Grammy’s Spaghetti Sauce

Last time my grandma (Grammy) came to visit we got to telling stories about food prices and cooking.  My Grampy was in the military so they lived less than the “high life”.  She was telling me that she would get together with her friends at the end of the month, and pool together what food they all had for a yummy dinner together.  She said it usually had hot dogs, but she said those dinner are some she will remember forever because of the times she shared with friends.  Having good friends when times are tough is such a blessing.

This is her recipe for spaghetti sauce.  She gave me a hand written recipe card at my bridal shower.  I love having it.

Grammy’s Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 (16oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (16oz) can tomato sauce
1 (12oz) can tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1. Brown beef and onion until no longer pink.  Drain.
2. Combine beef and all other ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low 6-8 hours stirring occasionally.
*This is a great recipe to freeze.  I just use a freezer ziploc bag*
*If you don’t have beef broth, you can dissolve 1 cube beef bullion in 1 cup of boiling water.*

Roast on the Grill

We love to have a big Sunday dinner.  We almost always have family here to enjoy the meal with us as well.  When it is so hot in the summer, it makes a big Sunday dinner a bit of a challenge.  I try to keep the oven off so that everyone doesn’t want to spend all afternoon in the basement.  Roast in the crock pot is good, but nothing tastes as good as a nicely marbled roast with a crispy outside.

Roast is one of our family favorites.  And, who knew you could cook it on the grill.  And it didn’t take long at all.  This was definitely one of the best roasts I have yet.  It is seasoned simply with just garlic salt, onion powder, and ground black pepper.  I was VERY generous.  I gave this roast quite a nice spice massage.
 
The most time intensive part of the whole thing is that you sear it 5-8 minutes on each side to give it a nice crust and seal in the juices.  This thing turns out very juicy and flavorful.  Be sure that you do NOT trim off the fat.  That is part of the flavor and moisture.
After searing it, we let it cook on a pan to avoid fire.
Then you just let this baby sit and cook on indirect heat for about 70 minutes.  (Instructions below)
 
Serve with a side of garlic potatoes and carrots.  Finish the meal with warm chocolate chip cookies. 
 
Need to buy a good roast?  It can be hard at the store to determine a good roast from a bad one.  Visit Ranchline All Natural.  You will get a perfect cut of meat delivered to your door every time.  And the price is perfect.
Ok, so now here are the instructions.  Don’t be intimidated by the length.  This is an easy meal.
1. Take your roast out of the fridge and pat it dry.  Season generously with garlic salt, onion powder, and cracked black pepper.  Let the seasoned roast set at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
2. Turn all 3 or 4 burners to high to preheat the grill. 
3. Sear all 4 sides on high for 5-8 minutes per side (or until grease fire starts)  This will form a nice crust.  It may look burned but its ok.
4. Transfer the roast to a pan that is safe up to 400 degrees.  I just used a 4 sided cookie sheet to keep the juices on.  Now we will cook it on indirect heat.
5. If you have a 4 burner grill, turn off the 2 middle burners and turn the outside 2 burners to medium or until your lid thermometer says 310 to 325 degrees.  Set the pan over the middle two burners that are off.  If you just have a 3 burner grill, just turn off the 1 middle burner and put your roast over that one. 
6. Close lid and don’t be tempted to peek.  Check it in about 45 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer in the middle of the roast of and it will need to read about 135 when you take it off the grill.  It will still cook a smidge on the cutting board while it is resting.
7. Let roast set 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Slice and serve.  Enjoy!

Basic BBQ Burgers

Making hamburgers is one of those things that most would just assume is easy.  6 years ago, I tried making my soon to be husband burgers by just shaping the ground beef in to a patty.  That didn’t taste the best, but it worked ok.
Then I asked my mom how to make burgers.  She said something along the lines of “I just use some egg, bread crumbs, onion soup mix, and seasonings.”  Well, I tried that too…..and I could never get the proportions right.
So, I went searching for a recipe.  I found a recipe that I liked but I have spent that last 3 years or so, perfecting it just how I like it.  I like my burgers to not be overly seasoned.  I think the yummiest part of eating a burger is all the fixin’s you put on them.  You don’t want an overly powerful burger to hide that.

