Italian Beef Sandwiches-slow cooker

13 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Slow Cooker Tags: , , ,

These are delicious! The beef is cooked all day and just falls apart. The very slightly hot peppers, the melty provolone cheese and the tomatoes makes this one tasty hot sandwich. Save some of the juice for dipping if you’d like.  This cooks for 8 hours which makes it ideal for a weeknight dinner also as it can stay on ‘warm’ for a while after cooking.

I put the roast in my slow cooker at about 10am on New Year’s Day. I didn’t really have any plans for the day except catching up on some DVR’d shows and doing some chores around the house and laundry but on a lazy day off it was nice to not have to worry about dinner and have such a delicious sandwich waiting for me.  It also reheats really well. I brought some left-overs to work the next day, put the roll in the toaster oven with a slice of cheese and nuked the beef. It was delicious!

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Italian Beef Sandwiches-Slow Cooker

Ingredients:

  • 1 3lb eye round roast (or chuck or rump)
  • 1 2oz packet Italian Dressing mix (dry)
  • 6 small Pepperoncini peppers
  • 1 cup low sodium low fat beef broth
  • 1 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Organic diced tomatoes w/italian herbs
  • Sliced provolone cheese
  • Butter
  • Rolls

Instructions:

  1. Put the roast into the cooker.
  2. In a bowl combine the dressing mix and broth and stir to combine.
  3. Pour the mix over the roast followed by the tomatoes.  Place the peppers into the broth around the roast.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
  5. When the cooking is complete remove any pieces of fat from the beef or liquid and discard.
  6. Remove the roast from the liquid and set aside. Strain the liquid to remove any fat that may be left. Retain the strained liquid and tomatoes.
  7. Slice the rolls in half the long way.
  8. Heat a pan over medium/high heat. Melt a tbsp of butter and when foaming place the halves of as many rolls as can fit into the butter (interior side down). Weigh down with something (I used my tea pot) and cook until crisp. Remove from the pan and place provolone onto the bread and then top with some beef and tomatoes and cooking liquid if you’d like.
  9. Serve immediately.

As an alternate serve the cooking liquid in a small bowl along side the sandwich for dipping.

Adapted from thecountrycook.net

Fondue!

10 Jan 2014 1 Comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish Tags:

I’ve always had a thing for fondue. When I was young my Mom used to make it and it was always a treat.  Melty cheese on a chilly night-perfect!! What’s not to love? I’d not ever made fondue from scratch but it was easy. If you can grate cheese you can make it.

I’m not really all that big of a New Years Eve person–truth be told it feels like any other night to me but since others make a big deal about it well I might as well do something 🙂 New Year’s Eve this year was so nice! I made the fondue, Mom brought over lobsters, Grandma brought a salad. We played cards and ate delicious food and laughed our heads off.

Thanks for holding that below Mom.

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Fondue!

Ingredients:

  • garlic clove-smashed once
  • 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
  • 1 cup shredded swiss emmentthal
  • 2 tbsp AP flour
  • 1 cup dry white wine (chardonnay)
  • bundle of fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
  • french bread, granny smith apples etc.. all cut into small squares for dipping.

Instructions:

  1. Rub a medium sauce pan with the garlic. Add the wine, thyme bundle and lemon juice and bring to a simmer for a  minute or 2.
  2. Combine the cheeses and flour in a bowl and mix to coat evenly. Add it to the wine mixture a bit at a time, stirring until melted and velvety.
  3. Pour into your fondue pot and place over the appropriate heat source.
  4. Serve with diced bread, apples etc…

I put the bread and apples out with other small things to eat easily with the fondue fork but not to dip into the cheese-dill gerkins, kalamata olives. They were a nice addition to the plate.

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Ranch Mashed Potatoes

08 Jan 2014 1 Comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Holiday, Side Dish Tags: ,

I don’t think that there’s anything better with pot roast than mashed potatoes.  For my Christmas Eve dinner I served these potatoes with this pot roast and these roasted veggies.

