Baked Southwestern Spaghetti

I'm a sucker for anything with a southwestern flair, and I've been thinking about this recipe ever since I first saw it on Blog Chef.  The meal came together pretty quickly since I was able to do most of the prep work as the noodles were cooking. This will definitely be a meal that I make again. The southwestern spices give the beef a nice flavor, and I love the cilantro sprinkled on top.

I haven't tried to freeze it yet, but I would imagine that it would freeze pretty well if you freeze it before baking. I like to make several small individual casserole dishes for this reason (and for portion control.... and I need portion control with this meal!).

Baked Southwestern Spaghetti


Ingredients:
8 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425-degrees.

In a large bowl (or in the pot you boiled the spaghetti in), combine the drained cooked noodles with milk and egg. Mix well. Spray a 9x13-inch (or several individual) casserole dish, and pour the noodle mixture into the bottom.

In a large skillet brown ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Drain. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for 2 more minutes.

Spread the meat sauce over the spaghetti noodles. Top with cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Makes about 6 servings.

Source: Blog Chef

Brie & Brisket Quesadillas

My husband always compliments my cooking, and that's one of the reasons I love him so much. But I know that he really-really-really enjoys the meal when he tells me that he could eat that particular dish once a week. This is one of those meals. In fact, I think he said he could eat it twice a week. At that moment, I knew that I had won his heart all over again. And the best part about the whole thing is that the brisket cooked while I was at work, thanks to my trusty crockpot. Awesomeness!

I never would have thought to pair brie cheese with a beef brisket, but it was a genius idea that Jason and Shawnda came up with. The original recipe pairs a mango bbq sauce with these, but I was itching to use the chili sauce that my aunt canned a couple of months ago. It's my grandmother's recipe that we always ate on our black eyed peas, but it also goes well on burgers, quesadillas, hot dogs, and whatever else you fancy. Feel free to use your favorite bbq sauce, salsa, or chutney. You can also omit it all together, as it will be delicious with just the beef and cheese.


Brie & Brisket Quesadillas

Ingredients:
3 pound brisket
Salt
Pepper
1 Tablespoon chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
16-ounces (2 cups) Dr. Pepper (not diet)
Chili sauce (or chutney, bbq sauce, salsa, etc.)
8 (8-in) flour tortillas
8 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Cooking spray
Cilantro, for garnish (optional)


Directions:
To make the brisket, rub with salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic. Place brisket in the crockpot, and pour the Dr. pepper over the meat. Cover crockpot, and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Remove from the crockpot and let meat rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes. Slice against the grain about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick.

To assemble the quesadillas, heat a griddle or large pan over medium-high heat. Lay out the tortillas. Divide the meat, brie, and Monterrey Jack cheese between the tortillas, placing the meat and cheese on one half of each tortilla. Top with a spoonful or two of chili sauce, and fold the other half of the tortilla over. Spray one side of the tortilla with cooking spray, and place on the hot pan. Cook until crispy. Spray the other (top) side of the tortilla with cooking spray, and flip over. Cook until crispy. Remove from heat, and serve immediately. Garnish with cilantro, and serve with sour cream, avocado, and extra chili sauce.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Braciole

I received this recipe in my email inbox for an Italian themed recipe swap. I was super excited to try a new recipe that I've never even heard of, and I knew my meat-loving man would be happy about this one. To be honest, I was skeptical of stuffing my meat with hard boiled eggs among other things. The thought was foreign to me, but I braved it out. I'm so glad I did because it added a different texture and flavor to the Italian food I'm used to. It also added more protein, making it more filling.  The meat has to cook for a long time, but it pays off when you don't even have to use a knife.

I substituted several of the original ingredients in order to use up what I already had available. The original recipe also uses pine nuts (pignoli), but I substituted almonds since I'm deathly allergic to pine nuts. Next time I make this, I'll probably cut down on the stuffing ingredients since I had a lot left over. It may have been because my cut of meat was smaller; I'm not quite sure.


Braciole

Ingredients:

beef
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
3 Tablespoons whole milk
3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 Tablespoons slivered almonds (toasted)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, hard boiled, chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
3 large slices (about 1 pound) beef bottom round, already cut into braciole slices by butcher, or cut and pounded thin.... I couldn't find this cut, so I used beef loin boneless top sirloin steak, pounded thin
2 thin slices Prosciutto or ham
2 chunks of Provolone cheese
Salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sauce
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper


Directions:

Place bread crumbs in a bowl and add milk a little at a time. Make it so the bread becomes damp but not too wet. Stir in the eggs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, almonds, and garlic. Mix well and set aside.

