Slow Cooker Butter Beef

  Have you ever heard of Butter Beef? I must confess I hadn't heard of it, but of course as soon as I saw it, it started popping up on every feed. So I thought, "ok ok, I'll make it!"

 If you've never heard of it, it's literally just three ingredients: beef cubes, onion soup mix, and butter. That's it. Throw it all in a slow cooker, and there's dinner. Super simple, right? You can serve it over rice or wide egg noodles and it's absolutely delicious. SO easy!!! 

 Then I saw that it was wide open for one's own variations. Some people added mushrooms and bell peppers or other veggies. I decided to go with garlic, potatoes, and carrots for a beef stew vibe. It's delicious no matter which direction you choose. And it literally comes together in minutes.  

  Btw, full disclosure, I saw it on several different websites, so I have no idea whose recipe it is. One site called it "buttery beef," but it was basically the same thing. 

 Anyway, whether you serve it over noodles, or add potatoes and veggies, you definitely need to give this one a try! 

 

 

3 lbs beef cubes or stew meat

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 stick butter 

 

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. 

Cook on low for 7 or 8 hours. 

Serve over wide egg noodles or rice.  

 

 

Tips: 

The recipe calls for 3 lbs of beef, but since there's only one of me, I didn't want to cook that much meat. So I added 1 lb of baby carrots, 2 lbs baby potatoes, and some minced garlic. 

If you don't want to add any veggies and you don't want to cook 3 lbs of beef, just cut everything in half, and save the other half of the onion soup mix packet for next time. 

 

 

 

Joey's Slow Cooker Classic Meat Sauce

 

Now that the holidays are over, my first thought is to make a pot of something that slowly cooks all day. It's comforting, it warms you up from the inside, and the delicious aromas of an all day simmer remind me of my childhood. 

 I was feeling like something pasta, so I decided to do a classic meat sauce. Now, I know people often use the terms "meat sauce" and "Bolognese Sauce" interchangeably, but they're actually not the same thing. Bolognese starts with minced carrots and celery and onions and also has the addition of some sort of dairy. This is just your basic meat ragu with lots of tomatoes and dried herbs. So, similar, but not the same. 

 I didn't really follow a recipe, but realized I always make it the same way, so I decided to write it down this time. And like my Mom always said "Just put it in a pot and let it cook." Originally, I was gonna do it on the stove top, but then opted for the slow cooker. And then I served it up with some hearty rigatoni. It smelled fabulous as it was cooking all day, and it was just the thing after cleaning and un-decorating all day. 

 And OMG it was so delicious!! And it's so easy, even the cooking novice can do it. It's a good all-around classic sauce to have in your cooking repertoire. Whether you cook it in the slow cooker or on the stove top, give this one a try!

 

 

 

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground Italian sausage (mild, hot, or half of each)
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 15oz can tomato puree
1 6oz can tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 or 2 small bay leaves
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
Handful of grated Parmesan cheese


Brown the meat in a saucepan, breaking it up as it cooks. Meanwhile add all other ingredients to your slow cooker.
When the meat has mostly browned, drain any excess fat, then add it to the pot.
Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Remove lid for the last hour of cooking time to let the sauce reduce a little. Serve over rigatoni, tagliatelle, or tortellini. Top with more grated cheese, if desired. 

 

 

Tips:

If you decide to do it on the stove, just keep the heat very low, and give it a stir every so often to make sure it's not burning on the bottom. 

For an even richer depth of flavor, add about a cup of red wine. Full disclosure, I thought of adding it after the sauce was already finished, but I'll definitely remember it for next time. 

I like to do a mixture of ground beef and sausage, but you can absolutely do all of one or the other. I like to include the sausage because it really seasons the sauce. If you choose to omit the sausage and do just beef or any other kind of ground meat, be sure to adjust your seasonings as needed. 

This is a perfect sauce to use when layering lasagna, just sayin'!

It can also be canned... Specifically, it must be pressure canned, since it contains meat. Processing times are 75 minutes for pints, and 90 minutes for quarts. Happy canning!

Joey’s Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

 

 

 

So, I have a slight confession to make. 
With all the cooking I do, I’m not really very fond of cooking things that are too fiddly. You know, like, filling dumplings, or rolling wontons, or making small individual appetizers. All those fiddly little things just seem to take forever. And who has the patience for that? Definitely not me. There. I said it. 
 So I was recently watching an old video of Martha Stewart and her mother cooking stuffed cabbage rolls. They were blanching and pulling apart the cabbage leaves, then filling them, then rolling them up like mini burritos. I thought “Looks delicious! Too fiddly. Don’t wanna make it.” 
And then I saw a few other videos where they took all the same ingredients, and then chopped them up together into a casserole, and I thought Yes! THAT’s the one I’m gonna make!” I mean, it’s gonna get chopped up anyway, right? 
 So I started looking at recipes for inspiration. I knew I wanted to add rice, and I knew I wanted to use condensed tomato soup instead of tomato puree because in my mind it’s supposed to have tomato soup. (I have no idea why this lives in my mind, or where I’ve ever had it like that, but I’m running with it.) Everything else just sort of fell into place, and of course there has to be cheese on top because.. well… it’s a casserole for crying out loud. (What kind of casserole doesn’t have cheese?)
 So there we have it. A delicious, hearty, fill you up kind of Sunday Dinner recipe that’ll feed a crowd, without all that fiddly stuff. 
Just exactly what I had in mind! Hope you give it a try!

 

 

 

 2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 lbs ground beef
1 tsp sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small head of cabbage, chopped (about 6 cups)
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 medium fresh tomato, diced
2 tbs brown sugar
1 cup beef stock
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 350ºF.
Heat olive oil in a very large skillet. Saute onions and garlic for a few minutes, then add the ground beef. Break up the ground beef as it cooks, until the meat has browned. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper. Now add the cabbage. Toss slightly, then cover so the cabbage will wilt a bit. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients except the cheese. Pour meat mixture and tomato mixture into a large casserole dish, gently tossing to combine. Cover with foil. Bake for about an hour. Remove from oven, remove foil, top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Let site for 10-15 minutes before serving. 




