Skillet Chili Mac with Corn and Green Chiles

This dish, from Donna's blog, immediately gained my attention as a great option for our 'meal sharing' plan.  I'm officially dedicating this post to Christy's daughter, Megan, who excitedly named this one "Homemade Hamburger Helper!"  :)  This was a great recipe for busy families for several reasons: it's inexpensive, it's all made in one skillet-- so much less to clean up, and it comes together incredibly quickly!  I will note that if you are making it for kids, you might want to consider decreasing the amount of green chiles you use.  I left mine out completely and it still had a nice kick as a result of the chili powder.  Thanks, Donna, for another great one!

Skillet Chili Mac with Corn and Green Chiles

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
16 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups water
8 ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni
1 cup frozen corn
1 4.5-oz can chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mexican cheese blend)

Heat the oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion, chili powder, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink, draining off any grease. Stir in garlic and brown sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, water, and macaroni. Cover and cook, stirring often and keeping the heat at a steady simmer, until the macaroni is tender, about 12–15 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, frozen corn, green chiles and cilantro and sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Cover and let sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Source: Donna at My Tasty Treasures

Sugar Snap and Beef Stir Fry

This is another great "Chinese Food at Home" recipe! Pam, over at For the Love of Cooking, has not disappointed me yet. I always know I'm going to love her recipes. This dish had an incredible flavor and was really easy to make. My one suggestion wold be to let your meat sit in the marinade for as long as possible. A very busy day (and a scattered mind) resulted in mine marinating for only about an hour and a half. It was wonderful, but would be so much better if allowed to sit longer, as Pam suggests.

Hope everyone is doing well! I haven't had as much time to post comments as I would like, but I am still checking out your blogs to get wonderful dinner ideas for my family! I promise to be better about checking in on your sites once I grow more accustomed to the new schedule!

Sugar Snap and Beef Stir Fry
For the beef marinade:
1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1 clove of garlic, minced

(Combine all ingredients in a large zip lock bag and place in refrigerator for 1-6 hours.)

For the stir fry veggies:
Sugar snap peas, trimmed
Broccoli florets, steamed until tender
1/4 cup of shredded carrots
2-3 baby bell peppers, sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced
2-3 green onions, sliced (divided)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

(Steam broccoli florets. Clean and chop all vegetables then set aside until ready to cook.)

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon chili sauce

(Combine all ingredients and whisk until mixed thoroughly. Set aside.)

Remaining ingredients:
Sesame oil (to cook meat and vegetables)
Sesame seeds (garnish)
Brown rice, prepare according to the directions (I used white rice to keep my husband happy!)

Heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add beef to the pan; stir fry for 2 minutes or until done. Place beef in a bowl and set aside. Add the last remaining teaspoon of sesame oil to the pan. Add onion and sauté 1 minute. Add the remaining vegetables along with half of the green onions, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and freshly grated ginger, cook stirring continuously for 45 seconds. Add beef and stir fry sauce then cook for an additional minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve over brown rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Source: For the Love of Cooking

Porky Top

This is one of those recipes that you can try to shoot from every angle and still won't get a decent picture of. In retrospect, I really should have taken the sausage off the top because it really doesn't look appropriate! :) I'm hoping you'll be able to look past this to try the dish! This casserole is my husband's ultimate comfort food. It's a meal that his grandmother used to make, and his parents after that. If I remember correctly, it's also the first meal he ever made me. The dish uses ingredients that are fairly easy to keep on hand, and it does get put together pretty quickly.

On a sad note, my blogging is about to get a little more limited. My maternity leave is ending and I am about to head back to teaching full time. The idea of leaving my little ones during the day is really difficult for me to even think about. If I didn't have the BEST babysitter in the world, I wouldn't even be able to imagine it. Needless to say, my evening time will be more limited and as much as I love blogging about recipes, I want every spare second to spend with my family. (Once they go to bed-- the grading pen and lesson planning comes out! :) ) I am still hoping to update my blog on the weekends, and check in with my favorite bloggers whenever I have spare time. I hope you guys will be patient with me... I've developed so many incredible foodie friendships and look forward to continuing to share and discover recipes and ideas with all of you.

