french dip

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt to taste
• 3lb boneless beef bottom roast

Directions

1. Slice the onion into 1/4" rings and layer the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Trim the roast of visible fat, then salt both sides of the roast. Place on top of the onions. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, pouring the broth and soy sauce over the beef. If the roast isn't covered, add enough water to almost cover the meat in liquid.
4. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low 10-12 hours. Remove the meat from the liquid. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.
5. Serve the meat in a sandwich with a small cup of the au jus to the side.
6. Enjoy!

FROM: http://12tomatoes.com/2014/02/slow-cooker-recipe-french-dip-roast-beef.html?ref=tag_link

a sort of meal plan

this week i had a plan....then it got changed......:) so here is what i have ended up with so far.....

saturday: pot roast, redskin garlic mashed potatoes with gravy (see below), fresh steamed green beans with garlic, fresh bread, corn and angel food cake

sunday: pepper jack chicken, peas, bread, baked potatoes, fat free chocolate chip muffins (choc. cake mix, 1 can of pumpkin--bake as muffins)

monday: overnight baked french toast (TERRIBLE :S), bacon, sausage, "breakfast potatoes" (tator tots), yogurt

tuesday: ** burgers, sweet potato french fries, steamed broccoli
  **i was going to make awesome skewered shrimp with carribean jerk seasoning and wrapped in bacon....but the shrimp scared me (i had them out for dinner once and refroze them.....) so i will be throwing them out now (after doing ALL the prep work) and making burgers instead.

wednesday: bruchetta stuffed chicken (see below), purple asparagus (looked good), bread

thursday: spahgetti, bread, carrots and salad

friday:steak and veggie kabobs, wild rice

saturday: tb has class until 7:30 :(

sunday: ????? hmmmmmmmmmmm who knows! chicken nuggets over salad?

monday:tb eye doctor appt-- kielbasa, mashed potatoes (or baked), fruit

tuesday: conferences for jack.....so we will eat out :)

ROAST

NEED:
roast
beef broth
quality beef soup base
water
steak/burger seasoning
kitchen bouquet (browning "agent" found in the condiment aisle--bright yellow top)
carrots and whole garlic cloves (optional)

DO:
place carrots and garlic in bottom of crock pot
put roast on top
add beef broth, 2-3 TBS of the base mixed with HOT water
sprinkle roast with the steak/burger seasoning
add a touch of kitchen bouquet

REDSKIN GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

NEED:
red skin potatoes
fat free half and half
garlic cloves
salt

DO:
simmer garlic in 1/2 1/2 until garlic is soft (20 minutes or so) but watch it carefully so the liquid does not scorch
meanwhile, cut the potatoes into quarters and boil with salt until mashable. drain and add to a bowl while hot.
add half and half a little at a time to the potatoes. make sure to add the garlic and mash to your desired consistency. add salt to taste.  they have a wonderful creamy texture!

PEPPER JACK CHICKEN (josh's mom made this for us) 

NEED:
chicken breasts
bacon, diced with scissors
onions
seasoning of your choice
pepper jack cheese slices

DO:
season chicken with seasoning
cook in a hot skillet until cooked through (15-20 minutes)
take chicken out and cover to keep warm
cook bacon until done. remove and drain. reserve a bit of the bacon grease.
add onion to reserved grease. cook until done. place chicken back into pan. put bacon and onion on top. put a slice of pepper jack on top of each chicken breast. put lid on top with burner off to melt.
ENJOY :)

BRUCHETTA AND CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

**i have not tried these yet**

NEED:

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/4 cups  KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

8 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.) 

1/3 cup  KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing

DO:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

1
MIX tomatoes, 1/2 cup cheese and basil in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.

2
PLACE 2 chicken breasts in freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove from bag; place, top-sides down, on cutting board. Repeat. Spread chicken with stuffing mixture.

