A Taste of Sweden

IKEA is quite popular around here, and one reason people keep coming back is the Swedish meatballs served in the store's cafeteria.

So when I found the recipe online, I had to make them. It doesn't hurt that hubby loves meatballs to begin with.

IKEA Swedish Meatballs:

2 bags frozen turkey meatballs
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can French onion soup
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
chicken broth, if needed

Place meatballs in slow cooker on low heat. In medium bowl, stir together soups and sour cream until well-combined. Season with garlic powder and pepper. Pour mixture over meatballs, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, if your mixture appears to be too thick, add 1/2-1 cup of chicken to thin it out. I served mine over whole wheat pasta shells.

Slow Cooked Stroganoff

We make beef stroganoff every once in a while, but this was the first time we tried this recipe. This recipe came from the back of a Lipton Recipe Secrets Beefy Onion Soup Mix box.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff:

2 lb. boneless chuck steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Beefy Onion Soup Mix
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1, 8-ounce container sour cream

In slow cooker, toss beef with flour. Stir in remaining ingredients except sour cream. Cook covered on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours until meat is tender. Stir in sour cream. Serve, if desired, over hot cooked noodles.

This recipe is linked to Potluck Sunday at Mommy's Kitchen.

Thrown In

We use our crockpot ALL the time. In fact, we have more than one of them. Often, we will use them at the same time. The other day, I had a roast I wanted to make, so I literally just took what I had out of the pantry to throw this together.

Clean Out The Pantry Roast:

1 pot roast-2-3 lbs.
1 pkg. Lipton Beefy Onion Soup Mix
2 small cans tomato juice
1 large carton beef broth
1 bag crinkle cut carrots-(Yes, I realize they were not in the pantry.)

Salt and pepper the roast. Dust with a little flower. Brown in the skillet with a pat of butter. Transfer the browned roast to the crockpot. Turn on low and add the beef broth, carrots, tomato juice, and soup mix. Cook for 8 hours.

James' Choice

Sometimes it can be tough to decide what to have for dinner. I haven't posted in a while because we simply have not made anything that was blog worthy. We seemed to have been on a streak where we either were having something that is already posted on here, or it was the same old burgers or a salad.

So, today I let James decide what he wanted to have for dinner. We threw ideas back and forth for four hours before he finally went and retrieved the Robin Miller cookbook, Quick Fix Meals, which we received as a wedding gift.

I have made this before, but we liked this version, which I only slightly adapted. I hope you enjoy it.

Shepherd's Pie:

1 1/4 lb. lean ground beef
1 bag carrot coins
1/2 onion
1 can peas
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Potatoes:
4 potatoes, peeled and cut
1/2 cup shredded triple cheddar
1/4 cup cream
1/2 stick butter
salt, pepper

Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Meanwhile, brown and drain the ground beef and onion mixture. In a separate pot, boil the carrots with some beef broth. Combine the beef, onion, and carrot mixture with tomatoes and peas. Stir in the seasonings. Divide mixture between two pie plates. Meanwhile, drain and mash the potatoes, adding the cream, cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. Spread smoothly over the meat mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Gameday Grub

The other day, I raided the Sister's Cafe blog, and decided upon this yummy dish for Super Bowl Sunday. What an excellent choice it was!!!! If you have not visited their blog, you should because they have fabulous recipes. I adapted this to our liking, so if you want the original recipe, take a look at their site.


Skillet Nachos:

1 lb ground beef
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 can chili beans, undrained
1 cup thick-and-chunky salsa
Tortilla chips (the salted kind, of course!)
1 ½ c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese


Brown and drain ground beef and chopped bell pepper. Stir in chili beans and salsa. Simmer until heated through. Line tortilla chips on a broiler safe pan. Spoon the mixture over the chips. Sprinkle with cheese. Put under broiler until cheese is melted. This mix made two batches of nachos for me.

Man Food With A Twist

I found this recipe on Crockpot Lady's blog. I knew we had to try it immediately. Now, hubby LOVES roasts and any kind of potatoes, but I wasn't sure how he was going to feel about this one. Much to my surprise, he was saying how good it was before I could even eat any. We will be making this again, and maybe even with pork next time.

Cranberry Roast:

1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1, 2-4 lb roast
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 can whole bery cranberry sauce
flour for dusting
salt and pepper

Cover the roast with a sprinkle of salt and pepper on each side. Dredge each side of the roast lightly in flour. Heat a tablespoon or 2 of butter in the skillet, and brown the roast on all sides. Place the rings of onion in the crockpot. Place the roast on top of the onions. Pour the butter and dripings over the roast. Next add the 2 Tbsp. of soy sauce, just pouring over the top of the roast. Dispense the cranberry sauce on top of the roast. Cook on low for 5 -6 hours. This is so good. Can't wait to make the pork version. ENJOY!!!!

