An Ez birthday cake and meatloaf

With me not being able to stand long in the kitchen with this bad foot, Ive been using shortcut recipes and such, nothing too involved so standing time is minimal. And after being down for so long and not really being interested in cooking, I like that my desire for better stuff is coming back. So I decided to post these recipes anyway even tho they are boxed stuff or ez stuff. After all, sometimes we all need a good shortcut.

First is my bfs Birthday cake. This turned out sooooo good he ate two pieces that nite and asked for some in his lunch. I don't think this will last much longer as hes been doing that pattern daily. Yes it is THAT good.  I wanted to bake from scratch and that didn't happen. I just couldn't stand very long. So I took a box of cake mix and made a pudding cake. Its a pretty standard recipe that many people know but for those that don't here it is... 
Pudding Cake
1 box cake mix
1 small box instant pudding (pair flavor with cake)
1/4 cup oil
1 cup water
4 eggs
Mix all ingredients on med. speed for 2min. Pour into greased and floured pans. I used a bundt pan but you could use layer cake pans too. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55min. Cool in pan for 5min. then turn out on rack to finish cooling.

I used an orange cake mix. Its very hard to find these days. But we just love it and I only have one box left. Not sure where Ill get it then. And I used lemon instant pudding cuz its what I had here. I tasted the batter tho and to me it wasn't orange enough so I added about a half tsp. orange extract.

If you cant find orange cake mix you could still do this and add more extract and some food coloring if you wanted it to be orange.   
Ganache
2c. chocolate chips
1c. heavy cream

I used 1c. semisweet chips and 1c. 60% dark chocolate chips so it wouldn't be real sweet. It was the perfect balance for this cake. 
Heat the cream to boiling and pour over the chips in a bowl. Stir well to melt the chips. I added a bit of vanilla at this point. You could add other flavors or a bit of liqueur. You can chill it till its a spreadable consistency and frost the cake.

For my cake, I chilled it just till it began to thicken, then drizzled it over the cake letting it puddle here and there. The frosting will harden up in time. I found this ratio to be the perfect one for making ganache. Ive tried others and they often stay too soft when rm. temp. This is firm enough that you could make nice truffles and they would stay firm if not refrigerated. I like that cuz often you keep them chilled and they get too soft to handle when put out to eat. It thickened nicely on the cake too.

And last night I made a BBQ Meatloaf. Ive searched for yrs for a meatloaf recipe to really love. I have one I use alot that I like but its ok. I tried this one last nite and omg.......its awesome. The man requested the leftovers in a sandwich for work today so I know its good.  I used Sweet Baby Rays BBQ cuz that's what I had on hand right now . Here is where I found the recipe.. http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/03/09/honey-barbecue-meatloaf/  but Ill also post it here.

Honey Barbecue Meatloaf  serves 4
1 lb 90% lean ground beef (I used what I had 80%)
1 slice white bread, ground to crumbs in food processor -or- ½ cup bread crumbs( I used reg. bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup smoky barbecue sauce, divided
2 tablespoons honey, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Toss one slice of soft white bread in your food processor and grind it into crumbs.
In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the ground beef, fresh bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, the spicy brown mustard, 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, salt, and black pepper.
Shape the mixture into a long, thick log and place in an oiled baking dish. Be careful not to pack the meat too tightly or you’ll end up with a very dense, tough loaf.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, and 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce. Spread half of this mixture evenly all over the meatloaf. Reserve the other half for serving.
Bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Slice and drizzle with reserved honey barbecue sauce. 
I used a bit more meat than she called for, maybe a 1/2lb more. Next time Ill add an egg to bind it better. I think that's why I had some trouble getting slices. But its ok. It was delish. I also screwed up and put all the Worcestershire in the meat mix. I was going back and forth to the computer and with my bad foot, it was starting to get to me. But I don't think it really made a difference. This is one I WILL make again.

Shepard's Pie

I was trying to think of something to make for dinner that was easy last night. I wasn't feeling well, woke up hurting that morning. So dinner was one of those, oh geez, I have to do that again type things. I was at a loss. I remembered a recipe I had yrs ago for Shepard's Pie. I swear I wrote it in my own personal cookbook too. I searched everywhere for it and couldn't find it. I know that's weird and I know when I least expect it, it will pop up again. That happens a lot to me lol.

And so I searched online and found a few but I felt like they were missing something, so I chose the one I liked best and did what I always do....I tweak it to make it my own. Here's my version....not far off from others but I will say it was so yummy, I am looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today. BTW I forgot to take a picture of it so what you see is from online but mine did look like that.

Shepard's Pie 4 servings

    3 lg potatoes, peeled and cubed
    1/2c. sour cream or softened cream cheese
    1 large egg
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    1 3/4 pounds ground beef
    1 carrot, peeled, quartered and sliced
    1 med. onion, chopped
    1 lg. garlic clove, minced
    4 mushrooms, chopped
    2 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 cup beef stock or broth
    2 teaspoons Worcestershire
    1/2 cup frozen peas
    1 teaspoon sweet paprika
    1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes.
While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef . Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown  meat for 3 or 4 minutes. When meat has lost most of its color, add chopped carrot, mushrooms, garlic and onion to the meat. Cover and cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove lid and stir in peas, paprika and parsley. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. ( I use Knorr Beef paste so I added a tsp or so of that to a cup of water instead) Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables.

Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Mix sour cream and egg together.  Add the sour cream and egg mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
 
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with cheese and bake until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with more chopped parsley and serve.


*ground lamb can be substituted. I love lamb but the bf doesn't so I used beef. If there's too much grease left in the pan when browning, remove it before you add the veggies.

