Crock Pot Beef Stew w/ French Bread

I love super easy meals. Especially if the prep time isn't too long and I don't have to stand at the stove cooking for a long period of time. Enter the almighty Crock-pot!  Mine is 5.5 quart capacity with the smart-touch settings.

Ingredients for the stew:
1  pound stew meat (I bought a nice London Broil and cut it up into 1" cube-ish chunks)
2  10 oz cans (or 2 1/2 cups) beef broth
2-3 10 oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 10 oz can of each green beans and corn ( 1 1/4 cup frozen)
4 large carrots, washed & sliced.
2-3 large potatoes, washed & diced (skins on or off whatever your preference)
1 packet beef stew seasoning (or wing it with what you have in your spice rack)

Brown meat sprinkled with a bit of the seasoning.
Put carrots & potatoes in bottom of crock, add meat, then dump everything else on top.
4-6 hours on high or 8-10 on low. Add more broth or tomato juice if liquid level gets too low.

I did find that boiling the carrots and potatoes for 15 mins prior to adding them when doing 4-6 hours made sure they were firm yet tender. Otherwise 8-10 hours is great and everything is just right.

(c) Keytee 2011

French Loaf

Ingredients

6 C all purpose flour
2 1/2  .25oz pkgs active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 C. warm water
1 T. cornmeal
1 egg white
1 T. water

*In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water and beat until well blended using a stand mixer with dough hook attachment if you have one. ( which I don't). Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can

*On a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for 8-10 mins total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

*Punch doug down, divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 mins. Roll each half into large rectangle.  Roll up starting from long side.  Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.

*Grease a large baking sheet (or use parchment paper).  Sprinkle with cornmeal (No biggy if you don't have it). Place loaves, seam side down on prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled (35-40 mins)

*With a very sharp knife, make 3-4 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 20 mins.  Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for another 15-20 mins or until bread tests done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

(on days I don't have time to make from scratch, I just buy a can of Pillsbury French Loaf. hehehe)

Twice Baked Potatoes

Pre-heat oven 400 degrees
4 pre-baked potatoes
1/4 C. sour cream
1/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese
Crushed bacon bits
1 chopped green onion
Milk

* Slice bake potatoes length-wise.
* Scoop out insides and put in a mixing bowl.
* Set skins aside in shallow baking pan.
* Mix in all ingredients to potatoes, add milk in until smooth and creamy.
* Spoon mixture back into skins and garnish with extra bacon bits.
Bake approx 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Lasagne Pie

Preheat oven 400*

1 pound ground meat (hamburger, turkey burger...)
1/2 Cup cottage cheese, large curd
(2) 1/2 Cups shredded mozarella cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 medium can tomato sauce
1 Cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup Bisquick

-Grease 9" pie plate/tin.  Brown & drain burger.
-Spread cottage cheese in pan.
-Mix in 1/2 cup mozarella, salt, oregano & tomato sauce to meat.
-Spread mixture on top of cottage cheese.
-Mix milk, eggs, & Bisquick. Pour on top.  Bake 30-35 minutes.
-Top with remaining cheese and bake another 1-2 minutes until cheese melted.

Serve with salad and garlic bread!

American Goulash

2# ground beef
1 med. onion, diced
1 32oz can tomato juice or sauce
2 cups elbow macaroni (cook for 1/2 the time on package)
1 16oz diced tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese  (or both!)
salt & pepper
*1 med green pepper diced - optional if you want a bit more flavor.

Brown & drain beef.  Add onion, (pepper), tomato, tomato juice, noodles, salt & pepper to taste. (I like to add my Parmesan cheese here) - Mix together well.

Cook on medium heat for 45 minutes or top with mozzarella cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 350*.

7 layer jello

small packages of jello, one of each: lime, orange, lemon, strawberry

white "sauce":
2 C. Milk                    
1 C. sugar
2 pkg unflavored gelatin
2 C. sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla

1. Dissolve lime jello in 1 cup boiling water.  Add 1/2 cup cold water.  Pour into greased 12 X 9 pan or glass baking dish. Chill.

2. Bring milk to boil in sauce pan.  Add sugar and mix until dissolved.  Add unflavored gelatin (softened in 1/2 cup cold water).  Add sour cream and vanilla.  Beat until blended and cool.  Divide into 3 parts, keep warm until used up.

3. Pour 1/3 sauce over set lime jello.
Chill each layer while preparing the next!

4. Mix strawberry jello, add to pan.
5. Pour 1/3 sauce over set strawberry jello.
6. Mix orange jello, add to pan.
7. Pour 1/3 sauce over set orange jello.
8. Mix lemon jello, add to pan.

Cut into squares and serve (25-30).   Also great topped with whipped cream and crushed pretzels!

** For super quick and easy assembly, bowl a sauce pan of water and mix each jello in separate bowls.

Shepherd's Pie

6-8 large potatoes          
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground sausage
2 med cans mixed veggies (or small bag of frozen, blanched)
1/4 cream cheese
1/2 sour cream
1 packet beef stew seasoning (or get creative with your own)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup of flour
dash of salt
1-2 C. milk
2 C. shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350*

(c) Keytee 2011

1. brown ground beef & ground sausage. Sprinkle with flour to soak up any grease. Sprinkle with seasoning (I use 1/3 of the packet) and mix in cream of mushroom soup. Set aside.
2. Cut up potatoes and boil with a dash of salt until tender.  Drain and mash adding milk until desired consistancy. Stir in cream cheese and sour cream.
3. In 13x9 casserole dish or dutch oven, spread meat mixture in bottom. Cover with mixed veggies. Spread mashed potatoes on veggies.  Top with shredded cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with thick slices of Italian bread.

Enchilada

I make these at least a couple times a year. A warning, for as delicious as they are, they can be messy to make if you're like me and fore go using tongs to dip the tortillas. I think it's just more fun to get your hands all sloppy and lickable.

1 lb meat (shredded chicken, ground beef, turkey, shredded pork)
1/2 C. chopped white onion                                            1/2 C. sour cream
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese                                        1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/3 C. chopped green bell pepper                                   2/3 C. water
1 T. chili powder                                                            1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin                                                                2 chopped green chili peppers
1 clove garlic, chopped                                               1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce *
8 corn tortillas, large

*I usually get the kind with diced tomatoes in it.



Preheat oven to 350*

1. In deep skillet cook meat thoroughly, drain any excess grease/fat and return to pan. Stir in onion, sour cream, 1 cup cheese and black pepper.
2. In sauce pan or shallow skillet bring bell pepper, water, chili powder, oregano, cumin, green chilies, garlic and tomato sauce to boiling. Turn down heat and simmer 5 minutes, remove from heat.
3. Dip tortillas in sauce, fill with 1/4 cup meat mix and roll up and lay in 13 x 9 casserole dish or jelly roll pan.
4. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas, top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20 mins.