Fake Ginger

beef

Balsamic Pot Roast


Are you tired of hearing about how overwhelmed I am?

I don’t know, y’all. I think the deployment may just be getting to me. And I was too lazy to go down to CYS to sign the kids up for free deployment daycare so I just… I’m just overwhelmed by the day to day. The two schools plus the baby (he’s not a baby), the soccer, the football, everything else! This is such a crazy time of year.

The first thing to go is always dinner. Sometimes it’s just seems like it’ll take way too much energy to stand over the stove. The kids are perfectly fine with PB&J but we can only do so many of those before all that dreaded mom guilt hits.

So I’ve been trying out the Reynolds Oven Bags for dinners. I’ve had some in my cabinet for years (literally since we moved to Colorado) but I assumed they were just for ginormous turkeys at Thanksgiving.

I used one of those Reynolds Oven Bags for this Balsamic Pot Roast. All you have to do it put all the ingredients in the bag, tie it up, and bake it for a few hours. You know how pot roasts made in the slow cooker have that awesome texture where they pretty much just fall apart? That’s what happened inside the bag! I’ve never had an oven roast turn out so well.

I wish I’d added potatoes to the bag so I definitely recommend you do that. The carrots and onions were so tender and delicious and the sauce created by everything was perfect on rice!

The best part, of course, is that there no cleanup. You throw the bag away. And you’re done.

Reynolds has a bunch of easy, weeknight Oven Bag meals on their website, like mushroom risotto! Or you can go super simple and make Sausage and Peppers just by putting sliced sausage and roughly chopped peppers and onions in the bag. You cook until the sausage is tender and serve it with fresh bread!

Fun fact: I had a guinea pig named Pot Roast once. I got her after Hurricane Katrina when we were still without power but I still had to go into work everyday. I shop my feelings. Or in this case, I adopt rodents my feelings. Or something. But anyway, I was on the phone with my BFF afterwards and she suggested I name her Pot Roast because she was eating a pork chop that she thought was pot roast. Yep.

Years later, my sister-in-law adopted Pot Roast and another guinea pig who she named Spud. They were very happy together.

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Cheeseburger Mac

I don’t really like to talk too in depth about my kids on this blog – mostly because there was a time in my life when I would’ve been absolutely mortified if someone had googled my name and stumbled upon my mom telling the story of the time I bit a hole in her shower curtain.

But I had to share this one.

Okay, so, we have 4 sports practices a week. They’re all early evening which… is rough. I have 3 kids, we’re on month 6 of deployment – you’re lucky if I show up anywhere after 3 pm. I’m pretty much done by then. So I’m easily aggravated at these practices and yesterday one of my kids was just driving me insane. Purposely, of course. Because he enjoys it.

It was bad. It was one of those fits that causes you to get close to their face and whisper, “If you don’t cut it out RIGHT NOW, when we get home I’m going to take all your stuffed animals outside and set them on fire”.

So after an hour of that, we were driving home and I asked them if they’re ready to have this Cheeseburger Mac for dinner. Two of the kids were all “YEAH!” and then my trouble maker said, “Uhh, did you make it with water? Because I don’t like things made with water.”

You guys, I’m surprised I didn’t crash the car.

The rest of us really enjoyed it, despite the water. It’s supposed to be like Hamburger Helper but it’s a million times better than Hamburger Helper. And it’s all cooked in one pot so you can spend your night watching Dance Moms reruns instead of washing dishes!

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Walking Tacos

Walking Tacos – Fritos, taco meat, beans, cheese, and sour cream layered in the chip bag for an easy dinner idea! Kids love these!

Walking Tacos - Fritos, taco meat, beans, cheese, and sour cream layered in the chip bag for an easy dinner idea! Kids love these!

One reason I’m not 100% convinced my children are actually mine is that they don’t like tacos.

A few weeks ago – you know, when we were 2 hours early for a fair that’s an hour away and were in a town that literally only has a general store so we had to drive 20 minutes to find the nearest restaurant – we went out for Mexican and while I had delicious Tacos Al Pastor, all 3 of them ordered…

Corndogs.

Yeah, this is my life.

So making anything that even slightly resembles a taco is always risky.

We made these Walking Tacos last week mainly because I required a margarita (coming tomorrow!) for Big Brother and I can’t really have margarita without a taco. My kids LOVED them. They literally walked circles in the living while eating them. Because why sit with your Walking Taco when you can walk circles?

