Beef Bourguignon

Julia or Ina? Ina or Julia? I've seen two distinct Beef Bourguignon recipes floating around the blogging world lately. I stumbled across them when I was looking for something different to do with a chuck roast other than throw it in the CrockPot. I chose Ina's recipe for, well, for no particular reason, really. I was thrilled to use my Martha Stewart Dutch Oven again. The first time I used it, my oven braised cornish hens turned out to be one of the best things I made in all of 2008.

I have to say that the dutch oven didn't dissapoint. Maybe I did, because I was impatient. I followed readers' comments and left it in the oven for 2 hours, but I could have left it longer. The leftovers the next day were SOOOO tender and flavorful, having sat in the acidic wine for 48 hours. Also, I used center cut bacon and followed the instructions for leaving it in the pan to cook the meat and onions. When I was ready to serve this, I noticed a thick layer of oil on top of the bourguignon. I wish I would have gone with my gut feeling and drained the bacon fat after cooking the meat. The leftover oil coating the dutch oven would have been PLENTY to cook the onions and made for much less grease in the final product. Below is my modified recipe, including the changes I've noted above.

1 Tbsp olive oil

10 oz dry center cut bacon, diced
2 1/2 lb chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb pound baby carrots
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 C brandy
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine (love my Three Buck Chuck from Trader Joe’s!!)
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried)
2 Tbsp cornstarch, plus 1/4 C cold water
1 Tbsp butter
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced thick

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Remove the oil from the dutch oven as best you can with a spoon or baster. Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper in the leftover grease in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the brandy, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.

*WARNING: This step turned into an argument between Mr. Tote and I. When we ignited the brandy and the flames shot up as high as our over-the-stovetop microwave, I freaked out. Yadda, yadda, yadda and an apology later from Mr. Tote, we ate dinner.*

Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the vegetables and brandy. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Saute the mushrooms in the Tbsp of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Slowly add the cornstarch and water mixture to the pot to thicken the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

I served this with mashed potatoes the first night and egg noddles with the leftovers. This can also be served over a thick, crusty piece of toasted bread.

Beef Stroganoff

Ahhh, yes. A classic Hamburger Helper packaged dinner, made with ground beef and a powdered sauce..... BLECH!! I never liked Hamburger Helper as a kid and I certainly don't like it now.

From beefstroganoff.net:

"Beef Stroganoff is a classic Russian dish that has proved its delicious worth time and time again. The dish consisting of strips of lean beef sautéed and served in a sour-cream sauce with onions and mushrooms. Count Pavel Stroganov, a noted 19th century gourmet as well as a friend of Alexander III and a celebrity in turn-of-the-century St. Petersburg, is often credited with creating Beef Stroganoff or having a chef who did so."

The recipe I used was found on the beefstroganoff.net homepage. There are many variations of this recipe floating around, but the basic concept is the same. I lightened mine up a bit from the original recipe, using less butter and lite sour cream. I also didn't have any nutmeg or tarragon on hand *gasp* so I omitted them. I'd love to make this again with these ingredients included. My modified recipe follows.

1/2 lb top sirloin steak, sliced into very thin pieces
1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
4 oz (half a container) mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
Salt and Pepper: to taste
2/3 C lite sour cream
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg - optional
1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh tarragon - optional
Egg noodles

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat and adjust the heat to add the thin beef strips cooked till brown. Add salt and pepper to taste while cooking. Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.

Start a pot of salted water to boil. Add in and cook some egg noodles as directed on the package.

In the same pan, add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp butter. Add the onions and mushrooms and sautee until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.

Lowe the heat to a simmer. Add the meat back into and then add the sour cream. Make sure the sour cream mixes with the meat and vegetables without simmering, as it will cause the sour cream to curdle.

WW Points per Serving (serves 2): 14 Points.. YIPES! I didn't realize it was this high!

Creamy Horseradish Sauce

We bought some fantastic looking filet mignon the other day. They were each about 8 oz., so they didn't need any sides. We served it with some fresh green beans and one of my favorites, creamy horseradish.

