Category: PROTEINS

FIRE ROASTED ENCHILADAS via MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST aka PEPERONCINI POT ROAST

This recipe is floating all over Pinterest and always looks so good I finally had to try it. I wasn’t disappointed. It’s FANTASTIC!  At the end of the cooking time you have a melt in your mouth roast and gravy too!
Mississippi Pot RoastMISSISSIPPI POT ROAST aka PEPERONCINI POT ROAST
3 pound chuck roast
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (dry)
1 packet Au Jus mix
6 pepperocini peppers
1 stick butter, sliced into slivers
1 large onion, cut into slivers
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cups baby carrots, halved
2 large Yukon potatoes, cut into chunks
  • Layer the celery, onions and carrots in a 6 quart slow cooker.
  • Top with roast.
  • Sprinkle the dry mixes over the roast.
  • Top with peppers and then butter slices.
  • Cook on low 8 hours.

LAVERNE DEFAZIO ROAST

LAVERNE DEFAZIO ROAST
1 can pepsi
3+/- pound pot roast, with good marbling
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 package KNORR brown gravy mix
1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Beef base
Kosher salt and white pepper

  • Bring roast to room temperature.
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Brown the roast, generously ~ salt and peppering it.
  • Whisk together the milk, pepsi, bouillon base and gravy mix.
  • Surround roast with onions and mushrooms.
  • Pour Milk/Coke mixture over roast.
  • Bake for at least 3 hours undisturbed. Depending on the thickness of the roast it will probably take 4-5 hours for a thick 3 pound roast until the meat begins to fall apart. You should be able to cut your roast with a fork.
  • The combination of ingredients makes its own gravy that is soooooooooooooooooo good.

And look at those awesome hot beef sandwiches we had for leftovers!

Now, for the oven I like to use my grandma’s old Magnalite dutch oven which cooks really even! And see those little hobnail bumps in on the bottom side of the lid? Those are better known as drip catchers. They collect the steam from the juices and redistribute it all right back down on the roast as it cooks. These help keep the meat moist and juicy. After the roast is browned, place it in the dutch oven and spread vegetables all around it.

SLOW COOKED PORK TENDERLOIN AND SAUERKRAUT

SLOW COOKED PORK TENDERLOIN AND SAUERKRAUT
makes 6-8 servings

2-32 ounce jars of sauerkraut, drained
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
3 pound boneless pork loin roast
3 tablespoons brown mustard**

  • Combine sauerkraut, chicken broth and Lipton soup mix until well blended.**
  • Add pork roast, cutting in half if necessary to avoid over crowding.
  • Set on low for 8 hours.
**The original recipe called for water instead of chicken broth and for the mustard which I HAD to eliminate due to allergies (I’d like to live to make another recipe) and we loved it so I don’t believe the mustard is necessary, but add it if you like.

CHICKEN & GREEN CHILE FLAUTAS

CHICKEN & GREEN CHILE FLAUTAS
3 cups cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
1 can original Rotel tomatoes and chiles, drained VERY well
1 small can green chiles, drained VERY well
1 bunch green onions, sliced lengthwise and then again in half moons
sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar and jack Mexican mix cheese
6 inch flour tortillas
Canola oil for frying
Salsa, sour cream, guacamole and taco sauce for dipping

  • In a large bowl combine the chicken pieces, cream cheese, sour cream, Rotel tomatoes and chiles and shredded cheese until well blended.
  • Fill each tortilla with two heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture towards one side and then roll tightly.  Place seam side down on a platter.  DO NOT begin frying until they are all filled.  
  • Add enough oil to a large skillet to generously cover the bottom.  Heat to medium.
  • Cook tortillas seam side down and then turning to brown all the way around.
  • DO NOT crowd the pan.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Serve with your favorite sauces.

