in love with this recipe and while it was very good, my husband and I both were in agreement that it would have been even better, had there been more sauce. I would highly suggest doubling the marinade! All in all, this was as close to the beef and broccoli that I've had out, that we've ever made and we will definitely be making it again!

Chinese Broccoli Beef

1 lb flank steak
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 bunch fresh broccoli (sliced into florets)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 slices fresh ginger (finely minced)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

Slice steak against the grain thinly into strips. Place steak in a bowl or sealable bag. Combine soy sauce, dry sherry and cornstarch. Mix well, and pour mixture over steak strips. Marinate for 15 minutes to a half hour.

Heat the wok and add oil. Add minced garlic and ginger root and stir fry over medium-high heat for about 20 seconds. Add beef and stir fry stirring constantly for a couple minutes. Add broccoli and stir fry for 5 minutes or until broccoli is cooked but still crispy and dark green.

Source: Blog Chef

30 Minute Shepherd's Pie

Do you ever feel like there just isn't quite enough time in the day to get everything done? I constantly struggle with trying to figure out what I'm going to make for dinner, that won't involve me having to spend hours in the kitchen! I love my children to death, but they seldom are willing to sit still for more than a minute or two and I don't have the energy to chase them around the house, while trying to keep an eye on the food I'm preparing. I've been looking more recently, trying to find quick dinner ideas. I found ground chuck on sale for $1.58/lb, so I was hoping to come across recipes to utilize the 6 pounds that I bought! The last few times I've been over at my sister's house, I've noticed that she had several "Rachel Ray 30 Minute Meal" cookbooks and I know she's made quite a few of her recipes and never has anything but positive reviews, so I thought I'd try one for myself.

My husband called me tonight, on his way home from work and I asked him to pick up a bag of potatoes. I told him that I had found a Rachael Ray "30 Minute Meal" that I was planning to make for dinner and he replied "it's not Shepherd's Pie is it?" It took me a second, but then it dawned on me that he's been following my blog and I had listed this in the "coming soon" section...it's been a long day and I'm not feeling too "quick"! I nonchalantly mentioned that I was going to fry the meat, before I showered (I tend to shower the night before I work, since I'm not ordinarily a happy camper to be up at 4:45am) and he immediately offered to make dinner when he got home. It's funny, because he can drive me up a wall, but he really can be pretty darn considerate when he tries :) Just as an "FYI"...if your husband tries to be as kind as mine was this evening, you may want to forewarn him that Rachael Ray's "30 minute meals" are a bit deceiving! I suppose if you have a magic fairy around to do all of the prep work, you could *possibly* get it done in 30 minutes, but by the time you cut everything up, it takes more like 45-50 minutes. It sure was well worth it, though! This is true "comfort food" and tasted especially good on such a gloomy night!

30 Minute Shepherd's Pie

2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth. (My husband added some Kosher salt, as the potatoes were a bit bland).

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Source: Food Network (Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals)

Best Beef Burgers

There's nothing I enjoy much more than a big, juicy burger with all of the "fixings"! My son was supposed to have another soccer game tonight, so I wanted to come up with a relatively quick dinner idea. I made the patties ahead of time, so my husband would be able to throw them on the grill as soon as we got home. Unfortunately, his game was canceled, due to all of this rain we've had, but at least my dinner was ready to go! I gave my husband very specific grilling instructions (according to the recipe) and I know it was driving him crazy to not follow his normal regimen. He followed the directions to a tee and let me tell you...these burgers were perfectly cooked! Searing them first really locked in all of the juices and made for a delicious burger. I have a feeling my husband may stick to this preparation method from now on--even though he always has made really good burgers :)

Best Beef Burgers

2 pounds ground chuck
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
4 hamburger buns (I bought Sara Lee buns...so good!)

Suggested Accompaniments:
Cheese slices
Sliced Beefsteak tomatoes
Red and white onions (raw or grilled)
Ketchup
Mustard
Pickles
Mayonnaise
Boston lettuce leaves

***I used swiss cheese, beefsteak tomatoes, vidalia onions, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, mayo and lettuce!***

Directions:

Heat the grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine the ground chuck with the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce; season generously with salt and pepper. Gently form into four 1-inch-thick patties.

Place the patties on the hottest part of the grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move the patties to the cooler part of the grill; continue grilling until desired doneness, 4 to 8 minutes per side.

Split the hamburger buns and toast on the grill if you like; place a burger on each bun and serve with the desired accompaniments.

Source: Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

Hoedown BBQ Chuck Roast

Finally the grilling season is upon us! I absolutely LOVE this time of year!!! I've been searching for new recipes and have come across many wonderful grilling ideas. This was another recipe I found, while searching through my Mom's cookbooks and I can't begin to tell you how yummy it smelled while cooking! My husband was so kind as to do the actual grilling and he chose to wrap the meat in foil before placing it on the grill. This worked out really well, because it seemed to prevent the meat from burning and I would certainly do this again--or I guess I should say that I'd have my husband do this again, as grilling is more his thing! The only thing that was slightly disappointing was that the meat seemed a little tough, but I think the marinade itself would be delicious on a more tender cut of meat.

Hoedown BBQ Chuck Roast

1 boneless beef chuck roast (4 lb), 2 inches thick
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 to 2 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Trim fat from beef roast. In 12x8-inch (2 quart) glass baking dish or large resealable food storage plastic bag, mix remaining ingredients. Add roast; turn to coat. Cover dish or seal bag. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight, turning once or twice to marinate.

Heat gas or charcoal grill. Remove roast from marinade; reserve and refrigerate marinade. Place roast on grill. Cover grill; cook over medium-lw heat 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until of desired doneness, turning once and basting with reserved marinade during last 15 minutes of cooking time. Discard any remaining marinade.

