Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

14 oz. can beef broth
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 lbs chuck roast
Mozzarella cheese (optional)
6 frozen (or fresh) french rolls

1. Put beef broth and soup mix into crock pot and mix it around.
2. Add well-trimmed chuck roast and mix it in with the broth mixture.
3. Cook for 8 hours on low.
4. When it is cooked, shred it with two forks
5. Cut open the rolls and place the meat on the rolls.
6. Top with cheese, if desired.
7. Cook it until the cheese is melted- just a few minutes- in the oven.
8. Serve with a side of the broth mixture.

Source: http://www.yourmodernfamily.com/french-dip-sandwiches-crock-pot/

Try #1 - November 10, 2016

These were super yummy.  I love a good French dip.  I left out the cheese - in my opinion, a French dip sandwich should be naked and unashamed (except for the au jus, of course!).  I toasted the rolls in the oven before adding the meat.  Everyone loved these, and it was so easy to make.  Will definitely do this again!

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

2 lbs sirloin steak or boneless beef chuck roast, sliced thin
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 Tbsp. water
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
White rice, cooked

1. In the insert of the crockpot, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
2. Place slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours.
3. After 4 hours, whisk together cornstarch and water in small bowl. Pour into crock pot and stir to mix well. Add the broccoli and gently stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook 30 minutes to cook broccoli and thicken sauce.
4. Serve over warm white rice. Enjoy!

Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/iristian/this-slow-cooker-beef-and-broccoli-is-the-perfect-dinner-for?bffbtasty&utm_term=.duOXYnMjK#.bqZ19RXA8

Slow Cooker Asian Beef

1 2½ pound boneless bottom round beef roast

2 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 pound baby carrots or 1 pound carrots sliced
1 additional chopped green onion, optional
4 tablespoons chopped peanuts, optional

1. Place the beef roast in the bottom of a slow-cooker.
2. Slather the garlic, onions, hoisin sauce and soy sauce on both sides of the beef roast.
3. Add the beef and the baby carrots on the sides of the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or LOW for 6-8 hours or until the beef falls apart using two forks.
5. Serve over cooked rice noodles, cooked rice or use fresh rolls to make sandwiches.  Garnish with green onions and peanuts, if desired

Source: http://familyfoodie.com/slow-cooker-asian-beef-recipe/

Try #1 - November 1, 2016

This was really good.  Really really good.  I followed the recipe as written, except I substituted 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water for the beef broth.  I will definitely make this again!

Beef Fajitas

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/beef-fajitas/

Try #1 - October 22, 2016
Good, though a bit too sweet.  Would cut down on the sugar the next time.

Cashew Chicken

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 whole boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into small cubes
Kosher salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 whole green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup sherry or chicken broth (I used white whine)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup drained canned water chestnuts, coarsley chopped
1 cup unsalted cashews (be sure to use unsalted)
2 whole green onions, thinly sliced
Cooked rice or noodles, for serving (if desired)

1. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the chicken in a single layer. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt, then leave it alone for at least a couple of minutes to give the chicken a chance to brown. When the chicken has turned golden, stir it around so that it can brown on all sides. Throw in the garlic and ginger and stir to combine. Stir in the bell pepper and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. While the pan is still hot, pour in the sherry. Stir it around, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful bits. Turn the heat to medium-low and pour in the sauce mixture, then mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry and pour it in. Stir the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken, then add the water chestnuts and cashews and stir to coat everything with the sauce, adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
4. Finally, sprinkle on the green onions. Serve with cooked rice or noodles.

Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/cashew-chicken/

Try #1 - October 23, 2015
Simple and delicious!  The best part for me was the cashews - I'd consider doubling them next time.

Whole-Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins

1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened (but not melted)
½ cup honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup carrot shreds (can use a cheese grater)

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper, foil, or silicone liners, and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
3. In a large bowl fitted with an electric whisk (or beaters), mix the butter, honey, egg and vanilla together on medium speed. Turn the speed down and slowly add in the flour mixture until well combined. The batter will be fairly thick at this point.
4. Using a spatula, carefully fold in the applesauce and carrots. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes and muffins are beginning to turn golden brown on top.

