Peppered Beef

Today's been a rough day.

While it does look beautiful outside with all of the snow we had fall on us today, inside our house it was a different story. My little munchkin was not in the best of moods (that's putting it VERRRY nicely) and she also woke me up early on the day I decided I was going back to my strict,  low-carb, low-cal way of life which made mommy not in the best of moods either. (Not to mention I'm at that wonderful week where I want to eat everything in sight -- you ladies know what I'm talkin' about -- maybe not the best planning on my part). So....today...rough.

I am proud to say that I did make it through today eating very well (I know the day's not completely over yet, but I think I'm good) but looking at the awesome photo Erin took of my yummy beef on delicious, soft bread and those potato chips is NOT helping matters! :)

This is one of those recipes that has been around my whole life. I have NO IDEA where it originally came from, all I know is it's darn good! It definitely has a kick to it so you can be the judge as far as if it's "kid appropriate" or not. It's too spicy for my 7 year old who does tolerate some heat, but my nieces and nephew who are 9, 10, and 13 gobble it up.

~Leah

Peppered Beef

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Leah

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 6 hours

Total time: 6 hours 5 mins

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 3-4 lb. chuck roast


• 1/2 tsp.- 1 tsp. each of garlic salt and oregano


• 1 12-16 oz. jar sliced pepperoncini peppers


• 1 can beer


• 1 can beef consomme


• Provolone or mozzarella cheese (optional)


• buns/rolls

Instructions

1. Place the roast in crock pot. Sprinkle each side with garlic salt and oregano (to your taste).


2. Drain jar of peppers and pour peppers, beer, and consomme over roast.


3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-6.


4. Remove beef from crock pot and trim off any fat and shred the meat. Return meat to crock and stir into juices.


5. Serve on rolls with provolone or mozzarella cheese.

Notes

The original recipe does NOT call for draining the juice from the peppers. I would recommend draining the first time you make it and then going from there. Also, the recipe as written here is actually halved so if you want to make more for a bigger crowd, it doubles well. If you do want to make this for a get together but don't want to have to shred the meat during the event, you can make it the day before and refrigerate then simply return it to the crock pot or oven to reheat. If you do refrigerate it, you will probably see some hardened fat at the top. It is up to you if you want to leave that in or spoon it out before reheating to reduce some fat and calories. This can also be made in the oven. Simply put everything in a big pot with a lid and cook at 350 for 4 hours.

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Garlic Sesame Spinach

So I have a feeling "Garlic Sesame Spinach" won't necessarily be THE most exciting or reader-drawing blog post we have this year. However, even though its not made of chocolate or made in a crock pot- it just might sneak up on you and become a regular visitor to your weekly menu. If you're like me, most weeks you focus your time planning your main course for dinner and then fill in sides around it. Some are obvious... garlic bread with spaghetti (which by the way I just found a FANTASTIC garlic bread recipe- stay tuned!) or potatoes & carrots with a roast, but not always. Many times at my house sides are just an afterthought, something I figure out that day. So I thought I'd throw a reliable, easy one out there. I usually find spinach to be another one of those polarizing foods, people either seem to love or hate. The "spinach flavor" in this recipe though is mild and out-shined by the garlic and sesame oil. So even if you don't normally like it, give it a try. Maybe you'll change your mind!?!?

I found a version of this recipe in the Food Network Magazine a few years ago. Most of the ingredients you may already have on hand. If by chance you don't keep sesame seeds in your pantry, definitely go buy some. After they're toasted they make great additions to any salad, Asian-inspired meal, or bread. Another fun tip- sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds around the edge of any homemade (or Pillsbury made if you're me) pizza crust, so good! And I'm sorry but I have to make a 10 second plug for sesame oil. I LOVE it...LOVE it...LOVE it. Love the smell, love the flavor, use it in coleslaw, salad, stir fry, to cook chicken breasts in... and it has a strong flavor, so one bottle will last a looooong time. It adds a great flavor to this spinach.

So if you have an open slot for a side on next week's menu, give this one a try!

~Wendy

Garlic Sesame Spinach

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 8 mins

Total time: 13 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 10 c. fresh spinach leaves


• 5-6 garlic cloves, chopped


• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1 Tbsp sesame oil


• 1-2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.


