Beef, Snow Peas and Rice

If you have been following my blog for a while I'm sure you have noticed I do not make a lot of Asian inspired recipes.  The main reason is that my husband isn't a huge fan.  He likes it but never requests that I make it or that we go out to eat to get it.  We are a Mexican food family for sure, but I happen to like Asian food as well.  When my husband is out of town, which isn't often thankfully, I always pick up Pei Wei for dinner for myself.  I decided recently to try cooking an Asian inspired dish I saw the Pioneer Woman cook on her show.  I LOVED it.  My husband ate it but wouldn't request it again and my kiddos ate enough to get dessert.  Make it tonight and you be the judge.  It got two thumbs up from me!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs flank steak cut very thinly against the grain
1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
3 tbs sherry or cooking sherry
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs corn starch
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
8 oz fresh snow peas
5 whole scallions cut in half inch pieces
3 tbs peanut or olive oil
Your choice of rice cooked according to the package

I added a small clove of minced garlic to the marinade.

Directions:

-  In a measuring cup mix the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, corn starch and ginger.
-  Place sliced meat in a bowl and pour half the marinade over the meat and toss.  Reserve the remaining half.
-  Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.
-  Add snow peas and cook for 45 seconds.  Remove snow peas from the pan and set aside.
-  Allow the pan to heat up again and add 1/2 the meat and half of the scallions.  Spread the meat out in a single layer but do not stir. (you want the meat to get really brown in the shortest amount of time possible)
-  Flip meat over and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute.  Remove meat and set aside.
-  Repeat with the remaining half of the meat.
-  Add snow peas, all of the meat and the remaining marinade to the pan.  Stir and cook for about 30 seconds.
-  Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I love the Pioneer Woman.  Her recipes are always tasty and easy.  This recipe is no exception.  It is flavorful, doesn't require a lot of ingredients and my whole family loved it!  She even said this freezes well so double the recipe and have one for dinner tonight and put one in the freezer for a quick meal on soccer or baseball practice night.

Ingredients:

1-1/4 lbs Ground Chuck
1-15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 bag egg noodles
1/2 c sour cream
1-1/4 c small curd cottage cheese
1/2 c. sliced green onion
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

I added:  garlic powder and oregano to taste to the meat and sauce.

Directions:

-  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-  In a skillet cook meat until browned through.
-  Drain fat and stir in tomato sauce salt and pepper.
-  Let the meat and sauce simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
-  Cook noodles according to directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
-  In a large bowl combine sour cream, cottage cheese, black pepper and green onion.
-  Add noodles to the sour cream mixture.
-  To assemble, add half the noodle mixture to a 9x13 dish, top with half the meat mixture and then layer with half the cheese.  Repeat with noodle, meat and a final layer of cheese.
-  Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
-  Serve with a salad.

Baked Tacos

I will never make regular tacos again!  This recipe was so easy and it really is super yummy!  The original recipe is from here.

Ingredients:2lbs ground beef
4 teaspoons dried minced onion
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2 cups shredded Colby-jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells
Optional Condiments-
lettuce (shredded)
tomato (diced)
Salsa
Guacamole

Directions:

-  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-   In a small bowl combine dried minced onion, chili powder, cornstarch, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
-  In a large skillet brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid.
-  Add refried beans, tomato sauce, and prepared taco seasoning. Mix well.
-  Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up.
-  Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell.
-  Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.
-  Remove from the oven and top with any optional condiments for serving.

Spicey Sausage Pasta

Ok. So.  This recipe is GOOD!  I found it on Pinterest and the original recipe is from here.  Seriously try this recipe.  It could not be any easier and it takes no time to make!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb smoked sausage
1.5 cups diced onion (I used frozen)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

Directions:

-  Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
-   Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
-   Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

Mexican Lasagna

I found this recipe on Pinterest and should have known when I saw the picture it was a Pioneer Woman recipe.  It was so good and so easy to make and it's got a kick to it too!

