Mechada (Venezuelan style Shredded Beef)

 I was so excited to find this new recipe!  It's one that is easy to serve in lots of different ways!  Serve over rice (or cauliflower) with veggies.  Serve as simple street tacos with beans and a green.  Serve with a roll and favorite vegetables.

- 3-4 lb beef roast (original recipes that I looked up said skirt or flank steak, but I wanted a bigger amount and cheaper cut.)

- 1 large onion, diced

- 1 green pepper or 3-4 jalapeños, diced

- 14 oz crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce 

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- salt and pepper

- 3tsp cumin

- 1 tbsp oregano

- 2 bay leaves

Place roast in slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper, cumin, and oregano.  Combine rest of the ingredients and pour over meat.  

Cook in slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.  

Shred the beef.  Put back in the slow cooker to combine with the gravy created.  

Serve over rice with a green.  Serve as street tacos with beans and a salad.  Serve over cauliflower with sweet potatoes and a green vegetable.  For a busy season with our family, this has been a great one in the rotation to cook one night and eat over 2 to 3 nights, served each night a different way!

Sussex Stewed Steak (English-style Roast)

If I want my children to eat well, feed them roast!  If you want me to eat well, keep the recipes changing and sauces interesting!  I came across this recipe in my Elizabeth David cookbook, and knew I had to try it.  Roast.  Prep and walk away.  Serve to a happily waiting family!

Inexpensive cute of meat

Onions.  

Such a deep, rich gravy.

So tender

- 2 1/2 lb of an in expensive cut such as chuck steak, top round, or thick flank
- salt and pepper
- 1-2 tbsp flour
- an onion (or two!)
- 5-6 tbsp each of port and stout (I used Guinness and Sherry)
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Season the meat.  Rub flour on both sides.  Put it flat in a shallow baking dish in which it just fits.  Slice a large onion, put over the meat.  Pour in the liquid.  Cover with a double sheet of parchment paper and the lid of the dish.  Put it in a very low oven, at 275 degrees and leave it for about 3 hours - a little less or a little longer won't matter.

Elizabeth David claimed that the toughest meat will come out tender and the gravy will be rich, brown, and excellently flavored.  She was absolutely right!!

I have said before that Elizabeth David takes French cooking and makes it approachable.  No fuss, just cook!  And, this one was as simple as it sounds and as big of a hit as I hoped with the family!

Mushroom and Beef Soup

My 7 year old's review of this:  "Mom, this is the best soup I have ever eaten.  I could just this broth.  What is your secret?"  One, I love when that child sounds so old.  Two, woohoo, a soup that my kids like!  My son couldn't take time to review, because he was shoveling soup in his mouth.

I took a recipe of Pioneer Woman's and adjusted.  I don't want to forget what I did, so here goes:

- 32 oz beef broth

- 2 lbs stew meat

- 8 oz mushrooms

- 1 onion, chopped

- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced

- 3 stalks celery, chopped

- 3 medium carrots, chopped

- salt, pepper, thyme

- 40 oz beef broth

- 3-4 stalks kale, stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped

Put (first) beef broth in a pot and simmer for 25-30 minutes to reduce.  (Will create an incredibly rich base for the soup!)  Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a dutch oven.  Then brown the meat, in 2 to 3 batches.  Set aside.  Add the mushrooms to the pot.  Saute until soft.  Remove mushrooms and set aside.

Add onions and garlic to the pot.  Saute until soft.  Add carrots and celery and saute for another couple minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.  Add beef and mushrooms back to the pot. Then poor the reduced broth into the pot as well.  Add the rest of the broth to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.  I always try to simmer a soup for at least an hour or longer!  Remember to taste to correct seasonings, if needed.

For the last 15 minutes, stir in the kale.  

 So good!  Enjoy!  I served with roasted potatoes.  Would also be amazing with a scoop of rice in the middle or served over egg noodles.  

Sweet-and-Sour Meatballs

Pioneer Woman's Freezer Meatballs, brilliant, tasty, love.them.

I have already made this recipe twice.  This is one of the recipes she includes in her cookbook for using the freezer meatballs.  The kids loved it!  Will and I loved it!  I love including pineapple in savory dishes.  I love Asian and Asian-inspired.  Seriously, when I say, "meatballs for supper," the kids say, "yay!"  Quick, easy, delicious!

