Chimichurri

1 small bunch flat leaf parsley (about 1 cup), finely chopped 

3 large cloves garlic, minced (adjust if you want less garlic flavor)

1 Fresno chili, small dice

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano 

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1/2 cup good olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl at least 15 minutes before eating. Make sure all ingredients are submerged in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Make up to 24 hours before eating. The sooner you eat it, the fresher it tastes. No need to refrigerate unless storing longer than 24 hours. Bring to room temperature if you refrigerate it.

Use as a condiment for meats, especially grilled steak/beef, but also good on any meat or fish or as a topping for a Buddha bowl or as a dressing for pasta or rice. 

This isn’t spicy, but if you want some spicy hot flavors, add a few pinches of red pepper flakes or some cayenne pepper. Do not chop in a food processor. Hand chop/dice all ingredients for best results.

The Best Meatloaf

 Make this the first time as written, then, and only then, you can change up the spices and other ingredients to create some variety.

1/2 c. finely diced onion

1 large clove garlic, pressed

1 large egg, slightly whisked

1/3 cup milk

3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs (I make my own from homemade bread)

 Splash Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp hot sauce (I used ghostly garlic)

1/2 tsp salt

several grinds of fresh ground black pepper

1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh dillweed, chopped

1 1/2 pounds lean (90%) ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

Ketchup

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except the meat until well blended. Add the meat and carefully mix together until combined. Do no over-mix or meatloaf will not be tender.

Shape meatloaf on a low-rimmed baking sheet covered with foil, and sprayed with cooking spray. Make the loaf any shape you desire. I usually make it rectangular, spread out so it bakes faster.

Bake meatloaf 40-60 minutes depending upon the thickness of the loaf. check the internal temperature. If it is around (or near) 160 degrees, spread a thin layer of ketchup on top to glaze and return to oven for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf is a minimum of 160 degrees.

Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil. Allow meatloaf to rest approximately 10 minutes before cutting.

Serve with ketchup on the side (and dill pickles if you like).

Goes well with baked or mashed white or sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, or any delicious side veggies you enjoy.

Sloppy Joes

This is a family favorite for a quick, cheap meal. You can prepare ahead and simply reheat when ready to eat. It's perfect for feeding a crowd or a quick meal for a large family ( or a small family with leftovers to serve on baked potatoes or a second meal)

 

 

2 pounds ground beef

1 c. finely chopped onion

2/3 c. finely chopped celery

2/3 c bell pepper (any color), chopped

2/3 - 1 c. ketchup 

1/4- 1/2 c. water

1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

1 tsp hot sauce (or more for more zip)

 Hamburger buns

In a large pot, brown ground beef, drain fat and rinse with water to remove extra fat. Set aside. 

In the same pot, cook onion, celery and bell pepper in a small amount of olive oil until very tender. Return cooked ground beef into the pot, add the remainder of the ingredients. Start with the lower amount of ketchup and water and add more to make it saucier.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover. Simmer sloppy Joes 15 minutes stirring to prevent it from burning, remove cover if too sloppy. Serve on buns and top with cheese, if desired.

 

 

Makes 6-8 sandwiches, depending upon size of buns and amount put into each bun.

Leftovers can be frozen.

Serve with raw carrots and celery sticks and cucumber rounds with ranch dressing and potato chips for a kid-friendly meal or serve with a lettuce salad or coleslaw for adult meal.

Steak sauce

This is a great way to make homemade steak sauce that honestly tastes much better than A-1 Steak Sauce. It's easy to make in a small batch too so you don't have a bottle of this stuff sitting in your refrigerator for months at a time.

1/4  heaping cup ketchup
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 heaping tsp hot sauce

Whisk all ingredients together. Refrigerate any leftovers. Use on steak sandwiches or if you like it on steak, on top of your steak.

How to make the perfect steak (Dave Cantwell Style)

Start with a good cut of beef. The key is to buy prime beef if you can. If not, buy it from a great place that has a reputation for good beef. If you start with good beef, you will have a good tasting steak.

We used prime beef tenderloin from Costco. Yes, it's a little costly, but if you look at the cost of a prime steak from a good steak house, you will soon realize it's actually not that expensive. Our beef tenderloin made 2 meals - one with steak, the other with the "scraps" for Cadillac Stew or Bulgogi, or just a stir fry with veggies. Feel free to cut the scraps and freeze for later use.

