Tag Archives: beef

Crock Pot Pot Roast

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I’m not typically a beef lover. Ben loves nothing more than a good steak [or lemony kale pasta, go figure], so we’re not always good food matches. This is why we never share meals at restaurants  much to my chagrin… unless he’s being really nice to me, I suppose! :) But sometimes I really do crave beef. A few weeks ago this was the case, so I decided to make a nice pot roast for Saturday night dinner while my parents were visiting. But as is typical when my parents are in town, my mom and I had been planning on doing a little shopping during the afternoon, so I decided to let the crock pot do the work for me.

Crock Pot Pot Roast | The Pajama Chef

Though I had never made pot roast in the crock pot, I decided to give a popular yet simple Martha Stewart recipe a try. Though pretty basic, this pot roast is incredible! I let a three pound roast  simmer on low all day long with carrots, onions, pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine, and the result was a rich, tender, flavorful roast. I’m no expert in pot roasts, but I think the key to this one was the vinegary, salty, and sweet Worcestershire sauce. As a side note, did you know that Worcestershire sauce is used in cocktails? How bizarre! Anyway, if you’re looking for a no frills, classic, and simple pot roast, look no further! I served mine with some oven roast potatoes, and their crisp skin was the perfect pairing with the tender, soft, fall apart in your mouth beef and carrots. So, so good! Enjoy! :)

Crock Pot Pot Roast [adapted from Martha Stewart]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 8 medium carrots, cut into thirds
  • 2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 beef chuck roast [3 pounds], trimmed of excess fat [or can use a variety of beef roasts--I used a bottom round roast]
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup water

Directions:

In a large crock pot, whisk together cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water  until smooth. Add carrots and onions, and season with salt and pepper. Place roast on top of vegetables, then season with additional pepper and salt if desired. Drizzle Worcestershire sauce on top, then pour wine and water around the roast [on top of vegetables if possible].

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until fully cooked [or on high for 6 hours].

Remove roast to cutting board, then shred roast or thinly slice against the grain. Serve roast with vegetables and pan juices.

Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes [15 minutes active].

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Notes: The original recipe called for cooking on low for 10 hours or on high for 6. I cooked the roast on low for 8 hours and it was done, so just pay attention to your roast and if you do have cook it over [i.e. work schedule], it’s probably best to do so on low and to add a bit of extra water/wine. You can also strain the pan juices before serving, but I didn’t do this.

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Teriyaki Meatball Bowls

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I’ve said before that I don’t really repeat recipes… but it seems like I have so so many one and done meals or desserts or whatever. The exception, of course, is tried and true family recipes that I grew up on or that Ben adores. Repeating recipes is boring. Usually I’m just game to try a new variety of soup, chili, pasta, chicken, brownie, cake, or pie. You get the idea. It’s not like I intend to have so many one and done recipes, because everything I blog about is something I’ve made and loved–otherwise, why would I share it? But these Teriyaki Meatballs Bowls? They are most certainly not a one and done recipe.

Teriyaki Meatballs | The Pajama Chef

Beth posted the recipe at the end of January, and I can think of no less than three, maybe four, occasions over the past months that I’ve made this awesome dish for dinner. Sometimes it’s been just for us to enjoy; other times, I’ve made them for new baby meals for friends. This meal is great for entertaining or for new baby/sympathy/etc. meals [so I've heard] because it’s hearty and filling, but still sort of light… a good alternative to the typically heavy, cheesy meals people love to serve and give away. Those are good too, of course, and I love them, but sometimes you just need something different. Something more complex.

And complex this teriyaki sauce is! It’s sweet and salty, with rich overtones of ginger and garlic. You can practically eat it with a spoon! Don’t be scared of making what’s normally a bottled sauce–it comes together in a flash, while the meatballs are cooking, so no panicking about making a sauce and cooking meatballs and making rice. We’re all about using multiple appliances for less stress here. :)

Teriyaki Meatballs | The Pajama Chef

Though I love how the homemade teriyaki sauce coats the meatball [that is the emphasis of this dish, after all], my absolute favorite bites of this meal are the last ones at the bottom of the bowl. Here, if you’ve added enough sauce, the rice is absolutely saturated with rich teriyaki goodness! Nothing could be better. Homemade teriyaki is where it’s at! If you don’t agree, well… haters gonna hate. That’s all there is to it. Though I do always want for you to try the recipes I post, this is one you really should try because it’s absolutely incredible. One tip though: use low sodium soy sauce. That will be salty enough–I promise. :) Enjoy!

