Winter Staple

This is definitely a winter staple in our house. I love to make it for football games and it hits the spot on any brisk afternoon. Today my hubby had a big day at work and I wanted him to feel good when he walked in the door, so I had the kids ready for naps, the house cleaned up, a candle lit, and this in the crock pot with the aroma filling the house(this doesn't happen on a regular basis =). Sounds good, huh! We thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm willing to bet you would too!

French Dip Sandwiches in the Crock

1 boneless chuck roast (3 1/2- 4lbs- I make more for a big gathering, less for just us)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube (a lot of times I will just do beef broth-atleast 2 cans- cause I don't use bouillion cubes that often and usually end up throwing them out)
1 bay leaf
3-4 peppercorns
1 tsp dried, crushed rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
(I also like to add a few dashes of Worcestershire)
French rolls, split

Place trimmed roast in slow cooker. Combine rest of ingredients (minus the rolls, obviously) and pour over roast. Add water to slow cooker until roast is almost covered. Cook, covered, on low for about 7 hours or until very tender. Remove and shred/ slice. I dump it back into the pot with the juice and just have a ladle for the juice. Serve on rolls (we toast in the oven with Provolone) and reserved broth for dipping. I also like to serve with sauteed onions and sometimes peppers.

I know the onions look not so great in the pic- if onions aren't your thing, leave them off,  but if they are your thing, mmm, enjoy!

Yes, Another Casserole

I cooked this recipe the other night on a night where we didn't really know what to have and I was looking for something simple. I wasn't really expecting it to be something to brag about or to make as a "usual", but we actually really enjoyed it and I will definitely make it from now on. It's beefy, noodley creamy, saucy, and cheesy- and for me that spells comfort food!!! If you shied away from the previous pasta casserole that I just posted because it had too much "stuff" you weren't a fan of- this one may be a little more up your ally. I also got this out of our church cookbook.

Toula's Casserole

1 lb. ground beef ( I used a little more)
16 oz. can tomatoes ( I always prefer the petite diced for stuff like this)
8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 oz. noodles ( I used wide egg noodles)
1 cup sour cream
3 oz. cream cheese
6 green onions, chopped (I didn't use quite that many)
1 cup (+) grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.
Brown meat and drain. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, garlic, and sugar. ( I also added some Italian seasoning in, thinking it may need something more, I then thought I might regret that decision since this isn't really specifically an Italian dish, but I definitely don't think it hurt anything, and may have added some flavor- I also of course peppered the sauce generously). Simmer for 10 minutes. Cook noodles and drain. While warm, mix sour cream, cream cheese, and onions in with noodles.
Layer in a baking dish ( my 2 1/2 qt. Corning wear was filled, but fir perfect). Start with meat, then noodles, then a layer of cheese and then I did another layer of meat and topped with cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes.

I didn't take a picture this time around, because we just dug in and I really didn't think it was much to impress- but it reallywas a good simple, comforting and satisfying meal paired with a salad.

Just the Way Yo' Momma Makes It

My mom was never an avid cooker when I was young, but she did have several "signature" things that I will always remember her making often. You know- it's those things that I think we feel like "Nobody makes them as good as our mom did." So there are a few things I am sure I will always make just like my mom did and that to me is the best way since I never really knew any different. I made one of my mom's old recipes last night and thought I would share- her meatloaf.

Some of you may cringe at the word "meatloaf" and I'm not going to say I blame you. That's why I like my mom's and it is the only meatloaf I have ever really eaten. TRUST ME- I dont' want to eat mystery meat with three colors of the rainbow fleckered through it, either. That's why I love this simple and tasty recipe. It really is good, and my husband (and Bennett of course!=)would agree!

Mom's Meatloaf

about 3 lbs. ground beef

2 eggs

1 cup oats

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 large onion chopped

salt and pepper

Mix these ingredients well (you'r going to have to use your hands and it's going to hurt=) Then mix in about

1/2 cup milk.

Form into two loaves and place in greased baking dish. I always squirt some ketchup on the tops before baking for looks. Bake at 350 for about 1 hr. 15 min. It's always a good idea to serve with some mashed potatoes or the good ole' southern staple-Hashbrown casserole (pictured above) for an all around comfort meal.

Trying Something New

I love to read cookbooks and sometimes I get on this kick where I just want to try all kinds of new and different from the usual type things. Last night, I made a new meal- taking a huge risk- by trying two new recipes for both the main dish and my side. But I must say they both turned out good! I got them from my Taste of Home Busy Family cookbook- which why wouldn't I love a cookbook directed toward being simple and easy =). So we tried these two and liked them both.

Spicy Flank Steak

1/3 cup sour cream

2 Tbs. mayo

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. celery salt

2 Tbs. Chili sauce

1 Tbs. lime juice

1/2 -1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. salt

1 beef flank steak (1-1 1/2 lbs.)