Cut the steaks from the biggest part of the tenderloin. Make them 2 inches minimum. This should make each steak about 8 oz. Let the beef come to room temperature (covered, of course). Just before you're ready to start, wrap each steak in a slice of uncured bacon, secured with a toothpick. Season both sides lightly with granulated garlic, salt, and pepper.

Heat oven to 200 degrees. Place the steaks on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 15 minutes. This will warm the inside of the steak, but not cook it. This is essential if you want your steak rare or medium rare. Remove the steaks and spread a thin layer of butter on top and bottom of each side.

While the meat is in the oven, heat your grill as hot as it will get. If you use a gas grill, this should take no more than 10 minutes. If you're using a charcoal or wood grill, you'll want to start this much earlier.

Place the steak on the hottest part of the grill for 3 1/2 minutes per side. Remove to a pan and let rest 2-5 minutes to seal in the juice. Serve with your choice of toppings or just as is. This makes a perfect medium rare steak that will melt in your mouth!

Bulgogi (with Kiwi)

We found this recipe on the Internet and after making it once, we decided to modify it. I think we've almost perfected it. This is an amazing Korean dish that promises never to leave leftovers. In fact, you'll probably want to lick your plate clean and lick the serving dish too!

We served this with rice and stir-fried bokchoy, onions, and peppers. It's good with kimchi too - as the sourness of the kimchi really compliments the sweetness of this sauce.

Meat
2 pounds thinly sliced beef tenderloin (you can use almost any beef, but tenderloin is delish)

Marinade
6 Tbsp  soy sauce
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp honey
4 Tbsp Mirin (rice) wine
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground black pepper
3 tsp toasted sesame seeds
2 Tbsp chopped green onions (including tops)
1 whole ripe kiwi, pureed
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Make the marinade. place in a large bowl and add the beef. Use your hands to massage the beef and marinade together. Be sure it is well mixed and beef is completely covered. Let stand on countertop for at least 1/2 hour. If you use a tougher cut of meat, you should let it marinade longer.

Heat wok to very hot. Add oil that has a high smoke point (grapeseed oil, coconut oil, canola oil). Make sure oil and pan are very hot. Add beef a little at a time. Cook just until done and remove beef to a warm dish. Add more beef and repeat. Drain any sauce that collects on the bottom of the pan, adding more oil and heating the pan to very hot before adding the meat. It's okay for the beef to get a little crispy. Always cook in small batches so the beef is stir-fried and not boiled. It should sizzle when it hits the pan.

You can also cook beef on a charcoal grill with a fine steel mesh or tin foil so beef doesn't fall through the grate. You don't want to burn the meat or it becomes bitter. Also when using beef tenderloin, you want to cook it lightly so it stays tender. Remember the meat will continue cooking even after you remove it from the pan.

If you stir fry veggies, do that first in the wok and set aside with them covered to stay warm. You can use any kind of veggies - try mushrooms, pea pods, julienned carrots and napa cabbage in addition to onions, bok choy and colorful sweet peppers.

Serves 4-6 people

Meatball Minestrone

I combined two different recipes I found on the Internet to come up with this winner. It is a hearty soup, perfect for those cool fall evenings or winter nights.

24 or more homemade meatballs thawed (walnut size)
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 carrots, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press or minced
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. tomato paste (I use double strength from a tube)
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 large zucchini, diced (about 2 cups or so)
1 rind from Parmesan cheese (I store these in my freezer and use in soups)
8 cups low sodium (or homemade) beef broth
15 oz can white kidney or northern beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup cooked ditalini pasta
2 heaping Tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

If you haven't homemade meatballs in the freezer to thaw, make fresh ones using this recipe.

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add carrots, celery and onion and cook until onion is soft. Add garlic, spices and tomato paste. Stir until garlic is fragrant and everything is mixed together. Add diced tomatoes and stir. Then add the MEATBALLS, Parmesan cheese rind, beef broth, beans and heat to boiling.

Simmer for about 25-45 minutes or until zucchini is cooked to your liking. Meanwhile, heat a pan of hot water and cook the pasta, drain and keep warm.

