Pot Roast

This is my go to Pot Roast recipe.  Its simple and delicious. 

Pot Roast

recipe by Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 whole Onions
• 6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead)
• 2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
• 3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

Preparation Instructions

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).

Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up.

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti Casserole

Recipe by Judie Burnham

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 package spaghetti seasoning

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 package spaghetti noodles

16 oz. Daisy Sour cream (not fat free or light)

1 package of Provolone cheese rounds

Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown beef with onion and garlic until no longer pink.  Add spaghetti seasoning.  Add spaghetti sauce and reduce heat to simmer.

Meanwhile, boil noodles. 

Spray or butter a casserole pan, 13 x 9, put all noodles in bottom of pan.

Coat noodles with sour cream.  Layer with provolone cheese rounds.

Spoon meat mixture over cheese.

Top with grated parmesan cheese if desired.  Cook until thoroughly heated, approx. 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

This is my family’s favorite goulash recipe (from Paula Deen). We eat it especially in the winter, but its good anytime of the year. My mother used to make Goulash when I was a kid so this meal always brings back so many wonderful memories.

Goulash

recipe by Paula Deen (adapted ever so slightly)

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 tablespoon Seasoned Salt
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

Directions

In a Dutch oven, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease.

Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add water, along with the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, 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 to 20 minutes.

Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving.

Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

Enjoy!

Our Favorite Meatballs

We love the consistency and taste of PW’s meatballs.  I often make these meatballs with spaghetti but we will have to try PW’s Meatball Sliders recipe.  I think the milk is what makes the consistency amazing.  Then browning the meatballs with the onions adds a fabulous flavor. 

Recipe by the Pioneer Woman

Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 1/2 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 1 jar (large) Marinara Sauce

Preparation Instructions

Mix meat with bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk. Knead together with hands. Roll into heaping tablespoon-sized rolls.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for one minute. Add meatballs between the onions and brown for one minute. (You might have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet.)

Pour in jar of marinara; shake pan gently to mix. Put on lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve with spaghetti. 

I recently found a great beef fajita marinade.   My family all agreed this was a great recipe.

Beef Fajitas Marinade

Recipe by Allrecipes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, mix together the lime juice, water, olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and liquid smoke flavoring. Stir in cayenne and black pepper.
2. Place desired meat in the marinade, and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cook as desired.

Enjoy!

Lasagna

This is my go to recipe for my friends with new babies.  It can be placed in the refrigerator or the freezer making it a good meal to share.  You can put it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.  When you are to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.  If you freeze it, wrap it in heavy duty foil.  Let it thaw in the refrigerator 12 hours then set at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.  Did I mention that this recipe makes two square pans of lasagna.  That’s right folks, one for gift giving and one for your family to enjoy!

So let’s get started. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray two 8x8 pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat large skillet over medium heat.  Brown ground beef with onions and garlic until done.

Drain grease from ground beef.  Reduce heat to low and add spaghetti sauce to meat mixture.

Meanwhile bring a large stock pot of water to boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. 

Drain and lay flat on sheets of aluminum foil. 

In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs.  Add ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

Put everything in one place for assembly

To assemble the lasagna, add a small amount of meat sauce to the bottom of each pan.

Next add lasagna noodles to cover the meat sauce in each pan.

 

Then add another layer of meat sauce to each pan.

 

Next split 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture between the two pans.  Spread over the meat sauce.

 

Add a small amount of mozzarella cheese to each pan.

 

Let’s do another layer - add lasagna noodles to cover the meat sauce in each pan.

Then add another layer of meat sauce to each pan.

 

Next spilt the remaining ricotta cheese mixture between the two pans.  Spread over the meat sauce.

 

Add a small amount of mozzarella cheese to each pan.

Let’s do the last layer, add lasagna noodles to cover the meat sauce in each pan.

Then remaining meat sauce to each pan.

 

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese over the meat sauce.

 

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let set 10 minutes.

 

Cut and serve with a salad and garlic bread.

