Sweet and Sour Cranberry Pot Roast

Sweet and Sour Cranberry Pot Roast

Ingredients

One 16-oz can tomato sauce
One 16-oz can whole cranberry sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine or water (I used water)
3 shallots, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
3 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. dry mustard
One 3-4 pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed of as much fat as possible and patted dry

To cook:

1. Stir together all ingredients (except meat) in your crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes.
2. Put meat in crock pot and spoon some of the sauce over your meat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
3. Transfer meat to cutting board and slice. Put on platter surrounded by yummy vegetables.
4. If you would like, cook the extra sauce on high for a few minutes, uncovered, and then serve on side.

My tidbits:
I forgot to turn down by crock pot from high to low. My meat cooked much faster and by the time it was ready for dinner it ended up being shredded beef. My guests didn't seem to mind too much. Also, I had noticed that I forgot to turn it down after it had already cooked for about 3 hours. Since I had planned on cooking it for 8 hours I just turned my setting to warm. The recipe says that a 3-4 pound roast will serve about 6-8. My 3 pound roast probably would have serve 4-6 depending on serving size and the number of sides you prepare. :) I would definitely make this recipe again. It was super easy and very tasty. It would probably also taste great served over rice.

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 c. chicken broth

4 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 c. onion, minced

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into chunks

Directions

Combine broth, potatoes, onion, and spices.  Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender.  Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening.  Reduce to low heat.  Add cream cheese.  Heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts.

Thank you Kathi for this yummy recipe!!!

My tidbits:

I don't think I smashed enough potatoes because my soup didn't thicken up.  To solve this, I could up more potato cubes in the microwave, added some of the soup juice, and then mashed the potatoes.  I added that mixture into my soup and it thicken up nicely.  Be sure to give the cream cheese time to melt.  Don't worry if it looks chunky.  Just keep stirring and make sure you have the heat up just right.  We served it with bread and bacon bits.  You could also top it with cheese, chives, or just about anything you like.  

I fed three adults and had enough leftover to feed four adults again the next day.  That's what I love about soups-the gift that keeps on giving.  I'm going to try freezing my leftovers.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff (taken from Food.com Rachel Ray)

I adjusted some of the ingredients...check back at food.com for the original

1 1/2 pounds of beef tenderloin fillet (I used 2 pounds)

Salt and pepper

3 tbs. butter, divided

2 tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cups of beef consomme, available on soup aisle

2 tsps. Dijon style mustard (I might have used 2 tbs.)

1/4 c. sour cream

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 small onion, sliced 

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms (my addition)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped cornichons (sweet gherkins-I left this off)

1 pound extra wide noodles, cooked to package directions

chopped parsley leaves, garnish (I left this off)

Slice meat into 1/2"-thick by 2" long very thin strips and season with salt and pepper.  Set in freezer.  

Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Melt 2 tbs. butter and cook with flour 1 minutes.  Whisk in consommme.  Thicken 1 minute. Stir in mustard and sour cream, thicken 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and season sauce with salt and peper.

Heat a second skillet over high heat.  Add 1 tbs. oil and 1 tbs. butter, then add the meat  and onion.  cook over high heat until brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total.  Then add the chopped cornichons and stir to combine.

Arrange meat on a bed of egg noodles and top  with stroganoff sauce and parsley.  

My tidbits:

I was running out of space on my stove top so I poured my sauce into a separate container and cook my meat, onions, and mushrooms in the pan I used for the sauce.  For serving purposes, I combined the sauce and meat mixture into one bowl.  Be sure to drain the meat before combining with stroganoff sauce.  And yes, I added mushrooms because I love mushrooms and I think every stroganoff I have ever had has had mushrooms.  My sauce didn't thicken up to well so I added a little cornstarch.  Just remember that it is always easy to add but not so easy to take out.  Cliff and the missionaries loved it.  I had enough left over for Cliff to take to work for lunch.  It was rather easy to make also.

Chicken Burrito Filling

This recipe is so yummy!  My friend Holly passed it my way-Thank you Holly!!!   I made it for dinner today and will definitely make it again.  Super easy.

Chicken Burrito Filling

Layer in Crock pot:

10 Frozen chicken tenders (I used three frozen chicken breasts)

1 cup of chicken broth

1 cup of chunky salsa

1 can corn, drained (or frozen corn)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 package of taco seasoning

Cook on low 4-5 hours, until chicken is done.  I shredded the chicken in the crock pot, mixed it all up, and then served it up with shredded cheese in a tortilla (I use the tortillas that you cook from Costco).  Top with sour cream or other yummy toppings.  

