BBQ Beef Sandwiches

If you ask my mother-in-law Shirlene, she'll tell you she's not a great cook. I however respectfully disagree. She's one of those people who have found a few recipes that are really good and sticks with them. That doesn't make you a bad cook, it makes you a smart one! I on the other hand, am an ADD cook. I can't ever focus on one thing and try new recipes all the time. The problem with my method is that there are LOTS of epic fails! This recipe comes from my mother-in-laws consistently awesome arsenal, with only a few small changes. Interestingly enough the changes weren't made by me- they were made by my husband. Considering the last meal my husband made me was pork chops, french fries & rice (whoa carbs) I was SUPER impressed!

I LOVE these BBQs. Before I tasted them I was solidly on the Manwich train. Its probably the only type of sloppy joe I'd ever eaten. After I tried this version I've not made any other recipe. These are very sweet so your kids will love them. You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe and throw it in a crock pot for a party. My wonderful mother-in-law will make a batch of the meat for me and I'll freeze it for later meals. Put it on your weeknight menu for the fall and be sure to thank her!

~Wendy

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Wendy (from Shirlene Peterson)

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)


• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped


• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped


• 1 1/2 c. ketchup


• 2/3 c. brown sugar


• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce


• 1 tsp chili powder

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef (or ground turkey) in a skillet over medium high heat until slightly cooked but still pink, 2-3 minutes. Add in the celery and onion, continue cooking until the meat is cooked through


2. Drain any grease


3. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder to the skillet and turn the heat down to medium-low, stir until fully combined


4. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently letting the flavors combine.


5. Remove from heat and serve on hamburger buns.

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Sausage and Macaroni Dinner

I'm never moving again. Someone please remind me I said that.

We are finally settled in our new house but the work just won't quit. Not only do the stack of boxes in the corner need some attention, but so does the over-flowing basket of laundry my family still insists on accumulating.

However, we are slowly working our way towards our new normal. School started last week too, so I hope that my 2 hours of solitude each day (while baby sleeps) will prove productive. As you can imagine, my cooking has suffered immensely during these past few weeks of unpacking. I'm anxious to get settled in my new kitchen and start trying some of the recipes that have been piling up on my Pinterest boards.

This recipe has been a staple in my meal rotation. My mom cut it out of the Chicago Tribune at least 10 years ago. I love it because 1, it's super easy. And 2, because it's just a little different in terms of flavor. But of course, not so "out there" as to repel my children. They love this dish. It also lends itself to a little sneaking-in-of-the-veggies, as some shredded zucchini would definitely go undetected. If you've never bought chili sauce, you'll find it in the general vicinity of ketchup and usually right next to the shrimp cocktail sauce at the grocery store. As a whole the dish is relatively mild, so I often use the spicier version of turkey Italian sausage. If mild is what you are after, then plain ground beef or turkey would be great too. Enjoy!

~Erin

Sausage and Macaroni Dinner

Author: Erin

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground Italian sausage


• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped


• 1/2 onion, chopped


• 2 c. dry macaroni noodles (about 8 oz.)


• 2 c. water


• 1 c. evaporated milk


• 1 c. chili sauce


• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, combine sausage, pepper, and onion. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. When meat is no longer pink drain any excess liquid.


2. Add water and macaroni noodles to meat mixture and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook for 14-16 minutes until pasta is tender.


3. Remove pan from heat and stir in evaporated milk and chili sauce.


4. Sprinkle with cheese and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes or so until cheese has melted.

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90-Minute Cinnamon Rolls

I just hit the one year anniversary of the day I left "Corporate America" to stay home with my little munchkins. What a year it has been! Trading in meetings, hotel stays and business dinners for potty training, play dates, and peanut butter & jelly three times a day has been an adjustment. I've been so grateful for the time I've gotten to spend with my kids, but it has not always been easy. This stay-at-home-mom business is tough!! One of the biggest lessons learned is that other stay-at-home-moms really do help you keep your sanity!

I've been blessed to meet some GREAT moms in my new community. Our daily/weekly play dates not only give me a chance to talk about something other than Team Umizoomi, they also remind me that I'm not the only one who struggles with kids who won't listen, who always seem to do the EXACT opposite of what you say, who melt down no matter how many warnings they get that its almost time to leave the park. They make me feel almost normal! And I love, love, love them for that. Last year when we moved to a new town, I decided to join an online moms group. One of the first moms I met had newly moved to Illinois from Canada with her family. Over the past year we've had a lot of play dates and every time she brings a dish to share I recipe stalk her. I swear, everything Bridget makes is AWESOME. She brought these cinnamon rolls to several of the groups get-togethers before I asked for the recipe. Not because they weren't awesome, only because I can't drool over every recipe- it would get a little weird. Sorry Bridget! :)



 

These are DELICIOUS and relatively FAST and have CREAM CHEESE FROSTING! That's really all I should have written. What else do you need to know? They're great for a group get together or for your family. You could easily freeze half of them for serving later. Or eat them all at once...like I would do! Thank you Bridget for the recipe! Wait til you guys get her chocolate chip cookie recipe...SO good....

~Wendy

Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 60 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 1 hour 25 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 3/4 c milk


• 1/4 c margarine, softened


• 3 1/4 c all-purpose flour


• 1 pckg instant yeast


• 1/4 c white sugar


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/4 c water


• 1 egg


• 1 c brown sugar, packed


• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon


• 1/2 c margarine, softened


• Cream Cheese Frosting


• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened


• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened


• 2 cups powdered sugar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).


2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in margarine; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.


3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.


4. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.


5. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.


6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, softened margarine.


7. Roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. Spread dough with margarine/sugar mixture.


8. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up in 9x13 greased pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.


9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through the center.

For the frosting-

1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Spread on the cinnamon rolls once cooled to slightly-warm.

