I don't love heating up the kitchen when it's so hot outside!

Let's face it...it's been too hot to cook!! My husband and I have been eating lots of salads lately!! However, I was really wanting something a little more exciting, so I used my crock pot to cook up a beef roast. I added dried red chilies, oregano and garlic to the pot as well. The result was super tender and slightly spicy shredded beef... click here for the beef recipe.

The 1st night, I used small tortillas...

  

With cooked peppers and onions...

And shredded beef to make quick fajitas- served with sweet corn.

The second night, I put beef and  Monterey Jack cheese in a large tortilla. I rolled it up and browned on all sides in a hot skillet with a little olive oil. Served with my Kickin corn Salad!

My crock pot made dinner for two nights with enough leftovers for lunch without heating up the kitchen!


And for those that need a baby fix...Lucas at 8 weeks :)

Playing with Big Sister :)

Bath time in a mixing bowl

 

Robyn brought him all her favorites :)

We love any meal with Mexican flavors!

This week, we had another meal inspired by a Managers Special at the store! Bottom Round roast was reduced for quick sale at Sam's Club (still had 5 days until it's "Use By" date). I got a $15 roast for $5! It was nice and lean too...so not much waste :) We weren't hungry for pot roast, so I decided to give it a little Mexican Flare!

This hunk of meat is going to find a home in the crock pot, but first...get a nice sear on all sides! I seasoned with just salt and pepper and seared with a little olive oil.

In the crock pot...I put 5 cloves of garlic, a small  handful of dried red chilies, and 1 tsp of dried Mexican Oregano.

To this, I added the browned roast and 1 can of beef broth. I also added about half a can of water. 

I cooked my roast on high for about 4 hours and then flipped and turned the crock pot to low for another 6 hours. The end result...very tender meat that was falling apart as I removed it!

Shred meat and find lots of fun ways to use it! We had it in tacos the first night with fresh lime and homemade salsa. Also a great filling for burritos, enchiladas or quesadillas!! We got 4 meals out of our roast...pretty good deal :)

Back from a break with more food to love!

Sorry gang- I got in a cooking slump, life got busy and I went on vacation. As a result, it's been WAY too long since I blogged last :) Have no fear, I'm back...and ready for Spring to inspire some new recipes!

On my last trip to the grocery store, I found some Sirloin Steaks that were priced "Managers Special". I bought them along with some veggies to make a stir fry. Hubby said stir fry did not sound appealing, so I tried another take on the Philly Cheese Steak.

For this recipe, I used about 1 lb of Sirloin Steak, 1 Green Bell Pepper, 1 Pkg of White Mushrooms (8 oz), French Bread, Cheez Whiz and various seasoning.

To get extra tender meat, cut into paper thin slices and just sear in your skillet. My steak turned out so great this time!

In a large skillet, heat the oil of your choice over Medium High heat. Add veggies and cook until they start to become tender. Then add your meat.

Cook meat until it just turns brown. Don't over cook it or it will become tough. Season with salt, pepper and a little Worcestershire Sauce. I put my bread in the oven for a few minutes to heat while I cooked the meat and veggies.

I'm not one for processed foods, but I did go traditional this time and top mine with Cheez Whiz. I must admit, it was super tasty :)

A use for leftovers that I love!

I always try to make extra meat when I cook Tacos for dinner. It can be re-purposed so many ways!! I often use it to make a Taco Salad or as a topping for Pizza. If I don't use it the next day, I throw it in the freezer for quick meal inspiration another time. This time, I used it to make Mexican Pizzas.

Robyn loves eating these too, but the round tortillas are a little difficult for her to handle, so I made her heart shaped pizzas using a cookie cutter.

Bake tortillas at 400 degrees for about 4 minutes to lightly toast them. Spread on a thin layer of re-fried beans. I usually have these leftover after Taco night too.

Top with Taco meat and cheese. I used a blend of Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese. I made Robyn's into sandwiches.  Put back in the 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes until cheese is melted.

Robyn's finished  heart-shaped pizza sandwiches!!

And my Mexican Pizza...I like to top mine with fresh Tomatoes and some pickled Jalapenos. A fun and simple way to make a new meal out of leftovers.

The search for a loveable Vegetable Beef Soup recipe!

I've made several Vegetable Beef Soups...sometimes using a recipe, sometimes just winging it as I go. I've done some with Barley, some with Tomatoes and some I was just plain disappointed in. Not any more!!! I found the most delicious Steak Soup Recipe...the one I will use from now on. So perfect!

I used a lean bottom round roast for mine and cut into small cubes. I love that this uses celery leaves...such an under utilized flavor!! I love them :)

Begin by browning your meat and onions in a mixture of vegetable oil and butter. I only used 1 TBS of each instead of the 2 called for in the recipe. That was plenty for me!

