slow cooker pumpkin and bean chili

Fall is my absolute favorite season.  There are so many reasons to love fall.  Was I the only one who got super excited about buying back to school supplies?  There was nothing like a fresh notebook, new crayons and folders with hello kitty plastered all over them.  New school supplies, back to school clothes, tennis season, colorful leaves, chilly nights, football games, hot apple cider and of course Halloween and Thanksgiving.  I have always had a love hate with Halloween.  My birthday is the day after so, when I was younger the celebrating part of my birthday always got lumped with a costume party.  Now I love that my birthday can easily get lost in the shuffle of Halloween and I can pseudo celebrate with friends and family on Halloween.  One thing that has remained true over the years is my absolute freakish love of all things pumpkin and candy corns.  In honor of my birthday I am dedicating this week to all recipes pumpkin.  My family doesn't love the pumpkin like I do but, it is my birthday and I will cook with pumpkin if I want to and they will eat because they won't want to see me cry on my birthday.  That is just mean.


I have been anxious to try out some new recipes in my new slow cooker.  Pumpkin chili seemed like a perfect fit.  I was a little skeptical that the pumpkin flavor and the tomatoes would clash but, the pumpkin is subtle and really acts more as a thickener then a bold flavor.  We all really enjoyed this chili and I know it will be on our tables for many fall seasons to come.

slow cooker pumpkin and bean chili

adapted: lynn's kitchen adventure 

 
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped 
1 lb of ground beef
salt and pepper
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of chili powder 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin2 cups chicken broth
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of pumpkin (15oz)
1 can of diced tomatoes (28oz) 


Cook onion, green bell pepper and ground beef until onion is tender and the beef is done. Season with salt and pepper.
 
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Add spices (chili powder - cumin) and mix thoroughly to release the flavors approximately one more minute.
 
Place meat, onion, garlic mixture into a slow cooker.
 
Add remaining ingredients.
 
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
 
Top with sour cream and cheese.  Serve and enjoy.

cheesy meatloaf minis

Poor meatloaf.  Many don't like you.  They don't even know you but, they judge you and they assume they don't like you.  Not my hubby.  He has a hard time meeting a meat loaf that he does not like.  He likes a lot of meatloaves but, rarely does he really love one.  If meatloaf is on the menu I know he will order you, make friends with you and continue to think about you the next day.  As a good wife I am always on the hunt for the great meatloaf.  I want to be the one who makes the meatloaf of his dreams.  This may not be the meatloaf that he wants to marry but, this one is easy to make and solid on taste.  The hidden pockets of melted cheese are a nice addition to the traditional meatloaf.  Extra bonus is Carter did not want to try it (hating on the loaf at a young age) but, once he did he exclaimed "this is yummy meat mom"!  That is really all I needed to hear to know that I was going to make this again.  I make the mix and split in half.  I bake one and freeze the other which is another plus to this recipe.

cheesy meatloaf minis

adapted: cooking light

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce) - if fresh then lightly toasted
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
 
Preheat oven to 425°.



Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.  Alternately you can divide the meatloaf mix into two loaves.  You can bake one large loaf for 30 minutes and freeze one for later use.

korean beef skewers and noodles

We have really cut down on the amount of meat we eat in our house.  When I say we I mean me and in turn that means the rest of the hungry mouths in this home are also reducing their meat consumption. No one is complaining.  We all like red meat but, now only eat it on occasion.  If we are going to indulge in some meat why not have it thinly sliced, covered in a spicy sweet Asian marinade and stuck on a stick.  Every time I thread skewers I think of the line in Something About Mary when she comments there really are not enough meats on sticks.  I agree! I love a kabob, skewer, or even an occasional hot dog on a stick with a gallon of lemonade.  We threw these on the barbecue all summer and they are always a hit but, work equally as well on a grill pan indoors.  The noodles tossed in the cooked off marinade could not be easier and are a perfect side dish.  I prefer it with rice noodles but, the kids will eat fettuccine so, I have been swapping out the rice noodles.  This is a quick and easy meal to get on the table and would work well as the base of a beef stir fry as well.

korean beef skewers and noodles

adapted: cooking light

• 6  tablespoons  less-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3  cup  sugar
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  sambal oelek
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  (1-pound) tri-tip steak, sliced against the grain into thin strips
• 1/3  cup  water
• 8  ounces  wide rice sticks or fettuccine
• 3  tablespoons  thinly sliced green onions

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat or heat indoor grill pan over medium high heat.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a zip-top bag. Add beef to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove steak from bag; reserve marinade. Thread steak evenly onto 8 (8-inch) skewers. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. 
3. Combine reserved marinade and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute.
3. Soak rice noodles in boiling water until tender; drain. If using fettuccine cook per package and drain.  Add noodles to hot marinade and toss to coat and sprinkle with onions. Serve with skewers.

