southwest skillet chili mac

Ingredients:

olive oil – 2 tbsp

red onion – 1 medium, finely diced

green pepper – 1/2, finely diced

garlic cloves – 3, minced

beef – 1 pound (500 g), ground

chili powder – 1 1/2 tbsp

cumin – 1 tsp

cayenne pepper – 1/4 tsp

salt and pepper – use very generously

diced tomatoes – 1 15 oz (400 g) can, with liquid

tomato paste – 1 6 oz (140 g) can

water – 1 1/2 cups

corn – 1/2 cup, canned, drained

black beans – 1 15 oz (400 g) can, drained and rinsed

macaroni – 1 1/2 cups, uncooked

cheddar cheese – 1 1/2 cups, shredded

Instructions:

Heat the oil over medium low heat in a large cast iron skillet, dutch oven or oven-safe saute pan.

Add the onions and pepper and cook until beginning to soften – about 4 minutes then add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the ground beef, breaking it up well with a wooden spoon and cook until browned.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne and salt and pepper and mix well.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, corn, beans and macaroni – mixing well.

Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally – until the pasta is just tender.

Stir in half of the cheese, then sprinkle  the rest on top and put in the top third of your oven with the broiler on 400 F (200 C) and allow the cheese to brown, then serve.

Amazing Muffin Cups

Recipe published by Johnsonville and Egg-Lands Best brands.

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

Marinade:
5 cloves garlic, smashed
3 fresh bay leaves
2 carrots, peeled and halved
2 ribs celery, halved
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
One 750-ml bottle red wine, such as Burgundy
4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch chunks

Stew:
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces slab bacon, cut into lardons
1 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, quartered
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 to 4 cups beef stock
3 fresh bay leaves
1 bundle fresh thyme
1 pound red bliss potatoes, quartered
1/2 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish
Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

For the marinade: Combine the garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, onions and wine in a large bowl or container. Add the beef; cover and let sit in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight. (This is a really important step: it makes a huge flavor difference.)

For the stew: Remove the beef from the marinade. Strain the veggies and bay leaves from the marinade and discard. Reserve 2 cups of the marinade.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large, wide pan or Dutch oven with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and toss with the flour; do not flour the beef until you're ready to brown it. Add the flour-coated beef to the hot pan, but be sure to not crowd the pan; you will need to work in four batches. Brown the meat well on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan to a baking sheet.

After the first two batches, deglaze the pot with 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade, scraping up any browned bits. Drain the liquid into a small bowl. Add more olive oil to the pan to coat and cook the remaining two batches of meat. Add the meat to the baking sheet. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup marinade, scraping up any browned bits.

Add the bacon and cook until it gets brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Toss in the mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic and onions, and season with salt. Cook until the mixture starts to soften and becomes very aromatic, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup marinade and deglaze the pan, stirring up any browned bits, 1 minute. Add the beef. Stir to combine and cook until the wine has reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add enough of the beef stock to just cover the surface of the beef. Toss in the bay leaves and thyme bundle. Cover the pan, bring the liquid to a boil and put in the oven.

Cook the beef for 2 hours. During the last hour of cooking time, add the potatoes. Cover the pan with the lid and put the stew back in the oven to cook for an additional hour.

Remove the pot from the oven and skim off any excess grease from the surface of the stew. Garnish with the chives and serve with crusty bread to sop up all the sauce.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/beef-bourguignon-recipe.html

Light and Lemony Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2 ounce) packages instant lemon pudding
1 (10 ounce) bottles maraschino cherries, halved,drained...
1 (8 ounce) containers Cool Whip, thawed
1 (21 ounce) cans chunk pineapple, do not drain
1 (12 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups mini marshmallows

Directions

In serving bowl, dump can of undrained pineapple.
Pour pudding mix over and mix into juices.
Set aside for 5 minutes to slightly set.
Meanwhile drain oranges and cherries, patting dry if necessary.
Mix into pineapple mixture along with marshmallows.
Gently fold in cool whip.