2. Add the vegetable oil and garlic. Cook until the garlic is golden- watch carefully as garlic can burn quickly.


3. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the spinach leaves, cook until wilted. Be sure to stir the spinach to insure it all wilts evenly, this should only take a minute or two.


4. Remove from heat and add the salt.


5. Transfer the spinach to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with the sesame oil.

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Chipotle Chicken Chopped Salad

It was a drizzly 50 degrees here in Chicago today. For February this is heaven sent....even more so if you have children positively climbing the walls by this time of year. Before I knew it this afternoon, our garage appeared to have hurled every child oriented object out onto the driveway. Of course reuniting with these items entertains them for approximately 5 minutes. Then it's time to take the show on the road...or around the cul de sac in our case.



Today's stroll was special. My little guy just recently flipped the switch in terms of transportation. In otherwords, crawling is out. A stiff-legged, dead-armed stagger is definitely in. And I'll mark this day down as his first "walk." He's mastered the smooth terrain of the wood floors in our house, so the sidewalk was a new adventure all together. He actually stopped at the first few cracks, put his hands down, and lifted his legs over them one at a time. It was about as cute as cute gets, with him all zipped up in his little Hanna Andersson Teletubbie outerwear. Oh it's the little things!

So now onto salad! When you are SO ready for spring, is it possible to be "over" that cold weather need for comfort food? I made this salad (a family favorite) pretty recently on freezing cold January day. Maybe I was just longing for warmth and dinners by daylight on the patio, but it just sounded so good. I was not disappointed. I hope you'll find it a little something to tide you over too.

~Erin

 

 

Chipotle Chicken Chopped Salad

Author: Erin (adapted from Cooking Light)

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Dressing


• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro


• 2/3 cup light sour cream


• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce


• 1 teaspoon ground cumin


• 1 teaspoon chili powder


• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• Salad


• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce


• 2 cups cooked chicken breasts (about 2 breasts), chopped


• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved


• 1/2 cup diced avocado


• 1/3 cup sliced red onion


• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained


• 1 can whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained


• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (my addition...I prefer cheddar)

Instructions

1. Mix together dressing ingredients well.


2. Toss dressing with salad ingredients in a large bowl.


3. Serve immediately.

Notes

You'll most likely find chipotle chile in adobo sauce in the International aisle at the grocery store. The only brand I have found comes in a (relatively) small can. Thank goodness, because you never need a lot for most recipes I've used them in. For a spicier salad dressing, add a teaspoon of the adobo sauce in addition to the minced chile.

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Thai Chicken Wrap

Erik and I both love Thai food but unfortunately our taste for all things good and spicy has suffered a bit since having kids. Once in a blue moon I'll make something that I know will appeal to our heat-loving taste buds and make something different for the kids, but let's face it, even those of us who don't work stay at home "conduct hands-on field research in the area of early child development" (thank you S.K. on Mamapedia) sometimes don't have the time to make one decent meal a night, let alone a separate one for the kiddos.

So I was thrilled when I came across this recipe and we all loved it. I'm not quite sure where I found it originally, but I did trace it back to Better Homes and Gardens online. The only place the "spice" comes from is the fresh ginger (and please use fresh ginger!) so it's completely delicious and not hot. I love to make extra peanut sauce and use it as a dip for baked chicken tenders...or just eat with a spoon. :)

If you've never had Thai food and/or are not sure about it, this recipe is a great place to start -- it's easy and a fairly mild introduction into the cuisine.

~Leah

Thai Chicken Wraps

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Leah (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6 8- to 10-inch plain, red, and/or green flour tortillas


• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast strips for stir-frying


• 1/2 tsp garlic salt


• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper


• 1 Tbsp cooking oil


• 4 cups broccoli slaw


• 1/2 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges


• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger


• Peanut Sauce


• 1/4 c sugar


• 1/4 c creamy peanut butter


• 3 Tbsp water


• 2 Tbsp cooking oil


• 1 tsp bottled minced garlic

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan combine all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce. Heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Makes about 2/3 cup.


