Hot Dog Chili

Tonight we are having hot dogs with homemade chili. Here is the recipe we use. It makes alot but freezes really well. It is a little spicy so you can use mild rotel or cut down on the chili powder if you prefer it not to spicy.

Hot Dog Chili

INGREDIENTS

• • 5 pounds ground chuck
  • 40 oz tomato sauce
  • 40 oz water
  • 1 can rotel
  • 10 tbl chili powder
  • 2 med onions
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp red pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Boil ground meat. Drain well.
  2. Mix meat, onions, bell pepper, and all seasonings.
  3. Add water, rotel, tomato sauce. Simmer, stirring often till thickens (not to thick, as it will thicken after it sits.

Loose Cabbage Rolls

Here is the story behind this. My mom was taught by someone when she was young to make russian style cabbage rolls. It was an all day process but they were delicious. She has been gone many years now and I miss those. I have tried a couple times to do them and while they are ok, they just aren't the same. The best part of hers was what she called "the trash". It was all of the leftover meat, cut off cabbage, and the small pieces of cabbage, etc put up on top of the rolls. This cabbage casserole tastes like the trash.

Here is the recipe along with the pictures.

Loose Cabbage Rolls

Start with 1 1/2 pounds ground beef in a dutch oven.

this is with the onions, bell pepper. Saute till all meat is browned, veggies are tender.

Add cut up celery, garlic

Add lots of seasoning, more then you think you need or it will be very bland.

Add cabbage and stir well.

Add in Spicy v8.

Stir well.

Put in covered pot and put in 350 oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Stir and put in oven for about an hour more. Stir again and if cabbage is cooked to your liking, take out, and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes. It is very hot and retains the heat for a long time.

Will post picture tonight when we eat.

Beef Tips with Noodles

Tonight's menu is Beef tips with noodles, canteloupe, dinner rolls, strawberry or blueberry shortcake.

Here's how to make the beef tips:

First you brown the meat ( I am using stew meat).

Remove the meat and saute' onions, bell pepper and celery for a few minutes in about 1 tablespoon of butter.

Add about 1 tablespoon of flour after they are starting to get tender.
Then add the meat back along with a good amount of water.

Simmer until tender. Usually a couple of hours. Add more water as needed.

I will cook the noodles right in the broth when we are about ready to eat. 

Here is finished plate other than the shortcakes which we ate later

Bacon Braised Short Ribs

this is one of our favorite pressure cooker meals!

Bacon Braised Short Ribs

YIELD

 6 servings

• 5 strips bacon
• 3 to 4 pounds bone in short ribs, trimmed of excess fat (we will use country style ribs next time)
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp cornstarch, whisked into 1 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp butter
• 
  
• 1. With the cooker's lid off, heat bacon on brown until nearly crispy. Remove bacon, coarsely chop and set aside.
  2. Sprinkle short ribs with a generous amount of salt and pepper, and add to the bacon grease to brown on both sides. May need to do in batches.
  3. Add chopped bacon and remaining ingredients, except cornstarch and butter, and securely lock the pressure cooker's lid. Set the cooker for 35 minutes on high.
  4. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before performing quick release for any remaining pressure.
  5. Transfer the cooked ribs to a platter and set the cooker to brown. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in the cornstarch and water mixture into the liquid and cook for 2 minutes, until thickened. Stir in butter and a little salt and pepper if needed.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Hopefully I will remember to take a picture of the finished product tonight and edit this post.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

1 package (usually 2 to a pack) beef soup bone (also called shanks)
2 small or 1 large package of boneless beef stew meat
2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 can of beef broth
1 can of tomato sauce
seasonings to taste
about 1 tbl sugar
water to fill up big soup pot
1 large or 2 small heads cabbage, chopped
1 large or 2 small turnips, peeled and cut in quarters
5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
5 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
1 can cut green beans
1 can small peas
1 bag whole kernel frozen corn
1/2 bag frozen baby lima beans

Brown meat, onion, bell pepper, and celery together adding seasoning of your choice. I use salt, pepper and garlic. Once nicely browned add beef broth and tomato sauce along with sugar. Stir well and add water to fill pot. Cover and bring to boil, reduce to simmer and simmer till meat starts to get tender.

Add cabbage and cook for about an hour. By now meat should be very tender. Add canned veggies and frozen veggies. Add turnips. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. Add carrots. Simmer about 30 minutes , taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Add potatoes. Simmer till carrots and potatoes are tender. Enjoy!

Tonight I am serving it with the homemade dinner rolls. Recipe is here on the site.

Steak in a gravy

Cajun Steak in a Gravy

Start by cutting up onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. 

Next get a dry black iron pot hot. Season meat with salt and pepper then brown on both sides. Remove meat from pan. Add a tablespoon of oil, and all of the veggies except for the garlic. Once there is a little moisture from the veggies, add the garlic.

Once the veggies are tender, add a little flour, couple or so tablespoons. Stir in well to the veggies and cook a minute or so to get rid of the raw flour taste.  I added the broth and if it needs to be darker you can add the kitchen bouquet.  Now just simmer, stirring occasionally till meat is tender and gravy has thickened a little.

Enjoy!

A recipe, but no pictures

Hopefully soon I will be back in the swing of things.  But I recently did cook our favorite french dip sandwiches for supper after the funeral. Here is the recipe.

French Dips in the Crockpot

beef roast 4-5 lbs
2 packages dry italian dressing mix
2 packages au jus gravy mix
2 cans beef broth or water and bouillion to make up 3 3/4 cups
sliced onions
seasonings of your choice but go easy on the salt because of the sodium in the mixes and the broth or bouillion.

Place the roast in crockpot. Mix all other ingredients except onions in a bowl till well mixed. Pour over roast. Add sliced onions around the roast. Cover and cook for about 4 hours. I have an auto setting on mine and it starts out on high and after a couple of hours switches to low. Flip roast over and cook for another 2 hours. Pull the roast apart or slice. Put back into crockpot and let cook for another 30 minutes to an hour in the juices. Serve on your favorite hoagie type bun or french bread.
Serve juice on side to dip into.

We served with chips.