Teriyaki Meatball Bowls [from Budget Bytes]

click to print

Ingredients:

for meatballs

  • 1 pound ground meat [I've used ground turkey most often, but also ground beef, and the original recipe calls for ground pork.]
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled & grated [I've also subbed 2 teaspoons ground ginger.]
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 green onions, minced [green and white parts]
  • freshly ground black pepper

for teriyaki glaze

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled & grated [I've also subbed 2 teaspoons ground ginger.]
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

for serving

  • hot cooked rice
  • minced green onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet or glass baking dish with foil.

In a large bowl, add ground turkey, egg, bread crumbs, ginger, soy sauce, onions, and some freshly ground black pepper. Use your hands to massage ingredients together, then roll into tablespoon-sized balls, placing on prepared pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, begin making teriyaki glaze. In a saucepan set over low heat, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, water, oil, and ginger. Stir until brown sugar dissolves. At this point, you can also start preparing the rice, if you haven’t already.

Next, dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of water–just enough to be pourable. Add to the saucepan, then turn heat to medium-high. Cook unti thick, stirring occasionally. When glaze has thickened, add sesame seeds.

By this point, meatballs should be about done. Remove from baking sheet and degrease if needed, then add to the glaze, tossing gently to coat. Serve meatballs over rice with extra sauce and green onions. Enjoy!

Time: 45 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings.

Mom’s Lasagna

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So, I’m super excited about this pasta recipe I have to share with you today. It is my absolute favorite of all time. I know people say [myself included] that something is their favorite, or the best, and most of the time, that’s a huge exaggeration to emphasize how good something is. But this time… I am 100% serious. My Mom’s lasagna is my absolute favorite pasta dish, or dinner for that matter. It’s my Grandma’s recipe [the same Grandma of the famed blueberry muffins] and it can’t be beat. I just call it Mom’s Lasagna cause a) the recipe is from my mom, b) the recipe originated with her mom, and c) that’s how it’s written on the recipe card. That’s a lotta mom, so it’s gotta be good.

Mom's Lasagna | The Pajama Chef

This lasagna is the perfect mix of cheesy goodness and rich tomato meat sauce. I recently started making my own sauce, and I can’t wait to share the recipe later in the week, btw. It’s made in the crockpot and it’s super easy and flavorful. But that recipe will have a chance to shine later–right now it’s lasagna’s turn. :)

I know a lot of lasagnas favor special ingredients like Italian sausage, veggies, or fancy cheeses, and those are good. I’ll never turn down a hearty slice of lasagna… but those aren’t the cozy, comforting lasagna from my childhood. I can’t tell you how many birthdays or weekend visits home from college featured this lasagna, and I’ll never get sick of eating it.

Mom's Lasagna | The Pajama Chef

The base of the cheesy layer [aside from the mozzarella and parmesan] is not ricotta cheese, as many expect, but rather cottage cheese. I know that’s a semi-common substitute that may not sound the most appealing… but I promise promise PROMISE that using cottage cheese is not only a more frugal choice, but actually a creamier choice that highlights the flavor of the smooth mozzarella, sharp parmesan, chewy noodles, and sweet, bold tomato sauce. If you want to sub ricotta I won’t be offended [and actually have tried it myself], but I prefer cottage cheese in this and use ricotta other times.

Every bite of this saucy, meaty, cheesy hearty lasagna is savored, cherished, and devoured in our house. It’s actually a little embarrassing how much of the pan we can chow down on when it’s piping hot out of the oven. Now you can enjoy it too!

Mom's Lasagna | The Pajama Chef

 

For the record, I’m not entirely sure why I haven’t shared this recipe on the blog yet, but I am glad I hadn’t. See, a few weeks ago I got an email from Sarah at Yahoo!’s Shine Supper Club inviting me to join the monthly recipe challenge club. Each month has a theme, and October’s happened to be favorite pasta recipes. So this was totally perfect!! If you have a blog, definitely check it out and see how you can get involved. I’ll be back later to link up other entries for this month so be sure to come back and check those out too.

We love this lasagna and hope you do too!

What’s essential to your favorite lasagna? 

Mom’s Lasagna
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 9 lasagna noodles [regular not no-cook]
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 28 ounces spaghetti sauce [homemade or your favorite jarred sauce; can really use 24-36 ounces]
  • 16 ounces cottage cheese [or ricotta]
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2-1 cup grated parmesan cheese [depending on preference]

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by heating a large pot of water to boiling to cook the lasagna noodles. Next, brown ground beef and drain, then stir in spaghetti sauce.