Adjust seasoning, then add spinach and basil and cook until spinach is wilted. Turn off soup and add the pasta and fresh parsley and give it a good stir. (optional -- only add 6 cups of beef broth and don't add the pasta to the soup -- but put the pasta in the bowl and ladle soup over pasta. By keeping the pasta separate, it doesn't soak up as much of the broth, keeping noodles al dente.)

Serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and a nice sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (saving the rind in the freezer for the next time you make this soup!).

Enjoy!

Mom's Stuffed Manicotti

I first made this recipe on 3/28/1971 when I was just 13 years old! Yes, I was cooking since I was a young girl. I have no idea where I got the recipe (probably the back of the manicotti noodle box), but it is still one of my favorite Italian recipes.

In addition to the ingredients listed under the Meat Sauce and Cheese Stuffing, you will need:
1 box of manicotti shells (12-14 in a box)
1 cup or more of Mozzarella or Italian cheese blend
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (in addition to what you put in the cheese stuffing)

Pasta Shells
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook 12-14 manicotti noodles until just al dente. Rinse in cold water and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a clean flour sack towel. Set aside.

Meat Sauce
1 pound ground sirloin (90% lean)
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. dried basil, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
12 oz can Contadina tomato paste (this brand is the best)
2 cups water (or if you like, 1 cup good red wine and 1 cup of water)
(add about 1 Tbsp brown sugar or raw sugar if you like your sauce a bit sweeter)

Brown ground sirloin, onion and garlic until onion is soft and meat is cooked. Add spices and allow to cook about a minute longer. Add tomato paste and water and stir until saucey. Let it come to a boil and then turn to a low simmer uncovered (or place a cover on cock-eyed to allow steam to escape), stirring occassionally. Simmer while preparing the rest of the ingredients or for at least a half hour.

Cheese stuffing
3 cups or 1 1/2 pounds of fresh ricotta cheese
2/3 cup of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Combine all ingredients and stir until well mixed. Using a small spoon, fill the manicotti shells with cheese mixture. You can also cut the shells on one side, but filling them keeps the cheese inside the shells.

In a 13x9 inch glass dish, spoon enough meat sauce to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/3 of the sauce. Place the stuffed shells on top of the sauce in a single layer. Top with remaining meat sauce. then generously sprinkle 1/2 cup to 1 cup of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese on top.**

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place a generous amount of mozzarella or Italian cheese blend on top of the manicotti. (1 cup or more) and place manicotti on the middle rack of the oven so cheese doesn't burn. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is browned. Remove from oven and allow to rest about 10 minutes before serving. This should serve 6-8 people, depending upon your appetite.Makes great leftovers the next day!

Serve with garlic toast or warm bread and a big salad. Makes a great meal for company!


**At this point you can freeze it if you want. (If you freeze it, be sure to thaw dish completely in the refrigerator before baking it.)

Swedish Meatballs

To make these authentic, make the meatballs with allspice and nutmeg, but if you're like me you like to make "all-purpose" meatballs. This recipe puts the allspice and nutmeg in the gravy. Quite yummy!

1 1/2 pounds homemade frozen meatballs (about 1 inch or less in diameter), not thawed
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp allspice (I use whole and grind in a mortar & pesel)
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1-2 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce
28 oz. low-sodium beef broth (homemade or canned)
1/2 c. half-and-half
Extra flour (if needed)

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Sift flour into butter one-quarter cup at a time. Whisk flour to make a roux. Add salt, pepper, allspice and nutmeg. Stir constantly allowing the flour/butter and spices to get a dark, rich brown, but not burnt. Whisk in beef broth until flour is incorporated. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Add browning sauce and stir. Place meatballs (I use frozen) into the gravy and turn to low heat. Cover and simmer until meatballs are heated through (about 10-15 minutes), stirring so that the gravy doesn't stick to the bottom. Uncover and add half-and-half. If you feel the gravy is too thin, whisk 1-2 Tbsp of flour into the half and half until dissolved and then slowly incorporate the half-and-half into the brown gravy. Heat to boiling and allow gravy to simmer another minute or so until thickened and smooth, stirring gently so as not to break up the meatballs, but to keep the gravy from burning. Adjust seasoning as desired.

Serve meatballs over mashed potatoes, wide noodles or even rice. We love it with homemade buttery mashed potatoes. Add a side salad or roasted carrots or rutabaga and enjoy this comfort food on a cold, winter's night!

