Stuffed Red Peppers

This recipe is almost exactly the same as Paula Deen's recipe for Stuffed Red Peppers. Her recipe got 5 stars, according to the Food Network. When I sat down to eat this, I think I was expecting something a little bit more spectacular - especially because it got such great reviews. I would probably give it a 4 or 4.5. 

Preparation time: 30-45 minutes (active prep) 45-50 minutes (bake time)

Serves: 2-3 people

3 red bell peppers (depending on size)

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground pork

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp beef bouillon granules

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup cooked rice

1/3 cup salsa

1/4 cup nacho cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

2 tsp soy sauce

3/4 cup hot water

Prepare the peppers by cutting them in half, cleaning them, and removing the seeds and ribs. Do not remove the green stems.

Preheat a skillet over medium high heat. Saute beef, pork, onion, garlic, and 1 tsp beef bouillon until meat is fully cooked and onion is soft. Stir in the rice, salsa, cheese, sour cream, green onions, and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Use this filling to stuff the peppers.

Mix 1 tsp beef bouillon with hot water and pour into a medium casserole dish. Place stuffed peppers into this dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and spoon the juice over the peppers. Continue baking for another 15 minutes.

Carne Asada Tacos

My husband had an extremely busy week on the week of my birthday. I know that he wanted to make my birthday special, and would insist on making me dinner even though he was working 12 hours a day so I chose something that would be quick and easy and that wouldn't have too much clean up. I found this amazing Carne Asada recipe and knew it had to be my birthday dinner. I put the marinade together the night before so all my husband had to do was grill the meat on his barbecue (one of his favorite activities). We worked together to make pico de gallo and guacamole and had the dinner ready in no time at all.

Prep time: 10-20 minutes (and marinate over night)

Serves: 4 people

1 1/2 lb flank steak

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp oregano

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 cup lime juice (or juice of two limes)

1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a Ziplock bag, mixing thoroughly before adding flank steak. Marinate for between 6 and 24 hours.

Over a preheated barbecue, grill until the meat reaches your desired level of doneness. Remember that the meat will keep cooking for a few minutes after you have removed it from the heat. Let the meat rest for several minutes before slicing across the grain.

Serve over corn tortillas with pico de gallo, guacamole, and hot sauce.

Authentic Mexican Tacos

Lately, my husband has been obsessed with going to taco stands. He goes to a taco stand for lunch at least once a week. So a few weeks ago I decided that I would try my hand at making them myself. Two of my brothers in law were over for dinner that night and WOW what a reaction. Everyone loved them; they even went back for seconds and thirds. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

2 1/2 lb. beef roast

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp chili powder

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsp cumin

2 bell peppers, chopped (I used red and green)

1/2 cup beef broth

1 can Mexican style diced tomatoes

Salt, to taste (about 2 tsp)

corn tortillas

Combine chili powder, garlic, and cumin and rub on outside of roast. Place roast in slow cooker and top with chopped onions and diced tomatoes. Pour beef broth over top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shortly before serving, shred beef and stir in salt. Serve over warm corn tortillas with pico de gallo, hot sauce, and guacamole.

Crock Pot Roast

The other day I went to Macey's, a local grocery store and was looking for a good Sunday dinner. Every week they offer a crock pot meal for a great price. This time, the meal was a roast (which would normally cost $15 all by itself) with all of the ingredients to make it, plus a dozen rolls for only $15 total. I decided it was worth a shot, especially because I have been interested in using Campbell's Golden Mushroom soup again. It turned out amazing! If you are looking for a hearty home cookin' type of meal, this is a great one to try.

Serves: 6-8 people

2-3 lb beef chuck roast

2 cans (10.75 oz) Campbell's Golden Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup water

2 oz dry onion soup mix

1 lb baby carrots

5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

Mix golden mushroom soup, onion soup mix, and water. Place roast in the crock pot and coat with soup mixture. Add vegetables and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Cabbage Patch Stew

This is a type of soup that my mom made when I was growing up. I am always a little bit nervous to make soups because my husband has told me a number of times that he doesn't like soup, but when I got cabbage from my Bountiful Basket, I just decided that he would have to suck it up and eat whatever I was making for dinner. I was actually surprised when he said he liked it a lot and that he would be willing to have it again. Maybe because it was a pretty thick, meaty soup. 

I also have to give you one word of caution. Worcestershire sauce smells really good and you might feel tempted to add in a little extra. Don't do it. It has a really strong flavor.

