Beef Stroganoff

I compiled this recipe from other suggestions on the net, and from my own experiences in making it. I hope you enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb top sirloin or tenderloin, cut thin into 1-inch wide by 2 1/2-inch long strips (often time I will use elk or leftover steak for this, just skip the 1st step of browning the meat).
3 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix
2 tbsp minced dried onion
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup water
1 can reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in large skillet on medium heat.  Increase the heat to med-high and add strips of beef.  Brown quickly, seasoning with salt and pepper on each side.  When both sides are browned, remove the beef to a bowl and set aside.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté until browned and tender. Add soup mix, minced onions, mustard, and Worcestershire.  Stir until dissolved.

Add wine, water, and mushroom soup. Stir and continue to heat until thickened and bubbly. Add meat back into the skillet with sauce.

Reduce heat to medium- high. Add sour cream, nutmeg, salt (careful with salt as onion soup mix is pretty salty) and pepper to taste. Stir and cook 5-10 more minutes.

Serve over egg noodles (my preference), rice, mashed potatoes, or other pasta.

The Best French Dip

This is definitely one of our "go-to" recipes for the colder months.  Quick, easy, and comfort food indeed!  I sometimes will add a can of cream of mushroom soup over the pot roast as well, and we enjoy it that way too.  It gives it an extra amount of creaminess which we like.  This is the fancy way to make french dip, but sometimes I don't have mushrooms, onions, and cheese to do it this way.  Believe me, it's just as good without!    This recipe is for 8 servings, but feel free to size it down appropriately for your family.  I don't mind having leftover sandwiches for lunch the next day, and I usually have even more leftover meat and au-jus which I use for homemade hash on a following day.

French Dip

2-3 lb Beef chuck roast, pot roast, or other roast cut of your choice (should have some fat content to keep the roast moist)
1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix
1-2 beef bullion cubes (depending on size and to taste)
8 french or sourdough hoagie rolls
4 tbsp butter, divided
Johnny's garlic bread seasoning (can substitute mixture of 1/2 garlic powder and 1/2 Parmesan cheese)
8 slices provolone cheese
10-12 button mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, halved and sliced

Place roast in crock pot.  Pour about 2 cups of water in the base of the crock pot. Pour Lipton onion soup mix over roast and into water.  Cook on high for 8-10 hours (meat should be falling apart).

Once ready to serve, remove roast from crock pot, turn the pot off, and let roast stand on plate for a few minutes.  Shred.  Add beef bullion to juices in the crock pot and let dissolve.  Add more water if needed, depending on amount of au-jus you want.

Saute onions and mushrooms in 1 tbsp of butter until browned and wilted.  

Open hoagie rolls and butter both sides.  Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning.  Broil 2-3 minutes or until browned in oven.  Remove from oven and add 1/2 slice of cheese to each side of bun.  Broil 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Top each bun with generous amount of shredded meat and mushroom/onion mixture.  Cut in half and serve with a dipping cup full of au-jus from the crock pot. 

BBQ Oysters

My hubby and I decided to try oysters bbq'd in the half shell this summer, and we absolutely love them since!  We get to where we crave them! Oysters can be tricky to shuck. I found some good how- to videos on You Tube that helped. I recommend an oyster knife too!

BBQ Oysters

8-10 oysters, cleaned, shucked, and in 1/2 shell
1/4 cup butter, melted
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp Sriracha (or other hot sauce)
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp parsley

Combine butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, Parmesan, and parsley in small bowl. Freeze 20 minutes or until firm. Scoop rounded spoonfuls onto each oyster, dividing equally among all oysters. Place entire oyster in half shell on a hot BBQ grill (we prefer charcoal). Close lid, cook for 8 minutes. Remove from grill and serve.

Clam Chowder

This is the BEST recipe I've found for clam chowder.  Don't leave out the red wine vinegar.  It really makes the flavors POP!  I was skeptical at first, but this is really great. I have modified this to my taste, but the original recipe link (or close to) is at the bottom.

 

Clam Chowder

1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely diced

1 cup carrots, finely diced
2 cups finely diced potatoes (I leave skins on)

1-2 cups chicken broth
4 (6 1/2 ounce) cans minced clams, and juice (less if you don't like as many clams)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3/4 cup butter (not margarine)
3/4 cup flour
1 quart half-and-half (cream)
salt & pepper to taste

Chop vegetables and put in large soup pot.  Drain clam juice over chopped vegetables.  Set clams aside.  Pour chicken broth over veggies, enough to cover.  Simmer over medium-low heat until tender (about 15 minutes).


While veggies are simmering, melt butter over medium-low heat in a 2 quart saucepan.  Whisk in flour until smooth.  Slowly add half-and-half, whisking the entire time to keep smooth and lump free.  Continue stirring and heating until mixture is thickened and smooth (about 10 minutes).

Add cream mixture to veggies/broth in soup pot, reducing heat to low.  Add red wine vinegar, clams, and salt and pepper to taste.  (Usually with the broth, salt is not needed).  Heat through, but do not boil again. 