- 2 1/4 cups pineapple juice

- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

- 1/2 cup rice or white vinegar

- 1/4 cup ketchup

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp corn starch

- 1 20-25 count bag of freezer meatballs

- 1 tbsp sriracha, more or less to taste

- 1 cup drained (or Fresh) pineapple chunks (I use the jar of pineapple chunks in 100% juice, as both the pineapple juice and the chunks)

- 4 tbsp sliced green onions

- 1 1/2 cups rice of choice (more or less to family's need)

In a large skillet (with a lid), combine 2 cups of the pineapple juice with the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce.  Stir the mixture around and bring it to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.  To thicken the sauce, make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup pineapple juice until smooth.  Then add it to the sauce, whisking to combine. 

Add the frozen meatballs.  Then the sriracha.  And toss to combine.  Cover the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and and the meatballs are heated through.

Stir in the pineapple.  Then sprinkle in 2 tbsp of the green onions.  

Serve over the rice and sprinkle with a couple green onions.

Already can't wait to have again!

Zucchini Boats

I made a gillion meatballs, per Pioneer Woman's insisting.  Okay, more like 125.  But, it was her recipe, and it did feel like a whole bunch of meatballs.  

Then I needed to use them.  

This was my meal using the first batch of meatballs.  I like stuffed zucchini, but I don't like how the zucchini soak the fat of the meat when it all gets cooked at the same time.  So, I made zucchini boats instead.

- 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly season zucchini with salt and pepper.  Place on baking sheet.  Roast for about 20 minutes, or until zucchini reach desired tenderness.  

Meanwhile, make marinara sauce.  I used this simple, classic marinara.

To plate, I like to spread a little marinara on the plate.  Then top with a zucchini.  Put 3-4 meatballs in the boat.  Top with more marinara.  (My kids like all of this, just not together.  So, I sliced the zucchini boat.  Then meatballs beside zucchini.  As long as they eat it, I'll take it!)

Easy.  Yummy. 

PW Freezer Meatballs

Ya'll.

Look at that.

Kathryn, Ree!!!, and me!

Kathryn and I love to talk food, share food, swap recipes.

When Ree, the Pioneer Woman, came for a book signing, it was a must-go.  And, Ree was wonderful!  I am quite sure she wants us to come to the ranch.  We'll see what we can work out.  

Her newest cookbook Dinnertime, is absolutely an immediate favorite.  More than half the recipes I wanted to make immediately, because I felt like they were reasonable for dinnertime and my family would like them.  She absolutely hit her desired goal with this book at my house!  Go get it.  Now. You'll love it.

This was the recipe I made first.  I have had the cookbook 3 weeks, and I have already made 2 recipes.  Seriously a good cookbook, and this was a great recipe.
It is a recipe designed to make a ton and put at least 4 meals worth in the freezer and one for dinner that night!  Yes!  One afternoon of work for many evenings of ease, I'll take it!  (Of course, if you don't want to make this  much at one time, just divide the recipe.)

Mix it.

Bake it.

Freeze it.

- 5 pounds of ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 2 heaping tbsp grainy mustard
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

- olive oil, for frying
  or
- nonstick cooking spray

Combine all the ingredients (except the oil) in a large bowl.  Knead it all together well with your hands until its well combined.

Scoop out 1-tablespoon portions of the meat mixture and roll them into neat balls.
Two ways:
PW says to fry this way
Place them on parchment-paper-lined rimmed baking sheets as you go, then put the sheets in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm them up before frying.  To brown the meatballs, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add some meatballs to the skillet, and cook them on all sides until they have great color on the surface and are fully cooked inside, about 5-6 minutes.  Drain the meatballs on paper towels when they're done, then line them up on clean parchment-paper-lined baking sheets.

OR

I did it this way
Place the meatballs on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.

Place the meatballs in the freezer, uncovered for 3-45 minutes, or until they're frozen and firm on the surface.  Then just pop them into freezer bags!  This really does make 125 meat balls!!  5 25-meatball portions, or my family is more at 6 20-meatball portions.

