French Dip Sandwiches

I don't use my slow cooker very often.  I have a problem with the texture of things that have been slow cooked, so I usually only cook beef and pork in it, and still that's not often.  It's SO easy, and I know that... but I don't think of it often.  So, when I find something I like, that my whole family loves, and it is cooked in the slow cooker, I HAVE TO MAKE IT OFTEN!!!  So, this is the second time in a month that we've had this :)

French Dip Sandiwches

1 (3 1/2 to 4lb) boneless chuck roast, trimmed
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
French Sandwich Rolls

Put roast in slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, beef bouillon, pepper, rosemary, thyme & garlic powder, pour over roast. Lay bay leaf on top.  Add water to almost cover. 

Cover and cook for 6 hours on low or until tender. Remove bay leaf. Shred roast with a fork. Place shredded meat on roll and serve with au jus to dip.

One things I realized tonight - I should shred the beef at hour 5 and then place it back in the juice to finish tenderizing the last hour.

Also, I like to make a mix of horseradish and mayonnaise and spread that on my roll before laying the beef on.  And Kyle likes to melt provolone on top of his.  Just so you have some serving ideas!!

Oh and BTW's - the picture doesn't do it justice, just so you know!

 Enjoy!

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Oven Roasted Herbed Turkey

Are you afraid of the big bird??  I was.  What if it was dry?  What if it was bland??  What if it burned?!?!  And how in the world do you cook a huge turkey?!

The first year I cooked a turkey, I used this Roasted Herb Butter Turkey recipe from Sandra Lee,  It was... pretty good.  But it wasn't perfect.  The skin was soggy from the butter and while the flavor was nice and the turkey was moist, it just didn't scream "Make me every year!"

The next year I decided to use a little of the Sandra Lee recipe and a little of this Herb Roasted Chicken recipe.  And, WOW!  That was it!!!  Poultry perfection!!!

Butterball has an AWESOME website dedicated to how long to cook your turkey, how much turkey you need for how many people, how long to thaw it, etc.  Check it out.  Everybody should use this every year!

So, here is my version of a great Thanksgiving Turkey!

REMINDER -- It is important that you take the size of your turkey into consideration when planning this recipe and cooking.  I used a 14lb turkey and it cooked a little over 3 hours.  You also need to adjust your seasonings based on the size of your turkey.  So plan accordingly!!

Oven Roasted Herbed Turkey

Ingredients:

Turkey

2 lemons, halved

Bunched fresh sage, rosemary and thyme

1 yellow onion, quartered

1 whole pod of garlic, peeled and gently crushed

1 cup carrots

1 cup celery sticks

4 cups chicken broth

For every 4 lbs of your turkey you will need the following:

1 Tbsp fresh Sage

1 Tbsp fresh Rosemary

1 Tbsp fresh Thyme

1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp pepper

Directions:

THAW your turkey!!!  Make sure your turkey is thawing several days before Thanksgiving.  It takes DAYS to thaw in the fridge and hours to thaw in water.  For some reason, you can not leave a whole turkey out on the counter to thaw.  So don't try it!  Plan ahead and thaw the baby out right!

Once your turkey has thawed, open the packaging and remove the bag inside the cavity.  Also... you may chose to remove the butt.  Just sayin'... some people do like to eat it though.  Hm.

Preheat your oven to 350°.  

Chop the sage, rosemary and thyme, finely.  Place in a small bowl and add vegetable oil, salt and pepper.  Stir thoroughly.  This can be done early and refrigerated.  The earlier you do it, the more the flavors of the herbs will infuse the oil.  But it can also be done right before baking and that is fine too!  No fuss!  Also, make sure you use the above measurements for EVERY 4 POUNDS of turkey.  

OK... you're ready to go.  If you are using a turkey roaster with a rack, place the rack in the roaster and place the celery and carrots in the bottom of the turkey roaster.  Pour enough chicken broth over the carrots and celery to cover them and fill the pan about an inch high.  You need to keep an eye on this as you roast your turkey.  You do not want to let the juices burn off because you will start to burn the turkey drippings as well.  If it starts to get low, just add more broth. 

