IRISH BEEF STEW via damn delicious
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 leek, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup beef broth**
1 cup dark stout beer
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup frozen peas
FOR THE GARLIC MASHED POTATOES***
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup half and half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To make the garlic mashed potatoes, place potatoes and garlic in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes; drain well and return to the stockpot.
Stir in half and half and butter. Using a potato masher, mash until smooth and creamy; set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste. Add beef to the stockpot and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
Add garlic, onion, leek and carrots to the stockpot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until well combined, about 1 minute.
Whisk in beef broth, beer, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and beef; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until the beef is tender, about 90 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine butter and flour. Add mixture to the stockpot until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in frozen peas until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
Serve immediately over mashed potatoes.
**I used way more stock than this. Prob because i like to add more carrots than it says. I probably added some frozen peas in there. Stew needs peas!
***I made these in the instant pot.
I used a 3 lb bag of yellow potatoes. The skins were thin so i just quartered the spuds and tossed them in the pot along with a big heaping spoonful of chopped garlic from a jar. I added a cup of water, or if im fancy bullion or broth. Cooked on manual or high for 10 min. then i let it sit for 2 min before doing the quick release. then i started mashing without draining. Then i added butter and half and half. If you use bullion broth you really dont need to add much more salt. add salt and pepper to taste.
Showing posts with label beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beef. Show all posts
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Friday, April 18, 2014
Fauxberry Pie
I tried to be sneaky and make this Fauxberry Pie, from Spoonful for April Fools Day. Blockette knows better now to pay attention when I'm making dinner and caught on to what I was doing.
Although, I did have her going that fauxberries were a real thing.
For about a minute.
Mrblocko and I tease her so much that she catches on quickly these days.
Joke or no joke, this dinner pie turned out amazing.
I used a half recipe of Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust, from Tasty Kitchen as the base. I'm not a big fan of this crust in desserts, but in a savory dish like this, it really works. This crust is super flaky. So much so that Mrblocko thought it was store bought. Blockette loved the crust as well. She wanted me to make her a sheet of crust to slice up and put in her lunch. I said no, because I have a reputation of a mean mom to live up to.
Since this dish is essentially a meatloaf baked in a pie crust, I was a bit worried that it was going to make the crust soggy or be really oily and greasy. To counter this, I dabbed the meat with paper towels as it was cooking. I think I did this 2 or 3 times before I put the potato topping on. I didn't think the pie was soggy or greasy.
I'm thinking this pie needs to be an April 1st tradition from now on!
Fauxberry Pie adapted from Spoonfull
1 pie shell, uncooked (your own or store bought)
"CHOCOLATE" MEAT LOAF FILLING
1/3 c barbecue sauce
1/4 c milk
1 T molasses
1 t cocoa
1/2 t chili powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 T veg oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2/3 c bread crumbs
1 lb gr beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
"STRAWBERRY" POTATO TOPPING
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (I weighed my potatoes after they had been peeled and had slightly more than 2 lbs)
1/2 c canned sliced beets (not pickled)
1/4 c milk
4 T butter, cut into pieces
Place pie crust in pie pan and chill in the freezer. Heat oven to 350ยบ. In sm pan, sautee onions in oil. Cook 7 min until translucent. Add BBQ sauce, milk, molasses, cocoa, and chili powder. Cook until lukewarm and cocoa dissolved. In lg bowl, mix all ingredients with hands. Remove the pie shell from the freezer. Transfer meat to shell, spreading evenly with spoon. Bake about 60 min, until meat is cooked through.
While pie's baking, prepare potato topping. Place potatoes in a large pot. Add enough water to completely cover spuds and bring to boil. Reduce heat and at a low boil until tender, about 12 min. While potatoes cook, puree beets and 1/4 c milk in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Drain potatoes and place back into pot. Add butter and pureed beets. Whip with hand mixer until smooth and fluffy, adding more milk as needed. Spread whipped potatoes over top of cooked meat pie with an offset spatula. Slice and serve pie while potatoes are still hot. Makes 8-10 servings. To reheat leftovers cover with foil and bake at 350F for 30 min.
Although, I did have her going that fauxberries were a real thing.
For about a minute.
Mrblocko and I tease her so much that she catches on quickly these days.
