main dish

Bready or Not: Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef

Posted by on Aug 12, 2015 in beef, Blog, Bready or Not, crock pot, main dish | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef

This is my favorite non-taco way to cook up beef in the crock pot. The result is slightly sweet and perfect by itself, on a sandwich, in a salad, in a wrap…! Delicious meat in any form.

Crock Pot Balsamic Shredded Beef

With the way beef prices have shot up, I pretty much have stopped buying ground beef. Roasts are the way to go, and slow cooking is the way to keep the cuts nice and tender.

Crock Pot Balsamic Shredded Beef

This is just an all-around good recipe. It’s very easy to tweak if you want it more or less sweet. The oven is off and my kitchen stays cooler. The one bad thing is that I work from home, and I’m tortured by the scent all day long.

Crock Pot Balsamic Shredded Beef

Modified from Shugary Sweets.

Bready or Not: Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef

A savory and slightly sweet way to slow-cook as beef roast all day long! Serve by itself, on sandwiches, in salads--it's delicious no matter how you eat it.
Course: Main Course
Keyword: beef, slow cooker
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 4 - 5 lb beef chuck roast
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 can beef broth low sodium
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 garlic cloves minced

Instructions

  • In the slow cooker, whisk together the ingredients from the beef broth through the end.
  • Cut the onion into chunks and place in slow cooker. Trim any excess fat from the roast and place the meat atop the onion. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
  • Soon before mealtime, pull the meat out and shred apart. Place back in pot to soak up juice. Set the cooker on WARM until ready to serve.
  • OM NOM NOM!

 

Crock Pot Balsamic Shredded Beef

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Bready or Not: Legendary Macaroni and Cheese

Posted by on Jul 29, 2015 in Blog, Bready or Not, main dish, side dish | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Legendary Macaroni and Cheese

I needed a make-ahead macaroni and cheese recipe. I already have several other reliable ones like Civil War Macaroni and Cheese and the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, but I didn’t need to babysit boiling milk or dirty a score of pots and pans as I was enjoying company over for a visit.

Legendary MacNCheese

I have had John Legend’s recipe saved on Pinterest for years. I watched a video of him cooking the recipe with Martha Stewart and read tips from other cooks. I decided to halve the recipe, since this was a side for four people, and otherwise tweak things.

Legendary MacNCheese

I did the bulk of the recipe in the morning. When it was time to start supper, all I had to do was heat the oven and add the paprika and bread crumbs. It baked up into an oozing, cheesy mass. Everyone raved over it. There were no leftovers.

Legendary MacNCheese

My other mac and cheese recipes are great but this is the one I’ll keep handy for holidays or when company is coming. Tastiness and convenience? Heck yeah!

Halved and modified from John Legend’s Macaroni and Cheese, as featured on Martha Stewart.

Bready or Not: Legendary Macaroni and Cheese

This modified version of John Legend's recipe, as featured on Martha Stewart's show, can be prepared in the morning and cooked later in the day! It's everything macaroni and cheese should be: cheesy with a crunchy baked crust.
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: cheese
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for baking dish
  • 1 1/2 cups macaroni
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheeses or a mix of cheddars, shredded
  • sprinkle paprika
  • bread crumbs

Instructions

  • If you plan to bake this right away, preheat oven to 375-degrees. Butter or spray a 9x9 baking dish.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt and macaroni. Cook until al dente. Drain the water and return the macaroni to the pot. Add butter and stir until it has melted.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together evaporated milk and egg. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Place about 1/3 of the macaroni in an even layer in the bottom of prepared baking dish. This should be just enough to cover the bottom. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat twice more with remaining macaroni and cheese.
  • Pour the milk and seasonings mixture evenly over the contents of the baking dish. At this point, you can stash the dish in the fridge overnight or during the day until it's meal time.
  • When you're ready to bake, make sure the oven is preheated. Sprinkle the top of the macaroni with paprika and bread crumbs.
  • Bake until top layer is lightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
  • OM NOM NOM!

 

Legendary MacNCheese

 

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Bready or Not: Cardamom Honey Chicken: A Clockwork Dagger Recipe

Posted by on Jul 15, 2015 in Blog, Bready or Not, chicken, Clockwork Dagger recipe, main dish | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Cardamom Honey Chicken: A Clockwork Dagger Recipe

In The Clockwork Crown, you meet some of Alonzo Garret’s family. You even find out some of his favorite foods.