We ran out of Fritos after the first night so the next day, they put the rest of the taco meat on Cool Ranch Doritos.

These are super simple and are perfect for feeding a crowd. If you serve them with plastic utensils, you’ll have no clean-up to do!

Walking Tacos - Fritos, taco meat, beans, cheese, and sour cream layered in the chip bag for an easy dinner idea! Kids love these!

How To Make Walking Tacos

  • Cook ground beef until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks
  • Add taco seasoning, black pepper, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and beans
  • Simmer mixture until thickened
  • To assemble, add beef mixture over top of Fritos in small bags
  • Add shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions
  • Enjoy immediately!

What To Serve With Walking Tacos

I think Walking Tacos are a meal all their own but my Restaurant-Style Salsa or Queso would be delicious toppings for them. My Grilled Corn Guacamole is another great option! 

If you want a side dish, my Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice or Roasted Corn with Parmesan and Lime are both delicious! 

More Taco Recipes

Make sure you subscribe to my email list to get all my new recipes delivered right to your inbox!

You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest for even more! 

Walking Tacos - Fritos, taco meat, beans, cheese, and sour cream layered in the chip bag for an easy dinner idea! Kids love these!

Yield: 6 servings

Walking Tacos

Walking Tacos

adapted from Taste of Home

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 1.25 ounce taco seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilis
  • 1 15 ounce can Ranch Style beans (pinto beans in seasoned tomato sauce)
  • 6 1 ounce packages corn chips
  • shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add beef and cook 6 - 8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles. Drain if necessary. Stir in the taco seasoning mix, pepper, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a boil; simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally.
  2. Just before serving, open corn chip bags. Add beef mixture and desired toppings. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 466Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1711mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 29g

Did you make this recipe?

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© Amanda Livesay

Colorado Omelet Burger

Colorado Omelet Burgers – everything you love about a Colorado Omelet as a burger. Bacon, sautéed green peppers and onions, white cheddar cheese, and a yolky egg on top. And then you pour salsa all over it.

Colorado Omelet Burgers - everything you love about a Colorado Omelet as a burger. Bacon, sautéed green peppers and onions, white cheddar cheese, and a yolky egg on top. And then you pour salsa all over it.

Umm.

I’m sorry for clogging your arteries first thing in the morning.

See, this is why I stick to pretty basic stuff on the blog. Because when someone gives me permission to go nuts, I do.

This is all Kita’s fault. She has been hosting an epic Burger Month and literally said to us “Make it epic!”

So. Much. Pressure.

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Classic Cheeseburger #SayCheeseburger

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

We are approaching one of my favorite seasons: burger season!

I just love that time of year. The sun stays up a little longer which means you have extra time to get your burgers grilled and it’s just warm enough to enjoy your burger on the back porch.

We had snow two days ago. So yeah, I’m ready to #SayCheeseburger!

That also explains why I made my burgers on the stove instead of the grill. But you can definitely grill them if you’ve already escaped winter!

I went to Walmart earlier in the week with a mission to get ingredients for a classic cheeseburger. I think everyone in the world has a different opinion on what a classic cheeseburger includes. For me, the classic cheeseburger is meat, cheese, and veggies.

And bacon.

Bacon’s a classic, right?

So I picked up everything I needed including Kraft Lite Mayo and Velveeta Slices. If you haven’t tried the Velveeta Slices on a grilled cheese, please do me a favor and go buy some now. I won’t make a grilled cheese without it!

But this is about burgers.

I think burgers get better the more stuff you put on them so I loaded mine up. But you can, of course, leave stuff off or add more. I left the burger patties themselves pretty plain – just ground chuck, salt, and pepper – so add whatever flavor you want on top!

My trick for keeping bacon from sliding right off your burger? Put the bacon on top of the burger and the cheese on top of the bacon. The cheese gets gooey and melty and keeps the bacon in place! 

What’s YOUR idea of the Classic Cheeseburger?

Print
Classic Cheeseburger
Servings: 8 burgers
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds ground chuck
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 8 sliced bacon cooked
  • 1/2 cup Kraft Lite Mayonnaise
  • 8 Velveeta slices
  • 8 burger buns
  • lettuce tomato, pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard
Instructions
  1. Divide the ground chuck into 8 even portions. Shape each portion into about 3/4 inch-thick burger. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a tablespoon of the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add 3 burgers and cook until deeply browned, about 3 minutes. Flip over and cook until done, another 4 or 5 minutes.
  3. Top each burger with a slice of bacon and then a slice of Velveeta. Cover and heat another minute, just until cheese in melted. Remove to plate and repeat with remaining canola oil and burgers.
  4. To assemble burgers, spread about 1 tablespoon of Kraft Lite Mayonnaise on each bun. Top with bacon and Velveeta-covered burger. Add other toppings as desired.