 

I mixed together my flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Unfortunately, I only had 1 tsp of paprika left in my spice jar, so that is all that was added. It was perfect for my taste. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the browned meat and cook just a moment before adding your liquids. I did this all in the same soup pot instead of using two pots like the recipe suggests. Who needs extra dishes?! I added the water, beef broth, celery leaves and marjoram...brought to a boil then lowered the temp and simmered with the lid on for about 45 minutes.

I chopped up my carrots and celery while I waited for my liquids to boil.

When you are home alone with your two-year old and she sees you taking pictures, she wants to get in on the action :) She took this lovely photo of me cooking.

After your meat is tender, add in your carrots, celery and potatoes. I used two large russet potatoes that I peeled and cubed. Check your broth for seasoning at this point. I always need more pepper! This is also the point where you add your tomato paste. I only used half the can (3 oz) which was plenty for me. Cook another 20 minutes or so with the lid off over medium heat. Stir frequently so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.

I also hate the idea of corn in any type of soup, and this needed some color, so I used frozen peas instead. Add in the last 5-10 minutes of cook time.

Isn't that a pretty bowl of soup?!! The flavor was wonderful, even better the second day. Hearty and packed with veggies. Perfectly yum- the search is over~

A new recipe we both loved!

I've seen a recipe circulating on Allrecipes.com for the last week and I decided I had to try it!! Rice Balls ala Tim. This recipe looked easy and was made with ingredients I regularly have on hand.

This recipe has a lot of elements, but nothing crazy!

Begin by browning your ground beef- the recipe calls for 1/2 lb...I used about 3/4 lb. Add garlic to meat before it finishes browning.

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of cooked white rice, 1/2 cup each parmesan and mozzarella cheese, the ground beef, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, salt, pepper and some Italian Seasoning. The recipe does not call for Italian Seasoning- but I thought it was a little bland, so I added about 1 1/2 tsp.

Stir to combine and let it cool slightly- the cheese should start to melt a bit.

I used a cookie scoop to help me form these into balls. The mixture is soft but will solidify a bit in the fridge- I was able to get 12- 2 inch balls. Place on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.

Beat two eggs in a bowl and put your bread crumbs in another bowl. Coat each rice ball in the egg then the bread crumbs and place on a foil or parchement lined baking sheet.

I used Panko Bread crumbs for this, because that's what I had on hand. Put the rice balls into a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. I sprayed mine lightly with olive oil spray to help them brown.

Beautifully golden after 25 minutes!

Serve topped with more of your favorite tomato sauce. These were absolutely delicious and will most definitely make it into the regular rotation...kind of a cross between lasagna and the filling of a stuffed pepper. The recipe makes a lot and they are very filling!

It really was a labor of love!

I've watched the movie Julie and Julia dozens of times and I always love the the crazy "yuuum" Julie does when she tastes Julia's recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. After putting it off for some time, I finally decided to try it myself. After reading through the recipe at least 5 times, I knew it was going to be a very long process....but it was totally worth every minute!!

Step one- cube beef into two inch cubes and dry VERY well on paper towels. Getting the meat nice and dry makes it brown better.

I like to have everything prepped before I start cooking, so I sliced my onion and carrots too and set aside.

I did not buy bacon with a rind, instead, I chopped 6 oz of thick cut bacon and browned in my favorite Le Creuset Dutch oven.

Remove the browned bacon and brown the beef in batches.

Remove the beef and cook the carrots and onions until browned.

Add the beef back in and sprinkle with 2 TBS of flour, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and put in a 450 degree oven for 4 minutes. Toss again and put back in the oven for another 4 minutes.

While the beef is getting a nice crust in the oven, gather the components for the sauce.

After the full 8 minutes at 450- remove the pot from the oven and drop the temperature to 325 degrees.

To the browned beef, onion and carrot...add 3 cups of a good quality red wine, 1 TBS tomato paste, a bay leaf, dried thyme leaves, a few cloves of smashed garlic (no need to chop) and enough beef stock to cover the meat (about 2 cups). Bring to a simmer on the stove top, then cover and put in the oven for about 4 hours!!!!

After 3 1/2 hours, test the consistency of the meat. If it is getting really tender, start your onions. Put 1 1/2 TBS each of butter and olive oil in a skillet over Medium-High heat. Add in your pearl onions (I used frozen bagged onions, which I thawed in the refrigerator).

Brown for about 10 minutes, then add beef broth, thyme, 1/2 a bay leaf, salt and pepper. Drop to a light simmer and cover for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When onions are finished, put them aside and wipe out your skillet. Put 3 1/2 TBS of butter in the skillet and once it starts to smoke, add in 1 lb of quartered button mushrooms. Cook 4-5 minutes, until browned.

Pull the beef from the oven and strain the sauce. Reduce on the stove top until you have about 2 1/2 cups of liquid. Add back to the pot with the beef mixture, the pearl onions and the mushrooms. Toss to coat and put in the oven to heat through- I cooked mine another 10 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles, rice or potatoes. I felt boiled white potatoes would be the best as this is rather "pot roast" like. Don't be mistaken though- this is 1 million times better than pot roast :) It took a whole Saturday to make- but it was well worth the time!