S#*% on a SHINGLE

Now normally I wouldn’t make anything that wasn’t completely from scratch, but Hubby had been craving S.O.S. a lot lately! I hadn’t made it in years and he really wanted to go OUT for a hometown diner style breakfast. Someone told us about a local diner that had it as a special. He was soooooooooo excited and then he was soooooooooooo disappointed. It truly was S@#%! on a shingle, the dogs weren’t even thrilled with the leftovers! So tonight I surprised hubby with home made Creamed Chipped Beef and I thought I would share the recipe. One of my ‘secret’ ingredients is serving it over sourdough toast for extra flavor. The other is using a cast iron skillet. The last secret ingredient is an actual ingredient.
S.O.S. aka S@#%! on a shingle

1/3 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 jar Armor dried beef*, chopped small
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (my last secret ingredient)

  • Melt the butter and add the onions. 
  • After about 2 minutes add the beef also. Saute’ until onions are translucent. 
  • Sprinkle with pepper. Use salt sparingly (beef is pretty salty)
  • Sprinkle flour over the meat and onions and stir in well. The flour will burn, so work quickly. 
  • Gradually add in the milk, stirring continuously until mixture boils. Turn down heat, add the Worcestershire sauce and thicken to a gravy consistency. 
  • Serve immediately over toast.

SAVORY SPICE SHOP ~ BLACK & BLEU CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

I have a new passion!  I found this great new spice shop, SAVORY SPICE SHOP. They grind their own spices and have dozens of wonderful proprietary blends.  Check out their website for some wonderful recipes too.
Tonight I made their Black and Bleu Cheese Dressing.  The consistency is more like a vinaigrette if you use the sour cream so for us so I changed the name a little.  I also accidentally used apple cider vinegar instead of the plain white vinegar and hubby loved it! Next time I’m going to try Gorgonzola crumbles.
The Onion & Garlic Tableside Sprinkle is a great grilling salt free seasoning that did not disappoint on tonight’s pork chops.
BLACK & BLEU CHEESE VINAIGRETTE
  • 2 ounces Bleu Cheese Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Cook County Charcoal Seasoning
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, optional to taste
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (sour cream if you want a vinaigrette)
  • 4 tsp. white vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

Notes: Replace the mayonnaise with sour cream for a tasty dip version of this dressing.

  • Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine thoroughly. I used my small food processor.
  • Transfer to a sealed container and chill until ready to serve.

 

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SNAPPER WRAPPERS

SNAPPER PATRICK from PAT’S FISHERMAN’S WHARF was a fantastic choice!!  I will make this again and again, but next time I will go simpler and make it more of a casserole bake.

SNAPPER WRAPPERS
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained (I used chopped flaked Krab)
4 skinned red snapper fillets (any white fish would work)
1 teaspoon salt (we felt this was too much-next time I’ll use 1/4 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (we felt this was too much-next time I’ll use 1/2 teaspoon or fresh)
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
lemon wedges (I used lemon slices under each roll up while cooking)

  • Preheat oven to 400Ëš.
  • Pick crabmeat, removing any bits of shell.
  • Cut snapper fillets in half lengthwise.
  • Top each fillet with about 1/3 cup crabmeat.
  • Roll up fillets and secure with wooden toothpicks.
  • Blend together the salt, garlic powder and red pepper.
  • Combine melted butter and water in the bottom of your baking dish, blending well.
  • Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of seasoning mix over top of the butter  mixture.
  • Arrange roll ups in baking dish.
  • Sprinkle roll ups with remaining seasoning mixture.
  • Bake uncovered for 16-18 minutes or fish flakes when tested with a fork.
  • Plate roll ups. 
  • Spoon pan drippings over roll ups before serving.
  • Serve with lemon wedges.

GRAN’S OLD FASHIONED POT ROAST

Super Savory Pot Roast & Veggies

I love Pot Roast. I adapted grams old recipe to my family and their likes.