Tips:
This recipe makes a GIANT casserole. If you don’t have so many mouths to feed, you can easily cut this recipe in half. 
The amounts are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot! Want it to be sweeter? Add more brown sugar. Want it to be more savory? Add more paprika. You could even add a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce for an extra savory note. 
Yes, of course, you can easily use canned tomato sauce or puree instead of the soup. I just like the nostalgia of the slightly sweeter tomato soup in a cabbage roll recipe. You can also use any other kind of cheese instead of mozzarella. You do you!
Don’t have beef broth? Use any other kind you have. You could also do water and a bouillon cube or Better Than Bouillon. If you have nothing else, water is just fine. I just prefer to use broth or stock because it’s an opportunity to add more flavor!
If you want to make this ahead, just go as far as pouring everything into the casserole dish and covering with foil. Then just keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Easy!

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

 

 

  

 

One of my favorite things about summer is that I get to enjoy all of my favorite Jersey produce. I swear I go to the produce market at least once a week and buy TONS of fruits and veggies for canning and roasting and making jams, you name it. 
 So, recently, I had a bunch of bell peppers and figured I’d do something with them, but what? I thought, well, pepper steak is the obvious choice, right Then I realized…wait.. after all these years, do I not have a go-to pepper steak recipe??? What is going on??? Clearly I needed to remedy this!
 I was originally thinking of using my wok, but then I figured it would be a lot easier to just throw it into the slow cooker and let it cook all afternoon. Perfect! This is a  version of a recipe from All Recipes and it’s absolutely delicious. If you’re a fan of pepper steak, then this one is for you! Also, if you still don’t have a slow cooker, what are you waiting for? No time like the present!




2 lbs beef sirloin, London broil top round, or flank steak, cut into 2 inch strips
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced 
2 large green bell peppers, sliced
2 large red bell peppers, sliced
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp white or brown sugar
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
2 cups beef stock, divided
2 tbs corn starch

 

 

 

In a large skillet, over medium heat, sear the beef strips in oil until brown on both sides. Do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan. While the beef is searing, place all other ingredients in a slow cooker, except the beef stock and corn starch. After removing the last of the beef from the skillet, pour 1 cup of stock into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Add that liquid to the slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. After the cooking is done, make a slurry with the corn starch and remaining cup of beef stock. Add to slow cooker. Let it continue to cook and thicken. Serve over rice, riced cauliflower, or mashed potatoes. 



Tips:
This makes a very saucy pepper steak. If you’d prefer less sauce, just cut the stock down to 1 cup total.
If you’ve never tried riced cauliflower, you should! It’s as easy as buying any other frozen vegetable, and it absolutely works instead of rice, especially for those of us who happen to be counting carbs. Just sauté in a skillet with a little butter. Delish!

Joey' Meatball Stew

 

   So here’s what happened..
 I had just gotten home from work at the end of a long week, and tbh I really didn’t feel like cooking. My first thought was to order Chinese food, but then I thought, no, I have TONS of food in my house, lemme just see what I can throw together and use what I have. I started with a bag of meatballs. 

  Side note.. I was once told that it was SACRILEGE to use store bought meatballs. Yes, That was the word they used. Frankly it doesn’t mean that much to me, but if you want to make your own home made meatballs, who am I to stop you?
 Anyway, I knew I didn’t want to just do meatballs in tomato sauce. Then I thought maybe I’d do a variation on beef stew. So I threw some stew-ish ingredients into the pot, let it simmer, and here we are!
 Guess what?! It turned out great! I thought “why have I never done this before?” It was just basic items from the pantry, but it all came together so easily, ANYONE can make it. And then you can choose your own starch for serving. I did mashed potatoes, but it would be equally delicious over rice or wide egg noodles. So keep this one in your back pocket if you ever need an easy meal after a long week. 

You’ll be glad you did!

 

 

1 lb bag frozen soup-size meatballs, or your own
1 lb bag baby carrots
1 18oz jar beef gravy
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can whole corn, drained
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
Salt and pepper



Simply toss all ingredients into a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer. Let it cook for about 30-45 minutes or until carrots are tender. Give it a good stir from the bottom every now and then so it doesn't burn. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or wide egg noodles. 

Another idea:

For a Shepherd's Pie sort of vibe, pour this stew into a large casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese over all, then bake in a 350º oven until the gravy is bubbly and the cheese is all melted and ooey gooey.


Tips:
Using baby carrots means no peeling. Easy! If you want to speed up the cooking process, just par boil them for a few minutes before you drain and toss them into the stew.

Want to use sausage meatballs? Go for it!

Want to add a splash of red wine, Why not?
You could also cook this in a crock pot. I like to set it up at lunch time and then it’s ready by dinner time. Just toss everything in, and cook it on low for about 5 hours. Simple!

Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole

 

 OK, I have a confession to make. I absolutely love McDonald's. Like seriously, LOVE it. The fries, the Quarter Pounder with cheese, even the filet o'fish, and especially, the Big Mac. Frankly, I don't think I've ever met a fast food burger I didn't like. Back story... when I was little, it was always a special treat to stop and get McDonald's, so I always think of it that way. Is it terrible for you? Probably. But so is ice cream. And fried foods. And chocolate cake. But I'm certainly not giving up any of that. Everything in moderation, right?  Now, as an adult, I still think of having McDonald's as a treat, reserved only for when I go on a vacation involving long drives, or sometimes as a matter of convenience when I'm hopping between theme parks.

  And then I saw this casserole on a tiktok video. I wish I could remember whose it was, but I forgot to note who posted it, or whose recipe this is. But all I could think was "I'm making this!" Of course, true to form, I didn't leave the recipe alone. I tweaked it ever so slightly, just to make it that much better.

 It has all the flavors of a Big Mac, and you'll know it as soon as you taste your first bite. It's super simple to make, and it feeds a crowd too. And when you're shopping for ingredients, you don't even have to write anything down. All you need to do it sing the jingle.. "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a ses'me seed bun!" 

You sang it with me , didn't you..LOL 

Love it. Enjoy!