Pioneer Woman says...
Freeze the meatballs for up to 6 months.  To use them in sauces or soups, simply add them to the hot sauce or soup and allow it to simmer long enough for the meatballs to thaw and  heat up.

When the kids hear meatballs are for supper, they say, "Yay!"  Good enough reason for me to make these again! And tell you to make them now!

Thai Basil Beef (with Lemongrass Rice)

This recipe has been a huge winner in our house!  I served it to guests one night.  And, I have made it twice since for the family!  I love Asian food! and this recipe is now on the keep-making list!  

The orginal recipe, a pinterest success from halfbakedharvest.com whose pictures are way better than mine and totally sold me on nee-eeding this recipe in my life, called for a lemongrass rice.  It was good.  But, I have also made it with just normal white rice.  Both were great!  Lemongrass rice, coconut-milk rice, white rice, you pick!

For the Lemongrass Rice

- 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice

- 1 cup coconut milk

- 1 cup water

- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

- 1/4 cup fresh lemongrass, chopped

For the "slaw" topping

- 2 large carrots, but into matchsticks

- 4 baby bell peppers, sliced (or 2 red bell peppers)

- 1 hot red pepper, sliced (or jalapeno)

- 2 green onions, chopped

- 1 tbsp fish sauce

- 1/2 tsp honey

- juice of one lime

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

For the Thai Basil Beef

- 2 tbsp sesame oil

- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated

- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or minced)

- 1 lb lean ground beef

- pinch of black pepper

- 1/3 cup soy sauce

 - 1/3 cup sweet thai chili sauce

- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, sliced or chopped, plus extra for serving

- toasted sesame seeds and/or chopped roasted peanuts, for serving.

To make the rice. Add the coconut milk and water to a medium size pot. Bring to a low boil and then add the rice, sesame oil and lemongrass. Stir to combine, then place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit on the stove, covered for another 15-20 minutes (don't take any peeks inside!). After 15-20 minutes remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 1-2 tablespoons chopped peanuts if desired.

Add the carrots, peppers, hot red pepper, green onions fish sauce, honey, lime juice and 2 tablespoons soy sauce to a medium bowl. Toss well and set aside.

Heat a large wok or heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and once hot add the garlic and ginger. Cook 15-30 seconds then add the beef. Season the beef with black pepper and brown all over, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Once the beef is browned, add 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup sweet thai chili sauce and 1 cup of fresh basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the beef, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup fresh basil.

Divide the rice among the bowls, top with equal amounts of beef. Add the carrots + pepper on top of the beef. Garish with chopped peanuts, fresh basil and toasted sesame seeds.

Seriously good recipe!  Don't be scared by the list of ingredients.  If you already cook Asian, most of this will already be in your pantry.  If you are new to Asian cooking, then you will get hooked and be glad you started your Asian pantry!

Also, some are impressed my kids eat these flavors.  Here is an example of how I serve it.  My 3 year old likes all the dressings and spicy sauces that me and my husband do.  My 6 year old has decided she doesn't want spicy right now.  So, when I am making the slaw, I leave some plain for hers or their plates.  I still hold:  I love the yum of the flavors of Asian and I love the ease of differentiating plates.  We are all eating the same things, just the veggies are not dressed for one or both kids.

Boeuf Bourguignonne (Beef with Red Wine, Onions, and Mushrooms)

When friends were coming over for dinner for the first time, I wanted something that might impress to cook.  It had been played up to them how much I love to cook, so I didn't want to disappoint!  French came to mind.  I read through some of an Elizabeth David cookbook that I had gotten for Christmas a year or two ago.  

First, it must be noted....I loved reading through Elizabeth David's recipes!!  It reads with an attitude of instruction, mixed with stories of where she learned all these things and a little bit of a "you should feel your way through cooking rather than follow what I say strictly."  If a cookbook can be edgy, it read like an edgier Julia Child cookbook.

Boeuf Bourguignonne was the winner!  I liked the idea of cooking it.  Julia Child's version requires cooking the beef in one pan, the onions in a separate dish, and the mushrooms in another one as well.  Then you combine it all toward the end.  The beauty of this recipe was that everything cooked in the same dish!  I felt like I could repeat this one for my family on a random day.  Definitely worth trying!