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Guacamole Salad

I did not like avocado until I was in my 20s. Which, if you know me today, seems insane since I eat at least 3-4 a week. I think I had had some once or twice when I was little and didn't like it and proceeded to never try it again -- well, not NEVER obviously, but not for a very very long time. Even when I'd be at some great Mexican joint with girlfriends sipping (mutiple-ish) margaritas and there was what was purported to be unbelievable guacamole, I would say, "I don't like avocado" and I'd be met with that wide-eyed, open-mouthed gape every. single. time.

It wasn't until my boyfriend of five years and I went on our first vacation together to Mexico in 2000 (where he became my fiancé and the rest is history) that I even gave avocado/guacamole a shot. It was out of sheer desperation. We had gone on one of those ATV tours through the jungle and on the ocean and there was a rest stop with refreshments and snacks. I was really hungry (hanging on to the waist of your man trying to hold on and not get flung into the jungle to live with the monkeys while he's zipping around and he's 6' and you're 5'1" is hard work!). The only "snacks" that were there were actually "snack"...some chips that were topped with some fresh guacamole. I was so annoyed! But hunger gave in and I thought, I'll just try one. ..... Not three seconds later I was debating which would be worse: Shoving my face onto the platter a la Randy in "A Christmas Story" or dumping them all down my shirt and taking off on the ATV.

And so the love affair began.
With my husband too. ;)

I watched Rachel Ray make this on "30 Minute Meals" years ago and thought "I've gotta try that!" (being a new avocado worshipper and all) and I've never stopped making it. It is so delicious and I love that I can have "guacamole" without the chips sometimes!

~Leah

Guacamole Salad

Recipe Type: Salad

Author: Leah (from Rachel Ray)

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 medium avocados, pitted and sliced


• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped


• 1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, chopped


• 1/2 red onion, sliced


• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped


• 3 Tbsp lemon juice


• 1 small clove garlic, chopped


• A few drops hot sauce


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Arrange vegetables on platter. Mix lemon and garlic, hot sauce and salt. Stream in extra-virgin olive oil while whisking dressing. Pour lemon dressing over the salad and serve.

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Key Lime Pound Cake

I promise we'll get back to giving you some great dinner recipes soon, but I have to share one more dessert! I have to get this one in there before the summer passes us by. My son starts Kindergarten next week. Doesn't August 14th sound too early for school to start? It does to me. It means summer is almost over, which seems CRAZY. It just started!! Here in Chicago-land the weather is likely to only stay warm for another few weeks. So if you have another BBQ, potluck or family party- try baking and taking this cake. The recipe originally came from Southern Living- a place I typically find can do no wrong.

Its a pound cake...by definition its a heavy cake, but the lime taste in the cake and in the glaze make it taste light. Because the cake itself is heavy, you can get away with serving small slices so this recipe can feed a crowd. Its called a "Key Lime" cake, but I never buy key limes, I just use regular limes- either will work. The last time I made it I ended up cutting half of the cake up into chunks, wrapping them in plastic wrap and then putting them in freezer bags in the freezer. When I wanted to serve them I thawed them in the refrigerator and made a fresh glaze. They tasted great!

I hope you get a chance to give it a try!

~Wendy

 

Key Lime Pound Cake

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Wendy- Adapted from Southern Living

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 20 mins

Total time: 1 hour 40 mins

Serves: 12-16

Ingredients

• 1 c butter, softened


• 1/2 c shortening


• 2 c sugar


• 6 large eggs


• 3 c all-purpose flour


• 1/2 tsp baking powder


• 1/8 tsp salt


• 1 c milk


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 1 tsp lime zest


• 1/4 c fresh lime juice


• Key Lime Glaze


• 1 c powdered sugar


• 3 Tbsp lime juice


• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°.


2. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.


3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.


4. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.


5. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice.


6. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan.


7. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.


8. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack


9. Prepare Key Lime Glaze by combining the three ingredients and stirring until smooth, and immediately brush over top and sides of cake. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

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Chocolate Angel Food Cake

I rarely make cakes from scratch. And I make a LOT of cakes. I do doctor up a cake mix pretty much every single time and I really find that it's hard to match the consistency and moistness you get with a cake mix when you bake from scratch.

THIS cake, however, is a completely from scratch cake that's really not hard at all and turns out great every time. And while the cake itself is really good, I swear it's the homemade frosting that makes it. It is soooo good! I (for no good reason) feel like I'm not eating a cake that's TOO bad for me since it is angel food cake, after all...(if I don't think about all of the sugar in it!). It is delicious topped with some fresh strawberries or just as is.

~Leah



 

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Leah

Prep time: 40 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c powdered/confectioners' sugar


• 1 c cake flour


• 1/4 c baking/unsweetened cocoa


• 1 1/2 c egg whites (around 10 eggs)


• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1 c sugar


• Frosting


• 1 1/2 c whipping cream


• 1/2 c sugar


• 1/4 c baking/unsweetened cocoa


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


2. Sift together the flour, powdered sugar, and cocoa three times; set aside.


3. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 2 Tbsp at a time, until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in cocoa mixture, about a fourth at a time.


4. Spoon into an ungreased, 10-in tube pan. Carefully run a metal spatula or knife through batter to remove air pockets. Bake on lowest oven rack 35-40 min or until the top springs back when lightly touched and cracks feel dry.


5. While the cake is baking, combine the first five frosting ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Beat until stiff peaks form.


6. When cake is finished baking, immediately invert pan and cool completely. Run a knife around edges and center tube to loosen; remove cake.


7. Once cake is completely cooled, frost the top and sides.


8. Store cake in the refrigerator.

Notes

I have tried all different brands and price points of cocoa for this cake and I have to say that I feel like good ol' Hershey's tastes the best.

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