Meanwhile, stir together cottage cheese, eggs, oregano, garlic, and black pepper. When water is boiling, cook noodles almost to al dente [I usually cook them a minute or so under the time on the package]. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water.

Prepare lasagna by first placing a layer of sauce [about 1/5 of the sauce] in the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Top with 3 noodles, then 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese, and a 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Repeat twice, ending with a layer of sauce.

Bake, uncovered, for 60 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Time: 90 minutes [20 minutes active].

Yield: 8 servings.

1970s Style Tacos

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Hello! I’m back. :) Thanks for all your kind comments on my last few posts. It’s been a busy week and a half with my sister’s bridal shower and then working like mad on my thesis draft. I’m still not finished yet :( … but I’m making definite progress so that is a very good thing. Anyways, I thought about not blogging until I had the draft done but that didn’t seem like a good idea so here I am. Yay! On to more important things… like these awesome tacos!

I feel like awesome is quite the appropriate term to describe these really good tacos since they are from the 1970s. I found the recipe in the September issue of Everyday Food, and the recipe was originally made by the author’s Aunt Colleen, in the–you guessed it–1970s! Since I don’t have an Aunt Colleen, I decided a rename was in order. As a side note, I made these tacos almost immediately after receiving my issue in the mail. This NEVER happens!! But these tacos were so easy, so flavorful, and so fun that I should definitely start making good looking recipes right away… Why? So I have more time left in my life to enjoy them, silly!

These tacos might seem fairly simple–onion, garlic, cayenne, chili powder, and tomato paste–but let me tell you, it’s loaded with flavor. Seriously, it tastes just like those handy grocery-store packets or homemade spice mix…but with some fresh ingredients too. Whoa! What could be better? We absolutely adored their rich depth of flavor… and their utter simplicity and speed. Perfect for a weeknight meal.

Oh… and if there are leftovers… check out this loaded taco salad! Utterly amazing.

Enjoy!

1970s Style Tacos [from Everyday Food September 2012]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
  • 4 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • soft taco shells
  • lettuce, tomatoes, green onion, cheddar cheese, lime wedges, and sour cream for serving

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Stir in tomato paste, cayenne, and chili powder, and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Add sirloin and cook until browned, about 7-8 minutes. Serve in soft taco shells with lettuce, tomatoes, green onion, cheddar cheese, lime wedges, and sour cream for toppings.

Time: 20 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings.

Notes: Since sirloin is 90% lean, I didn’t feel the need to drain any fat. If I made this using ground turkey or chicken, I’d probably feel the same way. However, if I used a cut that wasn’t as lean, I might cook the beef first, drain most of the fat and proceed with cooking the onion and garlic, then the tomato sauce mixture.

Lasagna Soup

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This soup was really good. Really, really, really good. Like, so good that I was [kinda-sorta-maybe] glad that Ben liked it, but [kinda-sorta-maybe... most definitely] hoping that he didn’t like it enough to eat the leftovers. And if that situation happened to arise, well, then I would be happy to slurp up each and every drop of Lasagna Soup because, as I said, it was just so good. Except I wouldn’t be slurping it, because that’s not very ladylike, now is it?

This Lasagna Soup is flavorful, filling, and the most perfect way to fulfill those healthy New Years resolutions while still indulging in your cheeeesy cravings too. Pantry staples–a boatload of herbs, tomatoes, and broth, combined with fresh spinach, browned ground beef, and a handful of leftover macaroni and cheese come together in a fantabulous way.

It is a welcome change from the rich, sweet treats of the holiday season, and is simple enough for a weeknight. Enjoy–even if you do have to share!

Lasagna Soup [inspired by A Veggie Venture]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • olive oil or a bit of reserved grease
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes, rinsed
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 4 tablespoons pesto
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups leftover white macaroni and cheese [or 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta plus 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese]
  • 4 cups loosely packed spinach, torn
  • parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

In a large stockpot, brown ground beef. Drain and set aside. Using a small amount of the hamburger grease, cook onions for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Return beef to pan, then add tomatoes, broth, pesto, parsley, marjoram, oregano, red chili flakes, and pepper. Stir to mix everything together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in pasta and simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes, then add spinach and simmer until wilted, another 1-2 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Time: 45 minutes [25 minutes active].

Yield: 10 servings.