Rinse your bird and pat it dry with paper towels.  This will help the herbs stick.  Place the turkey atop the roasting rack and rub down with the oil and herb mixture.  Cover the whole bird, make sure you get inside the wings and legs and the bottom of the turkey.  Once you've used all of the herb mix, stuff the turkey with the lemon, garlic, onion and remaining herb clippings.

I should say that after about 90 minutes, you should baste your turkey every 20-30 minutes.  However, we forgot to do this and still had an AMAZINGLY moist and tasty bird, so..... apparently it wasn't a horrible sin!!

The size of your turkey will determine the cooking time, but it should be 180° internally before removing the turkey.  

Once you remove your bird from the oven, let it rest 20-30 minutes before carving.  

ENJOY!!

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Bacon and Spring Onion Pasta

So, this really started as a Pioneer Woman recipe, but we made so many changes to it that after a while it began to seem like it's own recipe - since we really didn't use either of the main ingredients.  But, I must give credit to her amazing recipe as it is most definitely the foundation for this recipe.

Ingredients: 
1 box farfalle pasta, al dente
8 slices bacon, chopped
2 sweet bulb onions, thinly sliced (whites and light greens)
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c white cooking wine
1/2 c heavy cream
kosher salt & pepper, to taste
Parmesan Cheese, shredded

Directions: 
Cook pasta as directed. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Saute chopped bacon until fat is rendered and it browns. Add sliced sweet bulb onion and 2 Tbsp butter and cook for about 5 minutes. After about 5 minutes the onion should be translucent but not browning, pour in cooking wine, then cook an additional 3-4 minutes, until reduced and the smell of the wine is less pungent. Reduce heat to low, then pour in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Toss in the pasta, add the pasta water to thin, if needed. Serve with shredded Parmesan over the top. We sliced some of the green of the onion and placed that on top.  It is AMAZING!

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Kung Pao Chicken

Here is my fail-proof, totally amazing, so easy you can cook it any night of the week Kung Pao chicken recipe! My three year old asks for more... what more can I say?! This is also wonderful for a potluck - it holds it's own heat for a LONG time. I have cooked the rice, placed it in a large casserole dish, topped it off with the chicken, placed the lid on it, traveled and served it about an hour later and it was STILL hot! Total perfection...

Introducing...

KUNG PAO CHICKEN



Ingredients:
1 1/3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cooking sherry
1 tbsp and 2 tsp cornstarch, divided
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar (can substitute white wine vinegar)
2 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup peanuts
1 bunch scallions, white bulbs sliced thin
4 scallions, green tops sliced thin
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Directions:
Slice the white bulbs from all the scallions and then set the greens aside. Slice whites very thin, set aside. Take the green of 4 scallions and slice thin, set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sherry, and 1 tbsp cornstarch.

In a small bowl, combine sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, and the remaining 4 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sherry. Mix 2 tsp cornstarch with 1 Tbsp water to prevent clumps. Add cornstarch mixture to the small bowl. Stir well.

In a wok or large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the peanuts and stir-fry until light brown, about 1 minute. Do not over cook, burned peanuts stink and don't taste very good!! Remove them from the pan, make sure you place them in a heat safe bowl. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the white part of the scallions and the red-pepper flakes to the pan and cook, stirring, around 45 seconds. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until almost done. Add the soy-sauce mixture, bring it to a slow boil then reduce the heat to low, cook about 3 more minutes. Add the peanuts and scallion tops* and mix thoroughly.

Did you notice the * next to "scallion tops"??? Yeah, remember my three year old eats NOTHING green?? I make it this way if it's only Kyle and I eating it, but if Reagan is eating with us, I add the scallions after I plate it so hers is green free. Hence, the nice perky green onion in the picture. If you add it in while still over the heat, expect some droopiness to your scallions, totally OK and yummy too.

Serve with plain white rice and your favorite eggs rolls.


The whole process, from cutting the chicken and scallions to eating takes around 30 minutes - so yummy, super easy and fast! What more could you want?!

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Jenni's Cuban Pork Recipe

This has got to be one of my family's favorite meals. My husband, my daughter, my parents, my in-laws and my sister's family ALL love this meal. I'm not going to lie, it takes some juggling, but from start to finish tonight it took me under an hour. If you prep ahead of time, it's faster and oh, soooooo yummy!

