Asian Inspired Flat Iron Steak

We are carnivores at our house and nothing seems to be better than a good cooked steak!  (or one that is Todd endorsed!!)

Well I also love a meal where part of it involves cooking outside by my husband!  Nothing better than having a little help with dinner!

This steak had great flavor and was really tender!  My husband usually prefers meat flavor instead of marinade, but even he liked this a lot!

We ate it with rice and it was loved by all!

Asian Inspired Flat Iron Steak

(From Pioneer Woman Black heels to Tractor Wheels book)

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sherry (or 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar & then add water to make 1/2 cup of mixture for a substitute)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 heaping tbsp minced ginger (or I used powder)
• 2 tbsp (3-5 cloves) minced garlic
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 flat iron steaks
• Can garnish with roasted sesame seeds and slivered green onions

Whisk all the ingredients, except steaks! :)

Place the steaks and marinade in a Ziploc bag and chill in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours.  Then grill them to your preferred doneness!

Allow your steaks to rest for 5 minutes and then enjoy!  And sprinkle some of the garnish if you desire!

Cheeseburger Soup

Yummy, Yumm-o, Yummtastic, Yummerific,...

These were some of the words that my family used to describe this soup!  Well the words "This is yummy mom" were used, which are words to melt any mothers heart!  My husband was even completely thrilled and loved dinner too!

This is a Taste of Home recipe and received 4 stars! The ingredients were almost all ones I had on hand~the only thing I had to buy was Velveeta.

Very easy and a very comforting soup!

Cheeseburger Soup

(Taste of home)

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 4 tbsp butter, divided
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups diced, peeled potatoes (1 3/4 pounds) (or use red potatoes and you can leave skin on)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups (8 ounces) process cheese (Velveeta)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4-1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup sour cream

In a sauce pan, brown your ground beef; drain and set aside.  While your beef is cooking, chop your onions, shred (grate with a cheese grater) your carrots and dice your celery.  I put all these ingredients in one bowl and then added the basil and parsley to it.

Once your beef is done and you have removed it from the pan, use the same pan and saute your onion, celery, carrots, basil, and parsley in 1 tbsp butter. 
Cook until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. 

After the veggies are tender, add your broth (I did 3 cups water with 3 bouillon cubes), potatoes and beef.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

While everything is simmering, melt remaining 3 tbsp butter in a small skillet.  Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.  Add this to your soup (when potatoes are ready) and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and stir in the milk, cheese, salt and pepper.  Cook until cheese is melted.

Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.  Enjoy with saltine crackers!

Man vs. Food Dinner

My family likes to watch Man vs Food.  We watch it often and like to see what he eats next!  This was not one of his food challenges, but a place he visited before his challenge.  It was a burger place that specialized in grilled add-ons to your hamburger.  We decided to try some of the grilled items and found great success!  My kids loved their hamburgers and the creations we made.  On the show they put it all in a bun, we went bunless and loved it that way too!  Just a new way to spice up a hamburger!

 Man vs Food Hamburger

• Beef for hamburgers
• Buns if desired
• Grilled items:  Onions, Mushrooms, Salami, Egg, Bacon, or anything else you can grill.
• Toppings:  Tomato, Lettuce, Avocado, Cheese, etc.

Grill up your hamburger and your grilled items.  Place all together on a bun with your toppings and prepare to enjoy!

The Best Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

I have a recipe I have liked for Beef Broccoli, but it was a little more complicated and had some different ingredients than what I have on hand.  So I did a little Internet search and found this one on allrecipes.com.  It had rave reviews!!!  So I tried it and my family loved it!!

Did I say loved it???  Yes and I have had it for lunch this past week and still love it!!

The Best Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

(www.allrecipes.com)

• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 lb top sirloin steak, cut into thin slices
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil or sesame oil
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• sliced up peppers if desired
• hot cooked rice

In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp water and garlic powder.  Stir until smooth.  Add beef and toss to coat.

In a large skillet or wok, over medium-high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 tbsp oil until beef reaches desired doneness; remove and keep warm.  It was recommended to use sesame oil, which is what I did.

