Wasabi Guinness Chilli

As previously posted, cooking with beer is amazing. It really enhances the flavor of every dish you can think of. From veggies to dessert, it is YUMMY. I enjoy experimenting with chili, I make it often and never make it the same way twice. Found this awesome recipe from AllRecipes.com that I used to inspire my chili dish for cooking club at the end of last year. It was so so so so so so good. I can't stop raving about it. Secret Ingredient? Not the beer (though that was great), not the wasabi powder, (thought that made it kickin!) It was COFFEE!!!  All the crazy ingredients together make for a flavorful, exotic meal with a lot of kick. I dare you to use it for any chili kick-off you compete in.

I know that picture isn't that classy, but trust me...this dish was FANTASTIC.

Ingredients:
1-2 cups of diced onion
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb of ground beef, extra lean
1 lb of spicy Italian sausage (remove from casing)
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bottle (12 oz) of Guiness (or other dark beer)
1 cup of brewed coffee (I used some fancy Jack Daniels brew)
1 can beef broth
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup chili powder (or more)
1.5 tbsp wasabi powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp coriander (or ground coriander)
1 tsp salt
1 can kidney beans, dark red
1 can kidney beans, light red
1 or 2  chile peppers or 1 jalapeno peppers, chopped (don't rub your eyes!)


Directions:
Cook onions, garlic, beef, and sausage over medium heat until browned and tender.
Pour tomatoes, beer, coffee, broth, and hot sauce.
Add chili powder, wasabi powder, paprika, cayenne, cumin, sugar, oregano, coriander, and salt.
Stir in beans & peppers, bring to a boil.
Then reduce heat, cover and simmer.
Cook for 2 to 3 hours.

Serve with cornbread & biscuits!

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Pastelón (Sweet Plantain Puerto Rican Lasagna)

Our friend Mari introduced us to this several months ago and I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to try it out for myself. Pastelón, which is a Puerto Rican Lasagna, is just like lasagna but instead of lasagna pasta noodles you used slices of plantain. It has a mix of all these neat flavors, it's incredibly filling, and the sweet plantains are amazing. I'm sure there are many versions of this, but the one I used includes raisins and olives. I'm sure you can leave them out or just use a little. It's also not the healthiest thing I've ever made. But it is delicious, no doubt about it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (or just use cilantro paste like I do)

2 tsp adobo (in the international/ethnic food aisle or spice aisle)

2 tsp italian seasoning
2 tbsp vinegar

1 envelope Sazón (in the international/ethnic food aisle)

2 tsp of bay leaves

8 green stuff olives, cut in half

1/2 cup raisins

4 or 5 plantains, peeled & cut into long strips (For really great directions on pictures on plantains, go here. I could try to explain it to you, but it won't be pretty.)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

3 eggs

2 tbsp milk

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

vegetable oil

salt
butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix ground beef, garlic, onion, green pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl. 

Then mix in adobo, italian seasoning, vinegar, & Sazon.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbs of olive oil. 

Toss in the beef mixture and cook until brown.

Add bay leaves, olives, raisins, & tomato sauce. 

Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat another large skillet with oil, on medium heat, just enough to cover the bottom. 

Fry the plantains, a while on each side, until they are golden brown & crispy.

Butter the sides & bottom of an 8 x 13 baking dish.

Layer the bottom most layer with plantains.

Spread a layer of ground beef on top of the layer of plantains. 

Top with a layer of mozzarella cheese and another layer of plantains. 

Continue the process, ending with plantains.

Mix eggs & milk in small bowl. Pour evenly over the last layer. Let it soak in and then sprinkle with a last little bit of cheese. 
Bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
ENJOY!!!!

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Taco Cups

One of my favorite dishes to make is the Taco Ring. (Pillsbury Dough + Taco Meat = Amazingness) I was asked to bring an appetizer for a dinner party so I decided to make these "mini taco rings". You might see them called taco muffins or taco cups. Either way, they are delicious!

There are lots of different ways to do these. I've seen them with wonton wrappers, pillsbury dough biscuits, or crescent rolls, dough from scratch, and tostito chips. I went with pillsbury dough biscuits. 

