Annie's Crockpot Chili

I originally got this recipe from All Recipes but it was too spicy for my daughter and I had to modify it. I think I found a good solution by replacing a lot of the chili powder and hot pepper sauce with unsweetened cocoa.  It still has a great depth of flavor but is mild for sensitive tummies.

Annie's Crockpot Chili

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
3 (15 oz.) can beans, drained (can use black, kidney or pink)
1 (15 oz.) can chili beans in sauce, undrained
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp. bacon bits
4 cubes beef bouillon
1/2 cup beer
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1.  Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.  Crumble the meats into the pot and cook until evenly browned.  Drain off excess grease.  Place meat in at least a 6 quart crockpot (this makes a LOT).

2.  Add the remaining ingredients to crockpot; stir well.

3.  Cook on low for 7-10 hours.

4.  Serve in bowls sprinkled with cheddar cheese and sour cream.  It is very good also served with corn chips or tortilla chips.

Shepherd's Pie

I don't know why but I was in the mood for Shepherd's Pie this week so I went searching for a recipe and found what I thought would be great.  I was right!  I made a few modifications and here's what I got - a definite keeper!

Shepherd's Pie

3 lbs. ground meat (I used turkey, lamb and beef)
2 medium onions, minced
salt
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen peas and carrots, thawed and heated for 2 minutes in the micro to cook a little
ground black pepper
3 lbs. russet potatoes (about 6 medium), peeled and cut into large cubes
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup milk or heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender.  Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.  Add butter and milk and mash them to a smooth consistency.  Set aside.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking, cook the meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the meat into small pieces with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes.  Drain the meat through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the drippings.

3.  Return 2 Tbsp. of the reserved drippings to the pan and heat over medium-low heat until shimmering.  Add the onions and 1 tsp. salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1 minute.  Whisk in the broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits.  Stir in the drained meat, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and rosemary.  Cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the peas and carrots and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer the mixture into a deep 13x9" casserole dish.

4.  With a large spoon, dollop the mashed potatoes over the meat filling.  Using a spoon or rubber spatula, smooth the potatoes out into an even layer and push to the edges of the baking dish.  Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheddar.

5.  Place the casserole in a preheated 400 degree F oven and bake for 35 minutes.  You might want to put a piece of foil under the casserole in case it bubbles over so as to keep your oven clean.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

6.  You can make this ahead of time up to before baking and cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and then foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.  (If frozen, the casserole must be thawed completely in the refrigerator for about 24 hours before baking).  Increase baking time to 1 hour for a cold casserole.

Gorgonzola Steak Burgers

OK - We really didn't know how to name these but this is what hubby and kiddies came up with so we're going with it.  Our local pizza place had a burger advertised on Facebook last night that looked so good but the roads were slick so we didn't go to have it.  I decided to try to recreate something like it and man, was it a success.  This one rated a 10 by Joanna, an 11 by Bob and a 12 by Robby.  Off the charts good!!

Gorgonzola Steak Burgers

2 lbs. chopped meat
1 Tbsp. butter or oil
4 medium yellow onions, sliced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup red wine
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 jar (12 oz) beef gravy
4 oz. Gorgonzola or bleu cheese
8 slices Texas Toast - frozen or homemade - toasted

1.  Form meat into 8 patties - or less if you want to make them nice and big.  Fry in a pan until browned.  Place into 9x13" baking dish.  Set aside.

2.  Add butter or oil to pan and heat.  Add onions and mushrooms; cook until onions are carmelized, about 8 minutes.  Add red wine, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and thyme.  Simmer on medium high until most of the liquid is gone.  Pour this over the burgers.  Open the jar of gravy and pour over the onion/mushroom mixture.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and pour the Gorgonzola or bleu cheese over the top and return to oven for about 5 minutes.

4.  To serve, place a burger on a slice of toast and pour on extra gravy from the pan to coat well.

Debbie's Really Good Meatballs

I have been on the hunt for a good meatball recipe and a friend of mine came up with this one.  It's the best recipe I've found so far!!  

