Delicious Shredded Beef Tacos

I haven't been posting any of our new favorite recipes because I have been lazy about taking pictures, but then when I want to make them again I am frustrated that I have to search and find them...so I'm just borrowing other people's pictures and getting some posted!

(picture from Jennifer Cooks)

First up is this delicious new recipe I found for shredded beef. I adjusted things a bit from one I found on allrecipes.com and I really loved! Flavorful and juicy and absolutely heavenly when served in freshly fried corn tortilla shells!

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rings

1 (2 pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed

1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted tomato salsa

1/2 cup beef broth

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles

2 jalapeno peppers, sliced (optional)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Layer half the onion rings into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place chuck roast on top of onions.

Pour diced tomatoes, beef broth, and coffee into the cooker over the roast; stir in diced green chiles, jalapeno peppers, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. 

Spread remaining onion rings over the mixture.

Cover the cooker and cook on Low until beef is very tender, 6 to 10 hours.

Transfer chuck roast to a bowl and shred meat. Return meat to sauce. 

Remove onions and serve with meat.

The Best Steak Fajitas!

We have made these steak fajitas from Mel's Kitchen Cafe a few times already since discovering them only a couple weeks ago! My grocery store sells "stir-fry steak" that is already cut into thin strips so it makes this the easiest and most flavorful meal! I get the meat marinading the day before and then we grill them up right before meal time and the flavor is out of this world. I haven't even ever made the chipotle sour cream that she included in the original recipe. I sautee some onion and peppers that have been cut into strips and we also top them with guacamole and cilantro (and a little cheese for some of the family). We have charro beans on the side with some chips and salsa and it has become my kids' favorite meal of the week!
(I provide corn and flour tortillas)

Ingredients:
Fajitas:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4-6 limes) – zest the limes before juicing; you’ll need the zest later
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
10 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 to 2 pounds flank steak
Chipotle Sour Cream Sauce:
1 cup sour cream, light or regular
1 teaspoon minced chipotle in adobo sauce (more or less to adjust spiciness)
2 to 3 teaspoons adobo sauce (spooned from the can of chipotle chiles)
1 tablespoon fresh lime zest (from about 2 limes)
For Serving:
Tortillas and other toppings of choice, like tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, sautéed or grilled peppers, pickled onions

Directions:
For the fajitas, whisk together the oil, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, sugar, cumin, salt, paprika, and coriander. Place the steak in a dish (like a 9X13-inch pan) and pour the marinade over the top, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high (I set my pellet grill to 375 degrees). Grill the steak until desired doneness; 4-6 minutes for medium rare (add time if needed for a more well-cooked piece of meat). Remove the steak from the grill and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
For the chipotle sour cream, stir all the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate (can be made 2-3 days in advance).
Serve the steak slices on tortillas with the chipotle sour cream and any other favorite toppings or sautéed or grilled peppers and onions.

Christmas Eve Prime Rib

Every Christmas Eve my family all gets together for a big meal and my grandfather makes an amazing prime rib. This year was our first to be on our own and making the meal for ourselves. We were quite nervous about ruining the roast, but luckily it turned out great and was actually really simple to do, you just need to allow plenty of time for it to cook.

Ingredients:
5 pound beef rib roast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small cup. Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan so that the fatty side is up and the rib side is on the bottom. Rub the seasoning onto the roast.
Roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Turn the oven off and the leave the roast inside. DO NOT open the door. Leave it in for 3 more hours.
30-40 minutes before serving, turn the oven back on at the 375 degrees F to reheat the roast.
The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees F.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving into servings.

