Shepards Pie

So lets be honest, Shepards Pie really isn't the most photogenic food, but it sure does taste good!  To me it is a total comfort food and it's a cinch to put together.  A prefect meal for those nights that you don't have much time to spend in the kitchen, yet you want something tasty and comforting.  

I decided to give this recipe a little "Kick" with spicing things up a bit.  Instead of only using Tomato Soup for the sauce, I added some ketchup and BBQ sauce and switched up the usual green beans and corn with a bell pepper and onion.  The Hubs and the L.O. loved it so I know its a keeper.  Give it a try and let me know what you think! 

Recipe:

1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 bell pepper (diced)

1/2 onion (diced fine)

3 large potatoes (peeled and mashed)

1/4 cup sour cream

4 Tbsp. Butter

2-3 Tbsp. Milk

1 (10 oz) can tomato soup

4 Tbsp. ketchup

3 Tbsp. BBQ sauce (I used sweet baby rays)

1 cup Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

Salt & Pepper 

Preheat the oven to *350.  

In a large saute pan, season the meat with salt and pepper then brown the meat till no longer pink.  When done cooking, drain any excess fat and set aside.

While the meat is cooking, peel and cube the potatoes and place into a large pot of boiling water.  Boil till potatoes are tender and ready to be mashed (about 12-15 minutes).  Drain the potatoes then add in the butter and mash till lumps are gone.  Add in the sour cream, milk, and a dash of salt & pepper and mix till smooth.

Next, dice up the pepper and onion and place into the saucepan with the meat.  Add in the soup, ketchup, and BBQ sauce and stir till well combined.  Place the meat mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish then spread the mashed potatoes on top of the meat.  Finish by sprinkling the cheddar cheese over the top of the potatoes.  

Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

Beef Stroganoff

For some reason I always had something against beef stroganoff!  I just didn't love the flavor of the sauce I guess, so my poor husband was deprived of one of his favorite dishes.  That's until my friend Mal gave me her Grandmas secret recipe and I knew that if Mal loved it I would probably like it too!  Her and I have always had similar likes when it comes to food.  We used to share a little caesars pizza on a regular basis back in high school (sad I know), we would drive miles just to get some of the best peanut butter chocolate fudge that Utah had to offer, and we constantly are swapping recipes! I have gotten some of my favorite recipes from her.  Thanks Girl :) 

I know you guys will all adore this recipe!  It is a bit different from your typical stroganoff, which I like :), it has a tomato base to the sauce which gives it a great flavor, and some heavy cream, which always makes things taste extra good.  This is one of those heavier dishes, so I only make it on special occasions.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!  I'm sure you'll love it!

Recipe:

(This recipe will serve about 8-10 people.  I usually cut it in half unless were entertaining)

1 cup butter

1-1/2 cup onion (diced)

1-1/2 cup mushrooms (sliced, and optional)

3-1/2 pounds Beef Top Round (sliced into thin strips)

6 Tbsp. Flour

3 cups beef broth (I use 3 beef bouillon cubes and 3 cups boiling water when I don't have the broth on hand)

1-1/2 tsp. salt

6 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream

3/4 cup Sour Cream

1 pound Egg noodles

Melt 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter into a large saute pan. Saute the onion and mushroom till soft then remove from pan and set aside.  Add the other 1/2 cup of butter to the pan and allow it to melt.  Dip the beef into the flour then place into the pan and allow it to brown on both sides. (about 2-3 minutes per side)

Next add the broth and the salt to the meat and bring to a boil.  Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, allowing the meat to become tender.

After simmering for a couple of hours, turn the heat up to medium and stir in the onions and mushrooms and the remaining ingredients.  Stir for a few minutes till heated all the way through.  Serve over egg noodles or rice.  Enjoy!

London Broil

So this picture really doesn't do this meat any justice! I HATE when I don't have much daylight to work with for my photos.  But just trust me when I say that we ate this meat up like it was going out of style!  It was tender and SO full of flavor that we will definitely be making this dish again and again!

This london broil is perfect for the current grilling season too.  All you have to do is let it marinate for a couple of hours, (or overnight) throw it on the grill, cook it for a few minutes per side, and you've got yourself one TASTY MEAL!

Recipe:

1-2 pounds of London Broil (Beef Flank steak or a Top Round Steak; I used a Top Round)

For the Marinade:

1 tsp of ground ginger

1 tsp of ground mustard

3 cloves of Garlic (minced)

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.  Place the meat in a glass pyrex bowl and pour the marinade over the top of the meat.  Let the meat marinate either overnight (preferred) or for at least 4 hours.

Heat your grill to *350 and cook for 6-8 minutes per side.  Let the meat rest for a few minutes after cooking.  Serve with this pasta salad, or with this great creamy noodle bake, or with these delicious sauteed veggies.