I had pinned this recipe quite a while ago and was so glad that I made them! The lack of butter and cream made me feel better about eating them, the sour cream and ranch flavors made them tangy and savory and delicious.

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Ranch Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 1 1oz packet Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
  • 3lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • chives for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, lower heat to simmer, and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes fall apart when pierced with a fork.
  2. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the large pot.  Mash them up until smooth.
  3. Stir in seasoning and sour cream until evenly blended.
  4. Place in serving dish, sprinkle with chives and serve.

Adapted from hiddenvalley.com

Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Green Beans

07 Jan 2014 3 Comments

by sparksfromthekitchen in Holiday, Side Dish Tags: , , ,

Roasting veggies is my favorite way to cook them. Is it your favorite way as well? They stay so crispy and the flavors are so nice! A simple olive oil, salt and pepper is all that’s needed to make them yummy.  And it made for a beautifully colorful dish.

Hmmmm orange, white and green. I’ll remember that for St. Patrick’s Day.

I served these on Christmas Eve along with this Pot Roast and mashed potatoes and they were perfect.  I had intended on making only carrots but there were no purple ones to be found at the store that day so i picked up some parsnips instead. I already had the green beans at home.

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Roast Carrots,  Parsnips and Green Beans

Ingredients:

  • 3 bunches baby carrots (the real baby carrots-not the little ones in the bag), about 1 lb, peeled and cut into inch lengths.
  • 1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces the same size as the carrots
  • 1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed, cut into the same size as the parsnips and carrots
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • garlic powder

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
  2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  3. Spread out all of the carrots and parsnips onto the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
  4. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add the green beans, spread them around and add more olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder if needed.
  6. Cook for another 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and serve right away.

Christmas Eve Pot Roast

06 Jan 2014 2 Comments

by sparksfromthekitchen in Holiday, Main Dish Tags:

My family doesn’t usually do much on Christmas Eve. This year though, since Husband and Mom and I and In-Laws were all off I decided to have a Christmas Eve dinner at my house. The evening was so much fun. We started with some easy pickies-different olives, some hummus, cheese and crackers and then moved on to dinner then had some dessert and exchanged some presents.  It seemed almost too perfect that it also started to snow while we were opening presents.  Not much-just flurries-but I couldn’t have planned a better backdrop. Thanks Mother Nature!!

The menu was very simple-pot roast, roasted veggies and ranch mashed potatoes–and it was perfect.  We had only a little of everything left-and those left overs were gone the next day.  Allow yourself time to sear the meat properly-it makes all the difference in the end.

The pot roast-so simple to cook and so delicious! My father in law proclaimed it perfect and the best he’s ever had!!  It was a flavorful comforting meal perfect for a holiday get together.

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Christmas Eve Pot Roast

Ingredients:

  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 1  4.75 lb chuck roast*
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 whole medium yellow onions, peeled and cut into 2 inch rings then halved
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 1 cup red wine (I used chianti)
  • 3 cups low fat low sodium beef broth
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 275f.
  2. Salt and pepper the roast generously.
  3. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven (mine is a 6 qt) over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Remove and set aside.
  4. Add the carrots to the pot and stir them around for a few minutes until they’re slightly  browned. Remove and set aside with onions.
  5. If the pan needs a bit more oil add it now.  Place the roast into the pan and sear it for about a minute (or until a nice brown crust developes), then repeat for all sides–even the ends. Set aside with the onions and carrots.
  6. Add the wine to the pot and scape up all of the bits on the bottom with a wooden spoon.  Put the roast back into the pot and add enough beef stock to cover the roast halfway.
  7. Put the onions, carrots and fresh herbs into the liquid in the pot.
  8. Put the lid on and roast in the oven for 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Brown the meat so that it looks like this.

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The roast was so tender that I couldn’t slice it-I just pulled the meat apart and served it that way.

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If your roast is smaller it will take less time to cook. Plan on 3 hours for a 3lb roast.

I was also able to find some beautiful flowers in Christmas-y colors for the table. Red and white carnations with some really adorable puffy greens-they reminded me of something Dr. Seuss would think up.