The Most Perfect Burger and Homemade Fries

Since we have been eating out less I have been experimenting more in the kitchen again and it has actually been so fun to get back in the cooking groove. There was a very important Georgia football game last weekend and we decided to make some homemade burgers and fries for the big event. The burgers were SOOO amazing! The kids have brought it up repeatedly since we had them, so I decided I better save the recipe forever! The fries were pretty good, but we have some additionally experimenting to do to get them perfect so I will keep updating this post as we figure it out! (the idea of the rack was great because you don't have to flip them, but I think I used a little too much oil)

The burger recipe is from Genius Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 lb medium ground beef

Directions:
Lightly oil grill& heat BBQ to medium.
Whisk egg in a bowl& add next 6 ingredients.
Crumble in beef & using your hands or a fork, gently mix together.
Handle the meat as little as possible – the more you work it, the tougher it gets.
Gently shape (don’t firmly press) mixture into burgers about ¾ inch thick.
Using your thumb, make a shallow depression in the centre of each burger to prevent puffing up during cooking.
Place burgers on the grill, close lid& BBQ until NO LONGER PINK INSIDE, turning once, about 6 – 8 minutes per side.
An instant read thermometer should read 160F.

The fries recipe came from 101 Cooking for Two
Ingredients:
2 russet potatoesmedium
coarse salt, cajun seasoning, garlic
1 tablespoon oil

Directions:
Start with a couple of medium russet potatoes. That will make four servings. Preheat oven to 425.
Peel potatoes if desired. Cut your fries.
Place in cold water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
Rinse the fries with cold water and place on a towel and dry reasonably well.
Dry the bowl and put fries back in and mix with about a tablespoon of oil.
Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a rack. Spray with PAM.
Spread the fries on a prepared rack. Give a light sprinkle of coarse salt. Bake until golden brown. About 30 minutes.

Stuffed Enchilada Zucchinis

We loved this recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe! (original recipe here) It took a little more prep work than I am willing to do every night but it was well worth it. We had plenty of leftovers for me to have for lunches the next couple days :-).

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini, halved
12 ounces lean ground turkey or ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (seeds and membrane removed for want less heat)
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Scoop out the center of each zucchini, discarding the seeds and leaving the outer zucchini flesh about 1/4-inch thick, forming little zucchini boats. Sprinkle the cut side of each zucchini with a little bit of salt (a pinch for each zucchini half). Set aside while preparing the filling.
In a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook the ground turkey or beef over medium heat with the salt and pepper, breaking the meat into little pieces as it cooks. Once cooked all the way through, drain any excess grease, except for 1-2 teaspoons, and scrape the meat to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Cook the mixture until the onion has softened and turned translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, and coriander. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle in about 1/3 cup of the sauce and spread across the bottom of the pan.
Stir the cooked meat and beans into the remaining sauce in the skillet.
Scoop an even amount of the meat and sauce mixture into each zucchini boat, piling it on.
Cover the baking dish with a layer of lightly greased foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and layer the cheese over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes more until the zucchini is fork tender.
Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top and let the zucchini enchilada boats rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Permalink: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/stuffed-zucchini-enchilada-boats/

Light Sheperd's Pie

I have actually been trying new recipes occasionally again and this was one that the whole family loved so I wanted to be sure to save it. It is another winner from Skinnytaste, my go-to for dinner ideas.

Ingredients:
Potatoes:
•1-1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced
•Click to delete3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
•2 tbsp fat free sour cream
•salt and pepper
•paprika
Filling:
•1 lb 95% lean ground beef
•1 tsp oil
•1 medium onion, diced
•1 celery stalk, chopped
•2 cloves garlic, diced
•8 oz mushrooms, diced
•10 oz frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, green beans, baby lima beans)
•2 tbsp flour
•1 cup fat free beef broth
•2 tsp tomato paste
•1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
•1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves
•1 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
•kosher salt and pepper


Directions:
Boil potatoes in a medium pot of salted water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper, set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large saute pan brown meat over medium high heat, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Add the oil, onion, garlic, mushrooms and celery and sauté on medium heat about 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the flour, frozen vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, cooked meat and mix well. Simmer on low about 8-10 minutes.

Spread the meat on the bottom of casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, then place under the broiler 1 to 2 minutes until the potatoes turn golden. Remove from oven and let it cool 5 minutes before serving.


