Grilled Steaks with Cilantro Sauce

Normally my husband is in charge of steaks around our house.  But, when I saw this recipe in my most recent Taste of Home, I decided to give it a try.  WOW...it is GOOD!!!  Needless to say, we devoured this meal!!  Trust me, if you make it, your family will devour it too!

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Grilled Steaks with Cilantro Sauce

2 cups fresh parsley leaves

2 cups fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup fresh mint leaves

8 garlic cloves, chopped

1 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided

1/2 tsp plus 3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper, divided

2 cups olive oil

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 lbs. beef flat iron steaks or top sirloin steaks (1 in. thick)  ***I didn't see flat iron steaks, so I asked at the counter (at Sprouts) and they cut them for me.  

***I halved this recipe.  Even halved, it made a ton of cilantro sauce.  I think I will 1/4 it next time.

Place herbs, garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in a food processor;  pulse until herbs are chopped.  Gradually add oil, vinegar, lemon juice and pepper flakes, processing just until blended.  Sprinkle steaks with remaining salt and pepper.  Grill, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness.  Cut steaks into 1/4 in slices and serve with sauce.

Seriously easy and seriously delicious!!!  We decided these would be great in tortillas or in a salad too.  Enjoy!  :)

Sweet and Tangy Braised Chuck Roast

While at home for Thanksgiving, my Dad made an amazing roast!  It is very different from the standard roast that you are probably used to...it has some really unique ingredients that give it a little bit of sweetness.  I couldn't believe it when he told me what was in it.  So, don't be alarmed by the ingredient list when you see that there are cookies in it...embrace it!  Trust me!  This was super easy because it is a crockpot meal and tastes wonderful!

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Sweet and Tangy Braised Chuck Roast

6 (2-inch) gingersnap cookies finely crushed into crumbs

1 cups peeled baby carrots

2 large celery stalks cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1 medium onion cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup raisins (I skipped this...not a raisin fan!)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (about 2 pound) beef chuck roast

In a 4 1/2 - 6 quart slow cooker, combine gingersnap crumbs, carrots, celery, onion, wine, vinegar, raisins, salt, and pepper.  Place roast on top of vegetables.  cover with lid and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6-6 1/2 hours or until roast is very tender.  Place roast on warm platter. Skim and discard fat from cooking liquid.  Serve roast with vegetables and sauce.

The roast literally fell apart as I was taking it out...SO GOOD!!  Enjoy!  :)

Cajun Burgers

I was at home a few weeks ago and my Dad was raging about some hamburgers he had made.  He talked about them so much that I decided I needed the recipe.  I can't really take credit for making these because my husband actually made them while I was out running errands one night, but I CAN tell you that they were FANTASTIC!!!  I expected them to be spicy because of their name, but they aren't.  They are SUPER juicy and have a definite "restaurant" taste to them.  The ingredient list is long, but you will have almost all of these things in your pantry, so don't be afraid.  I will definitely be making these the next time we have friends over to cook out!!

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Cajun Burgers

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped (We didn't include this because we did the green onions and it seemed like a lot!)

6 green onions, thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 egg

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp dry bread crumbs

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp cream cheese, softened

1/4 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce

2 pounds ground beef

8 hamburger buns, split

condiments of your choice

In a large bowl, combine the first 16 ingredients.  Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.  Shape into eight patties.  Grill over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees and juices run clear.  Serve on buns.

Seriously, how good does this look?!?  You will definitely impress your friends with this one!  Enjoy!  :)

Saucy Penne & Three Cheese Bake

I had to take dinner to a friend a few weeks ago and remembered this recipe. I got this recipe at my bridal shower 11 years ago! I hadn't made it in a while, and I am now so happy to have rediscovered it! It is the perfect meal to take to someone or the perfect meal to have at home if you are wanting lasagna without the fuss!

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Saucy Penne & Three Cheese Bake

1/2 pound cooked Penne Pasta

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1 26 ounce jar spicy tomato sauce (I don't always use spicy tomato sauce...it depends on what you are in the mood for.)

1 15 ounce container of Ricotta cheese

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (divided into 2 cups)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. In saucepan over medium heat, brown ground beef and drain off the fat. Add pasta sauce. In medium bowl, combine Ricotta, one cup of mozzarella, parmesan, and egg. In a lightly greased pan, layer cooked penne pasta and meat/sauce mixture.

Then, layer cheese mixture.
Finally, sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over the top.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Yum! So easy and so good. Enjoy! :)

Taco Soup

Many of you may already have this recipe, but I thought I would put it on here just in case. I got this years ago while teaching from my friend Jessica. I believe it is a Weight Watchers recipe and it is insanely easy. It makes a TON and is super yummy too!!

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Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 can pinto beans
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can Rotel
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can water
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg Ranch dressing mix

Brown and drain meat and onion. Mix in ranch and taco seasoning. Add cans and simmer 1 hour. Yes, it is THAT easy! The longest part is probably opening all of the cans. :)

I like to add a little shredded cheese and sour cream to it also. Jessica recently told me that they like to drain off the liquid and serve it over baked potatoes the second night. I will be trying this since we STILL have leftovers. It seriously makes a ton, so plan on having people over or eating on it for a while! Enjoy! :)

My Pot Roast

I LOVE pot roast this time of year. It is my husband's favorite meal and I love it because it is so easy and there are always yummy leftovers! I know everyone has their own version, but I thought I would put mine out there!