Recipe Yield: about 7 servings (I cut the recipe in half and we had enough for dinner and then lunch for both of us the next day)

2 lbs. hamburger

1 onion, sliced

1 cup diced potatoes

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 cups water

2 Tbsp sugar

1 28 oz can tomatoes

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp chili powder

1 15 oz can kidney beans

1 cup celery, diced (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat and drain grease from pan. Add onion, potatoes, cabbage, water and salt. Simmer for 15 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and simmer for 35 more minutes.

Shepherd's Pie

This is another dish that is catered to my husbands specific preference for barbecue sauce. It definitely isn't the traditional Shepherd's Pie, but it tastes great and he loves when I make it. Over the past few years, we have been experimenting with a few different types of barbecue sauce. Recently, a friend recommended Stubb's, so we thought we would try it. Stubb's original has a spicy, smoky flavor that is quite different from any other barbecue sauce that we have had. For this recipe, we added brown sugar to the sauce and made it a little sweeter. We thought it went really well with the potatoes and green beans.

1 lb chuck roast

1 tsp minced garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup water

Barbecue Sauce

1 can cut green beans, drained

5-7 red potatoes

butter

milk

salt and pepper to taste

garlic powder

onion powder

cheddar cheese

Place roast, garlic, onion, and water in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. When you are ready to make final preparations, boil potatoes until soft. Using a potato smasher, mash them and add butter, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper until you have the desired flavor and consistency for good mashed potatoes.

Remove meat from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Mix desired amount of barbecue sauce in with meat. Layer meat, green beans, and mashed potatoes. Top with shredded cheese and bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or until everything is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. 

Baked Beef Ravioli

Lately, I have really been focusing on saving money by making things with ingredients that I already have. A month or two ago, we bought a bag of ravioli from Costco. We have eaten plain ravioli with olive oil and seasonings a few different times and I was looking for something new that I could try. This recipe is adapted from one that is on the Better Homes and Gardens website. It was super easy - basically just ravioli with a red meat sauce - and it was fun to change things up just a little bit.

15-20 oz. refrigerated ravioli (cheese-filled)

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

4-5 tsp minced garlic

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Boil ravioli according to directions on the package. Preheat oven to 375°. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until beef is brown and onions are tender. Drain fat. Stir in tomatoes, condensed tomato soup, oregano, and basil and heat until warm. 

In a baking dish, combine ravioli and sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until it is completely heated.

Beef Enchiladas

My husband and I LOVE this chicken enchilada recipe so much! We use it at least once a month. This time, I thought I would try something new by making a similar recipe with beef roast instead. I also had a recipe for red enchilada sauce that I have been meaning to try out for quite a while. This was the perfect opportunity. And they turned out great - we liked them just as much as we like the chicken ones, and definitely plan on making them again.

2 lb chuck roast

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup red onions, chopped

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

Chili powder, to taste

Cumin, to taste

Oregano, to taste

Coriander, to taste

Garlic powder, to taste

Onion powder, to taste

1/2 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine roast and seasonings in a slow cooker and allow to cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Adjust cooking time if the roast is frozen. When roast has finished cooking, remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 green pepper, chopped

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with cilantro and lime

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Uncooked tortillas

1 recipe red enchilada sauce, or 1 can enchilada sauce

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Black olives

Preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions, green pepper and garlic for 3-4 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add diced tomatoes, cilantro, salt and pepper and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in shredded beef. Spoon into tortillas and roll. Place in a 9x13" pan and top with enchilada sauce, cheese and olives. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes.

Classic Meat Lasagna

I wanted to post something amazing for my first recipe of 2012. I actually have a number of other dishes that I have made over the past several days, but I am glad that I procrastinated updating the blog because this one was truly incredible. My husband actually gave it a 10 without me even asking what he thought.

We are really big fans of Stouffer's lasagna. In fact, we were pretty sure that no homemade lasagna could even compare. Besides, why spend hours in the kitchen when you can get one that tasted that good from the frozen foods section at the grocery store? Well, I thought I would go out on a limb and try making my own and I think it actually tops Stouffer's. The best part is that it wasn't nearly as time consuming as I had feared - especially because I prepared it in advanced and stored it in the refrigerator until baking time. It was HUGE so we froze half of it right off the bat and we still had a couple of meals of leftovers. If you are baking for 2 or 4, you may want to cut this recipe in half and make it in a square pan rather than a 9x13.

