Slow Cooker 3-Packet Pot Roast

 

We had a Roast in our freezer that we wanted to use, and I found a simple recipe online.  It was seasoned great and super delicious, one of those things that taste better than they look.  I served it over egg noodles, but it would be equally great over rice, potatoes, or in a pulled pork sandwich.  We had lots of leftovers and wish I would have frozen half of it.

Slow Cooker 3-Packet Pot Roast

6-8 servings

Ingredients:

3-4 pound boneless roast (beef chuck or pork shoulder butt)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon oil

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 packet brown gravy mix

1 packet Italian dressing mix

1 tablespoon dried chopped onions (or 1/2 onion, diced)

1 can (14.5oz) beef broth

1/4 cup water 

baby carrots (optional)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add oil.   Season roast with salt and pepper.  Sear the meat in the skillet on all sides just to brown the outside.  (This browning step is optional but recommended)

Transfer meat to a slow cooker.  Sprinkle the seasoning mixes and onions over the roast.  Pour the broth and 1/4 cup water over the roast.   Cover and cook on low for about 7 hours.  You can add baby carrots or chopped celery during the last 2-3 hours of the cook if desired.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water.  Pour mixture into broth in slow cooker and stir.  Shred the meat using 2 forks (it should easily fall apart) and stir.  Turn heat to high and cook for 30 minutes to allow the gravy to thicken.

Baked Reuben Sliders and Garlic-Chive Air Fries

I wanted a fun and easy St. Patrick's Day meal, and this was perfect.  The Reuben sliders were delicious.

Baked Reuben Sliders

Makes 12 sliders

Ingredients:

1 package (12 rolls) Hawaiian sweet rolls, sliced horizontally

1/2 pound thinly sliced deli corned beef

1/3 pound sliced Swiss cheese (6-8 slices)

8 oz sauerkraut, drained and squeezed to remove moisture

1/4-1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing (to taste)

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon minced dried onion

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.  Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.  Place bottom half of rolls in pan. Arrange corned beef evenly over rolls, then cheese slices, then evenly spread the sauerkraut.  Drizzle Thousand Island dressing over sauerkraut to taste.  Place top half of rolls on top.

In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients.  Brush topping over tops of rolls.

Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 350º for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and bake and additional 10 minutes until browned and cheese is melted.  Use a knife or spatula to separate the sliders.

Air Fryer Garlic-Chive Fries

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes, cut into 1/4" julienne strips

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons dried minced chives

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Rinse and dry potatoes.  Drizzle with oil and toss with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chives.  Arrange in a single layer in Air Fryer tray.   Bake at 400º for 20-30 minutes, turning fries halfway through time.

Poppy Seed Crescent Rolls

 

German Poppy Seed Crescent Rolls

Makes 10 rolls

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon instant yeast

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup milk

1 egg

Topping:

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon milk

1-2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, salt, and flour.   In a small bowl, melt the butter; stir in the milk and then whisk in the egg.  Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until there's no loose flour (it will look shaggy).  Dump dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and silky.  Form into a ball and place back into the large bowl.  Cover with a dishcloth and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and knead briefly.  Divide into 10 equal portions.  Roll out each portion to make a triangle with each side being about 7-8 inches long.  Starting with a long side, roll up the triangle and bend in the middle to make a crescent, with the triangle point underneath.  Place the crescents on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.  Cover each pan with a dishcloth and and place in a warm area to proof again for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425º.   To make the topping, whisk together the egg yolk and milk.  When the rolls have finished proofing, remove the dish cloth and thinly brush the egg wash all over the rolls.  Sprinkle poppy seeds onto the rolls.  Bake at 425º for 12-15 minutes until the rolls are a rich golden brown.  They will be soft when they first come out.  Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Instant Pot Monterey Chicken

For Packers game night, I made this fast and easy dinner using the Instant Pot.  I roasted some red potatoes in the oven in the time it took the Instant Pot to preheat, cook, and release pressure (~20-25 minutes).    I like that this recipe is easily customizable to however many servings you want to make.  The chicken was delicious and I'd definitely make this again.  

 Instant Pot Monterey Chicken for 2

Ingredients: 

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or cutlets

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

1 strip cooked bacon, crumbled, or bacon bits (optional)

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 tomato, diced

1 green onion, sliced

Directions:

Combine the dry seasonings in a small bowl and rub all over chicken breasts.

Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot and place a trivet inside.   Place the chicken on the trivet.  Cover Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 7 minutes.   Let naturally release for 10 minutes, then vent and remove lid.

Use tongs to remove chicken to a plate.  Remove trivet and dump water.  Put chicken back in empty pot (OR put on a baking pan to broil).  Baste chicken with the BBQ sauce and sprinkle with bacon and shredded cheese.   Cover the Instant Pot and keep on warm for a few minutes to melt the cheese (or broil in oven for a minute).

Serve chicken topped with tomatoes and green onions.

Instant Pot Applesauce

 I forgot to take a photo.  But it was delicious.  Super easy.

Instant Pot Applesauce

Makes about 4-5 cups

Ingredients:

4 large Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cored, roughly chopped

4 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled and cored, roughly chopped

1 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Stir water, lemon juice, and cinnamon in Instant Pot.  Add apples and toss to mix.