Servings: 6 • Size: 1/6th • Calories: 275 • Fat: 7 g • Carb: 31 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 22 g • Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 331 mg (without salt) • Cholest: 45 mg

Crazy Pizza

Guess what?! My kids LOVED this dinner!!! That has not happened in a looong time, so it was exciting :-). It is no surprise though, this is basically pizza in a casserole form...what's not to love. It is not gluten-free so I ate leftovers instead but the rest of the family ate up their crazy pizza so fast I couldn't believe it! Thanks taste buds for the super easy and fun recipe!

(I doubled it and baked in a 9x13 pan)
Ingredients:
8 oz extra lean ground beef or turkey
1 3/4 cup pizza sauce (I used a jar of spaghetti sauce)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup sliced ripe olives (I left out)
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated buttermilk biscuits - 7.5 oz can
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet brown meat. Add mushrooms, green pepper, onion and olives (I chopped mine super small in a food processor first). Mix well to combine. Stir in pizza sauce. Remove skillet from heat. Separate biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Gently stir biscuit pieces into meat mixture. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Continue baking until cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Place baking dish on a wire rack and let set 5 minutes.

Kebabs with Spiced Honey Glaze (Beef or Chicken)

I have been wanting to make these for a long time and they were well worth the wait! The week got crazy and I ended up waiting too long to use the beef I bought for them (I am particular about my meat), so I used chicken instead and they were still delicious! I would have never thought to grill canned artichokes, but they were amazing and the spiced honey glaze with sooo delicious! This is a Rachael Ray recipe and she doesn't provide nutrition information so I did my best :-) with it (I used 2 chicken breasts, 1/2 red onion, 1 c grape tomatoes, the whole can artichokes and only 2 T olive oil).

Ingredients:

1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1-inch cubes (or chicken)
24 grape tomatoes
3 red onions, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used less)
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, mix together the honey and cumin.
2. Thread the beef, tomatoes, onions and artichoke hearts onto 8 skewers; brush with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the kebabs on the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally, until grill marks appear, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Brush immediately with the honey mixture. (Tip Set the honey mixture near the hot grill to warm it up for easier brushing.)

Per my best calculations, using chicken breasts, each kebab is approx 100 calories.

Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

(picture here)

These guys were a HUGE hit with the entire family! I got my recipe from Fabulously Delicious and we will definitely be making them again! I ate some of the extra meatballs the next day for lunch with a little sauce to dip them in. YUM!

Ingredients
2 lbs. ground turkey
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (I used gluten-free Italian bread crumbs)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. deli (brown) mustard
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3-4 sticks string cheese, each stick cut into 5 pieces

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine turkey and all other ingredients except string cheese. Mix well to combine (use your hands to get the best results!).
2. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray (or each cup of a muffin tin, if using). Take 1/4 cup of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Press your finger into the center to make an indent, and place a piece of string cheese into it. Roll meat mixture again to cover the cheese completely and make a meatball shape. Place meatballs onto baking sheet or into muffin pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and cheese starts to ooze out. Remember, in this case, ooze is a good thing! Cook them too long and the cheese will start to harden and not be melty. Serve immediately.
(I then simmered mine in a large saucepan with the spaghetti sauce)

Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef on Cilantro Lime Rice

This is another recipe from Skinnytaste...a new favorite recipe spot for me! Slow cooker meals are always a hit for me and this one was AMAZING! I love Chipotle and this definitely hit the spot. We served it on the Cilantro Lime Rice (recipe below) with the Corn Salsa on top, burrito bowl style. Delish!

Ingredients:
3 lbs beef eye of round or bottom round roast, all fat trimmed
5 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
1/2 lime, juice
2-4 chiptoles in adobo sauce (to taste)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp ground cloves
salt and pepper
3 bay leaves
1 tsp oil
1 cup water

Directions:
Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chiptoles, cloves in a blender.
Trim all fat off meat, cut into 4 inch chunks. Season with salt and pepper and brown on high heat in 1 tsp oil. Add liquefied spices, water, bay leaves and simmer on low two hours in a pressure cooker. (If you are making this in a regular pot, you will have to double the cooking time to at least 4 hours or more, covered on low flame and add more water from time to time to make sure it doesn't dry out.)
Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks, and reserve the liquid for later (discard the bay leaf). Return the shredded meat to the pot, adjust salt and cumin (you may need to add more) to taste and add some of the reserved liquid back. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to let the flavors penetrate.
For the Slow Cooker...
Sear meat on high heat in a pan with 1 tsp oil or oil spray. Place all ingredients in your crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes. Super easy!!