 

 

 

1 bag frozen tater tots
1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cup Thousand Island dressing
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
1 onion, finely minced

Velveeta or American cheese
Sesame seeds
Shredded lettuce, for serving

 

Arrange tater tots in one layer across the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
Place in oven. Turn on oven to 350ºF. Let it heat up to crisp the tots slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together browned beef, dressing, pickles, and onions. 

Remove dish from oven.  Add a layer of sliced or shredded cheese over the tater tots.
Now pour the beef mixture over the cheese.
Do another single layer of tater tots, then another layer of cheese.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly and heated through.

Serve with some shredded lettuce over the top, and maybe a little ketchup on the side.

 

 

 

Tips:

The original recipe included ketchup and mayonnaise in addition to the Thousand Island dressing, and it also included sweet pickle relish instead of dill pickles. First, the dressing and relish used together made it too sweet. And I'm pretty sure they use dill pickles on a Big Mac, so I switched the relish to dill pickles. Second, it seemed like A LOT of "special sauce" to add ketchup and mayonnaise in addition to the dressing. That just seemed kind of redundant to me. Of course, as I always say, if you like a lot, add a lot, and you know I also say more is more, but in this case, I don't think it needs so much. And finally, I added an extra layer of cheese as I was layering, I sprinkled it with sesame seeds before I baked it, and I served it with shredded lettuce on top, since this was not even included in the original recipe. I mean, come on, it's in the jingle! It needed to be there! 

Oh! and one more thing.. if you love pickles as much as I do, try serving this with a little Heinz Pickle Ketchup instead of regular ketchup on the side. It's so good!

Slow Cooker Korean Beef

 

 

  This year, the Summer Olympics are being held in Paris, France. So, naturally, I decided to host a party to celebrate! Actually, we used to have parties all the time to celebrate the Olympics Opening Ceremonies, but it's been a while. So I decided to bring it back this year. It's always so exciting to see the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, and of course The Parade of Nations (Tonga's shirtless flag bearer anyone??)

  So, in addition to having several screens for viewing, my party will also feature a smorgasbord of different international foods. Normally, I would choose just a few things for a cohesive menu, but for this party, all bets are off. It'll be a huge variety of International foods for everyone to sample. I've already decided on a few things.. but I'm still looking for other recipes to include. And that brings me to this one!!!

 OMG... I need to say right off the bat that this is one of my favorite dishes that I've made in quite a long time! It's sweet, it's savory, and it has HUGE flavor. I found it on a website called The Recipe Critic, and it's SUPER easy to throw together. I did tweak it ever so slightly, just because I thought the soy sauce and the brown sugar were just slightly too much, and this is a better balance. But other than that, it's perfect!!!! Seriously, I couldn't stop eating it. So, there we go! I think this wins a place on the Olympic Menu! Hmm.... which other countries to feature? Definitely some Italian and German dishes ... and, of course, France! Maybe I'll make some French pastries for dessert.... Hmm.. So many options! 

1-2 lbs London Broil, Flank, or Skirt Steak
2 tbs baking soda
2 tbs toasted sesame oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce

1 cup beef broth

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup corn starch
Sesame seeds and sliced scallions for garnish

  Using a very sharp knife, slice the meat against the grain into small bite-sized pieces. Place the slices in a bowl, sprinkle with baking soda. Toss well. Cover and place the bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 

In the meantime, in a slow cooker, stir together the toasted sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, chopped onions, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Remove the beef from the fridge. Rinse the beef very well under cold running water. Use a clean tea towel to pat dry. Now toss the beef strips with cornstarch and add to the slow cooker. Stir until well coated with mixture. Set your slow cooker to low, cook for 5-6 hours.  Serve over rice.
Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.



Tips:
-- Be sure to marinate the beef in the baking soda as directed. This technique is called "velvetting" , and it's the key to making melt-in-your-mouth-tender beef.
--After your beef is cooked, if the sauce isn't thickened to your liking, mix a few more tablespoons of cornstarch in some COLD water. Stir it into the sauce, turn your slow cooker to high. It will gradually thicken.

 

 

Joey's Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef

 

 

    I was in the mood for a slow cooker kind of beef something. You know, like when you let it cook all day in the slow cooker until it just falls apart? Yes, that. But I wasn't feeling my usual go-to beef stew with potatoes and brown gravy vibe. So, I thought, why not do something fun and new? To be quite honest, my original thought was to do something with lots of toasted spices, sort of in an Indian inspired direction... with lots of onions, garlic, ginger, and garam masala. But then I took a quick inventory of my pantry ingredients and decided that a fabulous teriyaki might be the way to go. Ok then! We have our heading!

  Now, of course, it would be easy to just open up a bottle of purchased teriyaki sauce and call it a day, but I always have more fun making it home made, Don't you? I must admit that I only had a general idea of what goes in a good teriyaki sauce, but I figured , how hard can it be? I knew I wanted it to include pineapple juice and soy sauce, and I absolutely love the flavor of toasted sesame oil. I also figured it would probably have honey and brown sugar, but this was as far as I could go on my own. So I did what I always do! I started with those ingredients, googled a few recipes, took what I liked from each one, and made my own! I took one taste and YES! It turned out beautifully! Don't you just love when that happens? And it was super easy too. I just threw everything into the slow cooker, gave a stir, and let it cook all afternoon. You can't get much easier than that, right?  I thought of browning the beef before throwing it in, which would absolutely be fine, but I just wanted a quick set up an no extra dishes to worry about. THIS was it.

  Just set it up in the morning for an easy week night meal, or do like I did and make it for a fabulous Sunday supper. Pour it over some cooked white rice and you're good to go! Hope you'll give it t a try!

2 cups pineapple juice

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs toasted sesame oil

2 tbs Hoisin sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced 

3 scallions, sliced

2-3 lbs beef chuck, cubed 

 

 

For thickening the sauce:

2 tbs corn starch

2 tbs cold water or pineapple juice 

 

Garnish:

More sliced scallions

sesame seeds

Add all of your sauce ingredients into the insert of your slow cooker. Give it a good whisk until it's all well combined. Now add the scallions and beef cubes. Give it another stir until the meat is well coated. Cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. 