Sauce:

1/2 - 1 lb ground sausage

1 lb ground beef

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 - 2 24 oz jars pasta sauce (I used Prego)

Ricotta Mixture:

16 oz ricotta cheese

8 oz cottage cheese

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp oregano

16 lasagna noodles, prepared according to directions on package

1 lb mozzarella cheese, grated or sliced

1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large pan, cook meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is browned and onion is soft. Add Italian seasoning, basil, and pasta sauce and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer while lasagna noodles are boiling and while you are stirring the cheese mixture together in a medium bowl.

To assemble, spread about 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a deep 9x13" pan. Top with 4 lasagna noodles (3 will fit, but I used 4 and overlapped them a bit). Spread ricotta mixture over top of noodles, top with mozzarella cheese and another layer of meat sauce, then 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozarella and Parmesan cheese. This should be enough for 4 layers, although the pan might only fit 3.

Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes. 

Authentic Swedish Meatballs

Even though I have made Swedish Meatballs before, I decided to try a new recipe this time. My husband said he actually liked them more than the first ones because he thinks they tasted very authentic. They had a little sweet flavor that really complemented the savory mixture. Luckily, we actually had lingonberry preserves and they were a great addition. I used whole wheat bread, which I thought was an excellent choice because it really added a great texture to the meatballs.

Meatballs:
1/2 onion, very finely chopped
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup milk (or a little more)
2 slices whole wheat bread, in small pieces
1 egg
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp black pepper

Sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups beef broth, warmed
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp lingonberry preserves (can substitute raspberry or cranberry preserves)

Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. When butter has melted, saute the onion until is has softened, about 3-4 minutes.

Mix milk and bread together and let soak for a few minutes. When the bread is soggy, puree it in a blender or a food processor. Then, mix all meatball ingredients together and combine thoroughly. Form meatballs and place them on a plate. I made 21 meatballs, although yours may be bigger or smaller.

Preheat a pan on medium with 3 Tbsp butter. When the butter is completely melted, place about half of the meatballs on the pan - be careful not to over crowd the pan. Brown them on all sides, turning them carefully. They do not need to be cooked all the way through at this point. When meatballs are brown, remove from pan and cook remaining meatballs. Remove them from the pan as well.

Use a whisk to stir flour into remaining butter. When it begins to sizzle, slowly add the beef broth, stirring constantly in order to form a smooth sauce. Return meatballs to pan and turn stove to medium-low. Cover, and simmer sauce with meatballs for about 10 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked. Remove sauce from heat and place the meatballs in a serving dish. Stir sour cream and lingonberry preserves. Taste and reseason if necessary. Pour over meatballs. Serve over egg noodles.

Beef and Bean Chimichangas

When I told my husband we were having chimichangas for dinner, he was pretty excited - until he heard that they were "healthy." I don't know how people usually make these, but I think he was hoping that they would be deep fried. Once he had them, though, he wasn't disappointed anymore. They were great! With only a few simple ingredients, these only took me about 20 minutes to make. Leftovers were great too - we just heated up the meat and fried them up and they tasted just like they did the first time.

1 lb ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano 

1 tsp onion powder

salt and pepper, to taste

1 can chili beans

pepper jack cheese, shredded

3 Tbsps canola oil

flour tortillas

Heat the olive oil on a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and break apart into smaller pieces. Add onions and seasonings. Cook, stirring, for about five minutes until beef is brown and onion is tender. Stir in chili beans and cook for another few minutes until the mixture is warmed completely through.

Preheat canola oil on a skillet over medium heat. Heat tortillas for about 20 seconds in the microwave to soften. Sprinkle desired amount of pepper jack cheese on tortilla and top with beef and bean mixture. Fold sides of tortilla and roll like a burrito. When the oil is hot, place tortilla in the skillet, seam side down. Cook until surface of tortilla is golden brown and crispy. Turn over carefully and cook opposite side. Serve hot with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.

Tater Tot Casserole

Okay, so this isn't the best picture ever. In all honesty, I think it would be difficult to take a picture that made this dish look good. Nevertheless, it actually is. This is a dinner that I really liked when I was little, so I guess it is kind of like comfort food for me. It is very simple to make and doesn't take very long. Maybe it isn't the type of dinner that I would make for guests, but I love it for a chill evening at home with the family.

