Beef & Barley Stoup

Ingredients:
1 (12oz) can beef chunks
6 cups water
1/4 cup carrots
3 tbsp minced onion
3 tbsp celery
2 tbsp red or green pepper
2 tbsp beef bullion
2 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup pearl barley
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except barley in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add barley and simmer, covered for 45-55 minutes until barley is tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Can be adapted to the crock-pot and or pressure cooker.

Shredded Beef Tacos

I love love love shredded beef tacos and find them especially enjoyable when eaten away from the house. For whatever reason I have never loved a recipe from home. They always seem so watered down and bland. This recipe is the exception to that rule. I swiped this recipe from the website http://gimmesomeoven.com/ and I am excited, after trying this, to check out some of her other recipes.

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast)

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 cup beef stock

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced

1/2 large sweet onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

Flour tortillas

Favorite taco toppings (**ideas below**)

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.

Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly. Once the oil is hot (it will shimmer a bit in the skillet), place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side.

Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Leave the pan on the heat, and add in the beef stock to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomato paste and minced chipotle and whisk into the pan sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker.  Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the slow cooker, and mix into the shredded beef.

Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings.

Some topping ideas include:

guacamole or avocado

fresh salsa

Mexican rice

grated cheese

fresh lettuce

tomato

onion

cilantro

squeeze of lime juice

Jan's Pot Roast

Pot Roast on a chilly November Sunday. That sounds awesome! It just goes good - it doesn't sound the same if I were to say ' Pot Roast on a steamy July Sunday'. gross.  Pot Roast is meant to be eaten in the cooler weather and I love it!! Plus this recipe is a two-fer! If you have leftovers of the meat and carrots then save them! We will use them tomorrow.

1 Chuck Roast (look for one that is shaped like a Roast - not a steak, and yes, it is fatty but that is what makes it yummy and shreddy and delicious)

1 envelope McCormick's Beef Stew Seasonings
5-7 Carrots - chopped into 2" pieces
5-7 Celery Stalks - Chopped into 2" pieces
5-7 Red or Yukon Gold potatoes - Cubed in quarters
1 yellow onion - chopped into quarters

Spray a saute pan with cooking spray over med-hi heat. Sprinkle roast liberally with salt & pepper. Place the roast in the hot skillet for a couple of minutes on all sides to give it a good brown crust. While it is searing chop the veggies.

In a slow-cooker, put half of the veggies in the bottom, followed by the roast, and then the rest of the veggies. Mix the seasoning packet with 1/2 C. cold water and pour into the slow cooker, covering everything.

Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or High for 4 Hours.

Easy Red Beans & Rice

 A part of me was meant to live in the South. When we lived in North Carolina and Texas I was in culinary heaven. I LOVE the food in the South. The barbecue, the spicy, the deep fried, the delicious... While this recipe would never been caught dead in the South (it's low-fat ;) ) it is a yummy, lower calorie version of Red beans & rice.

1 T. + 1 t. Olive Oil
1 C. finely chopped onion
2 t. finely chopped garlic
16oz Canned kidney beans, drained
2 oz. diced, lean smoked ham or turkey-ham
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. chopped canned tomatoes with juice
1/2 c, thinly sliced scallions
1 t. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried
1 large or 2 small bay leaves
1/4 - 1/2 t. hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
salt & pepper to taste
4 C. cooked white rice

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add onion and garlic. Saute and continue to stir until onions are wilted about 6-7 minutes. Add beans, ham, broth, tomatoes, scallions, thyme, bay leaves and hot pepper sauce; mix well. Over high heat bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans get creamy. Season with salt & pepper, remove bay leaf and serve over rice.

* Note, after sauteing the onion and garlic you can transfer to a slow-cooker and cook for several hours until beans are creamy.

Aunt Suzie's Lazy Stroganoff

I know! I know! This is not a true stroganoff because I am not cooking it the right way.....blah blah blah. However, this recipe is delicious and super easy! This is perfect for cooler days that are busy. Sometimes cooking in the kitchen for hours is not logical! Trust me - everyone will love this!

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 envelope Onion Soup Mix (like Lipton's)
1 lb Stew Beef - * I like to cut them into small bite size pieces
1 C. Sour Cream
Wide egg noodles or Spaetzle

Spray a saute pan with cooking spray and cook the stew beef over medium high heat. Don't stir it around - let it cook on a couple of the sides for a while so they can get a good crust - you are not trying to cook them through, we are just giving them some texture (and you can completely skip this step if you want - the beef will cook in the slow-cooker). While the beef is searing, add the cream of chicken & celery and the onion soup mix to a slow-cooker. Fill one of the cans halfway with water and add to the slow cooker, mixing well. Add in the beef. Cook on high for 3 hours or Low for 5 hours. Right before serving add in the sour cream*. Serve over cooked noodles or spaetzle.

*If you are worried about presentation then use the full-fat sour cream. It blends in beautifully. If you would rather cut some calories the Light sour cream tastes just as delicious but it doesn't blend in as smoothly.

Amie's Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Well my first addition to my second attempt at a food blog will be a family favorite of ours. It is perfect now that the weather is getting cooler and our days are busy (who can deny the love for the crock pot?) - and Thank You to my good friend Amie from Texas that shared this recipe with us over five years ago. We miss their family so much!

1 pound ground beef cooked drained or leftover shredded beef (Mexican flavors)
1 onion chopped
1 (16 oz) can chili beans, drained
1(15oz) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (4oz) can canned green Chile peppers, chopped
1 (1.25oz) package taco seasoning mix


Throw it all in a crock pot stir and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-4.


Notes: I usually cook the onions with the ground beef so they are a little sweeter or you can use dried onions.  You can either puree the tomatoes or substitute with tomato puree if you or your kids don't like chunks of tomatoes.  And lastly I don’t usually add the whole 2 cups water because I like it thicker. 
You can be really creative that’s why I like this recipe it’s hard to screw up.


Once you ladle it up top it with crushed up tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, & black olives


Corn bread is a great side dish for this stoup.

BTW - this dish feeds a small army, so be prepared for leftovers. It can easily serve 6 HUNGRY adults or a family of 10.