I used Ranchline beef again.  It is so yummy!  And I was amazed that these burgers did not shrink when I cooked them.  That is sign of really good meat.  Check out their website, it is so handy that they ship right to your door.  They also have a great special going on for the 4th of July right now.

I like to use my mixer to make these.  I do not like the feeling of raw hamburger.  YUCK!

Delicious burgers ready to go on the grill.  NUM NUM

This picture is before we added all the yummy fixin’s.  I like mayo, katchup, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles on mine.  Heavy on the mayo-katchup combo. 
Basic BBQ Burgers
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1/2 cup quick cook oats (do not use old fashioned)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp seasoning salt ( I use Johnny’s)
1, Mix all ingredients together until well blended.
2. Shape in to 3 or 4 patties. 
3. Grill on BBQ on both sides until done in the middle.  Usually takes about 10-15 minutes depending on your grill.
4. Serve with lots of yummy toppings and enjoy!

Sandwich Inspiration

I really like sandwiches.  And eating light for dinner has been a nice switch for us for the summer.  This sandwich was inspired by a sandwich at one of our favorite pizza restaurants in town. 
I used a multigrain ciabatta roll, and I toasted it for 2 minutes under the broiler. 
I then made a mix of 1/3 cup real mayo and 1 tsp brown spicy mustard.  I slathered that on both sides of the bun.
I then layered on roast beef, tomatoes, spinach, drizzle of horseradish sauce (made with mayo) and crumbles of blue cheese.
I left off the sliced red onion only because I didn’t have it on hand.  But that would have been great. 
This was a really good sandwich.  My husband requested we have it weekly, and deemed it restaurant quality.

Top 5 Freezer Meals

 

I am a mom, and that just naturally means that there is a lot going on.  We are all busy right?!  So, I have found it best to keep 5-10 frozen meals on hand at all times.  As the weather has been getting nicer here in Montana, it is hard to drag myself away from the swing set and in to the kitchen to make dinner.  It’s wonderful to be able to pull something out of the freezer at nap time or in the morning and let it thaw, then at 5pm I just step inside to put it in the oven and then I head right back out to enjoy the sun and my girls laughing on the swings. 

Another plus is the cost factor.  These meals are very inexpensive to prepare and that is what we are going for.  While we are saving money, its nice to know that we still have yummy easy meals to fall back on. 

With all of these recipes, I prepped the meat the first day, then the second day I assembled them.  I was able to do this in two days just using my girls’ 2 hour nap time. Each post/link also has more tips related to that meal.

I didn’t want to hand you a post with 5 recipes written out, so if you just click on the name of each recipe, it will take you to that specific recipe with tips and suggestions.  I will also post these all separately for you to search and find as needed.

Enjoy stocking your freezer with yummy foods.

1. Layered Enchilada Casserole
2. Quesadilla Casserole
3. Wild Rice and Chicken
4. Goulash
5. Potato Soup

*Bonus #6!  Chicken and Dumplings

*Ten more freezer meals added Winter of 2012.
   http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2012/10/10-more-freezer-meals-for-fall.html

Quesadilla Casserole (Freezer Meal)

I make my freezer meals 2 ways. One way is to just make them all in a 2 day process. Compile my list, shop, and do meat prep. Then the next day I assemble them. The other way I like to do it is over the course of a week or two. I buy the ingredients enough to double the recipes, then I make one for dinner and just double it and put one away in the freezer. Then by the end of about 2 or 3 weeks, you have 10 meals frozen in the freezer ready to go for later. Your meals will do well in the freezer for 2-4 months.
Quesadilla Casserole
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
16 oz tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (8 3/4 oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (4 1/2 oz) green chilies, undrained
6 flour tortillas (8 inch size)
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
1. Brown beef and onion in a large skillet on medium-high. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies. Mix well. Stir in all of the spices except the red pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat low and simmer 5 minutes. Add red pepper to taste if desired.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on bottom of 9X13 pan (sprayed with pam). I like to use the foil pans for freezer meals. Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed. Layer with 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef and cheese.
3. Double wrap with heavy duty foil and label. 
Cooking Instructions: Thaw and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!!
We put sour cream on ours. Guacamole would be yummy on it too.