Deb's "Really Good" Meatballs


1 lb. meatloaf mix (beef, pork, veal)
1 lb. ground turkey
3/4 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs (I use 4C unsalted)
3/4 cup grated Locatelli romano cheese (the powdery kind)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 cup or so warm water (this softens the bread crumbs)
1 extra large egg
(optional: 1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed garlic)

Mix with hands until thoroughly blended. It will be quite soft.

Form into balls and place on a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed with oil.

Bake at 375 degrees* until browned, but not necessarily cooked through. These don't do well pan-fried. They fall apart. (*One of my notes says 450 degrees or broil, so you choose!)

Continue cooking in a pot of sauce until done.

Cola-Braised Brisket

Here was another keeper.  Easy and yummy - a great combo for a recipe!!  I got it from the March 30, 2012 issue of All You Magazine

Cola-Braised Brisket

2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. pepper
1 4 lb. beef brisket, trimmed
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 onions, thinly sliced
2 cups cola
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1.  Combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, onion powder and pepper in a small bowl.  Rub mixture all over brisket.

2.  Warm oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Cook brisket until browned on all sides, turning with tongs, about 7 minutes total.  Transfer meat to slow cooker.

3.  Arrange onions on top of brisket.  Whisk together cola and tomatoes in a large bowl and pour over onions and brisket.  Cover and cook on low until meat is fork-tender, about 7-8 hours.

4.  Transfer meat to a cutting board and allow to stand for 10 minutes.  Remove gravy from slow cooker.  Slice meat against the grain and serve with gravy.

Sweet Potato Foil Packet Tacos

So this was weird.  Yes, it's taco meat with sweet potatoes but MAN was it good!!!  You HAVE to try it!!  I got it from Tasty Kitchen - the site started by The Pioneer Woman.    http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/sweet-potato-foil-packet-tacos/

Sweet Potato Foil Packet Tacos

1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz.) beans (black, kidney or pinto)
6 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream, salsa, guacamole for garnish

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Brown ground meat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and beans. Set aside.

To assemble packets, spray the foil with non-stick spray. Place 1 cup sweet potato cubes in the center of each piece. Top with a small piece of butter (about 1 teaspoon) and a pinch or two of salt. Sprinkle some chopped spinach over the sweet potatoes, followed by about 1/3 cup of taco meat and a sprinkle of cheese. Fold the sides in, then bring the top and bottom ends of the foil together in the center and fold, sealing the packet.

Repeat with remaining ingredients, placing the packets on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

*Alternately, place ingredients in a 9"x13" dish and cover with foil.  Increase the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.

Makes 6 servings.

Italian Beef Stew

This is an old family favorite.  I found the recipe when we first got married and have been cooking it ever since.  It also freezes well so when I cook it, I usually cook at least a double portion.

Italian Beef Stew

1 1/2 lb. boneless beef chuck, cut into 1" cubes
3 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz. can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. pepper

In a large, heavy saucepan, brown the beef in hot oil.  Remove and set aside.  Add onion, celery and garlic to pan drippings; saute until tender.  Return beef to pan and add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is tender.  Serve alone or over noodles.

Cola Pot Roast

This could not be an easier recipe and it's GREAT for those days that are crazy, although we like to serve it with mashed potatoes so I do need some time at the end to make those.  We like the real potatoes here.  :)

Cola Pot Roast

3-4 lb. bottom round or chuck roast
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
1 (10 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (12 oz.) can cola (Coke or Pepsi, whichever you have on hand but NOT diet)

Place the roast in the crockpot.  Mix the other three ingredients together and pour over the roast.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Remove the roast from the crockpot and whisk the gravy to smooth it out.  You can make a slurry of cornstarch and water and add that to the gravy, cooking it on high for about 5 minutes to thicken it.  This is delicious and not at all the flavor you'd expect.  :)