The beef cut into chunks and then marinated for 5-6 hours.  

Ah, the beauty of this recipe, one pot for the entire dish

The meat was so tender.  Fall apart wonderful.  Full of flavor.  This picture makes me want to cook it again soon!

- 2 lb beef round (or chuck, just add extra 30-45 min to the cook time) or pre-cut at the store beef stew meat
- a large onion
- thyme
- parsley
- bay leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2/3 cup red wine

- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 oz pancetta (I found this pre-diced in the deli section of the store)
- a dozen or so small whole onions
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 1/3 cups meat stock
- clove of garlic
- 1/2 lb small mushrooms

Cut the meat into slices about 2 1/2 in square and 1/4 inch thick.  Season with salt and pepper, cover with large sliced onion, herbs, olive oil and red wine.  Leave to marinate for 5-6 hours.

Put a good tablespoon of butter into a heavy stewing-pan of about 2.5 quarts capacity.  In this melt the pancetta, cut into 1/4-in-thick match-length strips.  Add the whole peeled small onions, and let them brown, turning them over frequently and keeping the heat low.  Take out the pancetta when its fat becomes transparent, and remove the onions when they are nicely colored.  Set them aside with the pancetta.

Now put into the fat the drained and dried pieces of meat and brown the quickly on each side.  Sprinkle them with the flour, shaking the pan so that the flour amalgamates with the fat and absorbs it.  Pour over the strained marinade.  Let it bubble half a minute; add the stock.  Put in a clove of garlic and a bouquet of thyme, parsley and bay leaf tied with a thread.  Cover the pan with a close-fitting lid and let it barely simmer on top of the stove for about 2 hours.

Now add the pancetta and onions, and the whole mushrooms washed but not peeled and already cooked in butter or fat for a minute or so to rid them of some of their moisture.  Cook the stew for another half hour.  Remove the bouquet and garlic before serving.  (There should be enough for 4-6 people.)

Absolutely worth adding to the hosting or family meal rotation!

Shepherd's Pie

 
I needed a farewell recipe for the man who built our kitchen.  Wiping tears...  I wanted something tasty, kinda meat-and-potatoes, but also something the kids would eat.  This came to mind.  I tried a new mashed potatoes recipe for the sake of my little man and his dairy allergy.  With the help of food network and a little creativity, this is the recipe!  (I never feel like I can take credit for a recipe that is like 3 recipes that I just turned into one, so this is an adapted-by-me recipe.)

- 2 lbs beef or lamb  Once I used a London broil, cubed, that I had found on a great deal.  I browned it, then cook about 2/3 so that it would finish cooking when I added it back into the dish.  The other time I used this roast.  I had 4 pounds, so I divided it between two pies for two different groups of people.  This recipe became a great way to stretch a roast, two pies served 14 people, with leftovers!

- olive oil

- 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/4 inch dice

- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice

- 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice OR 8 oz mushrooms, sliced

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 cup tomato paste

- 1 cup red wine

- 3-4 cups beef or chicken stock

- 2 bay leaves

- thyme, salt, and pepper

- 1 cup frozen peas (i leave out because my family is not a big fan of peas)

- 2 lb yukon gold potatoes, chopped

- 1/2 cup chicken stock

- 2 egg yolks

- salt and pepper

In a wide pan over medium heat, coat with olive oil.  Add celery, carrots, and parsnips to the pan.  Season with salt and cook, stirring frequently until vegetables are soft and aromatic, about 8-10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more.  Add the meat back to the pan, stir to combine.

Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine and cook until reduces by about half.  Then add enough stock to just cover the mixture.  Taste and salt and pepper as needed.  Add some thyme and the bay leaves.  Bring the stock to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Partially cover and simmer for about an hour.  If the stock level reduces, add enough to keep the mixture just covered.

Use this recipe or just use your favorite mashed potatoes recipe.  Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover by 1 in with water.  Bring to a boil.  Cook until potatoes are fork tender.   Drain them and return them to the pot.  Mash them with the stock, yolks, salt and pepper.  

Remove the lid.  (Add peas here if using.)  Simmer for about 15 minutes, allowing liquid to reduce.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Remove bay leaves.  When done, the mixture should be stew like.  

