Baltzly's Favorite Steak Taco Meat

So as many of you know, I absolutely LOVE the Food Network's Diners Drive Ins & Dives show.  And you also know that our family tries to hit as many of these places not only around us but also when we're traveling.  To date we've probably hit about 15 (I know A LONG ways to go) but one of our favorite Mexican joints was up in Flagstaff, Arizona!  OH MY!  It was called Salsa Brava.

My favorite meal there was something similar to an Indian Taco!  It is basically fry bread topped with really yummy steak bites and served with a Cilantro Cream Sauce!  I was able to get the recipes for the meat (marinade) and Cream Sauce, and I figured out an easy Fry Bread recipe that was close enough to this restaurants fry bread!  OH MY!  Mouth is seriously watering!  This afternoon, I've prepared ahead my meat so that's why I'm sharing that recipe tonight.  Hopefully later this week I can share the fry bread and cilantro cream sauce to complete the taco.  Just only have pictures for the meat.

1 1/2-2 pounds Skirt Steak (Flank Steak, etc)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c soy sauce
1 t cumin
1 large handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
juice of 2 limes
2 T Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 t sugar
1/2 c olive oil

Sliver the steak into pieces across the grain on a diagonal.  Place these beef pieces in a gallon size Ziploc bag.  Combine marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the steak, making sure each piece is well covered.  Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or overnight.  Toss all the beef and marinade into a crock pot.  Turn to low for 2-4 hours or until the beef falls apart.  Serve over fry bread with Cilantro sauce and fix-ins.

Freezer Instructions:  Can put this in the freezer with marinade and simply pull out night before to unthaw and crock pot as normal.

Shepard's Pie

My dear hubby, though not a stitch of Irish in him, LOVES him some SHEPARD'S PIE!!!!  This is a very common "meat and potato" recipe at our house!  My kids too inhale this stuff, and it's SO NICE cause it's "all in one" so I don't have to cook any veggie sides, etc!  What could get better than that!? :)

So, here it is! :)

1 lb ground beef
1/4 c Worchestershire Sauce
1 packet Brown Gravy Mix
2 T flour
1 c water
1-2 bags frozen mixed vegetables
2.5 lb potatoes (red are the best, but russet will do)
1 stick butter
1 c Cheddar Cheese, shredded

In a frying pan, brown ground beef in the Worchestershire Sauce.  When the meat is done cooking, add the dry packet of Brown Gravy & flour and coat the meat.  Add 1 c water.  Simmer a few minutes until the gravy has thickened.  Mix the frozen vegetables (don't need to heat), and hamburger mix together in a 9x13 pan.  Peel and boil potatoes and mash either by hand or in a food processor or in a Kitchen Aid with a stick of butter.  Layer potatoes on top of the meat/veggie mix and top then with cheese.  Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes.

Note:  I DO make a double batch and freeze this dish just before the bake time.  On dinner day, I just set on the counter in the morning and bake as instructed above.

Cornbread

So, not so long ago (maybe a year), Benjamin took me on a nice date to a high class restaraunt here in Phoenix that rotates around the top of this tower while you dine.  AMAZING!  Not to mention the AMAZING waitress we had!  She was just a doll!  Worked hard and sought out ways to make our night more pleasant.  She just went the extra mile!  Such a neat place!  Anyway, while dining in this place, they served us Cornbread.  Not a huge fan of Cornbread myself, I offered my hubby my piece, but he MADE me try a bite at least.  Needless to say, he never got my piece! :)  It was AMAZING!  And I ate every last bite! :)  He teasingly asked our waitress if he could have just one more piece of cornbread and she obliged, and with it, she brought out a card that had the printed recipe!!!  The actual recipe this restaraunt uses!  Oh, were we happy! :)  I've made it a few times since we ate there and every time it's the same, incredibly addicting!  So, I'm sharing it now with you!

1 lb (4 sticks) butter
2 c sugar
2 c cornmeal
8 eggs
28 ounces cream corn (see recipe below)
3 c flour
2 T baking powder
2 T salt
6 oz cheddar cheese

Cream the butter, sugar and cornmeal. Add eggs one at a time -- mix until incorporated. Add cream corn (see recipe below) and mix until incorporated. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until incorporated. Add cheese, mix. Grease pans.  Preheat oven to 300. Bake about 1 hr until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

This recipe yeilds either 1 - 9x13; or 2 - 9x9; or 4 - large loaf pans. 

