BBQ beef and a shepherd's pie

I often find myself many times picking recipes because of the pictures. Sometimes that can be a good thing and sometimes not so much. That's one reason I picked this, and also because I figured it has everything Dave loves: BBQ Beef, check; mashed potatoes, check; corn, check; Frito's, check check!! It's a little bit of barbecue beef + a little bit of shepherd's pie + Frito's. I was nervous about it, but Dave ended up loving it. A happy tummy = success!

Barbecue Beef and Corn Shepherd's Pie Source: Betty Crocker website

• 1 pound lean ground beef


• 8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)


• 1 cup barbecue sauce


• 1 can (11 oz) Mexicorn whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained


• 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained


• 1/2 package Betty Crocker Four Cheese mashed potatoes (1 pouch)


• 1 1/2 cups hot water


• 1/3 cup milk


• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine


• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


• 1 cup corn chips

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef and 1/4 cup of the onions in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce, 3/4 cup of the corn and the chilies. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low to keep warm.




2. 
   
   Meanwhile, cook potatoes as directed on package for 4 servings, using 1 pouch Potatoes and Seasoning, hot water, milk and butter. Stir in remaining onions and corn; let stand 5 minutes.
   

3. Spoon potatoes onto center of beef mixture, leaving 2 1/2- to 3-inch rim around edge of skillet; sprinkle cheese over potatoes and beef mixture. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle corn chips around edge of skillet.

Reubens!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This was the first time I've ever made anything special for St. Patty's Day. I've never been huge on the whole corned beef/cabbage/sauerkraut thing but I saw a picture for this Reuben recipe and my mouth was watering and thought this would be a great time to be open minded about try this recipe. Yup that's right, I may like to try new things but there are some things I have a hard time being open minded about, such as sauerkraut. There's just something about it that makes me wrinkle my nose up at the site of it (and I'm even doing it as I write about it too!).

But I have to say this slow cooked sandwich was pretty darn delicious. The corned beef was so juicy and flavorful and the Swiss cheese is a perfect compliment. I just wished I would have used a thicker rye bread because that sauerkraut can sure make the bread soggy. Here's a tip when putting your sandwich together, don't but the sauerkraut on the bottom! Put it on top of everything so the juice has to make its way thru the corned beef, cheese and dressing barrier before finding the bottom piece of bread that will soak it up!





Slow Cooker Reuben Sandwiches

• 1 package (2 pounds) refrigerated sauerkraut
• 1 package (2 to 3 pounds) corned beef brisket
• 1 cup Thousand Island dressing
• 16 slices pumpernickel rye bread, toasted
• 8 slices (1 ounce each) Swiss cheese

Directions:

1. Place sauerkraut in 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Place beef brisket on sauerkraut. (If brisket includes packet of spices, sprinkle spices over brisket.)
2. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 9 to 11 hours.
3. Remove beef from cooker; place on cutting board. Cut beef into slices. To serve, spread 1 tablespoon dressing on each toast slice. Using slotted spoon to remove sauerkraut from cooker, top 8 slices toast with 1/2 cup sauerkraut each. Top sauerkraut with beef slices and cheese slice. Top with remaining toast.

Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.

Quesa - Dillas

Okay so what's what my husband calls them and it's obviously beginning to rub off! This was one of the fastest meals to throw together, it seriously took a total of 15 minutes to get all of them make and sit down to eat. Who doesn't love a quick dinner?! And on top of that, their good too :)

Chicken-Chile Qusesadillas
Source: Betty Crocker

• 1 pkg flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas)
• 2 cups finely shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 2 cups shredded or finely chopped deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 cup salsa

Directions:

1. Top one half of each tortilla with cheese, chicken, green chiles and onions. Fold other half of each tortilla over filling; press down with back of pancake turner. Lightly brush melted butter on both sides of each filled tortilla.


2. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 filled tortillas at a time 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and thoroughly heated. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa.

Tip: Once you cook a filled quesadilla in the skillet, transfer it to a cookie sheet in a 300F degree oven while you cook the remaining quesadillas to keep warm.

THE Jucy Lucy!

Last post of the year and I promise not to disappoint!.

The Jucy Lucy (or Juicy Lucy) is a cheeseburger with the cheese inside the meat so that the cheese in the middle melts to a molted core when cooked (doesn't that sound so delicious!!). It originated from South Minneapolis in the 1950's, however there are two bars on the same street that claim to be the inventor of this delicious masterpiece. Depending on who you ask it's either Matt's bar or the 5-8 Club, they differ on how they spell it too.