(Recipe Source: Tasty Kitchen)

Taco Casserole

I was going through some of my old photos, and realized that I had forgotten to post about this delicious casserole.  It may have been because this photo really doesn't do the dish justice, but trust me when I say, This dish is good!

It's super simple to throw together, and most of these ingredients I am sure most of you have on hand right now.  This is the perfect meal for those nights that you are either in a hurry or don't feel like slaving away in the kitchen.

Recipe:

1 pound Lean Ground Beef

1/2 of an onion (diced)

1 (1oz) pkg. of Taco Seasoning

1 (14oz) can Whole Kernal Corn (drained)

1 (10oz) can Rotel Tomatoes (not drained, if you like things spicy use HOT Rotel Tomatoes)

1 (14oz) can Black Beans (drained)

1 cup Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

1 pkg. of Cornbread (prepared but not baked; so you will also need the ingredients for the cornbread, I'm pretty sure you will need an egg and some vegetable oil. The portion amounts will differ due to the brand of cornbread you use also.)

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and beef. When the meat is done cooking place on a paper towel to drain any excess fat.  Next in a bowl, mix together the taco seasoning, corn, rotel, cheese and beans. Now add in the cooked meat and stir till everything is well combined.  

Pour the meat mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish or an 8x8 dish.  Prepare the cornbread as directed on package and pour over the top of the meat/bean mixture.  

Bake @*425 for 20-30 minutes or until the cornbread is lightly golden brown.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Oven Baked Stew

I had been wanting to make beef stew for awhile now! I know, it's like practically summer where I am right now, but I have just been craving some major comfort food lately, and well, Beef Stew fell right into that category for me.  You'll come to realize with me that when it comes to food, Well, there really are no rules.

Like for example, I could eat pumpkin crumble any time of the year! It doesn't have to be Fall time for me to break out pumpkin desserts.  And as far as soup goes, well, I like a good soup now and again even if it is in the middle of the summer.

So when I came across this recipe over @ The Girl Who Ate Everything I knew at once that my craving was going to be fulfilled. And fulfilled fast too, cause boy, was this recipe a cinch to throw together!

GIFT CARD WINNER ANNOUNCED HERE!

Recipe:

1 (1oz) pkg of Dry Onion Soup Mix (I use the Lipton brand)

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1 pound of lean Beef Stew Meat (cut into bite sized pieces)

1 can Cream of Celery Soup

1/2 cup Ketchup

2 medium sized potatoes (peeled and diced into bite sized pieces)

3 large carrots (peeled and diced)

1/2 of an onion (diced)

In a large bag, combine the seasonings and stew meat and shake until all the meat is well seasoned.  Place into a lighlty greased casserole dish and top with the sliced potato, carrots, and onion. Next mix together the ketchup and soup and pour over the top of the stew.  

Cover the casserole dish with a lid if it comes with one (if not, then just cover with foil) and bake @ *325 for 2 hours.  Serve with warm bread or a roll for dipping! 

(recipe source: The Girl Who Ate Everything)

My Dad's Famous Taco's

My dad can whip up some majorly "Mean" tacos! And when I say "Mean" I mean amazing! They are so simple and so good that they always have you asking for seconds! 

I don't know if I have ever mentioned, but my dad, well he's a pretty good cook! And I'm not just saying that because he is my dad. He really can cook! He is one of the best BBQ'ers that I have ever met. He can make the best smoked ribs, amazing steaks, chicken n dumplings, and well, these tacos! 

One thing that I love about these tacos, is that they don't require a ton of different spices and seasonings, yet they are so fresh and flavorful, that like I said before, you will definitely, be asking for seconds!

Recipe:

1 pound ground beef (I used 93/7)

1 head of iceberg lettuce (washed and chopped)

3-4 Roma Tomato's

1/2 of a red onion (diced)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

Salt and Pepper

10-12 Corn Tortillas

Olive Oil

Place the ground beef, garlic and salt and pepper into a large saute pan. Cook over medium heat till the meat is no longer pink (about 5-8 minutes).  Then wash and slice all of the vegetables and set aside.

When the meat is done cooking, drain any excess fat and quickly wash the pan. (You will use this pan to heat up your tortillas)  Now in a large bowl, combine the meat, vegetables, and cheese and toss together till it is all well combined.  

Now drizzle about 1 Tbsp. of olive oil into your saute pan.  Place 1-2 tortillas into your pan and let them heat up over low-medium heat.  (you will need to add olive oil in between cooking each tortilla) When you flip the tortilla over lightly salt one side of the tortilla. (this just gives it an added touch of flavor).  Place about 2-3 Tbsp of your meat/veggie mixture into each tortilla. Top off with your favorite hot sauce and Enjoy!