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My Pot Roast
1 chuck roast (the key is to use a chuck roast!)
1 bag of baby carrots
8-10 new potatoes cut in half
celery stalks
1 onion, chopped (white or yellow)
1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 can Cream of Mushroom
1 can Chicken Broth
Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste
Pour chicken broth, cream of mushroom, and Lipton soup packet in your crock pot and mix together. Add chopped onion, half of carrots, celery stalks, and half of the potatoes.

Put roast on top and add the remainder of the carrots, potatoes, and celery.
Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on top and then cover with water until roast is submerged.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

It comes out so tender that you cut it with a fork...SO DELICIOUS!!! Enjoy! :)

Meaty Manicotti

Oh my goodness...you MUST try this recipe!! I made it this past weekend and was surprised at how good it was. It is super easy (like most recipes I try!) and SO unbelievably good!! Seriously, put this on your menu for next week!

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Meaty Manicotti

14 uncooked manicotti shells

1 pound bulk Italian sausage

3/4 pound ground beef

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 package cream cheese, cubed

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups meatless spaghetti sauce, divided

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

Drain shells and rinse in cold water. Put mozzarella cheese, cream cheese and salt into a bowl. Stir the meat mixture into the cheese mixture.

Spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce in a greased 13X9 inch baking dish. Stuff each shell with about 1/4 cup meat mixture; arrange over sauce. (This takes a little bit of time and several of my shells tore so bad I couldn't use them.) Pour remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through.

Doesn't this look yummy?? Trust me, IT IS!!! Enjoy! :)

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I had these at my friend Aurora's house a few years ago and immediately asked for the recipe. They taste awesome and take no time to make...my kind of recipe!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2 bags success rice (I use 1 bag of the Frozen Steam Fresh rice)

6 bell peppers (yellow and orange are best for this recipe)

1 pound Italian sausage or ground beef

1 can Rotel

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare rice according to package. Remove tops and seeds from peppers:

Blanch peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from water and drain.
Brown sausage or ground beef and drain fat. Return to pan and fold in Rotel and rice and heat through.
Remove from heat and add cheese.

Divide mixture into peppers. (You can also top with bread crumbs and extra cheese if you wish.)

Place in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. YUM!

These are seriously a meal in themselves. The sweetness from the pepper combined with the spiciness from the filling is the perfect combination. Just throw on a plate with some salad and dinner is served! Enjoy!

**You may notice that I just did 2 peppers. I did this for several reasons. First of all, I bought really big peppers knowing Kelly and I would each only eat one. Hudson doesn't eat the pepper so he doesn't need one. This recipe makes quite a bit of filling, so I just froze the remainder of it and have enough left to make it again. All I will have to do is buy more peppers.

Sliders

My friend Leslie recently shared this Pampered Chef recipe with me and I just had to make it on Super Bowl Sunday. These are the cutest (food can be cute, right?!?) sliders and they go fast!

Sliders

1 medium onion (about 1 cup finely chopped)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 lb 90% lean ground beef

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp salt

6 slices American cheese

8 hot dog buns

24 hamburger dill pickle slices

Preheat oven to 450 and finely chop the onion and parsley. If you don't have a food chopper, you NEED one!! I feel as strongly about the food chopper as I do my garlic press...can't cook without them!

Combine beef, onion, parsley, garlic, and salt and mix well. Press beef mixture evenly over bottom of large pan. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until beef is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, cut cheese into quarters; set aside. Trim about 1/4 in off end of each hot dog bun, then slice buns into thirds for a total of 24 square mini buns; set aside.
Remove mean from oven and pour off juices if necessary. Cut beef mixture into 24 squares. (The beef will shrink up a bit, so you have plenty of room.) Top each burger with one pickle and one piece of cheese. Place one bun top onto each burger; top with with one bun bottom. Cover with foil and bake 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and buns are warm.

To serve, place the bun bottom under the meat square.

See, food can definitely be cute! Yummy too! :)

Enjoy!

(Side note: I thought Hudson was going to devour these because he loves hamburgers, but once he caught sight of the parsley and onions in the meat, he wasn't having any part of it. I think they would be just as good if you seasoned them like you would normal hamburger meat and then had extra toppings...if you are making for picky kiddos!)

Taco Ring

I don't know about you, but I love anything and everything Pampered Chef. I have a ton of their gadgets and love their recipes too. This is definitely one of our favorites. It is SO easy and always gets eaten quickly.

Taco Ring

3/4 pound ground beef (I always just use a pound to make it easier...you can use the leftover meat in a taco shell, tortilla, or even on a salad)

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons water

2 packages (8 ounces each) crescent rolls

additional sides of your choice (salsa, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream...)

Preheat oven to 375. Cook ground beef in skillet until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, cheese, and water. Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles. Arrange traingles in a circle with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward outside:

Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.

Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.
To serve, cut into slices with toppings of your choice.

Enjoy!