1 32 oz. package frozen tater tots

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

1 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400°. Preheat a skillet on medium-high. Cook beef and onion together until beef is brown and onions are tender. Add soups, sour cream, and seasonings to taste. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Pour tater tots into a 9x13" casserole dish. Top with beef mixture and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until tater tots are warm all the way through.

Salisbury Steak with Caramelized Onion Gravy

The very first person that ever looked at my blog (other than me) was a nice lady named Mary. To this day, I have no idea how she found it when I only had made two posts, but she has made a few very kind comments that are part of the reason that I have kept up my blog for this long, even though I don't really have very many people who follow it. Mary has an excellent cooking blog called One Perfect Bite. With years of experience, she posts great recipes - some that she invented or has used for a long time, and some that she makes as a tribute to other chefs. In my never-ending search for new recipes, I found this one on her blog. Her pictures of it are much better than mine, so I recommend that you visit her website and look at them. 

I had heard of Salisbury Steak before I found it on her blog, but I didn't really know what it was. She explained the background of the dish so well that I was convinced it was a Great American Tradition and that I had to try it. I attempted to follow her recipe pretty much exactly, although I might have made a few mistakes (for example: I didn't read the whole recipe before I planned the meal so I didn't realize until it was too late that it was supposed to be served over mashed potatoes or noodles. Oops.) but I still thought it was great - very flavorful - and am definitely going to make it again in the future. I hope it is okay that I re-post the same recipe with almost the same wording as Mary has it on her blog.

Onion Gravy:

2 large red onions, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 cups beef broth

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp cider vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Meat Patties:

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup cooked white rice

1 egg yolk

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbsp chopped parsley

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 Tbsp olive oil

To make gravy, heat butter in a large pan. Add onions and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. When onions are softened and turning golden brown, add 1/4 cup beef broth. Reduce heat, cover and continue cooking, adding more broth as needed. It should take approximately 25 minutes to caramelize the onions. Stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining beef broth and tomato paste. Stir in cider vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

To make patties: Mix ground beef, rice, egg yolk, salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and thyme in a bowl. Shape into 4 oval patties about 3/4-inch thick. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Sear patties about 3 minutes per side, or until a brown crust forms. Pour gravy over patties and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm with mashed potatoes or noodles. 

Beef Pot Pie

This is another recipe that I used directly from the For the Love of Cooking blog. I was really excited to make beef pot pie, even though I am generally not the biggest fan of chicken pot pie. I made this recipe on a week that I was really assertive about planning all of my meals before going grocery shopping (usually, I end up running to the store about 3 times during the week to buy last minute ingredients that I need) and I wrote on my list "top sirloin steak" because that is the type of meat that she suggests in the original recipe. In all honesty, I don't feel very confident about my basic knowledge of cuts of meat. I had a hard time knowing which steak to get when I was at the store (although probably a regular stew meat would have worked just fine) so I chose the only one that was actually labelled "beef loin top sirloin steak." It was a little bit expensive, but it had been marked down and I had a $10 gift certificate to the grocery store so I didn't worry about it.

When my husband saw the type of meat I was using for the pot pie, he was appalled. This is not the first time that I have purchased an expensive cut of steak to put in a stew or casserole. I really need to stop doing that. Luckily, there was plenty left so we had a delicious steak barbecue for dinner the next night. Even without an expensive steak, this dinner would be amazing.

Crust (only for the top):

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup oil

6 Tbsp ice water

2 Tbsp green onion, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Roll out into a crust that is approximately 1/8" thick and the same shape as your casserole dish. Enfold in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Filling:

2 tsp olive oil

1 lb top sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 1" pieces

1 small yellow onion, diced

3/4 cup carrots, sliced

4 tsp minced garlic

6-8 small red potatoes, diced

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp tomato paste

4 cups beef broth (divided)

1/2 cup cornstarch

2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 450°. Place diced potatoes in a pot of water and boil for 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the beef and sear, stirring often for 1 minute. Add onions and carrots and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly for another minute. Stir in tomato past and 1/2 cup beef broth. Then add potatoes and 3 cups of beef broth. While the mixture is simmering, whisk together corn starch and remaining 1/2 cup beef broth and stir into mixture until thickened (about 2 min). Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper if needed. 