smoky beef tacos

I heart Mexican food but,  I have not had much success in making anything that tastes authentic.  I love simple street tacos.  This meat is so simple to make and tastes so good! The ingredients list is short, the prep time is quick but, the cook time is long.  The slow cook gives the dish that flavorful falling apart meat which is worth the wait.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  It is spicy, savory and smoky.  You can adjust the spice by how much chipotle pepper you add.  This meat serves a large crowd and adapts to various toppings.Just thinking about these makes me want to round out my Mexican menu with a few more dishes and have a cinco de mayo gathering this year. 

smoky beef tacos

source: everyday food

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer beef to a cutting board. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; and add back to cooking liquid.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

meatloaf and mashed potatoes

We have discovered that Campbell likes meatloaf.  Brad LOVES meatloaf.  He swears the best slice of meatloaf is at Roy in Santa Barbara.  I have tried endlessly to find a recipe that matches it.  We have had numerous meatloaf meals.  I have yet to find "the meatloaf" but, this one is good and easy and the whole family likes it.  Sorry mom you know I love your meatloaf but, need to keep the hubby happy.  I like this recipe because I can sneak a few veggies into the meal for kids that go down with no argument.  Meatloaf in the summer is kinda odd but, the weather has been odd all summer and putting a meal on the table that both kids will eat out weighs enduring the heat from running the oven at 450 with no air conditioning.  What we do for our husbands and kiddos.

meatloaf and mashed potatoes

Adapted from: Everyday Food

• 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 medium white onion
• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 large egg
• 1 pound ground beef sirloin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk or 2% milk
• 1 pound green beans, stem ends removed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, chop carrots, celery, onion, and panko with egg white until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, form meat mixture into a loaf; brush with half the barbecue sauce. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in loaf registers 160 degrees, 30-35 minutes, brushing halfway through (15 minutes) with remaining sauce.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with cold salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain; return to pan. Stir over medium until a starchy film forms on bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; mash with buttermilk or milk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Toss trimmed green beans in olive oil.  With 10 minutes remaining on the meatloaf add the greeen beans to baking sheet and roast.  Alternatively steam beans.

brisket with vidalia onion puree

The idea of a supper club has been bouncing around in my head for months.  I just have this crazy passion for food, cooking, entertaining and well ... eating.  I knew I must have some girlfriends out there that share this interest.  I was able to assemble the perfect size group of 7 gals to test out this supper club concept.  We would each made one dish that corresponded to the theme that the hostess picked.  Since I was the instigator I hosted the first supper club and well can you guess what I picked?  Southern comfort!  This club is suppose to push you a bit and get you to try new dishes so, I tackled a brisket which I knew I liked but, always felt a bit overwhelmed by.  The result ... brisket is easy and yummy.  All it takes is time to allow it to cook.  I also learned from my brisket research you want to ask the butcher for the first cut which is the leanest part of the brisket.  I learned a few things and had fun and isn't that what life is all about.  So lucky to have friends that will allow me to indulge in my passions, a good meal and great conversation.

The southern comfort table ... tried to decorate without buying anything so, all items were found in the house.  Feels good to be able to do with less, use what you have and stop my constant urge to buy.

brisket with vidalia onion puree

Source: Bon Appetit Y'all by, Virginia Willis

2 tbsp canola oil
1 (4 lb.) beef brisket (preferably first cut)
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 vidalia onions, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp Hungarian paprika
2 bay leaves
12 oz dark ale/beer
2 cups beef stock

preheat oven to 375.

Heat oil in dutch oven over medium high heat.  Pat the brisket dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Sear the brisket on both sides 8-10 minutes total.  Remove to a plate.

Decrease the heat to medium, add the onions and stir constantly, until they begin to soften and turn color (~7 minutes).  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (~1 minute).  Add the paprika, bay leaves and brisket to the dutch oven.  Add the beer and stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cover and place in oven.  Bake until tender (~2.5 to 3.5 hours).  Note: 40 minutes per pound is a good estimate.

Remove brisket and transfer to a cutting board.  Discard the bay leaves.  In the dutch oven using an immersion blender puree the onions until smooth.  Taste sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.

Slice brisket against the grain and serve with onion sauce.

Hoisin Glazed Beef Kebabs

Spring has sprung here and we are ready to fire up the grill and enjoy the backyard.  This was one of our favorite quick and easy grill recipes last season.  We kicked off the season with this meal and the verdict is in ... we all still like it.

Hoisin Glazed Beef Kebabs

Cooking Light

• 2  tablespoons  hoisin sauce
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  honey
• 1/2  teaspoon  seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  chile paste with garlic
• 1  pound  beef tenderloin filets, cut into 16 cubes
• 16  (2-inch) pieces green onions (about 4 onions)
• 16  grape tomatoes
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
3. Thread 4 beef cubes, 4 onion pieces, and 4 tomatoes alternately onto each of 4 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.