I first saw this burger on a show called Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel over a year ago. It caught my attention because 1. it's a burger inside out, 2. it originated in Minneapolis (not too far of a road trip!), and 3. lucky enough my brother just so happens to live just outside Minneapolis. I had the luxury of having my first Jucy Lucy this past Spring when visiting my brother and his family, we didn't go to either one of the co-called inventors of this burger but one of the many restaurants that now serve them. Let me tell you it was AWESOME! So moist, tender, juicy and oozing with cheese!!


A few weeks ago my dad dropped off a few Midwest Living magazine (don't ask me why he has them!) but he thought I might like looking through them for a bit, so I did. And low and behold one issue had this little masterpiece of a recipe, I've been so excited to make ever since! You MUST try it!

Juicy Lucy Burger - Makes 6 burgers ( I got 7!)

• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk or beef broth
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt or 1/2 tsp regular salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
• 12 - 3/4 to 1 oz slices American, Swiss or Colby cheese, cut into quarters
• 6 large hamburger buns
• Assorted condiments; ketchup, pickles, tomatoes, etc

Directions

In a large bowl, combine soft bread crumbs and milk. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in egg, dry bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Add ground beef. Combine very lightly with fork (I found it easier to just use my hands). Shape meat mixture into twelve 1/2-inch thick patties, about 3 1/2 inches wide. I put my patties in between wax paper to get the right size and thickness without handling too much.

On each of 6 of the patties, arrange and slightly overlap 8 cheese quarters to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Top each with the remaining 6 patties. Pinch edges of top and bottom patties together to form a large patty, sealing holes. You will have a lump in patty where cheese lies inside. Chill patties, covered in refrigerator for at least one hour.

For a gas grill: Preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust heat for indirect cooking. Place patties on grill rack; cover and grill for 14 minutes. Turn patties with a wide spatula and grill 10 to 12 more minutes to until meat is done ( an instant-read thermometer inserted into patties should register 160 degrees).

During the last 1 to 2 minutes of grilling open the buns and place cut sides down on the grill to lightly toast. Remove burgers and buns. Let burgers stand for 2-3 minutes before eating, the cheese inside is extremely hot! Serve on buns with assorted condiments.

** Note: Ingredients need to be evenly distributes, but it's important to handle ground meat mixture as little as possible for a more tender, moist burger.

Grilling Tip: This burgers' cheesy center turns extra juicy as it heats and melts. Help that center stay inside , don't press on the patties as the cook on the grill. A little bit of cheese may leak out anyways.

Oooey gooey goodness!

The Molten Cheese Center!

I uses a combination of Cheddar, Provolone and Pepper jack Cheeses.

Stuffed Peppers

This was my first attempt at ever making stuffed peppers. I've actually only have had them once before, my mother-in-law introduced me to them when we were living with them while building our house. I liked this recipe because it is quick & easy and I didn't even have to turn my oven on! It only calls for 2 peppers but you could actually use 3-4 depending how full you fill them. There was definitely filling left over

No-Bake Stuffed Peppers

• 2 medium bell peppers (any color – I used green and red)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1-15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped2 cups rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
  

Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop the peppers in and boil for 5-6 minutes. In a small bowl, mix tomato sauce, basil and sugar and set aside. Brown meat and onion in a large skillet; drain. Stir in 1/2 the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of the rice and the salt. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes; stir in cheese. Spoon meat mixture into peppers and place into skillet. Pour remaining tomato sauce around peppers; cover and simmer. Top with additional cheese, if desired. Serve on top of remaining rice.

Semi-Homemade Pizza

I'm finally all caught up on my most recent recipes for my new blog...for now anyways. So back to baking this week! We love pizza and we eat it pretty often in our house. I've been wanting to make my own all from scratch, so to start I made a semi-homemade pizza before I made the entire thing from scratch.

Ingredients

• Pre-made pizza crust
• 4 oz pizza sauce
• Italian sausage
• mushrooms
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• pepperoni

I bought a 2 pack of Deli-catessen Pizza & Focaccia Crusts thin style so I could made 2 pizzas. Making my own semi-homemade pizza took less time them just putting a pre-made pizza in the oven that usually takes 18 minutes to bake. My pizza took less than 5 minutes to prepare and only 10 minutes to bake. Next time a REAL HOMEMADE pizza crust!