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.

Paul Specials

This recipe is one I will always remember from way back!  My mom used to work as a waitress at a small restaraunt where she grew up where these sandwiches were served!  Simple, yet there's something I can't explain about how good they are! :)  They just are! :)

1 package hamburger buns

1 lb pork sausage (I use my breakfast sausage recipe.), browned and drained

1 can pizza sauce

1 lb shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Toast your buns on broil in the oven watching very carefully!  They toast quickly when on broil.  Take them out of the oven and put a heap of cheese on the top bun and a spoonful of pizza sauce on the bottom bun.  Add a spoonful of your browned pork sausage on top of the sauce.  Throw back into your oven at 350 and bake until your cheese is melted.  Usually about 15 minutes.  If you like your cheese a little more crispy put it on broil at the very end for about a minute until it is golden!  This is a great meal for a larger group party.

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).

Beef Tenderloin

Raise your hand if you still have NO IDEA what to make for Christmas dinner! :)  We are only days away now from the big day.  I decided to do a stream of posts to help some of you out on what to cook and make for your families' Christmas meal!!! 

This would be your main course!  It's AMAZING! 
Shallots:
2 shallots, halved
1 1/2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce for beef:
3 cups beef broth
3/4 c port wine
1 1/2 t tomato paste
3 T butter
1 T flour

Beef:
2 lbs beef tenderloin roast, trimmed
1 t dried thyme
3 slices bacon, diced

Preheat your oven to 375.  In a pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender.  Usually takes about 30 minutes.  Take out and set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the beef broth and port wine.  Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half.  This also takes about 30 minutes.  Whisk in the tomato paste and set aside.

Pat your beef dry.  Sprinkle it with thyme, salt and papper. In a large roasting pan, set over medium heat on the stove.  Saute your bacon until golden.  Transfer the bacon (leaving the grease in the pan) onto a paper towel to absorb the grease.  Using the grease from the bacon still in pan, brown all sides of the beef tenderloin over medium high heat.  About 7 minutes total.  Transfer the entire roasting pan at this point into your oven and roast your beef unil a meat thermometer insterted into the middle is 135 degrees, about 35 minutes.  Immediately remove from the oven and place on a serving platter and put a piece of foil tented over the top and let sit.

While your beef is baking, in a blender, puree your shallots, beef broth mixture and bacon all together until smooth.

Place the roasting pan with the juices from the beef on the stove on high.  Add the broth mixture and bring to a boil.  Stir to scrape up any browned bits.  Transfer to a medium saucepan, and bring to simmer.  Mix 1 1/2 T butter and flour in small bowl to form a smooth paste; whisk into broth mixxture, and simmer until sauce thickens.  Whisk in remaining butter.

Slice beef in to 1/2 inch thick slices.  Spoon sauce over as wanted.

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!!!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Okay, so since starting the dinner club, I have had some NEW and EVER SO YUMMY dishes and I am SO GRATEFUL for my group!  One of my FAVORITE dishes is my friend Christy's Stuffed Chicken Breasts.  SERIOUSLY, they are so unbelievable.  Not even sure what exactly it is I love about them, but I could seriously eat an entire pan.  So, with the permission of Christy, I am able to share this recipe with you all!  Now................go and make them! :)

Dip each chicken breast in egg then crushed Saltines.

This is how it should look BEFORE it's baked.

This is after (I know not much difference, just darker).

When you cut the cooked breast open, this is how it should look.

4 chicken breasts, better made with fresh, not frozen bagged

2 lb shredded cheese (SHARP cheddar, pepper jack, something with BIG flavor)

2 sleeves saltine crackers, crushed

2 eggs beaten

Take each chicken breast and slice lengthwise about 1/2 way though. Turn your knife parallel to cutting board and cut a pocket into each side of the chicken breast, making sure you don't cut all the way though. Stuff pocket with cheese. Try to "reshape" chicken breast. Dip breast in egg and then crackers. Bake at 350 for about 30-50 minutes, or until cooked through.  Chicken needs to be at least 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the chicken.  I always serve this with a vegetable whether hot or a salad.

Chicken Chili

3 c chicken, cooked & diced

2 cans Northern Beans, drained

1 t cumin

2 c salsa

1 c chicken broth

3 c Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
Throw everything in a crock pot on LOW for 4 hours!  Very yummy served in a bread bowl!  Mmm!

