Ground Beef Tacos

 

This is the best taco meat recipe. My entire family prefers this over the powdered seasoning that contains so much sodium etc.................
Try this you won't be sorry. My husband likes it so well he has been known to "hide" the leftovers.

Ground Beef Taco Filling from Mels Kitchen Cafe

(Printable Version)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 to 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced fine (alternately, you can add hot pepper sauce to taste or canned jalapenos OR just leave out the heat altogether, although I think the meat really needs a little kick and adding the jalapeno without seeds didn't make the dish overly spicy)
• Taco shells, Additional taco garnishes

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller chunks, until it is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, drain the grease.
2. Fill taco shells and add garnish  

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

I decided to try this recipe today since we would be at church for a few hours. It was amazing. It does have a little kick to it so if you don't like a little heat cut down the red pepper flakes . I used salted cashews next time I will use unsalted... other than that I followed the exact recipe using chicken thighs. I will definitely make this again soon. Enjoy

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken   As seen on Six Sisters Stuff

(Printable Version)

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders or chicken breast tenders*

 

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cashews use unsalted if you prefer a lower sodium dish.

Directions:
Combine flour and pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir. Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.
If you like sauce and want to have some to pour over the chicken and the rice, double the sauce ingredients. I definitely chose to go this route.

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

I found this amazing recipe at Iowa Girl Eats and had to try it immediately. The result was amazing. I made a couple of changes to this recipe do to the ingredients I had on hand. I used diced chicken breasts instead of ground chicken and I used crunchy peanut butter instead of the chopped peanuts :)
This was a bif hit with the husband. I served it with coconut rice ...YUM!!! If you like asian cuisine then try this recipe....you won't be sorry.

P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps
(Printable Version)

Serves 2-3 Ingredients: 1lb ground chicken breast 1/2 medium onion, minced salt & pepper, a dash of each 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 inch gnob fresh ginger, peeled & minced 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 2 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 Tablespoon water 1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter 1/2 Tablespoon honey 1 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (or more if you like it hotter) dash of fresh pepper 3 green onions, chopped 1/2-8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained & chopped 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped 10-12 large outer lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry Directions: 1. Heat a large, non-stick skillet on high. Add chicken, onion, salt & pepper, and cook until chicken is nearly done, stirring often to break up the meat. Add in minced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink. 2. Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, water, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and pepper. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir until smooth. Add into the skillet and stir to combine.( I added the ingredients straight to the skillet with great results) 3 Add green onion and water chestnuts into the skillet then cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions are soft and the water chestnuts are heated through. 4. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and serve with cold lettuce leaves

Spicy Honey Chicken

 

Remember the Naan Bread I posted last? This Chicken is a perfect filling . It goes well with avocado and mango. I found this recipe at Our Best Bites ......Enjoy.

Spicy Honey Chicken

 Recipe by Our Best Bites

(Printable Version)

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)
everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I’m tellin’
you right now it’s better with thighs.

  2 t vegetable oil

Rub:

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze:
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

 

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.Watch so it doesn’t  burn but is cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

Drizzle the reserved  2 tablespoons of glaze on the chicken after it is removed from the grill.

Bagel Dogs

 

This recipe is a twist on the usual Pigs in the Blanket. They taste like the Pretzel you can get in the Mall.

The bread has a slightly chewy texture like a  homemade soft pretzel would have. 