Stir-fry broccoli and onion (and peppers if adding) in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes.  I added more sesame oil to this.

Return beef to pan when veggies are done.

Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and 1 tbsp corn starch and water.  Mix until smooth.  Add to pan.

Cook and stir for about 2 minutes.  Serve over rice and enjoy!!

Pineapple-Ginger Flank Steak

I have 3 words to describe this marinade

Yummy, yummy, yummy!!!!!

I experimented this one on the extended family and have great success.  It had a super yummy flavor and was simple with ingredients I already had!

Try this one before the summer is out!!

_________________________

Pineapple-Ginger Flank Steak

(Our Best Bites cookbook)

• 3/4 cup pineapple juice (I opened a can of pineapple and let my kids eat the pineapple and I used the juice!)
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (or I used 1/8 tsp ground ginger)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• Up to 2lbs flank steak

Whisk together the pineapple juice, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil and garlic.

Score flank steak about 1/8 inch deep with a knife diagonally on both sides to tenderize the meat.

Place the steak in a zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over the top.  Refrigerate for 8 hours or over night.

Remove steak from refrigerator about 30 minutes before grilling.  Grill about 5-10 minutes on each side, depending on how big your steak is and how pink you want it to be.

Let sit for about 5 minutes before slicing and enjoy!!

Chipotle Beef Taquitos

I found this recipe in my Our Best Bites cookbook.  I have been slowly working my way through the book, trying new things.  I have been slowed down with cooking lately due to baseball.  Yes baseball has meant my kids are eating a lot of cereal and quick grabs for dinner!  YIKES!!!!

Well I am slowly getting back to cooking and trying new things again and I have missed it too!

This recipe is spicy, so I would definitely lean toward the lesser of the chipotle peppers for the more timid ones in your family!  I love the spiciness of these peppers and even my family liked it, with a good dollop of sour cream to cool it down!  If you like chipotle peppers you will love this.  This is also a quicker meal because it uses leftover roast that you shred for the meat.

Try something new and enjoy these!  You can also make these ahead of time too!

Chipotle Beef Taquitos

(Our Best Bites Cookbook)

• 3 cups cooked, shredded beef roast (I used the Perfect Pot Roast meat)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (1/4 tsp is mild)
• 1 (4 ounce) can green chilies, undrained
• 1 tbsp adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• zest from 1 lime (which I left out due to no limes and using lime juice from a bottle)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (or from a bottle)
• 1 pkg queso fresco cheese, crumbled (I used a mixture of shredded cheddar and jack cheese)
• about 20 6-inch corn tortillas
• kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Slice or shred the beef from your cooked roast.  Make pieces about 1/2 - 1 inch long.  Place in a bowl and set aside.

Remove 1 chipotle pepper from your can.  Try not to take much sauce out with the pepper.  Slit the pepper open and scrape out the seeds.  I didn't do this and it will make it spicier if you don't!  Mince the pepper (I put it in my food processor) and take out how much you want; 1/4 - 1/2 tsp.

Combine chilies, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, chili powder, and lime zest and juice in a bowl.  Stir together and then add it to your shredded beef and stir to combine and coat all your meat.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in a damp paper towel.  Microwave for about 1 minute to soften.  I messed up on this the first time and didn't soften my tortillas enough and my taquitos broke apart.  So make sure they are soft and you may need to microwave for longer.  Check at 1 minute.

Grab one softened tortilla and place some cheese down the center and then top with 1-2 tbsp shredded meat.  Roll tightly and then place on a greased (sprayed with cooking spray) cookie sheet seam side down.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  Soften more tortillas as needed and keep adding the meat and cheese until gone.

Spray tops of taquitos with the cooking spray and then sprinkle with the kosher salt.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, black beans, Spanish rice.  Options are endless and a great lunch or dinner throughout the week too!

Jaden's Chinese Beef Broccoli

I found this on the Pioneer Woman site. Yes I look on there oh too often, but I find some really good recipes that my family has really loved!

She found this in a new cookbook called The Steamy Kitchen. She raves about it, but I haven't seen it before. I did look on Amazon and got a sneak peek. She has all sorts of info on Chinese spices, marinades, etc. that was really good info to read. Maybe it might be worth it??