Goulash (Freezer Meal)

This dish has a funny name, but as a child it was one of my all time favorite meals.  I think all kids love this meal. 
I make my freezer meals 2 ways. One way is to just make them all in a 2 day process. Compile my list, shop, and do meat prep. Then the next day I assemble them. The other way I like to do it is over the course of a week or two. I buy the ingredients enough to double the recipes, then I make one for dinner and just double it and put one away in the freezer. Then by the end of about 2 or 3 weeks, you have 10 meals frozen in the freezer ready to go for later. Your meals will do well in the freezer for 2-4 months.
Goulash
1lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni  (I used whole wheat noodles)
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (more to taste)
1 can (15oz) corn, drained
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1-2 cups shredded cheese (depending on your “cheesiness” preference)
1. Brown Ground beef with onion powder and garlic powder.  Drain.
2. Cook noodles according to package, drain
3. In a large bowl, combine soup, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, noodles and ground beef.  Stir in corn.
4. Transfer to an ungreased 8X8 freezer baking dish and top with cheese.  I buy the foil pans.  Easy peasy and you wont be missing a pan while this meal is in the freezer waiting.
5. Cover with foil.  I like to use heavy duty foil and double wrap it to prevent freezer burn.  Label and freeze.
Cooking instructions: Thaw and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until heated through and melted cheese.

Ground Beef and Green Chili Enchiladas

When I got married, my family put together a cookbook for me with all of the favorite family recipes.  My aunt gave me a recipe for Sour Cream Enchiladas.  Over the past 5 1/2 years, I have been making these at least once a month and slowly adapting them.  This is an inexpensive dinner and always a crowd pleaser.  It’s the sort of meal you can serve alone, or pair with a side salad and some corn salsa.

The beef filling is really yummy and this is a great dish to stretch your dollar.  Adding a can of refried beans to the beef makes it go a little further and adds extra fiber.

Nothing gourmet here.  You all know that I cook with canned soups and full fat sour cream.

I have told you about this cheese before.  It may cost a little more, but it is so so creamy and good. 

Oh man!  I wish you could smell these.  So yummy!!


We devoured these.  And don’t worry about the green chilies, they are not spicy, they just add flavor.  My two year old loves these enchiladas.

While you are at it, just double the recipe and a freeze a pan for when company drops by.  Just cover it in heavy duty foil and freeze it just before the baking step.  When you are ready, just pop it in the oven for about an hour on 350 or until hot in the middle.
Ground Beef and Green Chili Enchiladas
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
7oz can diced green chilies
1/4 cup taco seasoning (1 pkg)
3/4 cup water
15oz can refried beans
8 flour tortillas
15oz can cream of mushroom soup
15oz can cream of chicken soup
16oz sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese (I use a 3 cheese blend)
*Grease 9X13 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees*
1. Brown the ground beef and onion.  Drain off excess fat. Return to heat.
2. Stir in taco seasoning and water.  Let cook down over medium heat until water is evaporated.
3. Stir in can of green chilies and can of refried beans.  Heat over medium heat until the beans are creamy in the mixture and heated through.  Remove from heat.
4. Roll up beef mixture in tortillas.  Place in a greased 9X13 pan.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, mix both cans of soup and sour cream.  Stir until well blended.
6. Top enchiladas with sour cream mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. 
Let these set for about 15 minutes before serving. 
Enjoy!!