Bagel Dogs as seen at Real Mom Kitchen
(PRINTABLE VERSION)

• 2 cups water (110° F)
• 2 packages, active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons table salt
• 5 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour (approximately I used 5 1/4)
• 12 quality all-beef hot dogs
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water, lightly beaten
• Sesame seeds, poppy seeds and/or coarse salt for garnish

1. Pour the water into the bowl of an electric stand mixer and sprinkle with the yeast.  Let the mixture stand about five minutes or until foamy, then stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar and the salt. Using the paddle attachment and with the mixer on medium speed, gradually add flour, beating until well-blended and smooth, until you have a stiff dough. Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook and knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic in texture. Form the dough into a lump and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Turn the dough over to grease the top. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.
2. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead briefly to eliminate any air bubbles and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 12×9 inch rectangle or until it’s about a 1/4-inch thick, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin or the board. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut 12 1-inch pieces of dough.
3. Dry the hot dogs thoroughly. Starting at one end of a hot dog, wrap the dough around overlapping slightly as you make your way to the other end. Place seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining hot dogs and strips of dough. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let stand in a warm place for about 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the over to 400°. Fill a deep, heavy pot with water and add the baking soda. Bring to a gentle boil. Working 2 to 3 bagels at a time, carefully drop the bagel dogs into the boiling water, turning frequently with a slotted spoon or spatula, for about a minute. Lift out of the water and gently dry each bagel well on a kitchen towel and arrange about 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining bagel dogs.
5. Brush the bagels with the egg glaze and sprinkle on your garnish of choice. Bake for about 35 minutes or until nicely browned and crusty, turning the pan about halfway through (I didn’t turn my pan and I had to bake 3 dogs on another pan.  they all wouldn’t fit on one sheet). Serve warm or let cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 Bagel Dogs

Pulled BBQ Chicken

 

This is a great crockpot chicken recipe. I have also cooked it in the oven in a covered dutch oven at 300* for approx. 2hours. If you are looking for a good alternative to Sloppy Joes this is it . I served this with a great homemade crescent roll  that I will post soon. 

 Pulled BBQ Chicken   Recipe from Chelsea at mmmcafe

(Printable Version)

6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce (I used Sweet baby Ray's)

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken.

Cover and cook 3 to 4 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on low. Serve over rice, quinoa, or on hoagie rolls.

Serves 8.

Fettuccine Alfredo

 

I needed a fairly quick dinner with little prep so I turned to my Food Nanny Cookbook and decided on this yummy Fettuccine recipe. It did not disappoint. I was able to utilize the Spinach from my Bountiful Basket this week. Dinner was on the table in 25 minutes!!

 

Fettuccine Alfredo

 (Printable Version)

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup butter

3 oz. cream cheese

1 pint heavy cream

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and Ground Pepper

1 pound uncooked fettuccine

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Mix in the cream cheese. Stir in the cream and garlic powder. Increase the heat and bring to boil. Decrease the heat and simmer stirring often,while you cook the pasta. 

2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, drain.

3. Stir the Parmesan Cheese into the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Toss the sauce and pasta in a large bowl and serve immediately.

Variations:

For Chicken Alfredo stir-fry bite size chunks of chicken in 1 Tablespoon olive oil until cooked and add to the sauce.

If you are a seafood lover toss the sauce with medium cooked shrimp or chunks of crab.

If you want to add Spinach like I did in  the photo above Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan and add 3 cloves of crushed garlic and 1 lb of fresh spinach  and 1/4 chicken broth..heat until wilted. Toss with the pasta and sauce.

 

Spicy Shredded Pork

 

We love Mexican food and Sweet Pork Salad is one of our favorite meals.This pork has a great flavor and  works well with all the components of a "Cafe Rio" style meal. It is not as sweet as the Sweet Pork Recipe I have posted before but it is equally yummy . This one works well in the crock pot too.

  Spicy Shredded Pork from the Pioneer Woman

(Printable Version)

Ingredients

• 4 pounds (up To 7 Pounds) Pork Shoulder
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Salt
• Pepper To Taste
• 3 cloves (to 4 Cloves) Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon (to 2 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) White Wine Vinegar
• ¼ cups Brown Sugar
• 1 whole Onion
• Lime Wedges

Preparation Instructions

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder.

To begin, just throw the dried oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and brown sugar into a food processor or blender.

Cut one onion into quarters and put it in the food processor with the spices. Blend mixture until totally combined and then pour it over the pork shoulder.

Now rub it into ethe meat, tucking it under folds an in crevices.