2-3 pound Pot Roast
2 medium Onions
1 bag baby carrots
3 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
3 large Yukon potatoes~scrubbed clean, but not peeled
Kosher Salt
White & Black Pepper
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon Pampered Chef Rosemary mix
Beef bullion
Red Wine (2 cups) OR White Wine (2 cups) or plain old broth

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. The meat you use is important. My favorite roast is the chuck roast because it has wonderful marbling throughout the meat, and when cooked right (prep, cover, cook ~ don’t fiddle with it while it’s in the oven) any chuck roast winds up being tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Be aware that the tougher the piece of meat is, the longer it needs to cook so that the connective tissue will soften and break down. You truly can’t rush a pot roast, you’ll be disappointed if you try as it will be dry or lack flavor. BE PATIENT. You want the meat to basically fall apart. You SHOULD NOT need a knife to cut it.


Bring the piece of meat to room temperature. GENEROUSLY sprinkle the first side of meat with the Kosher Salt and Pepper mix. Heat enough olive oil in the bottom of a fry pan to make a thick coating. Heat to a medium-high heat. Cut the onions tip to root, cut off root and stem, peel and lay flat into hot oil. Brown both sides well. Remove to side. Add the baby carrots and do the same. I normally cut each carrot just in half. Brown carrots and like Ree said you’re trying more for color here than cooking. They will have plenty of time to cook in the oven. I also like to add my garlic (I use the bottled minced garlic from the produce section) and spices at this point. By this time I have put them all into a mortar and pestle to revive their scents and aromas. When carrots are finished, remove them to the same plate as the onions. If necessary add more olive oil to the pan and add the roast seasoned side down. While it’s browning season the other side really well Brown both sides and all edges really well.


Now, for the oven I like to use my grandma’s old Magnalite dutch oven which cooks really even! And see those little hobnail bumps in on the bottom side of the lid? Those are better known as drip catchers. They collect the steam from the juices and redistributes it all right back down on the roast as it cooks. These help keep the meat moist and juicy. After the roast is browned, place it in the dutch oven and spread vegetables all around it.

While fry pan is still hot, add white or red wine and the beef bullion to deglaze the pan ~ make sure you scrape up all the stuck little bits from the bottom. Cook long enough to mix well and then pour over the roast. The liquid should come up at least half way on the sides of the roast and vegetable mixture. For this recipe we added the white wine to the recipe and drank the red. The red wine, Harrod wine, is from our nephew’s vineyard so we don’t waste it cooking, but enjoy every last drop.

Put the lid on the dutch oven, put it in the oven, don’t open the door for AT LEAST 3 hours! Today’s roast was 2.39 pounds and I roasted it for 3 1/2 hours. Go relax or at least get the dishes you’ve dirtied so far done up. At 3 hours, I prep the potatoes for boiling. I too, prefer not to cook mine with the roast ~ I prefer a bit of substance instead of the mush they become with the roast. I do a basic mashed with heavy cream, salt, pepper, and butter (hey you gotta splurge a little sometimes!)

We get 2 meals out of these proportions. Now to us eating starts with the eyes ~ so make it pretty. I love my polish pottery, all of it is unique one-of-a-kind creations and decorates a table and your meal so easily!

GLAZED STUFFED PORK CHOPS – the secret is in the sauce

Glazed Stuffed Pork Chops

4 VERY thick pork chops

8 slices oatnut bread

butter

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup apricot pineapple jam, room temperature**

1 tablespoon peach schnapps

1 large lemon, juiced

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Slit each pork chop along 2 sides to create a large pocket.
  • *Toast each slice of bread well and then lightly butter.
  • Cut each piece into small squares.
  • Toss with thyme, garlic salt and pepper.
  • Stuff each pork chop with 1/3 cup of mixture.
  • Whisk together the jam, peach schnapps, red pepper flakes, ginger and lemon juice.
  • Place chops in a square greased baking dish.
  • Arrange remaining stuffing around the edges.
  • Glaze chops and stuffing tops.
  • Bake uncovered 30 minutes.
  • Turn chops, glaze chops and stuffing again. Bake another 30 minutes.