Unstuffed Cabbage.....

My mom makes Stuffed Cabbage rolls and I love them. Ive made them over the yrs and they are close to moms but not quite. But it still tasted good. The part I hate tho is rolling each one. When I don't have a lot of time its tedious. I saw a recipe for a stuffed cabbage skillet dish that used most of the ingredients but was quick. I thought that was a great idea and maybe one day Ill adapt my own recipe a bit more to do that.

But since I grew up with this, I really feel the best cabbage rolls are the ones that take time to cook in the oven. One day awhile back I started to make this only to find that half of the head of cabbage I had, had these dark lines running on some of the cabbage veins. Well of course I don't know what it was, I thought perhaps it got too cold in the grocery store cuz it was weird..it really was only on half the head. So I didn't use the leaves that had that on it. But because of that I didn't have enough to make the whole recipe right.

It was then I remembered that skillet dish I saw and thought...hey  I don't need all the cabbage. Ill just layer it and make it the same. It worked out great and honestly is faster to put together and easier to serve. I tweaked this recipe a bit more now and last nites dinner was the best Ive ever made. So sorry mom its not quite like yours, but its really good!

 Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole 8 hearty servings

1.  1 lg. head of cabbage
     1c. white rice

Remove the core and put either on a plate to microwave or in a pot of water with some vinegar in it to boil. You have a choice here. Mom used to cook it on the stove and peel off the layers as they cooked. They do get cooked much more this way and are easier to roll. But to me they just take too much time. So I microwave the whole head for about 10min. Let it cool a bit so you can touch it and remove whatever leaves you can that are cooked.

Put back in the microwave and do another 5min. Keep doing this till the leaves are done thru. The center part doesn't matter too much where the leaves are small. You will use this chopped  to top the casserole with anyway. While you are cooking the cabbage, cook the rice till done and set aside for the stuffing.

2. While this is cooking make the stuffing.
    2- 2 1/2lbs of ground beef
    1 onion, chopped fine
    3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
    1 tsp. salt or more
    1 tb. Hungarian Paprika
    2 tsp. dried parsley (feel free to use fresh if you have it)
    1 tsp. dried thyme
    1/2 tsp. cayenne
    2 eggs
    the cooked rice 

Saute onion in a little butter, when soft add the garlic and saute a couple minutes more. Put meat in a lg. bowl, add all the rest of the list and mix a bit to distribute the spices a bit. Then add in the cooked onions and garlic and the rice from step  1. Mix well.

3. Layering
    Stuffing mix from step 2
    Cabbage from step 1
    8oz. sauerkraut
    1 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes with sauce ( or plain tomato sauce even a plain spaghetti sauce like Classico with basil)
    1/2 c. ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour about 1/4 of the can of tomatoes on the bottom of a lg. casserole dish or 13 x 9 in. pan. Mix half the sauerkraut with that and make sure its spread pretty even across the bottom of the pan. This is to distribute the flavors top and bottom and to keep it from sticking.

Next make a nice layer of cabbage leaves. I cut out the thick main rib cuz it takes too long to cook. Then I just fit the lg. leaves across the bottom to cover. At this point assess how many leaves you have cuz you want a nice layer of cabbage for each. I had a very lg. head so this time I made 3 layers of cabbage to two layers of meat. But you can just put them on the bottom and the top if you don't have a lot and it will work too.

Then top with a layer of the meat. Remember if you are making two layers to just use half...otherwise put the whole thing in there. Top with more cabbage and repeat if your doing  several layers, finishing with cabbage. Top with the chopped inner cabbage leaves you saved and the rest of the sauerkraut. Mix the ketchup in the remaining tomatoes and pour over the top of the casserole covering it all. If the sauce is thick you could add a bit of water to it before you bake it.

Cover with foil and bake for at least 2 1/2hrs. Check to see if it  is drying out. It shouldn't with the meat juices and cabbage but if it does, add a bit of water and return to oven. You do not want this dry. I test the center to see if the cabbage there is tender. When it is, its done. Cut into lg. squares and serve. You could serve with a nice crusty rye bread and butter.

For those who want traditional tho here is moms recipe:

Moms Stuffed Cabbage Make about 26 rolls

1 head of cabbage (about 3lbs.)
(soften cabbage in lg. pot with water and 1 tb. vinegar)

1 medium onion , chopped
1/4lb. butter
(saute onions in butter)

In lg. mixing bowl:
2 lbs. chopped beef
1 1/2 c. rice (mom uses Minute rice, I hate that stuff)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 (8oz.) cans tomato sauce (mix in well with above ingred.)

Fill softened cabbage leaf with meat mixture:

In lg. pot:
Cut up excess cabbage leaves and put on bottom of pot. Layer stuffed cabbages in pot.

Pour over cabbage:
2 (8oz. ) cans tomato sauce
1 can tomato soup
1 can water
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. water or more to cover cabbage

(I also remember mom topping it with sauerkraut altho it doesn't say so in her recipe)

Cover and bake in oven 2 1/2hrs. in 350 degree oven or till done. (We use a lg. covered enamelware pot for this) 

Next take that can of tomatoes and add a half cup of ketchup. (mom always does this and I like that flavor, you could however just add water instead if you like). Stir it well and pour it over the top layer, spreading it out all over. 

Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew

A few wks ago I went foraging in the woods with a friend and brought back Chantrelle and Bolete mushrooms. It was late and I was tired when I got home so I decided to just clean them up and dehydrate them. I wasn't sure when I was going to use these dried ones since I rarely use that kind. But I had thawed some stew beef the other day and it needed to be used. So I wandered online looking for something interesting to use them in and found this on Pioneer Woman's site. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/11/beef-stew-with-mushrooms/

Since I never make a recipe the same as the one I find, this is my version.....

 Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew serves 4

    2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (mine was chuck so it needed longer cooking)
    4 Tablespoons Flour
    4 Tablespoons Butter
    2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    2 whole Shallots, peeled, coarsely chopped
    3 cloves Elephant Garlic, peeled and sliced thin
    8 ounces, Baby Bella Mushrooms, cut in half then sliced
    Dried mushrooms, whatever kind you like, approx. 1 oz or       to taste
    1/2 cup Red Wine
    1 can Beef Broth
    Salt And Pepper, to taste
    Pasta - Cooked And Drained
    2-4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
    1c. Frozen Peas

 Put dried mushrooms in a microwaveable bowl and cover with water. Microwave 3 min. or till water is hot and steamy. Let them sit while you prepare fresh mushrooms, garlic and shallots. 

Sprinkle flour and some S & P over the meat. Mix well to coat the beef. Melt the butter and add the oil in a lg. dutch oven. When hot add the beef and brown well.  

 Remove beef and if necessary add a bit more oil, then add garlic and shallots. Saute a couple min. till shallots are beginning to soften. 

 Then add fresh mushrooms, stir and let cook another minute or so. Add beef broth, red wine and dried mushrooms with their liquid . (lots of flavor there, don't waste it). Stir and then add the beef and stir well. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Top with thyme and cover. Let simmer about an hr. and a half. Test the beef at that time to see if it is tender.

When its tender, add the peas and start the water for your pasta. I used egg noodles, about a half of a lg. pkg. Drain noodles and top with the stew to serve.

Garlic Pot Roast with Thyme

We have a vendor at our local Farmers Market that sells organic, pasture raised meats. So I decided to buy a chuck roast and make that for dinner when I got home from shopping. This is the recipe I adapted slightly. It smells heavenly when cooking and it tastes really good. I don't like those pot roast recipes where you use soup mixes and such. I wanted real ingredients. I served this with peas but I was thinking of the fresh broccoli I had in my crisper bin. I was just feeling lazy so the peas won out. :)

Pot Roast With Garlic and Thyme
    * 1 pot roast, about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds, chuck or other suitable pot roast
    * 2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
    * Salt and pepper
    * 3 tablespoons olive oil
    * 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
    * 6 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
    * 3 tablespoons flour
    * 1 1/2 cups red wine, I used a Merlot I had open.
    * 1 cup beef broth
    * A handful of thyme sprigs, or 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
    * 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks
Preparation:
With a small sharp knife, cut  deep slits in the pot roast, spacing them evenly. Push garlic slices into each cut. Heat the oil in a braising pan or large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Sear the roast, turning to brown all sides. Remove the roast from the pan and set aside.

 Add more oil if needed to the hot pan and reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until tender and lightly browned. Add mushrooms,  and cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute longer.

Stir in wine and beef broth. Continue cooking, stirring, until the liquids are thickened and bubbly. Add thyme sprigs if using or dried thyme.

Heat oven to 325°.
Put the roast back in the pan . Cover with a lid or foil and move to the oven. Cook for 2 hours. Add the potatoes, cover, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 hours longer. Serves 4 to 6.

Sea's Beef and Broccoli

Last nite I made  Beef and Broccoli and today a friend wanted the recipe. So the picture isn't the best because its the leftovers. :) But this is what I do when I make it.

Beef And Broccoli with Rice  Serves 3-4

1lb. beef round, sliced thin, I cut the steak in strips about 2-3 wide, then slice across the grain into very thin slices.
6 tbs. soy sauce
2 tbs. rice wine or dry sherry
1 1in. piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
Veg. oil
1 lb. of broccoli, I buy a bunch that has two or three good stems
2 1/2c. beef stock ( I either used canned or the beef stock paste added to water)
3 tsp. cornstarch mixed with about 1/4c. water
1 can sliced water chestnuts
Cooked white rice

Start your rice. I make mine with 1 part rice, 2 parts water and some salt. I let it cook till the water is almost gone, then I shut off the heat, cover it tight and let sit while I'm making the meal. By the time its done so is the rice. Fluff and its ready to eat.

Slice beef into very thin slices and put in a bowl with the soy sauce, sherry, garlic, ginger and a tb. or so of oil. I sometimes add a tsp of sesame oil for extra flavor if I have it. Let marinate for about a half hr. while your preparing other ingredients.

Peel broccoli stems to remove tough skin. Cut stems off and cut into bite size chunks. Separate the broccoli florets into small clusters. Set aside.

Put in a wok or lg. frying pan a tb or so of oil and let it get really hot. When ready, toss in about half the meat and stir fry till meat is brown but do not over cook or it will get tough. Remove the meat to a plate and do remainder. Remove second batch of meat and add beef stock. I either use 1 can of beef broth ( not bouillon ) and water to make the amt needed or you can use a bouillon cube. I have beef paste that chefs use to make stock so I use that. Swiss Knorr makes it but I have to buy it at a restaurant supply. If you can find it, its really good.

Bring stock to a boil and toss in broccoli. Bring back to a boil, lower heat to med. and cover. Cook about 5min. or so till the tough stems can be pierced with a fork but are still tender crisp. Add sliced water chestnuts.  Then add cornstarch mixture and stir till thickened. If too thick you can add a bit more water. When its the consistency you like, toss in the cooked beef and serve over the white rice.

Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Potatoes

I saw something like this on another page and decided to save it. Since I was not in the mood to make a big dinner, I decided this was a good nite to try this. We like stuffed potatoes and I like that this one had everything in it, especially lots of veggies. 


As usual I tweaked it a bit but I didn't change much. I did however halve this recipe since theres only the two of us. It made enough for us each to have one potato for dinner and one leftover. (Im having the last one for lunch today, its yummy warmed up too). My bf loved it enough for me to make it again. I loved that it goes together fast with things you have on hand.

I dont like green peppers much but always have red roasted ones on hand, so I used that but you could use anything. I made him a big baking russet potato and I made me a smaller one. I will say that he couldn't finish his. So judge accordingly to your eaters regular appetites. I used frozen spinach in mine. Chopped beef tho doesn't give much beef flavor so I added a touch of bouillon. Actually I use a professional beef paste that I keep on hand here but some bouillon would work too. Or if you have it just use a can of beef broth instead of the water.

You may want to tweak the seasonings once its done. I found it needed a bit more kick so I added a good splash of Worcestershire to it. 


Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Potatoes

4 baking potatoes
1 lb. chopped beef
Butter
1lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1/2c. roasted red pepper, diced
1 c. frozen greens - collard, kale, spinach, swiss chard, your choice
4 cloves garlic
1c. water
1/2 tsp. beef bouillon
2 tsp. paprika
S and P
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. Worcestershire
Grated Parmesan cheese

Scrub potatoes well and prick skin with a knife. Rub with Olive oil and S & P. Put on a plate and bake in microwave till tender. How long depends on size of potato. Lg. russets take longer.

Meanwhile melt a small amt. of butter in a pan. Add sliced mushrooms and cook till wilted and tender. Add onion and cook a few min. more till soft. Add roasted pepper, garlic and greens and cook till greens are thawed and hot. Transfer veggies to a sm. bowl while browning the meat. 

Crumble the beef into the hot pan and brown well. Add water, bouillon, paprika, S & P to it and let simmer a few min.

Add sour cream to the beef and stir well. Then add veggies back to pan.

Split potatoes but not all the way thru and remove some of the potato insides. Chop and add to filling. Put a bit of butter in the potato shells. Then top with meat mixture. Generously shake Parmesan cheese over each to serve.

We found we wanted more cheese and sour cream to top our meals with at the table.

Crockpot BBQ Brisket

Crockpot BBQ Brisket 4-6 servings

3-4lb. beef brisket, extra fat removed
1c. apple cider
1c. BBQ sauce ( I used Cattlemans)
I med. onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. celery seed powder
1 tsp. Bacon salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

After trimming excess fat from brisket put in crockpot. (you want any big pieces of fat removed, it gets greasy otherwise). Turn crockpot up to High.

Combine cider, BBQ sauce, celery seed powder, bacon, and pepper. Pour over meat in crockpot. 

 Top with chopped onions, garlic and bay leaves. Stir then cover pot and cook on High for 4 hrs. Check to see if its getting tender. If it is, lower heat to Low for 2-3 more hrs. It should be fork tender and almost falling apart.

If there's too much juice in the pot, when you lower the heat , take the lid and put in on sideways to let some steam escape for about an hr. to thicken the juices.

Remove meat to serve, slice. Top with BBQ gravy in pot. 

I served this with baked potatoes topped with sour cream and Peas cooked in butter with mushrooms and garlic.

The perfect ending to a perfect day

Ever just have one of those perfect days? You know what I mean......you go about your day with general plans but things go so well and make you so happy that when the day is over your just smiling ear to ear. Thats how my day was today.

Started slow, its Sunday after all. Sipping my coffee and thinking about what to do today. My bf decided he was going surfing. It was a pretty day outside. Silly to stay home so I decided to go to the beach. I took my dog with me too. First time shes ever been on a beach. I live close enough now that I can go anytime I want. So after he left, I changed into clam digger pants so longer ones wouldnt get wet and my sandals. Of course it gets windy there and cool so I made sure to wear a sweater and jacket.

Me and the dog wandered down the beach and had a blast. When we got home she was all bouncy and smiling big time. Yea dogs really do smile. And so I changed and took off my sandy shoes. It was warm in the house, not only cuz of the day but because before I left, I started this recipe in my crockpot.

I watched the Olympic hockey game while it was cooking, having something nice to drink. Sadly USA lost but what bothered me most was that they looked so sad and defeated. Hey guys you still got silver~~! Way to go!!! Hold your heads up, you did good.....after all it was the last game and it went to OT! And then my bf came home. So as the roast cooked,  I cut up some potatoes to make my Oven roasted garlic potatoes and I cut up fresh broccoli to make broccoli and cheese. I also baked a pumpkin cake with cream cheese filling.

I'm stuffed now......dinner was beyond awesome and I dont know if we will have room for dessert now. But I wanted to share this recipe, its worth making it.

Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Mustard and Horseradish Gravy
2 carrots, peeled and cut in half width-wise
1 med. yellow onion, peeled, root trimmed but left intact, sliced into 4 wedges
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme (I used 1tsp. dried)
1 large bay leaf
3  allspice berries
1 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
2 Tbs. tomato paste (I used a can of diced tomatoes, drained)
1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-1/2 to 3 lb.)
2 Tbs. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1tsp. grainy prepared mustard
2 Tbs. sour cream
1 tsp. all-purpose flour

Put the carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and allspice in the bottom of a slow cooker crock. In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the broth, wine, and tomato paste to blend.

Set a large heavy-based skillet over medium high heat. Pat the roast dry with paper towels, rub both sides with the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Sear the roast in the skillet until a dark crust forms on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and sear the other side, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and put the roast on top of the vegetables in the crock. Add the broth mixture to the skillet, bring to a simmer, and scrape the pan bottom to loosen any browned bits. Pour the liquid over the roast and cover the crock; don't stir. Turn the slow cooker to low heat; cook gently without lifting the lid until the roast is fall-apart tender, 8 to 10 hours. (I put mine on high for about 7hrs.)

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm.

Strain the contents of the crock through a sieve set over a medium saucepan. Discard the solids. Skim the fat from the top of the strained liquid (or use a fat separator).

Bring to a boil and then simmer rapidly until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

Whisk in the horseradish, and mustard. In a small bowl, mix the flour into the sour cream, stir in a few tablespoons of the sauce, and then pour the sour cream mixture into the sauce, whisking vigorously to blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Meanwhile, slice the roast thinly. Serve with the gravy.

I reduced the liquid to half but next time Ill reduce it more. The 1tsp. flour isn't enough when you use the canned tomatoes. And so I would add 1tb. next time. But I will say this.........the gravy is awesome and enhanced the beef perfectly.  Didn't matter if it was too juicy this time. Serves 4.

Taco Bake

I made this for dinner tonight, its not my usual fare. My bf loves boxed mac and cheese. I eat it now and then but could live without it. In fact I hate the boxed stuff so much I tease him and ask him if he wants paste in the box for dinner tonight. He also loves tacos and lately the tortillas are just too much for us. Getting old here and the flour tortillas sit like lead in our tummies. So most times I made taco salad so we can enjoy the flavor but not suffer. Then I came across this recipe.

I found it in some old magazines I was going thru. Again its not the type I usually make but my back is hurting and I didn't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen so I thought Id try this tonight. As usual I never leave it completely alone. I added a few things and over time I may change it again. But this is what I made tonight. I made my own taco mix, its ez.


TACO BAKE SERVES 6

1 pkg. (14oz.) mac & cheese mix
3/4 c. sour cream (I used fat free)
1 1/2c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. salsa

TACO SEASONING MIX     

2 tsp. instant minced onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. instant minced garlic

Combine all ingredients, seal and store. This equals one of those pkgs.

TACO FILLING:

1 lb. ground beef
1 small can of green chilies
1/2 can of tomato paste
1c. water
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning Mix or the homemade equivalent.

Brown beef, drain off excess grease. Add water and seasoning mix. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes till thick. Stir occasionally. Makes filling for 8 to 10 tacos.

First preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make mac and cheese according to pkg. directions. Add sour cream to completed dinner. I used fat free sour cream trying to lose some of the fat in this meal. I also drained well the ground browned beef before adding the rest of ingred.

Layer half the mac & cheese on bottom of casserole, then top with meat mixture spreading evenly. Top with remaining mac & cheese and pour salsa over all. Bake for 15 min. till cheese is melted and casserole is heated thru.

I served this with a quick salad of chopped avocado, tomatoes and onion with lettuce. I used a homemade Italian vinaigrette that I make. I just sprinkle some garlic powder, oregano, S & P over all the veggies. I drizzle olive oil over all and mix well, then taste. Adjust seasonings then sprinkle on some red wine vinegar to taste and toss.

Seas Italian Beef Surprise (surprised because it came out awesome)

I had a piece of chuck roast that I bought the other day. I had thought I would make a pot roast of some kind in my crockpot. I just didn't feel like cooking alot. I wandered online and all I saw were those crummy recipes that add onion soup mix and the like. I really didn't want that. I wanted alot more.

Then I remembered some Italian beef roast I had long ago and it was delicious. So I wandered online looking for something like that. This is what I ended up with. I will say I only used the pizza sauce and the au jus because I didn't have what I really wanted, in the house. I had preferred to use some canned tomatoes and beef broth. Honestly tho the extra flavors in the pizza sauce made this special. If I decide to do this without that sauce next time, Ill just use tomato paste and toss in some oregano. I told my bf, be prepared, this is gonna either be really good or really bad lol.

I did want to put this over buttered noodles but didn't have that in the house either. I thought polenta would be yummy but I got lazy. In the end the pasta I decided to make actually was the perfect thing. This makes an incredibly rich and luscious sauce. My bf all nite was raving about this. He really, really enjoyed it. And I think the sauce over that pasta was a great combo......the sour cream and cheese helped thicken the sauce on the plate and that lil added flavor from the pasta put it over the top. This is definitely a good experiment and Ill be making it again sometime.

Seas Italian Beef Surprise ( serves 3-4)
1 (2-3 lb. boneless chuck roast)
Olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise, cut into 2in. pieces
1 lg. red Italian onion, peeled, halved and cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can of Pizza sauce (I used Contadina)
1 pkg. of Au Jus gravy mix or 1 can of beef broth
1/2 bottle of a good red wine (I used a Coppola Rosso red)
4 lg. baby portabello mushrooms sliced, then lightly chopped
1 tsp. rosemary, crumbled
1 c. frozen peas
8 oz. of pasta of your choice (I used penne)
1 c. sour cream ( I used fat free)
Parmesan cheese, grated, to taste

I cooked this in a crock pot.

In a skillet drizzle a bit of olive oil and turn heat to high. When oil is hot put roast that has been sprinkled with S & P in. Brown on both sides till nice and caramelized. If heat is too high, lower a bit, you don't want it to burn but its necessary to start it going.

In the meantime do the carrots and add to crockpot. Then do mushrooms and add also. When meat is browned nicely put in crockpot on top of veggies.

Meanwhile toss the onion in and saute a bit in the leftover oil and beef juices. This will help use up the yummy browned bits and caramelize the onions a bit too. When almost done, add garlic and saute till soft. Do not burn garlic, it will make it bitter. Then add to the crock pot.

