Cheesy Beef Epinadas

These are so yummy! It takes a bit of time, so it’s a good weekend project. They freeze beautifully for a quick weeknight meal. Just put them on a pan lined with parchment paper freeze then place in a zip lock or meal sealer bag.

For the dough:

3 c all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cold butter, cut into cubes

3/4 c water

1 large egg

For the filling

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ground beef

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper

1/2 c chopped tomatoes

1/2 chopped pickled jalapeños

1 1/4 c shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

Egg wash, for brushing 

Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut butter into flour using your hands or a pastry cutter until pea-sized. Add water and egg and mix until a dough forms. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

FOR OVEN

Preheat oven to 400° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Add ground beef and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 minutes. Drain fat.

Return pan to medium heat, and stir tomato paste into beef. Add oregano, cumin, and paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and jalapeños and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll one half out to ¼” thick. Using a 4.5” round cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Repeat with remaining dough. Reroll scraps once to cut out more rounds.

Lightly moisten outer edge of a dough round with water and place about 2 tablespoons filling in center and top with cheddar and Monterey. Fold dough in half over filling. Use a fork to crimp edges together. Repeat with remaining filling and dough.

Place empanadas on prepared baking sheets and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden and filling is warmed through, about 25 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with sour cream.

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Rare-Roasted Beef with Herbs

Patricia Wells is my go to during the summer, her recipes and easy and always delicious! Even my picky eaters enjoyed it.

• 1/2 c finely minced herbs (tarragon, sage, oregano, mint, chives – what ever you have)
• 1 lb beef for roasting (beef fillet, tri-tip roast, any think cut top round or sirloin)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oul
• Basil oil for garnish

Preheat oven to 475.

Salt and pepper the beef. Place half the herbs on a plate and press into beef. Flip over and repeat on the other side.

Heat oil is an ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat, add the meat and brown on all side.

Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 12 – 15 minutes until it reaches the temp of 120.

Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes.

Slice thin, against the grain. Sprinkle remaining herbs over beef and drizzle with basil oil.

Serves 6.

Pressure Cooker Gnocchi Bolognese

This is so easy and a one pot meal – win win!

• 2 oz diced pancetta
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2/3 c celery, chopped
• 2/3 c carrot, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• Salt and pepper
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• Ricotta
• Fresh basil or pesto

Turn multicooker on medium sauté, add pancetta, onion, celery, carrots and cook until soft about 5 minute. Stir in beef, using the back of wooden spoon to break it up, cook until browned. Add tomatoes, nutmeg and bay leaf, stir to combine.

Seal and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Once pressure is released, add gnocchi and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.

Serve topped with ricotta and basil or pesto.

Serves 6.

Beef Chili

I toasted my chilies before soaking – smokey and oh so good.

• 6 ancho chilies
• 2 guajillo chilies
• 2 Pasilla chilies
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 lb beef chuck, cut knot bite size pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 onions, sliced thin
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 14 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 tsp Apple cider vinegar

Heat a large pot over medium heat, toast peppers and then place in a bowl and cover with 3 c boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes. Remove stems and place in a blender and purée.

Heat oil in pot, add onions and cook till soft, stir in beef and garlic cook until meat is browned add remaining ingredients and chili purée, stir. Cook for 2 hours over low, add more water 1/2 c at a time if needed.

Top with grated cheese, sliced jalapeños, sliced red onions, sour cream, diced avocado or what ever else you like on your chili.

Serves 6.

Korean Style Tacos

I love dishes I can toss in my pressure cooker and forget it! You can also cook for 6 hours in a slow cooker.

• 1 14-ounce can pears, drained (fresh pears work, too)
• 1 two-inch knob of fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 c soy sauce
• 2 lbs. top sirloin

For the Tacos:

• chopped cilantro
• chopped peanuts
• kimchi
• Grated carrots
• Sliced jalapeño
• Crisp Bibb lettuce leave
• Corn tortilla

Make the sauce: Pulse pears, ginger, garlic, soy sauce until mostly smooth. Reserve half for later use.