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

Ingredients

2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
32 Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat eggs. Add milk and crackers. Stir in onion and cheese. Add ground beef. Mix well. Shape into a loaf.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard to make topping.
Spoon half of the topping over the meatloaf after 30 mins of baking.
Return loaf to oven for 10 more mins of baking.
Spoon the rest of the topping over meatloaf, return to oven and bake for 5-10 minutes more.

Hamburger Potato Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

5 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/4-1/2 inch thick
2 -3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 lb ground beef ( really lean is preferable)
salt and pepper
Cheese sauce (the same one I use for macaroni and cheese)
2 cups milk ( I use skim)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
ketchup ( optional condiment) 

Directions

1. Use 2 1/2 quart covered casserole dish for this. This will stick unless you have a great non-stick baking dish.
2.Preheat oven to 350.
3.Brown hamburger and onion.
4.Place a layer of sliced potatoes in casserole dish, top with half of hamburger/onion mixture. Salt and pepper to taste (kind of depends on how salty your cheese sauce is - you can always salt it later if it needs it).
5.Repeat layering of potato slices and hamburger mixture (and salt and pepper if desired).
6.Make Cheese sauce:.
7.Melt 3 T butter in saucepan over med-high heat.
8.Add 3 T flour, and the salt and pepper. Stir quickly to blend.
9.Add 2 cups milk; stir with whisk to incorporate butter/flour mixture.
10.Reduce heat, stir till thickened and bubbly.
11.Remove from heat and add shredded cheddar. Stir until cheese melts.
12.Pour cheese sauce over hamburger and potatoes in baking dish. Push potatoes around to let cheese sauce into all of the crevices so it's well coated.
13.Cover and place in oven. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, till potatoes are tender and top is browned. I like to take off the lid for the last 20 minutes or so to brown the top a bit.
14.Even with the leanest ground beef, this can get little pools of grease on top - Spoon these off. It doesn't mean the whole thing is greasy - just cheesy.

Bulk Mashed Potatoes

Freezable, Holdable Mashed Potatoes for 25 with Garlic variation

Ingredients:

25 servings

No extra butter, yet great flavor and good texture. Use Yukon Gold potatoes for best flavor. Use Russets if you must; I never try to mash or freeze red potatoes. If potatoes look watery before freezing, don't worry; the liquid will be absorbed as the dish reheats. 
Preheat 3 gallons water (20-40 minutes).

12 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes 
1 tablespoon oil added to cooking water to reduce foaming 
24 ounces neufchatel or cream cheese* 
4 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, parsley flakes or dried chives, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Remove any gray spots; they may be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) fungus. Likewise any green just under the peel; it's mildly toxic. 
Place in 8 to 12 quart pan; add preheated water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to a steady simmer. 

Cover and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well, you need warm, dry potatoes to avoid lumps. 
If you are not going to mash immediately, you have to keep them hot and dry. Place colander into the cooking pan to keep draining, and place pan lid on top the colander to help keep in the warmth. If it will have to set a few minutes, place a paper towel in between the lid and the potatoes, to absorb steam. 

Return potatoes to the pan. Mash potatoes with a potato masher until light and dry. Add no liquid until the potatoes are as smooth as you like! 

Stir in cream cheese and milk, mash until smooth. 
* garlic-flavor Boursin or Rondele brands soft cheese or other herbal soft cheese,is delicious, or 4 tablespoons crushed roasted garlic, or 1 tablespoon garlic salt adds even more flavor. 
Add parsley flake or chives, salt, pepper to taste.

Cool potatoes to room temperature. Divide potatoes into 2 oiled 9x13" pans or 3-4 9" to10" pie pans oven safe casserole dishes. Cover with foil; freeze. Or, place prepared mashed potatoes in freezer bags in meal sized portions, squeeze out all the air and seal.

May be heated frozen or thawed overnight in the refrigerator. For the oven, reheat covered at 375 degrees, 40 minutes for thawed potatoes, 90 minutes straight from freezer.

Heat thawed mashed potatoes in the microwave,covered, stirring every 2 minutes.As the potatoes get hot, they will thicken and return to their original texture.

Higher protein variation. You can also use these in place of the cream cheese and buttermilk: substitute 4 cups of cottage cheese beaten smooth with 1 dozen eggs. Slightly grainier texture, but high enough in protein to act as an entree by itself. I often use this for non-vegan vegetarians.