***If your meat isn't already pounded thin*** With a meat mallet, pound each slice of beef to a thickness of about 1/4-inch.

Arrange one of the pounded meat slices in front of you and top with prosciutto. Spread some of the stuffing over the prosciutto, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Place a stick of provolone, then fold the side borders in to overlap the edges of the stuffing. Roll into a compact roll. Secure with cooking twine or toothpicks (I found that cooking twine was much easier). Season with salt and pepper.

Put oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat with chopped garlic and add beef rolls. Turn after first side is seared, about 1 minute. Keep turning and searing until all sides are seared. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and all of the seasonings. Stir together carefully (work your spoon around the meat), turn heat down to low, and cover. Cook for at least 2 hours (the longer, the better), stirring occasionally. Serve with pasta.

Source: slightly adapted from  I Was Born To Cook

Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon

This was definitely the star of our anniversary dinner a couple of weeks ago. My man is great when it comes to getting creative with meat, so I let him take charge. My favorite part was when he lit the Brandy on fire. It reminded me of making Bananas Foster with my dad.

The peppered crust added a nice little crunch to the tender meat. The filets were huge, but with a few deep breaths, we managed to clean our plates. This recipe definitely beat any steakhouse I've ever been to, and I'm looking forward to the next special occasion when we can make this.

Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon

Ingredients:
2 (10-ounce) filet mignon steaks
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup Brandy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Season the filets with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the pan is hot. Drizzle with olive oil. Place the filets in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in the preheated oven and cook steaks for about 6 minutes for medium-rare, 8 minutes for medium and 10 minutes for well-done.

Carefully remove from the oven and pour Brandy into the skillet. Holding the skillet a good distance from your body, light the Brandy on fire with a long match. When the flames burn off, remove the filets from the pan. Top the steaks with butter. We like to use the white truffle butter from Fresh Market.

Source: My man

Beef Stroganoff ... the lighter version

I've made ground beef stroganoff several times, but this is the first time I made it the "real" way. Well, the real-lighter way. This is a WW recipe that I found on Pinterest (my other addiction... I seriously think I need to go to Pinterest-anonymous).

I like to have a bed of egg noodles underneath the stroganoff because that's what I grew up with, but lots of people put it on a bed of rice. Either way would be delicious. I'll definitely be making this again. The beef was so tender, and all of the flavors came together nicely. My man even went back for seconds. I think fresh thyme works really well with beef, so I threw a little bit on top to enhance the flavors.

WW Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
3 ounces wide egg noodles
10 ounces lean boneless beef loin, cut into 1/2" strips
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon reduced-calorie tub margarine
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup light sour cream
fresh thyme, to garnish

Directions:
In large pot of boiling water, cook noodles 5-6 minutes, until tender; drain, discarding liquid. Set aside; keep warm.

In medium nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently,
3 minutes, until no longer pink. Remove beef from skillet. Wipe skillet clean; set beef aside.
Spray same skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat. Add onions; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, 7 minutes, until golden brown. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, 6 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove vegetables from skillet. Wipe skillet clean; set vegetables aside.

In same skillet, melt margarine; sprinkle with flour. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling. Continuing to stir, gradually add broth,
mustard, paprika, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes, until mixture is thickened. Stir in sour cream.
Return cooked beef, onions and mushrooms to skillet; stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is heated through.
Divide warm noodles evenly among 4 plates; top each portion of noodles with one-fourth of the beef mixture. Serve garnished with fresh thyme.

Makes 4 servingsServing size (3/4 cup beef mixture; 1/2 cup noodles)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 258 Calories, 9 g Total Fat, 3 g Saturated Fat, 68 mg Cholesterol, 393 mg Sodium, 24 g Total Carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary Fiber, 22 g Protein
WW: 7 points (point plus)

Source: Weight Watchers

Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes

I actually have lots of recipes to share on my blog. I've been MIA for a few weeks since our old computer crashed. Thankfully I was able to get my pictures off before it took it's last breath, but it's always a pain to have to load programs and such onto a new computer.