*If you prefer, prepare 1 box of stove top stuffing instead.

**Tonight I used Lemon Curd and had a distinctively fresh flavor with the same consistency.  Use whatever flavor speaks to you.

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MINCED BEEF ROLL

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MINCED BEEF ROLL adapted from Diary of a Stay at home Mom Yield 6 servings

1 and half pounds of beef mince (ground beef)
2 teaspoons of salt
1 bunch green onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons parsley
diced tomato
mozzarella cheese

  • Preheat oven 350 degrees.
  • Mix all ingredients well, except tomato and onion and mozzarella.
  • Press beef mixture out on a sheet of wax paper into a rectangle measuring 30 x 20 cm (about 12 by 6 inches).
  • Spread with some diced tomato and onion and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
  • With the help of the paper, roll up from the long edge, like a Swiss roll.
  • Place, seam side down, on an oiled Swiss roll tin a little larger than the meat roll.  I use my new Lasagna trio pan.
  • Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and spread some more diced tomato and onion over the top, and then arrange thin slices of mozzarella, side by side, to cover the top completely.
  • Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes more.
  • Serve in thick slices.

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PINEAPPLE PIGGY PIE & ROASTED SPICED CARROTS

It seems like a million years since I’ve done any serious blogging.  I’m still here and life is starting to settle down (we hope) and I’m anxious to get back to some DIY projects, fun recipes and adventures. At least that’s the plan after the holidays.
I’ve got a back load of recipes and pictures to post, but there will always be tomorrow for the rest of them.  Tonight I’ll start with a hubby favorite.
While this is not much to look at, the combination of the two recipes are SERIOUSLY PACKED WITH A FLAVOR PUNCH.  We LOVE this recipe and LOVE having the leftovers to eat.
The original recipe for the now known as Pineapple Piggy Pie was called Ham Stacks and called for sweet potatoes and marshmallows.  Hubs hates sweet potatoes so I converted the recipe to mashed Yukon golds.  It also called for individual stacks on pineapple rings, but I also converted it to a casserole for ease – not to mention it’s more “man” friendly than the little stacks.

PINEAPPLE PIGGY PIE & ROASTED SPICED CARROTS
PINEAPPLE PIGGY PIE
1 pound ground ham
1 pound ground pork (I used Jimmy Dean Organic sausage)
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained VERY well

  • Preheat oven to 350Ëš.
  • Combine ham, pork, eggs, corn flakes, milk and pepper until well mixed.
  • Spray the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Layer the pineapple on the bottom.
  • Top with Meat mixture.
  • Top with mashed potatoes.
  • Bake for 1 hour.

ROASTED SPICED CARROTS
1 pound baby carrots
2 tablespoons Avocado oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins
Juice of 1 lemon

  • Cut carrots in half and then cut in half again.
  • Toss carrots with oil, garlic, sugar, cumin, sea salt and cinnamon.
  • Roast 20 minutes or until fork tender.
  • Remove from oven.
  • Toss with raisins and lemon juice.

MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST

This recipe is floating all over Pinterest and always looks so good I finally had to try it. I wasn’t disappointed. It’s FANTASTIC!  At the end of the cooking time you have a melt in your mouth roast and gravy too!
Mississippi Pot RoastMISSISSIPPI POT ROAST
3 pound chuck roast
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (dry)
1 packet Au Jus mix
6 pepperocini peppers
1 stick butter, sliced into slivers
1 large onion, cut into slivers
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cups baby carrots, halved
2 large Yukon potatoes, chunked
  • Layer the celery, onions and carrots in a 6 quart slow cooker.
  • Top with roast.
  • Sprinkle the dry mixes over the roast.
  • Top with peppers and then butter slices.
  • Cook on low 8 hours.