Where's the Beef?

Tender Beef Brisket:

1, 4-pound fresh beef brisket
1, 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1, 12-ounce can beer
1 cup chopped green pepper
2/3 cup chopped onion
2 T brown sugar
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper

Cut brisket into thirds. Place into 5-quart slow cooker. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hour or until meat is tender.

This is from the January/February 2009 edition of "Simple and Delicious" magazine.

Ode to Hubby

This recipe combines many things that hubby likes. He is a huge fan of reuben sandwiches, tater tots and German food. This recipe is a mild combination of all three.

Tater Brat Bake:

1 package uncooked bratwurst links
2, 12-ounce bottles of beer
2 T butter
1, 16-ounce can sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1/2 cup milk
1, 32-ounce package frozen tater tots
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

In large saucepan, combine bratwurst and beer. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink. Drain and cut into 1/4-inch slices. In large skillet, brown brats in butter over medium-high heat. Drain on paper towels. Spoon sauerkraut into greased 13x9 baking dish. Top with brats. Combine soup and milk, and drizzle over brats. Top with tater tots. Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are lightly browned. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake again for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Cooking In, Not Taking Out

Finding one food blog led to another, and I came across this. I order Mongolian Beef every single time we eat Chinese food, so I knew I had to have this recipe. I like to eat it served over brown rice.

Mongolian Beef:

1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup of cornstarch
3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup of low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar (measured, not packed)
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large green onion, sliced thinly

Pat steak slices dry and add to a bowl with corn starch. Toss to ensure all pieces are just coated. Shake off excess corn starch using a strainer.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a large wok or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger, stir until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl.

Turn the heat to high and add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides. Pour the sauce back into the wok and cook until the sauce reaches desired consistency. Add the green onions (a pinch reserved for garnish), stir, and remove from heat. Plate, top with remaining onions, and serve.

Slide On In

Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders:

2 lbs. ground chuck
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
Parker House style rolls

Slider Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. sweet pickle relish
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. Greek seasoning
1/4 tsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the ground chuck, bacon, cheese, pepper, and salt. Form mixture into 25 2 inch patties. Bake 20 minutes. Spread slider sauce on each half of the roll.

This is easy to prepare if you want to use it for Football parties.

Messy Comfort Food

Sloppy Joe Meatballs:

1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 pkg. Sloppy Joe seasoning mix
1 egg
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ground chuck, sausage, onion, breadcrumbs, and Sloppy Joe mix. Stir in the egg. Shape mixture into 1 inch balls. Place on porepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. In a 13x9 baking dish, combine tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add meatballs and toss gently to coat. Cover and bake 30 minutes.

Hubby's Turn

Hi everyone! This is James. It's my turn to choose a recipe for my wife's blog, and today's dish is one that we received when she and I got married. Why am I choosing today's recipe? In short, because my wife has worked hard these last few days getting Thanksgiving dinner ready for family. Now that Thanksgiving and its leftovers have come and gone, and she is preparing to go back to work, it's my turn to step in.


Marinated Steak:

2 pounds round steak
1 2/3 cups Burgundy wine
1/2 cup oil
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine wine, oil, onion, thyme, salt, garlic and pepper. Mix well. Put meat in plastic bag, pouring marinade over meat to cover. Marinade at least 18 hours, turning occasionally. Broil meat 20 minutes on each side until desired doneness is reached. Broil meat over hot coals. Make a gravy from the marinade. Strain the marinade and combine with a cup of water and a package of brown gravy mix. Bring to boil and cook until slightly thickened.

Chinese Chow

James and I enjoy Chinese food, and we wanted to experiment in making a classic "takeout" dish at home. This recipe comes from The Sisters' Cafe blog.

Beef and Broccoli

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup water
2 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 lb. or more diced or cubed beef
2 cups broccoli
Steamed rice

Combine soy sauce, peanut butter, water, corn starch, vinegar, pepper, ginger, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well and set aside. Heat oil, cook beef. Add broccoli and cook four minutes. Add sauce. Mix thoroughly until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Mexican Meal

Does anyone else dread Sunday night and Monday morning as much as I do? I have panc attacks just thinking that Sunday night is nearing. My sweet husband has worked diligently to try and make today different from the usual Sunday in every possible way. One thing we decided to do was "throw together" a Mexican meal. We eat Mexican food quite a bit. So, this is what we ended up with.