 

Lasagna

 

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef

1/2 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 bottles spaghetti sauce, my favorite Newman’s Own Marina

15 oz ricotta cheese

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 box lasagna noodles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray two 8x8 pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Heat large skillet over medium heat.  Brown ground beef with onions and garlic until done.
3. Drain grease from ground beef.  Reduce heat to low and add spaghetti sauce to meat mixture.
4. Meanwhile bring a large stock pot of water to boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.  Drain and lay flat on sheets of aluminum foil. 
5. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs.  Add ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
6. To assemble the lasagna, add a small amount of meat sauce to the bottom of each pan.
7. Next add lasagna noodles to cover the meat sauce in each pan.
8. Then add another layer of meat sauce to each pan.
9. Next split 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture between the two pans.  Spread over the meat sauce.
10. Add a small amount of mozzarella cheese to each pan.
11. Let’s do another layer - add lasagna noodles to cover the meat sauce in each pan.
12. Then add another layer of meat sauce to each pan.
13. Next spilt the remaining ricotta cheese mixture between the two pans.  Spread over the meat sauce.
14. Add a small amount of mozzarella cheese to each pan.
15. Let’s do the last layer, add lasagna noodles to cover the meat sauce in each pan.
16. Then remaining meat sauce to each pan.
17. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese over the meat sauce.
18. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let set 10 minutes.
19. Cut and serve with a salad and garlic bread.

Enjoy! 

Easter Favorites

I wanted to prepare a nontraditional dinner for Easter.  I made fajitas and all the fixins.  I didn’t get pictures of everything but it was all delicious trust me.  This is one of my favorite menus. 

Here was the menu…

Seven Layer Dip

Chili con Carne

Beef & Chicken Fajitas served with fresh pico, guacamole, homemade salsa, sour cream and cheese

Refried Beans and Mexican Rice

Strawberry Shortcake

Seven Layer Dip

recipe by Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 1 can Refried Beans
• Tabasco Sauce, To Taste
• 1 can Diced Green Chilies
• Ground Cumin, to taste
• ¾ cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1 cup Guacamole
• ¾ cups Monterey Jack Cheese
• 1 can Black Olives
• 1 cup Pico De Gallo

Preparation Instructions

Begin by throwing the refried beans into a small pan over medium-low heat. Add several dashes of Tabasco sauce and a small can of (undrained) diced green chilies. Stir well. Next, sprinkle a little bit of ground Cumin.

Spread the beans on the bottom of a glass bowl or high-sided dish. Over this sprinkle the sharp cheddar. Next, plop your sour cream. And spread it into a single layer, being careful not to disturb the cheese underneath.

The next layer is the guacamole. Spread it over the sour cream. Follow this with a layer of Monterey Jack Cheese and a nice sprinkling of chopped black olives. Lastly, place a generous layer of Pico de Gallo. You can also, if you have the gumption for it, sprinkle some diced jalapenos over top.

Enjoy!

Chili Con Carne

recipe by Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 32 ounces, weight Velveeta Cheese Loaf
• 10 ounces, weight Rotel
• 1 pound Jimmy Dean Hot Breakfast Premium Pork Sausage
• 7 ounces, weight Chopped Green Chilies
• 1 whole Yellow Onion
• 1 whole Jalapeno, or more to taste

Preparation Instructions

Dice the onion. Using a nonstick sprayed skillet, cook sausage and onions until brown, stirring occasionally. Once browned, drain some of the fat from the skillet.

Cube Velveeta loaf. Add cubes to browned sausage and onion mixture. Add can of Rotel (juice and all), can of green chilies (juice and all), and stir over low heat.

Cut the top and bottom off the jalapeño, slice into matchsticks, then rotate and slice to create a fine dice. (For a spicy version, leave seeds and white membranes. For a milder option, remove them.) Add to queso and stir.

Serving tip: Use a fondue pot or crock pot to serve piping hot!

Chicken Fajitas

recipe by Paula Deen

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
Dash hot sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds meat (boneless, skinless chicken breast, skirt steak or peeled and deveined shrimp)
1 medium onion, halved and sliced lengthwise
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 lime, juiced, for topping
Sour cream, for topping
Salsa, for topping
Guacamole, for topping
Cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping

Directions

In a heavy duty resealable plastic bag, combine 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, salt, pepper and your choice of meat. Seal and toss the bag around to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator. *Cook’s Note: 15 minutes for shrimp, 20 minutes for chicken and 1 hour for skirt steak.

Preheat your cast iron servers in a preheated 400 degree F oven for at least 20 minutes, to get a good sizzle when you plate the fajitas.

Heat the outside grill or a large indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and place it on the hot grill, discard the marinade. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, skirt steak about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare and about 2 minutes for shrimp. Slice the chicken and steak into strips if you are using.