Cover and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.  Release pressure quick or slow (doesn't matter).

Stir for a couple minutes or use an immersion blender if you want a smoother texture.  Stir in more cinnamon or add sugar if needed.  Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.  Enjoy warm or cold.  Will keep covered in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.

Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce (with Meatballs and Zoodles)

I have a lot of big ripe tomatoes in my garden so I decided to make this veggie-rich homemade pasta sauce.  I used some of it to serve with zoodles and meatballs and froze the remainder for another night.  The sauce was much thicker until I put the zucchini noodles in the pot and then they released a lot of water into the sauce and thinned it out.  I should have cooked the zucchini separately.  It was still really delicious.  

Homemade Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

6 beefsteak tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion

1 green pepper, seeded and minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup beef or chicken stock

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary 

1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano 

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes in half and place cut-side down on a lined baking sheet.   Roast at 450º for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and use a tongs to peel off tomato skins.

While the tomatoes are roasting, heat olive oil in a large stock pot and cook the onions and peppers until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and stir for a minute.    Pour in the wine, stock, and herbs, and stir well.  Cook over medium heat until the liquid has reduced by half.

Add the roasted tomatoes to the pot, stirring and mashing up any really big chunks.  Stir in the tomato paste.   Simmer over low heat for 2 hours.  Use a handheld immersion blender to blend the sauce for a few seconds to get a less chunky sauce (this worked out wonderfully for me).

Serve with pasta or zoodles.

Zucchini Bread

My zucchini plant is having a record year and giving me a fresh zucchini almost daily.   I made two loaves of zucchini bread, one regular and one with chocolate chips.  Delicious.

Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 loaves 

Ingredients:

2&1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Grease and flour two 8x4" loaf pans.  Preheat oven to 325ºF.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Sift in the dry ingredients and beat well.  Stir in the zucchini and nuts or chocolate if desired.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake at 325º for 45-60 minutes until tester comes out clean.  Let cool for 20 minutes then remove bread from pan and let cool completely.

Zucchini Skillet Meal

This was a great fast and easy one-pot meal that used up a bunch of my garden vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper).  The recipe made more than expected, so we had leftovers for a couple nights.  If I made it again, I'd spice it up a little more with more chili powder or cayenne or something.  Jeremy put Tabasco sauce on his serving. 

Zucchini Skillet Meal

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey or ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1-2 zucchini, diced (I used 1 large zucchini)

2-3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1/4 cup water 

shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend)

Directions:

Cook ground turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Add in the onion and peppers and cook for a few minutes to soften the veggies.  

Stir in the seasonings, zucchini, tomatoes, rice, and water, and bring to a boil (the zucchini will release more moisture).  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle shredded cheese over everything and let melt a bit.

Chicken with Basil Tomato Butter Sauce

 

It's now tomato time in our garden.  We have some monster-sized tomatoes that are ripe so I needed a recipe to use up a bunch at once.  This was a really good one, basically just making a fast and easy buttery tomato sauce.  I would definitely make it again.

Chicken with Basil Tomato Butter Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, no more than 1" thick

salt and pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

5-6 roma tomatoes, diced (I used 3 large beefsteak tomatoes)

3 cloves garlic, minced

fresh oregano leaves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

fresh thyme leaves (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1/4 cup butter

handful of fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

pasta or zucchini noodles

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large skillet.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet.  Cook for several minutes on each side until browned and completely cooked.  Remove chicken to a plate temporarily.

Carefully add the diced tomatoes to the leftover oil in the skillet.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, and thyme.  Simmer for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked down to a chunky sauce.  Add the butter and stir until melted.   Add the chicken back into the skillet to soak in the sauce for a couple minutes to reheat.  Stir in the basil just before serving.   Serve over pasta.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups

 

I felt like trying a new zucchini recipe.  This was delicious and I didn't miss the pasta at all.  The only time-consuming part was rolling up the zucchini.  They didn't roll as tight as I wanted because of the sausage.  Also, it would have helped to use a square pan with straight sides instead of my casserole dish with rounded ones. Next time I might make it in the style of traditional lasagna and just layer the zucchini ribbons flat to make it easier.  It might also be fun to try it with pepperoni and make pizza roll-ups.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups

Makes 4-6 servings 

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into about 24 ribbons, 1/8"-thick (a mandolin is helpful)

salt and pepper

~1/2 lb ground Italian sausage

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, minced

1&1/2 cups marinara sauce, divided

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Directions:

Lay zucchini ribbons flat on paper towels.  Sprinkle each side with salt and let stand for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook Italian sausage in skillet over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes, crumbling it as it cooks.  Transfer sausage to a medium bowl.  In the empty skillet, sauté the green pepper for a minute or two. Transfer to the bowl.

In the bowl with the sausage and peppers, add the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce into a square or circular baking pan or oven-proof skillet.

Spread 1-2 tablespoons ricotta mixture evenly over each zucchini slice.  Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese.  Roll up and place in the baking pan.  Top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 400º for 25-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is beginning to brown. Enjoy!