Note:  This can also be frozen UNBAKED, and baked the day of serving.  See pictures. 


Cream Corn

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 c heavy cream
1 t salt
2 T sugar
1/4 t pepper
2 Tbutter
1 c whole milk
2 T flour
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, combine the corn, cream, salt, sugar, pepper and butter. Whisk together the milk and flour, and stir into the corn mixture. Cook stirring over medium heat until the mixture is thickened, and corn is cooked through. Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Serve hot or use for recipe.

Reeses Dream Pie

HUGE fan of Hershey's Reeses Peanut Butter Cups OR Reeses Pieces! :)  My mom introduced me to this recipe less than a year ago!  OH MY!  Get ready to brew your cup of coffee to go with it! :)

2/3 c peanut butter
1 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 8 oz tub cool whip
Reeses Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping
1 premade cookie crust (Oreo)

Cream cream cheese, vanilla and milk until it's not lumpy. Add the peanut butter and powdered sugar and again stir. Fold in the tub of cool whip to the cream cheese mixture. Put this into your prepared Oreo crust. Top with Magic Shell and freeze for 2 hours. Take it out about 30 minutes before serving. You can also simply refridgerate for several hours before and keep the remainder (if there is any :)) in the fridge.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

An incredibly different sandwich, but OH SO GOOD!  This reminds me of the MIDWEST where my true roots are! :) 

2-3 lb beef roast (sirloin, top roast)
1 - 10 oz jar Pepperocinis (the WHOLE jar, juice and all)
2 beef boullion cubes
1 t garlic powder/salt
1 T Italian Seasoning (if you don't have Italian seasoning, use what you've got, oregano, basil, etc)
salt & pepper
1 pkg hoagie buns (sub type)

In your crockpot, cut your roast into smaller chunks.  Cover the roast with water, just to the top of the roast.  Cook on low for at least 5 hours.  I did mine overnight from midnight to 8AM.  Remove the chunks onto a plate and shred (the longer it cooks, the easier it is to shred) until all is shredded.  Pour the water out of the crockpot completely.  Add shredded beef back into the crockpot and add seasonings & peppers along with about 3-4 c beef broth (made from the beef boullion cubes listed above).  Let stew another 2 or so hours.  Drain as you put it onto your bread (we toast ours).

Ham Balls

Growing up, my mom used to make these yummy ham balls!  For some reason, EVERY time I have these I think of our dear friends, Carl & Sarah!!!  We love them, we did lots of growing up together with Hannah & Paul, they are special people!  Tonight I served them to Benjamin's Uncle Gary & Aunt Karen that stopped by for dinner while they were in the area! 

This is after they've been baked!

This is after I've pulled them out of the freezer overnight and before I've put them in a bag!

Ready to go in the freezer until I use.

1 1/4 lb ground ham
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground sausage or pork (could also do turkey)
1 1/2 c graham crackers, crushed
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 can tomato soup
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 c brown sugar

Mix together all three meats, graham crackers, milk and eggs.  Mix until well blended.  Form into good size balls (I used the Jumbo Cookie Scoop) and place in a 9x13 pan, they can be fairly close.  In a saucepan, mix together the tomato soup, brown sugar and vinegar and bring to a slow boil.  Keep stirring as the sugar can burn quickly if not watching.  Once it's to a slow boil, take it off the burner and pour it over the RAW Ham Balls.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour. 

Note:  I will double the batch and freeze them on a cookie sheet overnight in my freezer, then break them apart and put them in a large Ziploc bags and pull out for later meals.  Often get three meals out of it when I do that and since I'm going to all that work anyway, it's easier to do all at once!!!

Turkey Black Bean Chili

This is a really yummy chili.  Easier and not so heavy on the tummy! :)  I first had this when my sister (another amazing chef) cooked it for me when I was back a few Octobers' ago with my boys.  IT HIT THE SPOT!

1 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. turkey breast
3 (15 oz) cans black beans
1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 T chili powder
1 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 T red wine vinegar

Saute onion and garlic in oil; add turkey. Cook through. Add beans, tomatoes and spices. Bring to boil, stir, reduce heat to low and simmer.
 
Note:  This can also be done in a crockpot.  Only change is to throw all of the cooked turkey and beans and spices into the crockpot and let simmer on low all day.  Can also be frozen and thawed later to eat.