I made these sloppy joes tonight, and we devoured them. I really think that adding the chopped mushrooms is a genious way to "bulk" things up. I admit that I was skeptical during the cooking process. I was thinking that there were too many mushrooms and that they were going to alter the flavor. Boy, was I wrong! I couldn't even tell there were mushrooms in there. I'm definitely going to use this trick next time I make taco salad.


Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces ground sirloin
2 (8-ounce) packages pre-sliced cremini mushrooms (I used Baby Bella)
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 Tablespoon minced fresh oregano
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, toasted

Directions:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.

While beef cooks, place mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to pan; cook for 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through salt) to pan; cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates. Stir in pepper and hot sauce. Spoon about 1 cup beef mixture on bottom half of each bun; top with top halves of buns.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 sandwich)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 439 calories; 14.7g fat; 27.3g protein; 49.2g carbs; 4g fiber; 55mg cholesterol; 6.1mg iron; 160mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light June 2011

Onion-Smothered Italian Burgers

There are thousands of different ways to make a burger stand out, if you know what I mean. I love a plain hamburger, but sometimes I just want it to have a little bit of "umph." This burger is definitely packed with flavor, and the onions are absolutely amazing. I'll probably use this recipe for onions in the future. These were also just as good (if not better) re-heated the next night.

Onion-Smothered Italian Burgers
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced Vidalia or other sweet onion
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 pound ground beef, extra lean
Cooking spray
4 (1 1/2 ounce) hamburger buns

Directions:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, sugar, salt, and pepper to pan. Cook 6 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar to the pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Combine cheese and next 5 ingredients (through beef) in a medium bowl; shape meat mixture into 4 (3-inch) patties. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top each patty with 1/4 cup onion mixture and top half of each bun.
Yields 4 burgers (4 servings)

Nutritional info (per serving): 330 calories; 8.9g fat; 4mg iron; 65mg cholesterol; 142mg calcium; 33.7g carbs; 541mg sodium; 28.9g protein; 2.9g fiber

Source: Cooking Light, August 2008

Roast Beef Panini

I have a new-found love for paninis. Not only are they delicious, but they are the perfect thing to make when you've had a busy day. In no time at all, you have a warm sandwich with endless possibilities of flavors.
This particular sandwich had a combination of spicy, sweet, and smoky flavors with every bite. The hot pepper jelly was both spicy and sweet, and the Gouda cheese gave a nice smoky flavor. The Dijon mustard also gave a nice punch of heat to the sandwich. Aubrey compared it to the heat that Wasabi has. Instead of burning your mouth, it burns your nose. I'm not sure how, but it does!
My grocery store didn't have watercress sprigs, so I used bean sprouts (Oh, how I love bean sprouts!).


Ingredients:
8 Tablespoons sweet- or hot-pepper jelly
8 slices whole-grain bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
1 cup watercress sprigs or bean sprouts
Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:
Spread 1 tablespoon jelly evenly on each of 8 slices of bread. Spread each of 4 slices with 1/2 teaspoon mustard (a little of this goes a long way) on top of the jelly; sprinkle Gouda evenly on the same 4 slices. Tip the remaining slices evenly with the thinly sliced roast beef and the watercress sprigs (or bean sprouts). Combine the bread slices to create 4 sandwiches.

Heat a panini press or a grill pan coated lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Grill the sandwiches in batches, with the press closed, for 2-3 minutes per side. If using a grill pan, cook the sandwiches over moderately high heat with a heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches, pressing down, 2-3 minutes per side or until golden. Halve the sandwiches, and serve immediately.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 384 calories; 9g fat; 59mg cholesterol; 166mg calcium; 49g carbohydrate; 419mg sodium; 27g protein; 4g fiber; 3mg iron

Source: adapted from Health Magazine October 2009

Steak & Potato Kebabs with Creamy Cilantro Sauce

Kebabs, Kabobs; I never knew there were so many different ways to spell this. But I'm not writing to talk about spelling (I'm not good at that anyway... spellcheck has completely spoiled me), I'm here to write about this recipe.
I love finding recipes that are made for 2 people because I know that I won't over-eat and nothing will be wasted.
One reason this recipe is so healthy is because it uses only one piece of steak per 2 people. The addition of all of the vegetables adds substance without too many calories.
I used a grill pan, but you could easily use a gas or charcoal grill. I tweaked the sauce recipe by adding more sour cream. I added a few more calories, but the consistency was perfect in my opinion.