Ultimate Chili Mac

Nathaniel had a brilliant idea of combining a homemade mac & cheese with homemade chili con carne. This is what we made. Inspired by Alton Brown's stove top mac & cheese, we made this meal over two days. I made the chili con carne minus the beans the day before and put it in the fridge. Nathaniel made the mac & cheese which takes about 15 minutes to make -- just about the same time it takes to warm up the chili, so if you plan ahead, you've got dinner ready in under 30 minutes!

Chili Con Carne

1 lb ground chuck, cooked and drained (I rinse mine with water to take out the excess fat)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
3 Tbsp. chili powder (I use Frontier which is salt-free)
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce (I used a Chocolate Habanero one from Pepper Palace)
14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies
14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes
16 oz can of red kidney beans

Cook ground chuck in a large pot. Drain and rinse and set aside. Place the onion, pepper and garlic in the pot with a tiny bit of oil. Cook until onion becomes translucent. Add the ground beef back into the pot, then stir in the chili powder, salt and pepper making sure to coat the meat with the chili powder. Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the beans and stir.

Cover and simmer on low about 45 minutes, stirring periodically to make sure it doesn't burn. Taste chili and adjust seasonings to your personal taste. At this point you can refrigerate or freeze the chili or add the beans and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes longer. If you refrigerate or freeze the chili, don't add the beans until your warm it up to eat.

Serve with toppings or make the Stove Top Mac & Cheese recipe and serve chili on top of the macaroni & cheese.

Zippy Leftover Steak and Potato Soup

 

Homemade beef broth (2-3 quarts)
2 tsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion, diced
2-3 large carrots, sliced
2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup green beans (fresh or frozen) (optional)
2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. seasoning salt
2 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt, freshly cracked black pepper to taste

3-4 cups leftover grilled Ribeye steak (spiced with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper), cut into 1/2 inch chunks

Make homemade broth using the bones from the bone-in Ribeye steak or use canned broth if you don't have any.

While broth is simmering, cut up vegetables. Be sure to put the potatoes in cold water until you use them or they will turn brown.

Saute' onion and garlic in olive oil until tender, add salt and pepper and basil and give it a good stir. Add onion-garlic basil mixture to the hot broth, add the carrots, potatoes, green beans, if you are adding them, spices, Kitchen Bouquet, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until carrots and potatoes are tender (about 20-25 minutes). Add steak and simmer about 5 minutes longer or until beef is hot. Add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper if needed.

Serve in large bowls with hot french bread or in bread bowls. Top with some spicy homemade horseradish sauce that you may have made for those Ribeye steaks the night before!

Gourmet SOS (Steak on a Shingle)

1/4 c. butter
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 c. crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c. red onion, diced
dash cayenne pepper
dash nutmeg
1 tsp. kosher salt (more or less to suit your taste)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. AP flour
1 Tbsp. dry sherry
2 cups warm milk
8 oz. leftover steak (cooked) and sliced thinly (we used leftover Ribeye steak)

Melt butter in large skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium burner. Add mushrooms and onion and saute until tender. Add spices and flour until it forms a thick paste. Add dry sherry and warm milk slowly, incorporating into the flour mixture. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add leftover steak at the end and heat until steak is warmed (about 1 minute).

Serve over toast, rice, croissants, or biscuits. Makes a great breakfast or lunch and uses up leftover steak!

Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Beef

 

5 # chuck roast (trimmed)
3-4 cloves of garlic, cut in slivers
1 Tbsp. EACH paprika, celery salt (or 1/2 that with celery seed), granulated garlic, parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. EACH ground black pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, seasoned salt, tarragon
4 oz. beer (I like New Castle -- the darker the better in my opinion)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2-4 Tbsp. hot sauce (less if you want less spicy)
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 LARGE onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 large jalapeno peppers, chopped (see if you don't want so spicy)

Using a sharp knife, poke 1 inch holes into meat and insert slivers of garlic into them. Do this on both sides and take time to do this -- it adds tons of flavor to the meat. Combine paprika, celery salt, granulated garlic, parsley, ground black pepper, chili powder, cayenne, seasoned salt and tarragon in a small bowl. Rub all over the meat and place meat in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Add onion, green and jalapeno peppers on top of the beef.