Cardamom Chicken2_sm

“…And tonight, Cook is going to make your very, very favorite, cardamom chicken with cashews, and there will be lemon curd with shortbread for dessert.”

I chose cardamom chicken because 1) I love cardamom, 2) it’s not a common American way to flavor chicken, which sets apart my setting. When I wrote it, I figured that at some point I would need to make the recipe for myself.

Cardamom Chicken4_sm

Cardamom chicken recipes are out there but vary widely. I decided to combine bits and pieces to create something new. The result was mildly sweet, tender chicken that was fabulous served with its own citrusy drippings. It’s definitely a different taste, but a nice one.

Cardamom Chicken1_sm

There are lots of options for leftovers, too. Eat it as-is, or chop it up for a salad with a sweet dressing, or add some Greek yogurt or sour cream and make it a chicken salad for a wrap or sandwich. YUM!

Cardamom Chicken7_sm

I didn’t add any cashews to my chicken, but you certainly could do so to add texture. I suppose at some point I need to do a new shortbread recipe that will pair well with lemon curd, eh?

Bready or Not: Cardamom Honey Chicken: A Clockwork Dagger Recipe

This original recipe inspired by The Clockwork Crown creates spicy, sweet chicken.
Course: Main Course
Keyword: cardamom, chicken, citrus
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1/4 cup cooking sherry
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders

Main dish

  • 1 orange thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper

Glaze

  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  • Place marinade and chicken in a large Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 400-degrees. Place orange slices in a casserole dish and lay the chicken tenders on top. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Bake chicken for about 15 minutes, flip the tenders, and bake another 10 minutes. Whisk together the glaze ingredients.
  • Pull out the chicken and check for doneness; it should be fully cooked at this point. Change the oven to broil and move the rack a bit closer to the top. Brush the glaze over the chicken--use every drop! Put the chicken in to broil for just a few minutes.
  • The chicken is delicious on its own or with the sweet pan drippings. You might even want to chop the meat into pieces to allow them to soak in more flavor.
  • OM NOM NOM.

 

Cardamom Chicken3_sm

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Bready or Not: Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette with Spaghetti Squash

Posted by on May 6, 2015 in Blog, Bready or Not, gluten-free, healthier, lemon, main dish, side dish | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette with Spaghetti Squash

It’s getting hot (ugh) but that also means it’s time for light, fresh salads and pasta dishes. Today that means two recipes: lemon-basil vinaigrette and an easy technique to make spaghetti squash in the microwave.

Lemon-Basil Dressing

Last summer I planted some basil. The basil apparently really liked the Arizona heat, and it grew huge and I had to keep making pesto and figure out other recipes to utilize it.

basil

This quick dressing became a favorite because it made a reasonably-sized amount and was great with both spaghetti squash and salads. This would be great tossed with any pasta, too.

Lemon-Basil Dressing on Caprese Salad3_sm

The pictures I have here show that I used it to make a modified caprese salad. I heated up my squash, mixed in the vinaigrette, heated it some more, and then topped it with fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. All kinds of mix-ins would be great with this dressing.

Lemon-Basil Dressing on Caprese Salad10_sm

If you don’t have fresh basil handy, I bet this would be great with some jarred pesto, too.

Vinaigrette modified from My Recipes.

Bready or Not: Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

A perfect summer vinaigrette to use on pasta, spaghetti squash, salads, or most anything else.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Keyword: dressing, gluten free, lemon
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves firmly packed
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 garlic clove minced

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and pulse a few seconds, until blended. Store in the fridge and use on pasta, spaghetti squash, sandwiches, or salads.
  • OM NOM NOM!

 

Bready or Not: Easy Microwave Spaghetti Squash

Quickly and safely cook spaghetti squash in the microwave.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Keyword: vegetable
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 lb spaghetti squash

Instructions

  • Wash and dry the squash. Very carefully stab with a knife to penetrate the surface every few inches.
  • Place the squash on a microwave safe plate and cook in microwave on normal heat for 7-9 minutes, depending on size. Remove from microwave--the plate will be hot--and set on counter to cool at least twenty minutes.
  • Use a large knife to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise. Be cautious of escaping steam. Let the opened squash sit out a while more to cool.
  • Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then use a fork to shred the squash itself. Store in fridge up to five days. Use in various dishes as a pasta substitute and heat up the squash in the oven or microwave.
  • OM NOM NOM!

