Running Mama Cooks

When this recipe was recommended to me last week I was dissappointed that I has already done my food shopping! It looked so good and right up our alley. I immediately put it on our menu for this week and it was as good as it looked and sounded. Super simple and quick too! We had leftover fried rice so I served it with that, but it would be awesome over white rice too. The sauce was delish.

Beef with Snow Peas
Recipe from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

1-½ pound Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
½ cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
3 Tablespoons Sherry Or Cooking Sherry
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
8 ounces, weight Fresh Snow Peas, Ends Trimmed
5 whole Scallions, Cut Into Haf-inch Pieces On The Diagonal
Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)
3 Tablespoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper, For Sprinkling
Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package directions

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Add sliced meat to bowl and toss with hands. Set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir for 45 seconds. Remove to a separate plate. Set aside.

Allow pan to get very hot again. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.

Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.

Serve immediately over rice. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over the top to give it some spice.
ZACH'S RATING - ****

Pot roast and the crockpot seem to go hand in hand, yet when I've made it in the past there always seems to be something that isn't quite perfect. Its usually very heavy and way too rich, even for my taste (and I like rich food on occasion!)

This was the exception. It was the perfect pot roast. Tender and flavorful, and the sauce was a delicious au jus, without being a super thick gravy. This will definitely be my go-to way to prepare it from now on.

The only problem with this dish is that I made it on Ash Wednesday. Woops!!

Perfect Pot Roast

Ingredients:

2.5 lb chuck roast
2 tbs olive oil
12 oz bottle of beer
12 oz bottle of Chili sauce
1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup baby potatoes
salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil on medium high heat. Season roast with salt and pepper and sear on all sides. Place in crockpot. Add all other ingredients and cook on low for 10-12 hours.

ZACH'S RATING - **** 1/2

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love meatloaf! I am slowly but surely turning Zach into a fan too because its one of my favorite comfort foods. I usually try to cook with ground turkey whenever possible, but meatloaf is the exception. To me, it has to be beef. And when you use 95% lean beef, its really not that much more fattening.

I have always been intrigued by bacon wrapped meatloaf so I decided to give it a try. I used turkey bacon because the real deal would have been way too indulgent. The result? Meatloaf heaven!!

Killer Meatloaf
A Running Mama Cooks Original

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tbs olive oil
1 egg
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1/4 cup ketchup, plus more
2 tbs dijon mustard
1/2 cup provolone cheese, cubed
3 slices turkey bacon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft and slightly caramelized. Remove from heat. Mix all ingredients together except the bacon and form into a loaf. Arranged bacon on top and brush loaf with ketchup. Bake for 45 minutes.

ZACH'S RATING - **** 1/2

I never thought I would be making Salisbury Steak. Bad school lunch is what I always associated with it , but when I came across this recipe in the Food Network Magazine last night, I was surprised at how good it looked!

I enjoyed this meal, it was easy to prepare and pretty tasty. I would definitely make it again, but I would use beef broth instead of water in the sauce to make it the flavor a bit richer.

Salisbury Steak
Recipe from The Food Network

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
7 saltine crackers, finely crushed (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Buttered egg noodles, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Gently mix the beef, egg, onion, cracker crumbs, sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl using your hands. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into oval patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the patties, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and cook the mushrooms until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, scraping up any browned bits. Sprinkle in the flour and stir, then stir in 2 1/2 cups hot water and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, swirling to combine.

Return the patties and any juices from the plate to the skillet. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the patties are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve with noodles, if desired.

ZACH'S RATING - *** 1/2

Meatloaf is one of my fav comfort foods. Its been so gloomy out that I've been craving it. Loved this French Onion twist!

French Onion Meatloaf Muffins
A Running Mama Cooks Original Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
1 egg
2/3 cup French's Friend Onions, crushed, plus more for topping
1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup provolone cheese, cubed
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, until onion is soft and caramelized, about 5 minutes

In a large bowl mix together beef, onions, egg, French's, onion soup mix, 1/4 cup of ketchup, cheese and thyme.

Spray large muffin tins with cooking spray. Add meatloaf mixture. Brush with remaining ketchup and top with French's fried onions. Bake for 35 minutes.

