Spicy Chipotle Steaks

Here’s a great Do-It-Yourself spice rub that is perfect for steaks with a little kick!

Chipotle is a fairly popular flavor these days, often seen in Mexican dishes. Many recipes with Chipotle will call for you to use a little can of chipotle peppers that are packed in a sauce. Though I do like the unique smoky flavor these peppers contribute, I almost always find it to be too overpowering in dishes for my taste, perhaps because the flavors are so concentrated in the canned peppers.

Then I decided to try Ground Chipotle Pepper- found in your spices at the grocery store. Basically, it’s the same product in different form. It’s just dried chipotle peppers, ground up! I have enjoyed this much more- still achieving the smoky flavor, but now not so overpowering.

So, this steak rub lends a hint of that great smoky chipotle to your beef with a nice spicy kick, too!

I think some my kids thought the steaks were a little bit too spicy. (though they did eat them, I will note!) But Tim and I loved the flavor and the spiciness level, too!

Here’s what you need:

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Beans for Dinner (slow cooker-nothing canned)

Are beans a common dish at your table?

It used to be that when I thought of beans, I would think of old westerns, tin plates, and the solitary food that cowboys ate on the range. Who still eats beans? Isn’t that even the old joke- “Money’s getting so tight, we’ll be down to eating beans for dinner” ?

Well, I think beans are underrated. They may not be a trendy food, but they are SO nutritious. Beans are filled with iron, protein, vitamins and fiber. They are low in cholesterol (in fact they help lower cholesterol!), very low in fat, and very heart -healthy! (Check out the nutrition of Pinto beans, and black eyed peas for starters. Both are found in this recipe)

And let’s not forget, beans are also cheap!

Maybe good’ ol beans deserve another look!

This recipe, prepared in the slow cooker, begins with dry beans- nothing canned. This allows you to control the sodium and start with no preservatives. Added to the beans are onion, garlic, and peppers- which are also fresh and healthy choices. (Have you ever researched all the benefits of garlic? It’s truly an amazing food.)

These beans could be your main dish or side. I like to serve them along with brown rice or cornbread. Having beans for dinner is also a great option if you are looking for something  meatless since beans tend to be very hearty and filling.

Feel free, too, to play around with your combination of beans. There are so many varieties.

I’ve included my favorite combo in this recipe.

Meat Sauce (made with fresh tomatoes)

I love Italian food! In fact, spaghetti with my mom’s homemade sauce is still what I ask Mom to make every year for my birthday dinner- and that has been my request almost every year since I was a little girl.

So, imagine my dilemma when I found out that my husband, Tim, really did not care for Italian dishes- particularly red sauce. He’s not a picky eater. But, he’s fairly adamant about this.

Well, for the first half of our marriage, I really did not fix very much “red sauce” meals other than the occasional lasagna or homemade sauce when I just really really craved some beloved Italian, but I knew he wasn’t enjoying those meals.

But then, a year or two ago, I decided that I was going to try to come up with a sauce that he enjoyed- so we could both be happy. Surely I could change his mind with the right recipe!

So, after playing with it a little bit, I came up with this fresh sauce. Tim now ASKS me to make it and loves eating it! Woo-Hoo!!!! Welcome back to the table, Spaghetti!

I either use tomatoes directly from our garden, or in the fall and winter, I use tomatoes that I have preserved by freezing. (you could also use canned, if that’s all you have available.) This sauce is not a thick sauce like you might find in the bottled variety. It is much thinner, due to the fact that I only use tomatoes- no prepackaged tomato sauce or paste. It is also very full of meat- ground beef in our case, though you could also use sausage, if that’s what your prefer. Other fresh ingredients like peppers, fresh herbs, garlic and onion also add delicious flavor.

Every now and then, I might play around with a different sauce, like this Roasted Tomato Sauce, but this one here is definitely my go-to and favorite. It also makes great left-overs, since the flavors have all that time to meld together even more.

Please note, too, that sauces are one of those things that might take different amounts of ingredients each time- and you can add more or less of something to make it better fit your tastes. But the amounts I’ve included here on the blog, are a good standard to start with. Add as you see fit for your family!

A homemade sauce is a labor of love. It does take more than 20 minutes to whip together. Allow at least an hour to let it simmer. And depending on where you are starting in the process with the tomatoes, allow another 30 minutes-1 hour to put it together.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Here’s what you need:

‘Fall-Off-The-Bone-Tender’ Pork Spare Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce (Slow Cooker)

So far my very favorite cut of meat from the hog we raised has been the Spare Ribs! They are lip-smackin’ good!