I have written this post as part of #CollectiveBias.

Company Pot Roast

One of my favorite things in the world to cook is pot roast. I don’t even like it much as far as eating it but I just love making it. I think there is just something so satisfying – and I realize this makes me a weirdo – about cooking a big roast with all the veggies arranged around it.

This one is different from my usual roasts because it’s not cooked in the slow cooker. It’s browned and then cooked in the oven for a couple hours. It doesn’t have that falling-apart quality that slow cooker roasts have but it tastes so much better!

I have made this recipe so many times over the years and my husband goes nuts for it each time. At the end of the recipe, you actually make a sauce for it but because I go heavy on carrots, my sauce is always bright orange. So you’re not seeing photos of that because it’s just not very pretty.

Just as the name suggests, this is the kind of pot roast you could serve to company and not feel bad about. It’s so delicious and my husband says it’s better the next day on sandwiches.

Three years ago: Bacon & Cheddar Scones
Four year ago: Pain de Campagne
Five years ago: Italian Mac & Cheese

Print
Company Pot Roast
from Barefoot Contessa
Ingredients
  • 1 4- to 5- pound prime boneless beef chuck roast, tied
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour
  • Good olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped carrots 4 carrots
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onions 2 onions
  • 2 cups chopped celery 4 stalks
  • 2 cups chopped leeks white and light green parts (2 to 4 leeks)
  • 5 large garlic cloves peeled and crushed
  • 2 cups good red wine such as Burgundy
  • 1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes in puree
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 3 branches fresh thyme
  • 2 branches fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1½ teaspoons pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1½ teaspoons pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2½ hours, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees internally. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees after about an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.
  4. Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot, place on the stovetop over low heat, and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

 

Easy Cheesy Meatball Lasagna

Lasagna is one of those meals that you really can’t beat. It seems like everyone loves it and it doesn’t require a whole lot of fancy ingredients or complicated steps.

Today I’m bringing you a twist on the classic. Ragú asked me to turn lasagna into a New Tra-Dish with a fun spin. Since I love lasagna so much, I wanted to make it easier and faster to prepare while keeping the taste pretty close to the original.

I’m sure you guys know that lasagna is kind of a labor of love. You have to make the sauce which can take hours depending on your recipe, cook the meat, boil the noodles, and then layer, layer, layer.

In my version, you use the Ragú Old World Style® Traditional Sauce – which, if you didn’t know, has 11 juicy tomatoes in each jar – and frozen meatballs to cut down the recipe prep by more than half! I love using Ragú in recipes like this because it has than authenic Italian taste that I love and really tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all day.

Everyone in my house loved this recipe! I think all kids love meatballs so of course mine went nuts when they realized there were meatballs in the lasagna. The whole dish took me about 15 minutes prep thanks to Ragú, the meatballs, and the no-boil noodles. This makes it a perfect weeknight meal!

For more easy and delicious Ragú recipes, head over to their Facebook page and then stop by the Ragú Better and Better Sweepstakes for a chance to win great authentic Italian themed prize packs, including the grand prize of a trip to Italy for 4!

Easy Cheesy Meatball Lasagna

15 ounce container ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
12 ounce package frozen Italian-style meatballs, thawed and cut in half
2 24-ounce jars Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce
1 pound no-boil lasagna noodles
1 cup mozzarella cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

In a mixing bowl, beat together ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper until everything is combined. Set aside.

To assemble, spread about 1 cup of Ragú® Old World Style® Traditional Sauce onto bottom of a 9×13” casserole dish. Top with lasagna noodles in a single layer. Spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture on the noodles. Spread 1/3 of the halved meatballs out on the noodles. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella cheese. Top with ⅓ of the remaining sauce. Continue this pattern until you use all the ingredients. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over top.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the noodles are cooked and the cheese is bubbly. Allow to cool about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) 18 years and older.  Ends 5/6/14.  To enter and for Official Rules, including odds, alternate method of entry, and prize descriptions, visit www.RaguSweeps.com.  Void where prohibited.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ragú®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Enchilada Rice

I’m int his weird dinner funk lately. I feel like I have literally cooked every recipe in the world that my family would enjoy. I spend hours every week going up and down my Pinterest boards trying to find something – ANYTHING! – that looks good. And then when I finally find something, I always feel like I mess it up and it comes out mediocre at best.