Joke or no joke, this dinner pie turned out amazing.
I used a half recipe of Sylvia's Perfect Pie Crust, from Tasty Kitchen as the base. I'm not a big fan of this crust in desserts, but in a savory dish like this, it really works. This crust is super flaky. So much so that Mrblocko thought it was store bought. Blockette loved the crust as well. She wanted me to make her a sheet of crust to slice up and put in her lunch. I said no, because I have a reputation of a mean mom to live up to.
Since this dish is essentially a meatloaf baked in a pie crust, I was a bit worried that it was going to make the crust soggy or be really oily and greasy. To counter this, I dabbed the meat with paper towels as it was cooking. I think I did this 2 or 3 times before I put the potato topping on. I didn't think the pie was soggy or greasy.
I'm thinking this pie needs to be an April 1st tradition from now on!
Fauxberry Pie adapted from Spoonfull
1 pie shell, uncooked (your own or store bought)
"CHOCOLATE" MEAT LOAF FILLING
1/3 c barbecue sauce
1/4 c milk
1 T molasses
1 t cocoa
1/2 t chili powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 T veg oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2/3 c bread crumbs
1 lb gr beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
"STRAWBERRY" POTATO TOPPING
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (I weighed my potatoes after they had been peeled and had slightly more than 2 lbs)
1/2 c canned sliced beets (not pickled)
1/4 c milk
4 T butter, cut into pieces
Place pie crust in pie pan and chill in the freezer. Heat oven to 350ยบ. In sm pan, sautee onions in oil. Cook 7 min until translucent. Add BBQ sauce, milk, molasses, cocoa, and chili powder. Cook until lukewarm and cocoa dissolved. In lg bowl, mix all ingredients with hands. Remove the pie shell from the freezer. Transfer meat to shell, spreading evenly with spoon. Bake about 60 min, until meat is cooked through.
While pie's baking, prepare potato topping. Place potatoes in a large pot. Add enough water to completely cover spuds and bring to boil. Reduce heat and at a low boil until tender, about 12 min. While potatoes cook, puree beets and 1/4 c milk in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Drain potatoes and place back into pot. Add butter and pureed beets. Whip with hand mixer until smooth and fluffy, adding more milk as needed. Spread whipped potatoes over top of cooked meat pie with an offset spatula. Slice and serve pie while potatoes are still hot. Makes 8-10 servings. To reheat leftovers cover with foil and bake at 350F for 30 min.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Drunken Stew and Soda Bread Biscuits
I very rarely make beef stew, but I thought I would make something special for St. Patrick's Day this year. The stew I chose to make was called Drunken Irish Stew from Bakeaholic Mama. The house smelled awesome 15 min into making this day long stew, and continued to do so two days after I made it!
Since I don't make a lot of beef stew I don't know if it's the norm to add bacon and beer. All I know is that it made the soup smell and taste heavenly.
Don't be like me and leave your wooden spoon to rest on the iron pot all day while the stew simmers. I cracked my spoon in two places from all the heat and moisture.
There were only a few minor changes that I made to the recipe. I used 1 1/2 lb beef stew meat instead of 2 lbs. The stew seemed plenty meaty to me. I also increased the barley from 3'4 cup to 1 cup. I didn't have any fresh herbs so i just added dried rosemary, thyme, parsley and dill. I also tossed in a few handfuls of frozen peas at the end for color.
About an hour before dinner I thought this stew would taste even better if I had some tasty bread to sop up all the soupy juicy bits. Because it was St. Patrick's Day, what could be better than Soda bread?! Unfortunately most soda bread takes 50 min to bake. I didn't have that kind of time. So I did a bit more research and came across a recipe over at laa loosh for Soda Bread that you bake in a muffin tin. The cook time was only 20 min with a cool time of 5 min. Perfect!
I was surprised how much the little mini loaves rose! Higher than your average muffin. The next time I make these I will score them like a traditional loaf of Irish soda bread.