Combine beer, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and liquid smoke in another bowl. Mix well. Pour over beef and vegetables.

Cook on low setting for 10 hours (beef so be VERY tender and moist). Shred beef and remove any large fat or gristle. Return to liquid. You can thicken liquid with flour if you want the meat in a "gravy."

I use this recipe for any recipe calling for Mexican shredded beef. It's extremely tasty with rice and beans, topped with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, lettuce and corn-bean salad. Makes enough for 2 meals unless you're really hungry! :)

Here are photos of the rice, corn-bean salad, guacamole, and salsa that we made to go into these burrito bowls.

Rowdy Burger

Dave and I used to go to a place in Carmel, Indiana for what was called, "The Rowdy Burger" because it had just about everything you would want on a burger and it would make you rather rowdy when it came to your table heaped with amazing goodness! We went back to see if they had it and lo, and behold, they took it off the menu, so this burger is an attempt to re-create one of the best burgers I've ever had!

 For EACH Burger:

1/3 to 1/2 pound of PRIME ground chuck, shaped into a patty
Season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic
Grill to desired doneness
Don't forget to toast the bun on the grill.

Top with:
Gorgonzola Cheese
Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese, 1/4 inch thick
Pepper Jack Cheese or Provolone

Allow cheeses to melt.

To the rest of the burger add:
Guacamole
Sweet, raw onion
Roasted Jalapeno(whole and then remove seeds and steps and flatten out)
Caramelized onions
Crispy bacon
Sliced tomato
Sauted mushrooms
Dijon mustard
BBQ sauce (or ketchup)
Pickles on the side or on the burger

You can take or leave whatever you don't want. We served ours with homemade Sweet Potato Fries topped with Emeril's Essence.

Baked Spaghetti & Meatballs with Gorgonzola Cheese

1 batch of Dave's Famous Meatballs (only make them about ping-pong ball size)
12 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente, and drained
Homemade spaghetti sauce (see below)
Shredded Parmesan cheese (about 3-4 oz)
Shredded Italian cheese blend (about 1/2 c.)
Gorgonzola Cheese (about 1/3 cup)

Homemade spaghetti sauce

1 to 2 turns of olive oil (about 1/2 Tbsp)
1/4 c. sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 c. red wine
14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes
14.5 oz. petite diced tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt/Pepper to taste
Water to thin as needed

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic, fennel seed, crushed red pepper and allow to toast until fragrant. Add red wine and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add tomato paste, sugar, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15-30 minutes. Add water to thin as needed. Adjust spices. I like extra spicy, so I add more red pepper flakes and black pepper.

To Assemble

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 Qt. casserole dish. Place cooked spaghetti noodles in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add around 20 meatballs around the top of the noodles. Pour spaghetti sauce on top and mix slightly. Top with shredded Parmesan, Italian cheeses and sprinkle Gorgonzola cheese on top of it all. Add more cheeses as preferred. If you like the taste of blue cheese, add more. If you don't care for it, leave it out altogether.

Bake for 20-25 minutes and remove from oven. Allow to rest 5 minutes before eating.

Super "Super Bowl" Chili

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion (about 1-2 cups), chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, chopped
4 large garlic cloves (2-3 Tbsp), finely chopped
1 large whole poblano pepper
1 large whole jalapeno pepper
1 large whole Anaheim pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage
3/4 pound chuck roast, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. smokey paprika
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. granulated and toasted onion
3 Tbsp. Chili powder
2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 bottle (12 oz) Porter or lager beer
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 can (14 1/2 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14 1/2 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (14 1/2 oz) petite diced tomatoes with green chilies
Small amount of water (to rinse tomato cans)
(Optional: 1 can white kidney beans, with juice and 1 can red kidney beans with juice)

Roast the Poblano, Anaheim, and 1 jalapeno pepper on the grill until well-charred (about 10 minutes), turning so all sides are blackened. Remove from grill and put into a dish, cover with foil so they steam. Remove outside peeling and seeds. Roughly chop and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil on high heat. When rippling, add green and red bell peppers, jalapeno, and onion. Cook until well caramelized (should be dark brown) for about 5-10 minutes. Add garlic and give it a good stir for about a minute longer. Remove from pan.