I’ve lost my mojo.

I actually put this Enchilada Rice on the meal plan a few weeks ago because I needed to leave for the grocery store immediately and just happened to stop on it when browsing Pinterest. You guys know I’m obsessed with enchiladas and pretty much all Mexican food and this definitely hit the spot. I was pleasantly surprised that something so simple and so easy could make me so happy.

To make it a little heartier for my people, I got put theirs inside flour tortillas and rolled them up like burritos. They loved them!

Four years ago: Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Five years ago: Fig and Walnut Sticky Buns

Print
Enchilada Rice
adapted from Heat Oven to 350
Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups green enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 11-ounce can Mexicorn, drained
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
Instructions
  1. Preheat broiler.
  2. Cook rice according to package directions.
  3. In a separate oven-proof skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown beef with the onions until no pink remains in the beef and onions have softened.
  4. While beef is browning, stir together sour cream, enchilada sauce, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, Mexicorn and black beans.
  5. When beef is completely browned, drain the fat and add chili powder and cumin. Stir until combined. Stir in enchilada sauce mixture and cooked rice and stir and cook until warmed through. Season to taste with salt.
  6. Top mixture with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Broil for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Steak, Potato, and Mushroom Kebabs

Can I rant about something stupid? Because it’s Monday? And because my husband went back to work today after 3 weeks off? And because the dog has been sneezing every 30 seconds for the past 3 days?

Ugh.

We live on an Army post so in order to get home, I have to go through a gate where a military policeman scans my ID. And they randomly choose to search people. When this happens, you have to open all the doors, hood, and trunk of your car. Then stand in this red square off to the side while they dig through your stuff and/or take a mirror under your car.

And while this is going on you’re going “Omggg, I’m wearing the jeans that make my butt look big and I have 7 boxes of Fruit Loops in my trunk and ALL THESE PEOPLE DRIVING BY ARE LAUGHING AT ME!”

It’s awful.

And guess who’s been searched 4 time in the past week. FOUR TIMES. Yesterday I not only had the Fruit Loops in my trunk but I also had Taco Bell in my front seat and then the MP in the next lane yelled at me for having my phone and it was just horrible.

I told my husband I’m not leaving the house for at least a week.

Anyway. The highlight of my weekend was definitely these kebabs. They are delicious and a super easy meal since you have your meat, potato, and veggie all on the kebab! The best part was definitely the mushrooms – they become extra delicious after marinating in balsamic vinegar.

One year ago: Chocolate Oatmeal Pecan Cookies
Two years ago: Baked Potato Salad
Three years ago: S’mores Granola Bars
Five years ago: Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler

Print
Steak, Potato, and Mushroom Kebabs
adapted from Ezra Pound Cake
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds small potatoes such as red or gold
  • 1 pound small portobello mushrooms
  • 2 pound rib-eye steak
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • skewers soaked if bamboo
Instructions
  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot; add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until barely fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, and allow to cool. Cut the potatoes in half; set aside.
  2. While the potatoes are cooking, remove the stems from the mushrooms and place the caps in a large bowl.
  3. Cut the steak into smallish pieces, and season them with salt and pepper. Place the meat in the bowl with the mushrooms. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and garlic, and stir to coat mushrooms and steak well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  4. Heat a grill to medium-high, and lightly oil the grate.
  5. Put the meat, potatoes, and mushrooms on the skewers in whatever order you prefer. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting while grilling.
  6. Grill the kebabs for about 3 minutes, basting them once. Turn and cook for another 3 minutes, basting, before turning them over to cook on the first side again. Continue to cook on the first side for 2 to 3 minutes before turning them over and cooking a final 2 to 3 minutes.

Beef & Green Bean Stir Fry

My husband has been on a major health kick recently. When he gets in these moods, he wants to be the HEALTHIEST PERSON EVER which is always fun for me because I get a great amount of joy out of pausing the TV when the Dairy Queen S’Mores Blizzard commercial comes on and then calling him into the room. Or, like I did on the 4th of July, sneaking out while he’s napping and coming home with 4 kinds of ice cream. His weakness is ice cream – can you tell?

