Shepherd's Pie

I have finally decided to make this dish. It's been a few years and it always looks so good on the screen but it's not really what I thought it would be. There wasn't a whole lot of flavor so I think I'm going to play around with ingredients and re-edit this post at a later time. I already know some of the changes, like adding 1/2lb of ground lamb, some more seasoning and maybe chopped garlic and milk to the potatoes. I'll let you know how the next batch goes.

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 carrots, chopped
1 cup of peas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup, worcestershire and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of mashed carrots. Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Michelle's Crock Pot Chili

Now don't get me wrong, I do like the Jaime's Chili, but I felt there was some flavor missing. I took that recipe and ran with it, "doctoring" it up with more seasoning. I really enjoyed this batch and I hope you do too. Oh btw, it's spicy. :)

Ingredients:

2 pounds mixed ground beef and sausage, browned and drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 cups chopped celery
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can of tomatoe paste
1-2 cubes beef bouillon
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 (14 1/2 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chili beans with spicy sauce
1 (14 1/2 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 package chili seasoning mix
smoked applewood salt to taste(it's something we own but table salt is fine)
ground black pepper to taste

Shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, for garnish
Fritos (optional)

Directions:

In a skillet brown ground beef and sausage, drain and set aside. Add the onion, green pepper,celery, beans, seasonings and meat into the crock pot. Stir in the diced, tomatoe paste and whole tomatoes. Turn your crock pot to low and let simmer for 6-8 hours stirring occasionally.

Serve with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

I have been trying to eat healthier meals and from looking back on past recipes, I tend to make a lot of fatty meals. So I have a few new recipes I want to try out and I hope M is willing to eat them too. He has maybe 5-10 lbs to lose, if you times his by 5-6, you have what I WANT to lose, not NEED to lose. Bleh, men.

This wasn't too bad. It needs a little something more to the salad... cucumbers? Carrots? Bean sprouts maybe? I dunno, but it lacked some UMPH. The broil was a bit chewy and it was cooked medium. I knew I should have bought flank but the broil was buy one get one free. The dressing was pretty good, but the meat was lightly flavored after a overnight marinade. I would try this again, but adding more to the salad and different seasoning on the steak.

Ingredients:

1 pound top-round London broil or flank steak, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
1/2 head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), divided, for garnish
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

Directions:

Rinse and pat the meat dry. Place in a sealable plastic bag or small glass dish. In a medium bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture refrigerated, to dress the salad.

Spray grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat. Grill steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness. Let rest until room temperature then slice thinly against the grain.

Combine lettuce, sliced shallot, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl, reserving a few shallots for garnish. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish with reserved sliced shallots.

Chili Queso Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb Sausage
32 oz Velveeta
10 oz can Rotel
1 cup Onions, diced
4 oz(?) can diced green chilies (optional)
1/2 salsa (optional)

Directions:

In a fry pan cook sausage and onions until done. Drain excess grease if necessary. Cube the Velveeta and add it to a crock pot, then pour the rotel over the cheese, and then the sausage over that; stir until everything is evenly incorporated. Set your slow cooker on high until the cheese is completely melted, then turn to low or warm for serving.

If needed, add some milk to keep the dip creamy.

I got this recipe from Kaitlin in the Kitchen but added the salsa and green chilies. My co-workers and I loved it, it had a lot of flavor and was just a good snack. It makes a lot, so make sure you're hungry or feeding a lot of people.

Easy slow cooker french dip

Ingredients:

4 pounds rump roast
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
6 French rolls
2 tablespoons butter

Dash of onion powder (optional)

Dash of garlic powder (optional)

Provolone or Mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions:

Trim excess fat from the rump roast, and place in a slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup and beer. Cook on Low setting for 7 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Split French rolls, and spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Slice the meat on the diagonal, and place on the rolls. Serve the sauce for dipping.

This was a very easy and good dish. I am not big on french dip but M loved it. I didn't use the can of beer because we don't drink any and I didn't want to buy an entire case of it, so I added an extra cup of beef broth. The beef ended up being shredded for me. I suggest popping it in the fridge to cool and it would slice a lot easier.

Easy Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup Kraft Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 lb. boneless beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-1/4-inch cubes
1 lb. red potatoes, quartered
4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, cut into chunks
2 slices Oscar Mayer Bacon, chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. water

Directions:

Mix broth, dressing, barbecue sauce and oregano in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except flour and water; toss to coat. Cover with lid. Cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours (or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours).

Transfer meat and vegetables to serving bowl with slotted spoon; cover with foil. Set aside. Mix flour and water until well blended. Stir into juices in slow cooker; cover. Cook on HIGH for 15 min. or until sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon over meat and vegetables.

Ugh, I did not like this recipe and M didn't like it either. It doesn't taste like beef stew I grew up with. It has a tangier taste and the meat was not tender after 9 - 9 1/2 hrs of cooking. I think I will find another recipe and figure out how to make the meat tender. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of people who liked the tangy taste, it just depends on the person.

