Oven Roasted Pot Roast

Today I woke up not feeling well and decided to stay home and rest for the day.  I haven't had much of an appetite so decided that cooking a meal Scott likes would be the perfect idea.  Since I was home I figured I would throw together a pot roast (well it might be little more that just throwing something together). Here is what you will need to "throw" this meal together for dinner.

(1) 3lb Rye Round Roast
(4) TBSP of EVOO
(1) Medium Sweet Onion (peeled and cut into quarters)
(6) Carrots (washed and cut into 1 inch pieces)
(3) Cloves of Garlic
(1) can Beef Broth
Splash of Red Wine
(1) Sprig of Rosemary
(3) Sprigs of Thyme
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
First add (3) TBSP of EVOO to a skillet.  While the oil heats up, salt and pepper the beef heavily and let sit.
Add the onion to the skillet and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add the carrots and the garlic to the skillet to brown.  Remove the carrots only and add to the plate with the onions.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and push the garlic to the sides.
Add the prepared beef to the pan and sear on all sides. Remove the beef and add to a baking casserole with a cover.  Add the onions and carrots to the baking dish.
Add a splash of red wine to the skillet to de-glaze the pan. Scrape the bottom to lift any browning stuck to the pan to add flavor to your soon to be gravy.
Add the can of beef broth and herbs and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat and add the the casserole dish.  Topping the beef with the garlic and herb sprigs.

Cover the pan and roast in the oven for about and hour and half to 2 hours.
Remove and let rest for about a half hour.  Serve with mash potatoes, topping all with the "gravy" left in the baking dish. Enjoy!

Friday Night and Farm Stand Finds

Friday night Scott surprised me by taking me to The Black Whale in New Bedford for dinner.  There was about an hours wait to sit on the deck so we decided to eat inside where, to our surprise, there was no wait. We were immediately not impressed with the menu selection and costs but decided to stay and give it a shot.  The service was quick and our drinks, apps and even entrees came quickly.  The food itself was mediocre at best, once again not impressed and won't be going back anytime soon. 

On our way home we decided to go for a drive and ended up seeing a family of deer along the side of the road.  As we continued to drive we stumbled upon a farm stand.  As it was starting to get dark we pulled in to take a look.  It was an honor system stand with a great variety of veggies.  With flashlights in had we went through the bins to see what they were offering.  We grabbed a squash or 2, put our dollars in the bin and knew we would have to come back, with a little more cash!

So today we did just that.  After telling my mom about it she wanted to check it out so we headed over this morning to grab some fresh picked veggies for the week.  We grabbed some Purple Potatoes, Julienne Cherry, Green Zebra and Red Lightning Heirloom Tomatoes and some mini "lunchbox" peppers.

So tonight we will be having some roasted purple potatoes, a heirloom tomato salad and thick cut smoked pork chops.  Stay tuned for recipes and photos!

Slow Cooked Pork Roast with Veggies

Yesterday's dinner was a slow cooked quick dinner.  Its all in the prep and then let it cook all day and enjoy.  Here is what you will need to make this delicious meal:

1 Boneless Center Cut Pork Roast

10 Baby Red Potatoes (halved)

1 Small Bag Baby Carrots 

1.5 Bottles of Beer (I used Bud)

1 Package McCormick Smoked Applewood Marinade

Rub spice pack onto roast and add to lined slow cooker. Add veggies to the sides of the pot. Pour the beer over the veggies.  I let it sit overnight in the fridge and then turned the slow cooker on in the morning on low for 8hrs.  The roast just fell apart when it was done.

Best part, since there is only two of us we get to have the leftovers tonight! Enjoy, I know we will again! 

Lasagna is best made in a new oven

So everyone knows I cook EVERYTHING in my toaster oven.  I always did because our oven was electric and just seemed to leave a funny taste on everything we made in it.  Well this weekend our microwave broke and when I sent Scott to buy a new one he came home with an over the range convection microwave oven.  It was huge (see photo below, with the broken one to compare it to)!!!!

It couldn't stay on the table so he went to work installing it above the stove.  While doing so the entire base of the stove collapsed when he tried to move it.  That was it, he had had it with that stove.  Out of the kitchen and to the basement it went and off to the store I went in search for my new oven.  My only requirements were that it had to be black and gas, besides that basic is all I need and I found just that. 

 Now I just couldn't wait to cook away, I baked about 6 dozen of Scott's favorite Banana m&m cookies (secret recipe) in the convection oven and lasagna in the actual oven.  