On the other side, I get super competitive when he gets like this. It’s like, “Oh, you had a salad today? I had 3. And then I put one in the blender for a snack.” Our house is super fun right now.

Needless to say, I don’t have a lot of blog material at the moment. Our meals are quite literally meat and vegetables. No cheese, no pasta, no potatoes, and there are definitely no cupcakes around. I wanted to share this stir fry, though, because I’m obsessed with green beans right now and this was delicious. It was quick and easy, like all stir fries – just make sure you have all your ingredients prepped before you start.

One year ago: Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes
Two years ago: Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Three years ago: Roasted Garlic and White Cheddar Pasta

Print
Beef & Green Bean Stir Fry
from Whole Foods
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 tablespoon mild honey
  • 2 large cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound lean steak cut into cubes or thin slices
  • 2 cups fresh green beans trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup onion thinly sliced
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • cooked rice for serving
Instructions
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, wine, honey and garlic in large bowl. Add steak and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
  2. Blanch green beans in large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain well.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in heavy large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Drain meat well, reserving marinade. Add cornstarch to reserved marinade and stir until smooth; set aside. Add steak to wok or skillet and stir-fry until almost cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
  4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add onion and green beans. Stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return beef to the skillet. Cook until the meat is done, another minute or two. Stir the reserved marinade and add to the skillet. Stir until sauce thickens and coats meat and vegetables, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve over rice.

Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes

 

Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes – smoky and spicy sloppy joes topped with fritos and pickled jalapenos! Easy 30 minute meal the whole family will love!

Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes - smoky and spicy sloppy joes topped with fritos and pickled jalapenos! Easy 30 minute meal the whole family will love!

In the months prior to my husband’s deployment last year, we were obsessed with Fritos.

So obsessed that when we got our first major snowstorm since moving to Colorado, my husband was so desperate for some that he braved the roads.

And then came back home approximately 30 seconds later after doing a 360 trying to get out of the driveway.

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Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli

I’m on a Chinese food kick. Which should come as no surprise to you because I’m always either on a Chinese kick or a taco kick. But I’m deep in a Chinese obsession right now. We get takeout just about every weekend and I honestly think about Chinese food every day of the week. I don’t know what is wrong with me.

Luckily my husband is understanding and my kids love it as much as I do.

I’ve been using my slow cooker a lot recently because my oldest has soccer a couple nights a week and a lot of times, my husband isn’t home from work when we leave for the games. It’s nice to know that my husband has a hot meal waiting for him when he gets home and that the kids have one when we get back from soccer. I know a lot of people only use their slow cooker during the winter but I get so much use out of mine all year!

This dish was absolutely delicious. I really wish I had doubled the recipe because leftovers would have been even better!

One year ago: Sesame Beef Lettuce Wraps
Two years ago: Buttermilk Pecan Pie

Print
Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli
from Table for Two
Ingredients
  • 1 pound beef chuck roast cut into thin strips (my store has packs of "stirfry meat" - they worked great!)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cups frozen broccoli
  • rice for serving
Instructions
  1. In the insert of your slow cooker, whisk the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Place beef in liquid and toss to coat.
  2. Cook on low for 6 hours.
  3. After the 6 hours, whisk together the cornstarch and water and add to the slow cooker. Stir and continue to cook for 30 minutes so the sauce can thicken.
  4. Add broccoli and toss together. The broccoli will cook within minutes.
  5. Serve over rice, if desired.

Smothered Burritos

Smothered Burritos - beef cooked in the crockpot, wrapped in tortillas, and covered in sauce and cheese! So delicious!

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that this past weekend my husband went to a work barbecue and ate 10 hamburgers, 2 ribs, and then came home and made the world’s largest strawberry shortcake. Well he had planned on grilling at home that night but for obvious reasons he wasn’t hungry. So I forced him to go get me a ginormous burrito and chips & guac and I did what I always do – I ate the chips & guac for dinner and saved the burrito for breakfast and lunch the next day.

The next morning he was all “DANGIT! WHY DIDN’T I BUY MYSELF A BURRITO SO I COULD HAVE IT TODAY?!” and proceeded to whine about it all day.

So I made him some burritos.

I don’t really like making burritos at home because for some reason they’re always really dry so I figured this would be a good recipe to go with. It’s kind of a mixture of burritos and enchiladas. You make the burritos as normal but then you top them with enchilada sauce (that the meat was cooked in) and lots and lots of cheese.