Cook the meat: Trim any fat off the meat and cut into a few large chunks (it will shred, but cutting the meat helps it cook faster). Place in an Instant Pot and cover with half of the sauce. Cook on high pressure (manual) for 45 minutes. Release steam and shred the meat in the Instant Pot with two forks.

Serve and let folks assembly their tacos.

Serves 4.

Pressure Cooker Taco Casserole

This casserole requires a little work, but it’s totall worth it.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 4.5 oz cans chopped green chilis
1 tbsp garlic
1 lb ground beef
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
14 oz chopped tomatoes
1/4 c chopped cilantro
6 corn tortilla
2 c shreddded cheddar cheese
sliced olives
pickeled jalapenos

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add chilies and spices cook for 1 minute. 

Add beef and brown, breaking up with a spatula. Add tomatoes and cilantro, remove from heat.

Set the rack in the pressure cooker, add 2 c water. Place a sling around a 2 quart high casserole or soufflé dish ( so you can remove after – it will be really hot).

Smooth – heaping 1/2 c meat mixture into the dish, top with tortilla and 1/2 c cheese. Repeat ending with cheese on top. Place a piece of parchment then cover with aluminum foil. Lower into pressure cooker.

Set machine to high pressure (9-11 psi). Set timer for 30 minutes. 

Allow to cool and top with olives and let jalapeños.

Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Another winner from Skinny Taste, with a few modifications. My slow cooker is my BFF now that our weekends involve so many activities. 

Ingredients:
2 lb beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz can diced tomToes with mild chiles
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 bay leaves
Grated cheese
Sliced japalenos
Sliced green onions

Turn the slow cooker on sauté, add the meat and cook, breaking up until browned, add onions, bell peppers and garlic and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add black beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices and bay leaf. Cook on night 5 hours, low on 8 – 10.

Serve with jalapeños,  cheese, onions and whatever else you like on your chili.

Serves 8.

Slow Cooker Picadillo

  
This is from Skinny Taste, so it’s delicious and healthy!!

Ingredients:
2 lean ground beef
1 cup minced onion
1 cup diced red bell peppers
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 small tomato, diced
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 c green olives
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper

If your slow cooker has a sauté function, Brown meat over medium-high heat; season with generously with salt and a little pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces. When meat is no longer pink, drain all the liquid from pan. Add the onions, garlic and bell peppers to the meat and cook an addition 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, then add tomato, cilantro, tomato sauce and olives then add the spices.

Cook for 4 hours on high or 8
hours on low.

Serve with rice and coleslaw.

Serves 6 – 8

Stout and Chipotle Chili

  

This chili is perfect on a cold rainy winter day – the heat from peppers will warm you from the inside out. I love to top mine with lots of fresh veggies and a little sour cream. I whipped up some skillet corn bread to go with it – mmm mmmm good!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
½ large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, diced
12 oz stout beer
1 tsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp how pepper flakes
1 tsp salt

Topping:
1/2 c shredded jack and cheddar cheese
1/2 avocado, diced
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 tomato, diced
Sour cream
Cilantro
Jalapenos, sliced thin

Turn your slow cooker on yhe saute or break out a pan. Add the olive oil the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, saute 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic. Saute 1 minute, then add the ground beef and cook through.

Add the diced tomatoes, black beans, adobo sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, paprika, cumin, pepper flakes, salt and chipotle peppers and set to low.
Stir everything together, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

Serves topped with cheese, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, sour cream and avocado.

  

Beef Bourguignon

  

A classic, perfect for a cold winter weekend!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 lb cremini muchrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 lb beef sirloin, cubed
2 onions, halved, sliced 1/4″ thick
1 lb carrots, 1 1/2 thick slices
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 c brandy
1 1/2 c burgendy wine
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tsp red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 250.

In a large oven proof pot over medium low heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove to a napkin to drain. Add mushrooms, cook until browned, in two batches if needed. Set aside. 

Season meat with salt and pepper. Cook meat until browned all over, remove from pot. Add veggie and cook until soft about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the brandy, and scrape the browned bits. Add meat, mushrooms and bacon, stir to coat. Addi the herbs, stock and wine. Cover and place in the oven for 2 – 3 hours until beef is tender.

Serves 4 – 6.