Ingredients:

2 cups Unprepared Rice, I used one Boil in the Bag

3 cups Chicken Broth/stock
2 whole Tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
1 whole Onion, chopped
4 cloves of Garlic, minced
Butter
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 can Black Beans, drained
1 lb pound Lean Ground Beef (I used ground Turkey)
1 jar (8 Ounce) Salsa Verde
Flour Tortillas
1 1/2 packages Mexican Cheese Blend
8 ounces Enchilada Sauce
1 can Corn, Drained
Sour Cream, to taste
Cilantro, to taste

Directions:

-  Boil rice in the chicken broth for 10 minutes.
-  Saute tomatoes, onion and garlic in a table spoon of butter.
-  Add some of the taco seasoning and stir.
-  Add black beans and cook until heated.
-  Stir in cooked rice.
-  In a separate pan brown meat and add remaining taco seasoning and water to make the taco meat.
-  In a 9x13 baking dish pour 1/2 of the salsa Verde in the bottom of the pan.
-  Place a layer of tortillas over the sauce (tortillas will over lap)
-  Divide the rice mixture in half and spread over tortillas.
-  Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the rice mixture.
-  Add another layer of tortillas and top with enchilada sauce.
-  Top with all of the meat, the corn and remaining rice mixture.
-  Pour remaining salsa Verde over the top.
-  Top with remaining cheese.
-  Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes.
-  I served it with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocado.

Gourmet at Home

On Sunday my dad made A-MAZING sandwiches for our family fun day!  If you know me well you know how much I LOVE Mexican food and sandwiches.  I could live off those two things for the rest of my life.  My dad created this sandwich and we all fell in love! It is perfect for summer grilling!

Ingredients:

Really good cibata bread
Top Sirloin steak
Red bell peppers
Provolone cheese, sliced
Pesto
Mayo
Mushrooms, sliced
Sweet yellow onion, sliced
baby spinach
olive oil
butter

Directions:

-  Grill steak to desired temperature.  Let it rest before slicing.
-  Roast bell peppers on the grill (they should look burnt on the outside.  Peel burnt skin off and slice pepper.)
-  Slice cibata bread and brush inside with olive oil.
-  Place bread on the grill and watch it carefully.  It will grill fast!
-  On the stove saute mushrooms and onions in butter until soft.
-  Combine mayo and pesto.  This is totally up to your taste.  We like a lot of pesto!
-  Assemble your sandwich: Pesto Mayo, Provolone cheese slices, beef slices, onions and mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, baby spinach and a little salt and pepper.

Marinated Flank Steak

We don't eat a lot of red meat around here. If a recipe calls for ground beef I substitute it with ground turkey 99.9% of the time.  But every once-in-a-while meat sounds good.  I found this recipe online and was really happy with it.  I served the steak with steamed broccoli and a baked potato. Yum!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
2 lbs. flank steak

Directions:

-  Mix all ingredients except for steak in a bowl.
-  Poor mixture into a gallon size freezer bag.
-  Put meat in the bag and seal it.
-  Place bag in the refrigerator and let the meat marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours {I did 24 hours}.
-  When you are ready, cook the meat in a large skillet on medium-high heat until desired temprature is reached.
-  Remove from skillet and let it rest before slicing it into thin slices and serving!

Manicotti

I got this recipe from my mom and we ate it often when I was growing up. I know there are several ways to make it but this is how my mom makes it and it is what I love!
Ingredients:

1 box Manicotti shells
1 lb. ground beef {I use ground turkey}
Italian seasonings to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. cottage cheese
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1-2 c. shredded mozzarella

Directions:

- In a large pot bring water to a boil. Pour in a little bit of salt and olive oil so the shells don't stick together. Add shells and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain.
- In a large skillet saute onion in a little bit of olive oil.
- Add meat and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasonings. Cook until browned through.
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in cottage cheese.
- In a 9x13 baking dish pour about 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly.
- Take each cooked shell and stuff with meat mixture {if the shells break just layer the shells and meat.
- Place in the baking dish so they are packed in close together.
- Top with remaining sauce.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.
- Top with shredded cheese and return to oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Zesty Italian Crescent Casserole

While at my parents house for our weekly family meal I pulled out my mom's really old recipe box and started sorting through the madness to see if there were any recipes I needed to try. I came across several and this one had my husbands name written all over it. He did LOVE it and thought it needed to be on a regular rotation. I think it needs some veggies added to it, he begs to differ, but I might add mushrooms and zucchini next time. Shhhh...don't tell.Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef {I used ground turkey}
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix
1 {8 oz.} can tomato sauce
1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can crescent rolls
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbls. butter

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium skillet brown meat and onion.
- Stir in tomato sauce and envelope of spaghetti sauce mix.
- Pour evenly into a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a medium bowl mix shredded mozzarella and sour cream.
- Spoon cheese mixture over meat.
- Unroll crescent rolls and lay over cheese mixture.
- In a small bowl mix Parmesan and butter and crumble over rolls.
- Bake for 18-25 minutes or until top is deep golden brown.