ZACH'S RATING - **** 1/2

I was really in the mood to try a different crockpot recipe tonight. When I came across this one on Lauren's blog, I thought Id give it a try. It was super easy and I really liked it! Another good one for my crockpot rotation.

And not too bad as far as weight watchers is concerned, 12 points per serving.

Crockpot Asian Beef and Noodles
Recipe from Lauren's Kitchen

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir fry vegetables
2 - 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
1 (12 ounce) bottle stir-fry sauce, any flavor
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodles, broken (I used a 6oz package of Chinese chow mein noodles)
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Directions:

Coat a 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place frozen vegetables in the bottom and top with stew meat. In a medium bowl, stir together stir-fry sauce, water, and red pepper. Pour over stew meat and vegetables in cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 4 1/2-5 hours (I recommend low, it will help to break the meat down more).

At the end of cooking time, discard spice packets from ramen noodles. Stir noodles and green onions into meat mixture. Cover and let stand 10 minutes more. Stir before serving. This can be kept on warm for 1-2 hours.

ZACH'S RATING - ****

It is a comfort food kind of day. It has been rainy, cold and dark all day long. This meal was inspired by our friend Ryan's mom's Mac and Beef. She always sends a big pot of it down with him when he comes to visit. I have to say my version was pretty close. It was creamy with a good kick to it.

I almost always sub ground turkey for ground beef, but this dish felt like it needed the real deal.

Baked Mac and Beef
A Running Mama Cooks Original Recipe

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs 95% lean ground beef
1 lbs elbow macaroni (I used Dreamfields)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine (would have used red if I had it)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
bay leaf
salt and pepper
8 oz cheddar cheese, cubed (I had 2% Velveeta on hand)

Directions:

Boil water in a large pot and cook elbows until al dente.

Meanwhile, brown beef in a large skillet. Drain fat. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Add onion and carrots and saute until tender, about 5-7 mins.

Add tomato paste and combine with beef. Stir in diced tomatoes and wine. Add dried basil and a bay leaf. Simmer.

Remove bay leaf. Mix cooked elbows with sauce and pour into a large baking dish. Stir in cheese. Bake on 350 for 20 minutes.

ZACH'S RATING - ****

French onion soup was my very first blog entry in October. I made it one night and thought it looked pretty impressive, so I took a picture and decided to start a food blog.

Even though I liked the recipe, I have been meaning to try it again and make a few changes. Here is the recipe I used tonight. I thought it was really good, and closer to what I would consider a "perfect" french onion soup. It had more flavor than the first time.

I used shredded provolone cheese and it didn't brown up the way I would have liked. Next time I will definitely use sliced.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil
4 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups low sodium beef broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 bay leaves
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
salt and pepper
4 slices French bread
1 cup shredded provolone

Directions:

Place a large saucepan over low heat and add olive oil. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or more, until very soft, translucent and brown on the edges. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to combine. Pour in beef broth, wine, sherry, thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat oven broiler. Toast the bread slices. Ladle the soup into 4 ovenproof bowls and place the bowls on a baking sheet. Place a toasted slice of bread over each bowl and top with cheese. Place bowls under broiler until cheese is melted.


We also had London broil, one of my favorites, which came out perfect. I seasoned the meat with Lawry's and broiled for 10 minutes on each side until it was medium rare. We also had steamed broccoli.

Zach's Rating:

Soup - *** 1/2
London Broil - **** 1/2

I knew I wanted to make a french dip sandwich and looked at a ton of recipes to find one that fit the bill. Most used a roast and the crockpot, which looked good, but I wasn't in the mood to do it that way. I didn't want the meat to be shredded, I prefer it thinly sliced.

When I saw Rachael Ray's recipe, I knew I found the one. It was quick, easy and used yummy deli sliced roast beef. I made a few changes, using my small crockpot to allow the meat and au jus to hang out for about an hour before serving. Plus, I need cheese on my French Dip!!

French Dip Sandwiches
Adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 jigger dry sherry, optional
2 cups beef broth
1 lb deli sliced roast beef
coarse salt and pepper
4 french sandwich rolls, split
4 slices provolone cheese

Directions:

Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Season meat with salt and black pepper. Place meat into crockpot and set to low.

