Irish Grandmother's Shepherd's Pie

Did I tell you that Bo's mom is from Ireland?  As in, she still has a bit of her accent, even though she's lived in the States for fifty years.  So, of course, I asked her to make something festive, now that she's living with us!

Over the years, Bo has asked me to make him Shepherd's Pie because he loves it.  I'd never even tasted it, so when I went digging for recipes, I had no idea which ingredients would make a recipe good or not.  So, I tried a few variations on him.  He claimed that they were good; I didn't care for any of it.

Fast forward to yesterday, and I asked his mom to make Shepherd's Pie the way she's always made it.

Healthier Broccoli Beef

Is it a happy Monday for you so far?  I super hope so.  After travelling last week to Kansas City and its 16 degree mornings, I'm definitely glad to be back here in the ATL, even if the weather can't make up its mind (very chilly weekend and then 70 degree prediction for tomorrow??).

Anyway, I wanted to share this quick weeknight recipe with you.  It's fantastic for getting loads of broccoli onto your plate, and like most Asian style cooking, it's pretty healthy - and tasty - all around.  I used bison in this recipe instead of beef because it was on sale and I just couldn't pass up all those omegas and lean, free range goodness.  This recipe would also work fantastically for venison if you've got that in your freezer.   It's quick to make, uses only one pan and is full of flavor.  Make a little extra to pack in your lunch the next day, and you'll be really glad you did.  I served this over steamed brown rice, but you can pair it with any carb you like best, or none at all.

I Heart Broccoli,

Food Rule 34 and The Bomb Chili

True Story:  I once made this oh-so-delicious chili recipe for a group of friends, and as we began eating, I was raving about how healthy my recipe is.  Especially when I make it with the ground venison my dad packages just for me, without any fat added to it.  Venison?  You all are ok with venison, right?  I'd forgotten that I was sitting at a table with a group of people raised in an enormous city and who'd probably never even met someone who hunts.  To this day, my best friend teases me about "that time you served us venison and asked if we were ok with it after we'd already started eating."  Ha!  And sorry, guys.

But, really, as a red meat, venison is insanely healthier than the beef you typically find in grocery stores.  And that's because it is wild game.

Plants and animals that are left to raise themselves turn out to be healthier options for eating, because they've grown as nature intended.  Without bulking-up feeds and fertilizers.  They're hearty because they've survived nature.  And therefore, healthier for us to consume. 

Wild game is packed full of Omega 3s, Vitamin E, and antioxidants and is typically very lean.  Yes, it can taste "gamey," but I nearly always use it chili or taco recipes where the spices stand out as the main flavor.  For those who don't have dads who fly clear across the country with a cooler full of venison and dry ice, you can definitely substitute with ground beef.  Try to find some that's labeled "grass fed" and "free range" in order to get the greater health benefits.

Enjoy!


p.s.  It was completely unintended, but that green towel in my photos looks like I'm trying really hard to be Superbowl festive!  I didn't even think about it looking like football turf until I uploaded my photos later.  But, I love it!

        

The Bomb Chili

1 medium onion, diced
1 – 2lb. ground venison or extra lean ground beef
4, 16oz. cans beans, rinsed and drained
2, 28oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
2-4 Tbsp. red chili garlic paste
3 cloves garlic
1/2 bottle beer
6oz. can tomato paste
Johnny’s season salt (or your favorite seasoning salt), to taste

Cook the onion and ground meat in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through and onions are translucent.  Drain any grease.  Stir all ingredients into a crock pot or large roasting pan.  Cook in crock pot on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours, or bake in large roasting pan at 250 degrees for 5 hours. Stir occasionally. Makes a vat (about 14 cups).

        

Ingredient Lineup:

(MIA:  ground meat, beer, and tomato paste.  Whoops!)

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

We've had such pleasantly chilly weather lately, that I'm obsessing about all the recipes I can toss into my Crock Pot.  I'm falling more and more in love with my slow cooker, because it cooks up such cozy meals with so little effort.  And what better way to celebrate feeling cozy than with a dripping and cheesy gooey sandwich dunked into a rich broth?

Enjoy!





Slow cooker French Dip Sandwiches (Au Jus)
adapted from Allrecipes

2-4 lb beef roast
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce
12 oz. water
1 packet onion soup mix
12 oz. beer
8 oz. beef broth
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
4 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper, to taste 

Throw all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook covered on High for 4-5 hours.* Remove the roast, and slice it thinly across the grain. Return slices back to the slow cooker and cook on High, for one more hour. Serve on buttered, toasted french rolls with small bowls of the broth for dipping.