Ingredients:
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 Tablespoon red-wine vinegar, or cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon (or more to your liking) reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 new or baby red potatoes
10 ounces strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 poblano pepper, or 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions:
Combine cilantro, vinegar, sour cream, garlic, chile powder, cumin and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Preheat grill to high.

Place potatoes in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave on High until just tender when pierced with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.

Toss the potatoes, steak and pepper pieces with oil and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Thread the potatoes, steak, peppers and onion chunks onto 4 skewers. Grill, turning once or twice, until the steak reaches desired doneness, about 6 minutes for medium. Serve the kebabs with the reserved sauce.
Serves 2 people.

Nutritional Info (per serving): 269 calories; 9g fat; 65mg cholesterol; 16g carbohydrates; 30g protein; 2g fiber; 368mg sodium; 769mg potassium

Source: Eating Well

Mushroom and Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce

I really enjoy eating sliders; more so than a regular sized burger. I'm not sure if it's because I can get away with eating more than one hamburger or if it's because they are so cute.
Just because these burgers are cute doesn't mean they can't pack a punch of flavor in your mouth. The spicy fry sauce is the perfect addition to these sliders, and it gives the flavor a little "kick." I'll definitely make these over and over.

Ingredients:
1 serving of spicy fry sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 whole medium onion, finely diced
8 ounces, weight white mushrooms , chopped finely
1/2 cups white or red wine (optional)
Salt and pepper
2 pounds ground beef
Worcestershire sauce
4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
6 slices Swiss cheese, cut into four squares each
8 whole dinner (slider) rolls, split

Directions:
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and cook over medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and toss around, then add wine (if using), 4 dashes Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook for several minutes over medium heat, or until all liquid has evaporated. Transfer mushroom mixture to a separate bowl, scraping all contents from the skillet.

Mix ground beef, heavy cream, 4 dashes Worcestershire, salt and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly mix ingredients. Form 1/4 cup of the meat mixture into patties, making an indentation with your thumb to keep the patties from plumping too much when they cook.

In the same skillet as the one used to cook the mushrooms, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add four patties at a time, indented side face up. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip.

Spoon generous portions of mushroom mixture on each patty, then top the one or two squares of Swiss, depending on your preference. Place lid on skillet and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until burgers are cooked through and cheese is melted. Remove to a place and keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the meat mixture.

Toast halved buns under the oven broiler. Spread generously with spicy fry sauce. Place patties between buns and serve immediately with fried onion strings.

Source: Pioneer Woman

Bow-Tie "Lasagna"

If you are looking for a quick and filling weeknight meal, you'll have to give this recipe a try. It took me about 20 minutes to cook this meal from start to finish. The result was creamy delicious
bite-size pieces of lasagna. Aubrey isn't a big fan of fennel, so next time I'll probably make my own Italian seasoning sans fennel. This makes a ton of pasta, but it reheats really well. I just put it in an individual pasta bowl, add a little water, and cook it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.


Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
5 cups Bow Tie pasta
3 cups of your favorite Marinara sauce
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
Brown the beef in a skillet and drain. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. After pasta is cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce.
Add your meat, seasonings, cheese, and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Source: Pioneer Woman - Tasty Kitchen

Almost Meatless Sloppy Joes

This recipe really caught my eye because it has lots of beans in it. I love the texture that beans add to various foods. I didn't think Aubrey would care too much for this since he likes his meat, so I planned to make it during the week he worked night shift.
I really enjoyed my supper, and I think the red onions were good company to the meat/bean mixture. I put the remainder of the mixture in the fridge so I could eat leftovers for the next couple of days. When I got up the next morning, I grabbed my coffee pot and filled it up with water. Low-and-behold, sitting right in the sink was the bowl that I had put the leftovers in. Apparently Aubrey had a snack when he came home from work. He told me that he really enjoyed it and that it's one of his favorite sloppy joes that he's ever had. I was shocked! It's probably because it has a little heat to it from the red pepper. He loves heat (I think he even added Tabasco sauce to his sandwich! I think I like the other sloppy joe recipe I made in the past just a hair better, but it's a close call.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 ounces ground sirloin (I froze the remaining 10-ounces for another use)
1/2 cup grated carrot
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 (15.5-oz) can low-sodium red beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
4 (2-ounce) whole-wheat sandwich rolls, split and toasted
4 (1/4-inch thick) red onion slices, separated into rings

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and beef to pan; cook 5 minutes or until meat is browned and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally to crumble beef.