Porky Top
2 cans tomato soup
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup green pepper, finely diced
Velveeta cheese
Brown and Serve Sausage (I prefer the 'beef' variety-- but you can use any)
2 cups uncooked macaroni

In a saucepan, mix the tomato soup and water over low heat. Mix in the green peppers. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the directions on the box. In an oven-safe bowl, mix the noodles and the tomato soup mixture together. Cut up 1/2 of the box of sausage (into thin slices) and mix in with the noodles and soup. Cut chunks of the velveeta and also mix in with the noodles. The amount of cheese you choose to add varies, depending on taste. We prefer things pretty cheesy here, so we add quite a bit!

Smooth the top of the casserole mixture. Place the other half of the sausages on top in a pinwheel design. Place small slices of cheese in-between each sausage. Bake in a oven preheated to 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Source: Grandma Ellis

Top Sirloin with Onions and Carrots

This is another meal from my new Sam's Club cookbook that I wrote about earlier this month. This was the third thing I have tried from it, and I liked it just as much as the others! My only regret with this one was that it really is a meal that is better for fall or winter weather. The picture in the cookbook looked so good that I just couldn't hold off on at least trying it, though! It has all the makings of comfort food and the flavors really blended together nicely. There was a nice sweetness to the vegetables that complemented the beef perfectly. I'll definitely be making it again, but will hold off until cooler temperatures. I say that now but just looking at the picture, I'm craving it again! :)

Top Sirloin with Onions and Carrots
4 slices bacon
4 small onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
8 small carrots, halved lengthwise
4 small red potatoes, cut up (about 1 pound total)
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup beer
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 1/4 pounds boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1.5-2 inches thick
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Fresh thyme (optional)

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove it from the skillet and drain it on paper towels. Drain the skillet, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the drippings. In the same skillet, cook the onions over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove the onions and set aside. Add the carrots, cooking for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully add the potatoes, broth, beer, brown sugar, and half of the dried thyme. Return the onions to the skillet. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, for 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, season the beef wtih remaining dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Place on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 16-22 minutes for medium-rare or 22-28 minutes for medium, turning once halfway through broiling. Cut into 4 pieces.

Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon. Gently boil the juices, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Divide the steak, vegetables, and bacon among 4 plates. Spoon juices over and sprinkle with fresh thyme, if desired. Serves 4.

Source: Favorite Family Dinners

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Zucchini

Not exactly the healthiest option for using my zucchini, but when my mother told me she used to wrap her stuffed zucchini with bacon, I knew I couldn't make it any other way! The flavors melded so well together and all plates were clean at the end of this meal. I served the zucchini next to a bed of white rice along with some fresh breadsticks. Thanks again to Christy for sharing her crop of zucchini with us. I'm hoping my garden catches up sometime in the near future so that we can make this one again soon!

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Zucchini
2 large zucchini
1 - 1.5 pounds ground round
1 onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar tomato sauce
garlic salt, to taste
oregano, to taste
bread crumbs
1 package bacon (center cut if available)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Trim a small amount of the bottom of each half so that the zucchini will lay flat in the baking dish. Scoop out the inside part of the zucchini, creating a boat for the filling. In a large saute pan, brown the ground round with the onion and garlic. Drain off grease and mix with spaghetti sauce, garlic salt, and oregano. Fill the zucchini boats with the meat mixture, mounding slightly. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the meat and then wrap with the uncooked bacon. Place the zucchini in the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy. Serve with white rice.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

This recipe is unlike any other pepper steak I have ever tried. Normally, pepper steak (at least the recipes I have made in the past) has a bit of a kick to it. This one really had a sweeter taste to it, making it much more kid friendly for my house. There really wasn't any heat to it at all, so if that is something you prefer, I would maybe add some pepper flakes to the meat while browning it. My husband and I both really enjoyed this meal, and I like it even more that it can sit in the crock pot for the day. This certainly makes it a quick and easy meal for once school is back in session this fall. I love coming home from work to a house filled with the smell of our dinner cooking.

