Tag Archives: beef

Homemade Chili Mac

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I love having a well stocked pantry! All I needed to pick up from the grocery store today for this meal was the ground beef. This is the kind of meal I like to make when I don’t want to put too much effort or thought into dinner – sorry, family! I don’t think they’ll mind;) They’re concern isn’t how much time a meal took but it does have to taste good, of course.

This recipe delivers smoky, slightly sweet flavor with a hint of spice. I didn’t add quite the full amount of green chiles for Little S – she’s so picky as it is, I didn’t want her to feel justified in not liking this meal. It’s so good and she’s still moping at the table picking at her food. M on the other hand loved it and had two helpings!  God has a sense of humor is all I can say – they’re so different:)  Either way, I’m going to have to make this again soon. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Chili Mac Ingredients – adapted from The Cooking Photographer

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ¼ pounds lean ground beef
  • Salt and pepper to season beef
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped mild green chiles
  • 8 ounces (2 cups) elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese
  • Freshly ground pepper

Directions –

1. Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add ground beef and diced onion. Season with a dash of salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Once the meat is no longer pink, strain off the grease in a colander and place the meat mixture back in the pan.

2. Add chili powder, cumin, onion powder, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, minced garlic and brown sugar and cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with roasted garlic, can of green chiles, elbow macaroni, and 2 cups water. Stir to combine, cover and keep at a high simmer for about 14 minutes or until juices are absorbed and macaroni is tender.

4. Stir in pepper jack, vintage cheddar, and cilantro and season with freshly ground pepper. Taste for salt and add if needed. Garnish with sour cream and parsley if desired.

Cheeseburger Soup

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I seem to have run out of inspiration lately because for the past two days I haven’t been able to choose a recipe that appeals to me. Every once in a while I run into this problem; but it doesn’t last too long, thankfully. What usually helps is trying to think of recipes I haven’t used in a long time – like this one. This is a surprisingly light, flavorful soup and perfect for chilly nights. Whenever I make it I use at least a pound of very lean ground beef and double the rest of the ingredients. If you have Frank’s Red Hot, I suggest you splash some in the soup. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Cheeseburger Soup ingredients – adapted from Dine & Dish

  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 3/4 c chopped onion
  • 3/4 c shredded carrots
  • 3/4 c diced celery
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • 5 Tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 cans chicken broth
  • 4 cups peeled, diced potatoes (I used unpeeled red potatoes)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups (8oz) Velveeta, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions –

In a 6-quart saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside beef. In the same saucepan, sate onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 2 Tablespoons butter until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt remaining 3 Tablespoons of butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until bubbly. Whisk into soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add Velveeta, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream. Makes 8 servings.

Steak and Potatoes

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Happy New Year! There has been lots of cooking and baking going on, so hopefully over the next few days I will put some posts together to share. I have tried quite a few new recipes over the past couple of weeks and some trusty old stand-bys. Yesterday, I checked Publix online for their weekly deals and saw “top loin” for sale – aka London broil. I have never purchased this up until now, but my mom used to prepare this cut when I was a kid so I was familiar with the name…that’s it! Luckily, TasteSpotting is an awesome website to use when I’m in the need for inspiration. I came across two new recipes via one link – I love when that happens. I have used this blog successfully in the past for new recipes, so I knew this blogger wouldn’t let me down.

The steak had great flavor, and it would have been even better on a more expensive cut of meat. There is not a lot of fat marbled throughout top loin, so it wasn’t the most tender steak. Maybe next time I will look for a marinade with some kind of acid to tenderize this cut. The potatoes were so simple to put together and so tasty. I picked up a bag of those tiny, multicolored potatoes that Publix carries now for this dish and they worked out perfectly, and the skin is super thin, and became delightfully crispy when roasted. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

*Parmesan Garlic Potatoes – adapted from Let’s Dish

  • 1.5 lbs. of potatoes, cubed
  • 2-3 TBSP of olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions –

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9×13 inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange potatoes in prepared pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with garlic, parsley flakes, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat potatoes evenly.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Stir once half-way through baking time.

*Marinated London Broil – adapted from Let’s Dish

  • 1 flank steak or London broil – about 3 pounds
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce ( *I used low sodium)
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 2 TBSP ketchup
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped (*I omitted this)
  • *I added about a TBSP of McCormick grill seasoning

Directions –

Mix ingredients for marinade in shallow pan or zip-top bag. Score meat on both sides in a diamond-shaped pattern.  Add meat to marinade and cover or seal. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Remove meat and broil or grill to desired doneness, 10-15 minutes. Let meat rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and serve.