Pour red wine over all. Add pizza sauce, au jus and rosemary. Cover and make sure crockpot is turned up to high. Cook for about 6 hrs or till beef is tender and almost falling apart. When beef is at that point, add the frozen peas and cook till they are cooked thru. At this point I put the lid on crooked so the steam can escape and the juices can concentrate. I left it like this about 1 more hr.

As the peas were cooking, I cooked the pasta, then tossed with the sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Serve the beef and its luscious juices over all.

Beef Ribs to die for!

I used to make beef ribs long ago when my kids were younger. They were a cheap meal and we loved them. Beef ribs are no longer as cheap as they used to be but when you find a sale on them, you must try this recipe. When we used to go to Florida every summer to Disneyworld, we would go to a restaurant there that served all you can eat beef ribs. These ribs were so good, that my daughter pulled a loose tooth from her mouth that was getting in the way, just so she could enjoy them.

I used to boil them years ago and then BBQ them on the grill. They were good but I never thought they were awesome so I stopped making them. But I stumbled upon this recipe online and tried it tonight. OMG you must make these!!!! They are rich and crusty and the garlic and herbs are thru the ribs. I served them tonight with a baked potato and a green salad. Two ribs truly are plenty. I bought a big pkg. from the grocery store tho and froze them so I had to make the whole thing today when I thawed them. I will do with the leftover ones like I do with my regular pork ribs, Ill freeze the leftovers and then reheat for another meal another day.

It never dawned on me tho to make these like this. When I make prime rib, my dog gets the bones. What was I thinking! These are prime ribs! So now the pooch gets whats left on the bone and with these, hehehe theres not much. Poor poochy.


Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Beef Ribs

4 lbs. beef spare ribs (about 8-10 ribs)
1 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbs. powdered garlic
1 Tbs. onion powder
2 Tbs. dried rosemary
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp. powdered bay
1 tsp. ground white pepper
3 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ground celery seed

Preheat oven to 300. Line a sheet pan with foil and set aside. Unwrap your ribs and put them into a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Set aside while you prepare the marinade. (I didnt have any bags this size so I put it in a huge bowl and made sure they were all coated with the marinade.)

Start the marinade:
Put the olive oil in a medium-sized bowl. Mash up your garlic, either with a garlic press or by mincing it really well then mashing it with the flat of your knife. Toss in the powdered garlic, onion powder, dried rosemary, fresh thyme leaves, powdered bay leaf, ground white pepper, kosher salt, sugar, and ground celery seed. Whisk with a fork until well combined. The marinade will the fairly thick and goopy. (I didnt do this, I used my food processor to grind the spices and added the oil. I kept running it till the spices were fine. This way you dont have to smash the garlic either, just peel it and toss in the processor.)

Grab your bagged-up ribs. Pour the marinade into the bag over the ribs. Seal the bag up well. Holding the bag, smoosh the marinade around so that it coats the ribs fairly evenly. (Like I said I used a huge bowl. I let them marinate 1hr., it was plenty.)

Roast the ribs:
Remove the ribs from the bag and lay them out evenly on your prepared sheet pan. Put the pan in the oven and roast at 300 degrees for about a half an hour. After a half an hour, yank the pan out of the oven. Crank the heat up to 350 degrees. By now, your ribs will have started to develop their crust. (I turned mine over at this point so they would evenly brown.)


Put them back in the oven for about 50-60 minutes. They’re done when the ribs are brown and have a glorious crust. If you pull at a rib with a fork, the meat should come away easily. Serve and enjoy!

** Zapping the spices in a small blender or a mortar and pestle, and grinding them, will get more flavor from them then. I also doubled the marinade since I had almost twice as many ribs that the recipe called for.

Chicken Fried Steak

I've made all sorts of things over the years. I've been lucky to work in a four star restaurant and we were encouraged to be creative and inventive. So that's the direction my mind tends to go in when I cook. But I was also a mother and a home cook too. So simple things are what I grew up doing. But here and there I wandered thru recipes and such and occasionally run across something Ive heard of but never eaten or cooked. Chicken Fried Steaks is one of them.

My bf says he loves this. And I want to do it well but the fact is Ive never made this ever before. I don't even know what it tastes like. I bought some cube steaks on sale yesterday. I found a recipe online. Then I posted another blog on my personal site and asked all my good southern cook friends what they do to make this dish. So I took that recipe and their advice and made my own. My bf said it was very good and wants the leftovers for breakfast. Anytime he actually wants our leftovers is a good sign that it was excellent. He usually doesn't like eating things a second time.

So heres my recipe based on the one I found and the advice from friends. I did however use a packaged country gravy mix this time. My back has been out real bad and I was trying to limit my time in the kitchen. I do that occasionally when I'm in a hurry to make dinner. Next time however I will make my own.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK Serves 4

1 pkg. country gravy mix
1 c. flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp. of freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large cube steaks

On a plate combine salt, pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder. Mix well. In a small shallow bowl, beat together eggs and milk. In heavy skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.

Coat cube steaks first in flour mix, dip in egg, then again in flour mix. Fry steaks 2-3 minutes each side, or until desired doneness. At this point I removed the steaks to a plate. Since some of the flour burned and I used a non stick pan, I just wiped it out and added the pkged. mix and water to it. Heat till thick and add steaks back. Cover and cook a few min. more so juices get to flavor the gravy some. Serve.

I served this with mashed potatoes and string beans. I was told corn actually goes great with this but didnt have any in the house this time. Also biscuits are good to for sopping up extra gravy.