My husband was pretty thrilled with them. And bonus: the meat is done is the slow cooker! Yay!

Smothered Burritos - beef cooked in the crockpot, wrapped in tortillas, and covered in sauce and cheese! So delicious!

Print
Smothered Burritos
from Blog Chef
Servings: 5 - 7 burritos
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat
  • 1 20 ounce can mild red enchilada sauce
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes
  • 1-2 cups refried beans
  • 5-7 large flour tortillas warmed
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Put beef stew meat, enchilada sauce, and beef bouillon cubes in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Remove meat from sauce with a slotted spoon and shred.
  2. Preheat oven to 375F.
  3. Warm beans in the microwave or on the stove.
  4. Working one at a time, lay a tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a thin layer of beans on the center of the tortilla. Put a large spoonful of the shredded meat on the beans. Top with a small amount of the sauce that remains in the slow cooker. Fold the sides of the burrito in and then roll. Place seam side down in a 9x13-inch pan. Repeat until you run out of meat.
  5. Top the burritos with some of the enchilada sauce and then the cheddar cheese.
  6. Bake about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Smothered Burritos - beef cooked in the crockpot, wrapped in tortillas, and covered in sauce and cheese! So delicious!

Smothered Burritos - beef cooked in the crockpot, wrapped in tortillas, and covered in sauce and cheese! So delicious!

Barbacoa Beef (Slow Cooker)

If you know me at all, you know that I am a Qdoba addict. Ad. Dict. I could honestly eat there once a week for the rest of my life and never get sick of it. I love the burritos, the nachos, the guacamole, everything.

But a couple months ago I was watching something and someone mentioned how they were hooked on the the barbacoa beef tacos at Chipotle and that was it. I was at Chipotle the next day (after picking up Jack in the Box for my husband), ordering the barbacoa tacos. And I’ve been back pretty much every week since then.

The barbacoa at Chipotle is shredded beef that’s cooked with chipotle peppers, cumin, gloves, garlic, and oregano. It’s kind of spicy but  not so much that my wimpy self can’t handle it. It’s absolute perfection in the crunchy taco shells with some crisp lettuce and a teeny bit of cheese. And maybe a little salsa. That’s all it needs.

This tastes pretty much just like Chipotle’s. I ate my weight in tacos the night I made them. And it’s so simple to make since it’s in the slow cooker. A hundred times easier than taking 3 kids into Chipotle and yelling your order at the poor person behind the counter because everyone else in there is so freakin’ loud.

Anyway.

If you like the barbacoa tacos like I do, you must try this!

Print
Barbacoa Beef
from Food.com
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
  • 4 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 3 -4 chipotle chiles in adobo
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 -5 lbs chuck roast
Instructions
  1. To make the sauce, combine vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt, cloves, lime juice, and chipotle chiles in a blender and blend until well blended.
  2. Remove most of the fat from the roast and then cut into large chunks (approximately 6).
  3. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chunks of meat and sear on all sides.
  4. Place seared beef in the slow cooker and pour sauce on top.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth and add bay leaves.
  6. Cook on high heat 5-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.
  7. Remove meat and shred. Return to slow cooker to keep warm.
  8. Serve as desired.

 

South African Meatballs

For this month’s Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Sarah’s Kitchen. Sarah has tons and tons of delicious recipes, including lots of ethnic (at least to me) eats. These meatballs caught my eye and I rushed out to get the ingredients.

My husband’s doing the whole grain-free thing so I substituted almond meal for the oats but I’m leaving Sarah’s recipe as is. I couldn’t find mango chutney at my store so I used mango nectar which wasn’t my greatest idea. I don’t think it added much of anything to the dish. If anything, I’d use apricot jam or something in place of the chutney next time.

The meatballs are so delicious though! They’re simmered in a mixture of tomatoes, coconut milk, and curry powder. Fantastic does not even begin to describe how they smelled cooking. So amazing.

Print
South African Meatballs
from Sarah's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons mango chutney
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/8 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 3 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in an oven proof pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, canned tomatoes, curry powder, brown sugar and a tsp of salt. Let simmer while you make the meatballs.
  3. To make the meatballs, combine the beef, oatmeal, chutney, eggs and spices and shape into large 2 inch meatballs. Add to the sauce, cover and bake for 1 hour.


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