Category: Meats

Meats · Sandwiches

Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Italian Beef Sandwiches has been on my to-do list for months. I recently made the beef but altered the recipe to remove the pepperocini spice to accomodate my grandkids. The result was delicious! This sandwich reminds me of a French Dip and more beef broth could be added, or served separately, for a dipping sauce. A side of caramelized onions would take this sandwich over the top. Everyone in the family enjoyed it and the recipe will be in my crowd-pleasing rotation.

Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 lb. chuck roast, trimmed of all visable fat and cut into large chunks
  • 1 envelope Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing mix
  • 1 envelope Ranch Dressing
  • 1 envelope Beef Au Jus seasoning
  • 14.5 oz. can beef broth
  • Provolone cheese slices
  • 8 oz. Giardiniera (Chicago-Style Italian Sandwich Mix), drained (optional)
  • Pepperoncini peppers (optional)
  • Hoagie buns
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Add contents of 3 seasoning envelopes into 5.5 – 6 quart crock pot. Add beef broth and stir to combine. Place chuck roast into the bottom of a 5.5 – 6 quart crock pot, then spoon some of the seasoning over the top of the roast. OPTIONAL: If you like more spice, you can add 8 oz. pepperoncini pepper slices and a splash of juice.
  2. Place lid on crockpot and cook on low for 9 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred, then place meat back into crock pot and cook on low for 1 additional hour.
  3. Split bun since in half then scoop the shredded meat on top and add provolone cheese slies. Top or serve separately with additional pepperoncini peppers and Giardiniera, if desired.

Recipe slightly adapted from IowaGirlEats

Family · Meats · Pastas

Beef & Noodles

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Beef & Noodles is a delicious comfort food that was a new experience for me. The beef broth was deliciously rich and yummy over mashed potatoes. I grew up on Chicken & Noodles over mashed potatoes, a family favorite. This dinner was shared with my daughters and we all agreed, Chicken & Noodles is still our favorite although we enjoyed this dish immensely.

Beef & Noodles

INGREDIENTS:
  • Beef Chuck Roast
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 4 large garlic cloves (minced)
  • 8 cups of beef stock
  • 32 oz. frozen egg noodles
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Oil for searing and sautéing. 
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Season chuck roast liberally with salt and pepper.
  2. Add oil (I used Avocado Oil) to pan and sear roast on all sides. Remove from pan. 
  3. Add additional oil and sauté onion until translucent, add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minus (until fragrant). Add roast back to pan and pour 1. 5 cups of beef broth. Turn pan to medium low and cook for 5-6 hours or until chuck roast is tender. 
  4. Remove chuck roast from pot and shred. Skim fat from remaining broth (or run it through a fat separator) then add shredded beef back to pot along with remaining 6.5 cups of beef broth. Once boiling add in the thawed noodles and cook until desired consistency. 
  5. Serve over mashed potatoes.
Casseroles · Czech Heritage and Dishes · Meats

Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Cabbage must be a part of my Czech/Slovak DNA because I love cabbage and sauerkraut. Cabbage rolls are so delicious, but I don’t have the desire to make the rolls, just enjoy the savory ingredients. This recipe was just what I was looking for. Even my 3-year-old granddaughter likes it. She must have inherited that piece of my DNA as well!

I made half of a recipe and used half ground pork and half ground beef, no veal.

Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup uncooked white rice (or any rice of your choice)
  • 2 pounds green cabbage, cleaned, cored and cut into two-inch chunks
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces raw bacon diced
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tart red wine such as Merlot
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
  • ½ pound ground pork
  • ½ pound ground veal (if you can’t get ground veal, increase ground pork to one pound)
  • 3 cups tomato juice (or for a more intense flavor, use V-8)
  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup drained sauerkraut
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Cook rice according to package directions. Try to time the rice so that it finishes cooking as the preparation of the dish nears the end. If rice is finishes too soon, fluff and leave at room temperature to cool.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch cabbage chunks for five minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
  3. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, place olive oil and bacon and cook until bacon is almost browned, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add onions and sauté for three minutes. Add garlic and sauté for one more minute. Add red wine and deglaze the pan.
  4. Move the cooked onion mixture to the edges of the pan and place all three meats into the center. Keep moving the meat around to brown and slowly work in onion mixture until the meat is fully browned.
  5. Add tomato juice, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Reduce to medium and simmer for five minutes.
  6. Add in sauerkraut, cooked rice and cooked cabbage. Bring back up to heat and simmer for five more minutes.
  7. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Recipe from Afamilyfeast.com