I've seen these with black beans, salsa, ground turkey, and ground beef. I went with extra lean ground beef. You can throw in diced onions too. I went with avocados & tomatoes. But you can top with lettuce & sour cream. Endless possibilities, make them your own. 



Ingredients:
3/4 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1 envelope of taco seasoning or 1/4 cup
1/2 cup water
1 can Pillsbury biscuits
1/2 cup tomato, diced

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese or mexican blend
1 avocado diced


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cook ground beef in skillet until brown.
Stir in taco seasoning & water.
Simmer for a few minutes until water is evaporated.
Meanwhile, spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
And place 1 biscuit in each muffin cup and press down on the bottom and partway up the sides forming a cup. (I had 10 biscuits, but used a muffin pan for 12 - see picture).

The trick is to really form a thin muffin cup. It will bubble up when it cooks and you want to make sure they meat & cheese doesn't overflow.
Add meat/onion mixture into center of each cup, but don't add too much.
Bake in oven for about 10 minutes. 
Top with shredded cheese and cook for an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Top avocado & tomato after removed from the oven.

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Cheeseburger Soup

So sad I didn't get better pictures of this! Ask my in-laws for verification. It was delicious!
Served this with the sweet potato pizza.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup onion, chopped
2 tsp parsley flakes
salt & pepper to taste
4 tbsp butter
3 potatoes, peeled & cubed
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1.5 cups 2% milk
1/4 cup sour cream
cubes of bread, homemade croutons, or crackers to top


Directions:
In a large pot, melt 1 of the tablespoons of butter over medium heat and mix in beef and onion.
Mix in salt, pepper, & parsley.
Add broth & potatoes.
Bring to a boil. 
Then lower temperature and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. You'll want the potatoes to be soft.
Melt the remaining butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. 
Stir in the flour with the melted butter. Make sure it's mixed in completely.
Add the milk to the butter/flour mixture. 
Then add that mixture to the soup a little at a time. You want to be stirring constantly during this whole process.
Bring to a boil. 
Then lower temperature and add cheese. 
Keep at low temperature.
After cheese is melted, add the sour cream until melted through.
Serve with bread or homemade croutons. 


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Hamburger Goulash

Here is a yummy meal from Freezer Pleasers! :-) It was pretty easy to make, so you can make it for dinner, or it's a great make-ahead meal. Enjoy.


Ingredients:
1 to 2 pounds of lean ground beef
1 medium, chopped & diced
2 cups water
3/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (I only had wheat flour)
1/4 cup cold water
Additional cooked noodles or mashed potatoes (optional)



Directions:
Cook beef & onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.
Drain, if necessary.
Add the 2 cups of water and ketchup, worcestershire sauce, paprika, sugar, salt, mustard, & garlic powder.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine flour and cold water until smooth.
Stir into the meat mixture and bring back up to a boil.
Cook for 2 minutes until thickened.
Serve over noodles or potatoes immediately.


Feel free to eat immediately or freeze up to 3 months (do not include noodles/potatoes in freezing). To thaw frozen goulash, place in fridge to defrost, then place in a small saucepan and heat through.


(Does not include noodles or mashed potatoes)

Servings: 6      Calories: 202      Fat: 6      Points: 4      Points Plus: 5

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Meatloaf Cupcakes

For April Fool's my cooking club had a get together and I decided it would be fun to make one of those April Fool's Desserts (google it). I went with the whole mashed potato cupcake thing. It was great.

However, one of my friends (Hi Jess!) was really disappointed when the she found out the mashed potatoes were chocolate cupcakes & frosting, she actually WANTED the mashed potatoes instead. So as a treat, when I knew she was coming over for dinner, I decided to make mashed potatoes for real. I wanted to keep with the cupcake theme though, so I decided I would do meat cupcakes instead with mashed potato icing. So cute! It might sound gross, but it's actually quite delicious.

There are a bazillion meatloaf recipes out there and anyone will do. I'm a no-thrills kind of meatloaf gal. I don't like bbq sauce or brown sugar or too much of anything else. I like a little bit of seasoning and some veggies. I also want the meatloaf as healthy as possible. That's why I'm really happy with this recipe. I did a 50/50 combination of ground turkey and extra lean ground beef. 