PEPPER STEAK WITH RICE

I used to make this long ago. It was one of my ex's favorites. A friend asked me if I had a recipe for using up some of the peppers she had and I remembered this one. Its an old classic. My friend made a few changes tho that I just might try. She grilled the peppers and onions first, and she also grilled the steak sprinkled with the paprika. If you do that, I would use a good quality steak instead of the round. She also used brown rice instead of white.

PEPPER STEAK WITH RICE
SERVES 6

3c. hot rice
1 lb. lean beef round steak,cut 1/2 in. thick
1tb. paprika
2tb. butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2c. beef broth
1 c. sliced green onions, including tops (I use a reg. onion when I dont have these)
2 green peppers, cut in strips
2tb. cornstarch
1/4c.each water and soy sauce
2 lg. fresh tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces each

While rice is cooking, pound steak to 1/4in. thickness. Cut into 1/4in. wide strips. Sprinkle meat with paprika and allow to stand while preparing other ingred. Using a lg. skillet, brown meat in butter. Add garlic and broth. Cover and simmer 30min. Sitr in onions and peppers. Cover and cook 5min. more. Blend cornstarch, water and soy sauce. STir into meat mixture. Cook stirring till clear and thickened - about 2min. Add tomatoes and stir gently. Serve over rice.

Steak and Kidney Pie

The cooler weather is coming and it makes me think of casseroles. Not everyone likes kidneys so I know not everyone will be interested in this recipe. I can say however this dish is excellent. My mom used to make kidney stew and it had a distinctive smell in the house. Some say it smells like pee, I think its just because they think of what it is and smell that. However the best kidneys to use are lamb or veal kidneys. They are much smaller and tender. My mom used to buy beef kidneys tho and cleaned them and cut them up. I grew up with that and since I love strong flavors it never bothered me.

However this recipe calls for the lamb kidneys and I have used them. It is much better with those. You can soak the kidneys in milk for a hr or so tho. It is said that will tame the smells and strong flavor some.

I once made this for a potluck. We used to have different kinds of potlucks at the Yacht club where we had our sailboat. This wasn't one of 'THOSE' kind of yacht clubs, we were the poorer folks . So we made our own fun. Someone suggested having an English Potluck. I laughed because I know about food and knew ........ummmmmmm how many things could possibly qualify for that? But I volunteered to make Steak and Kidney pie.

I had to search all over just to find any kind of kidneys for it around here. That sort of surprised me because I know on the east coast that stuff was always right there in the stores. Different out west I guess. But eventually I found enough to make this dish. Another sneaky reason for offering to make this was, I figured no one would eat it. Since I don't make it just for myself, I expected leftovers to bring home :) I thought I was being so sneaky and smart.

There was none left!!!!!!!! Honestly ......and they knew what it was too! And I heard them say ....omg you gotta taste this!! to others. So I know for a fact this is a good recipe. It was given to me by a dear lady I knew who belonged to our Ladies gourmet group in NJ. We would meet once a month and have a themed meal, with recipes we all had to cook and bring. My friend Myra had an English meal featuring this dish. She was an English lady who had been married to an Egyptian man and lived in Egypt awhile too. Myra has passed on now but her dishes go on. THANK YOU MYRA FOR SOME GOOD RECIPES!!!

STEAK AND KIDNEY PIE

3lbs. stewing beef (chuck takes awhile, round is shorter cooking time)
1 lb. lamb or veal kidneys
1 tb. flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 can beef bouillon and 1 can water
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 c. red wine
Puff pastry ( I just buy it in the frozen foods area)

Cut beef and kidneys into small cubes, roll in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Fry in a bit of oil to brown and seal in juices. Saute onions next. Add broth, water, wine and thyme. Bring to a boil and simmer slowly till meat is nearly tender. Put meat in casserole. Cover with puff pastry. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 25 min., then lower heat to 300 degrees for a further 10 min.

Swedish Meatballs

A friend of mine was looking for a recipe for this so I posted this for her. Her hubby loves them. But I got this recipe many yrs ago from a friend of my own. She used to serve them at parties and they were so delicious! So when I had my own I had to make them.

Swedish Meatballs Serves 6

1 1/2c. soft breadcrumbs(5-6 slices of white bread)
3/4 c. milk
3 tb.onion, finely chopped
4 tb. butter
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 c. flour
1 c. beef bouillon, stock or cream (or evaporated milk)

Soak bread crumbs with milk. In fry pan, saute onion and 2tb. butter, till soft. Add this mixture to bread crumbs. Add this to beef, seasonings and egg. Form meatballs 1inch. Roll meatballs in flour (it gets sticky doing this). Saute them in last 2tb. butter for 10min. or till light brown. Add cream. Cover and simmer for 5min. Remove meatballs to serving dish. Thicken gravy with 1-1 1/2tb. flour blended with equal amts. of water. Pour over meatballs and serve.

When I make this I like a beefier gravy so I use half stock and half cream. But you can use whatever combo you like best. I often make these for parties. People love them.

Seas Meatloaf

Ironically I'm a chef but the simplest things seem to be the hardest for me. If you want fancy carved things or intricate spice flavors or custom creative cakes and such, I can do that. I think its because they make me focus harder. So somethings like a good mac and cheese or a great meatloaf....have escaped me for yrs. My mother in law used to make a meatloaf that used everything from the refrigerator but the kitchen sink. So I made that for yrs. It was good and the family liked it but I never did. I ate it that one nite at dinner and never touched the rest.

My bf loves meatloaf sandwiches for work so I started trying to find a better meatloaf that I could like too. I stumbled upon a recipe, simple but still I tweaked it more. I must say its a work in progress because I'm always using more meat and forget to add more binder etc. But I will say it does taste good. This recipe calls for 1lb of chopped meat. Most times I will double it so there's some left for sandwiches but don't forget to double everything then. In fact if it still seems too moist at the end of mixing, add more breadcrumbs.


