Pepper Steak - Crock*Pot Cafe 6

One of my favorite dishes to eat at Asian style restaurant is pepper steak.  One of my besties is always talking about his mom making it for dinner.  I have never made it at home before, but last week I thought I would give it a try. I did it in the slow cooker because right now I am all about meals that cook themselves with very little effort from me.  It was super easy and delicious!

Crock*Pot Pepper Steak
***NOTE: To make this recipe gluten free, sub cornstarch for the flour, and liquid aminos for the soy saue

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 1/2lbs sirloin steak, sliced thin
• 1 red bell pepper, diced into large dice
• 1 green bell pepper, diced into large dice
• 1 red onion, sliced (use any kind of onion you like, I just had red on hand)
• 1 cup chicken broth (use any kind, beef or vegetable will work too)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1 cup flour
• salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix together salt and pepper with flour.  Toss steak slices in flour until well coated.  Shake off excess.  Pour chicken broth and soy sauce into slow cooker.  Add oyster sauce and stir well.  Add onions and peppers.  Top with steak and give a quick stir.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Stir before serving. I served mine with white rice that I made in my rice cooker.
Enjoy!

Oven Roast Turkey - Home Cooked Recipe 67

I have NEVER made a turkey before.  I think I have mentioned before that I just have not been comfortable working with large cuts of meat in the kitchen, and that was something I was going to start learning in order to expand my culinary horizons.  I have had some adventures with pork, and am now moving on to poultry.  Instead of going with a small 4-5lb chicken, I went right for the turkey! 
I had a little help from my fiance - oh wait, I forgot, I haven't announced that here yet.  Yes!!!  At the tender age of 34 I am finally engaged!!!  He asked me to marry him on April 15th, and of course I said yes.  We've been dating for three and a half years, and are looking to have our wedding in fall/winter of 2016. I am super excited and look forward to being his wife.  But anyway, back to the turkey. So he helped me a little, mostly by taking the guts out (ewwwwww! Not something I can do quite yet), and lifting it in and out of the oven for me.  It came out looking so beautiful!!!  It was a little drier than I had hoped.  I don't really mind dry turkey, but I know some people do.  I think next time I would cook it for 30 minutes less.  I was just extra cautious this time, and frankly I would rather eat my turkey a tad dry than to get salmonella poisoning.  I stuffed the bird with lemons, onions, and garlic, and basted it alternately with butter and olive oil for that super gorgeous brown skin.  Not bad for my first time cooking one!!!

Oven Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

• 13.5 lb turkey (mine came from Publix, I got it in Nov when they were .59 a lb, and just kept it in the freezer)
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 lemon, zested and then quartered
• 1 onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Directions:
Remove innards from turkey (giblets, organs, etc)
Preheat oven to 400.
Place turkey in roasting pan.  I didn't have a rack, but I will get one for next time. If you have a rack, place the turkey on that in the pan.
Mix together softened butter, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Set aside.  
Stuff lemon quarters, garlic cloves, and 3 of onion quarters into cavity.  Place last onion quarter in neck hole.  Spread a quarter of the butter between the skin and the breast of the turkey, then spread the rest all over the outside of the turkey skin.  Tie the front legs together with butcher twine.
Bake the turkey for the first hour at 400.  Lower the heat to 350.  Spread some olive oil over the top of the turkey using a basting brush.  After the two hour mark, baste the turkey with the juice from the pan.  Cover the breast with foil.  Cook an additional two hours, basting occasionally.  Let rest for 1 hour, then carve.
Enjoy!

Simply Sides 17 - Cheesy Garlic Grits Casserole

If you have never had grits before, you're missing out.  Now when I say this, I say it with the disclaimer that grits must be prepared properly.  Cooked and seasoned with care and love.  I never ate grits until I was in my 30's.  First, I grew up in NY as a child where grits aren't as common as they are in the South, and second, the idea never appealed to me.  But now that I am older and more open to culinary adventures, I have discovered all sorts of yummy delights.
This casserole is based on a recipe from Paula Deen and it is delicious!  I spice it up with extra black pepper and a dash of cayenne.  I have also toyed with the idea of adding some cripsy bacon bits to it, and next time I make it I think I'll do just that.  This is a great dish as a side, especially with something like shrimp (as in shrimp and grits).  It's also a great main dish for breakfast.  And frankly, I just like to snack on it too.

Cheesy Garlic Grits Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 cups regular grits (do NOT use instant)
• 6 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper (extra black pepper if you like it)
• dash of cayenne (can be omitted)
• 1 tbs garlic powder
• 16 oz shredded cheddar
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 stick butter, sliced 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 4 quart casserole dish.
Bring chicken broth and seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic) to a boil.  Add grits, stir well, reduce heat to medium low.  Let simmer for 10 minutes.  Add in milk, and 3/4 (12oz) of cheese.  Stir until well combined.  Add butter and eggs.  Whisk for a couple of minutes until everything is well incorporated.  Pour into greased baking dish.  Top with remaining cheddar.  Bake for 45 minutes.
Enjoy!

Steak Flautas - Home Cooked Recipe 66

My Steak Flautas

I love love love love love flautas from Tijuana Flats.  It is by far my favorite dish on their menu, and one of my fav Tex Mex dishes in general.  So I got the idea that I should recreate them at home.  They didn't turn out quite the same as the ones I get from Tijuana Flats, but they were still pretty delicious.  The great thing is you can fill them with pretty much whatever you want; chicken, beef, veggies, shrimp, cheese, etc.  So you can definitely change this recipe up to whatever fits your taste.  I had some delicious steak on hand, do I decided to fill mine with that.

Tijuana Flats Beef Flautas

Steak Flautas

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb steak, diced in to small cubes (I used petite sirloin)
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 oz shredded cheese (I used a triple cheddar blend)
• 8 flour tortillas (large soft taco size)
• vegetable oil, for frying

***salsa, sour cream, queso, gucamole, shredded cheese, sliced black olives, diced onion, diced tomato, etc for topping and dipping

Directions:
Saute onion over medium in a tablespoon of oil (season with salt) until soft and translucent.  Push to the side of a pan, turn the pan to medium high, and when hot, cook cubed steak.  Do not cook longer than 2-3 minutes or steak will become very tough.  Place a small amount of cheese down the middle of each tortilla.  Place 1/8 of the meat and onion mixture down the middle of each tortilla.  Roll up tortilla and secure each one with a toothpick.  Heat about an inch of oil in a deep pan, to about 375.  In two batches, fry up flautas, about a minute a side until golden brown (mine got a little too brown, but the were still good).  Drain on paper towels.  Cut each in half.  Serve with dippers and toppings.

Enjoy!

Pork Carnitas - Crock*Pot Cafe 5

We love pulled pork in our house.  I wanted to jazz it up by making it carnitas style, with that bit of Latin flair.  Plus this is a great slow cooker recipe, because it cooks a LONG time, perfect for my long workdays.  You can serve it in tacos or enchiladas or as a sandwich.  Very versatile!

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lb pork shoulder (aka pork butt, aka boston butt)
• 1 tbs chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, sliced into rings
• limes

Direction:
Cut pork roast into large cubes.
Combine spices and toss pork cubes with spices until well coated. Place in slow cooker. Sprinkle onion rings around.
Pour chicken broth around pork cubes (do NOT pour directly over).
Place cover on top and cook on low for 10+ hours.
When pork is cooked, shred with 2 forks. Preheat broiler.  Spread shredded pork on baking sheet. Broil for 3-5 minutes. Squeeze lime to taste over and toss well. Serve as desired (taco, sandwich, etc).
Enjoy!