Basic Drip Beef

I made this for my in-laws and parents. My mother in law confessed that she has never made such a tender roast in all the years she's been cooking. Maybe I was just lucky that day.

• 1 whole 2.5 to 4 Pound Chuck Roast
  ¼ cups Butter
  1 whole Large Onion, Sliced Thick
  3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
  ½ cups Soy Sauce
  1 cup Sherry (cooking Sherry Is Fine) (I used 1 can beef broth instead)
  ½ teaspoons Salt
  4 cups Water
  I believe I added in some brown sugar as well
  Toasted, Buttered Deli Rolls
  OPTIONAL: Rosemary, Thyme, Other Spices

Heat butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, or until starting to get brown.

Put onions in to crock pot and set chuck roast on top of the onions. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover crock pot and simmer (very low heat) for 6 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and falling apart. Shred meat with two forks until all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or continue to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

*Mixture can be refrigerated overnight. Remove hardened fat from top of pan before reheating.

Serve on top of toasted, buttered deli rolls. I used Ciabatta Rolls that I got from Wal-mart.
Top with cheese and place under the broiler if desired.

Mushroom Soup

I found this recipe on thepioneerwoman.com. I was a little skeptical when I started making it, but it turned out really good! It only makes about four small servings. Make it with the sinful bread I posted earlier, it's a great combo. I also left out the white wine, because I didn't have any. I just used chicken broth in it's place.

***

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Small Carrrot, Finely Minced
1 whole Celery Stalk, Finely Minced
1 Tablespoon Garlic, Crushed And Minced
1 pound White Mushrooms, Sliced Thin
4 ounces, fluid Chablis White Wine
4 ounces, fluid Tomato Juice
4 ounces, fluid Chicken Broth
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
¼ cups Water
1 pinch Salt And Pepper, to taste
***
Heat oil, over medium heat, in a large deep pot.

Mince the carrot and celery nice and fine. Too big and the soup will end up chunky. Toss into the pot and allow them to soften while you slice the mushrooms.

Next, add your garlic, right as the carrots and celery start to cook down.

Add the mushrooms to the pot and allow them to reduce and soften. Pour in the Chablis, and let it cook with the mushrooms for a few minutes.

Add the tomato juice, and the chicken broth. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes before adding the heavy whipping cream, and bring to a soft boil.

Grate Parmesan and add it to the pot. Let this cook for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and blended with the soup. Add the cornstarch to 1/4 cup of water, then pour into the soup.

Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until thickened. Salt and pepper the soup to your own tastes.

Sinful Bread

I made this bread one night with a recipe called Mushroom Soup.
It was truly delicious. I couldn't get enough of it.
Unless you have a large group, I would recommend cutting the recipe in half.

Sinful Bread

***

2 loaves French Bread

1 cup parmesan cheese (grated fresh)

I cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup minced onion

***

Combine ingredients. Split French bread horizontally, spread mixture and sprinkle with paprika (if desired... the above picture is minus the paprika). Broil to crisp up.

***

Enough for 2 loaves of French bread.

No Bake Cookies

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES
***
1 STICK BUTTER
½ CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS
½ CUP MILK
2 CUPS SUGAR
1 TBS. VANILLA
½ CUP PEANUT BUTTER
3 CUPS OATS
***
BOIL BUTTER, CHOCOLATE CHIPS, MILK, SUGAR, VANILLA AND PEANUT BUTTER FOR ONE MINUTE. ADD OATS AND MIX WELL. SPOON ON TO WAX PAPER AND LET COOL.
***
MAKES APPROX. 40 COOKIES.

Taquitos de Papa (Fried Potato Tacos)

This is a very fast, easy and yummy recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR TACOS:

Corn Tortillas

Mashed potatoes

Cheese, you can use fresh Mexican cheese or Parmesan

Toothpicks

Lettuce, shredded

Salsa (see recipe)

sour cream

oil for frying

Note: I did not specify amounts because it really depends on how much you are making.


Put a little bit of mashed potatoes in center of warm tortilla and roll (if the tortilla is not warm, it will break when you try to roll it), secure with a toothpick and fry.

Top tacos with lettuce, salsa, cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!!

RED SAUCE FOR POTATO TACOS

3-5 roma tomatoes (or use a can of whole tomatoes if you don't have fresh)
2-3 fresh jalapenos
1 garlic clove
oregano
salt

Boil tomatoes and jalapenos and then place in blender along with the rest of the ingredients, remember to add a little bit of water from the boiling tomatoes and jalapenos otherwise your salsa will be super thick. cool

Calabazita con Elote (Zucchini & Corn)

This is a very light meal, but very tasty!

***

INGREDIENTS:

5 zucchinis, cut into small bite size pieces

1 small onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, diced

3 fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 can whole kernel corn, you can use fresh corn if you have some

salt

Shredded Mozzarella or Monterrey Jack cheese, optional

***

Place first six ingredients in a skillet and cook without a lid. This dish should be ready in 15-20 minutes just until the zucchini is nice and tender. Top with cheese if you want and cover for a few minutes to help cheese melt fast. Serve and enjoy!!!

Carrot Cake Roll

Cake Roll Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Egg White from one additional egg, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4  tsp ground nutmeg
1 2/3 cups finely shredded carrots
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

6 oz cream cheese, not softened
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Green, yellow and red liquid food colors
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Cake
Heat oven to 350.  Coat bottom and sides of a small cookie sheet (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch) with nonstick spray.  Line bottom with wax paper, spray paper.

Beat eggs, egg white, granulated sugar, vanilla and spices in a large bowl with mixer on high speed 8 to 10 min until think and tripled in volume.  Fold in Carrots.

In a separate small bowl stir flower, baking powder, and salt until combined.  Holding strainer over the large bowl containing the egg mixture, shake or sift flower mixture over egg mixture.  With a rubber spatula, fold into eggs until just blended.  Spread into prepared pan

Bake 15 minutes, or until a wooded pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 min, or until pan is just cool enough to handle.

Using a clean kitchen towel, spread towel on counter top and dust powdered sugar evenly over it, cover area the size of the cake.  Invert cake on towel, remove pan; carefully peel off paper.  Dust cake with powdered sugar.  Starting at a narrow end, roll up cake and towel.  Place on wire rack; cool completely.

Frosting
Beat Cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until blended and smooth.  On low speed beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until blended; increase speed to medium and beat one minute.  Remove 3 Tbsp to a cup; cover and refrigerate remaining frosting until firm.

For carrot decoration use the 3 Tbsp of reserved frosting.  Split into 2 bowls, add a drop of green to one and a drop of red plus a drop of yellow to the other.  Scrape each color into Ziploc bags.  Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble
Carefully unroll log.  Spread evenly with 1 1/3 cups frosting.  Roll up from same end as before, using a towel as an aid.  Carefully transfer cake to platter, coat with remaining frosting. and sprinkle with nuts.  Refrigerate 20 min before piping carrots onto nuts.  Snip off corner of each Ziploc bag of colored frosting and pipe carrots and carrot tops randomly on cake.  Refrigerate until serving.  Planning tip: can be made up to 2 days ahead.  Refrigerate loosely covered.

*Notes:  I did not use the nuts because I was making it for someone who has allergies to them.  I used up all the frosting inside my roll before I realized I was supposed to reserve some for the top and had to make additional frosting for the top, which makes my roll thicker in picture.  Also, I made this one day in advance,  allowing the flavors and texture to have time to combine