Check out the grill marks on those babies! My husband is an excellent griller!

All measures are approximate. I always just do it to taste.

3 Tbsp reduced fat sour cream
1 Tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Reese creamy horseradish - this is the hottest horseradish I have found. If you use jarred horseradish found in the refrigerated section at the grocery store, you will probably need to use some extra if you like your sauce spicier.
Italian parsley, chopped - I used this only because I had it on hand. I don't feel it did much to enhance the flavor, but it added a nice color.

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes or longer to allow flavors to develop.

First Home-Cooked Dinner at the New House

Just had to post this, as it was our first dinner at our new house. Matt seasoned the filet mignon and cooked it perfectly to my liking, medium rare. I sauteed some mushrooms and onions. We served it with some pan-cooked yukon gold potatoes and some fresh Michigan asparagus. The asparagus was A-MAZ-ING! So fresh, with a slight sweetness. Welcome home!!

Cabernet Sauvignon Braised Short Ribs with Blue Cheese and Toasted Pine Nut Risotto

Our sister in law and her husband came over for dinner on Friday night with our cutest (and only!) nephew, Calvin III. I wanted to make something special since they have been so busy with the baby lately. How lucky was I to find short ribs at the local grocery store!!! I have been wanting to make short ribs after having a fantastic meal at Aerie restaurant at Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City. I found this recipe on epicurious.com and adapted it for a smaller group. I also conserved some wine. I couldn't justify using two whole bottles of wine. And using Mary Ellen's perfected risotto technique, I put together a few of my favorite things... cheese, nuts and 'shrooms.

Cabernet Sauvignon Braised Short Ribs
3 to 4 pounds meaty beef short ribs
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbps chopped fresh thyme
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 Tbps freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
4 C beef stock
2 Tbsp corn starch

Arrange ribs in single layer in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Mix rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in small bowl; sprinkle all over ribs. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy wide ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add ribs to pot and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer ribs to large bowl. Pour off drippings from pot; discard. Add wine and stock to pot and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Return ribs and any accumulated juices to pot; bring to boil. Cover; transfer to oven and braise until meat is very tender and almost falling off bones, about 2 hours.

Bring to simmer before continuing. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ribs to large bowl; cover tightly to keep warm. Skim any fat from top of braising liquid. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 generous cups, about 20 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons corn starch with 4 tablespoons COLD water with fork in small bowl until well blended. Whisk corn starch mixture into reduced braising liquid. Whisk over medium-high heat until sauce thickens very slightly, about 2 minutes.

Blue Cheese and Toasted Pine Nut Risotto
1 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 C arborio rice
1/4 c dry white wine
5 cups chicken broth, heated
1/4 C pine nuts, toasted
1/4 C Reduced Fat Blue Cheese Crumbles (I like Treasure Cove)
6-8 button mushrooms, roughly chopped
Heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add shallots and garlic; stir until tender, about 2 minutes.

Add arborio rice and stir until coated. Add the white wine and stir until absorbed.

Add the chicken broth, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Add more broth only when all of the broth in the pan has been absorbed by the rice. This process of adding broth takes anywhere from 17 to 25 minutes. Taste as you go along so you don't over or under cook the rice.

When you add your final ladle of broth, add the blue cheese, mushrooms and pine nuts, and stir until broth is completely absorbed.

Serve immediately.

New York Strip with Blue Cheese Sauce and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Our local market had a great deal on some fantastic looking New York Strip steaks. We bought a larger steak, trimmed it of all fat and made two perfect morsels of steak. We also bought some brussel sprouts from Meijer because I was craving them... note that I have never had brussel sprouts in my life. We roasted them and they were excellent! I can't wait for our local farmer's market to open for the summer so we can buy some locally made brussel sprouts!

But the real highlight of the dinner was the blue cheese sauce. This sauce was so simple, yet complemented the steak so well.