Transfer mixture to a wide shallow baking dish.  (or use large cast-iron skillet for the whole process)  Add the potatoes in an even layer.  Place under the broiler.  Broil until the potatoes brown on top.

This recipe was so good!  The adults loved it.  For the kids,  it was easy to spoon their layer of potatoes beside their meat.  This cook loved it because it made beef stretch and it was not a hard casserole to put together.  

Enjoy!

Beef Roast...made easy!

A friend of mine was here the night that I put that last Beef Braised in Red Wine recipe in its overnight marinade.  She is someone who loves to cook. After reading through the recipe, she said, "becca, that is too much!"  Well, yes and no.  If you want the gravy from the cooking liquid, that recipe is not too much at all.  If you want to really impress with how pretty the meat was, or that you conquered one more Julia Child recipe, it truly is not as long a process as the recipe reads!  Try it; it is yummy!  

But, if you want to simplify and still get a really yummy and tender result, try this:

- beef roast of your choice

- 1/2 onion, sliced

- 3-4 garlic cloves

- 1 or 2 each, carrots and celery, cut in big chunks

- salt, pepper, thyme

- about 1 and 1/2 cups red wine  (The secret to my use of red or white wine in recipes is buying those 4-packs of Barefoot small bottles.  Cooking wine is not good, like really not good.  It is so much better to buy a little bit of the real stuff for cooking!)

- about 2-3 cups beef broth (enough to read at least 2/3 high on the roast)

Place roast in the crock pot.  Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.  Add the garlic cloves, carrots, and celery to the crock pot.  Then pour in the liquid.  None of this needs to be precise to what I have, but this is a great place to start!  Add other seasonings or just use salt and pepper.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the size of the roast.  

Your house will smell wonderful.  Your roast will taste amazing.  The full Julia Child amazing-ness or this simplified version, both tender and tasty!

Beef Braised in Red Wine

I was in charge of the main dish for Christmas this year.  After a Christmas turkey with  my husband's family, I wanted to do a Christmas Roast with my family.  I decided to look to the one who has always delivered amazing, loved-by-all-I-served dishes for inspiration ... Julia Child!  A little Julia Child research, one grocery store trip, and a lot of anticipation for delectable, I was ready to cook the Christmas Roast! 

Getting the marinade ready the night before

And, freshly pulled out of the oven,

how pretty is that?!

I mean, serious, look at how tender that roast is!  It was as tasty as it was tender!

Anybody else have lines about how "the Grinch, he himself carved the roast beast" in their heads?  Oh well, on to the recipe!

- 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
- 1 cup onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, halved
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup minced parsley
- 2 whole cloves
- a 3-5lb beef (rump roast, eye of round, top round, bottom round, chuck roast)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 5 cups young red wine with body (like Chianti, Burgundy, Macon, or Cotes du Rhone)
- 1/3 cup brandy (I left this out because I didn't have any on hand)
- 1/2 cup olive oil

Place half the vegetables, herbs, and spices in the bottom of the bowl.  (With meat this large, I found it nice to put it in my largest crock pot to marinate, and then I cooked it in my dutch oven.)  Rub the meat with salt and pepper and place  it over the vegetables.  Spread the rest of the vegetables and herbs over the meat.  Pour on the wine, brandy, and olive oil.  (I also admit that I didn't use as much wine as she called for.  I put in one bottle of Chianti, and then finished the amount of liquid with beef broth for a bit of cost-saving.)  Cover and marinate for at least 6 hours (12-24 hours if the meat is refrigerated).  Turn and baste the meat every hour or so.

- 4-6 cups beef stock
- 1 tbsp corn starch mixed with water or port, if needed (to thicken sauce)

Remove meat from marinade.  Dry with a towel.  (meat must be dry to brown properly)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add 4-6 tbsp oil to a casserole (dutch oven works great).  When oil is at point of smoking, brown the meat on all sides.  This takes about 15 minutes.  Pour out the browning fat.