 When the beef is tender, stir together the corn starch and water (or juice, if using). Add to the sauce, and stir. If your slow cooker is on low, turn it to high, and let it cook for about 15-20 more minutes, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened. This is the perfect time to make the rice, so that everything is done at the same time. To serve, pour your beef and sauce over a mound of rice, add veggies on the side, garnish with more sliced scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired.

Tips:

 Be sure to adjust seasoning after it's cooked. Sometimes it needs more salt or soy sauce than you think it will!

  If you'd like to stretch the meal a little further, add some beautifully colorful steamed vegetables on the side. Some broccoli florets or sugar snap peas would be absolutely perfect. You can put them on for steaming around the same time as you cook the rice!

  You can use this same recipe for chicken as well. Just add your boneless chicken to the crock pot with your sauce, and cook it on low for about 6 hours. Then remove the chicken to thicken the sauce. While the sauce is thickening, you can shred the chicken and add it back to the slow cooker. Come to think of it, that would be FABULOUS in a lettuce wrap! Yum. 

  When you add the corn starch for thickening, be sure to stir it into COLD liquid (either the water or the juice) before adding it to a hot liquid. If you add it directly to the sauce, it will clump into little starchy blobs, and no one wants that!

Joey's Slow Cooker Bean and Beef Stew

 

 

  Whenever we transition from Summer to Autumn, my way of cooking changes too. Suddenly, we go from cookouts and grilling to making large pots of stews and soups. I'm immediately reminded of going back to school and then returning home to the intoxicating aroma of whatever my Mother had cooking on the stove that day. 

  This year, instead of a slow transition from warm Summer days into crisper Autumn nights, it seemed like Summer clocked out on its very last calendar day, and we jumped right into Autumn. I kept thinking "whoa, that was abrupt! Time to make a pot of stew!" And so, after thinking about it for a little while, I decided to find a new beef stew recipe for just a little variety. 

  As I was browsing recipes, I found a slow cooker recipe that had beans, beef, and potatoes. Nothing else, that was it, thrown into a crock pot. My first thought was "hmm....that's probably pretty bland." No seasonings, no aromatics, nothing. Just beans, beef, and potatoes. OK, lets build on this, shall we? I bought a few ingredients, and got down to business. I started throwing things into the slow cooker, and before I knew it, I had basically just made a tweaked version of my beef stew, with the addition of baked beans. OK! Lets run with it and see where it lands!

  HOLY BEEF STEW, Batman! Why have we never added beans to beef stew before?? It's fabulous!! Not only does it add body to the sauce, it adds a fabulous, almost velvety texture to the gravy. I thought, "oh this would be perfect with some freshly baked corn bread!" Yum!

 I threw it together and let it cook overnight, just because I knew I would want it for earlier in the day, and then it occurred to me that this would be the perfect plan for your Trick or Treaters. 

 When I was growing up, my Mother always had a huge pot of something cooking on the stove all day for Halloween. It was great because we had a houseful of kids, all coming and going at different times, and this was the perfect thing whenever we returned home. It was love in a bowl, and it always warmed us right up. Plus, Mom always said it was easier because there was no worry of trying to fix dinner while answering the door all day giving treats to the neighboring ghouls and goblins. 

So, prep this the night before Halloween, let it slow cook all night, and you'll be ready for the next day. Keep this recipe handy for winter too. It'll warm you up on the snowiest of days!!
If you like beef stew and/or baked beans, you must give this a try!!!

2 lbs stewing beef cubes

1-2 lbs baby red potatoes, halved

1-2 lbs baby carrots

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 28oz can pork and beans

1 10oz jar beef gravy

1 1/2  tsp dried thyme leaves

2 tbs soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 heaping tbs corn starch

1/4 cup cold water

If the beef cubes are large, cut them in half. 

Place all ingredients except the cornstarch and water in a large slow cooker. Cover.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours. 

In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch and cold water to make a slurry. 

Add to the stew. Gently stir to combine.

The sauce will gradually thicken. 

Serve with corn bread, or a hearty crusty bread with lots of butter. 

Tips:

-For an extra added campfire vibe, add about a 1/2 cup of your favorite smokey BBQ sauce. If everyone isn't keen on BBQ sauce, just add a little to your bowl when serving!

-I mentioned cutting the beef cubes in half because I believe they should be bite sized. Sometimes, they leave them in such giant chunks, you can barely even fit them in your mouth! They need to be cut down.  

-Using baby potatoes and baby carrots eliminates the need for peeling and cutting. So much easier! I do like to cut the potatoes in half, though, because of that whole bite sized thing again. Plus, I like the way the look when they're cut in half!

-The amounts of beef, carrots, potatoes, and onions are up to you. I like a lot of potatoes and carrots, so I added 2 lbs of each. Plus adding more potatoes and carrots will make the meal go further! You can literally feed your entire family and only use one little pound of beef. The kids will never know!

-When choosing your brand of baked beans, just go for the basics. There are a million kinds from honey to brown sugar to maple and on and on. In this case, you don't want them to be too sweet. Just the plain original baked beans here. 

-Usually I would use fresh thyme, but in the case of something cooking over a long period of time, I think the dried is just fine. 

-Btw, one of the key ingredients is the soy sauce. You don't really taste it, but it gives you that little bit of savory umami flavor that you want in a beef stew. If you don't have soy sauce, a little Worcestershire sauce or a sprinkle of MSG will do the same thing.

-And as always, when a recipe says "add salt and pepper to taste", it really needs more salt than you think it does. A little sprinkle across the top of the pot isn't gonna cut it. I'm not saying to add a HANDFUL of salt, but you should definitely add a good 2-3 teaspoons of salt and a good teaspoon of black pepper for a whole pot of stew. Did you ever wonder why food at a fancy restaurant always tastes so good? It's because they use enough salt!!! True story.

 

Joey's Brunswick Stew

 

Have you ever heard of Brunswick Stew? 

Basically, it's a very thick tomato based stew, with lots of beans and vegetables, and usually several different kinds of meat. It's a very Southern BBQ type of thing, and back in the day, it was a way to use up leftover smoked meats, briskets, and such. The taste is a perfect combination of smokey, spicy, and just a little bit sweet.