I also put in shredded carrots, diced onions, and diced celery. Normally it would be a pain in the rear end to dice, chop, and shred all those veggies and try to get them small enough to mix into the meat mixture. But with the help of Darrenkamp's and my small food processor it was very easy.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup skim milk
3/4 cup italian-style breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
2 eggs
salt & pepper
Box of instant mashed potatoes and all the ingredients that goes with it or homemade mashed potatoes.


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the instant mashed potatoes, directed by the box. (See end note on why to do the mashed potatoes first).
Next, start to prepare the meatloaf.
In a small bowl mix in the breadcrumbs and milk.
Saute the veggies until soft. (You can use oil, but I chose to just use fat free olive oil spray).
Transfer into a food processor once the veggies have cooled and mince on a low setting until the veggies are very tiny.
Mix the meat, eggs, breadcrumbs/milk, parmesan, parsley, salt & pepper together in a large bowl. Use your hands or a spoon, make sure it's mixed well.
Place meat mixture into muffin pan. (I use the bendable, non-stick muffin pans and the meatloaf pops out easily at the end.) You should fill up each muffin cup about most of the way.
Bake in oven for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Makes about 12.
For the mashed potato topping you will use about 4 oz. of instant mashed potatoes. Follow directions on box.
(for pink icing mix in beet juice!)
Use a star tip and pipe the frosting or use a plastic bag and cut a whole in it. [You might want to do the mashed potatoes first, then do the meatloaf because it's hard to pipe the mashed potatoes when they are still really really hot.]

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BBQ Pizza Bake

This recipe is from Pillsbury dough. It's delicious and feeds a lot of people for a short amount of work.


Ingredients:
1 pound of extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp of onion powder
1/2 cup to 1 cup of barbecue sauce
1 can pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls formed into 1 flat collection of dough or just use pizza crust or seamless dough
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large skillet cook beef and onion over medium heat until cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Add onion powder.
Stir in barbecue sauce. 
Reduce heat, simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, prepare the dough. Place in 13x9 pan.
Press into bottom and 1 inch up the sides.
Spread hot meat mixture over dough. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes until edges of crust are golden brown.

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Cheesy Onion Burgers (Veggie Or Not)

I have some Boca burger patties in my freezer that I wanted to find creative ways to cook with. I was looking up some recipes and found this simple burger recipe. My husband thinks boca burgers taste like cardboard and sometimes I have to agree. So I knew I wouldn't be able to make him boca burgers for dinner and get away from it. Luckily, our friends Jessie & Doug had brought us some fresh ground beef from their "shared" cow. (Yes, only in Lancaster County). I had this whole master plan of making a veggie burger for me and a regular burger for Gerald. But when I saw how good his burger turned out I scrapped that idea and made a real burger. They were delicious!!! Such good ground beef. (Big thanks to The Smokers!) I think in the near future when I want to be healthier I will try out this recipe for real, but for now the non-veggie burger is too delicious to pass up.



Ingredients:
3/4 cup diced sweet onion
1 tblsp of butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 Morningstar Farms veggie burgers, or 1/2 lb. ground beef made into meat patties
2 oz. thinly sliced Gruyere cheese or some alternative
Arnold thin's for hamburger bins.


I was recently introduced to gruyere cheese at cooking club last week. My friend Tara, made this great tomato bisque soup and put it on the top. I was looking for some at Darrenkamps and they only had this really expensive kind. They suggested using another imported Swiss close the flavor. Luckily the folks behind the Deli counter at D-Kamp's were knowledgeable enough to pick out the right kind for me.



Directions:
Heat butter in saucepan on medium-low heat.
Saute onions on hot butter, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, form beef into patties and cook in saucepan (or use the grill if the weather will allow it) using non-stick pray. Brown one side, flip, and cook/brown the other side.
Once cooked through (I don't like my burgers pink at all - just like my daddy!), top with cheese, cover with lid to help the cheese melt faster.
When cheese is melted, remove lid, top with onions, and place on a toasted bun or use Arnold's-brand Sandwich thins.
Serve with a side of steamed veggies.





