:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Cozy Cookin' Made Easy

Last year, Markus' sister Claudia gave him a cookbook called, Mad Hungry - Feeding Men and Boys. It is a fantastic cookbook with some amazing recipes. We have made quite a few dishes out of this book so far and none of them have been anything short of delicious! Markus decided that he wanted to eat some meat this past weekend (Super Bowl and all). He skimmed his Mad Hungry cookbook and found a winner! This dish is quite easy (no searing needed) and beyond delicious! It is fabulous served with some fresh bread and a crisp salad. Don't the the word 'braised' scare you...it is just a fancy way of saying that you are baking with both moist and dry heat. Go ahead...give it a try!

Mad Hungry Oven-Braised Short Ribs

* 1 onion, finely sliced
* 4 garlic cloves, smashed
* 1 leek, cleaned and finely chopped
* 1 carrot, diced
* 1 celery stalk, diced
* 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 Cup red wine
* 1/2 Cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 1/2 pounds short ribs (we used the boneless ones from Costco, but bone-in would only add to the flavor!)
* 3-4 red potatoes, cut in quarters (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients except the meat and potatoes in a 9 x 15 roasting or baking dish. Add the ribs and rub all over with the marinade. The meat should fit comfortably in a single layer in the pan. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight (we marinated overnight). Occasionally turn the meat over in the marinade. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minute prior to cooking.

Preheat the over to 400 degrees. Braise (bake) the short ribs for 1 hour and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and braise for another 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Turn ribs every hour to avoid any drying out. If you choose to add the potatoes, add them in the last 40 minutes of cooking. Add water to the pan if too much liquid evaporates (we did not have to do this). You want to end up with glistening ribs in a reduced glaze. **The short ribs we picked up from Costco were boneless and in longer strips, so Markus doubled the liquids to ensure that the meat was submerged in while braising.** Enjoy!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments! Click here for a printable version of Mad Hungry Oven-Braised Short Ribs

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Light and Easy

I can't remember a time I ever craved burritos or tacos....until about three weeks ago. My friend Renee told me about a great recipe and since the first time I made it...I can't get enough! In fact, I made a big batch yesterday to put in the fridge so I can eat it for lunch as often as I want to. Renee and I have changed it a smidge from the original recipe. This is my new favorite thing to eat -- it is easy, delicious, contains just a few ingredients . And, added bonus, is quite low in Weight Watchers points (which you would never know by the flavor explosion in your mouth). I often times just eat it on it's own, no shell or tortilla.

Chili Beef Tacos (or Burritos)

* 2 Tablespoons chili powder

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pound lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
* one 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
* one 15 oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
* salt and pepper to taste
* taco shells or tortillas
* sour cream, cilantro, diced tomatoes, cheese (optional toppings)

Directions

Toast chili powder and cumin in a medium skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add oil to skillet and heat; add onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add beef and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and black beans; cook 5 minutes more or until heated through. (I let it simmer for about 20 minutes to bring more depth to the flavors.)

To assemble, fill each taco shell or soft tortilla with 1/4 cup of beef mixture; top each with 1/2 tablespoon of sour cream and 1/2 teaspoon of cilantro. Enjoy!

Click here for photo credit

If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Chili Beef Tacos (or Burritos)

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Soup

A chill has finally appeared in the fall air which of course, makes me crave warm hearty soups. Markus specifically requested that I make this soup tonight and that it be served in a bread bowl. I adapted this recipe to our own liking from a Cooking Light recipe I found a few years ago. It is light and hearty at the same time and ridiculously delicious!

Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew

* 3 1/2 cups water
* 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 pounds beef stew meat
* 3 teaspoons canola oil
* 2 (8-ounce) packages pre-sliced button mushrooms
* 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, sliced
* 1/4 cup tomato paste
* 1 cup red wine
* 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring water and broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add porcini mushrooms; remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop porcini and set aside.

Combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and beef, tossing well to coat. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add beef mixture. Saute about 4-5 minutes or until beef is browned. Remove beef to separate bowl and then add button and cremini mushrooms; cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until mushrooms release liquid. Stir in the reserved porcini liquid, chopped porcini, beef mixture, wine and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 1 teaspoon oil and onion on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan; toss well to coat. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes, stirring twice.

Add roasted onion, rosemary, and pepper to stew. Cover and simmer stew an additional 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Sprinkle with parsley. We often enjoy this stew in a sourdough bread bowl. Enjoy!Click picture for photo credit

If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and try it out. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Lasagna

I used to be afraid to make lasagna because I always thought it seemed so daunting and involved. I was wrong. Sure, there are lasagna recipes that are hard to follow and take eons to make, but not this one. This is actually the only 'type' of lasagna I have EVER made and it continues to be one of our favorites. It is SO easy, so versatile and very delicious! So, if you have always shrugged off the idea of making lasagna because it seems to time consuming or complicated, shrug no more and try this recipe!

