Recipes

I love to roast meat.  It’s the easiest way to feed my family.  Usually just throw the meat in the oven and walk away for a few hours.  Who needs ’30 Minute Meals ‘ when you can have a 5 minute one?

 

Tomato Pot Roast -feeds 6

4 lb beef roast -we prefer blade

salt/pepper/garlic powder to taste

1 onion, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 t thyme

1-2 T cornstarch (optional)

Sprinkle the roast with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  In a skillet, brown roast (about 3 min a side).  Put roast in your casserole.  In skillet add onions and other vegetables and saute.  Add in tomatoes and thyme.  Carefully pour over roast.

Put on lid and simmer 325 F for 3 hours.  You could add potatoes for the last 30 minutes, but we don’t like them that way.  Instead I tossed some in the oven to bake for the last 90 minutes.  I also dissolve the cornstarch with a bit of water and add for the last few minutes because I like a thicker ‘sauce’.

Here’s another favourite.  I like to make this when we have leftover steak or chicken.

Steak Pizza

pizza dough –this is our favourite

cooked steak or chicken -amount depends on size of pizza

BBQ sauce -we like Diana’s chicken and rib sauce

shredded mozzarella

Can’t get easier than that??  Roll out your pizza dough the way you like -individual or one big pizza.  Cover with BBQ sauce.  Thinly slice/shred the meat.  Sprinkle with cheese.  If I had the time to caramelize some onions, they would be good on here too but I always seem to think of them too late.

Bake 350F for 30 min.

One last recipe.  I’m not sure where this originated but it’s all over the internet so I thought I’d share my version too.

KFC Inspired Chicken

chicken thighs -mine was a package of 12

2 c flour                                             3 1/2 t paprika

1 t salt                                                1 t pepper

1 t sage                                              1 t oregano

1 t tarragon                                     1 t parsley

1/2 t thyme                                     1 t chives (dried)

1/2 t garlic powder                      1/2 t onion powder

1/4 t celery seed

Combine all the dry ingredients in a plastic bag.  Add chicken a couple at a time and shake to cover.  You could dip the chicken in beaten egg first, but I found the coating stuck just as well to the plain skin (and I was being lazy that day).  Put in a roasting pan, skin side up.  You could use a wire rack in the pan to help with the fat.

Roast 350F for 1 hour

This chicken didn’t taste ‘exactly’ like KFC.  I don’t think you ever can recreate commercial recipes.  BUT this sure made some tasty chicken and you can be sure we’ll be making this recipe again and again.

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More Recipes

I forgot to share my meatball recipe yesterday.  Well the sauce is my Auntie Edna’s recipe but she used store-bought meatballs.  I make my own and just add them straight to the sauce (no pre-browning).

BBQ Meatballs

1lb ground beef                              1 sm. onion, chopped fine

1/2 c bread crumbs                      1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 c milk                                         salt & pepper
Saute onions and add to other ingredients.

Sauce:

1 1/2 c ketchup                             3/4 c brown sugar

3T mustard                                       3 T vinegar

Mix up sauce in casserole dish.  Form meat into small balls and drop directly into sauce.  Cover and bake 350F for about 1 hour.

Grandma always likes when I make mashed potatoes to go along with BBQ meatballs.  Personally, since the oven is on for an hour, it’s the perfect time to make baked potatoes or scalloped potatoes.

If you have the time, make these to go with the meatballs:

Garlic Parmesan Bread Sticks -makes 2 1/2 doz.

Dough:

1 T yeast                                   1 1/2 c warm water

4 T butter                                1 T sugar

pinch salt                                4 c flour

Topping:

1/2 c butter, melted

4T Parmesan                        2 T dried parsley

1 1/2 T garlic powder (not garlic salt)

Mix the dough ingredients to make a soft dough.  Let rest 10 minutes.

Combine the topping ingredients.

Roll out dough about 15×15 inches.  Carefully transfer to a lined baking sheet.  Cut in half, then cut into 1 inch strips.  Spread with topping mixture.

Bake 350F for 18-20 minutes.

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Busy Day

Trying to get the laundry caught up again.  Also did some more baking.  I had mashed potatoes in the fridge needing used, so I tried the Potato Rolls from Mennonite Girls Can Cook.   This is half the recipe and they were DELICIOUS!!  I will definitely be making these again.  Not only do they use leftover potatoes but they use a bunch of eggs too.  Always handy when I’m overwhelmed with eggs.

Tonight’s supper is a new recipe for us but an old, old recipe.  For the beefsteak pie I used blade steaks cut into pieces, always a good choice for stew-type dishes because it cooks up so tender.  As expected, Ella didn’t like it (it has ‘sauce’) but Daddy liked it a lot.