Pour in the wine marinade and boil it down rapidly until it has reduced by half.  Then add enough stock to come two thirds of the way up the beef.  (She also says you can add calf's feet or bacon rind to the pot as the meat cooks.  I don't have calf's feet in my pantry!)  Bring to a simmer on the stove, skim, cover tightly, and set in lower third of preheated oven.  Allow to simmer 2.5-3 hours, and turn the meat several times during its braising.  The beef is done when a sharp-pronged fork will pierce it easily.

When the meat is tender, remove it to the platter.  Trim off any loose fat, and keep the meat warm while finishing the sauce (5-10 minutes).

Skim the fat off the braising juices, and strain them through a sieve into a sauce pan, pressing the liquid out of the vegetables.  Simmer for a minute or two, skimming, then boil rapidly until liquid is reduced to about 3.5 cups and is full of flavor.  Taste carefully for seasoning.  Sauce should be lightly thickened.  If too thin, beat in the starch mixture and simmer for 3 minutes.

Pour a little sauce over the meat and send the rest to the table in a warmed sauceboat.

Julia Child suggested serving with braised carrots and onions, and buttered noodles or parsley potatoes.  Since this was our Christmas roast, I simply carved and served alongside the sauce.

The roast was tender!  The sauce was quite flavorful!  And, though, the recipe is a long read, it is not a difficult recipe.  I will definitely repeat!  Thank you Julia Child for one more amazing recipe for this "servantless American cook!"

Cheesy Vegetable Chili

This yummy dish was inspired by several things: 1) the anticipation of fall that brings beautiful colors, cooler temperatures, and comfort foods like chili; 2) trying to trick a toddler into eating more vegetables; 3) trying to avoid turning vegetables too soft for this pregnant woman's tongue; and 4) Rachael Ray's Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole found HERE.

The verdict, if you like one-pot meals as I do, is two thumbs up! The toddler's opinion is yet to be determined; one no-go does not mean a dislike. The husband, who is not a huge fan of one-pot dishes, did say that he enjoyed it and it had good flavor. So, I say, "Try it!"

- 1 medium squash
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp cumin (as usual, I don't actually measure seasonings, so this is a good idea of what I did)
- 2 tbsp chili powder, or 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder with 1/2 tbsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder (I had intended to use fresh chopped garlic but forgot)
- 1/2 tbsp ground coriander seed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (4oz) can diced green chiles
- 1/2 bag of frozen, shredded hash browns
- 1 cup (or more :) shredded cheddar cheese

Grate, using the large side of the grater, the squash and zucchini into a collander. Toss with a tsp of salt. Allow to drain (30-40 min), squeeze to remove excess water.

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in pan. Add ground beef to brown, season with salt and pepper. Add the onion and other seasonings. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 5 min. Add the beans, tomatoes, and chiles with their juices and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or more. (When assembling before putting in oven, either leave in iron skillet like I did, or transfer to a 8x11 baking dish.)

Combine hashbrowns, cheese, and grated zucchini and squash in a large bowl. Scatter the mixture over the chili. For good measure, I sprinkle a little extra cheese on top. Bake until the potatoes are cooked through and the chili is bubbling, approx 25-30 min.

I loved the colorful presentation of the final product in the pan as well as once plated. Love getting some green in my chili! If I compared it to the Rachael Ray dish that I made before, I would say that you can't beat adding some veggies to cut down the carbs and to sneak in the veggies. The husband and I both agree that the flavor of the vegetables was not overwhelming, therefore not a distraction. (Someone who didn't like squash/zucchini would probably not taste them.) The squash and zucchini really did just add to the health of the dish and the colorful appearance. I used her chili as my starting place but then played with the spices and added the chiles.

Hope you like it!

(Russian) Beef Stroganov

I decided to make a Black Forest Cherry Cake. I needed something Eastern European to go with it. This recipe seemed perfect! I am used to egg noodles with stroganov, but the cookbook said that traditionally French fries are served with this dish. Definitely worth making again, and definitley worth you trying!


- 1 pound fillet or rum steak, trimmed (I used sirloin)
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- fresh herbs to garnish


Place the steak between 2 oiled sheets of plastic wrap. Gently beat with a rolling pin to flatten and tenderize the meat. Cut it into thin strips about 2 inches long.


Heat the remaining oil and half the butter in a frying pan and stir-fry the beef over high heat for 2 minutes or until browned. Remove the strips of beef from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving any juices behind.