 Most recipes claiming authenticity call for squirrel or rabbit meat, but chicken, pork, and beef are also common ingredients. (personally, I think I'll skip the squirrel and rabbit. ) A debate currently exists as to whether Brunswick Stew was actually originally made near the town of Brunswick, Georgia, or in Brunswick County in southern Virginia. The main difference between the Georgia and Virginia versions has been the types of meat used. The Virginia version tends to favor chicken as the primary meat, while the Georgia version tends to favor pork and beef. As there is no "official" recipe, some variations have chicken, pork, beef, and other types of meat, all in the same recipe. Pretty much everyone makes it the way they like it. So there are probably as many recipes for Brunswick Stew as there are recipes for Italian Sunday Gravy. Every house makes it the way they like it, using whatever they have on hand. 

 So guess what I did? The same thing I always do! I looked at several different recipes, decided what I liked from each one, and then made my own! I noticed that all the recipes seemed to have tomatoes, corn, and lima beans in them, and many have BBQ sauce or ketchup and a little shot of hot sauce too. It all sounds wonderful to me, so I was sure to include them. 

 Originally, I was thinking this would be the perfect thing to warm you up if you're out in the subfreezing weather, but then I thought this would also be a great thing to make for a Super Bowl Party or Olympics Watch Party, or any other choose your own TV Event party. How perfect is that? Instead of doing a pot of chili, how 'bout this instead? Bake up some corn bread muffins, or some buttermilk biscuits and you're good to go!  Oh, one more thing.. If you're a novice cook, this recipe is for you! All you do is dump everything into the pot and let it cook! Easy peasy! Hope you like it!

 

 

 

4 slices bacon, cut into lardons 

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 large cans crushed or diced tomatoes

1/4 cup brown sugar 

1 cup of any favorite BBQ sauce 

1 tbs hot sauce, or to taste

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce 

1 tsp ground black pepper 

1 tsp kosher salt

2 cans cream style corn

2 cups whole kernel corn, yellow and/or white, fresh, canned, or frozen

2 cups lima beans, canned or frozen

2 cups diced carrots, fresh, canned, or frozen

2 cups peas, fresh, canned, or frozen

4 cups of stock, chicken, beef, vegetable, whatever you have

your choice of cooked meat, diced or shredded, as much as you like

Place bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Slowly let the fat render for a good 5 minutes, giving it a stir every so often. Add the diced onion to the bacon. Saute until the onions begin to soften. Now add all the remaining ingredients. If you're using canned vegetables, no need to drain them. Just pour it all in. That's all there is to it! Increase the heat and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat down to a simmer. Let it simmer for about an hour. Serve it with corn bread, buttermilk biscuits, or poured over a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes.

Tips/Options:

This is one of those stews that can go in any direction. Use whatever kinds of veggies you like, and add as much or little as you like of each kind. Instead of doing individual veggies like I did, you can just add a couple bags of mixed frozen veggies and call it a day. I just happened to have my own home canned veggies, so that's how I roll. Just be sure to include corn, lima beans, and tomatoes. They're the classics!

You can add diced potatoes, if you like, but I like the idea of serving it over a starch, like biscuits or mashed potatoes, but you do you! 

The one thing that makes this specifically a Brunswick Stew and not just any regular vegetable stew is the addition of BBQ sauce. It adds that hit of sweet smokiness that gives you a nice BBQ flavor. Basically all the other ingredients are negotiable.

Want to pump up the heat? Add crushed red pepper flakes, or a diced hot pepper of choice. 

Want to make it vegetarian? (Yes, that's actually a thing) Just leave the meat out and use a veggie stock.

Want it to be a little more smokey? Add a smoked ham hock or smoked meat of your choice. Or you could even just add a few drops of liquid smoke. 

This makes quite a pot of stew. Have fewer mouths to feed? Cut everything in half. Or just freeze half of it in containers! Giant crowd to feed? Double everything!

Sloppy Joe Biscuit Casserole

 

 

  Lately with all the sub-freezing temperatures, I've been thinking that I'd like to have some sort of casserole. Maybe something saucy on the bottom and bread on the top. I remember the chili bread casserole I did about a million years ago which had chili on the bottom and then corn bread baked right on top of it. Hmm... possibly. And then after a brief browse through the fridge and pantry, I saw that I have a can of Pillsbury biscuits and a few cans of Sloppy Joe sauce. oooooh NOW we're talking. Sloppy Joe on the bottom and biscuits on the top? Yes please! What's not to love?

 So I did a quick google search to see what similar ideas were out there. I immediately found a recipe on a blog called This Is Not Diet Food. Ok then! That'll work!

 So, the original recipe made the sauce from scratch, adding ketchup and brown sugar, etc. I opted to use my home canned Sloppy Joe sauce, since I happened to have it, but I'm sure the results are similar. You could even use your favorite store bought sauce like Manwich, and it'll be perfect. The basic recipe is still there. Tweak it however you like, and use what you have on hand. I'm sure it will still turn out great! It's definitely just the thing to have after you come in from being out in the cold!

 

 

 

2 lbs lean ground beef 

1 cup yellow onion, diced 

1 bell pepper, any color, diced

2 cups homemade or store bought sloppy joe sauce

1 cup French fried onion rings

2 cups shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend 

12 oz Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits

 

 

Heat oven to 375ºF. 

Place ground beef in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and peppers to the pan with the ground beef. Crumble the ground beef well as it cooks. When the ground beef is completely cooked, turn off the heat and drain the excess grease from the pan. Add sloppy joe sauce to the beef mixture. Add the French fried onions. Stir well until everything is coated in sauce. Pour the sloppy joe mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. Open the package of biscuits and cut each one into 6 pieces. Place the biscuit pieces on top of the cheese, spacing them out as evenly as possible. Place the dish in the oven and bake the casserole until the biscuits are nicely browned. 22-25 minutes. Serve with a nice salad or veggie on the side and enjoy!

 

 

Tips:

Sometimes I like to mix things up by doing a pound of ground beef and a pound of bulk sausage.  Want to add some heat to it? Add a diced jalapeno pepper. Want it to be a little sweeter? Add 1/4 cup each of brown sugar and ketchup. Want it to be more savory? Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Don't have ketchup? Use canned tomato sauce. Make it however you like it!