Nini's No-Boil-Noodle Lasagna

* 1 box lasagna noodles (You can use regular or no-bake noodles. I use Trader Joe's Lasagna Noodles)
* 1-2 pounds ground beef
* salt and pepper
* 1 large portobello mushroom, diced
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 26 oz. jars marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara)
* 2 teaspoons oregano, optional
* 2 teaspoons dried basil, optional
* 2 Cups low-fat cottage cheese
* 1/4+ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon canola oil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 Cups fresh spinach leaves
* 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large pot brown ground beef. Salt and pepper to add flavor. Add diced portobello mushrooms, diced onions and minced garlic. Saute together with ground beef for 2-3 minutes until onions become translucent. Pour both jars of marinara sauce (or your own homemade sauce if you are so inclined) into beef mixture. Add basil and oregano (or any other spices you choose). Simmer for 20 minutes.

In medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and oil together.

Spray 9 x 13 pan. Begin layering by using 1/3 of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place DRY noodles on top of sauce. Layer another 1/3 of sauce over dry noodles. Place another layer of dry noodles over sauce. Next, layer cottage cheese mixture over dry noodles. Place fresh spinach leaves over cottage cheese mixture (I sometimes use sliced zucchini or squash in place of spinach). Place last layer of dry noodles over spinach and use final 1/3 of sauce to cover the dry noodles. Finally, top evenly with grated mozzarella cheese.

Bake covered for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Enjoy!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Nini's No Boil Noodle Lasagna

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

This is the place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one. Feel free to take any recipe here and use it as you please. If you want to join in on the Recipe Rodeo, let me know! I would love to try some of your recipes too!

Today's Round Up: Asian Fusion

I have never been successful in my attempts to cook Asian dishes. My stir fry always smells good and looks good, but there is always something lacking in flavor. When my friend Staci told me about this recipe of hers, I decided to give it shot. Let me tell you...this is BY FAR the best Asian dish I have ever made to date. It is easy, delicious, and quite good for you too! We are huge fans of broccoli in our house so this was a home run!

Stir-Fry Beef with Broccoli

* 1/2 cup water
* 1 Tbsp. (packed) golden brown sugar
* 6 Tbsp. oyster sauce*
* 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
* 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. sirloin steak cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, or pre-cut stir-fry meat
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
* 4 cups broccoli florets (about 8 ounces)
* 1 8-ounce yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
* 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
* 2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
(* Available in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets.)

Directions

Stir first 4 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set sauce aside. Place beef in large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add cornstarch and toss to coat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large wok over high heat. Add beef mixture; stir-fry until no longer pink outside, about 3 minutes. Transfer beef mixture to medium bowl. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add broccoli, yam, bell peppers and ginger. Toss to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add sauce. Cover, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add beef mixture. Toss until sauce coats beef, about 1 minute. Serve over steamed rice. ENJOY!

If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo. If you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Beef with Broccoli

:: Thursday's Recipe Rodeo ::

Happy Thursday! This is a place to get some new recipes or maybe even a twist on an old one.

Today's Round Up: Cozy Cookin' made Easy

The other week one of my friends mentioned that she was making chili for dinner. I had never made chili before, however since our conversation I had been craving it. I did a bit of recipe searching on Recipezaar.com, and let's just say I hit the JACKPOT!! I found a recipe that had lots of great reviews...and tweaked it just a bit. They call it 'the best chili you will ever taste'. Since I changed it a bit to suit our taste buds, I will call it Jackpot Chili!

Jackpot Chili

* Vegetable oil
* 2 onions, diced
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 lbs ground beef
* 1 lbs beef stew steak (or sirloin), cut into small cubes
* 12 ozs. (1 can or bottle) of dark beer (I use Guinness)
* 1 Cup strong coffee (already brewed, liquid)
* 1 can diced tomatoes
* 2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
* 1 can (or approx. 14 ozs) beef broth
* 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
* 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
* 2 Tbsp. chili powder
* 1 Tbsp. cumin
* 1 tsp. oregano
* 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
* 1 tsp. coriander
* 1 tsp. salt
* 3 - 4 cans of kidney beans (I used 2 cans red, 1 can of white)

Directions

First off...don't scoff at the idea of dark beer, coffee and cocoa powder in the chili...it REALLY makes it amazing!

In large soup pot, heat oil and brown ground beef, steak, garlic and onions (approx. 8-10 minutes). You may need to drain off excess liquid, however I actually brown the ground beef in the soup pot and the sirloin is separate pan to speed up the process, then simply add the sirloin to the soup pot once ground beef is browned.) Add tomatoes, beer, coffee, tomato paste and beef broth. Once combined, add all spices and add 2 cans kidney beans and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add remaining kidney beans and simmer for another 30 minutes.

* You may also want to add chili peppers if you like it spicy.

Top with grated cheddar cheese and/or a dollop of sour cream and ENJOY!If you want to join in on your own blog, simply link back to this blog and mention that you are partaking in Thursday's Recipe Rodeo, let me know in the comments you are joining so we can visit your blog, or if you don't have a blog and want to share a recipe with us - leave it in the comments!Click here for a printable version of Jackpot Chili