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Adapted from Ree Drummond via Food Network.

Peanut Brittle

03 Jan 2014 2 Comments

by sparksfromthekitchen in Sweets Tags: ,

I was thinking of making some new candy treat to have to munch on for/around Christmas and I caught Trisha Yearwood’s show and she just happened to be making peanut brittle. It looked so good! And easy! And it was really easy! Stir pot, add peanunts, pour, set, crack. Easy peasy. And it’s really delicious! A nice buttery flavor comes through.

I had planned on giving some out to family with their gifts but I forgot and then it was too late so then I just kept it all for myself :). I’ll be eating it until Spring–this recipe makes a lot.

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Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 & 1/2 sticks)
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup tap water
  • 2 cups shelled raw peanuts

Instructions:

  1. Using 1/2 stick of butter very very liberally grease a baking sheet (obviously with sides as you’ll be pouring hot liquid sugar onto it) and set it aside. You may not use all of the butter but butter it really really well. Set it aside.
  2. Measure the vanilla into a small bowl and set it aside.
  3. Measure the baking soda and salt into another small bowl, stir to combine, and set it aside.
  4. In a large saucepan with a heavy bottom combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water. Clip the candy thermometer onto the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to cook until thermometer reaches 240F then stir in the peanuts carefully. Continue cooking until thermometer reaches 300F.
  5. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, vanilla, baking soda and salt.  Stir until the butter melts and then quickly pour the mixture onto the baking sheet, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
  6. Cool it completely then break the candy into pieces and store in a tightly covered container.

Makes 3 lbs.

From Trisha Yearwood, Food Network

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

02 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Cookies

Brown butter takes classic snickerdoodles up a huge notch. Yum. Make them.

There’s nothing more to write.

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Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough:

  • 2 & 1/2 cups AP flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 & 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp plain greek yogurt (not low or no fat)

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Whisk the cinnamon sugar coating ingredients together in a shallow bowl and set aside.
  3. Place both sticks of butter into a medium sauce pan set over medium heat. Whisk and continue to cook until butter foams and eventually begins to brown on the bottom of the pan and start to smell nutty. It can take quite a few minutes so be patient and let it take it’s time.  When it’s browned pour the butter into a dish and place in the fridge to cool.
  4. While the butter’s cooling whisk the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Add the egg, yolk, vanilla and yogurt and mix until combined. Then, a little at a time, add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Do not overbeat.
  6. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  7. Once the dough is chilled roll the dough into 1 tbsp balls, gently roll them around in the cinnamon sugar coating and place them on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart. Gently give them a little tap on the top of the cookies to flatten ever so slightly.
  8. Bake 11-13 minutes for soft cookies, a few minutes more for crisper.
  9. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer from the baking sheet to cooling racks.

Adapted from tastykitchen.com

The Union Square Cafe’s Bar Nuts

30 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Appetizer, Snack

My Mom always hosts Thanksgiving so I bring some pickies to have before dinner.  This year, among others,  I made these nuts that I found in Nigella Lawson’s book Nigella Bites.   They are so good! They’re warm and crunchy and a bit spicy and a bit sweet and a touch salty. And they’re addictive! We loved them.

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The Union Square Cafe’s Bar Nuts

Ingredients

  • 2-2&1/4 cups mixed nuts-unsalted
  • 1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp fleur de sel
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350.
  2. Place nuts onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Watch them carefully. Nuts go from golden and perfect to burned in a flash.
  3. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
  4. Add the nuts to the butter and spice mixture and stir to evenly coat.
  5. Serve warm.

Slightly adapted from the cookbook recipe.

Salsa & Sour Cream Chicken-slow cooker

27 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Slow Cooker Tags: , ,

You may have noticed that I haven’t posted anything for quite a few weeks.  It’s been crazy crazy crazy since the weekend before Thanksgiving. We spent the first 2 weeks of December on vacation in Mexico (and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly) but the weeks before Thanksgiving turned into a ludacris crunch of putting up our Christmas tree, decorating the house, finishing all holiday cards, finishing shopping, getting ready for vacation etc.. By the time we arrived in Mexico I was really ready for a margarita.