3
ROLL chicken breasts up; place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with dressing. Bake 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F). Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 min. or until melted.

weekly menu and recipes

Saturday: date night
Sunday: Beef Roast (see below), Homemade Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Roasted Broccoli, French Bread and Caramel Apples (thank you mom b for the yummy apples)
Monday: Spaghetti and Bread
Tuesday: eat out after appts
Wednesday: Beer Pizza Crust (penzey's), Fruit and Chips
Thursday:Tuscan Herb Marinaded Chicken Tenderloins (skwered), Roasted Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes (see another blog post for recipe), and Carrots
Friday: Grilled Steak, Baked Potatoes and Frozen Broccoli
Saturday: Pumpkin Carving Party
Sunday: Carnitas (see other post for recipe) 
Monday: Warmed Sandwiches

Roast
NEED:
1 beef roast
2 cups broth (or Penzy's Beef Stock in a jar--4 tsp mixed with 2 cups water)
a bag of baby carrots
4 cloves of garlic whole
Steak Seasoning (peppercorns, salt, spices)
Dried Italian Herb Mix

DO: put garlic and carrots in the bottom of a crock pot
place roast on top
liberally put steak seasoning and herbs on top of roast
pour broth/stock around roast
add additional seasoning/herbs to broth for more flavor
cook on low ALL DAY

SERVE
take meat out, shred. place carrots next to beef. use liquid for gravy--put in a pan, bring to boil. mix 1 tbs cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water. stir into boiling liquid. boil until thickened and cool slightly before serving.

Mashed Potatoes
NEED
yukon gold potatoes
half and half
butter

DO:
peel and cube potatoes
boil in salted water until done (tender)
mash with hand masher--adding butter and half and half until you get the consistency you desire
add salt to taste

Roasted Broccoli
NEED
broccoli
olive oil
seasoning (i used green goddess by penzy's spices but you could use anything)
salt

DO:
cut broccoli into bite sized pieces. dry on paper towel. toss with oil and seasonings. put on a baking sheet. place in oven (450) for 15 minutes or until heated through and at the consistency you desire.

Pizza Crust

• 
  
  2 Cups warm water
• 
  
  2 TB. honey
• 
  
  2 TB. active dry yeast
• 
  
  7-8 Cups all purpose flour
• 
  
  2 tsp. salt
• 
  
  4 TB. olive oil
• 1 12 oz. can beer
  

Toppings (Large Pizza):

• 
  
  2-3 TB. extra virgin olive oil; a thin coating
• 
  
  1/2-1 Cup tomato sauce
• 
  
  2 tsp. PIZZA SEASONING (an absolute must)
• 
  
  4 oz. turkey pepperoni
• 
  
  4 oz. chopped up Canadian bacon
• 
  
  4 oz. chopped sun-dried tomatoes (drain well if packed in olive oil)
• 
  
  4 oz. sliced olives
• 
  
  4 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 Cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano and/or mozzarella cheese
  

Mix the yeast with the water and honey in a small mixing bowl. Mix 4 cups of the flour with the salt in a large bowl. Once the yeast becomes foamy, pour it into the bowl with the flour mixture. Add the olive oil and beer. Stir to combine and then add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the dough isn’t sticky. Once you’ve reached 7 cups of flour, turn the dough out of the bowl onto the tabletop and knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with flour as needed to keep it from sticking. You may not need the full 8 cups. Once the dough is soft, smooth and elastic, place in a deep, greased bowl and let rise 45-60 minutes, or until double in size. Once risen, you're ready to make pizzas! This makes 2 large or 4 medium pizzas. Divide the dough into 2 or 4 balls. This is the point where you would freeze any crusts you’d like to save for later—just wrap them well in plastic wrap.

Preheat oven to 425°. Have all the topping ingredients assembled before rolling out the crusts. If you are using a pizza stone make sure it is also heating in the oven. Sprinkle a flat surface with flour and gently roll out the dough and place the prepared crust on a pizza paddle sprinkled with cornmeal or a perforated pizza pan.

Add the toppings to each pizza. Any combination of the above works, or add your own favorites.

Carefully transfer the pizza pan to the hot oven, or shift the pizza off the paddle onto a baking stone in the hot oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges have browned.

Prep. time: 90 minutes
Baking time: 10-15 minutes
Serves: 4 per large pizza