Beef and Broccoli - Crock*Pot Cafe 7

Yum yum yum! One of my favorite Chinese dishes is beef and broccoli.  To make the recipe even easier, I dumped all the ingredients into the slow cooker while I went to work.  Then I only had to use my little rice cooker when I got home to make some white rice to go with my meat and veggies.  Easy and delicious!

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients: 

• 10oz frozen broccoli florets
• 1 lb beef stew meat
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 beef bullion cubes
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbs honey

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except broccoli in slow cooker. Put on low for 8 hours.  Place broccoli in the last 30 minutes and cook on high. Serve with white rice.  ***To make a thicker sauce, when dish is 30 minutes shy of being done, reserve 2 tablespoons liquid from dish.  Mix that liquid with 1 tbs cornstarch.  Pour back into slow cooker and cook on high for last 30 minutes.
Enjoy!

Bacon and Cheddar Quiche - Pinterest Pick #8

This week's recipe is a Pinterest pick!  It's easy, tasty, and can be used as a main dish, a side dish - or breakfast, lunch or dinner! The cheese and bacon make it delicious.  And it's fairly affordable.  Check out my pin HERE and get the original recipe HERE.

Bacon and Cheddar Quiche

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 8 oz shredded cheddar (I used Sharp White Cheddar)
• 1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• salt and pepper
• cayenne
• smoked paprika

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375
Roll out pie dough and press into pie dish.  Top dough with 2/3 the bacon, and 2/3 the cheese.  Beat together the eggs, cream, milk, and spices.  Pour custard mixture into pie.  Sprinkle top of pie with remaining cheese and bacon.  Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Enjoy!
***Note, I served mine with a caesar salad and it made a delicious dinner!

Simply Sides 19 - Classic Pasta Salad

Pasta salad runs rampant in the summertime!  I like all sorts of salads that involve pasta, but this one is a classic.  A light, mayo-less dressing with a few hearty ingredients and a few fresh ingredients.  It should be a go to for any BBQ!

Classic Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 12-16oz box rotini
• 1 packet of italian dressing seasoning
• 3 tbs water
• 2 tbs oil
• 1/2 cup bottled italian dressing
• 1 roasted red pepper, diced
• 1 small can sliced black olives
• 1 handful shredded mozzarella
• 1 diced fresh tomato
• 1/2 lb salami, diced

***optional: sliced or diced red onion, diced cucumber, swap mozzarella for provolone, grated parmesan

Directions:
Boil pasta as package directs.  Drain and let cool.  While pasta is cooling, mix seasoning packet, oil, and water in a bowl.  Toss with pasta until well combined.  Add in all other ingredients and mix well.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Enjoy!

Simply Sides 18 - Pizza Dough Breadsticks

I have been so terribly busy at work!  I didn't disappear but I haven't been posting recipes like I should.  But that's because I haven't really had time to cook too many new things either!  Last week however I did make a couple of side dishes, so I will post both those recipes this week.  And hopefully come up with a new main dish this week that I can post next week.
Today's post is about bread sticks.  They're really easy because you start with store bought pizza dough.  But they're better than pre-packaged because you can season them how you like and make them your own!

Pizza Dough Breadsticks

Ingredients:

• 16 oz fresh (store-bought) pizza dough
• 1/2 cup olive oil (or a mix of melted butter and olive oil)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tbs granula
• ted garlic
• Salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Roll out dough until you have a rectangular shape.
Spread 1/2 of olive oil over dough in an even layer.  Shake 1/2 of the parmesan over olive oil, evenly.  Sprinkle on salt and garlic. Using a pizza cutter, slice dough into 16 bread sticks.  Twist each bread stick and place on non-stick baking sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush on remaining olive oil and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
Enjoy!

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!