Drunken Irish Stew adapted from Bakeaholic Mama
1.5 lbs beef stew meat
2 bottles of your favorite Irish Ale
6-8 c beef stock
4 large carrots peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1.5 lb red skin potatoes large chunks (about 1.5-2" cubed)
1 large yellow onion diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 herb bouquet (I just used spices to taste)
1/2 lb bacon chopped
1c Barley (I had quick cooking)
2 T tomato paste
1/2 cup of flour
In Dutch Oven fry bacon til crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Pat stew meat dry with paper towels. Then dredge through flour.Toss into Dutch Oven with left over bacon grease. Fry on med til it browned and is lightly crisp on outside.Remove meat from pan. Cook veggies and saute in drippings til onions start to caramelize (about 15 min). Add 1 bottle ale, stir with wooden spoon to deglaze pan. Add meat and bacon back into dutch oven. Pour second bottle of ale and 4 c stock into pan. Add garlic, tomato paste, and herbs. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to med low and simmer 3-4 hrs. Stir every 30 min . Add additional stock thickens too much while cooking. About 20 min before serving add barley. 5 min before serving, add peas.
Individual Irish Soda Bread from Laa Loosh
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c flour
1 c reduced fat buttermilk (I used powdered buttermilk and skim milk)
4 T butter, melted
1 egg
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/3 c honey
Preheat oven to 375. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. In med bowl, whisk floors, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another sm bowl (I just used a large liquid measuring cup), whisk buttermilk, melted butter, egg and honey. Gently combine wet and dry ingred, stirring just til combined. Scoop batter into tins with large cookie scoop to get 12 "loaves". Bake 20 min until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 min before cooling on wire rack.
Since I don't make a lot of beef stew I don't know if it's the norm to add bacon and beer. All I know is that it made the soup smell and taste heavenly.
Don't be like me and leave your wooden spoon to rest on the iron pot all day while the stew simmers. I cracked my spoon in two places from all the heat and moisture.
There were only a few minor changes that I made to the recipe. I used 1 1/2 lb beef stew meat instead of 2 lbs. The stew seemed plenty meaty to me. I also increased the barley from 3'4 cup to 1 cup. I didn't have any fresh herbs so i just added dried rosemary, thyme, parsley and dill. I also tossed in a few handfuls of frozen peas at the end for color.
About an hour before dinner I thought this stew would taste even better if I had some tasty bread to sop up all the soupy juicy bits. Because it was St. Patrick's Day, what could be better than Soda bread?! Unfortunately most soda bread takes 50 min to bake. I didn't have that kind of time. So I did a bit more research and came across a recipe over at laa loosh for Soda Bread that you bake in a muffin tin. The cook time was only 20 min with a cool time of 5 min. Perfect!
I was surprised how much the little mini loaves rose! Higher than your average muffin. The next time I make these I will score them like a traditional loaf of Irish soda bread.
Drunken Irish Stew adapted from Bakeaholic Mama
1.5 lbs beef stew meat
2 bottles of your favorite Irish Ale
6-8 c beef stock
4 large carrots peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1.5 lb red skin potatoes large chunks (about 1.5-2" cubed)
1 large yellow onion diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 herb bouquet (I just used spices to taste)
1/2 lb bacon chopped
1c Barley (I had quick cooking)
2 T tomato paste
1/2 cup of flour
In Dutch Oven fry bacon til crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Pat stew meat dry with paper towels. Then dredge through flour.Toss into Dutch Oven with left over bacon grease. Fry on med til it browned and is lightly crisp on outside.Remove meat from pan. Cook veggies and saute in drippings til onions start to caramelize (about 15 min). Add 1 bottle ale, stir with wooden spoon to deglaze pan. Add meat and bacon back into dutch oven. Pour second bottle of ale and 4 c stock into pan. Add garlic, tomato paste, and herbs. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to med low and simmer 3-4 hrs. Stir every 30 min . Add additional stock thickens too much while cooking. About 20 min before serving add barley. 5 min before serving, add peas.
Individual Irish Soda Bread from Laa Loosh
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c flour
1 c reduced fat buttermilk (I used powdered buttermilk and skim milk)
4 T butter, melted
1 egg
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/3 c honey
Preheat oven to 375. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. In med bowl, whisk floors, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another sm bowl (I just used a large liquid measuring cup), whisk buttermilk, melted butter, egg and honey. Gently combine wet and dry ingred, stirring just til combined. Scoop batter into tins with large cookie scoop to get 12 "loaves". Bake 20 min until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 min before cooling on wire rack.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Cheeseburger Casserole
There must be something about having Cheeseburger in the name of the dish that causes me to forget to take a picture.