We pan seared the steak to the perfect medium-rare preparation that I love so much. After removing the steak from the skillet, I added some roughly sliced button mushrooms and sauteed until soft. Then I added 1/2 cup half and half and brought it up to temperature. Then I added 1/4 cup of Treasure Cove reduced fat blue cheese crumbles. The sauce needed just a moment to thicken before we poured it over the steak.

I can't say enough about the simplicity of this sauce. With the delicious steak and my new-found treasure in brussel sprouts, this was a hit. Matt couldn't stop raving about it between bites. We can't wait to make this one again!

The Mustard Sauce... aka St. Patrick's Day Wrap Up

One of my absolute favorite holidays is St. Patrick's Day. It doesn't get any better than overflowing pints of Guiness (one of my favorite beers) with lots of corned beef and cabbage. My mom always used to make a big feast to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and it's one of my favorite memories.

Matt and I started a "tradition" a few years ago by hosting a St. Patrick's Day party for our friends. So, this year, we planned our 3rd Annual St. Patrick's Day event. We purchased 11 pounds of corned beef, 2 heads of cabbage, 2.5 pounds of carrots and 3 pounds of potatoes. 16 of our friends turned out to watch Purdue win the Big Ten tournament (Booooooo!) Not surprisingly, when all was said and done, all of the corned beef had dissapeared and all that was left was cabbage. That's fine by me... I love the stuff.

But the meat and veggies would be meaningless without The Mustard Sauce. For me, I can't imagine the meal without the sauce. The recipe dates back at least to my great grandmother (my mom's mom's mom). Without further ado, what follows is the recipe for the sauce.

Mustard Sauce
2 eggs
2/3 C apple cider vinegar
1/3 C brown sugar, packed
1/4 C white, granulated sugar
1/4 C mustard

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan BEFORE turning the heat on. Turn the heat on low and stir constantly to avoid the egg scrambling. The sauce will begin to thicken after 10 minutes or so. Keep stirring until sauce fully thickens. Remove from heat until the rest of the meal is ready.

Below are my tips for making the corned beef and related veggies. I would recommend reading the whole list before doing anything, just to get a feel for the flow of getting everything cooked properly.
1. Wash the corned beef brisket VERY WELL before cooking
2. Put the brisket in a large pot and cover with water, at least 1-2 inches above the top of the beef. Put a lid on the pot and simmer for hours. I cooked mine (each 3-4 pounds) for 7 hours on low heat.
3. Remove the corned beef, reserving all of the liquid. You can keep the corned beef warm in a 225 degree oven, covering the corned beef with foil. If there is fat on one side of the corned beef (there probably is), leave it... for now.
4. Return the reserved liquid to a pot and place the peeled, quartered potatoes in the pot. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes seem done.
5. Reserve the liquid. Add the potatoes to the pan in the oven with the corned beef. Return the liquid to the pot and add the carrots. Boil them until they're soft (abotu 10-15 minutes).
6. Add the carrots to the oven, reserving the same liquid.
7. Add the quartered, cored green cabbage to the liquid and boil for abotu 10 minutes, or until soft. Once the cabbage is done, you can finally discard the liquid.
8. When you're ready to serve, place the corned beef on a cutting board, fat side up. Using the side of a sharp knife, scrape the super soft fat off the brisket and discard. I've seen this dish served at restaurants and it always looks so gross because they leave the fat on.
9. Cut the brisket against the grain and serve everything smothered with the aformentioned Mustard Sauce. Slip into a food coma. Or have another Guiness. Or two.

Barbeque Beef Sandwiches with Red Onions and Blue Cheese

Still trying to use of the leftover pot roast, we made these delicious sandwiches for dinner last night. The red onions have been marinating since Sunday and the blue cheese gave such a nice flavor to complement the barbeque sauce. But I have to admit, I didn't do much measuring for this dish, so the quantities are approximate.

