BBQ beef sandwiches with homemade BBQ sauce

BBQ Beef sandwiches

• 2 1/2 to 3 lbs lean chuck roast or bottom round
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons spicy mustard or Dijon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:

Place beef roast in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Remove roast, shred meat. Place shredded meat back in crockpot; stir to coat well. Spoon barbecued beef onto toasted sandwich buns and serve with extra sauce, if desired.
Serves 6 to 8.

Chili

1 lb ground beef, browned w/ 1 diced onion
4 cans beans, undrained (black, pinto, kidney or any combination)
1 can diced tomatoes (plain or with green chiles)
1 can tomato sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning mix

Add all ingredients to a large pot, bring to a boil and then simmer until you are ready to eat (at least 15 minutes) or just throw it into a crock pot. Top with cheese.

The original recipe I have calls for a pkg of Ranch dressing mix, but that just didn't make sense in my head, so I didn't try it. If you do, let me know how it tastes.

Sicilian Beef and Rice

Instead of serving meat sauce with pasta, try this tasty variation that calls for rice.

Ingredients:
1 package (16oz) frozen pepper and onion blend
1 teaspoon minced garlic
12oz ground beef round steak
2 cans (15 oz each) reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
salt and pepper. to taste
3 cups cooked long grain rice, warm
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pepper and onion blend, garlic and ground beef in large saucepan over medium heat until beef is browned and onions are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and herbs; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. spoon mixture over rice and sprinkle with cheese. ENJOY!!!

Crockpot Enchiladas (although I have never made them in the crockpot)

1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar and jack)
flour tortillas

In a skillet, cook beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is tender; drain. Add the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Now there is some debate as to assembly...

There is the slow cooker way:

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer about 3/4 cup beef mixture, one tortilla and about 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until heated through.

My in-laws way:

On a microwave safe plate, layer 3/4 C beef mixture, one tortilla and 1/2 C cheese. Repeat layers. Heat in the microwave for about 5 minutes until the cheese melts. Cut into wedges and serve.

My preferred method:

Layer ingredients in a round casserole dish (beef, tortilla, cheese, repeat). bake in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until heated through.

BTW, Yesterday at Sam's Club I got a case (8 cans) of diced tomatoes with green chilis for $2. Nice.

Tomato-Beef-Macaroni Soup

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1/4 C butter
2-4 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 - 2 Qt tomato juice
2 t salt
pepper
1 1/2 T brown sugar
1/4 t seasoning salt
1/4 t parsley
1/3 c diced onion
1/2 lb elbow macaroni, cooked

Mix all soup ingredients except macaroni. Add enough tomatoes and tomato juice to make a soup that has the consistency you want. Simmer and add seasonings to taste. Add cooked macaroni. Heat through. Serve with grated cheddar.

Teriyaki London Broil

1 (1 1/2 pound ) London Broil

Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 cup beef bouillon

Make slits about 1/8 inch deep around edges of beef
For Marinade, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, lemon juice, Olive oil, and bouillon in a shallow dish, mix well. Reserve 1/3 of marinade. Add beef to dish, turn to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for 10 min. While beef is marinating, preheat grill or broiler. Remove beef; discard marinade. Grill or broil beef basting with reserved marinade about 5 min each side. Let beef stand about 2 min. Slice diagonally across the grain.

Meatloaf & Potatoes

This is THE BEST MEATLOAF!

Ingredients:
2 lbs lean ground round or chuck (hamburger)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
1 cup cracker crumbs or fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 cup milk
6 to 8 small potatoes, halved or quartered

Preparation:
In large bowl, mix all ingredients except potatoes. Shape into a loaf. Place in a Crock Pot. Place potatoes at the sides of loaf. (If potatoes are peeled, wrap in foil to keep from darkening.) Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Serves 6.

* I didn't peel mine, so i don't know how that tin foil works.
* i made extra brown gravy to use for the potatoes and meat. so so yummy!!!

Green Chili Casserole

Ingredients:
12 corn tortillas
1-2 lbs Hamburger
1 small onion, diced
1 can of Cream of Mushroom
2 cans of Cream of Chicken
1 small can green chilies (4 oz)
Cheddar Cheese, grated

Directions:
Brown Hamburger and onion. Mix the rest of ingredients together and add to cooked hamburger. Heat mixture through. In a 9x13 pan (i use a glass pan) layer half of the meat mixture then 6 corn tortillas to cover the mixture. Sprinkle with layer of cheese. Place the rest of the meat mixture in pan onto top of tortillas. Cover with the remaining 6 tortillas. Cover with more cheddar cheese. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(first layer down and almost complete with the 2nd layer)

(ready to go in the oven)

Oh-So-Easy French Dip

This is my favorite meal (HANDS DOWN) to both prepare and consume, not to mention watch as my children gobble it down like they're never going to get another meal as long as they live.

French Dip

1-2 lbs deli-fresh sliced Roast Beef (depending on the # you're feeding)

3-5 Beef Boullion cubes

1-2 cans Beef Broth

1/3 or less can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Seasoned Salt

1 tsp. Worchestershire Sauce

6-12 SOFT French rolls (Francisco brand is great)

6-12 sliced Swiss (or other favorite) cheese

Put first 7 ingredients into a crockpot on LOW setting. Let simmer for 2-4 hours.

Toast or Broil French Rolls, place a couple slices of Roast Beef, and then add a slice of cheese. Close sandwich and the cheese will melt.

Use the remaining juice from the crockpot for au jus, for dipping.

Dip, savor, repeat.

NOTE: I usually just throw in whatever spices I can find. You can add whatever else you think would be good.

Crockpot Enchilada Casserole - the cheaters way

Prep time: less than 5 minutes

Great with rice or a salad

Ingredients:

Frozen burritos (I use approx 1 1/2 per person eating... this allows for leftovers. Any flavor will work.)

1 large can Enchilada sauce

cheese and sour cream for garnish

Put frozen burritos in crock pot. Pour Enchilada sauce over the top. Cook low for 4 hours. Garnish with cheese and sour cream.

It doesn't get any simpler than that.

WARNING: The final product is NOT attractive. The burritos fall apart into the sauce...mmmm.... I was told that you could make it in a 9X13 pan, laying the burritos in the bottom, pouring Enchilada sauce over the top and then baking it in the oven, but I have never made it that way.

Easy Crock Pot Stew

Since Nora's mom requested this I'm happy to share it again.

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. of lean stew meat
place in bottom of crock pot and salt and pepper the meat real good and also add about 1/2 package of dry onion soup mix, or if you don' t have that handy add lots of dehydrated onion.
Then cut up 5 potatoes ( I leave skins on and it's usually good size chunks)
one lbs. bag of baby carrots
one can of drained corn

mix separately 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and one can of tomato soup and one can of water. ( it will be a gross color but don't worry)

pour over the meat and vegetables.. cook on high about 6-7 hours and you have great stew!

if you want to get fancy, after you do the potatoes add a bit of season salt on them.

Pork Roast Chili Verde (crock-pot)

This is what we had for dinner last night and again tonight (it makes a lot). The recipe is from Harmons and we ate it Enchilada style.

1 (4lb) Pork Roast (Harmons has seasoned pork spoon roasts in the deli, they are so yummy and easy to make)
1/2 cup flour
2 (10 oz) cans Rotel Diced tomatoes and Green Chilis
4 (4 oz) cans diced green chilis
1 extra large white onion, diced small
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
6 to 8 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 heaping teaspoon mexican seasoning

(we added green and red bell peppers and more jalapenos, super spicey)

Roll roast in flour, coating heavily. Place in crock-pot and sprinkle any un-used flour over the top. Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and pour over roast. Cook in crock-pot on high for 6 to 8 hours or low at least 12 hours. When done, break up roast with tongs and serve rolled in tortillas. Reduce the spiciness by reducing or eliminating the jalapeno peppers. Serves 12.

Pumpkin Stew

I made this for our Halloween party and everyone absolutely loved it. I was nervous that it would be too pumpkiny, but it wasn't at all. So delicious.

Pumpkin Stew

Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 4 hours
Yields: 8 servings



INGREDIENTS

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 cup water
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, sliced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
1 10-12 pound sugar pumpkin


DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Place beef in the saucepan and cook until evenly brown. Mix in the water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 hours.

2. Dissolve the bouillon into the beef mixture. Stir in the tomatoes.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

4. Cut top off the pumpkin and remove seeds and pulp. Place the pumpkin in a heavy baking pan. Fill the pumpkin with the beef mixture. Place the pumpkin lid back on. Brush outside of the pumpkin with remaining oil.

5. Bake pumpkin 2 hours, or until tender. Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scraping out some of the pumpkin meat with each serving.

Thai Beef Pita's

I got this out of a Family Circle magazine last year. It's a bit spicy, so i don't know how it would work with those of you that have kids. I was trying to upload a picture of it, but it's giving me issues. i'll try the picture later. I am actually thinking of making these tonight. They are so good. ENJOY!!!

Thai Beef Pita's



makes: 4 servings
prep: 15 minutes
cook: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
2 medium-size sweet red peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 whole wheat pita pockets (tortilla's work just as good)
8 romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:
1. Crumble beef into large nonstick skillet; cook over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until browned. Spoon off excess fat.
2. Add peppers, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet. Cook over med-high heat, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes or until peppers are softened.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together cilantro, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir into beef mixture. Remove from heat.
4. Cut pitas in half and line insides with lettuce leaves. Fill each with about 1/2 cup of the beef mixture and serve.