Alfredo Topped Lasagna

I do a meal swap with a friend of mine each week. I take her a meal one night and she brings our family a meal another night. It is so wonderful. I find it so easy to just double a meal and take half to them. And, it's a great way to get to try new recipes that my friend shares with me. She is a great cook and I always look forward to what she brings.
This week, she brought us Alfredo Topped Lasagna. It was AMAZING!
She brought in the dish, we chatted and she then left. I took off the lid and the first thing I saw was a golden brown layer of cheesy goodness. It was love at first sight. And oh my word, every bite was better than the one before.

This recipe is made with a turkey sausage, which was very tasty. It also has spinach and is topped with Alfredo and plenty of cheese.
I let my friend type the recipe and I will post it as she typed it. I can edit it if needed when I make it myself.

Ingredients
 12 Lasagna noodles
1 (15-ounce) container Ricotta cheese
1 bundle of spinach cooked. (Remember that spinach shrinks a lot after cooked!)
4 cups (8-ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese divided
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
Turkey Italian Sausage
4 cups marinara sauce (I usually make my sauce from scratch by blending tomatoes and fresh herbs, but a big 28 ounce jar of your choice will do the trick.)
16 oz. Alfredo sauce (A jar for this works just fine as well, but a good white sauce recipe tastes so much better!)

Directions
-Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain.
-Preheat oven 350F.
-In large a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, spinach, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, and eggs; mix well.
-In a 13x9-inch baking dish, ( I like to use my dutch oven and just cut the noodles to fit) spread 1 cup marinara sauce.
-Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce.
-Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce, and all the cooked sausage.
-Layer 4 more lasagna noodles, remaining cheese mixture, and remaining marinara sauce.
-Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles.
-Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
-Cover and bake for 40 minutes.
-Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
-Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

This came hot and ready to my house with a delicious loaf of garlic bread.

ENJOY!



Blessings,
Joyful Momma

Traditional Beef Stew

I have known for 6 years that my husband likes stew.  Fall would start to set in and he would say, “I just want a big bowl of meaty, hearty, stew.”  Unitl now, I have never made it for him.  Wife of the year (or past 6 years), I know.  But, we had stew meat and I figured I should show the guy some love. 
I was actually very very surprised.  It was so so good.  So good, in fact, that I will be eating leftovers for lunch today.  That says a lot.  First, I don’t usually eat lunch, and there are very few things that I like enough to have the next day for lunch.  (I do however, eat leftovers for dinner regularly….is that weird)
I got this recipe from my Taste of Home slow cooker book.  It is a real gem.  (naturally, I made a few changes)
Traditional Beef Stew
1 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 lb carrots, cut
2 medium baking potatoes, cubed with skin on
1 medium onion, cut in to small wedges
1 15 oz can, stew tomatoes.  Do not drain. 
1 cup beef broth
1 celery rib, chopped
2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1. Combing all ingredients in a 3 to 5 qt slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until meat and veggies are tender.
Enjoy!

Quesadilla Casserole

Remember how I told you in THIS post that occasionally I like to try new products from the grocery store?  This is a new product out by McCormick.  It is a little card with small amounts of different spices needed for 1 recipe.  They print the recipe on the back so that you can grab any other ingredients while you are at the store. 
My grammy actually tried this recipe first and called to tell me about it.  She knows I love Mexican food and casseroles.  And let me tell you, this was so fast and easy to whip up, I could have made it for a quick lunch.  And it was REALLY good!!
There is crushed red pepper in here that does give it a kick, but you can leave it out and it is still yummy.  I put it in ours because I like a little spice.

You just need a few extra cans and some ground beef to get this dish started.

Add flour tortillas and a good amount of cheese and you are all set.  (I also tossed in a handful of pepper jack)

Look at that ooey gooey, bubbly, cheesy yumminess

Layers of quesadilla

You all really should add this to your menu next week.  And, if you don’t want to buy the pre-measured spice card, you probably have all the spices you need in your cupboard. 
Quesadilla Casserole
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
16 oz tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (8 3/4 oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (4 1/2 oz) green chilies, undrained
6 flour tortillas (8 inch size)
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
1. Brown beef and onion in a large skillet on medium-high.  Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies.  Mix well.  Stir in all of the spices except the red pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat low and simmer 5 minutes.  Add red pepper to taste if desired.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of the beef mixture on bottom of 9X13 pan (sprayed with pam). Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed.  Layer with 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and 1/2 of the cheese.  Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef and cheese. 
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!!
We put sour cream on ours. Guacamole would be yummy on it too.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Growing up, this was my absolute favorite dinner.  Actually, it still is!  My mom would make this for me on my birthday.  She made this frequently, it reminds me of home.  Even the smell of the vinegar reminds me of her house.