Cilantro Lime Rice
1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice
1/2 lime, juice of
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
3 tsp vegetable oil

In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.
In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

Beef, Potato and Quinoa Soup

picture and recipe from Skinny Taste

This soup was deliciously different and healthy too. It was filling and super easy to make. Definitely a keeper!!! (my picture did not do it justice and I didn't want it to deter people from trying it!)

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
6-7 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Badia Sazon with Annato (I used some paprika and chili powder)
1/2 lb beef, cubed into small bite size pieces (I used beef tenderloin)
5 cups water
beef bullion
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp yellow bell pepper, diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup cooked quinoa
6 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Saute oil in a large pot, add scallions and garlic and sauté until soft over medium heat, about 3 minutes. Add tomato, cumin, sazon with achiote, 1/4 cup cilantro and cook another 2 minutes. Add beef, water, bullion, carrot, bell pepper, salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low about 1-1/2 hours, until meat is tender.
Add potato and cooked quinoa and cook an additional 25 minutes. Add remaining chopped cilantro and serve.

French Dip Sandwiches

I've been trying to have at least one crock pot meal planned for the week because our Tuesdays and Wednesdays can get pretty crazy and it really helps our evenings go more smoothly. After seeing a recipe on Melissa's Bargains for French Dip Sandwiches recently they were on my mind already and then as I was searching blogs for crock pot meals I saw this recipe on Our Best Bites and added it to our menu for the week. It was probably one of the easiest meals I have ever made and it was one of the most well received too. EVERYONE ate it and loved it! 

Ingredients:

1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix

2 c. water

2 cans beef broth

6-8 large buns (I say more like 12-15 if you want enough for all the meat)

Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced. (we used provolone)

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.

When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It's hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it's done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melted.

Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

3 Recipes: Grilled Beef Skewers, Sun-Dried Tomato Relish, and Summer Squash and Chive Pancakes

When I saw this yummy dinner on The Daily Dish, I instantly knew I wanted to try it! I love all kebabs and the squash and chive pancakes sounded awesome! The pancakes were our favorite part of the dinner and we'll definitely make them as sides for other dishes in the future. The beef had an awesome flavor (even though I only marinated it for 2 hours) and it was a perfect combo with the relish. The relish was my least favorite part of the meal, I think I'm just not used to the strong flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes, but I did love the way the 3 things complimented each other. Plus, it all looked so fancy together which is always fun :-)!

Summer Squash & Chive Pancakes

Ingredients:
- Canola oil spray
- 2 cups of cooked yellow squash, crushed (from about 3 1/2 yellow squash)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp of baking powder
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp of fresh chives, chopped
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- A pinch of ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Place the squash in a large pot. Fill with water making sure to cover the squash completely.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and cover, cooking until soft.
3. Once soft, drain and set to the side to cool for a few minutes while you chop the rest of your ingredients.
4. After the squash has cooled down a bit, add them to a food processor and pulse until crushed.
5. Place the squash in a large mixing bowl with the egg, egg white, flour, baking powder, garlic, Parmesan cheese, chives, salt, and pepper, and mix until smooth.
6. Spray the bottom of a large griddle pan with canola oil and place the burner on medium heat.
7. Take 1/4 cup of the batter (per 1 pancake) and drop it onto the griddle. Use the book of a spoon to slightly flatten them and cook for a few minutes until golden brown on the bottom side.
8. Once the bottom has cooked, flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden brown.
9. Set the finished pancakes aside on a platter and repeat with the remaining batter until all 12 pancakes are made. Serve and enjoy!