My wonderful friend Jenni made this for me one day, while we were hanging out with her momma and our kiddos were both tiny babies. Kyle and I met Jenni and her husband Brian in our lamaze class, and we instantly became good friends. Jenni and Brian had recently moved to South Texas from South Florida, by way of Georgia. Our babes were born 2 weeks apart and we spent most of the first year of their lives together.

Jenni's mom came for a visit when the babies were about 6 months old and Reagan and I went to meet her. It was around lunch time and Jenni decided to cook for us! She asked me if I like black beans and yellow rice (which I honestly thought I didn't at the time, but of course told her yes!) and then she set to cookin'! I must say, I was so worried about what I was about to eat... I sometimes have anxiety issues with new foods (I'm a dork, I know...). When we sat down to eat, I was so incredibly surprised at how amazing, flavorful and just downright awesome the food was!! Being of Cuban influence, it was VERY different than anything I'd eaten before. I now share it with everybody I can - and usually see the same reaction from my family members the first time I cook it as I experienced from myself when Jenni cooked it! The moral of this story: try new foods. Especially when the person cooking them grew up in the midst of the culture that inspired it. You will be beyond pleasantly surprised. So, Jenni - this is for you my dear... I miss you tons and through good times and bad, I will remember you, cherish you and trust in you my whole life to come. *muah*


Fresh produce is a must in our home; love, love, love some fresh veggies and fruits!!



You will use one whole sweet yellow onion between the pork and beans (pork & beans, pork & beans!! Sorry....) recipes. 1/3 of the onion will be finely chopped...



and rest slice thickly...



This is the Mojo sauce we buy - you can find it on the "International Foods" aisle at HEB...



Jenni's Cuban Pork



I will write directions for the Cuban Pork itself first. This MUST be served as a whole dish though, and therefore you must serve it with the Cuban Black Beans recipe (to follow) and saffron rice. This is a package deal - don't skimp!!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs pork chops, boneless
2 cups Mojo sauce
2/3 large sweet yellow onion, thickly sliced
24 oz lager beer (any brand will do... Bud, Bud Light, Miller - whatever you got!)
2/3 cup flour, divided
1 Tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

Marinate pork in Mojo several hours or overnight for best flavor. I usually forget to do this and marinate it about 20-30 minutes before cooking... eh, you know! It works...!!



Place pork with Mojo marinade in large pot, add beer and onions.



Boil until pork is cooked through (timing will vary depending on thickness of pork). Once cooked, remove pork from pot and slice into bite sized chunks. Set on paper towel to soak up any excess juices.



Strain out onions, set aside. Save remaining juices (for gravy).

In large Ziploc baggie, mix 1/3 cup flour and Adobo seasoning.



Toss pork pieces in mixture to coat.



Heat oil in same pot. Fry pork in oil until golden brown, remove.



Caramelize onions in pot and remove.



Poor juices back into pot, warm through and make gravy by slowly whisking in remaining flour. Depending on the amount of juices left over, you may need more of less flour, so be ready to improvise! My gravy was chunky... :0( Whisk, whisk, whisk!!



Serve over saffron rice and beans. Top with gravy and caramelized onions.

Cuban Black Beans

Ingredients:
1 can black beans (keep juices)
1/3 sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 poblano pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine vinegar or white cooking wine
1 tsp Adobo seasoning

Directions:
Pour vinegar into small saucepan, add in onion, poblano and garlic.



Cook 5-6 minutes, or until onion and pepper are translucent and tender.



Add beans with juices and Adobo seasoning.



Stir to combine and warm through.



NOTE: This was the first time I bought the Hill Country Fair black beans, I usually buy the Goya brand beans. They don't look very black.. but the flavor was OK. I'd buy Goya again next time.

For the rice - we just use the Mahatma brand yellow saffron rice, and follow the cooking instructions (for our family we really need the 10 oz package, although I mistakenly bought the 5oz package this time! Oops...!).



This also makes a wonderful pot luck. You can layer the rice, beans, pork and onions in a casserole or baking dish and take the gravy on the side. It is so delicious and truly a comfort food. I can't thank Jenni enough for bringing this recipe (along with many other wonderful attributes) into my life. Love you girl!

