Saucy Beef Stir Fry

 

This stir fry recipe is super easy, getting you in and out of the kitchen quickly. My family loves this meal. I use beef roast and it does not matter which one you choose.  You can use steak instead, but that is usually a lot pricier then the roast if you are wanting to save some money. You can also ask the butcher to slice the meat thinly for you as well.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. beef broth or 1 to 2 cubes beef bouillon dissolved in 1 1/4 c. hot water
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. Worcestershire
1/4 c. brown sugar or granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger minced (Optional)
1 to 2 red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb. beef roast, fat removed, sliced into very thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced into half rings
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 can sliced carrots, drained
2 c. frozen broccoli
2 c. cooked rice

Directions

In a glass bowl, combine cornstarch, and beef broth. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.  Mix in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger root red pepper flakes and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add the sliced beef, and cook until browned. This can take about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet or push the meat to one side if you are using a large skillet.

Add the onions and peppers to the skillet. Cook and stir until tender. 

Add the sliced carrots and broccoli. Cook until broccoli is no longer frozen. 

 If you removed the meat from the skillet, add it back into the skillet. Pour in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until the sauce is thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

This is a very easy recipe if you don't have much time to prepare a delicious treat for breakfast or lunch. Canned apple pie filling and refrigerated cinnamon rolls in the tube is the perfect way for those who don't like to cook or have much time to cook.

Ingredients

1 (8 or 10 count) Cinnamon rolls
1 (21 oz.) can apple pie filling
1/4 Tbs. butter (melted)
1/2 - 1 tsp.  cinnamon
6 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or casserole dish.

Cut each cinnamon roll into 4 or 6 pieces and place them evenly on the bottom of the baking pan or casserole dish.

Pour the melted butter over the top of the cut up cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and then 2 tablespoons brown sugar. 

Cut the apples in the pie filling into smaller, bite sized pieces.  You can either dump them in a bowl or leave them in the can and cut through them with a sharp knife.  Spread half of the apple pie mixture over the cinnamon rolls. Stir to combine. Smooth out the mixture evenly in the pan.

Repeat the layer by sprinkling 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top, then evenly spread out the remaining apple pie filling.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the apples. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until done.

Drizzle the top of the cinnamon rolls with icing that came in the package.

Best when served warm from the oven.

 Pigs in a Blanket

This is a simple recipe brings back childhood memories of hot dogs wrapped in biscuit dough. This recipe uses home-made biscuits. However, if you want to make this meal even easier, use one tube of refrigerated crescent rolls. 

Also, you can put a slice of cheese on the hot dog and then wrap the biscuit dough around the outside of the hot dog. Home-made yeast dough works equally well to make Pigs in a Blanket.

Ingredients

2 c. flour
1 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. cold butter cut into small pieces
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
3/4 c. buttermilk
8 beef hot dogs

Directions

Heat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix the cut up butter in with the flour.  Cut the flour in with two knives until the butter is like coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the flour, butter mixture. Pour the buttermilk into the center of the indention. Mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. Do not over mix the dough, or it will be tough. 

Place the dough onto a floured surface. Gently knead the dough about 4 or 6 times with floured hands. 

Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough horizontally into 1-inch strips. Spread the strips out, leaving half an inch between strip. 

Place one hot dog on a strip of biscuit dough, beginning on the left edge of the biscuit dough strip. Begin to spiral the dough around the outside of the hot dog. Press the ends of the biscuit dough against the dough to keep the dough in place. Place the hot dog on the baking sheet. Repeat the process for each hot dog.

 Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with ketchup and mustard.

Notes:

Use the kind of hot dogs that you like best. The cheap ones with chicken, beef and pork work just as well and the all beef ones.

 

 

Layered Enchilada Casserole

 

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 chopped hot pepper (Optional)
1 chopped sweet pepper (Optional)
1 Tbs. taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans (You can drain them if desired)
1 (10 oz.) can ROTEL hot or mild diced tomatoes or salsa
2 c. whole kernel corn
2 c. enchilada sauce
2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, diced
10 corn tortillas, cut in half, or you can leave whole

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef, onions, hot pepper and sweet pepper. Drain off excess grease.

Stir in taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Add the beans, and ROTEL, stirring to combine.  Heat through.

Pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer one third of the tortillas over the sauce.

Add half of the meat mixture. Top with 1 cup corn and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the cheese.  Layer another third of the tortillas, and the remaining meat mixture. Next add the rest of the corn and then 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over the cheese. Layer the last of the tortillas over the top.  

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. 

Cover with a lid or foil. Bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove the lid or foil and bake another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned. Serve with diced tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, cheese, and/or extra salsa.

 Biscuit Hamburger Bake

This recipe is comes from my mother's recipe box. It is a quick and easy meal to prepare. Comfort food for you and your family.

Ingredients

2 cups enriched flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups shortening
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/4 cup chili sauce

Parsley Sauce 

3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbs. minced parsley
1 1/2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan.

Brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper together until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off fat.

Stir in prepared mustard and chili sauce. Set aside while you prepare the biscuits.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together.  Using 2 dull kitchen knives, cut the shortening into the flour until it is the size of small peas. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

In a small bowl, mix the egg and milk together. Pour in the milk and egg mixture into the well you make in the flour. Mix only until the dough follows the spoon around in the bowl.

Divide the dough in half. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.  Roll or lightly pat each dough half into an 8-inch square. Place one half of the dough in the bottom of a greased, 8x8x2 inch pan. 

Place the meat mixture over the biscuit dough. Top with remaining biscuit dough.

Bake for 25 minutes.  As the hamburger biscuits bake, prepare the Parsley Sauce. 

Make white sauce by melting butter.  Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.  Stirring constantly add the salt, pepper, milk, parsley, celery salt and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. 

Cut into squares and serve with parsley sauce.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

 

This is an easy and simple way to make Roasted Chicken and Vegetables. It just takes a few minutes to prepare, and then you put it into the oven and bake, leaving you free to enjoy your day or evening. You can also add different vegetables like, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes or squash.

Ingredients

1/2 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. rosemary
2 lbs. potatoes, cut into bite size cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots sliced into round rings
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
6 chicken thighs, with or without the skin
salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder
onion powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 300° or 170°, depending on how long you want to bake it. See notes below.

In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, pepper, and rosemary.

In a large baking pan, combine potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic and olive oil.  Toss to coat the vegetables with the oil. Season the vegetables with the seasoning mixture of paprika, salt, pepper and rosemary.

Season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Place chicken on top of the vegetables in a baking pan.

Bake at 300° for 1 hour, or at 170° for 8 hours to 10 hours. Bake until the meat falls off the bone and the vegetables are tender.  We like cooking ours low and slow. Not only does this give the meal a great flavor, it gives you very tender meat.

Hartwell Farm Corn Pudding

 

This is an old recipe I found in my mother's recipe box. It is such an easy recipe to put together with squares of cheese and bacon over the top, in a checkerboard fashion.

Ingredients

1 (16 oz.) can cream-style corn
1 c. medium-fine dry bread crumbs
1 c. milk
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 ounces sliced cheddar cheese, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares
3 to  4 slices bacon, in 1 1/2-inch lengths

Directions

Heat oven to 325° .

In a bowl, mix cream corn, bread crumbs, milk, green pepper, salt, and pepper.  

Pour the cream corn mixture into a casserole dish or 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

In an alternating pattern, arrange pieces of cheese and bacon across the top.  Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.