One change I would make would be to add some different colored peppers instead of all green peppers. Peppers have been so expensive, lately, that I didn't go that route this time through! I served ours over rice and it was definitely a hit!

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. (If you want yours to be more like a traditional pepper steak, add red pepper flakes at this point.) In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Cover, and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve over rice.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Taco Puffs

I had these taco puffs on my weekly menu for next weekend, but when my husband saw them on the list, he requested that they be 'bumped up'. If he had his choice, he'd have tacos every night! Needless to say, he's been a big fan of Heidi's blog lately! When I first started making these, I thought they were going to end up in disaster! I had a really hard time getting my crescent pieces to stick together to create the pockets. Heidi does recommend letting the meat mixture cool a bit before filling the shells, and maybe I didn't quite let them cool enough. While I was a bit afraid putting these in the oven, they really baked together well and stayed exactly in form. They were so cute! My whole family really enjoyed them and my husband already asked when I will be making them again!

Taco Puffs
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 tubes refrigerated crescent
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Garnish (I used sour cream, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, diced onion, and additional cheese)

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Cool slightly. Unroll crescents leaving 2 crescents together to form a square. Press seems together and place in a greased cookie sheet. Spoon 1/4 cup meat mixture onto each; sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Pull crescent dough around the filling and pinch edges to seal tightly. Bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes or until golden brown.

Source: Tried and True Cooking with Heidi

Shredded Beef Taquitos

I love to order these when we go out to a Mexican restaurant, but I have never before attempted to make them at home. When I saw them on the blog, For the Love of Cooking, I knew that they were going straight on my next menu. I'm not quite sure why mine don't look half as nice as Pam's. Her photo looks beautiful, with picture perfect rolls. . . mine look a bit messier! They tasted wonderful though. More importantly, the house smelled incredible as the meat cooked!

Shredded Beef Taquitos
For the beef:

1 1/2 pounds of round roast
1-7 ounce can of whole green chiles reserve the juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4-5 cloves of chopped garlic
1-2 cups of beef broth

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven. Combine seasonings and rub onto the meat thoroughly. Sear the meat in the olive oil on all sides. Spread the green chiles over the roast. Add beef broth, reserved green chile juice and chopped garlic. Cover pan and place in oven. Cook 4-5 hours until the beef shreds easily. Check on roast every couple of hours to make sure there is plenty of liquid... if it's low add more broth. You can also cook this dish on the stove top or in a crock-pot. Shred the meat and mix into the remaining liquid. Taste and re season if necessary. Set aside and let cool.

To make Baked Taquitos:
Corn Tortillas
Shredded beef
Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wrap corn tortillas in damp paper towels for 1-2 minutes in the microwave to soften. Place a bit shredded beef in the center of the tortilla then roll. Place, seam side down, on a baking sheet that's been coated with cooking spray. Finish rolling the rest of the taquitos, then spray each of them with cooking spray and bake for 5-6 minutes then turn over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

Note: You can also add shredded cheddar cheese or cotija cheese to the taquitos. Be sure to place the cheese on the tortilla first then the meat. It will help keep the cheese from leaking out while baking.

Source: For the Love of Cooking

Cheeseburger Pies

Please forgive my picture! For some reason, my camera card did not store the original pictures that I took of this meal. I was forced to dig out my leftovers (the one pie that was actually left) and took a next day - cold meal picture. Not the best, I know... but these were too cute not to share!

These little packets were very easy to make and had a delicious flavor. I normally don't add a steak sauce to my burgers but the flavor was definitely a welcome addition. It really brought the flavor of the beef out for me. One note that I will make is that while the recipe is designed to make 5 pies, I only made 4. To begin with, I wanted my burgers to be a little larger so that they wouldn't dry out in the cooking process. As I got into making them, however, I realized that an even bigger issue was the puff pastry. It was all I could do to get the pastry to cut into rectangles big enough to cover 4 patties, I can't imagine trying to get 5 out of one sheet! When I make this again (which I will) I will definitely make sure that I take the time to roll it out enough to save me some stress! :)

Cheeseburger Pies

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup finely diced Vidalia onion

1 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 tablespoon Dale's Steak Seasoning Sauce

5 slices cheese (I used American for my husband and son, Cheddar for mine)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, allowed to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes

1 egg yolk

Preheat the oven to 375. Prepare the grill. Mix the ground beef, onion, steak seasoning, steak sauce, togeter (using your hands is the most efficient way to do this). Form into 5 (I made 4) small, flat patties. Grill burgers to medium-well. (You may also panfry the patties.) Remove from te grill and top each burger with a slice of cheese.