In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add shallots to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and shallot and cook a minute longer. Whisk in sherry and cook liquid out. Whisk in broth in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and pour into crockpot over the meat. Allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches (about an hour).

Set out 4 ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce and 4 split french rolls. To assemble, using a pair of kitchen tongs, pile meat into rolls. Please sandwiches on a baking sheet. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce. Place a slice of provolone cheese on top of sandwiches and broil until melted and browned.

ZACH'S RATING - A Solid ****

Update - This recipe has turned into a family favorite. I make it at least once a month and have also used it for entertaining. Great for when you have a small group of friends hanging out. Highly recommend it!

Guy Fieri calls this dish "The Bomb" and it sure was!!! It instantly went on the top of Zach's favorite meal list. The beef and sauce were yummy and the other flavors made this dish a winner. We also loved the addition of the fried onions as a garnish.

Here is the original recipe

Beef "The Bomb" Bourguignon
Recipe by Guy Fieri

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups red wine
2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for seasoning
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 pounds rib-eye steak, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 pound bacon, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil, if needed
3/4 cup carrots, diced
3/4 cup parsnips, peeled and diced (I used mushrooms instead)
1 cup pearl onions, frozen
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 cups beef stock
2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons freshly chopped oregano leaves (I used dried)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan (I skipped this)
1 cup store-bought fried onions

Directions:

In a nonmetallic bowl, combine 3/4 cup red wine, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pepper and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Add the rib-eye steak and let marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

In a large saute pan, on high heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. When crisp, remove to a paper towel lined plate, reserving the fat in the pan.

Remove the beef from the marinade, pat dry and add to the pan with the bacon fat. Cook over medium-high heat, browning the meat on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan, to a plate. Add extra oil, if necessary, to amount to 2 to 3 tablespoons of total fat in the pan. Add the carrots, parsnips, and the frozen onions. Cook until the onions are light brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the flour to the vegetable mixture to make a roux. When the roux begins to brown, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with the remaining red wine and stir in the beef broth. Reduce over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the browned beef, cooked bacon, thyme, parsley and oregano. Adjust seasonings, to taste, with remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with Parmesan and fried onions and serve immediately.

I skipped the parm because I didn't think it would really add anything to the already great flavor. And I served over egg noodles. Yummy!

This post marks the beginning of Zach's Recipe Rating System. You can see the key on the righthand side of the page.

ZACH'S RATING - *****

After being away all weekend at a fitness conference, I was really in the mood for a fun, somewhat indulgent meal for dinner. I happen to love meatloaf and have been trying to find one that Zach likes. When I read this recipe, I thought there was a chance!

It is from Rachael Ray. I decided to make them in my large muffin pan as individual loafs to add to the "fun" factor. They came out really tasty and cute! And my husband actually enjoyed meatloaf!

Here is the original recipe. I served it with tator tots and steamed broccoli.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickle chips, chopped
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes


Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

2.In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs and pickles; mix in the onion. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese and mix together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 4-by-12-inch loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°, about 35 minutes.

I brushed ketchup on the tops of the muffins prior to baking

I've made chicken stroganoff in the crockpot many times, but never beef. I came across this version on The Crockstar and decided to give it a try. After about 3 hours in the crockpot I was ready to eat it. The yummy smell tortured me all day long! Zach and I both enjoyed this meal. Rich, delicious and filling.


Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
Inspired by The Crockstar

Ingredients:
2 pounds cubed stew meat
2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
1 large onion diced
1 can sliced mushrooms
3 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 water
8 oz of cream cheese
couple dashes of garlic powder
couple drops of hot sauce (original recipe called for hot paprika but I don't have that on hand)

Directions:
In the slow cooker stir in all the ingredients, except the meat AND the Cream Cheese, together. Once combined add the meat and mix together.

Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles

I saw this recipe in this months SELF magazine and thought Id give it a try. We love beef stew and this seemed like an interesting twist on it. It uses flavors I haven't experimented with too much, so I thought it would be fun!

My friend Allison told me she made meatloaf over the weekend so of course I've been craving it ever since! I do not have a "go to" recipe so I asked her what she uses. She told me she uses the Lipton Onion Soup mix recipe and glazed the meatloaf with 1/4 cup ketchup mixed with 2 tbs brown sugar. I decided to give it a try!