* Note: Or, just put it on the Low setting all day.

Ingredient Lineup:

Throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker.

Slice the roast across the grain...

... and return the slices to the slow cooker for another hour, on High.

Pile into a toasted sandwich roll with cheese.

And serve with a bowl of the broth for dunking your sandwich into.

Asian Beef Skewers

We love this recipe!  I've had it in my trusty cookbook for years now, but because our grill was out of commission, I've mostly been preparing the recipe as My Favorite Stir Fry.  But!  We got ourselves a thrifty grill a couple weeks ago, and I've been plowing through all my favorite grilled recipes.

This one's really easy to throw together, and the cook time is only about 5 minutes - a fantastically quick dinner if you put it all together the night before.  We love grilled zucchini, so Bo also grilled up some slices and we had them for last night's dinner with steamed broccoli and jasmine rice.

Enjoy!




Asian Beef Skewers
3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
3 Tbsp. sherry
¼ c. soy sauce
1 tsp. bbq sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger or ginger paste
1 tsp. red chili garlic sauce, optional
1 ½ lbs. flank steak

In a small bowl, mix together hoisin sauce, sherry, soy sauce, bbq sauce, garlic, ginger, and optional red chili garlic sauce (aka chili paste).  Cut flank steak across grain on a diagonal into ¼“ slices. Place slices in a 1 gallon ziploc bag.  Pour marinade over slices, and mix well.  Refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Discard marinade, and thread steak onto skewers.  Oil the grill grate. Grill skewers 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.  Makes 3 servings.

Ingredient Lineup.

Mix the marinade ingredients, then toss the meat in to coat.

Dump everything into a gallon-sized plastic bag and refrigerate.

Beef and Barley Soup

I've been on the search for a beef barley soup that we would enjoy for a long time.  I think I finally found it!  This recipe comes courtesy of all*you EAT WELL, SAVE BIG Cookbook.  My husband has been telling everyone I made him the best soup ever.

My favorite part?  It cooks all day in the crock pot.  I threw it in before I left the house for the day and when I came back home my house smelled wonderful.  I made it on a day that we weren't all home at the same time for dinner making it the perfect meal for us to grab when we were ready.

I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
10 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
2 lb. lean beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch peices
6 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 carrots, chopped
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2/3 cup pearl barley
salt and pepper

Directions:
1.  Warm 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened slightly and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 7 minutes.  Scrape vegetables into slow cooker. 

2. Warm remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same skillet.  Add beef and cook, stirring until meat is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Scrape beef into slow cooker.

3.  Pour 1 cup of broth into skillet and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pan.  Pour broth from skillet, remaining broth, carrots, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, garlic powder, barley and 1 tsp. salt into slow cooker.  Stir, cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 6-7 hours.

4.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.  

The Real First Day of Fall

This past Sunday was the first real day of Fall here in Oklahoma - I don't care what the calendar says.  It was the first time that we were able to hang out without really getting worn out from the heat. It was even a little chilly.

We hung out at the park in our brand spankin new jeans and hoodies riding bikes and playing catch.

This is the time of year I get this incredible urge to have soups and stews. I thought about making chili this week but when I saw this recipe in Every Day with Rachael Ray I knew that it would hit that sweet meaty spot in my heart.

This was my first time braising anything so I was not sure what to expect. While it did take 3 and a half hours to cook - most of the work was done by my oven. I only had to open it every 30 minutes and spin the pans around.  It was so worth the effort but more of a Sunday Supper kind of meal.

It took so long that Hubby and I ate after the kids were already in bed.

Stout Braised Short Ribs
Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine Oct 2010

Ingredients:

8 large bone-in beef short ribs (I used the only beef ribs that were available in my area)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, finely chopped and rinsed*
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
One 12-ounce bottle stout beer
3 springs thyme
1 pound carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise 2 inches thick
1/2 pound green beans, preferably haricots verts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Rub the short ribs with the cumin and season with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Working in batches brown on all sides; transfer to a platter. Discard all but 1 Tablespoon of fat from the pot.

Lower heat to medium, add leeks and cook, stirring until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water, the beer and thyme. Return the ribs to the pot, cover and cook in the over, rotating every 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the carrots and green beans until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Drain.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook, tossing, until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the short ribs.

 

Hubby said this was a Man's Meal - said all he wanted to do was grunt while eating this dish!

Saucy Mama Stovetop Stew

Hi, everyone!  As you may have noticed, all of the ladies here at From Blah to Ta-Daa are doing a Saucy Mama theme week with our recipe posts.  Saucy Mama sent us a sampler of her products so that we could create a recipe to enter her contest!  Each of us also gets to give away that same sampler on our individual blogs, so make sure you come visit to enter!