I forgot to take a picture when I made Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup, and I forgot again when I made this Cheeseburger Casserole from Six Sisters Stuff.
The soup was such a big hit with Blockette, I figured the casserole would be as well. However, when I was preparing the casserole, it seemed like it would be lacking in the flavors we desired. I took a hint from the soup recipe and added some paprika and Worcestershire sauce.
While we still think the Cheeseburger soup outranks this casserole, it was a fun spin on the flavor combinations we love so much.
Cheeseburger Casserole adapted from Six Sister's Stuff
3 cups Penne Pasta
2 t olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
1/2 roasted red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lb lean ground beef (95% lean) - or you can use ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2t smoked paprika
1/2 t garlic powder
2T Worcestershire sauce
28 oz diced tomatoes (I used roasted)
2 T Dijon Mustard
2 c grated cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray 9x13 baking dish. Cook pasta according to package . Drain Well.
In large skillet, heat oil over med-low heat. Add onions and red pepper. Cook til soft, about 5 min. Stir in garlic and cook 30 sec. Stir in beef and cook until browned; season w pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Add tomatoes, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Let mixture bubble until it is slightly thickened, about 2 min.
Put noodles in greased pan and pour meat sauce on top. Slightly mix noodles and sauce. Cover with foil and cook 20 min. Take out of oven and remove foil. Add cheese to top and bake 15 min til cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min before serving.
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I forgot to take a picture when I made Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup, and I forgot again when I made this Cheeseburger Casserole from Six Sisters Stuff.
The soup was such a big hit with Blockette, I figured the casserole would be as well. However, when I was preparing the casserole, it seemed like it would be lacking in the flavors we desired. I took a hint from the soup recipe and added some paprika and Worcestershire sauce.
While we still think the Cheeseburger soup outranks this casserole, it was a fun spin on the flavor combinations we love so much.
Cheeseburger Casserole adapted from Six Sister's Stuff
3 cups Penne Pasta
2 t olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
1/2 roasted red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lb lean ground beef (95% lean) - or you can use ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2t smoked paprika
1/2 t garlic powder
2T Worcestershire sauce
28 oz diced tomatoes (I used roasted)
2 T Dijon Mustard
2 c grated cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray 9x13 baking dish. Cook pasta according to package . Drain Well.
In large skillet, heat oil over med-low heat. Add onions and red pepper. Cook til soft, about 5 min. Stir in garlic and cook 30 sec. Stir in beef and cook until browned; season w pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Add tomatoes, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Let mixture bubble until it is slightly thickened, about 2 min.
Put noodles in greased pan and pour meat sauce on top. Slightly mix noodles and sauce. Cover with foil and cook 20 min. Take out of oven and remove foil. Add cheese to top and bake 15 min til cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min before serving.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Salsa Meatloaf Bites
We really don't eat meatloaf a lot in this house. I'm not sure why. I couldn't even remember the last time I made it. Blockette couldn't remember EVER eating it.
That's probably why she freaked out, in a bad way, when I told her I was making salsa meatloaf bites from Semi Homemade Mom.
She'd been reading this series, Dear Dumb Diary, from the Library. Apparently, there is something mentioned about meatloaf in the book and how disgusting it was. Or maybe it was made from weird things. I don't know, and I don't think I really want to know. Somethings are better left in the dark. (ie tales of school cafeteria mystery meat)
Boy was Blockette surprised when she tried the meatloaf. It was actually good!
As you can see in the above picture, I served them with these super quick and easy cornbread muffins. (Incidentally, as a side note, if you're going to make those cornbread muffins, don't use paper liners. I thought I'd be tricky and save some clean up time, but the paper stuck to the muffins something terrible.)
It was strangely amusing to eat a meal that consisted of similarly shaped food.
Blockette said they would be better if they weren't covered in Salsa. She doesn't like salsa for some reason so don't pay any attention to her. I thought the salsa combo was awesome.
What I didn't like was this:
Baking the meatloaf in the muffin tins caused the grease from the meat to just pool up around the meat. I attempted to soak up some of the fat with a paper towel. Just looking at all that grease grosses me out.