Biscuits & Gravy

Hands down, I became addicted to Biscuits and gravy in Oskaloosa, Iowa.  Smokey Row was a coffee house that served the most amazing B&G along with a hot and steamy Breve!!!  OH MY!  Ultimate experience right there! :)  While I HAVE NOT mastered their specific "ungiven" recipe, I have found one I like very well.

Biscuits:

2 c. flour

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

1 T white sugar

1/3 c shortening
1 c milk
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture until it looks like piecey.  The flour mix and shortening will be dry and separated. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet (or I ALWAYS use parchment paper on my cookie sheet for ANYTHING I'm baking on it!).  Bake in preheated oven to 425 for 13 to 15 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.

Sausage Gravy:

1 lb breakfast sausage
1/2 c flour

1 t salt

pepper, to taste

2 T Worcestershire Sauce
2-3 c milk

Brown sausage and drain.  To the same pan, add flour, salt and Worcestershire Sauce and coat all the meat.  It will be really pasty and thick.  Still over medium heat add the first 2 cups of milk and continuously stir.  It will start to thicken the longer it's on the burner.  If it's too thick, add more milk about 1/2 c at a time.  It needs to be between thick and thin! :) 

Breakfast Burritos

Breakfast Burritos have become a Sunday morning tradition!  WE LOVE IT!  Our church isn't until 5PM, so we lounge, drink coffee, read the newspaper and make breakfast burritos!  Don't let the name fool you though, they can be eaten ANY MEAL of the day! :)

1 pack large tortillas
1 pkg bacon
8 eggs
1 c. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 can refried beans
1 pkg frozen hashbrowns, thawed
1 stick butter

Start hashbrowns by melting a stick of butter in a large skillet.  Sprinkle bag of hashbrowns evenly over melted butter and put the lid on.  Cook over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes then flip over and let cook another 5 minutes.  Cut bacon into little slices and fry up in a saucepan.  Drain on a paper towel.  Dispose of most of the bacon grease, reserving just enough to coat the bottom of your bacon pan and throw the eggs in and scramble.  Lastly, in a small saucepan, heat your refried beans through.  Take a tortilla and put some cheese on and warm it in the microwave about 45 seconds until the cheese is melted.  Layer with the remaining ingredients.  Roll up and eat!

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.

Grandma's Taco Salad

This recipe is my Grandma Cowley's!  YUMMO!  My grandma CAN COOK!  She has entertained far more than most people I've ever met.  Love her heart of SERVICE.  We eat Taco Salad several different ways, so I'll share again a different recipe for another type (if you came to our adoption party for Chavalah, that is the recipe I'll post LATER) at a different time.

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

1 can refried beans

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 sm can tomato sauce

Will also need:

lettuce

tomato

cheese

Combine all four ingredients over medium heat until heated all through and well combined.  Serve this meat/bean mixture over tortilla chips and top with cheese, lettuce & tomato.  With this kind of meat mixture you do NOT need salad dressing, but you may add if you desire.  You can also add anything else if you have a favorite topping.  A few other suggestions are guacamole, black olives, green onions, sour cream, etc.

Spatzle

When my parents lived over in Germany on a 2 year term, they came back with this most favorite German dish and served it when they came back for Laine's adoption.  Won't ever forget it!  IT WAS AMAZING!  Still is.  As a special gift, they gave each of us (their three daughters) an actual Spatzle noodle maker, but I will give you a hint on how YOU can make the same noodles!

Pork Roast:

1 (3-5 lb) pork roast

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

water, to the top of roast

Spatzle:

1/2 c water
4 eggs
2 c flour
1 t salt
2 T oil

Gravy:

1 1/2 c pork juice (what it's been cooked in all day)
2 beef boullion cubes (or equivalent granules)
1/2 c cold water
1/4 c flour

Start a completely thawed pork roast in your crock pot EARLY so it has time to really slowly cook.  Put the pork roast in your crock pot and cover with one packet of onion soup mix and water to cover the entire roast.  Set on low for about 8 hours.  This will FALL APART and melt in your mouth after it's cooked like this.  Pull pork out from juice and it will literally shred apart onto a plate.  Just before the pork is finished, stir together the Spatzle ingredients.  Boil a large pot of water, salted.  Once at a rolling boil, with a FLAT cheese grader (not the square one), spoon batter over the top and with fingers finish forcing it to go through.  (CAREFUL NOT TO CUT YOUR FINGERS.)  Boil until the noodles float to the top. Strain in a colandar.  Repeat until all the batter is cooked.  Only do about 1 cup of batter at a time.  For the gravy, boil pork juice with 2 cubes beef boullion.  In a separate bowl, whisk water and flour until there are no flour lumps.  Once the broth is boiling, add flour/water mixture while constantly stirring.  It will thicken in less than a minute, then keep on low until ready to serve.