This was a really good, quick meal that my family all enjoyed. The flavors were good and it is always nice when your main course includes your veggie!

Chinese Beef Broccoli
(The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook)

1 lb top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced into 1/8 in. thick strips (I used a London Broil)

1 1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite sized florets (I used about 3 stalks)

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp minced garlic (I like garlic and didn't measure this. I used 5-6 cloves)

BEEF MARINADE

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 tsp cooking oil
black pepper to season beef
(I doubled this marinade)

STIR-FRY SAUCE
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry ~ (I substituted apple juice here)
2 tsp Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, combine the ingredients for Beef Marinade. Add the beef and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temp. (I actually marinated mine for 1 hour in the refrigerator)

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the Stir-Fry sauce.

In a wok or large saute pan, bring to a boil about 1 inch of water. Add the broccoli and cover. Steam for about 3 minutes or until you can pierce the stem with a fork. Your broccoli should still be crisp, tender and bright green.

When broccoli is done, drain and let sit. Dry the pan and set it over high heat. When hot add 1 tbsp cooking oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add your minced garlic and fry for about 15-30 seconds. The garlic should be fragrant when done. This happens quick, so have your meat ready to add.

Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry for about 30 seconds and then flip over for another 30 seconds.

Pour in the stir fry sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick-which happens pretty fast. Add your broccoli and toss to coat.

Eat with rice and enjoy!

Easy Tostadas

I found this idea in my All You magazine. They made it a little different, I made it more like tacos. I think the possibilities are endless and what was great was that it was easy and quick. I was looking for a quick meal with Baseball and T-ball practice starting.

It was quick and easy and my family really liked it!

Easy Tostadas

(altered from recipe found in All You magazine)

• 
  
  Corn Tortillas



• 1 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed



• 
  
  Ground Beef (as much as you need for your family, I used 1 lb)



• 
  
  Taco seasoning.



• 
  
  Salsa



• 
  
  lettuce



• 
  
  Sour cream



• 
  
  Avocado, sliced



• 
  
  Grated cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Arrange corn tortillas (as many as will fit on a cookie sheet in a single layer ~ I got about 6 on mine) on a cookie sheet and then spray them with non-stick spray. Then sprinkle with salt. Bake until beginning to crisp, about 5-7 minutes. (The 2nd time I made this with the leftovers, we just fried the tortillas in a little oil on the stove and then did the remaining steps. Quicker and just as good, but not as healthy!)

Meanwhile, cook your ground beef. When done, drain the grease and add taco seasoning to your liking. (This part can be done in advance. Have your meat already cooked and ready to add to your shells in the morning)

When your tortillas are done, set your oven to Broil. Next put your meat on your tortillas, then black beans, salsa and cheese. This is where you can add what your family likes. Broil your tostadas until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through ~ about 1-2 minutes.

Now top with lettuce, avocado, sour cream and enjoy! I ate mine like a tostada. The boys folded theirs in half and ate like a taco!

Basic Drip Beef

This beef sandwich had great flavor and was very easy!

You cook it in a heavy pot instead of a crock pot. I don't know why you couldn't put it in a crock pot if you don't like the idea of putting it on your stove all day.

My house smelled like dinner all day, but at least dinner was pretty much done in the morning!

Basic Drip Beef

(Pioneer Woman)

• 2.5-4 lb chuck roast
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large onion, sliced thick
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup sherry (substitute 2 tbsp vinegar + chicken stock to equal 1 cup)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cups water
• Toasted, buttered rolls
• Cheese, optional

Heat butter in a heavy pot over med-high heat. Saute the onions for a couple minutes, or until starting to brown.

Set roast on top of the onions. Add all remaining ingredients and cover pot. Simmer on very low heat on the stove for 6 hours, or until beef is fork tender or you can shred easily.

Shred meat with 2 forks until all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or you can continue to simmer for 30 min. to 1 hour.

Serve with your rolls or you can also toast under the broiler and melt cheese!

Beef Fajita Nachos

Doesn't that just look Scrumptious!