I tend to like this best with my own homemade meatballs, but the store bough homestyle ones work great in a pinch.  Time to make more to store in my freezer.  I usually make about 5lbs to keep on hand.  Recipe coming soon.
This recipe is from my mom and then with the help of a few books, I doctored it to work in my slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
24 oz frozen meatballs, I like home style
2 green bell peppers, diced
2/3 cup white vinegar
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
16 oz pineapple chunks, undrained
Hot rice for serving
1. Place meatballs (can be frozen still) and diced green peppers your slow cooker. 
2. Mix vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Pour over meatballs and peppers.
3. Cover and cook on low 4 hours. 
4. Add in pineapple and juice.  Stir and cover to heat for 30 minutes. 
5. Serve with hot rice.  I like brown rice and a side of broccoli.
Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas (5 stars)

My husband almost always order steak fajitas at our favorite Mexican Restaurant.  I don’t make fajitias very often.  I know they only take about 15 minutes to make, but those are 15 dedicated minutes over a skillet at the stove.  I need to have meal options that I can step away from the stove should I need to help a young one. 
This recipe suggested that I cook all of my ingredients on low for 6-8 hours.  I knew that I would not like my veggies overly soft and I didn’t want to run the risk of the meat getting dry.  So, I chose 4 hours on low (my cooker heats like a dragon and is always on the fast cooking side of the timeline).  I loved how tender yet crisp my peppers were and the meat was “fall apart tender” 
Next time, I will add some taco seasoning to give it a little stronger flavor, but as it, the recipe really was good.
For those of you with toddlers, you can put the filling in a tortilla like quesadilla.  My 2 year old gobbled it down this way.  Rolled fajitas are a bit hard for their hands to hold.
Slow Cooker Fajitas (Taste of Home)

Ingredients

• 1 each medium green, sweet red and yellow pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 2 pounds beef top sirloin steaks, cut into thin strips
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 8 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro

Directions

• Place peppers and onion in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with beef. Combine the water, vinegar, lime juice and seasonings; pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until tender.
• Using a slotted spoon, place about 3/4 cup meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon salsa, 1 tablespoon cheese and 1 teaspoon cilantro; roll up. Yield: 8 servings.

Hello Slow Cooker!

I have two slow cookers, and I would have 2 more if I had a place to put them.  I love making a full meal with entree, side, and soup all with my slow cookers. 
This week, I am devoting my blog and recipes to slow cooking.  Seems like a lot of you are like me and don’t have a ton of time to stand at the stove making a meal.
So, stay tuned.  Tomorrow, I am making Minestrone soup. 
A trick that I use, is to prep everything at night after I put my girls to bed,   I get everything loaded in to my crock pot and stick the ceramic in the fridge.  Then, in morning, I can just pop it in the slow cooker shell and turn it on.  Sometimes, breakfast time is so busy that chopping veggies and cutting meat is not even going to happen.
See you all tomorrow for pictures, a recipe, and the review.
Here are all the ingredients you will need to make the 3 dinners this week that I will post
Forgotten Minestrone
1 lb beef stew meat
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
1 medium onion
2 Tbsp minced dried parsley
salt
pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground thyme
1 beef bouillon cube
1 medium zucchini
1 cups chopped cabbage
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans
1 cup elbow macaroni
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Slow Cooker Fajitas
1 each: green, red and yellow bell pepper
1 sweet yellow onion
2 lbs beef top sirloin steaks
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 flour tortillas
salsa
cheddar cheese, shredded

Sweet and Sour meatballs
16 oz fully cooked meatballs
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp cornstarch
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 green bell pepper
8 oz pineapple chunks
cooked brown or white rice

Creamy Chicken and Salsa Burritos

With fresh salsa and guacamole, this was definitely a “go back for seconds” kind of dinner

The filling was made in the crock pot, so the whole dinner equated to only about 10 minutes of prep.