Czech Heritage and Dishes · Meats

Iowa Chops in the Slow Cooker

cathysmaha3 Comments

Iowa Chops in the Slow Cooker has become one of my go-to recipes. It’s easy to prepare and simmer throughout the day. Serve with steamed baby potatoes or boiled perogies. I also served with roasted butternut squash and brussel sprouts. The pork is so fork-tender and will melt in your mouth.

Iowa Chops in the Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 Iowa chops (thick boneless pork chops–I get mine at Costco)
  • salt & pepper
  • 1+ cups frozen pearl onions
  • 1 can mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon Bohemian rub seasoning (available from Savory Spice Shop)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Place Iowa chops in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Add frozen onions to slow cooker.
  3. Combine soup, sour cream, and Bohemian rub seasoning and pour over pork chops and onions.
  4. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Garden · Meats · New Favorite · Salads

Balsamic Steak and Peach Salad

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Grilled Steak with fresh peaches, gorgonzola and caramelized onions…oh my gosh. Every bite is a flavor explosion. For those that don’t like Gorgonzola, Goat Cheese would probably be equally as good (maybe with a few chopped pecans?) or just skip the cheese. You’ll love it, too!

Balsamic Steak and Peach Salad

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1-1/4lbs tri-tip or flank steak, cut into easily grillable pieces (could use any cut of steak, really!)
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 cloves crushed garlic
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 jumbo or 2 smaller sweet onions, sliced thin
  • 2 large ripe peaches, chopped
  • 4 oz. gorgonzola cheese crumbles
  • 9 oz. mixed greens

For the Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
  1. Combine 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and lots of salt and pepper into a large Ziplock bag then squish to mix. Add steak then marinate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  2. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, season lightly with salt, then saute until caramelized and soft, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning heat down slightly if onions begin to color too quickly. Stir in remaining 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar then set onions aside to cool – can be done up to a couple days ahead of time.
  3. Preheat a well-oiled grill over high heat for at least 10 minutes then turn heat down to medium-high. Add steak then grill for 3-4 minutes per side, depending on how thick your steak is, then let rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain – can be done 1 day ahead of time.
  4. For the Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette: Add ingredients into a blender then blend until smooth.
  5. Divide lettuce, steak, caramelized onions, peaches, and cheese between bowls then top with vinaigrette and serve.
  6. Serves 4.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Family · Meats · Mexican Dishes · New Favorite

Crock Pot Carnitas

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Pork Carnitas are a favorite while dining at local Mexican restaurants.  This recipe, made in the Crock Pot, made the work easy.  I chose to skip the final step in the recipe and it was delicious.  If you love the crispy pork, go for it.  The pork is great in tacos, burritos, bowls, nachos….your choice!

CROCK POT CARNITAS

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped
1 orange, cut in half
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano and the cumin with olive oil and rub all over pork.
  • Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.
  • Squeeze over the juice of the orange and add the two halves. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours.
  • Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork.
  • In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the carnitas into the oil and fry until crusty on one side. Serve.  (I skipped this step)

Recipe from FoodNetwork

Book Club · Meats · New Favorite

Crock Pot Beef Bourguignonne

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Beef Bourguignonne is savory, hearty meal of tender beef with rich flavors.  I’ve enjoyed it many times with friends in their homes or in a restaurant but this was my first attempt to make it at home.  It was easy to make and even better to eat.