2 words described this meal ~ YUM and YUMMY!

The marinade for the flank steak was super good and great flavor. You do have to prepare in advance, since the flank steak marinates for 24 hours! It is definitely worth it! This steak would be great for fajitas in a tortilla too! We served ours with refried beans also!

Make sure you do the peppers and onions, they were yum!

Beef Fajita Nachos

(The pioneer Woman blog)

Flank Steak Marinade:

• 1 flank steak
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 whole limes juiced
• 4 whole canned chipotle peppers (1 can), with a little sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 whole handful cilantro (which I omitted since I have a cilantro hater at my house!)

To prepare the steak, combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chipotle peppers (just add a little sauce from the can too), and cilantro in a food processor or blender. Blend until totally combined.

Place flank steak and marinade in a large plastic bag or dish. Make sure to coat the meat. Seal bag or cover dish tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours at least!

NACHOS INGREDIENTS:

• 2 whole peppers, cleaned and sliced (I used a yellow and orange one)
• 2 whole yellow onions (I used 1 onion)
• olive oil ~ for frying
• tortilla chips
• Grated cheese ~ I blended cheddar and monteray jack
• guacamole ~ we sliced avocados on top instead
• salsa
• sour cream
• refried beans
• I also made my Black Bean dip

When ready to make nachos, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle olive oil on your grill. Cook the meat on an outdoor or indoor grill over very high heat, about 4 minutes per side! Remove the steak from grill and set aside to rest.

In a large skillet, heat a couple tbsp olive oil over med-high heat. Add onions and peppers and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until somewhat soft and start blackening. (You should also be heating your refried beans at this point!) Remove from heat when done.

Slice your meat into strips. Then cut them again into smaller bite size pieces. You can cut your peppers and onions into smaller pieces at this point too!

Arrange tortilla chips on a cookie sheet. Generously place cheese on top of your chips. (I didn't place enough cheese the first time and ended up adding more on top after they had cooked, so make sure to add lots of cheese!) Place cookie sheet in the oven and cook for 3 minutes or so, or until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and place your meat and peppers/onions on top. Then you can scoop what you want on your plate and add whatever toppings you desire!

Repeat with remaining meat and vegies, or save for another day!

ENJOY!! They are really really good!

Mushroom and Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce

This is yet another Pioneer Woman recipe that turned out yummy!

It was a new way to make a hamburger, and the fry sauce was really good!

You don't have to make these small, but they were perfect for my boys and actually good portion control if you are trying to eat less!

Mushroom and Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce

(The Pioneer Woman)

Fry Sauce:

• 1/3 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 tsp and found it spicy enough for me!)

In a small bowl, mix mayo, ketchup, and cayenne. Stir together until totally combined. Set aside.

Ingredients: Mushrooms and Onions

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 whole onion, finely diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped finely (next time I am going to not chop the onions and mushrooms finely and just leave them sliced. I think that will be just as good!)
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and toss around. Add Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook for several minutes over medium heat, or until all the liquid is evaporated. Transfer mushroom mixture to a separate bowl, scraping all contents from the skillet.

Ingredients: Hamburgers

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper
• Swiss Cheese
• Dinner rolls for sliders, or hamburger buns if making bigger

Mix ground beef, heavy cream, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix ingredients.

Form 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the meat mixture into patties. Make an indentation with your thumb to keep the patties from plumping too much when they cook. In the same skillet as you cooked the mushrooms, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium to med-high heat.

Add 4 patties at a time, indented side face up. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip. Spoon generous portions of the mushroom mixture on each patty. Then top with cheese. Place lid on pan and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until burgers are cooked through and cheese melted. Remove and keep warm and cook remaining meat.

Toast halved buns under the oven broiler. Spread generously with fry sauce. Place patties between buns and serve!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

I found this recipe on Jack and Jills kitchen and had to try it! It took me a while to do it, but it was a complete success! Todd loves Beef Stroganoff and I hate to make it! It seems to be a lot of standing at the stove, so when Jill posted this recipe and said how good it was at her house I had to try it!