Roll the puff pastry sheet to flatten slightly. Eyeball the sheet and cut it into 5 relatively even rectangles. (Again, I made 4.) They don't need to be exact. Cover each burger with a piece of puff pastry and wrap it around the bottom, pinching all of the edges to seal. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, pinched side down.

Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush each wrapped pastry with the egg wash. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the puff pastry is nice and brown.

Source: Paula Deen

Goulash

A short while ago, I was on bedrest awaiting the birth of my little girl. During this time, an amazing group of people stepped in to help us out with basic household tasks and meals. I was astounded enough that those I love and care about immediately came through to help us out, but I was even more awed by the complete strangers that insisted on helping out, without even meeting me or my family. They simply knew that help was needed and they did not hesitate to jump in. I cannot begin to thank these people enough for what they have done for my family. It was a difficult experience to have to sit and do nothing to take care of my family, and these people kept my household running, my family fed, and made us all feel such love and support.

One dish that was brought over during this time was a goulash. I had never before tasted, much less made, goulash. As we reheated the dish, a wonderful smell filled the house. This is comfort food at its best! My husband had seconds and asked me if I knew how to make it! While I don't have this particular recipe (which was delicious, by the way!) I had seen an episode of Paula Deen where she stated that her son, Bobby, requested her goulash on his birthday every year. Apparently it is his favorite of all of her dishes. With as many good things as she makes, I assumed if this was his favorite it had to be phenomenal! One thing I will make note of is that Paula says the recipe serves 6, unless Bobby is eating. Normally, I find that recipes don't make nearly the servings I would expect-- I guess we are big eaters! I did add a little extra macaroni to the goulash, but even with that, I would say that this makes way more than 6 servings. The recipe calls for 3 pounds of meat, which seems like a lot for only 6 servings, anyway. My husband and I both had a big bowl and I have a very large container of it left in the fridge.

Bobby's Goulash

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 pound ground turkey

2 large yellow onions, chopped

2- 15 oz cans tomato sauce

2- 15 oz cans diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

3 bay leaves

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon House seasoning (recipe below)

1 tablespoon seasoned salt

2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)

In a dutch oven, saute the ground beef and ground turkey over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of water, along with tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15-20 minutes.

Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Paula doesn't say to, but I found that I needed to stir my goulash during this time. With the high sugar content of the tomatoes, it was starting to stick and burn on the bottom of the pot. I would stir randomly through this cooking time.) Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

Source: Paula Deen Celebrates!

Beijing Beef

I was craving Chinese food the other day and figured it would be a great opportunity to try a recipe off of a new blog that my sister found. She called me as soon as she found the Blog Chef site as she knew I would love the types of recipes that were posted. This is the first one I tried and I am thrilled that I did. The beef had a really nice texture after being fried (although not the healthiest option!) and the vegetables were nice and crisp. The sauce had a great flavor but I would probably go ahead and double it (the sauce only) the next time I make it. My husband and I both are big 'sauce' people and when I served it, I wished I had extra to spoon over the rice. One other change-- I was out of green peppers when making it, so I went ahead and used only red. It still tasted just as good, but wasn't quite as colorful! :)

Beijing Beef
1lb steak (sliced into thin strips)
6 tablespoons cornstarch (for dusting)
oil (for frying)

Marinade:
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Sauce:
4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
¼ teaspoon crush chili pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Vegetables:
1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
1 medium green bell pepper (diced)
1 medium white onion (sliced)

Cut beef into thin strips . In a bowl or sealable bag combine all marinade ingredients and mix well. Add beef slices and marinate for 15 minutes. While beef in marinating mix all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate. When the beef is done marinating coat the beef slices with 6 tablespoons of cornstarch. Remove any access cornstarch and deep fry (either in a deep fryer or wok) beef slices in batches until floating or golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Add a couple tablespoons of oil to the wok and add minced garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add red and green bell peppers and onions and stir fry for 2 minutes. Remove vegetables and set aside. Pour sauce into the wok and heat until boiling. In a serving dish add beef and vegetables and coat with the sauce.