Breakfast Sausage

While I haven't gone "extreme" in "natural" things, I have just recently REALLY grown tired of the absolute garbage that Jimmy Dean puts in the sausage we cook and eat because of "convenience."  I was FED UP and so comes this following recipe for some AMAZING pork breakfast sausage! 

5 lbs porkloin, ground (your butcher or meat dept should be able to do this for you)

4 t salt

4 t sage

4 t thyme

1 t rosemary

2 T brown sugar

1 t nutmeg

1 t cayenne pepper

1 t red pepper flakes

3 T oil

Grind pork loin with meat grinder.  In a food processor, combine the spices listed.  Make them powder.  In a large bowl hand mix everything until well blended.  Divide out into 1 lb packages and freeze until ready to use. 

Notes:  I use this for lasagna, chili, etc.  It's so yummy!

Frozen Fruit Cups

One of my favorite parts of summer is when my mom used to make these fruit cups and store in our deep freeze!  They are the YUMMIEST and incredibly refreshing little afternoon treat! 

2 c water
1 c sugar
2 c pinapple juice
1 - 16 oz frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 - 16 oz frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
20 ounces frozen strawberries
6-8 fresh bananas
32 - 4 oz disposable cups
32 - 4 oz disposable lids

Boil water and sugar together until sugar is dissolved.  Pour into a large bowl.  Add orange and lemonade concentrates.  Also add pineapple juice.  Crush the frozen strawberries or blend just until mashed.  Add into liquid mix.  Place containers on counter and cut 3 or so slices of bananas into EACH cup.  Top with liquid mixture.  Press on lids tightly.  Freeze COMPLETELY in a deep freeze or regular fridge freezer.  Let set on counter about 15 minutes before eating. 

Cowley Homemade Ice Cream

If you are a part of the Cowley family or extension, you've probably had this homemade ice cream at some point or another! :)  It's in my opinion, the most perfect formulated recipe for making homemade ice cream.  This recipe makes the 2 quart ice cream makers worth.

3 eggs
1/2 c sugar
4 c Heavy Whipping Cream
4 c Half & Half
2 cans Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 T vanilla

Beat the eggs until completely combined.  Add everything else and stir until mixed.  Pour everything into the ice cream maker and prepare the ice cream as instructed on the ice cream maker instructions.

BBQ Pork Chops

 Right out of the oven!

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1 T. mustard
1 1/2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
2 T. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
8 pork chops

Combine all ingredients in a small pan. Simmer 5 minutes over low heat. Put meat into a casserole dish (9x13 or smaller if less meat). Pour the warm sauce over the meat and cover tightly, either with a lid to fit or foil. Bake at 325 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Note:  This can also be frozen ahead.  Make the sauce, let cool, then pour over RAW pork chops and freeze.  Unthaw the day before and throw everything into your 9x13 and bake as directed.

FREEZER: Cranberry Chicken

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
8 oz Catalina Dressing
1 pkg dry Onion Soup mix
1 - 1 lb can whole berry cranberry sauce

Mix together dressing, soup mix, and cranberry sauce.  Place chicken and mixture together in a freezer bag.

Serving Day:  Thaw completely.  Place chicken with cranberry sauce in greased baking dish, and bake at 350 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours uncovered.

FREEZER: Angel Hair & Surprise Meatballs

3 lb hamburger
1 c Italian Breadcrumbs
4 eggs
2 t oregano
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 Parmesan cheese
8 oz mozzarella chunk cheese
2 LARGE jars of Prego Spaghetti Sauce (Costco/Sams)
2 box Angel Hair Pasta

Makes 2 meals.

Mix hamburger, breadcrumbs, eggs, oregano, garlic & Parmesan cheese. Take a handful of meat (or a LARGE Pampered Chef cookie scoop) and put a cube of mozzarella cheese in the middle and form meatball. Brown on all sides in olive oil. Add spaghetti sauce. Put in ziploc bags.

Serving Day: Thaw meatballs and sauce. Boil your pasta. Warm sauce and meatballs in a pan until heated through, about 20 minutes on medium heat. Stir while warming. Serve over prepared Angel Hair pasta!

FREEZER: Raspberry Chicken

6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1/2 c raspberry preserves (fruit only type)
1/2 c frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1/2 c soy sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 c fresh raspberries, mashed

Makes 6 breasts.