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

Do me a favor, OK? Promise me you will make this as soon as possible! It is THAT good!! The flavors are bright and perfect. It's spicy, but not too spicy. It makes enough to serve a small army, so invite some friends! Kyle and I have a love affair with NOLA and with Cajun/Creole cooking... yum!  I don't remember where I found this recipe, but I've made some changes to the original. It uses Emeril's Essence so it may have been an Emeril recipe that I started out with. All I know is it's AWESOME!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb linguine
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast; cut into bitesized pieces
2 Tbsp Emeril's Essence (recipe below)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup poblano pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 cup green onion tops, sliced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Cook linguine according to directions on package. Save 1/2 cup of the pasta water after the pasta has been fully cooked. Drain pasta after it's cooked and set aside.

Season the bitesized chicken with 1 Tbsp Essence and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.



In a large chicken fryer style pan, heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, place the chicken in the pan. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked through.



Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Place onions and poblano pepper in the pan and saute until the onions are softened and lightly caramelized, you may need to add about 1 tsp olive oil to prevent burning.



After the onions are tender, add the garlic to the pan and saute about 30 seconds.



Stir in cream, the other 1 Tbsp of Essence, 1 tsp kosher salt and the chicken. Bring to a boil.



Gently boil until the cream has reduced by half. Mix in the tomatoes and linguine. Add the reserved cooking water to the pan and toss to incorporate, cook another 3-5 minutes.



Remove pan from heat, stir in green onion tops and Parmesan cheese, toss. Serve Immediately!



You can buy Emeril's Essence in the grocery store, but you probably have everything you need to make it right in your spice cabinet. Here is a recipe we found:

Emeril's Essence Seasoning Mix Ingredients:

2 1/2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried thyme

Combine all spices and mix thoroughly. Store in an airtight container or empty spice jar. This recipe makes about 3/4 cup so you need to have ample storage space since you only need 2 Tbsp for the recipe above. You could easily half or quarter this recipe as well. We use it, so we make it all!

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Pasta Tacos

Right after Kyle and I moved to San Antonio, he got an email from a recipe site with their daily email recipe. He looked at it, decided it looked delicious and saved it... thinking I'd immediately shoot it down! After a few days, he mentioned it and I have to say I was hesitant at first! He showed me the recipe, we made our own changes and boom! Instant family favorite!! It's so yummy, it's REALLY easy and with the exception of stuffing the shells, you stay clean!

Pasta Tacos

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tsp olive oil
1 pkg taco seasoning (include any ingredients needed for seasoning mix - usually just water)
3 oz cream cheese
1 pkg jumbo pasta shells
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup taco sauce
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 jar sliced black olives
3 green onion tops, sliced
sour cream, as desired for topping

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. You will want the pasta to cool off some so you can handle it to stuff it, but you don't want it to be cold.

Pre-heat oven to 350°.

In a large skillet, saute onion in olive oil until tender and translucent.



Add ground beef and cook until done.



Add taco seasoning and follow the directions on the package until the meat is done.



Add in the cream cheese, cut into chunks to help it melt. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.



Using a regular tablespoon, scoop meat mixture into shells. You don't want them to be too full. Place shells in greased 9"x11" baking sheet.



Drizzle shells with taco sauce, cover the pan with foil and place in oven for 15 minutes.



Remove pan, add cheese, place pan back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. This picture is after it comes out.



Top with black olives, sliced green onions and sour cream, as desired.



We serve this with Spanish Race (Mahatma brand). It's delish!!

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Pan Seared Tilapia with Lemon Dill Sauce

Fish is something we don't eat enough of around here. I am always funny about fish... I LOVE salmon and tuna, but I'm not huge on any other kind of fish. I do like tilapia, but I often forget that I actually like it... ha! So, Kyle will ask if we can have it and I always say no because I think I'll not like it... finally yesterday, I said yes, and man I'm glad I did! I'm blogging about this now, so that I never forget how WONDERFUL this is.... I would eat it again tonight.

Pan Seared Tilapia

Ingredients:
4 Tilapia filets
2 Tbsp Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
2 Tbsp butter

Directions:
Remove tilapia filets from packaging and pat dry. Also, look over for bones that may have been missed by the butcher. Separate the filets on a dry, clean surface and sprinkle generously with Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning.