2. In a small bowl combine garlic salt and pepper. Add chicken; toss to coat.


3. In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; cook seasoned chicken until no longer pink. Remove from skillet; keep warm.


4. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in 350 degree oven while you cook the chicken and vegetables


5. Add broccoli, onion, and ginger to skillet. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or til vegetables are crisp-tender. (I usually cook them a little longer but only to make it a bit more palatable for the kids...I like mine pretty crunchy otherwise.)


6. To assemble, spread each warmed tortilla with about 1 Tbsp Peanut Sauce. Top with chicken strips and vegetable mixture. Serve immediately with remaining sauce.

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Bacon Pecan Waffles

I sometimes think we should change the name of our blog to "All Things Bacon". I'm not sure if you've noticed but a good percentage of our recipes have bacon in them. Its definitely one thing Erin, Leah and I agree on... bacon makes all things better! So it should come as no surprise that my absolute favorite meal on Earth is my Mom's bacon waffles. If its a bad day, or a cold day, or a day ending in "y" I want bacon waffles for dinner. Its funny, I know she makes them for breakfast sometimes but I seem to remember eating them more for dinner.

For some reason breakfast-for-dinner is a polarizing topic. Some people love it and others (like my husband) do NOT love it. If he has a work event or something at night that keeps him away for dinner, I always take advantage of the opportunity and make breakfast for dinner. Its so easy, so quick and so yummy! This recipe is a slight twist on my Mom's waffles. She makes her batter from scratch, although its slightly different than this one, and then lays mostly-cooked slices of bacon on top of the batter before closing the waffle iron. The bacon ends up settling into the middle of the waffle. When you bite into one of those pieces, with some butter and syrup on top, NOTHING tastes better. Its soooooooo good.  These waffles are even more decadent with chopped, toasted pecans added to the batter. I always use whole wheat flour, but you could stick to white too. Make them for breakfast, make them for dinner, make them for Valentines Day, just make them. Soon!

~Wendy

Bacon Pecan Waffles

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs, separated


• 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour


• 1 Tbsp. sugar


• 1/4 c. butter, melted


• 1 3/4 c. milk


• 4 tsp. baking powder


• 1 c. toasted pecans, chopped


• 8-12 slices bacon, cooked until about 75% done

Instructions

1. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and set aside.


2. In another small bowl, mix together the milk, melted butter and egg yolks. Add them to the dry ingredients and stir until combined and most lumps have disappeared.


3. Stir in the chopped pecans.


4. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold the egg whites into the prepared batter. Be careful not to over stir here!


5. Ladle the batter into your waffle iron. The amount depends on the size of your iron.


6. Before closing the lid, lay 1-2 slices of bacon over each section of the waffle. Close the iron and cook according to your waffle iron instructions.

Notes

The recipe calls for whole wheat flour, but you can easily substitute all-purpose flour. I prefer to use baking whole wheat or white whole wheat flour for the waffles. I would avoid using turkey bacon with this recipe as it is too chewy in the middle of the waffles.

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Baked Chicken Meatballs

I have always reluctantly reached for the ground turkey as a substitute for beef. While I have enjoyed a doctored up turkey burger on occasion, I find turkey can be just a little on the bland side.....in my humble opinion of course! Ever since experimenting with a ground chicken burger recently, I am a total convert. It's ironic though, as I generally struggle to get excited over anything involving the ever-popular boneless skinless chicken breast.

But all ground up? And just begging to be mixed with a bunch of flavorful, moisture inducing ingredients? Chicken rocks.

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen. (If you are unfamiliar, I encourage you to check it out. I could spend HOURS browsing and drooling). It uses a panade, or a mixture of milk and bread, to create an awesome, moist meatball. And one that's not screaming for a plate of pasta....I think. Maybe I take that back since these would be delicious along side mud. Most times I serve them with some mashed potatoes and veggies, instead of going the spaghetti route. They would also make a great little appetizer. The choice is yours.....you'll love them any way.

~Erin

Baked Chicken Meatballs

Author: Erin (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup torn up bits of italian bread


• 1/3 cup milk


• 3 oz. bacon, chopped


• 1 small onion, finely chopped


• 1 garlic clove, minced


• 1 T extra virgin olive oil


• 1 egg, lightly beaten


• 1 lb. ground chicken


• 2 T tomato paste


• 3 T parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees, and move rack to upper 1/3 of oven.