Ladle the filling into a casserole dish and cover with crust, pinching to seal. Cut small slits in the top of the crust. Place pie in oven, over a baking sheet or tin foil, and bake 38-40 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Mexican Lasagna

Even though I have a number of different cooking websites that I refer to on occasion, I would have to say that my all time favorite is probably For The Love Of Cooking. When I am not sure what to make for dinner, that is usually the first place I go for ideas. While I sometimes make variations of her recipes, or simply use recipes as an inspiration for something that I want to make, I also follow some recipes exactly, like I did with this one. I loved this meal. It took me about 25 minutes to prepare and then another 30 to bake, but it was very easy and tasted great. Here is a link to the original recipe.

Ground Beef, prepared as taco meat
Onions, chopped
Salsa
4 flour tortillas
Refried beans, Mexican style
Cheddar cheese, grated
Black beans
Frozen whole kernal corn, thawed
Tomatoes, diced
Black olives, sliced
Green onions, sliced
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Dice and prepare all vegetables for the lasagna. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break up until it is in small pieces. Add onions and seasoning (although I used the combination of spices on the original recipe, I think regular taco seasoning would be just as good - maybe even better). Cook until the meat is done and the onion is tender, about 6-7 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Add salsa to the bottom of the baking dish and coat evenly. Next add a flour tortilla (trim the sides, if necessary, in order to fit into the dish). Layer all other ingredients, spreading salsa over the top. Then, add another flour tortilla and repeat layering process 2-3 times.

On top of the final tortilla, spread a layer of salsa, cheddar cheese, and black olives. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and begins to turn golden brown.

Beef with Broccoli

Over the past few months I have been totally swamped with work. As a freelance writer and translator, sometimes things are busy and sometimes they are slow, but when they are busy I have to take advantage of the opportunity to earn a little bit of extra money. So, even though I have been cooking and photographing some delicious meals, I haven't spent very much time posting them on the blog. Fortunately (or unfortunately - depending on your point of view), things have slowed down a little bit lately so I have time to share a few more recipes. This is a beef with broccoli that I made sometime last month. It was just another step in my plan to become an expert chinese food chef, which hasn't really worked out very well for me so far. But I still really liked the meal and, interestingly, I felt like the leftovers were even better than the original dinner. I have the source recipe that I used, which I think might have come from about.com (sorry - it has been so long I just don't remember).

1 lb thin flank steaks, cut into strips

Marinade:

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Sauce:

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

2 Tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp water

Other:

1 cup peanut oil

1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp water

Combine the beef and marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag. Make sure that the beef is thoroughly coated and marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you marinate it for any longer than that, put it in the refrigerator. Prepare the sauce in a separate bowl and set aside. Steam the broccoli. Preheat the oil in a wok or large skillet on medium-high. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes, or until the beef is almost entirely cooked. Remove the beef from the wok and drain on paper towels. Pour excess oil out of the wok. If necessary, add 1-2 Tbsp more oil. Add broccoli and beef to the wok. Stir in sauce and the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring until it has thickened. Serve over rice.

Shredded Beef Flautas

Over the past few months, I have expanded my repertoire of Mexican cuisine considerably. Actually it all started when I ordered the "Mexican pack" from Bountiful Baskets at the end of August. It was really fun to make interesting foods that I hadn't ever tried before. Also, I have been surprised at how easy it is to make things like taquitos and chimichangas from scratch - for some reason it never occurred to me that I could make them at home rather than buying them in the freezer section at the grocery store - and I have to say that I highly recommend it. These flautas are very similar to taquitos. The main difference is that taquitos are wrapped in a corn tortilla and flautas are wrapped in a flour tortilla.

1 - 1 1/2 lb. chuck roast
1 cup beef broth
cumin
oregano
coriander
salt and pepper
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
flour tortillas
cheddar cheese

You can bake this meat in the oven or in a slow cooker. If you do it in the oven, set the oven at about 325° and let it cook for 3-4 hours, checking occasionally. If the amount of liquid is low, add more broth. In a slow cooker, it should be cooked on high for at least 3-4 hours or on low for at least 6-8 hours. Once the meat is thoroughly cooked, use two forks to shred it. Add additional seasoning if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 375° and begin preparing the flautas. Place a small amount of cheese in the center of the tortilla. Top with shredded beef and roll the tortilla. Place each flauta seam-side down on a well-greased cookie sheet. Before baking them, brush oil over the top of each flauta (you can also use cooking spray). Bake for 8-10 minutes and then turn them over and bake for 5-6 more minutes or until golden brown. Serve with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.