Serve by layering a heap of noodles, then pork, then gravy!

Pepperoni Pesto Pizza

Chef JoJo's FAVORITE pizza of all time! :)  Even over Taco, but taco is a VERY CLOSE SECOND!  This pizza is just "different."  Not your ordinary type pizza.  When I was told to "back off" on my acidic food intake, this suggestion was given to me by my dear sweet sister in law, Aubrey!  THANK YOU AUBREY!

Pre-made "Pizza Crust" under "breads" over to the right
1 jar pesto sauce (Found in pizza sauce area, I use Classico.)
pepperoni
1 lb mozzarella cheese

Prepare my "pizza crust" as the recipe says.  Prebake for about 8 minutes, shouldn't be all the way baked.  Take out of the oven and spread 1/2 jar of Classico pesto on the crust.  Lay pepperoni slices evenly around the pizza.  Finish by topping with shredded Mozzarella cheese.  Bake in the oven at 350 about another 12 or so minutes OR until the cheese is golden around the edges and bubbly.  For the ULTIMATE of this, add freshly chopped chilled green olives AFTER it's been baked!

Ham Sandwiches

HUGE family tradition and favorite at our house growing up!  Oh the memories I have of these yummy sandwiches.  Often on a Sunday right after morning church service.  My mom woud always serve them with Pringles and cottage cheese (ahem, might I add, it was Anderson Erickson, the best there is).  Hope your family enjoys them as much as we do!

1 package hamburger buns (8 ct)
1 lb sliced deli ham
8 slices American cheese
foil

Lay the hamburger buns out on a counter with top and bottom separated.  Evenly divide ham over the bottoms of the bun.  Put one slice of American Cheese on the tops of the buns, then put all the tops back on to make a sandwich.  Wrap each sandwich in a piece of foil.  Bake in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes giving it enough time for the cheese to melt. 

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.

Tuna Melts

2 cans tuna
1 c Miracle Whip/mayo
2 c cheddar cheeese, shredded
4 hamburger buns

Mix tuna together with the Miracle Whip.  Open each hamburger bun half and top with a scoop of the tuna salad.  Then sprinkle with cheese.  Put in the oven and BROIL until cheese is golden brown and bubbly!

Reuben Loaf

3 1/4 - 3 3/4 c flour, divided
1 pkg (1/4 ounce) yeast
1 T sugar
1 T butter, softened
1 t salt
1 c warm water
1/4 c Thousand Island Dressing
3 pkg Carl Buddig Corned Beef
4 ounces sliced Swiss Cheese
1 can (8 ounces) sauerkraut, drained
1 egg white, beaten
Caraway or Poppy seeds

In a bowl, combine 2 1/4 c flour, yeast, sugar, butter and salt.  Stir in warm water, mix until soft dough forms.  Add remaining flour if necessary.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth, about 4 minutes.  On a lightly greased baking sheet, roll dough to a 14 in. x 10 in. rectangle.  Spread dressing down the center third of dough.  Top with layers of beef, cheese and sauerkraut.  Make cuts from filling to edges of dough 1 in. apart on bothy sides of the filling.  Alternating sides, fold the strips at an angle across filling.  Cover dough and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.  Brush with egg whites and sprinkle with seeds.  Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Serve immediately, refrigerate leftovers.

Rice & Hamburger Gravy

1 lb ground beef
1/2 c flour
1 t salt
pepper, to taste
2 T Worcestershire Sauce
2-3 c milk
3 c rice
3 c chicken broth

Prepare rice in a rice cooker or on stove top.  Brown hamburger and drain.  To the same pan, add flour, salt and Worcestershire Sauce and coat all the meat.  It will be really pasty and thick.  Still over medium heat add the first 2 cups of milk and continuously stir.  It will start to thicken the longer it's on the burner.  If it's too thick, add more milk about 1/2 c at a time.  It needs to be between thick and thin! :)  Gravy is a hard one to document when telling someone else how to make it! :)  I don't actually have a "recipe" for this, I just "throw things in! :)"  Add pepper to taste!

Serve the gravy over rice!