Hamburger buns
6 oz. leftover pot roast meat
1/2 C barbeque sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/4 C honey mustard
Blue cheese crumbles, to taste

For the Marinated Red Onions...
1/3 large red onion, sliced thin and cut in half
1 tsp honey
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

Combine the onions and marinade ingredients and let sit overnight, at least.

When ready to prepare, combine the pot roast, barbeque and honey mustard in a small saucepan and simmer until warmed through, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally, breaking apart any chunks of beef.

Toast the buns. Assemble with the barbequed beef on the bottom, blue cheese and then the marinated onions.

The onions were originally supposed to be for a spinach and almond salad, but I never ended up making it. I bet the onions could be used on top of just about anything. They were delicious!

Shepherd's Pie

Aaaah, March... my favorite month because it contains one of my favorite holidays, St. Patrick's Day!!! I love to celebrate my Irish heritage by cooking some fabulous Irish-inspired dishes and probably drinking way too much Guiness and other spirits. The recipe that follows is my mom's variation of Shepherd's Pie. It's a great way to use leftover pot roast meat. When you're cooking for 2, there's ALWAYS leftover pot roast meat.

1 lb leftover pot roast meat, cut into cubes
2 C mashed potatoes

Parmesan cheese
1 package frozen mixed vegetables
Any leftover veggies from the pot roast
1 C beef gravy
Cornstarch

Let's start with the beef gravy. I saved the drippings from my pot roast and skimmed the fat after it had cooled in the fridge. You could also make your own beef gravy by combining some beef boullion and boiling water. The key here to to thicken it to the consistency of pudding with a mixture of cornstarch and COLD water. This is important because the water from the frozen veggies will make the gravy mixture thinner.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the mashed potatoes with a handful of Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Defrost the frozen veggies in the microwave and drain well. In a large bowl, combine the meat, all veggies and the gravy.

Coat a glass baking dish (round or square works best) with cooking spray. Scoop the mixture into the baking dish and top with the mashed potatoes, spreading them to all edges of the baking dish. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to prevent spillage of any gravy that oozes out while cooking. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the gray bubbles and oozes slightly from the sides. CAREFULLY stick your finger in the middle of the pie to make sure the center is warmed through.

Valentine's Day Wrap Up

First Valentine’s Day as a married couple is official! We had a very relaxing day. Matt gave me the cutest little Coach wallet with light purple interior. I love it!! What a wonderful husband! I got him a card, not thinking that he would get me something besides a card… I’m lame, I know.

Matt and I decided to save money and stay home this Valentine’s Day. We cooked an absolutely mouth-watering dinner and dessert, followed by a bottle of Pinot Noir and the movie Eagle Eye.

Simple Bruschetta
1 beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
1/3 to 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 Tbsp good olive oil (I used Fustini’s Manzanillo olive oil)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (I used Fustini’s Pomegranate balsamic vinegar)
Salt and pepper
1/4 to 1/2 fresh baguette, sliced thin

Combine the tomato, onion, olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper (to taste) in a bowl at least an hour prior to serving. This allows the tomato and onion to marinate in the vinegar and olive oil.

Prior to serving, toast the pieces of baguette in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until hard and very lightly browned.


Filet Mignon au Poivre (from Mary Ellen’s blog)
2 five to seven oz. filet mignon
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy - We used a cheap brandy (I can't recall the brand, but it was around $5.50/pint)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Pat steaks dry and season both sides with kosher salt. Coarsely crush peppercorns in a sealed plastic bag with a meat pounder or bottom of a heavy skillet, then press pepper evenly onto both sides of steaks. You could also use a pepper grinder, set on the coarsest setting.

Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot, about 3 minutes, then add oil, swirling skillet, and sauté steaks, turning over once, about 6 minutes per batch for medium-rare.

Transfer steaks to a plate and keep warm in the microwave while making sauce.

Pour off fat from skillet, then add shallots and half of butter (1 Tbsp) to skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until shallots are well-browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add Cognac (use caution; it may ignite) and boil, stirring, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cream and any meat juices accumulated on platter and boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining Tbsp of butter and cook over low heat, swirling skillet, until butter is incorporated.