In a large skillet heat up the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and fry the onions and bell peppers until crisp-tender with some salt and pepper.

Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven with the servers for 15 minutes.

When you are ready to serve, remove the cast iron servers from the oven and quickly arrange the meat and peppers and onions on it. It will immediately start to sizzle from their fat and moisture. Serve sizzling immediately with the warm tortillas and other accompaniments.

Pico de Gallo & Guacamole

recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman 

Ingredients

• FOR THE PICO DE GALLO:
• 5 whole Plum (roma) Tomatoes
• ½ whole Large (or 1 Small) Onion
• 3 whole Jalapeno Peppers
• Cilantro
• Lime Juice
• Salt To Taste
• FOR THE GUACAMOLE:
• 3 whole Avacados
• Pico De Gallo
• Couple shakes of cumin
• Lime Juice
• Salt To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Pico de Gallo
Chop jalapenos, tomatoes and onions into a very small dice. (Leave seeds in your jalapenos for a hotter pico). Adjust amount of jalapenos to your preferred temperature. Next, chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Just remove and discard the long leafless stems before chopping. No need to remove the leaves from the stems completely. Place all of these ingredients together in a bowl and give it a good stir.

Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again.

Guacamole
Start with buttery-soft avocados. Halve them lengthwise and remove the pits. Next, with a spoon scrape the “meat” out onto a large plate. Next, with the bottom of a clean cup (or with a fork) mash the avocados, making sure to leave it relatively chunky. Add just a couple of shakes of salt to taste. Next, add a generous helping of Pico de Gallo.  Add cumin.  Fold together. Lastly squeeze the juice of half of a lime over the top. Give it one last stir.

 

Mexican Rice

recipe by Allrecipes

Ingredients

1 cup long grain white rice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 cube chicken bouillon

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic, halved

Directions

In a medium sauce pan, cook rice in oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Stir in onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and diced tomato.

Season with bouillon cube, salt and pepper, cumin, cilantro, and garlic. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.

Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients

Pound cake

2 quarts of strawberries

3 T sugar

1 pint heavy cream

4 T powered sugar

1 t vanilla

Directions

Prepare cake and let cool to the touch.

Wash and slice the strawberries.  Place strawberries in bowl.  Add sugar and toss to coat.  Cover and place strawberries in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Place heavy cream, powered sugar and vanilla in your mixing bowl.  Mix on low speed until combined, then mix on medium high until soft peaks form.  When you remove the beater, the cream should stick to the beater.  Be careful not to overmix.  Place in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To serve, place a slice of cake on a plate.  Top with a large dollop of whipped cream.  Add strawberries. 

Enjoy!

Beef Stew

Adapted from Paula Deen

2 pounds stew meat

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons oil

2 cups water

1 teaspoon worcesterire sauce

1 clove garlic

2 bay leaves

1 medium onion, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3 large carrots, sliced

2 large potatoes, cubed

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 cup water

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Coat stew meat with flour.  Add meat to hot oil one piece at a time.  Do not crowd the pan.  It takes me two batches to brown the all the meat.

Add water, worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper and paprika.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. 

Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. 

Add carrots, potatoes and celery.  Raise the heat a little.  Add a cup of water.  Cook covered for 30 to 40 minutes. 

Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

Leftover Roast Beef Sandwiches

We had leftover roast from our Sunday dinner.  I saved it in about 2 cups of the juice from the roast.  I decided to make hot Roast Beef sandwiches.  They turned out delicious.  My best yet so I thought I would write down the recipe for next time.

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 bell pepper diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 cups roast juice

Leftover Roast Beef (about 1 – 1  1/2 lbs), sliced and chunked

salt and pepper to taste

french sandwich rolls

butter

sliced white cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.  Add bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms to skillet and cook until tender.  About 5 minutes.  Add  juice from roast.  Add roast.  Heat until the meat is hot.  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to Broil.  Move top rack to the highest position. 

On a baking sheet, lay out the french rolls open face style.  Butter each side.  Place under broiler until butter is melted.  Just a minute or two.

Remove bread from oven.  Scoop a generous portion of the beef mixture onto buttered bread.  Top with a slice of cheese.  Put in oven until cheese is melted and edges are brown.   Just a few minutes.  Don’t walk away, it can burn quickly.

Serve open face sandwiches while hot.  Enjoy.