I'd been trying narrow down which recipe to post for the Saucy Mama contest (I've made 3 so far!), when we got a tiny glimpse at Fall weather last weekend.  That 10 degree temperature drop (and 20% humidity drop) was all it took for me to settle on making stew.  But I didn't feel like lugging out my crock pot and making a big, planned-out ordeal of a meal.  I wanted a simple stew, and I wanted it done within the hour.  So, I made it in a heavy saute pan, right there on my stovetop.

Some tips for making a quick stew:  Use only tender cuts of meat.  Cook the potatoes in a separate saucepot while you make the stew and add them in at the end.  Chop your veggies and meat into smaller pieces than usual so that they cook faster.  Use a sauce - like the Saucy Mama marinade - with lots of flavor.

We both loved this stew, and Bo didn't hesitate before going back for seconds.  I rate it a 4 Spoons, he gives it a 5 Spoons (but we've always known that he's a meat and potatoes kinda guy).  I also made a roast chicken with a Saucy Mama marinade that was honest to goodness amazing.  I didn't have time to photograph it for you, so I'll try to make it again and get it posted in the next few weeks.

Enjoy!




Saucy Mama Stovetop Stew

2 c. potatoes, cut into 1" pieces

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 lb. beef tenderloin tips (or tenderloin cut into 1" pieces)
1/2 c. flour

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 c. carrot, diced
2 Tbsp. minced shallot
8 oz. mushrooms
1/2 c. red wine

1/2 c. low-sodium beef broth
1 c. water
1/2 c. Saucy Mama Cracked Pepper Marinade

Fill medium sauce pan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add pinch of salt and potato pieces to the pan and cook over a low boil for 8-10 minutes, just until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, toss tenderloin tips in the flour to lightly coat. Add meat to heated pan and saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add the additional tablespoon of butter to the pan with the carrot, shallot, and mushrooms, and saute until softened. Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan, and reduce until nearly evaporated. Add in the meat and cooked potatoes, and then stir in the broth, water, and Saucy Mama Cracked Pepper Marinade. Simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Ingredient Lineup:

After browning the tenderloin, saute the veggies until tender.

Add in the liquid ingredients and Saucy Mama Cracked Pepper

Marinade, and simmer until thickened.

I love Autumn!!

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enter my giveaway and win this whole set!

Steak Bites

These past two weeks have been nonstop and exhausting for me, so when I was planning something to make for you, I immediately started daydreaming about comfort food.  Comfortttt Foooooddd, yummmm! 

Pioneer Woman's recipe is pretty genius in its simplicity.  How can you go wrong with steak cooked in butter and salt and pepper?  From the time you start heating up the pan til the time you pour the Steak Bites onto a plate to serve is less than 10 minutes.  That's a whoppingly quick recipe!

I served the Steak Bites with sauteed veggies, my mom's macaroni salad, and Teresa's sweet potato biscuits (topped with melted butter and cinnamon sugar).  Bo rated the Steak Bites a definite 5 Spoons, and was really happy when I said that I'd be making them again :)

Enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Steak Bites

recipe here, serves 2

1 lb Sirloin Steak OR Pre-cut Beef Tips

Kosher Salt To Taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper To Taste
2 Tbsp Butter

Trim off any excess fat. Next, cut strips less than 1-inch wide. Rotate the meat and cut into small bite-sized pieces. If you see any more large chunks of fat, gristle or long silvery membrane, cut them off.

Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss the meat around a bit to thoroughly coat with the seasonings.

Next, turn on your ventilation fan overhead. Heat the skillet over medium high to high heat. As the pan heats, add about 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to melt, then brown, before you add the meat.

Place the meat in the pan in a single layer. It should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan – if it doesn’t, the pan isn’t hot enough. Don’t stir or disrupt the meat for 30-45 seconds. You want it to sizzle and brown on one side. Scoop as many steak bites as you can with your spatula and flip them over. Repeat until all the meat is turned. Cook for an additional 30 to 45 seconds—just long enough to sear the outside of the meat but NOT cook the inside.

Remove the meat to a clean plate. Add a little more butter to the pan and repeat the cooking process with the next batch just as before. Lastly, when all the meat is nicely browned and removed to the plate, pour all that browned/blackened butter all over the meat. And enjoy!

Ingredient lineup:

When the butter first melts, it's clear.

Then, as it cooks, it browns.

Flip them over to brown the other side, but don't let them get too brown.

They'll continue cooking once you remove them from the pan.

We'll definitely be having Steak Bites for dinner again!