Sauteed Kale
1 bunch fresh kale
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper

Begin by removing the stems from the kale and rinsing the leaves in a bowl of cold water to allow any dirt to sink to the bottom. Meanwhile, heat 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet.

Add the crushed garlic and sautee. Add the rinsed and drained kale. BE CAREFUL OF OIL SPATTERS!

Add in your salt and pepper, to taste. Be careful of the salt. It needs VERY LITTLE to effect the flavor. Sadly, I oversalted it. Don’t worry, it was still good. I just had to eat it with a bit of less-seasoned potato.

Serve when kale is wilted, after about 4-6 minutes of sautéing.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
1/2 pound small fingerling potatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1 clove garlic, crushed
Olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Extra shallot (if you have any from the filet mignon recipe above)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the potatoes in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with the garlic, salt, pepper and shallots.

Cover with aluminum foil or top of baking dish for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are over 1/2 way done. Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through and have turned slightly brown.


Chocolate Lava Cakes (from Cooking This and That)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins
1/3 cup confectioners sugar, plus more for serving
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces - I used 3/4 of a bar of Ghirardelli Espresso Escape (60% cacao)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional) - I omitted because of the type of chocolate I bought
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter two 6-ounce ramekin.. Place butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, sugar, espresso powder, and salt. Add chocolate mixture; whisk to combine. Add flour, and whisk just until combined (do not overmix).

Pour batter into prepared ramekins. (Recipe can be made ahead up to this point.)

Bake until a toothpick inserted 1/2 inch from edge of ramekins comes out clean, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out wet, 10 to 12 minutes (do not overbake). Cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around inside of ramekins to loosen. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Dust with sugar; serve immediately.

Try to remain conscious despite the urge to fall into a chocolatey, heavenly coma.

Now, the fun part. One of the most rewarding parts of this meal was realizing how inepensive it can be to make a delicious, fancy restaurant meal at home. Here's how you can have a $120 meal for much, MUCH less.

Things on hand...
Butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Flour
Powdered sugar
Eggs

Things to purchase...
2 five ounce filet mignon steaks ($20/lb) $12
Bottle of Blackstone Pinor Noir (on sale) $8.99
Half and Half creamer $3
1 Shallot $.55
Kale $.89/bunch
1/2 lb. fingerling potatoes @1.99/lb $1
Ghirardelli $2
Cognac $5.50/pint
1 tomato $.50
1 onion $1
Baguette $3

GRAND TOTAL: $38.43

Comparable meal at restaurant...
Bruschetta $8
Blackstone $25
Filet (2) $50
Dessert (2) $12

GRAND TOTAL: $95 +tax+tip = $120

Mini Meatloafs

"Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf. I hate meatloaf." Just kidding! It's sometime challenging to make recipes because they feed an army and there's only two of us. This meatloaf recipe was perfect because you can make mini loafs for two people, using just half a pound of ground sirloin. The recipe below is for 2 mini loaves, but it can easily be doubled, which would use a whole pound of beef.

1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Combine ketchup and mustard, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 2 tablespoons ketchup mixture. Combine remaining ketchup mixture, beef, and next 6 ingredients (beef through egg) in a large bowl, stirring to combine.

Divide beef mixture into 2 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 4 x 2 1/2-inch loaf; place loaves on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Spread the reserved ketchup mixture evenly over each loaf. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until done. Serve with your choice of side(s). We had mashed potatoes and cauliflower.

WW Points per Serving (one loaf, not including sides): 6 points

Mediterranean Pot Roast with Broasted Potatoes

Matt's favorite dish at our favorite restaurant, Dusty's, had to be the Mediterranean Braised Beef. I tried to mimic Chef Kevin's recipe with a chuck roast, but I feel I came up a bit short. I think next time we are there, I will just bat my pretty eyes and ask him for the recipe. Anyway, this dish did turn out great, just not like Dusty's. Matt enjoyed it and I attempted to taste it through a stuffed up nose, with no luck.