2. Soak bread bits in milk until softened.


3. Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 T. bacon fat in pan.


4. Cook onion in skillet until softened, adding 1/2 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and cool slightly.


5. Squeeze excess milk from bread, and discard milk.


6. In a large bowl, combine chicken, egg, bacon mixture, bread, 1 T tomato paste, and parsley. Mix together gently, ideally with your hands.


7. Form 12 meatballs and place in a 9x13 pan.


8. Mix together remaining 1 T tomato paste and 1 T olive oil. Brush mixture on to tops of meatballs.


9. Bake in upper 1/3 of the oven for 15-20 minutes, until just cooked through.

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Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake

I don't cook on Valentine's Day.

Pre-kids we'd stay in most Valentine's Days since it falls during the week a lot and we hated the crowds (never found that very romantic) and our anniversary is the 17th so we'd usually plan on going out for that. We'd rent a movie and order in Chinese or Thai and I'd make a dessert and it was lovely.

Staying in with two kids and getting up and down from the table to get more milk, a spoon, a separate plate because some food is touching another food and they CAN'T eat it, paper towels to clean up the milk I just brought to the table that someone spilled, ketchup, more milk because "I'm still thirsty and I still don't have any milk cause it spilled", another piece of bread because "the dog jumped up and grabbed mine out of my hand!" is neither romantic nor lovely.

So two years ago we had "date night" for Valentine's Day. I told the kids we were all going on a date for Valentine's Day and got them dressed in their "dressy" clothes explaining that we make ourselves look nice for the other person (or people in this case) and that we were going to celebrate Valentine's Day together as a family because we all love each other. We went to "fancy" Red Robin for dinner and had a nice time (and even though poor Erik was coming down with a nasty cold, he suffered through with a smile on his face).

Last year I hadn't thought through what we were going to do yet -- maybe try ordering in again? -- and the kids asked me, "Are we going to have a date night again?!?!" So, now it is our tradition to have "family date night" on Valentine's Day.  I'll probably make this cake for us to come home to.

I haven't made this dessert for Valentine's Day yet, but as I was thinking of an apropos post for this week, it was the first recipe that came to my mind. I had seen it on "Dessert First" from Anne Thornton and made it once before to high praise. It kind of has the same idea as a molten lava cake, but it is MUCH easier to make. I was actually a little bit  upset when I realized how easy it was and how stinkin' good it was because it calls for ingredients that you have in your house all the time and I knew it would NOT be good  for my waistline. The title may be a bit deceiving...it is NOT a pudding recipe, but more like a brownie had a three-way with chocolate cake and some sort of delicious bread pudding and somehow had a baby with all three parts. (Romantic, huh?)

It. Is. Divine.

It's perfect whether it's for a  romantic dinner with just you and your loved one, a nice surprise treat after a weekday dinner for the whole family, or if you want to impress your friends or in-laws at a dinner party. It is sure to please anyone who likes chocolate -- and, really, is there any other kind of person?

~Leah

Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Leah (from Anne Thornton)

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar


• 1 cup all-purpose flour


• 1/4 cup cocoa powder


• 2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt


• 1/2 cup milk


• 1/3 cup butter, melted


• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


• Topping:


• 1/2 cup granulated sugar


• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar


• 1/4 cup cocoa powder


• 1 1/4 cups hot water


• ice cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


2. For the cake: Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the milk, butter and vanilla. Stir together until smooth with a wooden spoon or spatula.


3. Pour the batter into an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Use an offset spatula to level into pan.


4. For the topping: Whisk together the sugars and cocoa and sprinkle it evenly over the batter. Pour the hot water over the top, resist the temptation to stir it into the batter.


5. Bake about 30 minutes, you want the center to bubble and look almost set, almost like a way undercooked brownie.(It will even jiggle a little bit!). Take out of the oven and let stand 15 minutes. Serve in dessert dishes, spooning sauce from bottom of pan over top. Serve with ice cream.

Notes

Yes, you pour the hot water on top and LEAVE IT ALONE! And, yes, it will NOT look done when you take it out. :)

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