 

Beefsteak Pie

1 1/2 lb steak, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 c cornstarch                                        1 t salt

1/4 t pepper                                                 1/4 t dry mustard

enough instant beef stock for 2 cups (eg, 2 cubes Bovril)

2 c water                                                      3 carrots, diced

2 onions, diced                                          2 potatoes, diced

Mix all the dry ingredients together and dredge meat.  Brown meat in a bit of fat.  Put into a 3qt baking dish.  Add beef broth and water.  Cover and simmer 250F for 1 1/2 hours.  Add diced vegetables and turn oven up to 300F.  Cover and simmer another hour.

Mix together:

1 1/2 c flour                                                  1/4 t salt

3 t bk powder                                               1/4 c butter

3/4 c milk                                                      1/4 c grated cheese

Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter.  Add milk and mix gently to form soft dough.  Roll/pat out 1/2 inch thick.  Sprinkle with cheese and roll up like a jelly roll.  Cut into six 3/4 inch pieces.

Remove casserole from oven and turn up temperature to 450F.  When oven is ready put roll slices on top of stew.  Bake for 15 minutes until rolls are done.

 

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Recipes

This is our front door this morning.  It was -32C when Colin headed outside to head to the barn.  Our old front door is only a single pane of glass, so not too great in the winter.  It’s a good time to make some comfort food.  I thought I’d share some recipes:

Chili

2 lb ground beef                         2 can tomato soup (don’t dilute)

7 cans (19 oz) kidney beans -drain half  or use 4 cans kidney beans and 3 cans navy beans (drain navy beans)

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes (don’t drain)

6 onions, chopped

1 small jar sweet pimentos, chopped

6 T chili powder, or to taste

Brown beef and onions, drain if needed.  Add everything else.  Simmer over low heat for a few hours.  Stir fairly often.  Even better when made the day ahead.

Ranch Buns

make ranch spice from Niki’s blog

then make a batch of potato bread dough, adding in 1-2 T of ranch spice:

1/3 c potato flakes                      2 T yeast

2 c warm water                             1/2 c margarine

1 T salt                                              2 eggs, beaten

6 c flour                                            1-2 T ranch spice

Put in the bread machine in the usual order:  wet stuff first, then dry, then flour and yeast on top.  Let rise once.  This is also easy to make by hand.

Roll into golf ball sized balls and place in a greased cake pan (9×9 makes 16).  Let rise then bake 400F for 15 minutes.  Brush with melted butter then sprinkle with Parmesan.

Yummy brownies.  These brownies have a secret ingredient -oatmeal!  But you would never know if you didn’t tell anyone.  This is only half a batch, the recipe makes 9×13

Oatmeal Brownies

1 c oatmeal                        1 c butter

2 c boiling water              4 eggs

3 c brown sugar               2 t vanilla

2 t bk powder and bk soda

2 c flour                                 1 t salt

4 T cocoa

Mix oats, butter and water.  Let cool.  Add all other ingredients.  Pour into greased pan or pans.  Bake 350F for 40 minutes until done.

Chocolate Glaze

3/4 c sugar (brown or white)                1/4 c milk

2 T butter                                                       1/3 c mini marshmallows

1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Bring sugar, milk and butter to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add marshmallows and chips.  Stir till melted.  Let cool a bit.  Pour over cake or brownies.

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Recipes

Autumn Chowder –small recipe, double as needed

2 slices bacon, diced                 1 sm onion, chopped
1 med potato, diced                  1 carrot, sliced
1/2c water                                 3/4t chicken broth powder
1c milk                                      2/3 c corn
pepper to taste                          2 1/2t flour/cornstarch
2T water                                   3/4c shredded cheese

Cook bacon till crisp and set aside.  Saute onions in bacon fat.  Add potatoes, carrots, water and broth powder.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes till cooked.  Stir in corn, milk and pepper.  Cook another 5 minutes.  Mix flour and 2T water.  Stir into soup until thickened.  Remove from heat, add cheese and stir.  Sprinkle with bacon to serve.

Oven Beef Stew

1 lb stew beef                                           1/4 c flour

3 T oil                                                          1 t salt

3 T prepared mustard                          1 sm. can tomato paste

2 1/2 c water                                            1 sm. onion

3 carrots, sliced                                      10 oz frozen vegetables, like corn & peas

Dredge meat in flour.  Brown on all sides in oil.  Remove as browned and brown onions.  In remaining oil add flour, salt and mustard.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Then add the tomato paste mixed with water.  Stir constantly.  Pour over meat in oven-proof casserole.  Bake covered at 350F for 1 hour.   Add carrots and vegetables.  Bake another hour.