 

 

Easy Slow Cooker Mushroom Pot Roast

 

 

 

 Full disclosure, I’m not really sure of where I found this recipe. There are similar versions of it bouncing around the interwebs with just a slight variation here or there. Some add wine, some add potatoes or carrots, etc.
 With mine, since I was going in a decidedly mushroom direction, I added a jar of my home canned mushrooms. I was originally gonna serve it with mashed potatoes, but I decided to just go with some roasted carrots, potatoes, asparagus, and some pickled beets (which I LOVE). There’s really no wrong way to do it, and it couldn’t be easier to do. If you can open a can of soup, you can make this recipe. It’s that easy!! And if you don’t own a slow cooker, this is the perfect reason to buy one! Your family will love you for it!!!

 

 

 

 

1 4-5 lb chuck roast

1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix

2 (10 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup

 

optional:

1 lb baby carrots

1 lb baby potatoes, halved

canned mushrooms, as much as you like

splash of red wine

Spray inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the pot roast in the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cover. Cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. That's all there is to it!

Tips:

To make a thicker gravy, remove the cover for the last hour of cooking. 

Instead of adding potatoes to the crock, serve your roast over a pile of mashed potatoes. YUM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Hash

 

 

  So, it’s the night before Halloween, I have my bowls of candy ready for my Trick or Treaters, and I’m trying to decide what kind of casserole or soup I might make for Halloween the next day.  As I always do, I did some googling, but then I also did a few searches on Youtube.
 Well, I happened upon a channel that was taking part in a slow cooker collaboration, where a different channel would post a slow cooker recipe each day for the month of October, or rather Crocktober, as they were calling it. . So this recipe comes from a channel called Souper at 60. I thought, “oh that sounds simple enough,” so I decided to give it a try. I know, I know, why post a Halloween recipe AFTER Halloween is over? Well, I figured this would be a good one to make anytime and not JUST for Halloween. It turned out great! Very easy to do, no muss, no fuss, and it tasted great, especially with a little extra ketchup over the top. Very cheeseburger-ish. What’s not to love?
 So, the next time you’re looking to feed a crowd, give this one a try. Very delicious, and worth sharing, even on the day AFTER Halloween!



1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 10oz can cheddar cheese soup
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
2 tbs brown mustard
2 tbs ketchup, plus more for serving
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 (30oz) pkg frozen  hash brown potatoes
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Brown beef in large skillet. Add onion, cheddar cheese soup, sweet relish, mustard, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until blended. Arrange 1/2 bag of potatoes in bottom of sprayed crockpot. Top with 1/2 meat mixture. Sprinkle 1 1/2c shredded cheese 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Repeat layers beginning with remaining potatoes and beef. Sprinkle with 1/2 c cheese, and remaining salt and pepper. Cover: Cook on low 3 to 4 hours OR on High for 2 hours. Top with additional ketchup and green onion, if desired.


Tips:
Be sure to drain any excess fat from the pan after you brown the meat. Otherwise, you might wind up with a very greasy dish (depending on the fat content of your ground beef).
The pkg of ground beef that I used was more than a pound, so I wound up doubling everything except the potatoes and cheese. it turned out fine!
Be sure you season it to your taste as you layer. I found that it definitely needed more salt on the potato layer.
I added some diced red bell pepper to the party, and I also did half Cheddar and half Mozzarella cheese, just because I happened to have some on hand. Feel free to tweak it to your heart’s content!

Joey's Slow Cooker Hoisin Beef Stew

 

 

Lately I’ve really been in the mood for a nice hearty beef stew. Maybe it was the recent blast of cold air, maybe it’s because I haven’t had it in a while. Maybe it’s because a new house immediately smells like home when you have a slow cooker of beef stew cooking all day.
 Whatever the reason, I started looking at new and different beef stew recipes, and I saw a few Asian inspired recipes that use Hoisin Sauce as a base. I thought “OK now THAT sounds fabulous.” It reminded me of when my sister, Cathy, and I decided to make our own Hoisin sauce (which was fabulous, btw. I think we need to do that again, Sis!) This time, I just used jarred sauce, which is perfectly fine. Of course, I didn’t follow just one specific recipe. I took what I liked from a few different recipes and made my own. It turned out perfectly!!
 The other thing I like about this recipe is that you can prep it the night before, keep the insert chilled in the fridge overnight, and then place it in the slow cooker in the morning. All that’s left is making the rice for dinner! Easy peasy!
I’m definitely adding this one to the repertoire!




3-4 lbs beef chuck cubes
3 large carrots
4-6 large scallions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
8 oz fresh or frozen sugar snap peas
2 cups jarred (or homemade) Hoisin Sauce
Pinch of Kosher salt
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Cooked rice for serving
Sesame seeds for garnish, optional


In a large skillet, add a few glugs of vegetable oil and place over medium high heat. Arrange beef cubes in one layer. Do this is batches so as not to crowd the pan. Resist the urge to stir them! Just let them brown on one side to a deep dark brown. Turn the pieces over, and brown on the other side. As the pieces brown, remove them to a slow cooker. Repeat with remaining beef cubes.
 While the beef is browning, peel and slice the carrots, slice half of the scallions, and add them to the slow cooker along with the Hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add a half cup of water to the now empty saute pan, and place over high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the browned pits that are stuck to the pan, and add to the slow cooker. Give everything a good stir until well coated with the sauce. Cover and cook on low for about 7-8 hours. You could also cook on high for 3-4 hours. Add the snap peas for the last hour of cooking. When everything is finished cooking, top with remaining chopped scallions. If you’d like a thicker stew, just add a couple tbs of corn starch or tapioca starch to about 1/2 cup cold water, then stir it into the hot stew. Let it continue to cook until it becomes rich and thick and glossy. Serve over rice. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired.