Now the cookie recipe is top secret but here is how I made the lasagna:

INGREDIENTS 

1 box lasagna noodles

1.5 lbs hamburg, 80/20

1 jar Barilla tomato Basil spaghetti sauce

1 can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano

1/2 a sweet onion, chopped

1/2 a red pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic. thinly sliced

1 lg container of ricotta

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Parmesan Romano cheese, grated

1 tbsp basil

1 tbsp oregano

-First bring a large pot of water to a boil and add your noodles until cooked. Rinse with cool water and toss with EVOO, set aside.
-While the water is coming to a boil and the noodles are cooking prepare your sauce.
-Cook hamburg in a pan until no longer pink.  Drain and set aside.
-Add the sauce and can of tomatoes to a sauce pan and simmer while you saute the veggies.
-Add a tbsp of EVOO, the garlic, pepper and onion to a small skillet and saute.  Add a splash or two of red wine, as well as the basil and oregano and saute until slightly soft.
-Add the veggies to the pan of sauce, remove from heat and combine with hamburg.
-Next we need to assemble the lasagna by layering first the pasta, then the meat sauce, the ricotta, mozzarella and repeat twice or until desired height, ending with the sauce on the top.  Sprinkle with the parmesan romano mix as well as more mozzarella.
-Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
-Let rest about 15 minutes and serve with bread and your favorite red wine! ENJOY!

Now it was so good I completely forgot to take a picture before it was all gone, we did have my parents over to share it with us and they both loved it as well. i;m sure I will be making it again and will remember to take the picture then.  Although I never had problems with just a Weber grill and a toaster oven, this will make life that much easier! 

Slow Cooked Venison Backstrap

Hunting season may be over but we are left with a freezer full of venison.  You may think "lucky you" but I don't eat it so that means Scott has a lot for himself.  Last night he thawed the backstrap which is comparable to fillet mignon.  He asked if I could slow cook it over night so he could have it today while working across the street. I did a little research and came up with this version below. I don't mind cooking it as long as I don't have to eat it!  He and a buddy had it for lunch today and absolutely loved it so here is how it was made:

2-3 lbs of Venison backstrap

Flour

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup warm water

2 beef bullion cubes

4 medium portabella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 a sweet onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups baby carrots, halved

2 envelopes of onion soup mix

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp garlic powder

2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped

1/2 cup red cooking wine

-Melt the butter in a medium saute pan

-Salt and Pepper the backstrap and coat with flour

-Sear on all sides and remove to the crockpot

-Add the onion and mushrooms to the saute pan, cooking until the mushrooms start to darken

-dissolve the bullion in the water and add to pan to deglaze.

-Transfer to crockpot and add the remaining ingredients

-Stir to combine

-Cook on high for 6 hours and then on low for 2 hours.

Serve alone or with mashed potatoes and ENJOY!

Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Brussels

Scott stopped by Cape Quality Seafood Friday afternoon and picked up some fresh off the boat sea scallops to have for dinner. So I stopped and grabbed some brussel sprouts to go with them for a fresh healthy dinner.  I decided to pan sear the scallops and roast the brussel sprouts in the toaster oven, yes I said toaster oven!  You can literally cook just about anything in a toaster oven if you try.  If you don't believe me you could always ask Sonja Morgan from The Real Housewives of New York (check out some of her recipes here).

Here is what you will need to make these scrumptious pan seared scallops:

8-10 large sea scallops

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp lemon pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

parsley to taste

2 tsp lemon juice

-In a medium saute pan heat 3 tbsp of olive oil.  

-While the oil is heating mix all dry ingredients, except parsley, in a bowl and coat scallops.

-Add the scallops to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.

-Flip the scallops, add the parsley and lemon juice and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

-Remove from the pan and serve immediately with your favorite side

Enjoy!

Super Bowl Party Food

So tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday and I will be heading to my parents to watch the game and of course eat some goodies!  Every year I have my go-to dips that I love to make.  This year I decided to take a look at Pinterest for some inspiration.  I came across so many fun and great ideas and figured I would share them with you.  My top two that I loved, pepperoni football pizza and football deviled eggs, are below and the rest you can find on my "Are you ready for some football" Pinterest page. 

Damnrecipies.com

Mymommystyle.com

Now although there are some great ones and I enjoyed looking for new ideas, I settled on my taco dip that I make every year.  It is simple to make ahead of time and even easier to travel with.  Scott is not a fan of football at all, but he is a fan of the taco dip.  So since it is so easy I made one batch for him last night and I'll make another before heading out tomorrow.  If you are still in need of a quick dip here is all you need to get it ready for the big game!