CROCK POT BEEF BOURGUIGNONNE

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 thick bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 fresh thyme sprigs
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1 lb. white button mushrooms, halved
1 bottle Pinot Noir
1 tbps. beef demi-glace

  • Place the flour in a large bowl. Season the beef with salt and pepper, add to the flour and stir to coat evenly. Transfer to a plate, shaking off the excess flour.
  • In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until almost smoking. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker.
  • Add the bacon, carrots, onions and garlic to the sauté pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker along with the bay leaves, thyme, parsley and mushrooms.
  • Off the heat, pour the wine into the sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. Whisk in the demi-glace and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Add to the slow cooker, cover and cook until the meat is fork tender, 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Discard the bay leaves.
  • Transfer the beef bourguignonne to a platter and serve with steamed potatoes. Serves 10.
Recipe from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen
Family Favorites · Holidays · Meats

Roast Beef Perfection…Centerpiece of Holiday Parties

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What says the holidays better than a delicious Prime Rib or Cross Rib Roast with Horseradish sauce. The original recipe for closed door cooking of the Prime Rib came from Colorado Cache Cookbook, still my all-time favorite cookbook.  We have served this recipe many times, always a big hit.

IMG_5620

This time, however, the balsamic vinegar and rub were new and I loved the results.

ROAST BEEF PERFECTION

1 Prime Rib or Cross Rib Roast, any size
3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, removed from stems and chopped
1 tablespoon coarse sea or kosher salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place Prime Rib in roasting pan and brush with Balsamic vinegar.  Make a paste of the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil.  Rub paste mixture over the roast.

IMG_5611

  • Place roast in oven and cook for 1 hour.  Turn the oven off and KEEP THE OVEN door closed.
  • 45 minutes before serving, turn the oven to 300 degrees. Remove from oven and rest for 5-10 minutes.  The roast will be juicy medium-rare and perfect every time. If you like your Prime Rib cooked to medium, just add 15-20 minutes to the initial cooking time.

Horseradish Sauce

1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons prepared horseradish

  • Stir together and refrigerate until serving time.

Recipe inspired by Colorado Cache Cookbook and What’s Cooking America

Meats · New Favorite

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin…Tender and Delicious!

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Roast Pork was a staple in our Iowa farm home, tender, juicy and always accompanied by mashed potatoes and gravy.  Through the years, I’ve cooked pork roast many ways but this recipe, shared with me by buddy Jan, was different and equally tender and delicious.  A great crock pot recipe I’ll be making again and again.

BALSAMIC PORK TENDERLOIN

Two-three pound boneless pork tenderloin
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, chopped

  • Place pork tenderloin into the insert of your slow cooker. In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together all remaining ingredients. Pour over pork and set the timer for your slow cooker. (4 hours on High or 6-8 hours on Low)
  • Once pork tenderloin has cooked, remove from slow cooker with tongs into a serving dish. Break apart lightly with two forks and then ladle about ¼ – ½ cup of gravy over pork tenderloin.
  • Store remaining gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another use.

Recipe by Cooking | Add a Pinch at http://addapinch.com/cooking/balsamic-pork-tenderloin-recipe/

Family Favorites · Holidays · Meats

St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef and Cabbage

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Corned Beef and Cabbage is an Irish-American tradition, not one commonly found in Ireland. None the less, it is a tradition many of us treasure and cook only 1 time a year. I prepare this dish in my trusty Crock Pot and it’s perfect every time. This time I chose to omit the carrots and go with a basic beef, potato, onion, and cabbage meal.

Pair this dish with Irish Soda Bread and a beer (green) and have yourself a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

1 raw corned beef roast (3-4 pounds)
1 head cabbage washed and cut into wedges
8 red skinned potatoes, washed
3 carrots (optional)
2-3 medium onions (optional)
1 cup water
salt and pepper

  • Place corned beef brisket in crock pot and top with vegetables, water, salt and pepper.

  • Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
  • If you like your cabbage a bit crisper, you can add the cabbage 2-3 hours before serving.