Note: To bake the roast, place in shallow roasting pan; bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, turning once and basting with reserved marinade during last 15 minutes of baking time.

Source: Pillsbury Potlucks & Reunions

Prime Rib Roast

This is the second time in my entire life that I have made a prime rib roast. My Dad first introduced me to prime rib YEARS ago and it quickly became my "meat of choice" to order while dining out. The first time my husband tried prime rib was actually the night we got engaged...November 2, 2001. We went to a steakhouse in Bloomington (the town we initially met) and he seemed to quite enjoy it, other than being a nervous wreck about proposing! When I was home recently, my parents made a rib roast and it was SO good...this is the recipe my Mom used!!! It definitely is a cut of meat that ordinarily isn't in my budget, but being Easter time, I found it on sale for $4.99/lb. (Certainly better than $10-$12/lb!) I did end up taking the meat out a bit too soon...I think I must have had the thermometer up against a bone or fat, because it registered higher than it was. It wasn't until I went to slice it, that I realized it was a bit on the "raw" side for our liking! (Nothing that placing it back in the oven for 10 minutes couldn't fix, though!)

Prime Rib Roast

Prime Rib Roast
Butter
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Use a paper towel to pat the roast dry. Rub butter on the cut ends of the roast. Create a seasoning rub with the above spices. Make a series of 1/4 inch deep slits all over the top of the roast, as well as the sides. Rub seasonings all over the roast, covering all exposed meat.

Place the roast in a heavy metal roasting pan, bone side down. Regardless of the size of your roast, you will start it in a 450 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees for the balance of cooking time.

Every half hour or so, baste the ends of the roast with the drippings. Use your meat thermometer about a half hour before the expected end of the roasting time. Make sure to insert it in the thickest part of the meat, not touching the fat or bone. When the internal temperature reaches 120°, pull it out of the oven and cover with foil. Let the roast sit for twenty to thirty minutes. It will continue to cook during this time, reaching a temperature of about 125° to 130°. This resting period allows the juices and flavors to permeate the roast.

Note: We prefer to eat our meat medium rare. Below, is a list of temperatures according to how well done you prefer your meat.

Rare: 120-125 degrees
Medium Rare: 130-135 degrees
Medium: 140-145 degrees
Medium Well: 150-155 degrees
Well: 160 degrees

***Just as an estimate for cooking time, if you are wanting your meat rare and you have a 7-8 pound roast (3 ribs), you can expect to cook for 15 minutes at 450 degrees and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.

Source: Adele Fine

BBQ Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes

My husband always used to ask me why I never made meatballs--I guess it was because I don't really remember my Mom making them growing up. I absolutely love meatloaf, so you would think I would have attempted to make meatballs at some point. I think I already mentioned the cookbook I was given as part of my bridal shower gift...well, included was a recipe for meatballs that were to die for! (I'll have to post that recipe in the near future!) Ever since I tried them, I have been in search of other meatball recipes that sounded appealing. I constantly hear people raving about the "Pioneer Woman" and having tried her spicy shredded pork last week, I figured that I couldn't go wrong with this recipe! They were DELICIOUS!!!!!! The Pioneer Woman suggested serving her BBQ Meatballs with egg noodles or mashed potatoes and I, personally, chose to serve mashed potatoes. I've experimented over the years, adding different ingredients/spices, in an attempt to get mine "just right". There's nothing fancy about this recipe...just a classic take on mashed potatoes!


BBQ Meatballs

Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup oats
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons very finely minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
plenty of ground black pepper

Sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
4 to 6 tablespoons onion
Dash of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all meatball ingredients. Roll into medium-small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place sheet in freezer for five minutes.

Remove from freezer and immediately dredge in unseasoned flour.

Brown meatballs in canola oil until just brown. Place into a baking dish.

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty french bread.

Source: Pioneer Woman

Mashed Potatoes

8-10 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine
3/4 cup warm milk (or more, depending on desired consistency)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (add more if necessary)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Place potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Add 2 teaspoons salt to water and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain well. Add butter and mix with an electric hand mixer (or mash by hand) until blended in. Add warm milk, Kosher salt, garlic powder and pepper. Continue to mix/mash until desired consistency.

Source: Rachel Guajardo (Rachel Vs. The Kitchen)

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I happen to think that the slow cooker is one of the greatest inventions EVER! It was one of the first appliances I bought when I moved out on my own and it's always been quite the lifesaver! Back when I was in nursing school, spending a great deal of time in the kitchen was in no way an option and now that I have two little ones, I'm finding it more and more difficult to find the time to cook big, elaborate meals. It's pretty darn convenient to throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot in the morning, only to have a savory meal at the end of the day! Today is one of those "lazy days"--my husband, the kids and I are all home together and while it would have been a good opportunity for me to have my husband watch the kids so I could cook, I thought it would be nice to spend the day together and not have to worry about taking time away to prepare dinner. We're all still battling this nasty virus, so I thought a nice "comfort food" like pot roast would taste good!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

5-6 medium potatoes (cut into cubes)
4 carrots (peeled and sliced)
1 large onion (cut into wedges)
(1) 4-5 lb roast (I typically go with chuck roast!)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 beef bouillon cubes
garlic salt
garlic powder
ground black pepper
2 bay leaves

Directions:

Place potatoes and carrots in bottom of slow cooker; sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Place meat on top of potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle generously, garlic salt, garlic powder and pepper over meat and place onion wedges and bay leaves on top. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water and pour over meat. Cook on low for 8 hrs.

Source: Rachel vs. "The Kitchen" (Rachel Guajardo)