Even better was when I got mushrooms from Bountiful Basket this last week and had a recipe ready to use them! This was a simple recipe with great flavor and best of all I used my crock pot! I next time will use the low fat cream cheese, not to say it wasn't great with the real deal, but I kept thinking about that whole thing of cream cheese in there!

All I can say is I got a big thumbs up from the hubby and that makes it a keeper for me!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

• 2 lbs cubed stew meat, cut into smaller pieces
• 2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 chopped onion (I cheated and used dry chopped onions)
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 packet lipton onion soup mix

Spray your crock pot with non-stick spray and add all the above ingredients. Combine together and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours. (mine seemed to be done about 1 1/2 hours early cooked on low, keep an eye on it in the end)

Just before serving add:

• 8 oz cream cheese (regular or low fat works)
• 1/2 to 1 cup sour cream
• fresh mushrooms - sauted in butter before adding

Serve over wide egg noodles or rice! We did the noodles and really like it that way! The beef came out shredded and I really really liked it that way! YUMMY!

Sloppy Joes - Pioneer Woman Style

This is now my new favorite Sloppy Joe recipe!! It was very flavorful and it was very simple. I even made it ahead of time and put it in my small crock pot on warm so it was ready after the soccer game! I halved the recipe for my family and had plenty!

The boys loved them and this is definitely my new keeper recipe!

Sloppy Joes

(the pioneer woman)

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 whole large onion, diced (I cheated and used dried onion flakes)
• 1 whole large green bell pepper, diced (I didn't add this because of the kids)
• 5 cloves garlic minced (I only had 1 clove, so I added some garlic powder too!)
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup (I added a little more than that)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp chili powder (or more to taste)
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• worcestershire sauce to taste (I didn't add this)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (optional, I didn't add this)
• tabasco sauce (optional, I didn't add this either)
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Kaiser rolls, or whatever buns you have
• butter

Add butter to large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.

Add beef back to the skillet and add onions, garlic, and green pepper. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegies begin to soften.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add the tomato paste, worcestershire, and tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls, topping with a slice of cheese if desired. ( I did this and it was really good!)

Serve hot with chips!

Stacked Tacos

I was desperate for a recipe to use hamburger and I stumbled upon this recipe. It is a new twist or spin on an old fav.~~TACOS! I really liked the crispy shells and stacking it together. I will say that next time I will only do 2 layers (3 were just too many to eat) for me and 1 layer for the kids instead of splitting one up! I also halved the recipe for me and still have leftovers!

Very easy and ingredients you have on hand. I didn't have tomato soup on hand and it seemed to turn out fine to me!

Stacked Tacos

(www.realmomkitchen.com)

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 (8 oz) cans of tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5 0z) cans of diced tomatoes
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning
• fajita sized flour tortillas
• grated cheddar cheese
• chopped lettuce
• sliced olives
• sour cream
• guacamole

Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain.

In a large soup pot, add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salsa, tomato soup, and taco seasoning. Stir well. Add ground beef, mix in, and allow mixture to simmer for 1 hour to blend flavors. (the mixture will be quite soupy)

Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a skillet. Pan fry each tortilla in hot oil until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel.

To serve: Place a tortilla shell on each plate. Add 1/4 cup of saucy meat mixture on each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Place 1/4 cup sauce and cheese on that tortilla. Repeat one more time. You should now have a stack of 3 layers. Then top with lettuce, olives and a dollop of sour cream. Makes 10 stacked tacos.

**The saucy meat mixture freezes well.

Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos

I found this recipe in a coupon insert in the Sunday paper. It is funny what you find when you are looking for good coupons to help save a little money!!

It looked good and used the crock pot so I was sold to try it (well I have had this recipe for about a month and finally got around to trying it!)!

It is super easy and turned out really moist and good. I used a frozen roast, so maybe that added more liquid.

I changed the recipe a little and we had great tacos tonight!

Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Tacos

(from Sunday paper coupon insert)

• 1 taco seasoning packet


• 1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast (or whatever beef roast you have will probably work)


• 1 medium onion, sliced


• 1 cup water


• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies (I ended up not adding these)


• taco sauce

Place beef roast and onion in your crock pot. Combine water and taco seasoning mix in a small bowl. Pour over beef and onions. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until fork tender or can shred easily.