But now that Christmas has come and gone it’s time to get back to normality.

After returning from Mexico we hoped to extend the fun and vacation feeling (even if it was just in our mouths) so I pulled out a recipe that I had pinned earlier in the year. Taco Chicken!! And it was delicious! The chicken was moist and just fell apart. The taste is very nice-it has a touch of heat but isn’t spicy and is just really flavorful. I added a bit of hot sauce to my tacos as I prefer them a bit spicier but even plain they were just delicious.

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Salsa & Sour Cream Chicken-slow cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 & 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 16 oz jar mild salsa (I used Fairway’s brand)
  • 1 taco seasoning packet or homemade taco seasoning spice blend
  • 3 cups cooked white rice

    • 1 cup fat free sour cream

  • 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • soft taco shells

Instructions

  1. Pour 1/3 of the salsa into the bottom of the slow cooker then add the chicken. Pour the taco seasoning onto the chicken then top with the rest of the salsa (make sure it’s all over the chicken and seasoning).  Do not add the other ingredients at this time. They’re for later.
  2. Cook on low for 8 hours.
  3. Shred the chicken and then add the rice, sour cream and black beans. Stir to combine then cook on low for 30 more minutes.
  4. Serve in warmed tortillas with grated cheese.

Adapted from TheMagicalSlowCooker.com

Pumpkin-Shiitake Risotto with Pancetta and Pignoli Nuts

20 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

by sparksfromthekitchen in Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish Tags: , ,

Recently I was looking around online for a recipe to use up some left over pumpkin puree and I found this. The name intrigued me. Pumpkin and Shiitake? Meh…I wasn’t sure about it.  But then as I read down the list of ingredients I knew that I had to make this and soon. And am I glad that I did! It was perfect. Crunchy pignoli nuts, creamy rice, hints of pancetta, onion and pumpkin and just a bit of tang from the mascarpone (which I doubled).  I had a double serving.

Many people think that risotto is difficult to make or easy to mess up. Lies. You can’t just let it sit on the stove but all that it takes really is attention and stirring. If you haven’t ever tried to make risotto at home I urge you to do so.  There’s almost no prep involved either-just chop up an onion and some mushrooms tops and that’ s about it. Easy peasy.

Risotto is like mashed potatoes. Some like it looser, some like it dryer. I prefer it looser and for to spread a bit when it’s spooned out. If you prefer it dryer continue to cook past when the liquid is absorbed. Be sure to not over cook it though-you do want it to be slightly toothy in the interior of the grain but creamy on the outside. Best to taste as you go.

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Pumpkin-Shiitake Risotto with Pancetta and Pignoli Nuts

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups no salt added chicken stock (I used the stock I made a few weeks ago)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4ozs pancetta, diced large
  • 2 cups shiitake mushroom caps, chopped
  • 1&1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed or put through a press
  • 1 cup Arborio rice, uncooked
  • 1 tsp fresh sage, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 4 tbsp mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tbsp pignoli nuts
  • 2 tbsp scallions, chipped small

Instructions:

  1. In a small sauce pan bring stock and water to a simmer. Keep it warm over low heat.
  2. Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook about 7 minutes or until crisp, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic and cook about 5-8 minutes or until tender. Add the rice and sage, cook, stirring for a minute. Add the wine, scrape and brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, and cook until liquid is absorbed.
  3. Add 1 cup warm stock and, stirring continuously, cook until it’s almost entirely absorbed. Repeat with all of the stock.  You can use extra water if needed. About 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the pumpkin and mascarpone and stir to evenly distribute.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
  5. Spoon 1 cup risotto into 4 bowls (warm them so that the risotto doesn’t seize) and top with pignolis and chives.

Note: do not use pumpkin pie filling.

Adapted from Cooking Light, December 2012

Serves 4 (or 2 of me 🙂 as a main dish or more as a side dish.

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