Pot Roast

Ingredients:

2- 3lbs Chuck Pot Roast
1 Cream of Mushroom soup (family size)
1 cup of baby carrots
1 med yellow onion sliced into large pieces
2 russet potatoes or 7 small yellow potatoes cut into 1/2 pieces


Directions:

Heat a frying skillet with a little olive oil. While oil is heating, sprinkle seasoning salt (Lawry's) and flour on each side of the roast. When oil is hot, sear each side of the roast in the skillet until golden brown.

Toss onions in the bottom of the crockpot. Add roast on top when done, scoop out soup and ladle ontop of the roast. Let it cook for half the degsinated time then toss in carrots and potatoes and cover. If you put the vegetables in only half way through it won't make them mushy to eat. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Simple.easy.delish. I am not a fan of pot roast that is in the oven with a beef broth, but I really like this recipe. Very easy and very quick to make.

Daisy enjoying some of the carrots.

Cheesesteak

Ingredients:

3-4lbs Beef Chuck Pot Roast
1 Medium Onion, cut into small slices
1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into small slices
1 Tablespoon Butter
A few slices of Mozzarella cheese
Rolls (I used hoagies)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
3/4 Cup Water

Jalapenos or banana peppers (optional)

Directions:

Place your meat in your slow cooker and set to low. Pour water over meat then add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cover and cook for 8 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker and shred on cutting board, removing all pieces of fat. Heat the butter in a skillet and add the onion and bell pepper, cook until the vegetables start to become tender. Add shredded meat and stir. Add salt and black pepper if necessary. Cover and turn the heat to low and let the flavors blend together for about 10 minutes while you prepare your rolls.Place on a baking sheet and put under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes, until they start to turn golden brown. Remove the rolls from the oven and spoon your meat mixture onto your rolls, then top with cheese.

This recipe made the meat more tender than the cut I tried to use before, but it tastes like pot roast on a bun. Something I did not like. I think I will go to the butcher next time and ask for the thin sliced rib-eye meat. The correct cut of meat they use for cheesesteaks.

Weeknight Lasanga Toss

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 green peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1-2/3 cups water
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

BROWN meat in large saucepan; drain.

ADD peppers, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water and dressing; bring to boil. Stir in noodles; cover.

COOK on medium-low heat 10 to 15 min. or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Neither one of us really cared too much for it. It was ver saucy tasting, maybe I didn't get a really good sauce to use.

Jaime's Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound mixed ground beef and sausage, browned and drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 cups chopped celery
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes
Ground cumin
Chili powder
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 package chili seasoning mix
Shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, for garnish
Fritos (optional)

Directions:

In a skillet brown ground beef and sausage, drain and set aside.
Spray large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and celery and saute briefly. 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 the beans, browned meat, and chili seasoning. Partially cover, and let simmer for 4 hours.

Serve with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

I love spicy chili so I buy the hot seasoning and add a little more cayenne pepper. My friend's and I love this during the cold days. I like to add the cheese underneath the chili.

Polynesian-Glazed Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 tsp. oil
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cans (8 oz. each) pineapple chunks, drained, liquid reserved
12 oz. (3/4 of 1-lb. pkg.) frozen cooked meatballs
2 cups instant white rice, uncooked

Directions:

HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions; cook 5 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

STIR in barbecue sauce, ginger, garlic powder and reserved pineapple liquid. Add meatballs; mix lightly until evenly coated. Cook 10 min. or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package.

STIR pineapple into meatball mixture. Serve over the rice.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Jazz It Up:
For a burst of flavour, stir 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel into the water in saucepan before using to cook rice as directed.

M and I love this recipe, M doesn't like that the pineapple in cooked into the dish. He likes to have the pineapple on the side. I don't mind it that way. I will make pineapple rice with this dish sometimes, add half pineapple juice and half water when you create your rice. I don't like instant rice and I have my own rice cooker so I usually use sticky rice.

Steak salad

Ingredients:

2 lbs Flank or Flat iron steak
1 avocado
1/4 red onion sliced
1 bag of mixed salad (I like to use darker greens, it has more nutrients)
1 cup of salsa or pico de gallo
Olive oil
Salad dressing of your choice
Salt, pepper and steak seasoning.

Directions:

Rub olive oil all over the steak, add salt, pepper and seasoning. Grill until medium so the meat stays tender, let it sit for around 10 mins before cutting into it. Cut into thin slices.

Plate the salad, add sliced avocados, salsa or pico de gallo, and red onions. Add steak on top and pour a little dressing of your choice. You can even go without using dressing since the salsa has flavor in it.

M and I love to eat this during the summertime. I usually make homemade salsa, but I bought pico de gallo added a little lemon and spicy chili sauce to doctor it up. Sometimes I make grilled squash and zucchini while I grill the steak. You can slice it up and toss it with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. So delish.

Old-fashion meatloaf A.K.A Easy meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:

1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.

Topping:

Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

M likes this recipe, but then again he likes meatloaf. A lot of my friends like this recipe too, especially the topping. I am not a picky eater but I don't care to much about eating meatloaf. Instead of a plain can of diced tomatoes, I buy the one with added flavors. I put most of the can in so I don't waste much then I add a little more oatmeal to compensate.