Stuffed Zucchini

This past weekend my husband and I went to the local Farmer's Market with some friends. In addition to some of the best raspberries that I have ever had, we bought corn on the cob, fresh green beans, summer squash, and a huge zucchini. At one of the booths, the zucchinis were fifty cents each. Although I could have chosen one that was somewhat regular size, I couldn't resist picking one of the largest in the bunch. I asked the girl who was working there what I should make with such a big zucchini and she suggested either zucchini bread or stuffed zucchini. Since I had never made stuffed zucchini the decision was made. So today I went online and looked at a variety of recipes for ideas. According to what I read, I created a recipe using my favorite ingredients and - voila! An amazing gourmet dinner. With artisan sourdough bread, fresh green beans, and sparkling lemonade this was a great dinner (and very romantic too...).

1 HUGE zucchini (or about 4 regular ones I am guessing)
1/2 lb. sausage
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
mozzarella cheese, sliced

Prepare the zucchini by rinsing thoroughly. Cut off each end and slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove seeds and fleshy interior. Be sure to leave at least 1/4" on each side so that the zucchini can support the filling. Chop the zucchini so it can be added to the filling.

Preheat medium skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Roast garlic for 20-30 seconds before adding onions and peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes before adding meat. Season with thyme, oregano, and parsley. When the meat has cooked thoroughly, add tomatoes and excess zucchini interior. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for another few minutes. Drain excess liquid. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes then stir in egg. Spoon filling into zucchini and bake at 375° for 35-45 minutes. After the first 20 minutes place sliced cheese over top and allow to cook the rest of the way. You will know when it is ready because the zucchini is soft and the cheese has begun to brown.

Baked Shells with Bolognese Sauce

This was a little pasta dish that I came up with on the fly when I was trying to save money by using the ingredients we had in our home already. Luckily, we had some pretty good ingredients lying around. I used the jumbo conchiglie (shells) pasta, but if I were to make it again I would use the smaller shells or some other type of bite-sized pasta. The sauce is similar to a bolognese sauce, but just a little different because of time and some ingredient constraints - close enough, though.

Bolognese Sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb sausage or ground pork

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste 

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

3/4 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup milk or cream

Salt and pepper to taste

White Sauce:

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Pasta:

2 cups dried conchiglie (shells)

2 Tbsp dried Italian style bread crumbs

2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds before adding in onions, carrots, peppers, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften, then add meat. Cook, stirring frequently until there is no pink left in the meat. Season with oregano, basil, salt and black pepper. Add chicken stock, tomato paste, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add milk (or cream) and turn down heat. Taste and add seasonings according to preference.

While Bolognese sauce is simmering, boil pasta according to the directions on the package. Preheat the oven to 375°.

In another pan, cook the white sauce by melting the butter in a pan, then adding flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add milk slowly, whisking to combine until sauce is smooth and thick. Season, then remove pan from heat. 

Drain pasta and put it into a casserole dish. Pour Bolognese sauce over top and stir to mix. Beat the egg into the white sauce and pour over the pasta mixture. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bread crumbs and bake on 375° for 15-20 minutes

Swedish Meatballs

Ever since we got married, my husband has been talking about how his old roommate's cousin (who was from Sweden) used to go to their apartment sometimes and make them Swedish Meatballs. They would all pitch in to buy the ingredients and she would make dinner. Rather than eating their meatballs over rice, they would eat them with fried potatoes, and she would also make some kind of Swedish cake as well. I was hoping to somehow replicate the experience so I asked him to get the recipe from his friend. Well, it turns out that his friend didn't have the original recipe, but he did give us this one, which we really liked. But my husband has promised to find that cousin over facebook and ask for the recipe so that we can have the real thing sometime.

Meatballs:

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3/4 lb ground beef

3/4 lb ground pork (not sausage)

2 egg yolks

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 Tbsp butter

Gravy:

1/4 cup flour

3 cups beef broth

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 200°. Also, melt 1 Tbsp butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes or until the onions are translucent and soft. Combine bread crumbs, milk, ground beef, ground pork, egg yolks, 1 tsp salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Then, shape the mixture into meatballs that are approximately one oz, or about 1 1/2" in diameter.

Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and saute the meatballs until they are golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Reserve leftover butter and place meatballs on a baking sheet and bake, approximately 20 minutes or until they are completely cooked. 

Meanwhile, prepare gravy by adding flour to the pan. Whisk until it is lightly browned. Then add beef broth gradually, stirring constantly, and allow sauce to thicken. Add milk and stir until the gravy reaches the desired consistency.