Creamy Chicken and Salsa Burritos
4 chicken breasts (can use frozen)
1 cup chunky salsa (plus more for toppings)
3/4 cup tomato sauce
8 oz diced green chilies
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg ranch dressing mix (I use this in everything!)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
12 flour tortillas
2 cups cheese (I like Kraft with Philadelphia 3 Cheddar)
Toppings of choice; salsa, guacamole, sour cream
1. In a crock pot, combine the following ingredients: chicken, chilies, beans, ranch mix, salsa, tomato sauce.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts and shred.  While chicken is out of the crock pot, scoop out the extra liquid.  Mine had a lot of liquid since I used frozen chicken. 
3. Add in the softened cream cheese and the shredded chicken.  Stir to mix well.
4. Spoon chicken filling in to flour tortillas and roll up.  Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Top with 2 cups cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. I used to 2 pans since this makes 12.  Make one pan for tonight and freeze the other pan for a quick dinner.
* When you are ready to eat the frozen ones, just pop in the oven and bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 and then uncovered until heated through, usually another 30 minutes. *

Grab This Groupon Deal!

 

Ranchline All Natural – Online Deal 

*Click on the link above to be taken to the deal.  Purchase one for a friend as well*

$79 for Quarterback Sneak Combo Package with Ground Beef and Lamb, Lamb Stew Meat, Sirloin, and Tri-Tips ($162 Value)

Ranchline All Natural’s tender, grass-fed lamb and Mission Ranch Angus beef come from free-ranging livestock humanely raised on the pastoral foothills of the Felix River and verdant fields of Mission Ranch. Filled with iron and free of growth hormones and additives, the naturally lean cuts within a Quarterback Sneak Combo crumble into tacos, form juicy patties, sizzle on the grill, and relieve black eyes earned while fighting over the last tri-tip. Though shipping is not included in today's deal, quality freezer packing and two- or three-day shipping options ensure safe, sanitary transport via FedEx without the need for preservatives or having to buy each steak a bus ticket.
Remember when I reviewed these guys for my Super Bowl Chipotle Lime Nachos?
They have a Groupon deal offered today and tomorrow.  This is a great way to try out their meat and have it delivered to your door.  No grocery trip for you.
If you try their meat, let me know what you think.  I was really impressed.

Orange Beef and Broccoli

I found this delicious recipe in a Weight Watchers magazine.  I couldn’t pass it up knowing I had some steak in my freezer to use.  And this is the dish my husband always chooses when we go to any Asian restaurant.

This meal had a 10 minute prep and a 10 minute cook time.  That is a winning statement in my kitchen.

My husband loves to get pictures of food simmering and sizzling.  I usually don’t get these ones because I would probably drop my camera in boiling sauce or burn myself.  Remind me to tell you sometime about the time I burned my arm and singed my eyelashes.  OYE!

HELLO GOREGOUS!!

This is my plate.  I prefer a higher broccoli to beef ratio.