Of course Mrblocko predicted this would happen. He suggested just baking them on a cookie sheet, but I thought that if they were in the muffin tin, they might crisp up a bit more where they came in contact with the pan. No such luck. Next time I make these I'll bake them on a sheet pan, meatball style. That way I can get rid of the fat as they are cooking.
Salsa Meatloaf Bites makes 12 mini meatloaves by Semi Homemade Mom
1lb lean ground beef
2 T dried, minced onion (I grated 1/2 of a very small onion)
1 egg
16 buttery crackers l(I used a store brand generic Club cracker)
2 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided (I used Mexican with jalapeno)
1 c chunky salsa, divided
Crush crackers. Mix meat, onion, egg, 1 c cheese, and 1/2 c salsa in large bowl. Add cracker crumbs and mix with hands to combine. Press meat mixture evenly among 12 muffin cups (or divide into 12 meatballs and place on foil lined rimmed baking sheet). Bake 400F for 25 min, test to be sure meat is at least 160F. Top each meatloaf with a spoonful of remaining salsa and sprinkling of cheese. Bake 5 min til cheese melts.
That's probably why she freaked out, in a bad way, when I told her I was making salsa meatloaf bites from Semi Homemade Mom.
She'd been reading this series, Dear Dumb Diary, from the Library. Apparently, there is something mentioned about meatloaf in the book and how disgusting it was. Or maybe it was made from weird things. I don't know, and I don't think I really want to know. Somethings are better left in the dark. (ie tales of school cafeteria mystery meat)
Boy was Blockette surprised when she tried the meatloaf. It was actually good!
It was strangely amusing to eat a meal that consisted of similarly shaped food.
Blockette said they would be better if they weren't covered in Salsa. She doesn't like salsa for some reason so don't pay any attention to her. I thought the salsa combo was awesome.
What I didn't like was this:
Baking the meatloaf in the muffin tins caused the grease from the meat to just pool up around the meat. I attempted to soak up some of the fat with a paper towel. Just looking at all that grease grosses me out.
Of course Mrblocko predicted this would happen. He suggested just baking them on a cookie sheet, but I thought that if they were in the muffin tin, they might crisp up a bit more where they came in contact with the pan. No such luck. Next time I make these I'll bake them on a sheet pan, meatball style. That way I can get rid of the fat as they are cooking.
1 egg
1 c chunky salsa, divided
Crush crackers. Mix meat, onion, egg, 1 c cheese, and 1/2 c salsa in large bowl. Add cracker crumbs and mix with hands to combine. Press meat mixture evenly among 12 muffin cups (or divide into 12 meatballs and place on foil lined rimmed baking sheet). Bake 400F for 25 min, test to be sure meat is at least 160F. Top each meatloaf with a spoonful of remaining salsa and sprinkling of cheese. Bake 5 min til cheese melts.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Pumpkin Sloppy joes
I made these Pumpkin sloppy joes from Taste of Home for the first time back in 2008. I had been doing my weekly meal planning, which included Garlic Pork Fried Rice. The recipe for Pumpkin sloppy joes just happened to be printed on the same page as the fried rice.
This version of sloppy joes is a nice change from the basic Manwich. Although, if you are sensitive, you might be able to taste the pumpkin. Blockette said she could, but she thought it was great.
I like to add 1/2-1 t cumin to our version. It adds a little bit more smoky flavor. If we were all fans of things with a little heat, I'd add some chipotle powder as well.
My sloppy joe mix was a bit on the thick side so I added some water. Be very careful when you do this because I went a bit too far in the other direction, adding too much water. This just made our joes extra sloppy. I could have let it simmer for longer to let more of the water evaporate, but I was too lazy and hungry to do that.
Pumpkin Sloppy Joes from Taste of Home
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the pumpkin, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Serve on buns as you would good old Sloppy joes. I like mine with cheddar and lots of dill pickles!
I like to add 1/2-1 t cumin to our version. It adds a little bit more smoky flavor. If we were all fans of things with a little heat, I'd add some chipotle powder as well.
My sloppy joe mix was a bit on the thick side so I added some water. Be very careful when you do this because I went a bit too far in the other direction, adding too much water. This just made our joes extra sloppy. I could have let it simmer for longer to let more of the water evaporate, but I was too lazy and hungry to do that.