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Beef Taco Lasagna

This gem is from Freezer Pleasers! I made it for my mother-in-law and family for her Birthday. (I love any excuse to cook). I love tacos and I love lasagna so you know that taco lasagna is going to be a hit in this household. It turned out great. I would totally make this if I were you. Are you planning on bringing a meal over to a friend or having people over for dinner? This is the perfect dish! You'll love it!


Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1 envelope of taco seasoning or approximately 3 to 4 tablespoons
2 egg whites
1.5 cups of fat free cottage cheese
1/2 cup of fat free cream cheese (or you can use additional cottage cheese)
1 to 2 cups of reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
24 oz. of canned diced tomatoes or a jar of salsa (or some combination)


Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat.
Stir in taco seasoning.
In a small bowl, combine egg whites, cottage cheese, and cream cheese. Mix well together.
Drain noodles and separate on a wax paper, if needed.
In a lasagna pan layer 3 noodles.
Then top with 1/3 of the egg/cheese mixture.
Then top with 1/3 of the beef mixture.
Then top with 1/3 of tomatoes/salsa.
Then top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
Repeat with lasagna noodles, egg/cheese, beef, tomatoes/salsa, and shredded cheddar cheese. 
Repeat one more time. Top with remaining noodles.
Top with any remaining cheese or tomatoes. 
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for a little bit before cutting.


You can double this recipe to make two lasagna pans. I froze mine. To eat from frozen, thaw in fridge for 8 hours. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Then cook as directed. Cook longer if needed.

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Meatball Soup

Can you guess where I got this recipe from? Yup, you guessed it. Freezer Pleasers!


Ingredients:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
4 cups reduced-fat beef broth
1 can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/4 cup uncooked pasta, any kindDirections:
Combine egg, bread crumbs, parsley, parmesan, garlic salt and pepper.
Mix in crumbled ground beef and mix well.
Shape into 1-inch balls. 
Brown meatballs in large saucepan. They do not have to be entirely cooked through at this point.
Add broth, beans, tomatoes, carrot, and italian seasoning.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat.
Cover & simmer for 10 minutes.
Add pasta. Simmer 10 minutes longer or until meat and pasta are cooked.
Serve or freeze.


To use frozen soup -- thaw in fridge that morning. Place soup in saucepan and heat through.


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Slow Cooker Puffy Pizza

I stole this from A Year of Slow Cooking Blog. I haven't really mastered this recipe yet. I had a lot of people over and didn't have enough for everyone (we wound up ordering pizza too). I could of doubled the recipe and made it in my larger crock pot, but I don't know about the cooking times. I cooked on high for 4 hours. You may need to experiment and watch it to see if it needs longer or less than that. My edges came out a little too burnt. I would have wanted to make it more puffy and less meaty. But I don't know how to time that so that the meat doesn't get too burnt and the water/flour/milk/egg mix cooks enough.  Feel free to try this recipe and give me some pointers. It's really good and you can add more vegetables like onions & peppers (or any other pizza topping you enjoy). Feel free to check out the original recipe too. 

Also, you can just go to the store and pick up Spaghetti Mix and use that instead of all the seasonings. But I did what was recommended and just made it. (That's really just cause I couldn't find the Spaghetti Mix at the grocery store.) All the ingredients to the right is what i needed to make the Spaghetti Mix So that is up to you to decide. I also didn't have green pepper flakes so I couldn't use those as well. 



Ingredients:
3/4 pound extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
20-30 turkey pepperoni slices
1/2 cup sliced olives
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon green pepper flakes (if you have them)
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown beef, cook onion & garlic.
In a small bowl mix together kosher salt through italian seasoning.
Pour over beef mixture.
Add oregano, tomato sauce, and water.
Stir over low heat until bubbles appear. Remove from heat and place in 4 quart slow cooker.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, milk, eggs, and cheese. Pour evenly over beef mixture.
Top with pepperoni and olives.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Cooking time may vary.
Look for it to puff up and pull away from sides.





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