Add ground chuck and sausage and brown. Drain fat off meat and remove from pan. Next add the chuck pieces and brown well. Leave any juices in pan and after meat it browned, put all the peppers (including the roasted ones) back into the pot and add the spices: coriander, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, Chili powder, and black pepper. Mix well and cook for about 2 minutes or until you smell the lovely fragrance of the spices.

De-glaze pan by adding about half the bottle of the beer. Stir to get all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Then pour the remainder of the beer into the pan. Add salt, all of the tomato products and water. Give it a good stir and turn heat to simmer once it comes to a boil. Cook uncovered for 1-3 hours, adding extra water if needed. If using, add beans about 1/2 hour before serving (or when you reheat it, if you make it ahead of time). You can make this chili ahead of time and reheat it for the "big" game!

Serve with homemade oven fries and Cheesy Beer Sauce. Serve with your favorite toppers: shredded cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream,fresh green onion, minced fresh jalapeno.

Thai Red Curry with Beef and Vegetables

This is Thai curry and the red curry sauce is homemade. I found my inspiration from another website, but did not care for the method of how they made the dish, so I made changes based on the original recipe. I think it will taste even better next time I make it!

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 medium zucchini, cut into logs (see photo)
Eggplant (same amount as zucchini), cut into logs
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves or kaffir lime leaves, if available
2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (divided)
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped










Red Curry Sauce
1/4 c. shallot, chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced in half
3 Tbsp. lemongrass, finely chopped (use fresh over jarred, if possible)
3 Tbsp. fish sauce (can substitute soy sauce)
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. cayenne pepper...or if available fresh cayenne chilies, minced
1 Tbsp. brown sugar (heaping)
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup (from a 15 oz can) coconut milk (NOT low-fat), save the rest for later
OPT: 2 Tbsp. chili powder (I would leave out as it doesn't add much and gives it a Mexican flavor which I did not like)

Combine all curry sauce ingredients  in a blender or food processor and blend until completely mixed and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. It should be spicy, but not "burn your sox off" hot!

Heat half the oil in a large wok over medium high heat until sizzling. Add half the beef  and stir fry just until done. Remove from wok and add other half of oil and stir fry the remainder of the beef the same way. Remove from wok and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and stir fry eggplant for a few minutes, add zucchini and onion and continue to stir fry until veggies are tender-crisp. Add curry sauce, 1 cup fresh tomatoes, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. If you don't have a cinnamon stick, add 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Heat to a gentle boil and then lower heat and simmer covered for about 7-8 minutes. If sauce is too thick, add 1-3 Tbsp. of water or broth.

Take off cover and check for tenderness of vegetables. If necessary, continue to cook veggies until fork tender. Add the other cup of tomatoes and the rest of the coconut milk (about 2/3 cup).

Taste the sauce. If not salty add more fish or soy sauce or salt. If not sweet enough, add more sugar and if you want it spicier, add more red pepper. If too spicy, add a little more coconut milk or plain yogurt.

When veggies are tender, add the beef and give it a good stir, making sure beef is not overcooked, but heated.

Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve over Jasmine rice.

Red curry sauce can be used with chicken, shrimp, or pork (or lamb if you like lamb, I don't).

Crock-pot Beef Stew

3 medium potatoes, peeled
4 medium parsnips, peeled
4 medium carrots, peeled
2-3 medium onions, peeled and cut into eighths
1 stalk celery, chopped into smaller pieces
2 large cloves garlic, halved
1 bay leaf
1 c. low-sodium beef broth (from 14.5 oz can)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tsp. paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and gristle or beef stew meat

Roux:
1-2 Tbsp. butter
2-4 Tbsp. flour
Juice from cooking + additional beef broth as needed to make a thick gravy

Cut all veggies to about the same size (chunks should be around 2 inches). Place in the bottom of the crock pot. Add celery, garlic, bay leaf. Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch cubes making sure it is trimmed of most fat. Place meat on top of vegetables. Mix spices with broth and Worcestershire sauce and pour over the top of the meat.

Crock pot for 10 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high, mixing up meat and veggies at least once if you cook on high to keep meat moist and tender.