Mediterranean Pot Roast
About 2 lbs. beef chuck roast, trimmed of extra fat
Handful of pitted green olives

Handful of pitted kalamata olives

2 Tbsp tahini paste

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp marjoram

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

Combine all of the dry spices in a bowl and set aside.

Place the roast into a slow cooker and rub the top with the tahini paste. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the roast. Cover with the olives. Cook on low for 5 hours. Be sure to adjust the cooking time if you use a larger roast.

When the roast is completely cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and set aside. Using a slotted spoon, remove all of the olives and set aside with the roast.

Transfer the liquid to a saucepan and heat on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Using a non-slotted spoon, skim the excess oil from the top of the drippings and dispose. In a separate bowl, combine 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 3 Tbsp cold water. When the liquid begins to boil, slowly add in the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly. When the gravy reaches your desired thickness, add the olives back in. Cut the roast and serve with gravy.

Broasted Potatoes
4-5 smaller redskin potatoes
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Salt & pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and quarter the potatoes. Place in glass baking dish. Toss with drizzle of olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, toss the potatoes and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Parmesan & Herb Meatballs with Semi-Homemade Marinara

I must say that these meatballs turned out AMAZING. Seriously, the best I've ever had And the SUPER EASY marinara was incredible, as well. As we were eating, I kept saying how I can't wait to make this again. The meatball recipe is from cooks.com and the marinara sauce is inspired by a recipe from all-recipes.com.

Parmesan & Herb Meatballs
Ingredients: (makes 20-25 meatballs, which are easily freezable)
1 c. bread crumbs, Italian flavored
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 sm. onion, quartered
12 oz. ground beef (use lean beef) - I used 8 pz. ground sirloin and 4 oz. ground pork
2 eggs - used 1/2 c. egg beaters
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 1 1/2-2 inch meatballs. Spray a baking dish with NS cooking spray and spread the meatballs evening in the dish. Bake for 25 minutes.

Semi-Homemade Marinara Sauce
Ingredients:

28 oz. can Whole, peeled, Italian tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or crushed

1/2 onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Dash of olive oil

Sautee the onion and garlic with the olive oil for 3-5 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, puree the whole can of tomatoes in a food processor. Note: a 3-cup food processor is a little too small and caused quite a mess in our kitchen. If using a 3-cup food processor, puree the tomatoes in two batches. Once pureed, add to the onion and garlic mixture. Add in the Italian seasoning. Simmer for 30 minutes.

And for fun, here's one of Ozzy, sleeping on the couch. He loved to curl up in my heated throw (best Christmas present EVER from mom and dad in 2007). However, he tends to overheat and starts panting in his sleep. He eventually gets so hot and pants so much that he wakes himself up and hops down for a drink of water.

Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

After Christmas dinner, my mom gave me the leftover prime rib, which I promptly threw in our freezer. I have been contemplating what kind of soup to make with it... beef with barley? Regular beef stew? I was perusing some blogs today and came across a few recipes from Simply Recipes that I modified a bit. I used the recipes Lamb Shank Stew with Root Vegetables and Irish Beef Stew as inspiration.

Ingredients:
4 cloves minced garlic
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 parsnips, peeled and cut
2 carrots, peeled and cut
1/2 white onion, cut into large pieces
4 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup Guiness beer
4 oz. tomato paste (2/3 of the small can)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
2 tsp/ dried thyme
Apx. 2 lbs. cubed, cooked prime rib. You can also substitute any kind of stewing beef.

Combine all ingredients, except for the beef, in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours. After 4 hours, add in the prime rib. It has to be added towards the end because it is so tender and will fall apart if you add it at the beginning. Cook on low for an additional hour. If you are using stewing beef, you will need to brown the meat at the beginning and then add to the stew when you add all of the other ingredients to the slow cooker.

This turned out savory and slightly sweet. The root vegetables softened nicely, but maintained their shape and texture. I served it with an Asiago and Dill bread that I will blog about later.