Source: 100 Days of Real Food

Corn Fritters and Black Bean Salad

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2016/05/30/tex-mex-corn-fritters-black-bean-salad/

Butter Chicken

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016754-butter-chicken

Spinach Chana Dal

1½ cups chana dal, soaked overnight and washed and drained after soaking (dried split chickpeas, often sold in the bulk section.  Yellow split peas can be substituted.)
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons ghee (clarified butter - could substitute olive oil)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1-2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 green chili, chopped
5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped

1. Put the dal in a medium-sized pot with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skimming the foam that rises to the top. Once it boils, stir in the turmeric and cover partially, occasionally stirring. Cook for 75 minutes, being careful to check and stir a few times after 60 minutes. Stir in the salt when the dal is done.
2. While the dal cooks, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. Stir for 30 seconds and then add the onion. Saute 5-6 minutes or until the onion starts to brown.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the spinach and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil and cover. Cook until the spinach wilts, around 8-10 minutes.
5. When the dal is done cooking, add the spinach mixture to it and combine. If the dal feels too dry, stir in a bit of water to a consistency of your liking. Adjust salt to taste.

Source: 100 Days of Real Food

Try #1 - April 3, 2016
I used yellow split peas, and it took the same amount of cooking time (I thought it might be less).  I didn't soak the peas overnight, but I did soak them for a few hours before hand.  This dish had nice flavor, and was especially delicious with Trader Joe's naan!

Chicken Pot Pie Crumble

Chicken and Sauce:
1 ½ pounds chicken (about three medium-size chicken breasts)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
2-3 stalks celery, chopped (about ½ cup)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
½ cup flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup frozen peas

Crumble Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream

1. To prepare the chicken, place the chicken and broth in a large Dutch oven or pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Cook the chicken until it is just done (don’t overcook or it will dry out) – about 10-12 minutes. Alternately, if you are planning in advance, you can place the chicken and broth in a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Transfer the cooked chicken to a medium bowl. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup and reserve. Return the pot to the stovetop (no need to wash if you used it to cook the chicken).
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Sprinkle the chilled butter pieces over the top of the flour. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Add the cream and stir until just combined. Crumble the mixture into irregularly shaped pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the crumble topping until fragrant and starting to brown, about 15 minutes, tossing halfway through. Set aside.
3. For the filling, heat the olive oil in the now-empty pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, shred the chicken into small bite-size pieces. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the chicken; set aside.
4. Over medium heat melt the butter in the empty pot. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes, taking care not to burn the bottom. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat and stir the chicken, vegetables and peas into the sauce.
5. Pour the mixture into a 9×13 pan. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the filling. Place the 9X13-inch pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until the topping is well browned, about 15-20 minutes. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/chicken-pot-pie-crumble/

Korean Beef Bowl

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Cooked rice, for serving

1. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. 

3. Stir in soy sauce mixture and green onions until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve immediately with rice.

Source: http://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/

Banana Cinnamon Muffins

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2/3 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 small)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease bottoms only of 12 regular-size muffin cups with shortening or spray, or line with paper baking cups.
2. In medium bowl, beat 2/3 cup sugar, the oil and eggs with wire whisk. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Stir in remaining muffin ingredients just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3. Bake 17 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately remove from pan to cooling rack.
4. In small bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Dip muffin tops into melted butter, then into cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.

Source: www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/banana-cinnamon-muffins/

Try #1 - March 1, 2016
Abby made these for a bake sale at the HEE and they were a hit!  She was very proud that all of her muffins sold.    

Quick Chicken Ragu

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 (1/4 lb) piece pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2/3 cup) - can use bacon instead
1 Tbsp finely chopped sage
1 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces - pork can be used instead
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 cup light dry red wine such as Pinot Noir
1 (14- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes in juice, drained
3/4 tsp coarse gray sea salt - could start with 1/2 tsp, ours was a little too salty the first time
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Cooked polenta (see below) or couscous

1. Heat oil and butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet (2 inches deep) over medium heat until hot but not smoking, then add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.  Add sage and rosemary and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink on outside, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, sea salt, and pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve over polenta or couscous.

Note: Ragu can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

Polenta:
Bring 4 cups water to a boil with 2 tsp salt in a heavy pot, then add 1 cup polenta (not quick-cooking) or yellow cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking.  Cook over medium heat, whisking, 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low and simmer polenta, covered, stirring for 1 minute after every 10 minutes of cooking (a long-handled wooden spoon is helpful for this), 45 minutes total.  Remove from heat and keep covered - polenta will stay warm and creamy for 20 minutes, but will begin to thicken and solidify if it stands longer.

Source: A delicious recipe given to me by Connie Jacobson, one of my MOPS mentor moms!