Pumpkin Sloppy Joes from Taste of Home
In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the pumpkin, tomato sauce, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Serve on buns as you would good old Sloppy joes. I like mine with cheddar and lots of dill pickles!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Tamale Casserole
Back when I was in High School, there was this restaurant in Minneapolis called El Mason. They featured food from the Dominican Republic and it was awesome. Sure my best friend wanted to go there because she was in LUUUUVE with one of the waiters. Who cares that he was probably twice her age.
Anyhow, the food there was amazing. They had the best tamales and tostones ever. I don't even remember what made them so awesome. I do know that every other tamale I've had since then has been dry and gross.
This tamale casserole from Buns in My Oven was neither dry nor gross. Nor was it anything like the tamales I had as a teenager. But it was sooo good none the less.
Blockette said it was too spicy at first. And that she did NOT like it. Hated it in fact.
I told her that was too bad because we had another meal of leftovers and she could eat it or go hungry. After much convincing I told her it would be a whole lot less spicy if she had just a tiny eensy weensy bit of sour cream. GUESS WHAT? I was right. Now she LOVES the tamale casserole and asked me to make it again.
Tamale Casserole from Buns in my Oven
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, grated
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (Jiffy works great)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1 pound ground meat (I used beef, but chicken or turkey would be great too)
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Combine cheeses in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, stir 1/4 c combined cheese, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, corn, muffin mix, and the green chiles. Stir until just combined. Pour into pan and bake 15 min or until just set.
While cornbread baking, cook meat over med heat until cooked completely through. Drain, if necessary.
Remove cornbread from oven and pierce all over with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over corn bread.
Top with meat and remaining cheese. Return to oven for another 15 min.
P.S. Sadly El Mason has changed ownership since my days of frequent patronage, and their menu. Aside from being way more expensive, it seems tamales are no longer one of their offerings. Harrumph!
Anyhow, the food there was amazing. They had the best tamales and tostones ever. I don't even remember what made them so awesome. I do know that every other tamale I've had since then has been dry and gross.
This tamale casserole from Buns in My Oven was neither dry nor gross. Nor was it anything like the tamales I had as a teenager. But it was sooo good none the less.
I told her that was too bad because we had another meal of leftovers and she could eat it or go hungry. After much convincing I told her it would be a whole lot less spicy if she had just a tiny eensy weensy bit of sour cream. GUESS WHAT? I was right. Now she LOVES the tamale casserole and asked me to make it again.
Tamale Casserole from Buns in my Oven
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, grated
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (Jiffy works great)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1 pound ground meat (I used beef, but chicken or turkey would be great too)
Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Combine cheeses in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, stir 1/4 c combined cheese, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, corn, muffin mix, and the green chiles. Stir until just combined. Pour into pan and bake 15 min or until just set.
While cornbread baking, cook meat over med heat until cooked completely through. Drain, if necessary.
Remove cornbread from oven and pierce all over with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over corn bread.
Top with meat and remaining cheese. Return to oven for another 15 min.
P.S. Sadly El Mason has changed ownership since my days of frequent patronage, and their menu. Aside from being way more expensive, it seems tamales are no longer one of their offerings. Harrumph!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Blow Your Mind Sloppy Joes
Soccer practice night is a bit hectic. We have to leave the house by 5:45, which doesn't leave much room for screwing around at dinner time, eating or preparation wise. One night I was particularly pressed for time so I whipped out a good old fashioned can of Manwich...and steeled myself for a fight.
Oh, Blockette likes Manwich well enough, it's just the bun she doesn't particularly care for. My daughter, who loves carbs in all other forms, doesn't like hot dog or hamburger buns. But this time I had an ace up my sleeve. You see, back in September I saw this post for lunch lady sloppy joes over at Simply Scratch. The idea is brilliant.
I told Blockette I was going to BLOW HER MIND. First, I got out a hot dog bun for the sloppy joes, instead of the boring ordinary hamburger buns. I could have just stopped here. A hot dog bun, for sloppy joes? Blockette was floored and amazed at this minor change.
Then I said, "Oh just wait. I'm really gonna blow your mind." And I whipped out the cheese sticks...and I stuck that cheese stick. In. The. Bun.
Whoa...