1 8oz package of cream cheese

1 16oz container of low-fat sour cream

1 package of mild taco seasoning

1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce

sliced cherry tomatoes to taste

sliced black olives to taste

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

-In a bowl combine the cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning until smooth and blended

-Spread into the bottom of a pie plate or round serving dish

-Top with chopped lettuce

-Spread half the olives and tomatoes

-Cover with the cheese

-Finish with the remaining olives and tomatoes

Enjoy!

Do It Yourself: Custom Headboard

I typically only blog about food but last weekend I finally decided to complete my headboard, and just had to show you how easy it is.  I have always wanted an upholstered headboard but there are so many styles, fabrics, and patterns to choose from.....the possibilities are countless.  A few weeks back I finally came across the below fabric (it is actually a curtain) and loved it.  It combined all of the colors involved in our bedroom. 

Materials:

Plywood or Drywall

Fabric

Batting

Staple Gun

Scissors

2 - 2x4

2 Ring Hangers

 I had Scott work on the frame.  He actually had some drywall hanging around so we decided to use that.  I sketched out a design and he cut it out so I could get to work!

I began by cutting two pieces of batting the length and width of the drywall.  One at a time, lay them flat on the floor and staple along edges.  Be sure to pull tight so that it will be flat and not bumpy.  I stated with the top, then the bottom, followed by the sides and lastly the curves at the top.  Repeat with the second piece of batting.

Before attaching the fabric, cut the 2x4 (if needed) to fit across the length of your headboard, about 12 inches below the top.  You can use the same size or a smaller one to add to the bottom just to balance the headboard against the wall once you hang it (see below). Screw these in from the front.

Be sure that your fabric is wrinkle free before attaching.  Lay the fabric flat on the floor and attach in the same manner as the batting.  If you are using a pattern (especially is there are stripes of any kind) you want to make sure that the fabric is straight as well.  Attach the ring hangers to the top 2x4 (make sure to measure where you will hang it before attaching hangers, you want to make sure you have stud where it will attach to the wall) and you are ready to hang it up on the wall!

Normally upholstered headboards can end up costing you 100's even 1000's of dollars depending on style, company and fabric choices.  By doing it yourself, this only cost me a little under $20, not including the items I already had hanging around!  By doing it this way it it also makes it very easy to remove and change the fabric when you feel like you need a change, Happy Crafting! 

Snow Day Brownies

I have to say that I have definitely had enough snow this winter and I am ready for warmer, longer days.  On the plus side, this snow has made today a "snow day".  While Scott is out hard at work removing snow from countless homes I decided to whip up some brownies for when he gets home, as well as throw some Italian Herb Chicken in the crock pot for dinner.  These brownies are super simple and most people will already have all the ingredients needed in their fridge and pantry.  Here is what you will need to get started:    

10 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1 Cup of Sugar

3/4 Cup of Cocoa Powder

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

2 Teaspoons of Vanilla

2 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup of Flour

3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

1/2 Cup Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

In a medium saucepan bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer.  In a heat safe bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt.  Place the bowl on the pan of simmering water until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove bowl from pan and let cool about 5 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla.  Next, add the eggs one at a time stirring well after each addition.  Once well mixed, stir in the flour until combined.  Lastly, beat with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes.  Batter will be very thick.

Finally, stir in the nuts and chips.

Spread batter into a parchment lined 8x8 pan and bake for 20-30 minutes in a 325 degree oven.  

Remove from pan and let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.  Eat alone or topped with vanilla ice cream for a brownie sundae. Or for Super Bowl Sunday cut into little footballs and, with a stencil, dust with powdered sugar! Enjoy!

Eggnog Rice Pudding

So now that the holidays are done you most likely have some leftover eggnog lurking in the fridge and just can't drink another glass.  I know that I did and also had some leftover rice from dinner, which got me thinking.....how about some eggnog rice pudding! I threw a few things together not expecting much but let me tell you AMAZING! Now my only problem is I threw it together so I measured nothing, which is why I am currently making another batch to make sure I let you know how to make it correctly. So here is what you will need.

2 cups of cooked white or jasmine rice

1 1/4 cup of eggnog

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey 

1 egg (beaten)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

Raisins are optional and can be added to taste

In a medium pan add the rice, 1 cup of eggnog, sugar and honey. Cook on medium/low for about 10 minutes or until thick and creamy, storing occasionally. Next, in a small bowl beat the egg with 1/4 cup of eggnog.  One the rice mixture is ready add a small amount of the rice to the egg mixture to temper the mixture before adding it to the pan. Add this mixture to the pan and cook on low for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla and cinnamon (raison as well, if you choose to). Top with cinnamon, and or whip cream and serve warm. Enjoy!