Combine 1st 4 ingredients in small bowl and refrigerate until serving. Combine chili sauce, lime juice ( 1/2 fresh lime squeezed is about a Tbs.), red pepper flakes, and salt- I double the basting sauce- brush on both sides of steak. Broil 2-3 in. from heat for 6-8 min. on each side. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with sour cream sauce (which is yummy!).

*Instead of broiling, we grilled the steak for 8-9 minutes on each side.

If you've never made flank steak, this is what you are looking for. This was my second attempt at a flank steak recipe- the 1st was a honey based recipe and I didn't care for how sweet it was, and that time I used "flat iron steak" which I have heard both is and isn't the same thing. We liked this far better- and Ryan asked the butcher for a fresh cut of flank steak b/c all they had out were flat iron steaks- I'm still not real sure if they are the same or not. It is not a real tender piece of meat, but it holds the flavor well and is budget friendly. All in all we enjoyed this meal- and I was especially digging the corn recipe.

No Recipe Required- Meal Idea #3

We did this easy dinner this weekend, and when wanting some down home kinda cookin' it's good, but it's not for the extreme health conscious, so if you one of those, skip this! It definitely doesn't fit into the current trends of cooking, it's more like what an old school southern or midwestern mom would cook up, but hey sometimes I feel like that!

Minute Steaks
Skillet Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole

If you've never made minute steaks, you buy "cube steak" from the store. They normally come in packs of four and look like skinny beef patties that someone took a punch roller to. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat- just enough to generously cover the bottom of the pan. Set out 2 dishes. Fill one with flour and seasoning (I usually just do pepper and Seasoned salt) and fill the other with your "binder"- evaporated milk or eggs, beaten both work well. Dip steaks in milk/ eggs and then into flour mixture, coating well. Place in oil and cook until no longer pink- about 4 minutes on each side.

For my potatoes, I slice them thin with my mandolin slicer (2 large or 3-4 small is more than enough for two people). Melt half stick of butter in frying pan and place potatoes in. I season them generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I even continue seasoning them through cooking when I flip them , to make sure each slice gets coated since they tend to stick together. I would give yourself forty minutes or so for these, especially if you like them to crisp up! Flip several times to brown on all sides.Yum!

Lastly we did green bean casserole- you know the stuff- 1-1/2 bags frozen green beans (I like French cut) thawed, a can of cream soup (celery or mushroom) and shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 35 minutes at 350- remove and top with French fried onions and bake for an extra five.

And there you have an easy, BUDGET FRIENDLY, no recipe required meal in 45 minutes start to finish.

Dinner Ideas- No Recipe Required

I thought I would try to include on this blog from time to time, some general dinner ideas. Sometimes you don't want to drag out a cook book, measure things out, peruse the grocery aisles for every exact ingredient- Sometimes you just want to make something and just don't know what. We always hate the dreaded "what do we do for dinner?" question. Just making the decision sometimes is more than half the battle in our house. So I thought I would include this "No Recipe Required Dinner Ideas" for those nights that we just need some inspiration on a direction to head.

I have two that we have done this week:

Dinner Idea #1

Grilled Chicken ( we did boneless skinless thighs and I seasoned with Lemon Pepper)

Grilled Zucchini (I use my mandolin slicer to slice them in planks lengthwise and they grill beautifully)

Baked Potato (Just good old fashioned potato in the oven- dressed to your liking)

What a satisfying, easy dinner with little work and even better- hardly any clean up! Also, you only have to pick up three things at the store.

Dinner Idea #2

Shepherd's Pie

Who's mom didn't make Shepherd's Pie when you were a kid? This had been sounding good to me lately so I made it last night for dinner. Talk about a meal with no rules- my mom used to use corn as her vegetable and anything else she could find leftover in our fridge to use up. Once I had Ryan's mom's that she made with green beans and a tomato sauce in her meat. I liked it like that and that way has stuck with me.

So her is how I did mine:

Browned my ground beef (a little less than 3lbs) with chopped onion and seasonings (you can be creative)- I just used salt and pepper, oregano, and some garlic powder. I drained it and mixed in two cans of tomato soup (You can use anything for your tomato sauce- I chose soup to keep it mild)

Meanwhile, I cooked and mashed my potatoes with butter, milk, and some sour cream.

I layered in my big casserole dish- my meat, a thawed bag of frozen french cut beans, my potatoes, and topped with some shredded cheddar and sprinkled with Paprika.

I baked at 350 for about 30-40 minutes.

It hit the spot for us! And if your leftover people like us, you've got dinner for the next couple nights.

I hope the picture is a bonus for you- I felt like a nerd taking a picture of our food, but I thought if it would add something to the blog I would do it =) So I hope you like it. Haha.