Add carrot, chili powder, sugar, oregano, and red pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes or until thickened and carrot is tender, stirring occasionally.

Partially mash 1 cup beans with a fork or potato masher. Add mashed beans and remaining whole beans to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Spoon 1 cup bean mixture onto bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1 red onion slice and top half of roll.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 405 calories, 14.4g fat, 19.4g protein, 53.3g carbs, 10.4g fiber, 28mg cholesterol, 5.1mg iron, 781mg sodium, 148mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light

Beef Enchiladas... or are they Burritos?

If you know me well at all, you know that I love Mexican food. I was excited to find a recipe for beef enchiladas. Or are they burritos? I always thought that burritos were made with flour tortillas and enchiladas were made with corn tortillas. The original blog calls these enchiladas, so I had to look up the definitions in my Food Lover's Companion book that I call my "Food Bible." According to this book, I was correct with the flour and corn tortilla theory, but I also read that the enchiladas are commonly topped with a tomato-based salsa and sprinkled with cheese (which these were). Sooo... I think these would be correctly called enchiladas or burritos; whichever you prefer. Or maybe I should re-name them as "Enchitos."

Regardless of the correct name, I think the taste was out-of-this-world amazing. It makes a lot for 2 people, so we had leftovers for a few lunches and suppers. The leftovers were just as good as they were when they were first cooked.
Don't let the length of the ingredients scare you. You probably have most of it in your pantry already.

Ingredients:

"Enchitos"
1 lb ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
1 cup water
2 cups rice (cooked)
1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
2 cups shredded cheese (divided)
10 (8-inch) flour tortillas

Red Sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 cup salsa
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

To make the enchilada sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the onion, chili powder, oregano, basil, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, tomato sauce and salsa. Mix well and then stir in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice. Cook and stir until the liquid is evaporated. Spread 2 tablespoons of refried beans, hefty 1/4 cup ground beef mixture, and 1 tablespoon of cheese down the center of each flour tortilla. (side note: I heated my tortillas in the package for 30 seconds to make them extra flexible.) Roll up and place seam side down in two greased 13x9-inch baking dishes. Repeat until all tortillas are filled. Top the "enchitos" with red sauce and with the remaining cheese.

Place into the oven and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.

Source: BlogChef

Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy

I'm always on the lookout for quick and easy meals, especially on the weekdays. Sometimes I don't get home from work until supper time, and I'm starving by then. It's always nice to have a quick recipe to whip up. It's also a good thing to have meals planned for the week so I'm not wondering what we will eat for supper. Staring into the pantry and refrigerator wondering what I can cook is a big waste of time.
With that said, I'm a huge fan of this recipe. It's quick, it's easy, it's yummy, and it's very filling. I love egg noodles, and I think they are a perfect match for the beef and gravy. My only issue with this recipe is that I think it has a little too much pepper. I'll probably only add 1/4 teaspoon next time.


Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
Cooking Spray
1 pound top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 (8-ounce) package presliced baby bella mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

While noodles cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak; saute 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; cover.

Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and mushrooms; saute 4 minutes. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Stir in soy sauce. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add pepper, salt, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Discard thyme sprigs. Garnish with thyme leaves.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup beef mixture and 2/3 cup noodles).

Nutritional Info (per serving): 344 calories; 12.5g fat; 27.3g protein; 28.7g carbs; 1.7g fiber; 95mg cholesterol; 4.3mg iron; 538mg sodium; 28mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light

Light Mongolian Beef

I think I like this recipe better than the previous one I made. The only change I would make next time is to omit the salt. I think the soy sauce (even though it's low sodium) adds enough salt to the recipe. I was really surprised at how quick this came meal came together. While the rice was cooking, I made the beef. It was ready in no time.


Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
16 medium green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions:
Combine the first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; saute for several minutes or until beef is browned. Add green onion pieces; saute 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 237 calories; 10.5g fat; 26g protein; 9.1g carbs; 1.7g fiber; 60mg cholesterol; 2.7mg iron; 517mg sodium; 67mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light

Belgian Beef and Beer Stew (Carbonnades Flamandes)

I knew Aubrey would love this meal because the beef is supposed to be really tender... and it was! I'm sure this would be easy to make in the crockpot, but unfortunately I know nothing when it comes to crockpots. So instead, I sit and wait 2-plus hours for it to cook in the oven. That's okay, though. I can find plenty of things to do while it's cooking. The smell coming from our kitchen was indescribable. Every time Aubrey would come in from being outside, he would say how good it smelled in the kitchen. When we finally got to eat, the meat was so tender, it melted in our mouths. I sprinkled some extra marjoram on the noodles to tie the flavors together.


Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless beef chuck or round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil, plus more as needed
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup beef stock
12 ounces beer, amber or dark
2 bay leaves
a few sprigs of fresh marjoram (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325-degrees.

In a zip top bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, sage and thyme. Add the beef cubes and shake to coat.

Heat 3 Tablespoons of oil in a large oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the beef on all sides. You will probably need to work in batches adding a few more drops of oil for each batch. Remove the browned beef pieces to a plate.

When the beef is browned, pour in the remaining oil and add onions to the pot over medium heat. Saute the onions until soft and translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the brown sugar and stir to coat. When the onions are nicely browned and soft, stir in the garlic and the browned beef cubes with any juices that have accumulated on the plate.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the beef stock and cornstarch until smooth. Pour over the beef and onion mixture then add the beer, stirring to combine completely. Add the bay leaves and marjoram, if using. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the meat is tender. Remove the bay leaves and marjoram stems. Season with salt to taste.

Serve the Carbonnades Flamandes with buttered noodles tossed with chopped herbs.

Can be made up to two days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Reheat in a low oven before serving.

Serves 6

Source: The Runaway Spoon

Beer-Braised Beef with Onion, Carrot, and Turnips

I was so excited to cook some meat for my meat-and-potatoes-man, so I planned this hearty meal for last night. Some things came up at work, and I didn't get home until about 6 to start preparing for supper.
It helps to read the directions all the way through before starting anything. I learned this in 5th grade. My teacher gave each student a piece of paper with a list of 20 directions on it. She told us to read through the entire directions before starting. The first thing on the list was to write our name on the paper. Then it had directions to spell your name out loud and go write on the chalkboard, and all other crazy things. Some people were doing what the directions said (including me), and other people were just sitting there staring at us like we were schizophrenic or something. When I got to #20, the directions said to ignore #2-19. So all that talking out loud and writing on the chalkboard was for nothing. The quiet people were the ones that read the directions all the way through before starting.
And that's how I learned (the hard way) to read directions all the way through before starting anything.

There are exceptions to every rule. Since I was in a hurry last night, I didn't read the whole way through. The first thing I realized (after I put the meat in the pan) was how long it took to cook. Poor Aubrey ... I had to wake him up to eat supper at about 9PM. I felt so bad, but he did enjoy everything.
The 2nd mistake I made was that I wasn't really paying attention to the directions. Instead of cooking the meat inside of the preheated oven, I was thinking it was going to cook on top of the stove. I think I read it about 5 times before it hit me. After 45 minutes of cooking it on top of the stove, I realized something wasn't right. All of the liquid had boiled off, and I slowly read the directions again. Duh, I knew there was a reason I preheated the oven. So I had to add more liquid ingredients, and the rest of the story turned out just fine. The meat was fork tender, and the vegetables were just perfect.

I didn't follow all of the directions with draining the juice and throwing the fat away. It was already late enough. I also added some potatoes in because I like them with roast beef.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 (1 pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 (12-ounce) dark beer

1 bay leaf

3 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices

9 ounces small turnips, peeled and cut into wedges

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into wedges

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef evenly on all sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add beef to pan; cook 10 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through bay leaf), scraping pan to remove browned bits; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Add carrots; cover and cook 25 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, turnips, and onion; cover and cook an additional 1 hour and 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and beef is fork-tender.

Remove beef and vegetables from pan; discard bay leaf. Cover beef mixture; keep warm. Let cooking liquid stand 10 minutes. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour cooking liquid into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain cooking liquid into a medium bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Serve cooking liquid with beef and vegetables. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces of beef, 1 cup vegetables, and about 1/2 cup cooking liquid)

Nutritional Info (per serving): 383 calories; 19.7g fat; 24.4g protein; 21g carbs; 3.6g fiber; 70mg cholesterol; 2.9mg iron; 815mg sodium; 68mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light

Marsala Turkey Burgers

My dad came to visit last week, and I wanted to cook while he was in town. I've had this recipe saved for quite some time, and it was time to get some things checked off my list of things-to-cook list. I used turkey instead of the beef because I wanted to make it more healthy. I love ground turkey, and I incorporate it into many recipes that say to use ground beef. When making turkey burgers, you need to be very careful when cooking them because they are very likely to fall apart. If you wish, you can add ingredients into the turkey meat like cheese or eggs to help it hold together.
This recipe is a definite keeper. I love the dimension that the french bread adds to the burger.