Then place the pork into a roasting pan or Dutch oven and add a couple of cups of water. Cover tightly and roast pork at 300º for several hours, turning once every hour.

When it is fork tender, crank up the heat, remove the lid, and roast it, skin side up for another 15 to 20 minutes to get the skin crispy. When it’s done, let it rest for 15 minutes before shredding.

Shred the pork shoulder (two forks work well). When it’s all shredded be sure to pour the juices all over the meat.

Serve with warm tortillas, lime wedges, sour cream, pico de gallo

Honey Garlic Chicken

We made this great chicken with a basic fried rice and the family really enjoyed it. Living in Middleton we are limited on take out options and are trying a few new Chinese Food recipes on the menu. This was really easy and came together in minutes.

HONEY GLAZED CHICKEN

(Printable Version)

---

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,171,148191-240194,00.html
Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

10  boneless skinless Chicken Thighs

SAUCE:

1 c. honey
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
Salt and pepper

Place chicken pieces in glass baking dish. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Prepare sauce by mixing together honey, soy sauce, ketchup and garlic.Pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until crispy brown. Serve with white rice or fried rice. Preparation time about 15 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

My husband has been asking for Chicken Tortilla Soup soup so I made this version on Saturday. The result was great. My husband ate 3 of the 4 servings this recipe made. I think adding white beans would be awesome. This recipe will be a keeper as I was able to use corn from our garden that was frozen at harvest as well as my home canned salsa. You could use canned chicken if you needed to.    Chicken Tortilla Soup (Printable Version)

serves: 4

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups chunky salsa (I used my home canned salsa)
8 ounces corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
(optional)

Directions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, saute the chicken in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and mix well. Then add the broth, corn, onion, chili powder, lime juice and salsa. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Break up some tortilla chips into individual bowls and pour soup over chips. Top with the Monterey Jack cheese and a little sour cream.

Farm Style Spaghetti and MeatBalls

 

I stumbled across this recipe and had to try it. It is definitely "Farm Food" and not the type of spaghetti you would see in an Italian Restaurant. The Sauce is definitely "soupy" but when tossed with the Pasta its perfect.

I used Whole Wheat Spaghetti and the kids didn't notice. Parker my 10 year old likes this  version of Spaghetti the best. He has requested it for lunch the last 2 days!! This flavor of this Spaghetti reminds me of the kind my mom made growing up.

Spaghetti and Meatballs from Dine and Dish

(printable version)

The sauce on this dish is not a thick and chunky sauce like many of you might be used to. It is a light, “soupy” sauce, which complements the seasoned meatballs and pasta perfectly, in my opinion!

For the meatballs

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix (I only used half a package)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

Using your hands, combine all the ingredients until well blended. Pinch off pieces of the meat mixture and shape into meatballs. Place in a large stock pot or dutch oven, then follow remaining instructions.

For the sauce:

• 1 Large can (I believe it is 29oz) Hunt’s Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 of can of water
• 2 Teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• 1 pinch ground cloves (don’t skip this… it is her “secret” ingredient)

In a large bowl, stir together sauce ingredients. Add to the stock pot with the meatballs and stir. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low, place the lid on the pot, and cook until meatballs are cooked through. Depending on the size of your meatballs, this will be 30-45 minutes. (You can simmer this over low heat on your stove for a longer period of time, just remember to occasionally stir.).

Serve over thick spaghetti. Make sure to reserve a small amount of your pasta water and toss with your spaghetti after draining. This will help the sauce to stick to the pasta. Now, tuck your napkin in your shirt and enjoy!

Chicken Chow Mein

 

Like many of you  we have been cooking lots of treats this Holiday Season. I was searching for a good recipe that would be healthy and liked by all members of my family. I was browsing some of my favorite recipe sites and found this recipe. It tastes fresh and is not at all greasy like some Chinese food can be. It could be very weight watcher friendly if you left our the rice and Chow Mein noodles. Try this recipe when you are feeling overloaded with sugar. You'll be glad you did.