This is my husbands plate.  He likes steak.  He really likes steak.
Orange Beef and Broccoli
PointsPlus: 6 points per serving
I served this with brown rice, but according to the magazine, 1/2 cup white rice has 3 points.  So add that in if you are counting points.
1 (12 oz) pkg refrigerated broccoli florets
1/3 cup fat-free, lower sodium beef broth
1/3 cup low sugar orange marmalade
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 (1 lb) flank steak, trimmed and cut into thin slices (I used RanchLine All Natural)
1. Microwave broccoli according to package directions. (mine only took 4 minutes right in the bag)
2. Cook rice to serve with the dish.  I used instant brown rice.
3. While broccoli cooks, combine broth and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Set aside.
4. Place cornstarch in a gallon size ziplock bag. Add steak strips and shake to coat.
5. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high heat.  Add steak strips and cook about 5 minutes until steak is browned on both sides. (Seriously, this is a dish that calls for a really high quality steak)
6. Add in broth mixture and bring to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute until thickened.  Stir in hot broccoli and serve over rice. 
* This recipe says that it makes 4 servings at 6 points each.  I doubled the recipe and my husband, toddler, and I ate the whole amount.  It is fair to say that we consumed WAY more than 6 points! *
Calories per serving: 238
Protein per serving: 27g
Fat per serving: 7g
I said it above, but this is the kind of recipe that you want a really high quality steak.  You don’t want chewy, rubbery steak to serve.  You really can’t hide the texture in this dish.  If you just are not sure how to buy a good steak (I can never pick a good one out), consider ordering from RanchLine All Natural.  I have used their steak twice now, and it has been amazing.  And please note, I rarely cook steaks because I don’t know how to pick a good one and then I end up having a “not very tasty” meal.  Not anymore!  (My husband is so thankful)

A Review and Super Bowl Nachos with a Kick and a Zip

I love football season.  Not because I know much, if anything, about the sport, I LOVE the food!  Give me a plate of nachos and a pile of buffalo wings and I will gladly hoot and cheer at the tv.  I do however, like the Broncos.  I got to go to Denver for a game last year and boy was that a good time.  That Tim Tebow is really something else!!
Chipotle Lime Steak Nachos

All the toppings, ready to be devoured.

The big game line-up

This is an amazing company!  Wow.  This is my first time eating Ranchline beef.  And wow.  I am impressed.  See my review of them down below.

Chipotle Lime Steak

Look at that gorgeous piece of meat.

Bell peppers and a toss in of onion

Sauté with the steak in the yummy browned meat bits

UM HELLOO!!!  Have you tried this cheese yet?  I have mentioned it before.  The Philadelphia cream cheese in there makes all the difference and oh so creamy.

Num Num!  Fresh from the oven to heat up all that melty goodness.

Chipotle Lime Steak Nachos
2 limes, juiced
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
4 whole chipotle peppers (from the can) and a little of the sauce
2 steaks (I used flank steaks from Ranchline All Natural)
Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Onion, sliced in rings
Tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheese
Black Olives
Tomatoes
Jalapeños
Guacamole
Tostitos Nacho Cheese (yes, the kind in the jar)
Sour Cream
1.  Combine the Chipotle peppers and sauce, olive oil, garlic, and lime juice in a food processor and blend until well combined.
2. Marinate trimmed steaks for 12-36 hours in the refrigerator.  36 hours will give you the most flavor
3. Grill steaks until rare (blood pink in the middle).  Slice in small bite sized strips.  Place back in sauté pan and toss with bell pepper and onion.  Cook until meat is medium and veggies are crisp, yet tender.
4. On an oven safe plate, arrange tortilla chips and top with 2 cups cheese.  Warm in the oven until cheese is starting to melt.  DO NOT BROWN THE CHIPS.  They will taste burnt even if they don’t look it. 
5. Remove pan and add the steak and veggies.  Pop back in the oven for 3 more minutes.
6. Serve gooey and hot with lots of toppings.  See the ingredient list for ideas.  You will be licking your plate clean and trying to scrounge steak bits of your nearest friend or husband.  Ask nicely and don’t drool.
I used flank steaks from Ranchline All Natural.  They package it and send it frozen right to my door.  They have impeccable service and shipping.  The steaks were so tender and really had a great flavor and texture.  I really like knowing exactly where the meat came from and that the company is really proud of their product.  The beef is raised right here in Montana, and their lamb is raised in New Mexico.  I am really looking forward to trying the lamb.  Take a look and their website and drool.  It is really worth it.  And, here is a huge plus for me.  It can be a challenge to get to the grocery store with two kiddos and really do some detailed shopping.  It was so wonderful to know that I could have it delivered to my door and such a healthy product.