Ingredients:
12 ounces ground turkey (or ground beef)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup sweet Marsala (I used cooking Marsala)
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 fresh rosemary sprig (I didn't have fresh rosemary on hand, so I used about 1/2 tsp dried rosemary)
4 ounces Mozzarella cheese
Crusty French bread baguette

Directions:
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Shape the ground turkey into 4 oblong patties, about 4 inches long each. Drizzle the patties with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; repeat on the opposite sides. Cut the french bread into pieces a little shorter than each of the patties and set aside.

Brown the patties in the skillet on both sides until the burgers are medium. Transfer the burgers to a plate and keep warm; leave the juices in the pan.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, if necessary. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and the juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add the Marsala. Simmer until the Marsala reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and the rosemary sprig. Simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Return the burgers to the skillet. Cook burgers until they are well done, turning to coat, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Add 1 ounce of cheese to the top of each burger and cover the pan to allow the cheese to melt, about 2 minutes.

When the cheese has melted, remove the burgers from the pan and place on the French bread. Top the burgers with Marsala sauce and then the top of the French bread. Serve hot.

Source: Adapted from Smells Like Home

Mushroom and Sweet Onion Cheesesteaks

Last night, we were watching Man Vs Food on the Travel Channel.... one of our favorite shows. This particular episode challenged Adam Richman to eat a Philly Cheesesteak that was about the size of my left leg. Even though I kinda get grossed out looking at Adam stuff his face with all kinds of foods, I was oddly craving a cheesesteak after this episode. I used a lightened recipe to create something that was filling and delicious.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
12 ounces top round steak, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups thinly vertically sliced sweet onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1/4 cup Marsala cooking wine
1/2 cup green bell pepper strips
1/2 cup red bell pepper strips
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
4 (2-ounce) ciabatta rolls

Directions:
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add steak to pan; cook until browned, turning occasionally. Remove steak from pan. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic to pan; saute 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; saute 6 minutes. Stir in wine; cook until liquid evaporates (about 1 minute). Add bell peppers; saute 4 minutes. Return steak to pan. Stir in Worcestershire, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Sprinkle mixture with cheese; stir until cheese melts. Divide mixture evenly among rolls.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Nutritional Info: 419 calories; 15.7g fat; 65mg cholesterol; 343mg calcium; 35.6g carbs; 660mg sodium; 35.3g protein; 3.4g fiber; 3.7mg iron

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

Okay, so I've been on hiatus for a while. I'm so embarrassed, but I'll go ahead and say it. Aubrey and I have been eating frozen dinners. EEEEEkkkkkkkk. With moving and working an ungodly amount of hours, it's just been slap impossible. The sad thing is that this steak I'm posting tonight is something I cooked a few weeks ago. I just haven't had a chance to post it. I'm making myself take a break from unpacking and doing laundry to type this very belated blog post. AND I'm going to re-start my cooking real soon. Heaven help me because we have an electric stove top now instead of a gas one. Yes, I'm a gas stove snob. I'm really sad, but I'll get over it. Pitty party is officially over!

This is a good recipe if you need something quick. You prepare it the night before, so all you have to do is take the meat out of the marinade and cook it.
I served this steak wrapped up in a flour tortilla with some green onions, and it was just perfect. Typically I would like my meat well done, but I'm learning to just get over my phobia of pink meat. Bleeding... no, but pink is okay. Mr. Meat-Eater got seconds, so I know it was good.

I used oil instead of cooking spray. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but Cooking Light's mechanisms just don't work for me when I try to brown meat with cooking spray only. The spray always ends up burning, and the meat sticks to the pan. I cake the spray on, too, so it's not like I'm not putting enough in the pan.... so where it says cooking spray, just remember that I use oil.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cooking Spray (I used oil)

Directions:
Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup hoisin mixture; spoon remaining mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove steak from bag; discard marinade.

Prepare grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with reserved 1/4 cup sauce.

Serves 4

Nutritional Info (per serving):
194 calories; 7.1g fat; 37mg cholesterol; 25mg calcium; 6.4g carbs; 378mg sodium; 24.5g protein; 0.5g fiber; 1.7mg iron

Source: Cooking Light