Combine preserves, juice concentrate, soy sauce, vinegar, chili powder, curry powder, garlic powder and 1/4 c mashed raspberries. Place raspberry mixture together with chicken breasts in a freezer bag and seal bag securely. Freeze.

Serving Day: Thaw chicken mixture completely and place sauce and chicken together in a large baking dish. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer chicken to serving platter and top with pan juices. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

FREEZER: Mismatches

Here is the beef stroganoff ready to throw into the crock pot.

Here is the cous cous all ready to throw into the crock pot.

I wanted to throw this post in real quick as a few of the freezer meals I actually did were recipes I've already previously posted, but I wanted to make sure you understood how you could also freeze for future meals. The two I'm "reposting" are the Beef Stroganoff and the Cous Cous. I've posted the freezer pictures here, but will also add them to the original post as option to freeze for later.

FREEZER: Very Best Meatloaf Ever

I have to be honest. Haven't always been a HUGE Meatloaf fan until I tried this recipe and now I can't get enough of it! So even if you don't particularly care for Meatloaf TRY IT once! :)

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 T oil
1 t thyme
1/3 c milk
1 egg
1/2 c ketchup
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 1/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 lb gr beef
1/2 lb gr turkey
1/2 lb pork sausage

Makes 2 loaves

Heat oil and cook onion until soft - about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more. Combine milk, egg and 1/4 c ketchup. Stir in bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Crumble in meats and add onion mixture. Stir until well combined. Meat may be frozen into loaves at this point.

Serving Day:

Thaw loaf. Top with about 1/4 c ketchup & 3 T brown sugar if desired. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Goes GREAT with the Twice Baked Potatoes I posted last!

FREEZER: Twice Baked Potatoes

5 pound bag red potatoes
1 - 8 oz cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch DRY seasoning
3 c shredded Cheddar Cheese

Peel, cube and boil potatoes until cooked all the way. Drain and put into a mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher slightly. With a mixer, finish mashing and mixing together the potatoes, cream cheese, butter and ranch packet until well mashed and well blended. Divide between two pie tin pans, or one 9x13 pan and top with the shredded cheese.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Bake at 350 until center is warm and the cheese is melted. Usually about 30 minutes.

FREEZER: Italian Stuffed Chicken Breasts

6 chicken breasts
thyme
marjoram
12 pieces oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
6 oz mozzarella cheese sticks
6 thin slices prosciutto ham
3-4 T butter

Flatten chicken breasts. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, thyme and marjoram. Wrap each mozzarella stick with a slice of prosciutto. Place two sun-dried tomatoes and wrapped mozzarella in center of each chicken breast. Roll chicken breasts around filling. At this point, wrap each chicken breast individually in saran wrap and then in Ziploc.

Serving Day: Thaw completely. Place chicken breasts close together in a baking dish and baste with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, basting every 15-20 minutes. Do not over bake. Chicken will become tough. Bake just until chicken is white and juices run clear. While chicken is baking, reheat Tomato Cream Sauce in sauce pan. Serve over baked chicken breasts.

Tomato Cream Sauce:

4 T butter
4 T flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t basil
2 c heavy whipping cream
2 T Tomato paste

Melt butter. Stir in flour until thick. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until well blended and heated. Let cool, then put in freezer bags.

FREEZER: Lasagna

2 lb gr beef or 2 lb sausage
2 jars Prego (I get these from Costco, they are BIG.)
1 large container Ricotta Cheese
3 lb Mozzarella Cheese
2 c Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
2 boxes Barilla Lasagna noodles - NO BOIL

Makes 2 - 9x13 pans lasagna or 4 smaller square lasagnas.

Brown meat. Add spaghetti sauce. Mix eggs, Ricotta, Parmesan and 2 lb Mozzarella cheese together in a bowl. Layer meat, noodles, cheese mixture, meat, noodles, cheese mixture, then top with other 1 lb Mozzarella.

Serving Day: Unthaw completely. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

FREEZER: Orange Terriyaki Chicken

1/4 c soy sauce
3 T chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1 T olive or canola oil
1/2 t ginger
1 - 6 oz can oj concentrate
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in a freezer bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Freeze, using freezer bag.

Serving Day: GRILL 4-6 inches from the heat source for 35-40 minutes.