Holly's other suggestions: Serve with tortilla chips or on top of mixed salad greens with crushed chips, green onions, and Mexican style rice.

This had to be one of the easiest meals I have ever made and I had all the ingredients on hand.  I might even add a little rice to the mixture next time.  I had about half left after dinner (we are only a family of 3) so I will be freezing the mixture to break out again for dinner.  Love it!

Cheddar Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

Another yummy recipe from Carianne.  This is super easy to make.  She even gave me a recipe for Mexican White Rice but I was missing the cilantro and opted for a box version instead.

Cheddar Chicken with Black Bean Salsa

4 Chicken Breasts

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3/4 c. Cheddar Cheese or Pepper Jack

1 (14 1/2 oz. can) Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes-chopped

1 (15 oz. can) Black Beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbl. cilantro

Directions

Spray large skillet with olive oil and heat.  Saute chicken until lightly browned.  Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper.  Turn over and saute until cooked.  Sprinkle cheese over chicken ( all but about 1 tbls.).  In a small pan bring tomatoes and black beans to a boil.  Top the chicken with the black bean salsa and ad remaining cheese and cilantro.  Yummy!

Okay, I once again did not have the cilantro and the dish still tasted yummy.  I think I just need to plan an herb garden so I can pick the herbs as I need them.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I happen to love Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I am not always pleased with the versions that restaurants have to offer but Carianne gave me a great recipe!  Again, pardon my food picture taking skills.  I'm not sure how the magazines make food look so good.  While I know family living in Bakersfield is not in the mood for soup this is a super easy recipe.  Almost every ingredient comes out of a can.  I made enough soup to fill my entire crock pot.  I put some in a Ziploc baggy to be frozen until another time.  Two things I would change for next time: 1) I didn't chop my stewed tomatoes.  lazy me!  I would next time as then the tomatoes would be more evenly distributed throughout the soup.  2) I would add the cilantro!  I totally forgot about it until I took a picture.  The soup still tasted fine without the cilantro.  Thanks again Carianne for a yummy, easy dinner!

Carianne's recipe did not come with all the exact measurements as she is a "handful here, pinch there" kind of girl.  For those of you that are a little scared of this method I made note of the measurements that I used.  However, they are only guidelines.  You should do some tasting, just like Emeril, as you prepare your soup.  So here goes:  (my guidelines are in parenthesis)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

(Water for boiling, 10 cups)

Chicken Breast (I used 2)

Garlic (1 tbs. minced)

Pepper (1 tsp.)

Salt (1 tsp.)

Chicken Boullion (5 Cubes)

2 limes

2 cans Mexican Style Stewed Tomatoes

1 can of Corn ( or 1/2 bag of frozen corn)

1 Lg. can Green Enchilada Sauce

1 7 oz can of Diced Green Chilies

Olive Oil (1 tbs.)

1/2 Onion (you can use a whole onion if you really like onions)

Cilantro

Directions:

Boil chicken in garlic, pepper, salt, limon and chicken bouillon.  Do not throw out water when the chicken is done.  Shred or chop chicken.  Saute onions in olive oil.  Chop up can of stewed tomatoes.  Pour into pot of broth a can of green enchilada sauce, diced green chilies, can of corn, stewed tomatoes, onions, and then add chicken.  Let cook for at least 30 minutes.  Carianne usually cooks her soup on low for one hour.  Add cilantro the last 15 minutes.  Carianne adds tortilla chips, cotija cheese and pepperjack cheese to each individual bowl.  I used a monterey jack/cheddar blend so feel free to play around with cheese that you will like.  I also like to make cornbread muffins.  I throw a muffin in the bottom of the bowl and pour soup on top.  Yummy!

Grilled Chicken

Cliff and I are a huge fan of grilled chicken.  I am especially a fan of him grilling chicken as I get to just worry about the side dishes.  We found at Costco a yummy sauce/marinade called Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.  We only bought one bottle because we wanted to make sure we liked it before buying a million bottles.  It is soooooo good!  We are going to buy more bottles when we go back to Costco because it will be just our luck that they will stop selling it.  I highly recommend that y'all take a peek at your Costco to see if they carry it.  You won't be disappointed.