Mexican Casserole:

2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 pkgs. taco seasoning
1 cup water
2 10oz. cans enchilada sauce
1 pkg. Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 pkg. flour tortillas
1 bag Doritos

Brown and drain the ground beef with the onion. Warm the enchilada sauce in a skillet. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking dish. Return drained meat to the dutch oven. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and combine with water. Lightly dredge the tortillas in the enchilada sauce. Overlap 2 tortillas in botom of casserole dish. Top with meat. Add cheese. Repeat layers 3 times. Lightly spread remaining enchilada sauce on top layer. Top with crushed chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Be carefuil not to burn the chips.

Ridiculously Easy Roast

This recipe is one that we make quite often. It is a very easy Sunday night dinner. We make it probably once every month or two. Serve it alongside mashed potatoes.

Crockpot Roast

1 3lb. pot roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can french onion soup
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 32 oz. box beef broth
1 bag microwaveable carrots

Season both sides of the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Combine both soups in the crockpot. Whisk together. Turn the crockpot on low. Pour beef broth into the soup mixture, combining well. Stir in onion soup mixture. Place roast and carrots into the liquid. Cook for 7-8 hours. The meat will fall apart when you are ready to take it out of the crockpot. If you wish to make gravy from the liquid, make a paste to stir into the broth. Mix 4 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water together until smooth. Once you remove the roast, stir the cornstarch and water mixture into the broth. Stir well and allow to thicken. Place roast back into the gravy.`

Burger in a Bowl

This recipe was adapted from The Crockpot Lady. Although she made it in the crockpot, we did not. The crockpot was already home to another meal for later in the week. This was quite different.

Cheeseburger Soup:

1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 lb. lean ground beef
4 cups chicken broth
1 bag microwaveable carrots
2 potatoes
1 cup milk
16 oz. Velveeta

Brown the ground beef with the chopped onion and bell pepper. Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven, combine chicken broth with diced potatoes and carrots. Once meat is fully cooked, drain and combine with broth and vegetable mxture. In a skillet, combine milk with Velveeta that has been thinly sliced. Once melted, pour cheese mixture into the beef mixture. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve topped with crumbled bacon.

*We added a few dashes of tabasco sauce along with some pepper to taste.

Darn Good Dip

This is another recipe that is good for football nights. This comes from a recipe book that myself and my co-workers put together to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Nacho Beef Dip

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
8 oz. sour cream
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine cream cheese and sour cream. Beat until smooth. Brown and drain the ground beef. Combine the meat with the sour cream and cream cheese mixture. Stir in the taco sauce, taco seasoning, and 3/4 cup of each of the cheeses. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 12x8 inch baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

Swedish for Beginners

This recipe comes from my father in law and mother in law, Jim and Regina. It is an easy appetizer that is just as yummy.

Swedish Meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 egg
3/4 tsp. onion salt
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can beef gravy
1 15 oz. can mushroom gravy

Combine the beef, breadcrumbs, egg and onion salt together. Make 1 inch meatballs from mixture. Place meaballs, tomato sauce, and both gravies into slow cooker. Cook for 1 hour.

Do you know the way to Santa Fe?

This is a recipe that I was first introduced to about 5 years ago, I guess. Then, it was given to me when James and I were married. It is one of our absolute favorites. I promise that you will not be sorry if you make this. It is still too hot for chili, so we opted for this instead. I also make this whenever I feel a little homesick. James and I live nowhere near our families. When we go home to visit my family, we often will have this for gatherings. This recipe feeds a lot of people. It also freezes well. This is better than any taco soup recipe we have come across.

Santa Fe Soup:

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
1 oz. pkg Ranch style dressing mix
2 packets Taco Seasoning
1 can black beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 can petite cut diced tomatoes
2 cans white corn, undrained

Brown and drain the meat and onion. Stir in all seasoning packets. Follow with all cans of beans and vegetables. Stir together, cover, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Garnish with shredded cheese.

Sunday Dinner

Anyone that knows us and especially knows James, knows what he does for a living. Therefore you understand that he typically does not get the same holidays off work that you or I might get. Hence, the reason we celebrated Labor Day with dinner tonight instead of tomorrow. This is an easy meal that takes such little effort.

Pulled Pork:
1 pork tenderloin
2 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
3/4-1 cup apple cider vinegar (depending on your taste preference)
3 Tbsp. honey
1 cup Coca Cola

In a bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Stir vigorously until thoroughly mixed. Pour this mixture into your crockpot. Add the Coca Cola. Whisk to combine. Add the pork tenderloin into the mix. Place your crockpot on low. Cook for 8 hours. Remove the meat to a plate to shred the meat. Once shredded, place meat back into the crockpot to combine with sauce. Serve on buns topped with coleslaw.