Grilled Beef Skewers

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs of beef of choice, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of salt
- Skewers (I use metal)

Directions:
1. In a resealable bag or glass container, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt & pepper with the beef. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours.
2. Once the beef is done marinating and you are ready to begin cooking, place a grill pan on medium-high heat (or preheat your gas or charcoal grill).
3. Remove the meat from the marinade and begin placing the cubes on a skewer
4. When the skewers all set, place on the grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side.
5. Arrange the skewers on a plate and serve along side the relish below.

Sun-Dried Tomato Relish

Ingredients:
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of frozen (thawed) corn (or 1 ear of corn kernels removed if you are using fresh)
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (I omitted because the tomatoes were already plenty oily)
- 1/2 of an avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1/4 cup of feta cheese crumbles
- Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a small to medium-sized bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, corn, and olive oil.
2. If you are prepping this in advance, refrigerate these ingredients until ready to serve.
3. Just before serving add the avocado and feta cheese before mixing all of the ingredients together. Add the ground black pepper to taste.
4. Serve the relish alongside the beef skewers, and enjoy!

Beef and Mushroom Tacos with Avocado Salad

 

I never get tired of Mexican inspired food, especially tacos and enchiladas, and I was excited to try a new variation. Although my kids definitely would have preferred these without the mushrooms, Mike and I really enjoyed them. I loved the cool avocado salad with the warm mushroom and beef mixture and added a little shredded Monterrey Jack cheese on top...YUM! (recipe from Rachael Ray)

Ingredients:
* 3 T olive oil
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 2 jalapeño chiles—stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
* Salt and pepper
* 2 avocados, cut into cubes
* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (1 1/2 limes)
* 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
* 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 8 small flour tortillas (I used corn)

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, half of the onion and the jalapeños; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; reserve the skillet.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining onion, the avocados and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
3. In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden, 7 to 9 minutes; stir into the beef mixture and cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, lightly toast on both sides for about 1 minute. Stuff the tortillas with the beef mixture and avocado salad.

Sweet Potato Foil Pack Taco

I saw this recipe from Perrys' Plate on the menu over at Cassie Craves this week and thought it sounded delicious and nutritious! You could make them meatless too and they would be just as tasty. I love savory sweet potatoes and was surprised at how good the combination of their flavor with the taco meat and beans was. These are the healthiest "tacos" around :-)!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
2-3 T taco seasoning
1/2 cup tomato sauce (4 ounces)
1 can black, kidney, or pinto beans, drained (I used black)
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups total)
2 T butter
salt
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole for garnish
6 12-inch long pieces of aluminum foil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Brown ground meat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and beans. Set aside.
To assemble packets, spray the foil with non-stick spray. Place 1 cup sweet potato cubes in the center of each piece. Top with a small piece of butter (about 1 tsp) and a pinch or two of salt. Sprinkle some chopped spinach over the sweet potatoes, followed by about 1/3 cup of taco meat and sprinkle of cheese. Fold the sides in, then bring the top and bottom ends of the foil together in the center and fold, sealing the packet.
Repeat with remaining ingredients, placing the packets on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
Makes 6 servings.

Ziti with Meat Sauce

 

I like to throw a more traditional dinner in the mix every so often, one that is guaranteed to be loved and when I saw this one in a recent Parade insert I knew the whole family would love it. I was right...they did :-)!

Ingredients:
1 (28oz) can peeled tomatoes
1 red onion
olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 lb. ground sirloin or round
3 sweet Italian sausages, cut into rough chunks (I used turkey sausage)
1 bunch parsley (I used 1/2 bunch)
basil, salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb. ziti (I also made some GF penne for me)
ricotta and grated parmesan

Directions:
1. Drain tomato juice from cans and reserve liquid. Put tomatoes into a food processor or blender; pulse 1 or 2 times until chunky. Simmer, covered, in a large pot.
2. Chop onion. Saute, using enough olive oil to coast the bottom of the skillet, over medium-low heat until translucent. Mince garlic and add to the onion.
3. Put sauteed onions and garlic into tomato pot.
4. Brown chopped meat and sausage in skillet. Add to tomato pot.
5. Add cut-up parsley and basil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for several hours. Add some reserved tomato juice, if needed. (I added it all)
6. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
7. Spoon pasta into bowls with sauce. Add a dollop of ricotta cheese and sprinkle of parmesan, to taste. Finish with fresh basil.

