Shepard's Pie

My brother was in town this weekend and since he doesn't get home made yumminess very often, we asked him what he wanted for dinner. One of his favorites is Shepards Pie, so I decided to give it a try. Mom has made it before and it was quite delicious, but she was with my other brother today (he was having another surgery), so it was up to me. I really liked this dish. It was pretty easy and quite delicious!

Shepard's Pie

3 pounds potatoes peeled
3-4 Tbsp margarine
1/4-1/2 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup flour
2 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2-3 cups frozen mixed vegetables (put as much as is suited to your taste)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Fill a large pot with peeled potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium- medium-high. Cook until fork tender.
3. Drain potatoes and then return to pot. Add butter and milk (add milk in parts so moisture is to your liking, you may need less or more milk). Using hand mixer, mix/mash ingredients together and well mashed and combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat large pan over high heat. Add beef and brown. Drain excess fat and return to pan.
5. Add flour to beef and allow to cook over medium high heat for 1 minute. Add beef broth and bring to a boil. Add in frozen vegetables, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce. Stir until well combined. Allow to heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Put vegetable and beef mixture in large casserole/lasagna pan. Cover with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle shredded cheese over mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered until heated through and cheese melted.

Italian Pulled Beef

I came across this recipe a while ago. A chuck roast was on sale, so I decided to buy it and give the recipe a try. Another success. So easy and so tasty!

Italian Shredded Beef

5 pound chuck roast (I had a 7 bone roast)
29 ounce can diced tomatoes (any kind will do, but I used Hunts diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano)
3 cloves of garlic minced (you may want to use more depending on your preference)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Put chuck roast into a slow cooker. Add tomatoes and garlic. Allow to cook 6 hours or until meat is cooked through and shreds.
2. Shred meat and serve.

NOTES-
Now that I have made this, I would probably add a small can of tomato paste to sweeten and thicken the sauce.
Also, I recommend skimming off some fat prior to serving.
You can serve this over pasta or on buns as a sandwich.

Skyline Chili

There is a restaurant in Clearwater called Skyline Chili. They originally started up in Cincinnati, Ohio and have a few chains around the country. Their chili is really more like a chili sauce which can be served over pasta, fries, hot dogs, etc. My husband LOVES their 3-way chili (more about this in a bit) and has taken me over there for a few lunches throughout our courtship. Yum...that's all I have to say about it. Immediatly upon tasting it, I noticed a hint of a cinnamony flavor...my hubs HATES cinnamon....or so he says. I read over their menu and the original owners (who of course made the recipe) are Greek.
We have had this chili on pasta and on fries....I have had it as a burrito filling...all so good! I found the following recipe on recipezaar.com and tried it at home. Almost exactley the same. It is still missing something, and I can't put my finger on it....but close enough that I would never miss the original recipe. I have made it twice over the past few weeks and we just love it! I hope you try it and enjo! Serving suggestions at the end of the recipe. (PS- some of the ingredients may sound strange, but believe me, combined they taste amazing!)

Skyline Chili knock off
(Printable Recipe)

1 cup onion finely chopped (no chunks in chili at the restaurant- I grated mine with a cheese grater- oh and feel free to use more, the hubby says he doesn't like onion, so I am starting small and putting more in each time)
2 pounds ground beef (I used 90% lean with no problems)
4 cups beef stock
16 oz tomato sauce
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp vinegar (I used white)
1/2 oz grated unsweetened chocolate (or substitute cocoa powder- look for conversion on this)
2-4 cloves of garlic smashed or finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste depending how spicy you want it)
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves

1. Brown onion over medium high heat. Add broth and ground beef. Seperate ground beef so it is fine (no clumps). Bring to a slow boil and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, assemble spices and other ingredients. (I usely put all the ingredients in 1 bowl and dump in at the same time). After simmering 10 minutes, put all other ingredients into the pot. Allow to simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
3. Skim off fat (if you have any, with 90% lean there isn't even enough to skim).
4. Serve over pasta, in a burrito, over nachos, over hot dogs, on a baked potato, on french fries, on a salad, etc.

Now at the restaurant, their most ordered dish is the pasta...they serve it different ways....3-way, 4-way, 5-way.
The 3-way is the spaghetti, chili, and a heaping amount of finely shredded cheddar cheese
The 4-way is the 3-way with either diced onions or red beans
The 5-way is the 3-way with both red beans and diced onions

I prefer mine with onions and NO beans. I also will sometimes ask for tomatoes. Oh one other thing, they always give you a bowl of oyster crackers with your meal. Yum...hope you like it!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I just love pot roast. With the mornings and evening being cooler, I have been in the mood to make it. In Florida, the afternoons are still pretty warm, so I wanted to make it in the slow cooker to avoid heating the house with the oven.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
(Printable Recipe)

5 pound boneless beef roast (I like the shoulder roast)
1-2 cans (depending on thickness desired) cream of mushroom soup (I also like roasted garlic cream of mushroom)
32 oz beef broth
Following veggies- use as much or as little as you like
Small red potatoes- halved
Carrots- peeled and cut into large pieces
Celery- cut into large pieces
Onion- diced (I did not use this as my hubby has an aversion to onions)
Garlic powder and salt to taste
Cooked egg noodles

1. Put beef and veggies into slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.
2. Pour cream soup and broth over beef and veggies.
3. Put slow cooker on low for 6 hours. If you don't have that much time you can also put it on high for about 3-4 hours.
4. Take meat out, slice and then place back in gravy.
5. Serve over egg noodles. Delicious!

Ginger/Garlic Beef Stir Fry

I got this recipe a LONG time ago while watching a show on the Food Network called How To Boil Water. I have made this for myself a Million times. I made it for my family many times and they LOVE it. I cannot make it for my husband, though, because he doesn't eat onions, garlic, ginger, or chunks of tomatoes....all of these ingredients in this DELICIOUS recipe. I changed a few things along the way which I will type in the recipe. I hope you all enjoy it!

Ginger/Garlic Beef Stir Fry- altered recipe from the Food Network's How to Boil Water (their recipe is called Beef with Scallions, Tomato, and Ginger)

1 pound beef cut up into bite sized pieces (original recipe calls for flank steak, I use top round steaks or mock tenders, whatever is on sale)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Original recipe calso alls for 2 Tbsp dry sherry- I have used it and haven't and don't really miss it
3 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
1 bunch of scallions cut into 2 inch pieces- seperate whites and greens
1 Tbsp chopped/grated ginger (I have used garlic as a complete substitution or use half garlic and half ginger)
1 pound of tomatoes cut into large pieces (a little bigger than bite sized)
Original recipe calls for hoison sauce...I don't like it!

1. In a large bowl, mix together soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar and sherry if you are going to use it
2. Put beef into mixture and allow to marinate for a least 10 minutes.
3. Heat pan and add beef mixture with all liquid and scallion whites. Cook without stirring until beef is pink (about 1 minute). Transfer to a bowl
4. Return pan to heat and add 1 tsp sesame oil. Add the ginger/garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the scallion greens and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are slightly soft.
6. Add beef back to pan and cook until heated through and sauce has thickened.
7. Enjoy!

Original recipe courtesy of Food Network