Tips:
When you’re browning your beef cubes, really take the time to do it properly. Be patient! This is not a time for taking short cuts. And when I say not to crowd the pan, I mean it! There should be space between them. And I know you want to stir them around. Don’t do it! Resist the urge! Just put them in the pan, and don’t touch them. You want a nice dark sear. And if you try to turn them over and they’re stuck to the pan, it means they’re not ready yet. They’ll release from the pan when they’re ready.
This brings me to my next tip: Unless it’s the only kind of pan you have, don’t use a nonstick pan. You really want all the bits to brown on the pan. They add so much flavor!
 Don’t have snap peas? Use snow peas instead. Don’t like peas at all? Leave ‘em out! Want more carrots? Go for it! You do you!
One other tip.. when you’re making rice… saute some chopped onions or scallions in a little oil… then add the rice to the pot. Stir to combine. And here’s the real tip: Use chicken broth instead of water to cook the rice. Game changer! Best. Rice. Ever.

Joey's Unstuffed Pepper Casserole

 

 Usually at the start of the new year, I like to do recipes that are warm and hearty and comforting. Nothing does that like a casserole, am I right? But right after the holidays, I’m not so inclined to have a casserole that is so heavy you need to take a nap after you eat it.
 So that brings me to this one. It’s just like the classic stuffed peppers, but it’s all mixed up together in a casserole. It has the standard combo of beef and rice, and it cooks in a nice hearty tomato sauce that won’t weigh you down. Feel free to add more vegetables to it if you like! That’s the beauty of casseroles. You can  add anything that suits your fancy! Serve it up with a fresh crisp salad and you’re good to go! Enjoy!

 

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, (or more) minced
2 medium (or 1 large) bell peppers, chopped
1-2 cups cooked rice
1 29oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs sugar
salt and pepper to taste
chopped fresh basil to taste
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


Saute onions and peppers in a little oil in a large skillet. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess fat. In a large mixing bowl, combine beef mixture and remaining ingredients, adding only half of the cheese. Pour into a casserole dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover, top with remaining half of cheese. Bake another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.


Tips:
This is a great way to use up leftover rice whenever you order take out. Just sayin!
If you’re not a meat person, go ahead and swap out the beef for something else. You could do hearty chopped cremini mushrooms, or any other vegetable, or choose your own protein!
Btw, the sugar is there just to offset the acidity of the tomatoes. Plus I do like a slightly sweet tomato sauce on my stuffed peppers. Same idea!
Don't have mozzarella? Use Cheddar instead!

Spiced Apple Chili

  What? Apples in CHILI? I know. I know. It sounds crazy, but just go with me on this one. Have I ever lied to you before? Seriously, it's one of the best chilis I've ever tasted! The apples bring a little hint of sweetness to the party, and the warm spices round everything out. So, with all the apples and cinnamon, you're probably thinking "does it taste like apple pie?" Nope! Not at all! It just tastes like a fabulous bowl of chili with a tiny little tweak, that's all. And the apples bring a heartiness to the dish, kind of in the same way that potatoes do in a beef stew. It's super easy to make too! You brown the beef and then basically just throw everything in the pot and let it simmer. It's ready in about an hour! Easy, right? Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the recipe is from Taste of Home, so you know it's tried and true and test kitchen approved. It's just plain delicious! I like mine with shredded Cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, but you do you!

 
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder (or more)
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 cups beef broth
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 can (15oz) red kidney beans, undrained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Optional toppings: shredded white cheddar cheese, diced red onion



 In a Dutch oven, cook and crumble beef with onion over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain. Add tomato paste, spices, and garlic; cook and stir over medium heat 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and broth until blended. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, until apples are tender and flavors are blended, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with toppings as desired.



Tips:
One of the things I love about this recipe is the balance of spices. Each one is definitely in the show, but nobody steals the spotlight. The amounts are exactly spot on. The only thing I might do differently is to add a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes for a little spicy hit. I don't like to burn my face off with heat, but just a little spicy poke is pretty nice.
Btw, this would be FABULOUS on a hot dog. Is anyone else thinking Halloween dinner? Who's with me?

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

  Every year, when the weather begins to change from Summer to Fall, my first thought isn't just the change of seasons, but also the change of MENU! Yes of course, I love all the warm spices, (I love pumpkin spice everything!) But more than anything, I start to think of casseroles! Warm, homey, satisfying, stick to your ribs, cheesy, creamy casseroles! Now, usually, this is when I'm already testing casserole ideas for Thanksgiving, but this time I thought "Lets do an easy midweek dinner casserole before we start thinking about holiday family feasts." And that's exactly what we have here.
 This is my tweaked version of a recipe I found on a blog called Staysnatched.com.and it was just exactly what I had in mind. Cheesy, ooey gooey, and bacon. What's not to love?
 So if you're a cheeseburger lover, this one's for you. Added bonus, if you happen to be doing Keto or low carb, this one's for you too!



6 pieces of bacon
1 onion, chopped
2 lbs ground beef
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz cream cheese
Pepper to taste
4 eggs
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 tbs mustard
1 cup milk
Ketchup and dill pickles for serving


Heat oven to 350ºF.
In a large skillet, saute strips of bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside on paper towel to drain.
Add chopped onions to skillet. Saute in bacon fat until they begin to soften. Add ground beef. Cook and stir, breaking up the beef until it's brown. Remove excess fat. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and cream cheese. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Add pepper to taste. Place beef mixture in a 9x13 pan. While the beef is cooking, in a separate bowl, combine eggs, cheese, mustard, and milk.
Spread over beef mixture.
Bake 20 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10-15 minutes.  Serve with a squeeze of ketchup and a few dill pickles.



Tips:
The thing that makes this taste like a cheeseburger is the Worcestershire sauce. So be sure to include it! Well, that, and the mustard and ketchup. I actually debated on whether or not to add the ketchup right into the casserole, but opted to serve it alongside the casserole with the dill pickles. This way, you can add as much or as little ketchup as you like. Full disclosure, I like to serve it with an extra little squeeze of mustard as well!
For a little variation, you can swap out half the beef for mild Italian sausage. Just remove it from the casings, or buy bulk sausage that has no casing.You could also swap American cheese for the Cheddar. You do you!
One of the key steps to this recipe is removing the excess fat after browning the meat. The first time I made it, I didn't think there was so much fat from the beef and bacon, so I just left it in. Then I added all the full fat cheeses (and originally heavy cream too, instead of milk, if I'm being completely honest). The final product was... well, let's just say Chef Anne Burrell would have called it The Exxon Valdez. If your final product turns out to be too oily, don't fret! Just place a few layers of paper towel on top of your casserole and they'll absorb the excess oil. No one needs to know!
 BTW, the original recipe even suggests serving it as a breakfast option. OOO I bet it's great topped with a sunny side egg. Mmmmm Who's with me?

Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles

  Well, once again, I'm turning to my trusty slow cooker for a delicious time saving meal. What can I say? I love slow cookers! Actually, I think "obsessed" is probably a better word. How obsessed? Well, frankly, I don't have just one slow cooker or even two. I have a collection of EIGHT slow cookers, all in different sizes, and I use all of them!! I've literally made an entire Turkey Dinner using only slow cookers, including the turkey! How fun is that??? But wait, we're getting off topic.. let's get back to the beef and noodles, shall we?
 This dish is so easy and delicious, it's an absolute must in your cooking repertoire. You just throw everything in the slow cooker and turn it on. It doesn't get much easier than that! And then at the end you just add some boiled noodles and frozen peas. So it's kind of like a beef stew with noodles sort of a vibe. It's definitely a no brainer for a Sunday dinner when you have errands to run all day. And now that we're back to school in full swing and we have a million schedules to manage, coming home from work to a slow cooker dinner is a midweek life saver. And even the cooking novice can handle it, no problem! It's very simple, but sometimes, that's what hits the spot.
 Oh, one other thing. This is another one of those recipe I saw about a million years ago, and then tucked away in my archive, but I have no idea where I found it. Maybe it was one of those food videos you see bouncing around the interwebs. Who knows? Anyway, I hope you try it!




1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef stew cubes, well-trimmed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup sliced white onion
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 10.75-ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (12oz) package egg noodles (cooked according to package directions on the stovetop)
2 cups frozen peas
Salt to taste



 Add the beef to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle the pepper, oregano, onions, and mushrooms on top. Spread the cream of mushroom soup over all. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. Toward the end of the cooking time, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain. Add the cooked noodles on top of the meat and sauce in the slow cooker. Add the peas. Stir until everything is combined, and let it continue to cook just a few more minutes until the peas are done. Add salt to taste and serve with warm crusty bread.




Tips:
So, when I made it, I used fresh oregano instead of dried. I think fresh thyme would be a lovely addition as well. Also I didn't even pay attention to the amounts. I used a little more than 2 lbs of beef, I used 2 big onions, (why? because I like a lot of onions!) I used a 10 oz pkg of cremini mushrooms, and a 10 oz box of frozen peas. Oh, and since I knew I was adding more than the original recipe, I added an extra can of condensed soup. Turns out this was a good idea!

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Beef

  When you think of barbecue, you usually think of firing up the grill, correct? Or if you're really hardcore, you think of firing up your smoker, am I right? Well, what do you do if you want something barbecue, but you live in an apartment with no way of grilling? You use your slow cooker, of course! That's usually my go-to when I want pulled pork, but this time I wanted to do a pulled BEEF.
 Now, normally, I would just pour some barbecue sauce over a chunk of meat and let it cook all day, but this time I kind of wanted to do a dry rub instead. Can you put a big beef in a slow cooker without any added liquid? Absolutely! For one thing, there will be a lot of juice from the beef itself. And for another thing, you really don't want to BOIL the beef in all that liquid. You just want it to slow cook in its own juices. And then, finally...FINALLY....., after patiently waiting for it to cook all day ... you pull apart the most tender beef you've ever cooked......  you add some barbecue sauce, just until it's enough, and then you serve it up on some fresh rolls with some cole slaw or potato salad and a crisp crunchy pickle spear.
OH. MY. GOD. Seriously, for me, that's Summer on a plate. All I need now is some Jersey corn and a few Jersey Tomatoes, and I'll be living like Royalty, wondering what the poor people are doing. SO GOOD! There's just nothing like it!
So, give it a try. If you're all about that beef, then this is one for you!


1 3-5 lb chuck roast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes
1 sliced onion
Barbecue sauce


Mix together the spices and brown sugar. Using your impeccably clean hands, rub the spice mixture all over the beef. Place beef in slow cooker. Top with onion slices. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. When the beef is falling apart, use two forks to shred it. Add your favorite barbecue sauce until it's as saucy as you like it.


Tips:
If there is quite a bit of juice, just remove a little before you add the barbecue sauce.

Joey's Loaded Tater Tot Casserole

 OK, so my original thought was not to make a casserole, but rather to make a party dip. I was looking for recipes to post for New Year's Eve, and I found a recipe for Tater Tot Dip. Ooo that sounds good, ok, let's run with it. But then I started thinking of a loaded baked potato, and I thought, "why not add bacon to it? Why not add broccoli to it? And scallions?" Suddenly my loaded dip was turning into a loaded casserole. So I figured I'd go with it! Turns out it was quite a happy accident because it's delicious! Serve it as an all in one casserole, or do what I did and serve it with a couple fried eggs on the side. FABULOUS. It's actually not as heavy as it might seem and you can definitely taste all the flavors.
 If you like a loaded baked potato, then you'll love this one! Maybe eventually I'll get back to finding just the right recipe for a tater tot dip!




1 (2 lb) bag frozen tater tots
1 lb ground beef
1/2 pound thick cut bacon
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3-4 scallions, plus more, chopped
1-2 cups cooked broccoli
16 oz container of sour cream
salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten


Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Cut up the bacon into small pieces. Place it in a saute pan, and slowly cook over medium heat until slightly crisp. Remove from pan and place in a large mixing bowl. Do the same thing with the ground beef, cooking until browned. Drain any excess fat and add to the bowl. Add the tater tots, 1 cup of cheese, and remaining ingredients to the bowl. Stir until well combined. Taste it and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Pour mixture into a large casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cup of shredded cheese over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven. Top with additional chopped scallions, if desired. Let it sit for a good 10 minutes before serving.



Tips:
Be sure to season it well. The potatoes are quite bland without a good pinch of salt and pepper. You can even use any favorite all purpose seasoned salt, if you'd like.
Feel free to swap out any of the ingredients to suit your likes or to use what you have on hand. Don't have any broccoli? Leave it out! Use what you have and make it your own!