Transfer beef to cutting board and shred with 2 forks. Place in large bowl and stir in taco sauce and chilies (I didn't add any sauce or chilies. I just wanted a hint of taco flavor.)

Fill warm tortillas with beef and other yummy additions--lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, sourcream, refried beans, salsa, etc. I also made the yummy black bean and corn salad and ate that with tortilla chips and put it in our tacos. You can find that recipe in the salad section! ENJOY!!!

Skillet Lasagna

I found this on a blog I love to read, in fact I probably blog stalk it everyday! It is called Sisters Stuff and they have great craft ideas, recipes and lots of other fun stuff!

I had to try this and it was an instant hit! It was super simple and if you often times don't have lasagna noodles, but everything else this is a winner! It was quick too!

Skillet Lasagna

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes (she only adds 1 tsp)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups bow tie pasta, UNCOOKED (I probably used 3 cups)
• 1 cup cottage cheese (strain first)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• dash basil and pepper

In a large skillet, brown beef with onions and garlic; drain.

Add tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano and salt. Mix well.

Stir in uncooked pasta. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover, simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once.

Stir in cottage cheese. Cover with the parmesan cheese, and sprinkle with basil and pepper to taste if desired. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Apple Cider Beef Stew

Kora loved this stew and loved the sweet potatoes too!

I also halved this recipe for my family of four eaters. FYI - Christian thinks that his picture looks awful, but we really did like it.

2 lbs. stew meat
6 carrots, sliced
6 potatoes, sliced ( I used sweet potatoes this time)
2 apples, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups apple cider

Place apples and vegetables in crock pot. Add meat lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper. Pour cider over meat. Cook on low for 8 hours. You can add flour if you want the sauce to be thicker. I also added a little brown sugar with my sweet potatoes!

Mom's Chili

It is feeling "chilly" outside and doesn't that just make you feel like eating "CHILI"!

This is my mom's recipe and it turns out great everytime! I think you could adapt it to go in your crock pot too!!

Mom's Chili

5 cans (15 oz) kidney beans

(other option is to use 1 lb dried kidney beans and soak in 6 cups water overnight)

2 onions chopped (I had large onions and only used 1)

1 clove garlic (I added 2 cloves)

2 lbs ground beef

3 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1-3 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp paprika

4 cups tomato juice

(I added a can (14.5 oz) of crushed tomatoes or could use diced also)

Cook the ground beef and drain. Add all ingriendients to a stock pot and you may need some water depending on how thick you like it. Simmer together for at least one hour on low. (Or put everything in your crock pot and turn on low for a few hours!)

Korean Marinade

I thought this marinade was really yummy. I did not end up skewering the meat but barbecued it whole and than sliced it to serve.

Korean Marinade for Steak kabobs

1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 cloves garlic, crushed

combine the above ingredients. Slice chuch steak into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices. Marinate meat for 8 hours or overnight. Weave strips of steak onto skewers andcook on a hot barbecue for 8 minutes. Serve

Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese Potatoes

I made this this weekend with Elk Steak. And they were really yummy!! I'm not even that much of a blue cheese fan, but I loved it. I did end up broiling the potatoes instead of grilling them.

Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese Potatoes

by: Martha Stewart

Serves 4

* 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

* 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish

* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

* Freshly ground pepper

* 1 3/4 pounds skirt steak

* 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes

* Coarse salt

* 3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Preheat grill to high. Stir garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, and oil in a nonreactive dish; season with pepper. Place steak in dish, cutting to fit if necessary; coat both sides with marinade. Marinate, turning once, 15 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Cover potatoes with cold water in a medium saucepan; add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; let cool slightly. Slice potatoes in half, and brush lightly with oil; season with salt and pepper.

3. Grill steak, turning once, to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Set aside. Meanwhile, grill potatoes, turning once, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with cheese. Thinly slice steak against grain. Divide steak and potatoes among 4 plates. Serve, garnished with rosemary sprigs.