French Dip Sandwiches

I have always loved a good French Dip...tender meat, yummy rolls, au jus...I mean what could be better? So I found a recipe over at Food Network that met my standards and gave it a try. I used this French Roll recipe and the all the parts put together just made a fantastic sandwich!

French Dip Sandwiches

(about 6 large sandwiches)

1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped (I didn't have this so I left it out, but I am sure it would be delish)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 t dried sage
1/4 t dried oregano
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cloves (I thought this was way too much, next time I will cut this down to 1/8 t)
1/2 t ground all spice
2 pounds beef top round roast
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups beef broth
French Rolls
provolone or swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 300.  Combine the chopped veggies, garlic and thyme in a large roasting pan.  Rub the dried herbs and spices all over the beef and generously salt and pepper.  Place the beef fat side up on the veggies.  Roast for about 45 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 130. Remove the meat from the pan and loosely cover with foil, let this rest for 30 minutes.

While the meat is resting, put the roast pan on the stove and cook the veggies over high heat until they are browned but not burned and the liquid is evaporated.  Pour off any excess fat.  Add the beef broth to the pan and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.  Transfer the liquid and veggies to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 30 minutes.  Strain the sauce and season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm.

Trim the meat of any excess fat and slice very thin.  Slice the rolls and add the beef.  Top with cheese (provolone or swiss) and place under your broiler to melt the cheese (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).  Serve with au jus.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

I totally LOVE Beef Stroganoff and I have already put a GREAT recipe for it on here, BUT it always seemed a little tedious to me so I didn't make it very often. Never fear! I have found the solution! This recipe is DELISH {AND} all you do is throw everything in your crock pot! Yes, I know I could totally KISS whoever it was who invented the crock pot, they have made my life easier! I found this recipe over at Tasty Kitchen and YES I did alter it, don't I always?  It is just because I am Lazy and try and use the stuff I have in my pantry instead of going to the store.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff 
(8 servings)

3 lbs. Beef round steak
1/2 cup flour
2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t dry mustard
1 onion, sliced thin and separated
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup flour
egg noodles

Cut meat into 1/2 inch by 3 inch strips. (I found that sticking my meat in the freezer for just 15-20 minutes makes it much easier to slice). Combine the 1/2 cup flour, salt, pepper and dry mustard then use this mixture to coat the strips of meat. Combine the meat, onions, mushrooms and broth in the crock pot and stir well.  Cook this on low for 8-10 hours.  Before serving combine the sour cream with the 1/4 cup of flour and stir into the meat mixture.  Let this heat through and thicken up a bit.  Serve over prepared noodles or rice.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These little yummies are so easy and such a fun party food. I used ready made and frozen Italian meatballs from Sam's Club and these literally took about 3 minutes to throw together and then about 2 hours in my crock pot! My kids thought they were great too!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1(15 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vinegar or cider vinegar

1 T molasses

1 t Dijon mustard

1/2 t chili powder

25 frozen Italian meatballs (or homemade meatballs, cooked through)

Mix all ingredients in your crock pot, except meatballs, until smooth. Add meatballs and cook on low for at least 2 hours (or until meatballs are heated through). You can just let these babies simmer while you party on!

Beef Stroganoff

I honestly can't remember where I got this recipe, so sorry to whoever or where ever I got it from. But let me just say yum!

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound sirloin, I used thin cut (cut into 2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide strips)

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 pound mushrooms, domestic or wild, caps only thinly sliced

1 cup beef broth

1 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup sour cream

4 teaspoons flour

2 teaspoons minced fresh dill

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Salt and freshly grounded black pepper

16 ounces medium egg noodles, cooked

Heat large non-stick skillet over high heat and sear meat on all sides, for about a minute. Work in small batches so meat does not give off liquid. Remove to a plate. In a clean wide skillet, heat butter. Sweat onions and add mushrooms and saute over medium until deep golden, about 20 minutes. While this is cooking, blend broth, mustard, heavy cream and sour cream together. Lower heat, add flour and cook stirring for a minute. Whisk in liquids, and any meat juices and simmer, without boiling, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Return meat to sauce and heat, without boiling until meat is warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in dill and parsley and spoon over noodles. This makes about 4 servings.

Left Over Roast Beef Stew

I never know what to do with left over roast. But this roast was so good I just couldn't let it go to waste. So I decided to make beef stew... nothing screams "Fall" more than beef stew. My boys devoured this. And it was so fast since the roast was already cooked. Dinner was ready in about 30 minutes, come on, who doesn't love a fast meal!

Left Over Roast Beef Stew
2-3 cups left over roast, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, sliced
1 rib of celery, chopped
4-5 small red potatoes, cut into cubes
1 med onion , sliced
2 t minced garlic
4 T butter
4 T flour
2 cans (14.5oz) beef broth
1/2 t paprika
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T tomato sauce
a dash of allspice or ground cloves
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

Melt butter in soup pot and saute carrots, celery, potatoes, onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook for another minute. Add broth and spices, Cook until the broth thickens. Than add roast and bay leaf. Simmer on low with the lid on for about 20 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Fall Apart *Yummy *Roast

Abby to the rescue once again! I can't even tell you how totally amazing it is to have foodie friends! They just "get it" when it comes to all things food and I love Abby for that! This is a super simple recipe that turns out great AND you can do the night before. I don't know about you but anything that I can make the night before just makes me giddy!

Fall Apart Roast

Chuck roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package lipton onion soup mix
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Salt and pepper the roast and put it in a crockpot. Spread the soup over the roast. Sprinkle the soup and garlic over the top. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of the crockpot. Cook on low for at least 12 hours.

Tamale Pie and Amazing Corn Bread

Another great recipe that my mom made growing up. This is so easy to throw together and can be versatile too. The recipe calls for ground beef, I like to use ground turkey, but for all you vegetarians out there, I think this would be great without meat too. You can also use any corn bread you like but I always use my very favorite that my sister in law Adena gave me, you won't want to go back to anything else.

Tamale Pie

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tomato diced, I have also used petite diced canned tomatoes, about half the can
1 cup corn, I used frozen
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 t cumin
2-3 t chili powder
1/4 t oregano
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 of corn bread recipe that follows

Simmer beans, vegetables, and spices for 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and cooked beef. Prepare corn bread. Put bean mixture in greased 9x9 square pan, top with corn bread batter. Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes or just until corn bread is cooked. Garnish with sour cream if desired.

Corn Bread

1 cup flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 T oil

Mix well. Put batter into a greased 9x9 square pan. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. If using on Tamale Pie, only use half of this recipe.