Tin Foil Dinners

Oh me oh my were these good or what! I seriously felt like I was sitting around the campfire enjoying the most amazing dinner!  Seriously, who would have thought that a tin foil dinner would have tasted so good, but I'm not kidding with ya, it was GOOD! The meat was super tender, the vegetables were perfectly cooked, and the dish was sooooo full of flavor! Maybe I was just really hungry but The Hubs was oohing and aaahing too, so I'm assuming I'm not the only one that felt that way. I highly suggest you whip some of these up for your family. They will not be disappointed!

Recipe:

1 pound of Lean Ground Beef

2 large Potatoes (peeled and sliced thin)

1 onion (sliced)

1 large Zucchinni

McCormick Steak Seasoning

Garlic Salt

Salt and Pepper

Season the meat well with all of the seasonings.  Separate the meat into 4th's. (so about a 1/4 pound of meat will go into each foil) Next, peel and slice the potato into thin slices.  Slice the onion into thin strips too. Wash the zucchini and slice into 1/4" thick pieces. 

Take 2 pieces of foil for each dinner and lay one on top of the other creating a + symbol.  Place a 1/4 lb. of meat onto all 4 foils.  Measure out the vegetables so each dinner gets equal amounts.  Now just layer the vegetables on top of the meat then season the veggies well with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and steak seasoning.  Wrap the foil up tight and place them onto a baking sheet.

Bake @*350 for 1 hour to an hour and 15 minutes.

*NOTE: One way to add flavor to the dish is to take the veggies, lightly drizzle them with oil, and place them in a bag, along with a packet of the dry Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning and give it a good shake. 

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatball Sandwiches

I am so glad I stumbled upon this genious idea of mozzarella stuffed meatballs over at Picky Palate.  The Hubs and I LOVE meatball sandwiches! LOVE THEM! We love them so much that we drove all the way to Salt Lake City 3 times in 1 week (from where we lived that was about 45 miles there and back) just to get a famous meatball sandwich at "Moochies Meatballs" (if your not familiar with Moochies, Moochies is a delicious little "Dive" from Diners Drives-Ins, and Dives or a.k.a. Triple D in our house, that is located in Salt Lake City)  If you haven't eaten there and live in Utah I highly suggest you eat there! And eat there soon! (Oh how I miss Moochies!) Anyways, Back to stuffed meatballs! When I saw this recipe I knew at once that I had to make it cause I knew The Hubs would Love it! And let me tell you, this is a definite repeat dish in our house! These sandwiches are soooooooo yummy! My photos can't even do these babies justice! I promise, take my word for it! Make these, even the kids will love the surprise center that is oh so melty and gooey in these meatballs!

(I know this isn't the greatest pic but can't you just see all that yummy mozzarella flowing out of the meatball! Yum!)

Recipe:

For the Meatballs:

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large egg

1/2 cup finely chopped white onion

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon hot sauce, like Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Ten 1-inch Mozzarella balls


For the Sandwich:
4 white sub rolls

4 slices of provolone cheese

Bottle of your favorite Marinara Sauce

(This is how The Hubs likes his, with pepperoni over the top, also really good!)

Mix together all of the ingredients above, except for the mozzarella balls.  Mix till well combined.  Next, take about 1/4 cup of the meat and form a ball. Taking your thumb, press down into the center of the meatball, and form what looks like a nest for the mozzarella ball to go.  Place 1 mozz ball into the center of each meatball, and form the meat around the ball, making sure that all of the sides are sealed nice and tight.

Place your stuffed meatballs into a lightly oiled baking dish, large enough to accomidate all of your meatballs. ( I used an 8x8)  Next place them into the oven at *350 and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through.

Take 4 sub Rolls, slice them in half, lengthwise, and place 2-3 meatballs on each roll. Pour a little of your favorite marinara sauce over the top of the meatballs, a slice of provolone cheese, and place under the broiler till the cheese melts (about 1-2 minutes)

Enjoy!!!


(Recipe Source: Picky Palate)

Leftover Pot Roast Sandwiches

Every Sunday, over at my in-laws house, we have the most amazing pot roast for dinner.  My husband and I look forward to Sunday meals all week knowing that we will be having this delicious meal.  Some people may think that is weird that every Sunday you have the same thing, but not us!  Delicious roast, yummiest mashed potatoes, green salad, and homemade rolls; now who wouldn't want that every week! So if any of you are making roasts for dinner this weekend be sure to keep this recipe in mind. You won't be disappointed!

Recipe:

Leftover roast from the day before (shredded)

4 sub rolls

4 slices of either provolone or havarti cheese

few slices of red onion

Mayo 

Yellow Mustard

Homemade Aus Jus:

1 cup pan drippings from the pot roast dinner

1 cup beef stock

1 Tbsp. onion seasonings (I use the Lipton onion soup packets)

2 Tbsp. butter

For the Aus Jus, bring all ingredients above to a boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and drizzle a little bit of aus jus over your shredded meat.  Pour the remaining Aus Jus into individual serving dishes for dipping.  