Seas MeatLoaf

1 lb. lean ground chuck
1/2 c. breadcrumbs (flavored or not, I use what I have)
1tb. butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tb. dried parsley or fresh if you have it
3 tb. chopped celery leaves
1 tsp. dried lovage
1 tsp.dried thyme
1 tb. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
2 tb. ketchup
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
cooking spray or oil
2 slices of nice smoked bacon

Saute the onion and garlic together in the butter, till soft, cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine rest of ingredients except onion mix and bacon. Mix well.

Add cooled onion/garlic mixture and mix well again. If the mixture feels too moist and doesnt seem to hold together, add a bit more breadcrumbs until it does.

Spray baking pan with oil. Shape meatloaf right in the pan. I make mine into a long rectangle. Top with bacon strips. Put in 350 degree oven for 1hr or till done in center. Makes 4-6 servings.

Options for the top

-Before baking glaze with a mixture of 3/4c. water, 2tb. each vinegar, Dijon mustard and brown sugar.

-After baking 40-45 min. "frost" with mashed potatoes, dot with butter and return to oven for 15 min. so potatoes are golden brown.

-Douse with ketchup before baking. (When I don't have bacon I do this) My bf gets heartburn with gravy so I often do it this way.

My Belated Mothers Day Dinner

I had a nice Mothers Day this weekend. I postponed it till bfs surgery was over since things were getting pretty hairy around here. I'm glad I did. My daughter would have had to run between two houses that day anyway to see her MIL. This way I did it on Saturday so nobody had to leave early to get home for work the next day and we could have a leisurely day. But I wore myself out cooking and cleaning. This house has been a terrible mess and this week was so darn hot, I just did nothing. So Saturday I had no choice but to cook and clean as much as I could get done.

I had a 4 rib prime rib I thawed overnight for our dinner. I bought a whole one at Christmas time and had them cut it in half. I froze half then,,,,cuz the price was just incredible. So we had prime rib, my tomato, zucchini gratin and sour cream mashed potatoes. My daughter bought a great chocolate mousse cake that was very light.


Seas Prime Rib

1 prime rib with bone, any size, mine was a 4 bone roast
lots of garlic, for this one I used about 6lg. cloves
S & Freshly ground P
Dried thyme, I used about a tsp for this

Preheat over to 500 degrees.

Make a paste of everything but the roast. I do this by hand by chopping the garlic fine and then adding the salt and smashing it together over and over with a knife. I do this when I make salad dressing too. Its a chefs trick. But if you don't have that you can use a sm. food processor. After the garlic is in paste form I add the Pepper and thyme and touch of Olive oil to ease spreading it all over the roast with my fingers.

Put roast in pan and put in preheated oven for 1hr. Then lower heat to 350 degrees and roast for another hr. From this point on test with an instant read thermometer. You want it to be about 130 degrees for medium. If you have a smaller roast test earlier.

Once it has reached the correct temperature take it out of the oven and just let it rest for 15 min. so all the juices distribute properly. It will continue to cook while this is sitting. I make a bit of au jus by adding some beef broth (not consommé, too salty) to the drippings and stirring up all the brown bits till bubbly. Then I strain it. If there is too much fat in the pan , remove it or the au jus will be a greasy mess. This will serve 6-8.




I have posted this recipe on my pesto blogs before but I thought Id post it here again for those that missed it. I have made this and changed it a bit. The original called for 2c. bread crumbs which for this amt. is just too much. I also doubled the mozzarella cheese cuz we love it. I substituted marinated artichoke hearts in a jar for the fresh and we just loved this. Its almost like a vegetable lasagna but no pasta.

Pesto Zucchini Tomato Gratin

For the topping::

1 cups Bread Crumbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
dried Italian Herbs or basil/oregano/marjoram, to taste

For the veggies::

3 medium zucchini, sliced in long pieces, 1/4 inch thick
5 cloves garlic, chopped
A handful of halved artichoke hearts or a small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed of most of the marinade
4 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
2-3 vine ripe tomatoes, sliced thick
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 pinch salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced - you can use garlic and herb marinated mozzarella also

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a gratin dish or large pie plate.Place the crumbs in a bowl and using a fork, toss with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to coat; season with Italian Seasoning or dried basil/oregano/marjoram.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the zucchini, garlic and artichokes, and sauté briskly just until the zucchini is a bit golden and still tender-crisp. Remove from heat and pour the veggies into a bowl to cool slightly. When cooled, gently toss the zucchini mixture with the prepared basil pesto, to coat. Layer the pesto veggies in the gratin dish/pie plate.

Spread half of the crumbs on the squash mixture. Layer with slices of mozzarella. Top with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with balsamic vinegar. Season with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the tomatoes.Bake the gratin until it is bubbly and hot, about 20-25 minutes. Serves 4.

Heck, Id just serve this as a side dish or even just a vegetarian type meal with some nice crusty bread!


I make alot of these because my son just adores mashers.

Sour cream Mashed Potatoes

5lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into sm. chunks
1 stick of butter
1/2 c. sour cream
cream, half and half or milk
1 bunch of chives or green onions, chopped fine
S & P

Put potatoes in lg. pot and cover with water and about a tb. salt. Cook till tender, then drain. Put back in pot and throw in butter. For me when I'm busy I do it to this point and let the butter melt while I do other things. Once melted, mash potatoes. Add sour cream and mash again. If very thick add a bit of cream or milk to get the right consistency. You don't want them runny. Taste and adjust S & P. Then stir in chives or green onions.