Chicken Chow Mien

As seen at Jaimie Cooks it up
(Printable Version)

2 T olive oil

2 onions

2-3 C celery

2-3 C bean sprouts

1 8 oz package mushrooms

4 chicken breasts

salt and pepper

3 C water

3  Chicken bullion cubes

2 T soy sauce

1/2 t sugar

3 T cornstarch dissolved in 1/3 C water

Hot rice

Chinese Noodles

                              

1. In a large skillet heat 1 T olive oil. Cut up the chicken breasts with a pair of cooking scissors. Add them to the pan and sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Cook over medium heat until the pieces are golden brown.  This  golden brown color is going to add some delicious flavor to your chow mien.

2. While the chicken is getting itself beautifully browned you are going to be chopping up your veggies. The long noodle like things pictured at the far left are bean sprouts. You can find them at any grocery store, though (Jaimie didn't  recommend buying them at Walmart. They sale them in a prepackaged bag, and are very rarely fresh) Albertsons has the best quality I have found. I always make this the same day I purchase the bean sprouts....they do not keep very well.

3. When your chicken is browned, set it aside. Add 1 T olive oil to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Add your veggies and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the veggies are crisp tender.

4. While your veggies are cooking put the water, bullion, soy sauce, and sugar in a small sauce pan. Heat until boiling, and add the cornstarch/water mixture. Stir it in thoroughly. The sauce should thicken quickly. Set aside.

5. When your veggies are done, add the chicken and the sauce back into the skillet with the veggies. Heat through and serve with rice and Chinese noodles

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

 

We made this great recipe. I will decrease the amount of chili powder and use a colby jack cheddar instead of the pepperjack the next I make them. my kids thought they were a little too spicy.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

(Printable Version)

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder (Cut this in half for a milder flavor)
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese (use colby jack or cheddar if you want a milder dish)

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing. 

Cowboy Spaghetti

 

I wanted to try a new recipe that my family would be sure to enjoy. I came across this great spaghetti recipe. It is a great alternative to traditional spaghetti. It has a nice smoky flavor with a touch of spiciness. This a great hearty "CowBoy" meal.

Cowboy Spaghetti as seen on BlogChef

(printable version)
Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti noodles ( I used whole wheat spaghetti noodles)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 slices smoky bacon (chopped)
1lb ground beef
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves (minced)
Ground black pepper (to taste)
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup beer ( I used apple juice in stead of the beer with great results)
1 (14 ounce) can fired roasted diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
shredded cheddar cheese
green onions (chopped) (i didn't have these so I sprinkled a few dried chives)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. This can be done while you’re making the sauce. Heat a large deep skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and add bacon. Fry bacon until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Step 2: In the same skillet add ground beef and chop up with a spatula or metal spoon while cooking. Cook until the beef is browned. Add onions and garlic, stir into the meat. Season with salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add the beer to the pan and stir in. Cook for 5-6 minutes and stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Add spaghetti noodles to the meat and sauce and combine. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and green onions.
(Makes 4 Servings)

German Pancakes

 This is a great version of German Pancakes. Enjoy we sure did!!


German Pancakes
(printable version)

Yield 2  9-inch pancakes.
4 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup flour, sifted
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons soft butter
Heat oven to 400°F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans well. Put eggs in blender container, cover and process at “stir” until light yellow in color. Push “mix” button, remove cover and add remaining ingredients; process until smooth. Pour into prepared pans and bake 20 minutes; then reduce heat to 350°F and bake 10 minutes.

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken

Looking for a great chicken dish and short on time. This dish is for you!!! Pair it with rice, pasta or fresh garden veggies and your family will love it. Check out the Food Nanny on Byu TV. She has some great recipes and ideas. Thanks to my friend Mary for sharing this with me.

Food Nanny's Crunchy Parmesan Baked Chicken

(Printable Version )

2/3 Cup Buttermilk or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
2 Cups Plain Panko Crumbs
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Teaspoons garlic Salt
2 Pounds of boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Tenders
1/3 Cup butter
.