For the Sandwiches, slice sub roll in half.  Lightly butter either side of the sub roll.  Place a generous amount of the meat onto each roll.  Top with one slice of cheese or if your crazy like me you'll throw on 2 :)   Place the loaded rolls onto a baking sheet and place under the broiler till the cheese is melted.  Top of with a little mayo, mustard and a few thin slices of onion. 

Italian Stuffed Peppers

Growing up as a kid I was a PICKY eater.  Seriously, I really didn't like any vegetable (which I know most kids don't) but I REALLY didn't. I even lied most of my childhood and told my mom that I was allergic to corn just so I wouldn't have to eat it. What a horrible kid ha!!! Now that I am a mom and my child is more picky than I ever was, I get a taste of what my poor mother went through trying to figure out what to feed us dang kids! 

Anyways, stuffed peppers were really not my favorite dish growing up, but the older I have gotten the more foods I have really grown to love and stuffed peppers just happens to be one of those dishes that I love now. This recipe is a combination of my mom's and one that I found browsing the web. Both great recipes, but meshed together I think just may be my favorite! 

Recipe:

4-5 large bell peppers

1/2 pound ground beef 

1/2 pound ground sausage (I prefer Jimmy Deans Hot sausage, gives it a kick of heat) 

1 1/2 cups cooked rice (brown or white, I usually use brown)
1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 of an onion (diced)
3  garlic cloves (minced)
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (not drained)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. dried basil
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper

Brown the meats in a large sauce pan over medium heat till no longer pink.  Drain fat.  In a separate pan, saute the onion in the oil over low-med heat until soft. Add in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute. Combine with the cooked meat.

While the meat is cooking, mix together the tomato sauce, tomatoes, heavy cream, basil and last garlic clove in a pot over low heat.  Stir occasionally.

Cook the rice as directed. Add the rice and the parmesan cheese to the meat mixture and pour in 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. Stir well.

Wash the peppers and slice off the tops and clean out all the seeds and ribs.  Fill each pepper to the top with the meat mixture. Place all the filled peppers into a baking dish that allows them to stand upright. (I used an 8x8)  Next, spoon a little of the sauce over each pepper, then pour the remaining sauce into the bottom of the dish.

Bake @ *400 for 25 min uncovered then covered with foil for another 25 minutes. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley.

(Recipe Sources: My mom and Tasty Kitchen-How Sweet Eats)

Lew's Smash Burgers

Whenever I can get my husband to cook, its only because he's grilling something.  I wish he liked to cook with me more, cause man, is he funny in the kitchen or what!  I wish I had him cooking on camera.  He pretends that he is being taped for a Food Network Show, and I gotta say, He's pretty entertaining! I think he called his show something like "Grillin and Chillin with Lew".  Worked for me.  We got delicious burgers out of it!  He could grill every night of the week and it would be fine with me.  This is the hubs special recipe. 

Lew's Smash Burgers Recipe:

1 lb. Hamburger Meat (80/20)

Salt and Pepper 

A little steak seasoning for me (Gosh i love me some McCormick Steak Seasoning. Don't know what it is but it sure does make the burger if you ask me)

8 slices of Bacon 

1/2 of a white onion (sliced into thin strips)

1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. olive oil

4 slices of cheddar cheese

4 hamburger buns

Condiments of choice:

Ketchup 

Mayo
BBQ
A1
Ranch

Yellow Mustard

Heat your Griddle or Grill to *375.  (Lew uses a griddle so he can smash em real good)  Season your meat well with salt, pepper and steak seasoning.  Mix till well combined.  Now take the meat and seperate it into 4 even sized balls.  Place them on the griddle and give them a good Smash! 

Meanwhile, while the meat is cooking away,  slice up your onion and toss it into a skillet with the 1 tsp of oil heated over med. heat. Stir till all the onion looks like it is well coated with oil then stir in the brown sugar. Turn the heat down to low-med. and watch closely, stirring frequently, allowing the onion to carmelize. (about 10 minutes)  Also, cook the bacon while the meat is cooking. (You can cook it on the griddle with the meat to avoid dirtying any other dishes)

Back to the Burgers, cook till the meat is barely Pink in the middle (or if your anything like me, cook till NO LONGER pink at all)  When all is done cooking, place sliced cheese on top of pattys and cover with a lid for just a minute or two allowing the cheese to melt.  Assemble your burgers on a toasted bun and top with 2 slices of bacon and your carmelized onion.  

We served our burgers with these Zucchini Bites but they would be great with these Sweet Potato Fries also.

(Recipe Source: My Dashing Husband)