Jamie's Chili

Now that the weather is cooler nothing sounds better than a big bowl of chili. I found this recipe on Paula Deen's website and it is super tasty! We added some Fritos, shredded cheese and sour cream to top it off and it was out of this world!Ingredients:

1 (14.5 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

ground cumin to taste

1 (28 oz.) can whole, peeled tomatoes

chili powder to taste

1 pkg. chili seasoning mix

1 small can tomato paste

1 can chili beans

2 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 lb. mixed ground beef and sausage, browned and drained

Directions:

- Cook meat until brown all the way through.

- In some olive oil saute onion and bell pepper.

- Stir in the diced and whole tomatoes.

- Add cumin and chili powder to taste and cook for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

- Add all of the beans, cooked meat and chili seasoning.

- Partially cover and let simmer for 4 hours.

Beef Stroganoff

I have been eating Beef Stroganoff for my entire life. It is one of our family favorites. I love fall and winter because it means we get to eat some of my favorite meals and this one is at the top of my list! My mom is the master at this recipe.Ingredients:

1-1 1/2 lbs. Top round steak

salt

pepper

flour

1 (10.5 oz.) can beef broth

8 oz. sour cream

1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 lb. No Yolk noodles

Directions:

- Cook noodles according to the directions on the package.

- Cut beef into bite-size pieces. Salt and pepper meat.

- Lightly coat meat with flour.

- In a large skillet cook meat in a tablespoon of oil until meat is browned all the way through.

- Add beef broth, sour cream and mushrooms to the meat and stir to combine.

- Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. How thick or thin the sauce is is up to you. If it gets to thick you can add a little bit of water to thin it out.

- Plate noodles and top with beef and sauce.

Simply Lasagna

This is another recipe from Kraft. It is simple and super yummy. I love that there is nothing fancy about it but it tastes great! I will be making this all Fall and Winter long!Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef {I used ground turkey}

2 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan, divided

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 (24 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

1 c. water

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Brown meat in a large skillet.

- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix 1 1/4 cup mozzarella, ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan, parsley and egg until well blended; set aside.

- When meat is cooked through, drain and return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce.

- Add 1 cup water to empty spaghetti sauce jar; cover with the lid and shakes well.

- Add water mixture to the meat and stir well.

- Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

- top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of meat sauce.

- Repeat layers twice.

- Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce and cheese.

- Cover with greased foil and bake for 1 hour, removing foil after 45 minutes.

Brooklyn Chili Sliders w/ Smokey BBQ Sauce

I am always looking for a good burger recipe. I tend to make a pretty boring burger so I was excited to find this {even though it looks like a lot of ingredients and work} easy burger and BBQ sauce recipe from Rachel Ray. Try it...I promise you will like it and will make this BBQ sauce all the time and put it on everything!

BBQ Sauce Ingredients:

1 c. ketchup

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbls. dark brown sugar

2 tbls. dark amber maple syrup

2 tbls. worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tbls cider vinegar

1 tsp. smoked sweet paprika

black pepper

Directions:

- Put all of the ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook over medium-low heat until sauce thickens, about 20-25 minutes.

Chili Slider Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground sirloin

1/4 c. grated onion

Montreal steak seasoning {I used McCormick)

1/4 c. worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dried marjoram or Mexican oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 tbls. ancho chili powder

1/2 c. beer

olive oil for drizzling

sliced cheddar cheese

sliced pickles

12 slider rolls

Directions:

- Place meat, grated onion and steak seasoning in a large bowl and combine all ingredients.

- In a small bowl combine worcestershire, herbs, chili powder and beer.

- Bowl beer mixture into meat and combine thoroughly.

- Form meat mixture into 12 sliders and drizzle with olive oil.

- Place burger on the grill or griddle and cook for a few minutes on each side until cooked through.

- Baste the burgers liberally with BBQ sauce and top with cheddar and let it melt.

- Serve on slider rolls and top with sliced pickles.

Smothered Meatloaf

I get my meal inspirations on the weekends by watching the Food Network. I print out the recipes and make my grocery list! I saw this recipe on Sandra Lee's show and it sounds like a great way to "officially"kick off the fall season! It is so good, pretty fattening, but oh so good...and pretty easy!