1. Preheat Oven to 400* Grease an oblong baking pan (I used a Pampered Chef stoneware Bar Pan)
2. Pour the buttermilk or ranch dressing into a wide, shallow dish or pie plate. Mix the Panko, parmesan cheese, and garlic salt in another shallow dish. Roll each piece of chicken in the buttermilk and then the panko mixture to coat.
3. Arrange the chicken pieces in the prepared pan. Melt the butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave and drizzle over all the chicken pieces. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and no longer pink. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper to taste

Swiss Steak

We have been eating lots of garden veggies at our house the last two weeks. My son requested requested something with MEAT. This recipe was a compromise ,we used garden peppers and onions, I also added some fresh corn. This recipe fit the requests perfectly. 

Swiss Steak  (Printable Version)

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 round steak (approximately 1 1/2 pounds), see note
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, cut into strips
• 1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips

Directions

Cut steak into serving-size pieces. Season, to taste, with garlic powder and salt and pepper. Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil. Transfer to Dutch oven. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water. Pour over steak and simmer over low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours adding water, if necessary to keep meat partially covered. Season, to taste, with additional salt and pepper.

Hint: Cook this in a slow-cooker, according to manufacturers instructions, on low for a most fabulous dinner. Low heat on a slow cooker is about 200 degrees F and high heat on a slow cooker is about 300 degrees F.


Note: to ensure tenderness, it is necessary to have the butcher run the round steak through a cuber.

Ratatouille

Are you experiencing vegetable overload ? I am gratefully getting an ample supply of summer veggies from our garden. I sought out this recipe and substituted with the veggies I had on hand . The result was perfect. The kids thought it was great and then requested to watch the Disney movie "Ratatouille" before bed. This is a flavorful side or maindish. Enjoy!!

Ratatouille

(printable version)

John Ratzenberger's Ratatouille:

    ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1 large onion, chopped into chunks
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
    1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
    1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares ( I only had green today so I used 2)
   1½ pounds fresh tomatoes coarsely chopped (leave in skins and seeds or you can substitute 15 oz can of diced tomatoes)
   1 small can tomato paste
   ½ teaspoon dried thyme
   ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
   1 teaspoon dried basil
   1 dried bay leaf
   1 teaspoon salt
   ½ teaspoon pepper
   1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, cut into chunks (didn't have an eggplant so I used some Patty Pan squash)
   2 average zucchini, unpeeled, cut into chunks

Heat oil in a large pot with a heavy bottom over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Once onions are a light golden color, add peppers and cook for five minutes. Mix in tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, basil, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Then add eggplant and zucchini and cook for about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender -- about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf and enjoy!
Cook's note: This dish is even better the next day!!

Revisiting Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad

 

I have made this salad over and over again. I first posted the recipe 2 yrs. ago but I did not take a picture. So here it is again in picture form . You can find the recipe here. I did do a couple of things different this time . For one I did not have any bow tie pasta and used small shells instead. I also substituted the orange juice for the juice off the mandarin oranges. Both changes worked perfectly. This is a great salad to entertain with.

Stir Fry Sauce

 We celebrated the 4th of July yesterday with the standard BBQ fare. Today we used some garden fresh veggies and found this yummy chinese brown sauce recipe that was the perfect compliment to any stir fry. It is a basic recipe that uses pantry items and creates a fabulous flavorful sauce. Needless to say there were no leftovers. If you like a little heat in your sauce simply add a little red pepper flakes or chili oil. This recipe has limitless possibilities and is a definite keeper in my book.

Basic Stir Fry Sauce (Chinese Brown Sauce)

Recipe courtesy of Blog Chef

(Printable Version)

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves (minced)
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon oil
Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a bowl mix soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken broth and corn starch. Make sure the mixture is well combined and set aside.
Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add the chicken broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce becomes thickened and bubbly.