In large saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat until melted. Place 2 filets in the butter and cook 2-3 minutes.



Flip filets over and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.



Remove filets from saute pan and place in a shallow glass baking dish. Pour excess butter over the top of the filets and cover with foil, place them in unheated oven to keep their warmth. Heat the additional 1 Tbsp of butter, still over medium heat, and repeat with the other 2 filets. Serve with Lemon Dill Sauce (recipe below).

Lemon Dill Sauce

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp green onion whites, finely shopped
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup fresh dill, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion whites and cook, stirring, until onion is soft but not browned, about 1 min. Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice and bring mixture to a simmer. Vigorously whisk in the additional butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, making sure each pat melts before adding the next. The sauce should start to thicken. Stir in the dill and season with the salt and pepper, to taste.



We served with salad and Rica-a-Roni Rice Pilaf - SOOOOOOO YUMMY!!!

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Muegge Classic Cannelloni

One of our favorite and most cherished recipes is the cannelloni we created for our first Valentine's Day together. We searched and searched for recipes and never found the ONE so after reviewing those we had and thinking outside the box a little, we came up with a recipe that, in one word... is PERFECT!

Over the years we've found some ways to simplify the recipe - mainly making it the night before and cooking it the day of the dinner party. Which is WONDERFUL! No dishes the day of, no staying in the kitchen all afternoon... great! Last fall, I was craving our cannelloni, but stuffing those shells just wasn't appealing to me, so we decided to make it as a lasagna. I would do this again to serve Kyle and I but I think it is much more company presentable as cannelloni. I'll share instructions for both but pictures for just lasagna.

Muegge Classic Cannelloni (with a twist!)

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast; boneless, skinless, cubed
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
1/3 cup white onion, chopped
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 (10 oz) pkg sliced button mushrooms
2/3 pkg baby spinach
1 (15 oz) tub whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 pkg Manicotti/Cannelloni shells OR 1 pkg lasagna noodles
1 (16 oz) jar Alfredo sauce
1 (16 oz) jar Spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese, for topping

 Directions:
 In a large pot, boil water for pasta. Cook according to directions on package to al dente. Drain pasta and set aside. In large pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook just about one minute, to infuse flavors into oil.

Place the chicken in the pan and cook until slightly pink in the center. * NOTE: I should have added the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper her... BUT... I forgot!! So, add it now!! *

Add mushrooms and finish cooking chicken. 

And... here is where I remembered to season my meat... haha! 

When the meat has finished cooking, add in the spinach and mix it in just until it begins to wilt. 

Preheat oven to 375°. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese with 1 cup Parmesan cheese, set aside. 

Use a slotted spoon to drain the chicken and veggies and place them in your food processor. 

Use the food processor to shred the chicken mix finely. 

Thoroughly mix shredded chicken into cheeses. 

For traditional cannelloni: stuff the mixture into shells, gently (these shells tear easily). You can use a piping bag to do this but Kyle and I generally hand stuff them. Place stuffed shells in 13x9 baking dish. Cover one half of shells with Alfredo sauce, the other half with spaghetti sauce. Bake about 20 minutes, until sauces bubble. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese grated over the top. 

For lasagna: butter a 13x9 baking dish and spread thin layer of Alfredo sauce on half the dish and a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the other half.

Lay down 4-5 lasagna noodles. Layer with 1/3 stuffing mixture. 

Keep your Alfredo/spaghetti sauce boundaries and spread Alfredo on one half and spaghetti sauce on the other. 

Repeat layers with noodles, filling and sauces twice more. Top of with noodles and remaining sauce.

You *could* do Alfredo on one layer, spaghetti sauce on the next, but we like to keep them separate since Kyle prefers spaghetti sauce and I prefer Alfredo sauce! Bake about 20 minutes, until sauces bubble. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese grated over the top. 

As I said earlier, you can make this recipe early, just don't bake until time to serve and make sure you allow 45-50 minutes to bake since the dish will be cold. Also, this recipe doubles very easily. You can feed a lot of people very easily!! I cooked it straight through from chopping the chicken to baking and it took about 45 minutes start to finish - not too bad!! Enjoy!!

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