Melt the remaining butter in the pan and gently saute the onion for 10 minutes, until soft.


Sprinkle on the flour, then stir it in, followed by the tomato paste, mustard, lemon juice and sour cream. Return the beef to the pan and stir until the sauce is bubbling. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then serve immediately, garnished with fresh herbs, with French fries.


This was a big hit!
from the cookbook Russian, German, and Polish food and cooking
with contributing editor Lesley Chamberlain

Beef Pot Pie Wedges

This recipe is so easy and so yummy, very flavorful! I have made this as the recipe suggests in individual servings in wedges as well as an actual pot pie. Both were great! Butter beans go great alongside it, since they have a potato-like texture/taste.

- 2 tbsp evoo

- 1 2/3 flat iron or skirt steak cut into bite-size pieces (I have also bought lean stew meat)

- 2 tbsp butter

- 8 white mushrooms caps, sliced (fresh is best but I do buy pre-sliced)

- 1 small onion, finely sliced

- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

- 1/2 cup beef stock

- 1/2 cup frozen peas

- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- salt and pepper

- 1 package (2 pieces) pie crusts

- 1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425.

Heat the evoo over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic and onion to the skillet and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring, and cook for about one minute. Stir in the beef stock, peas, and Worcestershire sauce. Return the meat to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens and the peas heat through, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Unroll the pie crusts and halve them. Divide the meat among the four pie pieces, placing a mound on one side of each piece, leaving a small border. Brush the edges of each pie crust with the egg. Fold the pastry over to enclose the filling, pressing down on the edges; crimp with a fork. Brush the tops with more of the egg. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

So good!

I have made the filling. Transferred to a casserole dish. Place one pie crust on top. Bake 'til crust is golden brown. Both ways are fantastic! Thank you Rachael Ray for yet another amazing recipe!

Beef Roast with Spicy Parsley Tomato Sauce

This is wonderful! I think you could leave out the spicy (red pepper flakes) and it would still be great. It is really easy, just takes a few minutes of work right before serving.

- 1 (2-2 1/2 lb) sirloin tip or chuch roast
- salt and ground black pepper
- 4 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 2 tsp herbes de Province
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup evoo

Preheat the oven to 375.

Season the beef with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence.

Heat the evoo in a medium, heavy roasting pan or dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned. Place the se asoned tomatoes around the seared beef and place thepan in the oven. (I have cooked it in the crockpot before.) Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the beef reads 130degrees F for med-rare or 135degrees fr medium, 30-40 minutes. Tent the roast loosely with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. The internal temp of the meat should rise 5 degrees more and the juices with redistriubte into the roast.

While the meat rests, place the parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the parsley is finely chopped. Add the red pepper flakes, 3/4 tsp salt, the red wine vinegar, and the roasted tomatoes and process until pureed. With the machine running, add the evoo in a steady stream.

To serve, slice the roast and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle sauce over the meat. Serve the remaining sauce in a small bowl alongside.

from Giada deLaurentiis Giada's Kitchen, New Italian Favorites

Cheesy Hash Brown Chili

If you like chili and you like cheesy, you are going to love this!! This is from Rachael Ray's Yum-O collection (her family-friendly recipes); I served it to my 7, 11, 13 year old cousins and they loved it! Definitely worth trying. I think it would also be a great hosting dish.

- 2 tbsp EVOO
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 lb ground beef
- salt and pepper
- 1 can red kidney beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
- 1 bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (1 lb)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large saucepan, heat the EVOO over medium heat. Add the beeef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the onion, chili powder and cumin, and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Transfer to an 8x11 baking dish (or you can see from picture, I used only the one iron skillet for the entire process).

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and cheese. Scatter the potato mixture over the chili. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet until the potatoes are cooked through and the chili is bubbling, about 35 minutes.

Mom's Roast

This is super simple, but always gets rave reviews! If you haven't found a good roast recipe, this is it!

- 2lb beef roast (eye of round is most lean)
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can french onion soup

Mix soup togethers. Rinse roast under cold water. Place in oven proof baking dish. Pour soups over roast. Cover. Bake at 350 for 2 hours. Or, do the same in crockpot for 3 hours on high, 6-7 hours on low.