 

Lemon-Basil Dressing on Caprese Salad4_sm

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Bready or Not: Crock Pot Corned Beef & Vegetables

Posted by on Mar 11, 2015 in beef, Blog, Bready or Not, crock pot, main dish | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Crock Pot Corned Beef & Vegetables

Corned beef in the slow cooker. This is by far the easiest, tastiest way I’ve found to make this dish!

Bready or Not: Crock Pot Corned Beef

It’s become an annual tradition for me to make a St. Patrick’s Day corned beef brisket. I boiled the meat one year, and baked it in the oven the next. It’s turned out delicious both ways (though the quality of the Kroger-branded brisket was lousy with fat) but I found that the crock pot is the best way to go. No watching the pot for boil-overs! Plus, it makes side dish veggies at the same time.

I dislike celery so I replaced the cut stalks with celery flakes, which provides flavor without the icky texture. You’ll want to cut the potatoes into big chunks that are all of like size. It’ll depend on the size of the potato if you need to cut them into halves or quarters. I had pretty big potatoes, so I did quarters. Do get red potatoes, though. They cook all day and get tender, not mushy.

Bready or Not: Crock Pot Corned Beef

Make this along with the Mini Muffin Irish Soda Bread from last week, and your St. Paddy’s Day meal is all set! … Oh, you want dessert? How about these Irish Coffee Blondies from a few years ago?

Don’t forget to wear green on the 17th… unless you want to get pinched…

Modified from TheSkinnyFork.com

Bready or Not: Crock Pot Corned Beef

Bready or Not: Crock Pot Corned Beef & Vegetables

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: irish
Keyword: crock pot, holiday, slow cooker, st patricks day
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 3 lb corned beef brisket + seasoning packet
  • 1 Tb celery flakes or chopped celery stalks
  • 1 yellow onion in wedges
  • 1/2 lb red potatoes cut into halves or quarters
  • 8 ounces baby carrots
  • 4-6 cups water

Instructions

  • Place celery flakes, onion slices, potatoes and carrots into the crock pot. Trim fat from the brisket and place it on top of the veggies.
  • Add 4-6 cups of water to the crock pot until the brisket is almost covered. Sprinkle the brisket's seasoning packet over the top.
  • Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 1/2 hours, or 8 to 9 hours on low.
  • Remove the brisket and slice thinly or pull into chunks. Serve with the cooked veggies.

OM NOM NOM!

     

     

     

    Bready or Not: Crock Pot Corned Beef

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    Bready or Not: Overnight Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

    Posted by on Dec 24, 2014 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, cake, main dish | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Overnight Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

    Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! Whether or not you observe the holiday, I offer a breakfast cake recipe that you can throw together tonight and bake in the morning.

    Overnight Cinn Pecan Coffee Cake

    It will serve a whole bunch of people. The leftovers are delicious. And heck, it’s CAKE. For breakfast. Actually, it’d be pretty darn good at any time of day.

    Overnight Cinn Pecan Coffee Cake

    Sour cream is the secret weapon here. It creates a cake that is moist and luscious without any sour cream taste. Combine that tenderness with the crackled top and the crunch of pecans, and you have a total winner.

    Overnight Cinn Pecan Coffee Cake

    Tweaked from Overnight Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake at Relish Magazine.

    Bready or Not: Overnight Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

    A great breakfast cake to make the day before.
    Course: Breakfast
    Keyword: cake, make ahead
    Author: Beth Cato

    Ingredients

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
    • 1 cup white sugar
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup sour cream

    Streusel:

    • 3/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    • Make the streusel topping first by combining the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
    • In a big bowl, beat the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy; add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Slowly add the flour mix to the eggs and butter. Pause to add in some sour cream, then more flour, going back and forth until it's all blended.
    • Apply nonstick spray to a 9x13-inch pan. Pour in the batter and spread to the edges. Sprinkle the streusel all over the top.
    • Cover well with plastic wrap and chill overnight, or up to 18 hours.
    • Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake the cake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    OM NOM NOM!

      Make the streusel topping first by combining the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. In a big bowl, beat the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy; add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Slowly add the flour mix to the eggs and butter. Pause to add in some sour cream, then more flour, going back and forth until it's all blended. Apply nonstick spray to a 9x13-inch pan. Pour in the batter and spread to the edges. Sprinkle the streusel all over the top. Cover well with plastic wrap and chill overnight, or up to 18 hours. Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake the cake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. !HO HO HO & OM NOM NOM!

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