Potatoes can be added with the meat, but I prefer to cook them separately.  In fact, I made baked potatoes this time and it was a nice accompaniment.

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Recipes

When I roast a chicken I like to do a big one.  On the weekend my chicken weighed just over 9 pounds.  My dad saw it thawing on the counter and thought we were having turkey  🙂  I don’t see the point of all that mess if I can’t get more than one meal from it.  Now what to do with all that leftover chicken! First night we just reheat everything so it’s like roast chicken but then what? Make this leftover dish.

Leftover Chicken Casserole

Grease an 8 inch Pyrex baking pan, or the size to suit your family.

In a bowl cut up chicken into bite sized pieces, you’ll need enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Crumble in any dressing if you have it too. Pour in enough gravy to make it rather moist. Pour into prepared pan. Next layer in any leftover vegetables, or frozen. Then re-mash leftover potatoes with plenty of milk and butter. Spread this over the mixture in the pan.

Bake 350F for about 45 minutes. Add a salad and your done.

Lendenbraten

beef roast, any size
one envelope onion soup mix
water (an inch or so up roast)

Put everything in your roasting pan, cover, and roast 300F for 30 minutes/pound.  Remove roast to cutting board and put pan on stove top, adding more water if needed for volume of gravy.  Mix 2 T cornstarch into 1 cup sour cream.  Carefully stir in sour cream.  Stir till thick, but don’t boil.

Yum, yum.  I usually schedule french fries some time after making this roast -so good with this gravy.

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Recipes

Here’s a couple of my new favourite recipes.  And, other than the puff paste, I have all the ingredients in my house at any given time.  They are easy to make too.

Corn Chowder

makes about 8 cups
2 T butter or bacon fat
1 c chopped onion
1/2 t salt and pepper
1/4 t paprika
11/4 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced fairly small and cooked
2 c milk
2 14oz cans cream-style corn
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded -or to taste

Melt butter or bacon fat, add onion and cook until starting to caramelize but not too brown.  Add seasonings.  Add potatoes, milk and corn.  Stir until heated through.  But don’t boil.  Stir in cheese until melted.

If you have leftover potatoes this goes together really quickly.  It’s very yummy and freezes well.

I’ll mention one of my favourite kitchen ‘gadgets’.  It’s called the Simmer Mat and it’s from Lehman’s.  It allows me to simmer things, like cream soups, without having to worry about it sticking and burning.  My gas stove only goes down so low before it goes out, so the mat is heaven-sent.  I actually have 2  🙂

Bavarian Beef Pie

pastry for a 2 crust, 7-8 inch pie pan (I used a French tart shaped pan)

1 lb stew beef, cut into 1/2 inch cube
2 t oil and 1 T butter
1 small potato, cut into 1/2 inch cube
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 c shredded apple
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t flour
1 1/2 t beef bouillon granules
1 t parsley
1/8 t celery seed, dill weed, thyme, and pepper
1/2 c water

Brown beef in oil.  Remove.  Melt butter and saute onions, potatoes and apple for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in garlic and flour.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add seasoning, beef broth, beef, and water.  Cook and stir until thickened.

Pour into a pastry lined pie pan.  Cover with pastry.  Cut slits to let out steam.  Bake 375F for 30-35 min.

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Yum!

So I cooked the beef ribs the other day. My they were yummy and super easy.

I had a 4 lb rack, make sure you have more ribs than you think, they really cook down. Line a baking pan (I used a jelly roll/cookie sheet) with tin foil, use enough to wrap around the ribs. Sprinkle the ribs with the rub of your choice (I used Club House Garlic Plus). Wrap up the ribs and stick them in the oven at 250F for 3 hours. Then carefully open the tin foil and spread bbq sauce all over the ribs. Feel free to make your own but I usually buy Diana’s Honey Garlic sauce when it’s on sale. Gently close up the tin foil and continue to cook for another hour.

The meat was falling off the bone and the ribs were delicious. I made Garlic Cheese Bread from The Pioneer Woman and mashed potatoes and carrots.

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Russian Brisket

This is one of my favourite ways to do a pot roast.  I like that you just assemble and then toss in the oven until it’s done.  It’s excellent with roasted potatoes.  Grandma made this for my birthday.

Russian Brisket

4lb pot roast, I used a prime rib -just make sure you use something with a good marble

Put roast in roasting pan. Pour in water up to about 1 inch around meat.

Sprinkle around with onion soup mix, 3T brown sugar, and garlic powder to taste. Pour a 12oz bottle of chili sauce (like Heinz) over the roast. Cover tightly and roast for 2 1/2 hours at 350F. Uncover and continue to roast for 1 hour. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a bit of water.

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