Her mind was sufficiently blown. And I continue to hold the trophy for the world's best mother. (::insert visual image of me headbanging and playing the air guitar.::)
Oh, Blockette likes Manwich well enough, it's just the bun she doesn't particularly care for. My daughter, who loves carbs in all other forms, doesn't like hot dog or hamburger buns. But this time I had an ace up my sleeve. You see, back in September I saw this post for lunch lady sloppy joes over at Simply Scratch. The idea is brilliant.
I told Blockette I was going to BLOW HER MIND. First, I got out a hot dog bun for the sloppy joes, instead of the boring ordinary hamburger buns. I could have just stopped here. A hot dog bun, for sloppy joes? Blockette was floored and amazed at this minor change.
Then I said, "Oh just wait. I'm really gonna blow your mind." And I whipped out the cheese sticks...and I stuck that cheese stick. In. The. Bun.
Her mind was sufficiently blown. And I continue to hold the trophy for the world's best mother. (::insert visual image of me headbanging and playing the air guitar.::)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Crockpot Coconut Beef
We don't eat a lot of beef in this house. When we do, 99% of the time it is ground beef. Oh sure, once in a blue moon I will break down and humor Mrblocko and let him have a nice steak. So I'm sure that you can imagine his surprise when I told him I was making A Year of Slow Cooking's coconut beef in the crockpot. I mean it wasn't even his birthday, and we were having beef? Granted it was stew beef, but still...BEEF!
This is what the stuff looks like when you first plop all the ingredients into the crock pot. Ew right?
Then, the cumin colors the coconut milk a nice orangy color. OK, it's not so nice looking, but it tastes good and that's the point. I liked mine served over a bed of rice with some sweetened shredded coconut on top. YUM!
This recipe was almost a HUGE disaster though. I misread the recipe and I almost put in 1-2 tsp of red pepper flakes instead of chili powder. Luckily, I caught my mistake right before I put the spices in the crockpot. If I had added the red pepper flakes instead of the chili powder, Blockette and I would have looked Homer Simpson at the chili cook off! 
Mrblocko would have been fine though. He added loads of red pepper flakes to his portion.
This is what the stuff looks like when you first plop all the ingredients into the crock pot. Ew right?Then, the cumin colors the coconut milk a nice orangy color. OK, it's not so nice looking, but it tastes good and that's the point. I liked mine served over a bed of rice with some sweetened shredded coconut on top. YUM!
This recipe was almost a HUGE disaster though. I misread the recipe and I almost put in 1-2 tsp of red pepper flakes instead of chili powder. Luckily, I caught my mistake right before I put the spices in the crockpot. If I had added the red pepper flakes instead of the chili powder, Blockette and I would have looked Homer Simpson at the chili cook off! 
Mrblocko would have been fine though. He added loads of red pepper flakes to his portion.This recipe makes a lot. So much so that we got sick of eating the leftovers. I froze about 4 cups of the meat and sauce. Four cups! Keep in mind, this was after eating it for at least 3 meals! After several months of just pushing it around and not wanting to use up the leftovers I had a rather brilliant idea. Why not make a sort of shepherd's pie out of those leftovers? I added corn, carrots, peas and green beans to the meat mix, topped it with mashed potatoes (which I also had a ton of in the freezer) and a bit of cheddar cheese. This made enough for 2 round casserole dishes. Each dish fed the three of us for 2 meals.
I actually preferred the leftovers in shepherd's pie form to the original main dish. Not only did I like the flavor combinations of the meat, potatoes and veggies, but it was a one dish meal. If I don't have to prepare any side dishes that always makes me a happy camper.
Crockpot coconut Beef from a Year of Slow Cooking
1-2 lbs stew meat
1 yellow onion, cut in chunks
1 can coconut milk
1 juice from one lime
2 T of butter (optional. I used it, but don't think it needs it next time)
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 T chili paste (or 1-2 tsp red chili flakes)
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
I used a 6qt Smart-Pot for this dish. Anything 4qt and up will work. If using, put butter into crockpot, and turn it on to begin to melt. Add meat, lime juice, and coconut milk. Follow with the onion and garlic. Add the brown sugar and all the spices. Grate the ginger. Toss meat a bit in the liquid and spices to coat. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8. The coconut milk will be yellow from the curry, and will separate a bit. A quick stir will turn it all creamy again. Serve over white or brown rice.
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