I also like to add leftover salmon/steelhead, scallops, shrimp, and any other seafood to make a seafood chowder.  If adding other seafood, you can reduce the amount of clams needed.


Original Recipe:  Clam Chowder

Tomato Basil Pizza

This is adopted from a Pampered Chef recipe we've loved over the years. This is off the top of my head and my modifications so hope you enjoy!

Tomato Basil Pizza

1 package refrigerated pizza dough (I use Trader Joes)
2 cups mozzerella (divided)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (depending on taste)
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp minced garlic
4-5 tomatoes, sliced (enough to cover pizza)

Preheat oven to 375* F.  Mix 1 cup mozzerella, garlic, mayo, Parmesan, and basil in a bowl.

Grease pizza stone.  Spread pizza dough to the edge of the stone. Spread remaining 1 cup of mozzerella over dough. Lay slices of tomatoes over the cheese. Scoop dollops of basil mixture over top of the tomatoes and flatten to thin layer with back of spoon or fingers.

Bake for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Let pizza cool for 5 minutes before slicing into squares to serve.

Sesame Chicken

My family loved this dish.  I modified it only by using sesame oil, as I think it gives more of a sesame flavor to it.

Sesame Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs would be fine too)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp sesame oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil, but sesame gives more flavor)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional - doesn't really add heat, just adds more flavor)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

*You can also sprinkle more red pepper flakes on top if you want more heat.

Original Recipe:

Sesame Chicken

Baked Penne

Modified slightly from original recipe, because I always seem to have leftover spaghetti sauce!

Baked Penne

5 cups spaghetti sauce (leftover)
1 tub(10 oz.) Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, divided (I used reduced fat)
1 cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
3 cups cooked penne pasta

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup cooking creme and 1/2 cup mozzarella in saucepan; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted. Add pasta; mix lightly. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole; top with remaining cooking creme and mozzarella. Cover. Bake 20 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 15 min.

Original Recipe:

Baked Penne

King Ranch Chicken

This was a HUGE hit.  Everyone loved it!

King Ranch Chicken

3 large chicken breasts, cooked
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 onion, chopped (I used minced onion flakes)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 jar (8oz) Cheez Whiz
Dash of Tabasco
Dash of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and pepper
Tortilla chips, crushed
8 oz cheddar
4 oz mozzarella

Dice the cooked chicken breasts.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the soups, onion, tomatoes, Cheez Whiz, Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauce until blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Line the bottom of a casserole dish with the crushed tortilla chips.  Place the chicken on top and pour over some of the mixture.  Add a layer of  half the Cheddar.  Repeat the process, topping with Cheddar and mozzarella.  Bake for 35-45 minutes, until bubbly.


Original Recipe:

King Ranch Chicken

Grilled Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta

My whole family LOVED this dish.  One of our new favorites!  I made the homemade Cajun seasoning and it was awesome!

Grilled Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta

 Chicken
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp white sugar, or to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, cajun seasoning, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Pound chicken breast to 1/4" thickness. Place chicken in the gallon size ziplock bag, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (the longer the better). Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Grill chicken for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear. Slice and serve over pasta.

Pasta
16 oz bowtie pasta
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (can substitute evaporated milk)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp pepper
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 cup butter
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain; set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, Cajun seasoning, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Whisk together on low heat for 5-6 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta. Top with Cajun ranch chicken and sprinkle a little bit more shredded Parmesan cheese on top.
 
Original Recipe:
Grilled Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta

Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder

We had this tonight for football Sunday.  I'd never made it before, but everyone seemed to like it.  I modified it slightly from the original, but the link is at the bottom if anyone wants it.

Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder

2 large yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrot, 1 medium
3 large shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth, can sub chicken broth
1/3 cup flour
1 cup light cream, can sub whole milk
1 teaspoon caraway seed, crushed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 teaspoons horseradish
4 -5 cooked bratwursts, halved lengthwise and sliced
12 ounces beer, plus
1 cup beer

Directions:

1. In a small skillet, brown in pan with just a bit of oil, then add 1 cup beer and simmer til done.
2. Remove brats from beer, cut lengthwise, and slice.  Set aside, and reserve beer (see * below).

3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat.
4. Add potatoes, onion, carrot and shallots; reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes soften, and onion is very soft and golden brown. Add garlic during last 5 minutes.
6. Stir flour into potato onion mixture until dissolved.  Stir in broth.
7. Add milk, caraway seeds, and pepper. Cook over medium heat 20-30 minutes, or until thickened and vegetables are soft, stirring frequently.
8. Gradually stir in cheese, mustard and horseradish, reduce heat to low.
9. Cook and stir until cheese melts, but do not boil.
10. Stir in brats, and 12 oz. beer.
11. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through. *You can add a little of the beer from cooking the brats if desired. See note below.
12. Garnish with additional shredded cheese, paprika, and/or a sprinkle of cayenne if desired.

 

Original Recipe:

Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder