Beef Chuck Roast

My mother would cook a roast. The house smelled wonderful. the roast was amazing. The roast and gravy she learned from my fathers mother. So this recipe was from my grandmother. Serve your roast with mashed potatoes, corn and carrots from the pot. This dinner is the quintessential home cooked meal.

Ingredients
beef chuck roast
Beef base
water
4 carrots
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
Salt and Pepper
Cornstarch/ water

Method
Brown roast in a pan on stove, season with garlic salt, and pepper. Move roast to a roast pan with a lid, use pan to make beef stock. I use better then bouillon Beef base and water. Add stock to roast pan with carrots, quartered onion and garlic cloves.
Cook at 250° for 2 hours and turn the heat up to 350° cook for up to 2 more hours until meat is falling apart, make sure you cover and check water level throughout cooking time. When meat is done transfer all liquid to a pan simmer. Add Cornstarch to water and mix until smooth. Add to liquid to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Taco Meat

So Taco's that on is a easy meal. Taco meat will make your meal. Most people just season the meat with taco seasoning and call it good. Sure call it good, I call mine better. I like the simple taco seasoned meat. But do that and add my secret ingredient. Taco's couldn't be any better then this.

Ingredients
2lbs ground beef
1/2 onion chopped
taco seasoning
1c Pace
garlic salt

Method
Brown ground beef sprinkle seasonings generously, add onions. Drain off extra fat. Add pace, simmer on low/ medium for at least 10 min. Serve inside warmed shells from oven, lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream.

Chocolate Frosting

Whats better then chocolate cake with homemade chocolate frosting, and a glass of milk. Sin full.

Ingredients
1c butter
4c powdered sugar
1/4c heavy whipping cream, cream or milk
2tsp vanilla extract
3/4c unsweetened cocoa powder (buy good cocoa )

Method
Cream butter add sugar, and cocoa powder then almond extract, and then cream. Adjust if needed.

Buttercream

I love frosting. I don't like store bought. I have to make it, to love it. I use this buttercream for cakes and sugar cookies. It is very easy and very good.

Ingredients
1c butter
4c powdered sugar
1/4c heavy whipping cream, cream or milk
2tsp almond extract or vanilla

Method
Cream butter add sugar then almond extract, and then cream. Adjust if needed.

Ikea Swedish Meatballs

Swedish meatballs are so good. But just good until you've had them done right. When you make these you will know you've reached the ultimate. The best are Ikea made meatballs. But really home cooked Ikea meatballs are really better. I promise. These are loved so much I made them for Christmas dinner. Really I did. I add a few spices to the recipe to make it a little special. Serve the meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes and a side of lingonberry jam.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1c cream
2 1/2tbsp minced onions
1/4c rusk flour or bread crumbs
2 boiled mashed potatoes
5 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
1tsp Allspice

Cream Sauce
1c beef stock
1/2c cream
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp flour
salt and white pepper

Method
Heat onion in butter in pan until golden. Combine meats well by kneading. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine until well mixed. Roll into balls and fry in butter until browned. I finish the cooking process in the oven at 350°

Heat stock in pan add cream and thicken with flour rue. Whisk together add rest of ingredients. Season with salt pepper to taste and a pinch of allspice.

Toss meatballs with the sauce.

IKEA's Real Swedish Food Book

Lo Mein

I love lo mein noodles. They are really hard to find, I think it is Cantonese. Where I am chow mein is what there is. So I decided to try to make my own lo mein. With years of perfecting I have a recipe that I am proud of. You can use any kind of meat, or just veggies or tofu. I love to marinade the meat in Trader Joes Island Soyaki. The noodles are very specific you want a Chinese egg noodle or yakisoba. Stir fry noodles, fresh refrigerated not dry noodles. Serve with rice, gyoza or any Chinese dish you love.

Ingredients
2tbsp wok oil or olive oil
16 oz fresh Chinese egg noodles
1lb meat pork, beef or chicken
1/2 of each bell peppers red or green
1/4c green onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2tbsp fresh ginger
1tbsp soy
1 bundle broccoli
1/2c cabbage
1/2c carrots
1/4c mushrooms
1/2c snow peas or bean sprouts or both ;)

Method
Heat oil in wok pan, add garlic and ginger, then meat until cooked add all veggies and stir fry, add noodles and toss and stir fry until cooked. Garnish with some green onions.

Fried Rice

Rice, well I've never been great at cooking rice, until I met my boyfriend. I still can't cook rice right so I just got a rice cooker. My boyfriend rarely cooks, when he does he makes fried rice. Its really good. Here is my interpretation of the recipe.

Ingredients
3c rice
6c water
1 clove garlic crushed
2tsp fresh ginger
1/2c broccoli
1/2c bell peppers chopped
1/2c carrots
1/2c peas
2tbsp chopped green onions
white pepper
soy sauce
2 eggs

Method
Cook rice with water. Heat oil in wok or large frying pan saute garlic, ginger. Add all of the vegetables and cook until tender, add cooked rice and srir fry together with soy sauce. Add green onions and peas. move rice over to make a spot in the pan to fry the eggs. Scramble the eggs on the side of the rice, when cooked, mix into the rice.

Blackberry Pie

Mmmm.
Since I moved to Seattle I don't think I knew what a blackberry was. When I discovered the juicy goodness I was in heaven. I now pick every year in August. I yield enough for a pie and enough to freeze until the next harvest. I love blackberry pie and I make one once a year. Its my Holiday for August. I use my grandmothers pie crust. The blackberry pie is delectable, warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. What a Holiday!

Ingredients
Pie Crust
4c fresh blackberries
1/2c sugar or more depending on berries
1/2c flour

Method
Butter a pie pan. Put bottom crust in. Combine berries, sugar and flour, coat berries fill bottom crust with filling. Cover with top crust, make slits in the center of the pie, crimp edges. Sprinkle raw sugar on top of crust. Bake for 1hr a 375° until browned. elt the pie cool until center is firm at least 1 hour.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread is the best thing to do with your brown bananas. The more ripe the bananas the moister the bread. Everyone has a recipe they go to. I did for years, then I realized I wasn't a big fan of banana bread. So like I do with most recipes I made some changes. Now I cant pass up a nice warm slice with some Brummel and Brown Yogurt Butter.

Ingredients
1 1/4c sugar
1/2c butter or margarine softened
2 eggs
3 medium very ripe bananas
1/2c buttermilk
1tsp vanilla
1 1/4c whole wheat flour
1 1/4c AP flour
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
1tbsp brown sugar
(Optional) add 1c chocolate chips or blueberries or walnuts

Method
Grease/ spray 2 loaf pans. Mix sugar and butter, add eggs until well blended. Mix in bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla; beat until smooth. Mix together dry ingredients, stir into wet mixture. Divide batter evenly between pans. Top with brown sugar. Bake at 350° in a low position of the oven so bread tops are in center. Bake for about 1hr or until toothpick comes out clean.. Cool on wire rack. Loosen sides of pans and remove from pans. Cool completely for 2 hours top side up.
Bread can be kept at room temp for 4 days
Refrigerated 10 days

Chicken Cacciatore

So spaghetti with marinara sauce is wonderful. It's one of those go to meals. Try a hearty Cacciatore instead sometime , or try using your leftover marinara sauce to make it. this dish can be made in a crock pot, just brown meat and onions and then add the rest to the slow cooker, I love this dish over rice or penne pasta.

Ingredients
1 lb chicken
3tbsp olive oil
1/2c dry white wine
1/4c cognac or brandy
1 onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 can crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce
1/2c green pepper
1/2c red pepper
1/2c finely chopped mushrooms
1/2 c sliced black olives
1/2tsp brown sugar
1tbsp fresh rosemary
4 sage leaves chopped
1 bay leaf
1 or so pinches of red pepper flakes

Method
Heat oil, brown chicken add garlic, onions green and red peppers. Saute on med heat until chicken is browned. Add Wine cook for a minute, add tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients. Cook until chicken is done, and ingredients well combined. Feel free to add more Cognac or wine to your tasting. Serve over pasta or rice.

Waffles

I never liked waffles growing up. I don't think I liked them until I got a waffle maker and made them from scratch. My favorite waffle is with cut up bananas, and warm buttery maple syrup with walnuts. And a dollop of whipped cream. Mmmmmm
Make waffles anyway add chocolate chip or any fruit to your mix.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 1/2c AP flour
1/2c melted butter or margarine
1 1/2c buttermilk or milk
2tsp baking powder
3tsp sugar or brown sugar
1/4tsp salt
2tsp almond extract 

Method
Heat waffle iron. Beat eggs with a whisk, until fluffy add remaining ingredients until blended. Pour 1/2c of batter from spouted cup or pitcher into the center of the waffle iron. Close lid Bake 5 min or until steaming stops. Remove waffle, repeat.

Raspberry Sauce (shown above)

Ingredients
1 pint fresh raspberries
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cold water

Method
Combine the raspberries, sugar, and orange juice in a saucepan. Whisk the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth. Add the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the desired consistency is reached. The sauce will thicken further as it cools. Puree the sauce in a blender or with a handheld immersion blender and strain it through a fine sieve. Serve warm or cold. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Almond and Mandarin Orange Salad

This salad is a perfect summer salad. Great paired with Chicken and Wild rice. I remember bacon grease being part of the ingredients. I would add a tablespoon of heated bacon grease to the dressing.

Ingredients
Romaine lettuce
Canned Mandarin Oranges
Sliced Almonds roasted with sugar

Vinaigrette
1/2c Olive Oil
3tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice from Mandarin Oranges
2tbsp Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Dash of Tabasco Sauce
1tbsp bacon grease

Method
Toss vinaigrette ingredients together in jar, adding to taste. Top Salad greens with Oranges, almonds and toss together with dressing

Chicken Wildrice

I remember the first time I had this. Our neighbor made it. She paired it with the most perfect salad. Each dish compliments each other perfectly.

Ingredients
2 lbs Chicken breast
1/2 lb chopped mushrooms
1/2 Onion chopped finely or shredded
1/2c Dry white wine
2 boxes Uncle Ben's long grain wild rice
1/4c Sliced Almonds
2 1/2c Chicken stock
1/2c Heavy Cream
1/2c Butter

Method
Heat half of the butter in a saucepan, brown chicken add onions and cook until translucent. Add wine and chicken stock. Cook until chicken is easy to pull apart. Take chicken out of pan and add the rest of the ingredients to the pan. Measure out the rest of the liquid and make sure it measures out to 2 1/4c of liquid. Add rice and shred chicken Put everything in Casserole dish, put rest of butter on top and cook at 350° for an hour or until rice is tender.

Chicken Fricassee

My mother made this dish when we were older children. I really love it. It is so rich and flavorful. This version of Chicken Fricassee is French. Its served on top of a bed of rice. I have included a tip in cooking your rice to make it extra savory.

Ingredients
1 lb Chicken Breasts
1/4c butter
1/2 onion finely chopped or grated
2 cloves garlic chopped or pressed
1/2c sherry wine
1c heavy cream
1c chicken stock
1tbsp Fennel or Tarragon
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms

Method
Brown chicken in butter add onion, garlic and cook until onions are translucent. Add wine, chicken stock, and spices, simmer until chicken is cooked. Add mushrooms and cream. Add wine, butter and cream to your liking. Serve on rice.

Rice
heat 2tbsp oil in pan. Brown 2c rice until golden, add 4c water simmer, reduce heat cover cook until rice is ready. I brown my rice and then put it all in a rice cooker.

Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken

For an easy and great meal, slow cooking is the way to go. Be careful not to overcook your meat. If you cook it to long it becomes dry. If you do it just right its nice and juicy.

Ingredients
2lbs chicken breasts frozen
1 and 1/2 18 oz bottles of Kraft Honey BBQ sauce

Method
Put ingredients into a crock pot and cook until meat is done, still juicy, about 2 hours. Cut chicken up, shred. Serve on buns.

Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese

My Grandma Bostron made the best oven baked macaroni and cheese ever. I am not a big fan of baked macaroni and cheese it has to be just right. The secret is the Velveeta and the very small amount of cheddar. If you add to much cheddar its not creamy.

Ingredients
17.6oz Pasta Rotini, elbow or shells
8oz Velveeta cheese cubed
1/2c butter or margarine
1/4c cheddar cheese
3/4 c milk

Method
Cook pasta, do not fully cook pasta or it will be mushy. Cook for 3-5 min. Drain Put in a casserole dish with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350° until all cheeses melted and pasta is done. Stir every 15 min. Add milk if needed. End result should be Super Creamy.

Chile Relleno's

Being from Colorado, I am a huge Mexican food lover. I am also very picky when it comes to good Mexican food. One of my favorite dishes is a crispy Chile relleno. I cannot find it anywhere where I live at now. Luckily my mother made them when I was growing up. So I may enjoy them in my own kitchen. The recipe calls for egg roll wrapper, make sure they are a Chinese egg roll wrapper not any other variation.

Ingredients
Egg roll wrapper
3 cans whole green Chile's
1 block cheddar cheese
1 block Colby jack
1 egg beat
oil for frying

Method
Cut cheese into rectangles. Lay wrapper flat in a diamond on clean surface, lay 1 chile in center of wrapper, then one of each of cheeses inside chile. Brush edges with egg wash fold sides in then one side over, roll. you may need to use 2 wrappers if they are too thin. Heat oil in pan, fry relleno's until golden brown.
Keep in warm oven until ready to serve
Serve with green chile.

Braised Beef and Summer Vegetables

Camp food has to be easy, but easy doesn't have to be compromised. Hot dogs hamburgers, yum but I have a dish that is stupendous, healthy and so easy. Try this one pot dish next time you camp out.

Ingredients
1 boneless beef chuck roast
2tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 onion quartered
3 ears of corn broke into 3
1 pint cherry tomato's
1/2 lb fresh green beans
1 bag confetti potatoes
2 quarts chicken broth

Method
Use a dutch oven or cast iron put oil in pot with roast season with salt and pepper, brown meat on both sides. add garlic, onion. add corn brown on one side, add chicken stock cover and cook for an hour. Add potatoes and cook for another hour, add remaining veggies and cook till meat is tender.

Super Sloppy JOE

My stepmother had a few really great things she made. Her style of cooking was cool, less ingredients, one scrumptious bite! One of the best was her Super Sloppy Joe's. I still make this version of Sloppy Joe's, I always add my own couple ingredients to update it.

Ingredients
2 lbs ground beef
1/2c chopped onion
2 celery ribs chopped
1/4 c bell pepper

Cook all ingredients until meat is cooked and veggies are tender. Drain off fat

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2tbsp brown sugar
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp garlic salt
1/4tsp paprika

Add remaining ingredients mix until simmer uncovered 35-40 min stirring occasionally.
Serve on buns.

Baked Beans

I love baked beans, so many layers of flavors. I cant just eat canned baked beans, This recipe is easy and you can use canned beans. Maybe someday I will make them with dry beans, but for now you will still love these.

Ingredients
2 cans Van Camps Pork and Beans
4 strips Bacon
1/2 Onion
1 Clove Garlic crushed
1/4c Brown Sugar
1tsp Mustard
1tsp Ketchup
Garlic salt to taste

Method
Cut Bacon into pieces, fry with onions and garlic until cooked. Add beans and other ingredients simmer on stove, adjust spices to your taste. put beans in oven safe cookware and bake for at least 30min.

Maple Honey Buffalo Wings

My brothers told me these were the best wings they ever had. I must say they do wonders inside your mouth. Sweet, savory with a good kick. I love eating my wings with Blue Cheese.

Ingredients
4 lb bag of chicken wings and drumettes
1/4c honey
1/4c pure maple
2tbsp Worcestershire
2tbsp soy sauce
1/2c spicy buffalo sauce
2tsp garlic powder

Method
Toss together ingredients in a 9x14 pan. Cook for 1hour 30min at 350° tossing and turning wings every 15 min cook till glazed and crispy.

Meatball Marinara

The best marinara sauce is one that is slow cooked all day. You can make it with meatballs, or with meat sauce or completely vegetarian. I am including the meatball version below, if you want a meat sauce just fry meats, drain off fat and add all ingredients and simmer. Make extra so you can use it through the week for other meals.

Ingredients

Meatballs
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 lb hamburger
1 egg
1/2c bread crumbs
1/2tsp Garlic salt
Oregano
Basil

Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion chopped
1 shallot diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/4c julienned sun dried tomato's
2 cans tomato paste
1 can roasted crushed tomato's
1 can diced tomato's
2tsp sugar to cut acidity
Garlic salt
Basil
Oregano
Bay Leaf
Red wine
Water

Method
Add meatball ingredients together roll into balls brown in skillet.
In large pot heat olive oil, onions, garlic and shallot. Cook until onions are translucent. add cans of tomato's, water, tomato paste. add all spices and wine to taste. Simmer for at least 1 hour add meatballs cook until meat is fully cooked. Serve on your favorite pasta.

Chicken Tikka Masala

  I love Indian food. Going out to eat it can be very pricey. Ive learned that I can cook the recipes myself and the results are just as good if not better. Recently I have tried this dish and I love the sauce. I prefer the Paneer dish because I am a vegetarian. I am including a chicken version and attached I will include the recipe for homemade paneer cheese. Try making and Indian dinner feast, Make Samosas, Chutney, Mango Lassi, and a Basmati rice dish. You will be so satisfied.

Ingredients
For Meat Marinade
1 lb cubed chuck or chicken
4tbsp plain yogurt
3tbsp ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
2tbsp lime juice
salt
2tsp chili powder
1/2tsp Garam Masala

Marinade chicken for at least 1/2 hour. Grill till fully cooked.

Tikka Masala 1tbsp ginger
1tbsp garlic paste
2tbsp oil
1/4tsp turmeric
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1tsp chili powder
2-3tsp tomato paste
1 chopped green chile
1tsp coriander
1/2tsp garam masala
2tbsp fresh cream
3tbsp fresh cilantro
salt

Meathod Heat oil, fry onion and green chile. Add ginger, garlic. Saute then add tomatoes, tomato paste, turmeric, chili powder, coriander, garam masala and salt. Stir fry on low heat. Add water if needed continue until well blended, add cream turn off heat add a cube of butter, cover.

Guacamole

Making your own guacamole is easy. I love homemade guac over all others. If you are super lazy I have a super lazy recipe. Combine Avocado's and pace salsa with some garlic salt. If you don't mind making it here is the best recipe.

Ingredients
2 Avocados
1 Roma tomato
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 lime
2 shallots or 1/4c finely chopped onion
1 jalapeño
garlic salt to taste

Mash Avocados, dice tomato's, jalepeño, onion, garlic, mix together squeeze lime and add garlic salt to taste.