Just before serving. Make a  roux with butter and flour in a small saucepan. Add hot liquid from cooking plus any extra beef broth to make a thick gravy. Pour over stew and stir together just before serving. Remove bay leaf. Makes excellent leftovers and if you have enough, you could make a beef pot pie the next day!

Serve with homemade biscuits, muffins or corn bread. Add a lettuce salad for a complete meal!

Pasta and Meatball Bake

For a quick meal or when company comes, try this casserole with a pocket of goodness hidden inside that is easy on the budget and easy to make. Substitutes are possible if you don't like my combo, but for those nights when you're looking for quick -- this meal can be made in less than a half hour!

16 meatballs (homemade - pull out ones you froze from this recipe the day before so they are thawed)
1 1/2 jars (36-40 oz) favorite marinara sauce (I used this Classico sauce but any will do)
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
16-oz box of mini-penne pasta (or your favorite pasta noodle)
1/2 cup to 1 cup small curd cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Extra spices like red pepper flakes, Italian spices, granulated garlic to taste
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boiling and add the dry pasta. The pasta mentioned only takes 7 minutes to cook. Drain and add the marinara sauce to keep pasta from sticking.

While the pasta is cooking, fry zucchini and and garlic in a small amount of olive oil or butter until tender and slightly browned.

Add meatballs to pasta-marinara mixture and heat until completely warmed up. Add black pepper, red pepper flakes and any other spices you like. Stir in about half the mozzarella cheese and mix until slightly melted.

Pour a 1/4 c. of marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan to coat the bottom. Add half the pasta-marinara-meatball mixture. Put the zucchini on top, then dot the top of the zucchini with cottage or ricotta cheese. Top with the remaining pasta-marinara-meatball mixture. Cover the top with the remainder of the mozzarella cheese.

Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is hot and cheese is slightly browned. Allow to rest for a few minutes.

Serve with freshly-baked bread and a tossed salad. This is enough to serve 8 hungry people. Feel free to cut the recipe in half or keep the rest for leftovers the next day. It just gets better!

Bleu Cheese Burger and Veggie Foil Packet

Foil packets are great for camping, but even if you aren't cooking over a wood fire, you can make these at home on the grill (gas or coals). Easy to make and customized for every eater in the house, foil packets offer easy prep and clean up. Below is my newest creation, but feel free to substitute veggies, meats and cheeses of your choice!

For EACH foil packet:
1/4 pound ground round
1 potato, peeled and very thinly sliced (can substitute canned potatoes)
1/4 of a green pepper, roughly chopped
1/4 c. chopped onion (preferably sweet onion)
1/2 c. (nice handful) fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed (can substitute canned)
Seasoning salt (we use Lawry's)
Granulated garlic
Fresh-ground pepper
2 heaping Tbsps crumbled bleu cheese
 (can also use shredded cheddar, but sprinkle on top after cooking)

1 sheet of Heavy Duty aluminum foil (about 15x18 inches)

Place potatoes on the bottom of the foil (shiny side up so it is on the inside), sprinkle pepper, onion, green beans and 1 Tbsp. bleu cheese on top. Heap in the middle with room on all sides to fold foil later. Sprinkle with spices, then crumble ground beef on top to cover the top of the vegetables. Sprinkle meat with additional spice as desired. and put the remainder of the bleu cheese on top.

Fold up long sides of the foil and double fold to seal. Be sure to leave room for expansion as the foil meal heats up. Next double fold each end of the pocket and seal making sure it again is roomy for expansion.

Place on grill (or wood fire) on high for 8-10 minutes. Carefully turn foil pocket over and cook an additional 7-10 minutes taking care not to puncture the foil. (If you happen to put a hole in the foil....quickly remove and wrap with a second piece of foil so steam doesn't escape. Total cook time should be 15-20 minute if you cook it on high. If you hear it sizzling, you can move the foil pack to a cooler part of the grill or camp fire.

Carefully open foil pack by scoring an X in the center of the foil pack -- steam will burn, so make sure an adult does this part. You can top the meal with shredded cheese which will melt quickly because of the heat.

Eat straight out of the foil pack - be sure to put the foil pack on either a paper plate (foam plate will melt) or a glass plate. Dip hamburger bits in ketchup if you'd like!

Obviously, there are many variations to the foil packet meal. Experiment with different veggies and meats. Just make sure you cook it thoroughly!