Meatball Subs and Marinara Sauce

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Ooh…these were good. Even my picky eater enjoyed these, which is always a great because she often refuses to eat anything new. Another great thing about these recipes is that they made enough to become spaghetti and meatballs with marinara for last nights dinner. I’m so happy that my husband who hates spaghetti loved eating that meal too. Maybe it’s because this was all from scratch and not from a jar or package. I love being able to cook like this for my family and what makes that even better is that I thoroughly enjoy the process of it. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Meatballs – adapted from The Comfort is Always Here

  • 1/2 lb of ground beef
  • 3 Italian sausages, casings removed
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 slices of white bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup of milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • handful of fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 shallot, grated
  • Italian loaf of bread, or Italian rolls
  • 4 slices of mozzarella cheese per sandwich

Warm your marinara sauce in a deep skillet or a large saucepan while you prepare your meatball mixture.

Begin by soaking the bread in the milk for a few minutes. In a large bowl, add the meat, eggs, basil, seasonings, cheese and grated shallot. Squeeze the milk from the bread and add to the bowl. Thoroughly combine all ingredients, but be careful not to over-mix. Next form your balls and think about the size of them as you will place them onto the sub.

Cook your meatballs right in the sauce. Make sure the meatball is completely covered, and continue to cook on simmer for about 45 minutes, or longer.

When you are ready to make your sub, you have a couple of options. I hollowed out the top of mine, thinking I could place the cheese on the bottom, fill with meatballs, and place a couple of more slices of mozzarella on top. The choice is yours. You decide.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Add two slices of cheese to the bottom of the bread, and cook in the oven for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and set your broiler. Add the meatballs to the top of the cheese, cover with two more slices of the cheese, and place under the broiler. Watch it carefully – the toasty goodness happens quick!

Marinara Sauce – adapted from Food.com

  • 3 -4 tablespoons olive oil (I use enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of my pot)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 -6 garlic cloves, minced (or to taste, the more the better I use 6 extra large cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional or adjust to taste)
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (can use two cans for a thicker richer sauce if desired)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole roma tomatoes, undrained (break up with a fork before cooking, go ahead and use two cans if desired!)
  • 1/3-1/2 cup dry red wine (you may omit if desired but good to add in, can use white wine)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar (optional or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste, a good tomato sauce needs lots so don’t be shy with the salt)
  • fresh ground pepper

In a heavy bottomed stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, dried herbs and pepper flakes saute for 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add canned tomatoes and wine and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 – 2 hours stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. You can add more water if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Pot Roast with Vegetables

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Mmm…yet another recipe that makes me love cooler weather! This was my first time trying this recipe, and it was so good. I paired this meal with thyme roasted carrots and mashed potatoes…M was bummed that the rolls I made for S’s friendship feast weren’t part of the meal but I will make sure to make some next time. This roast has great flavor and the gravy created while it braised for three hours was perfect for spooning over the mashed potatoes. A couple of notes for next time – I added one pound of button mushrooms half way through cooking so they wouldn’t become too mushy, and I will add less water next time. Also, for the mashed potatoes I cooked up almost four pounds of Yukon gold potatoes then mixed them with four ounces of cream cheese, a few tablespoons of butter and a splash of half and half. Everyone enjoyed this and I think the flavor is so much better than the average crock pot recipe I have tried in the past. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Pot Roast with Vegetables Ingredients – adapted from Tyler Florence

  • 1 (3 to 4 pound) piece beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 – 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup water (*next time I will use 1/2 cup)
  • 2 yellow onion, halved
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 bunch baby carrots
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 cup button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced in half
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (*I used dried)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves

Directions –

Season all sides of the beef with a fair amount of salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot that has a tight cover; heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. Brown the meat on all sides, taking the time to get a nice crust on the outside. Pour in the tomatoes and the water. Scatter the vegetables and herbs around the pot roast, season with salt and pepper; and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Braise for about 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.

Slice the pot roast and arrange on platter surrounded by the vegetables. Serve with the pot juices.


Sloppy Joes

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As much as I love having my husband home at dinner time, it’s nice to be able to make things that I know he doesn’t like to eat…sloppy joe’s is one of them. This is my go-to recipe for sloppy joe’s that I first tried out five years ago. It is the only recipe I can remember trying, because I knew my search was over for a  good ‘ol kid friendly, nostalgic meal. It’s really easy to put together and requires ingredients that I almost always have on hand. Little Man M always enjoys this, and S will eat some meat and the bun on the side – she’s my picky eater. Speaking of “buns”, the one’s pictured are the leftover buns I froze several weeks ago. The batch made eight buns and they were so much better than store bought that there was no way I was going to toss the remaining three. They, along with any other breads I have frozen, taste unchanged after hibernating in my freezer. The next time we have hamburgers, I will be sure to make them again and share it with you.  Oh, sorry about the lack of pictures – my kitchen is so dark that sometimes I have to use the flash on my camera – natural light is always 10x’s better! Thanks for reading, enjoy.

( brown sugar not pictured – oops!)

Sloppy Joe Ingredients – adapted from Rachel Ray

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
  • 1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
  • Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes and pickles

Directions –

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides or sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper. Have plenty of napkins on hand!