4 Packet Roast

There is nothing like a roast really...so easy and so delicious! I saw this one recently on The Sister's Cafe and I had to try it. It was unbelievably flavorful and the gravy it made while cooking...YUMMY!!!

Ingredients:
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 packet Italian salad dressing mix
1 packet onion soup mix
1 roast of choice
1/2-3/4 cup of water
assorted veggies if desired (I threw in some baby carrots)

Directions:
Place roast in crockpot.  Arrange vegetables around the roast if being used.  Sprinkle the mix packets over the roast.  Pour water around the roast.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Rice Meatballs

Using rice to make meatballs? It sounded gluten free already, so I couldn't pass up this recipe from Melissa's Bargain Blog! Although Ella was confused as to why we were having meatballs with rice instead of noodles the whole family liked them. I think you could even make them and cook them in spaghetti sauce instead and then serve them with noodles as an easy gluten-free meatball alternative!

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked minute rice
1 lb ground beef
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 t. grated onion
1 t. salt
1/8 t marjoram
dash pepper
2 1/2 cups tomato juice (or two 8 oz cans tomato sauce mixed with 1/2 cup water)
1/2 t sugar

Directions:
Combine rice and all other ingredients except tomato juice and sugar. Form balls and arrange in skillet. Pour tomato juice & sugar over meatballs. Bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

Pioneer Woman Meatloaf

I've never been a meatloaf fan, I mean they just don't really look appetizing, you know? However, I have been meaning to try this one from my Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook (from my sweet mom :-) for awhile and finally got to it this weekend. I really, really loved it. It was moist and super duper delicious...so even if you don't think you like meatloaf, give it a try! Oh, and did I mention it was easy to make too?!

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
6 bread slices (I used whole grain)
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 eggs
8 to 12 thin bacon slices
Sauce...
1 1/2 cups ketchup
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
couple dashes of hot sauce

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Place the bread slices in a bowl and pour 1 cup milk over the top. Let it soak in for a few minutes.
-Put the ground beef, milky bread, cheese, salt, seasoned salt, pepper, parsley, and beat eggs into a large mixing bowl. Now combine everything together using your hands. You will find everything combines nicely.
-Next, form into into a "loaf" and place on a broiler pan. By using a broiler pan, the fat will just drip to the bottom pan. For easy clean up, put some tinfoil on the bottom pan. Then just wrap bacon around the loaf and tuck the ends under the loaf.
-Now it is time to make the sauce that will cover the top. In a small bowl add the ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, and a couple dashes of hot sauce. If you like it hotter you can add more hot sauce. Mix it all together well.
-Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the meatloaf.
-Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
-Take it out and pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top again. Put it back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until done.

Sirloin and Summer Vegetable Kebabs with Chimichurri

This recipe came from the latest Martha Stewart magazine. I've been craving my favorite beef kabobs from a local restaurant, but haven't had the chance to go get any, so I decided to make my own to hold me over :-). I loved the flavor of the meet and the chimichurri was really good. I put a little less oregano than called for and would put even less the next time around (I felt like it overpowered the other flavors a little). Kebabs just always look so pretty and are a fun way to eat your veggies. I made a wild rice blend to go with it and loved it...I'm really loving wild rice lately!
Ingredients:
1 lb. beef sirloin tips, cut into 1 1/2 in pieces
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1 med zucchini
1 small yellow summer squash
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
For Chimichurri...
Whisk together:
1/2 c fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 c fresh oregano, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 t fresh lemon juice
3/4 t coarse salt

Directions:
Marinate beef in vinegar, soy sauce and ground pepper for 30 minutes (also soak 4 wooden skewers in water during this time).
Slice veggies into 1 inch pieces.
Heat grill to med-high.
Thread beef onto skewers alternating with vegetables.
Grill for 7-8 min per side.
Drizzle/Dip with Chimichurri.