Source: Blog Chef

Taco Salad

Sorry for the delay... I have a backlog of old posts that I haven't gotten up yet, so please bear with me!

Please do not judge this dish by its appearance. . . especially my 9 p.m. photograph of it! This taco salad is a favorite of anyone who tries it. With the crushed Doritos mixed through, it tends to be pretty kid friendly as well. I first got this recipe from my sister, but I can't remember for the life of me who she got it from. It sounds simple, but the flavor combinations are wonderful and perfect for the warmer weather. Please be warned that this recipe makes a nice amount of salad! I like it as leftovers just as much but my husband won't touch it past the first night. With the dressing mixed through it, leftovers have much more of a wilted salad consistency (which I like-- but I know a lot of people do not). To dress it up a bit, I bought a package of taco salad shells to bake right before serving. It was definitely a fun way to present it, but not totally necessary if you are looking to make a less expensive meal.

Taco Salad
1 to 1.5 heads of lettuce (depending on the size)
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 cucumbers, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 small can sliced black olives
2 large tomatoes
1.5 pounds ground chuck
1 bottle of your favorite Italian salad dressing
1 bag Doritos

Brown the ground chuck, breaking it up as you do. Drain well. Break apart the lettuce into a large bowl and add onion, cucumbers, green pepper, olives, tomatoes, and beef. Crush the entire bag of Doritos. Right before serving, add in crushed Doritos and salad dressing. Mix well.

(This is an easy meal to make ahead-- brown the beef but store in a container until ready to use. Chop and mix the other salad ingredients, waiting to add the crushed Doritos, beef, and dressing until ready to serve.)

Source: Rachel Guajardo

Mom's Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of those meals where no matter where I am or how old I get, I always feel like I am a kid living back at home. My sisters and I were recently teasing our mom that there were certain meals that always came with the same side dishes and the same traditions. Mom's meatloaf was always served with mashed potatoes and spinach, with a side of applesauce and cinnamon, prepared on Friday nights. (Mine would have been served with those same sides had I been able to spend more time in the kitchen making mashed potatoes-- it just doesn't taste the same with out them!) If we were really lucky, we got to eat on our Cabbage Patch TV trays while watching Dallas. Even as I write this, I hear the Dallas theme music in the background. . . scary, huh?

As much as I tease, I love that this meal has such comforting memories attached to it. I can only hope that one day my own children will be able to look back on the moments that we are creating now with as much appreciation and respect.

Mom's Meatloaf

3 pounds ground chuck
3 large eggs
2 medium to large onions
1 small or 1/2 large green pepper
25 saltines, finely crushed
3/4 cup milk
barbeque sauce (I always use Sweet Baby Rays)
1 cup applesauce (optional)
garlic salt
pepper

Break apart ground chuck in a large mixing bowl. Place eggs into a food processor and add onions and green pepper (both quartered). Process eggs, onions, and green pepper until finely chopped. Add egg mixture to meat along with the crushed saltines, milk, BBQ sauce to taste, applesauce (if desired), and seasonings. Mix well and place meat mixture in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Form into an oblong loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes.

**Note: The meatloaf can be baked adding nothing or you can choose one of the following options: 1.) Brush top with BBQ sauce and also place sliced onion on top, or 2.) Mix one can of tomato or cream of mushroom soup with 1/3 cup of water and pour over meatloaf before baking.

Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Cabernet Sauce

I have to say that for some reason, this is one cooking method that I have always been a bit intimidated by. Now that I have tried it, however, I feel a bit foolish for having waited so long! I've been looking for excuses to play with my new dutch oven (which I LOVE, by the way!) and when I looked at Brown Eyed Bakers photos from this recipe, I knew I would have to get this particular dish on our menu. The meat was so unbelievably tender it literally melted in our mouths! One change that I did make was to chop up the celery as well. Chelle (Brown Eyed Baker) stated that although the recipe didn't say to, she decided to serve the carrots on the side of her meat and mushrooms. The recipe calls for 2 stalks of celery, but I decided to chop those up as well to give the dish more of a stew consistency, serving the carrots as well. Overall, it made a pretty inexpensive meal and was a great comfort food. If you haven't tried braising meat before, this is a great dish to start with! Now that I am a fan, I'd love to hear about any other recipes anyone might have!

Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Cabernet Sauce

3 lbs. beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, trimmed and halved
6 garlic cloves
8 oz. white mushrooms, quartered
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
3 fresh parsley sprigs
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 cup Cabernet savignon
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 275°. Dry beef thoroughly and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the meat so that the pieces are not touching and cook without moving them until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Use tongs and rotate pieces until all sides are browned (about another 2 minutes). Transfer the beef to a medium bowl, add another 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and repeat the previous steps with the other half of meat. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Add all of the beef back to the pot and stir in the chicken stock, filling only until meat is just covered by liquid. Stir in flour, dissolving completely. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Pile on mushrooms, add herb sprigs, and return to a boil. Cover and place in preheated oven and cook for 2 hours.

Remove from oven and drain all contents, reserving the liquid. Return the liquid to the pot and boil on medium high heat until thickened, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, remove beef and mushrooms from drained contents and place on serving platter. Once mixture has thickened, spoon about 1/3 cup of sauce over meat and serve remaining in a gravy dish on the side.

**I served mine over mashed potatoes.

Source: Brown Eyed Baker (originally from Good Things Catered)

Italian Beef

This recipe is one that my extended family makes often for birthday parties and large family gatherings, but I'm not sure why I don't think to often include it in our normal rotation. It does make a large crock-pot full of meat, but also reheats easily and is especially convenient during busy weeks. My two little ones are both sick at the moment, so I chose this week to make it as it would make for easy leftovers when my babies could use more of my time. I tend to like my sandwiches a little more on the mild side, so I use the mild pepperocinis in the recipe and give my husband (who prefers the extra spice) a pile of them on the side which he can add to his sandwich. I find this is the easiest way to make sure that everyone is satisfied and can enjoy their meal at their own taste.

Italian Beef

Chuck roast (I use the biggest one I can find at the store-- like I said, it reheats really well!)

1 jar mild pepperocini slices

1 envelope onion soup mix

1 green pepper, sliced

1 large can mushroom pieces

1/2 chopped onion

chopped garlic to taste

Put all ingredients in the crock pot on low. (Do not drain the mushroom pieces or the pepperocinis. You want this liquid to cook the beef in.) After 8 hours, shred the meat with two forks. Continue cooking. Serve in sturdy rolls.

Source: Adele Fine

Dutch Oven Dinner

This dish is another of the wonderful surprises that we had made for us during my period of bedrest during the last part of my pregnancy. My friend Christy started a special section on her blog called "Sundays for Sarah" through which she had me select some new recipe that she would then prepare for my family each week. Her idea was that people could read the post about the new dish while saying a prayer for my little one. The response was phenomenal and we truly felt everyone's prayers. We are so appreciative for everyone's support!

Dutch Oven Dinner is a recipe that I found on another friends blog, "Annie's Eats." Annie commented that the recipe reminded her of a casserole that her parents would have made. I agree completely and this recipe certainly falls into the comfort food category. It is easy to throw together and simmers for an hour in a dutch oven. It couldn't be much simpler and has great, classic flavors.

Dutch Oven Dinner

1 pound lean ground sirloin

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

2/3 cup chopped mushrooms

2 cups frozen corn

1 package (10-12 ounces) egg noodles

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef in a 5 quart dutch oven or a large skillet with a lid. Add the onion, mushrooms, and corn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread uncooked noodles evenly over the top. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the noodles. Pour the entire can of tomatoes over the noodles (be sure to cover the noodles entirely or else they will get chewy around the edges of the dutch oven). Simmer, tightly covered, for one hour; then let stand 3-5 minutes before serving.

Source: Christy's Kitchen Creations, originally from Annie's Eats