This recipe is so easy and requires minimal prep. But the result is tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs, coated in a homemade sweet barbecue sauce!

Tim had to work late when I made these for dinner a few nights ago. So, I needed to save enough for him to eat later. I must admit, I was really having to restrain myself from just eating what I was saving for him!  But I was a good wife and didn’t. 🙂 (though, I have to confess, I did take a little!!)

YUM!!

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Sausage and Caramelized Onions

Looking for something new to make for dinner? You must try these dressed-up scrambled eggs!

This was our dinner last Friday night along with yummy Blueberry Muffins. (I’ve mentioned before how much better I like breakfast for dinner rather than at breakfast!) These scrambled eggs were absolutely delicious…maybe my favorite way I’ve ever eaten scrambled eggs. Tim took a bite and said “Wow!”.  I took a bite and said “Mmmm!” He took another bite and said “Wow!” again! Oh-Yes! That’s what I like to hear.

The ingredients are very basic- added to the eggs are sausage, cheddar cheese, and caramelized onion, green pepper, and garlic.  But, all of these flavors compliment each other so well, they create an absolutely delicious meal.  I think the sweetness from the onions, though, might be the key ingredient that just makes these eggs so good!

How-to-Make Tender Chuck Roast with Brown Gravy (Slow cooker)

Wondering how to make the perfect chuck roast? Tender, fall-apart meat- juicy and flavorful?

What if I told you that the key is to make it in your slow-cooker, with only about 10 minutes of prep and only a few ingredients? Yep. It is that easy!

Some roasts taste best when roasted slowly in the oven- like the eye-of-round or bottom-of-the-round. But, when it comes to a chuck roast or shoulder roast- I think the best results come from using the slow-cooker. That moist heat, low temp, and slow cooking give you a winner every time.

After the roast cooks, all you have to do is make the delicious brown gravy- also easier than you might think.

So, here’s how. You will be ‘wow-ing’ the family in no time!

Fresh Homemade Pizza Sauce (short-hand notes)

Looking for an alternative to bottled or canned pizza sauce? Want a pizza sauce that is fresh but doesn’t take forever to make? Well, I did too.

Here is how I’ve been making it recently- in short-hand style- meaning, I did not use specific measurements- it will require you tasting as you go. But, you can also play with it to make it more customized to your own tastes. This will serve as a good springboard for you to make your own perfect pizza sauce- totally fresh!

Herbs and Spice Chicken Tenders (quick and easy)

A few spices that you probably already have in your cabinets and fresh herbs are the stars on these chicken tenders. They’re fast and easy, but still bring plenty of flavor to the table. On those nights when dinner just needs to come together quickly, this is a great solution!

My whole family really enjoyed the chicken tenders prepared this way. I think there was a total of one-half left over 🙂

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Loaded Potatoes and Sausage Casserole

This was dinner last night, and it was SO good.

I’m a big potato lover.

I love a good baked potato loaded with all the good stuff, like butter, sour cream, cheese- Oh my! Butter, sour cream, cheese- Oh my! Butter, sour cream, chee…ok sorry, I’ll stop now!

Anyway, this casserole uses those same ingredients common to a loaded baked potato. Of course, many people also add bacon to their loaded spud. So, keeping with the pork, I substituted ground breakfast sausage sausage.  Add some red pepper- and it was perfect. (if I had some green onions on hand, I would have chopped them up and added them, too) I ate too much. My husband was in love, as well.

Make some tonight!

Golden Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tenders

These chicken tenders are so good and perfect for a family meal. Skip the pre-packaged chicken coatings- this is so easy to prepare at home with just a few ingredients.

You will be serving up golden and nicely-crusted chicken tenders that taste great and that are healthy, too!

Here’s why I like them:

1. Healthier! Anytime I can add nutrition to a dish, without  compromising the taste- I’m happy. This recipe uses Wheat Germ as a coating. It mimics bread crumbs, and results in a nice and crispy texture, but wheat germ is also a great source of Folic Acid, Fiber, and many vitamins. I love using it!

2. Baked- though I do like the taste of fried tenders, baking is lower-fat, less-messy, and easier to prepare.

3. Quick- Chicken tenderloins only take about 20 minutes to bake

4. Juicy and Crispy- This coating gives a nice crusted finish to the tenders- no soggy coating for me, please.

5. Completely homemade- Milk, Wheat germ, fresh Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, paprika- that’s it!