{I know this picture doesn't make this dish look very appealing but it really was good!}

Ingredients:

4 c. Potatoes O'Brien (I used Ore-Ida)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1.25 lb. ground pork
1 (5.29 oz.) box Garlic Herb Shake and Bake (I used Kraft)
1 (1.1 oz.) envelope Beefy Onion Soup Mix
1 (4.5 oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 egg
1 (12 oz.) can cheddar soup, divided
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 onion, sliced thin
1 (8 oz.) pkg. fresh sliced mushrooms

Directions:

- Place potatoes in the bottom of a large crock pot.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, shake and bake, onion soup mix, jar mushrooms and egg. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup cheddar soup and evaporated milk. Add to the meat mixture.
- Using a wooden spoon or clean hands mix thoroughly and for into a loaf.
- Place on top of potatoes (make sure meat does not touch the sides of the crock pot).
- Stir together remaining cheddar soup and cream of mushroom soup. Pour over meatloaf.
- Top with sliced onions and mushrooms.
- Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce temperature to low and cook for and additional 5-6 hours.

Pot Roast

I made a pot roast for dinner Sunday night and it turned out really well. I am wondering though how you season and cook your roast. I feel like there is so much more I can add but need a little inspiration from you! Any suggestions??Here is how I made mine:

Ingredients:

2.5-3 lb. chuck roast

4 large carrots, peeled and quartered

15 pearl onions, peeled

6-8 red potatoes, cleaned and cut into large chunks

1-1 1/2 c. chicken broth

salt

pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

Directions:

- Place all vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot.

- Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

- In a large skillet, season roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder and sear each side of the roast in a little extra virgin olive oil to lock in all the juices.

- Place seared meat on top of the veggies.

- Pour in chicken broth.

- Place lid on crock pot and cook on high for about 6 hours.

The Tostada Burger

RT and I took Cole to Sea World in San Antonio this past spring and had a blast and ate a lot! RT went to Trinity University in San Antonio for college so he knows all the really great places to eat. One of those places is Taco Taco. If you are ever in San Antonio you must go...best breakfast tacos EVER. The other stellar place to eat is at Chris Madrids. They do burgers there and are famous for their Tostada burger. It is basically a burger the size of your face with onions, crushed up tostadas, tons of cheddar cheese and refried beans on a juicy bun. Delicious. So last night I tried to make them for my family and they turned out pretty good. It is just a fun spin on the standard burger and is a nice change of pace.Ingredients:

Hamburger meat

Cheddar cheese

Onions, diced and sauteed in a little olive oil

Tostadas, crushed

Refried beans, heated on the stove

Hamburger buns, toasted

Directions:

- Cook your hamburger patties how you like them on the grill.

- While patties are still on the grill top with onions, tostadas and cheese.

- Cook until cheese is melted.

- Assemble your burger: bun, burger, refried beans, bun.

Amazing Burgers

I am totally guilty of making a pretty boring, standard burger. I usually use ground beef, salt and pepper and that's about it. Well, while watching the food network yesterday I was inspired by one of Ina's burger recipes. I made these last night and they were awesome! I forgot to take a picture but trust me, you want to make these!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 c. seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. steak sauce
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

- Carefully mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Stir just enough to incorporate all ingredients. Do Not over mix or your meat will be dry.
- Form 4-5 patties and grill.

I also sauteed 1/2 onion and some sliced mushrooms in about 2 tablespoons of butter and enough worcestershire to cover the bottom of a medium pan. I topped our burgers with a slice of cheddar cheese and the sauteed onions and mushrooms. To. Die. For.

BBQ Shredded Beef

Our friends, Jeff and Jessica, had us over for dinner recently and fixed an amazing meal! Jessica made us BBQ shredded beef along with homemade macaroni and cheese and homemade cheese biscuits (I will post both of those recipes too so be on the look out). I made the shredded beef, mac 'n cheese and a salad for dinner last night and it did not disappoint. This shredded beef is to die for and is awesome all by itself or you could put it on a bun or in a taco! YUUUMMM!

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Chuck roast

Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste

1 bottle Kraft brand Sweet and Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 (12 oz) can Beer

1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's brand Honey BBQ Sauce

Directions:

- Season all sides of the beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in a large crock-pot.

- Pour entire bottle of chipotle BBQ sauce to cover the meat completely.

- Pour the bottle of beer on top and sides of the meat.

- Cover and cook on high for 7 hours.

- Remove roast from crock-pot and discard all remaining liquids.

- Shred beef with a fork and return beef to the crock-pot.

- Add bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's to beef and stir.

- Reduce heat to warm for 1-2 hours or until ready to serve.