Slow Cooker Smothered Beef Tips

 

SLOW COOKER SMOTHERED BEEF TIPS

yield: 8 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 30 MINS

cook time: 9 HRS

total time: 9 HRS 30 MINS

INGREDIENTS

Beef:

• 3 pounds tri tip or sirloin beef roast, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper, for seasoning
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, avocado oil or canola/vegetable oil
• 1 cup diced onions
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3 cups beef broth or beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch dried thyme

Gravy:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Season the beef pieces on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet until hot and rippling. Add some of the beef in a single layer, not touching, and cook for 30 seconds or so until golden, flip and brown on the other side. Transfer beef to the insert of 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat with remaining beef, adding additional oil, if needed (let it heat up before adding more beef pieces).
• Once the beef has all been browned and transferred to the slow cooker, add the onions to the skillet set over medium heat. If the skillet is dry, add a teaspoon or so of oil.
• Cook the onions for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the beef broth or stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer, scraping up bottom of pan.
• Pour mixture into the slow cooker with the beef. Add the bay leaves and thyme. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or 4-5 hours on high until beef is tender.
• Transfer the beef to a dish and cover to keep warm. At this point you can strain the liquid in the slow cooker to remove any solids/onions or use as is for the gravy. You should have about 3-4 cups of liquid.
• For the gravy, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until bubbling (it's ok if it browns slightly). Add the reserved liquid from the slow cooker about one cup at a time, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in the red wine vinegar and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, to taste. If the mixture is too thin, stir together equal parts softened butter and flour until smooth and quickly whisk into simmering gravy. If the mixture is too thick, thin with additional beef broth.
• Add the beef pieces back to the slow cooker or to a serving dish and pour the gravy over the top. Serve over mashed potatoes with fresh parsley (optional).

NOTES

Mashed Potatoes: these Instant Pot mashed potatoes are my go-to mashed potatoes recipe.

©Mel's Kitchen Cafe — https://www.melskitchencafe.com/slow-cooker-smothered-beef-tips/

Cheesy Enchilada Bake

 

CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADA BAKE

yield: 6 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 30 MINS

cook time: 45 MINS

additional time: 15 MINS

total time: 1 HR 30 MINS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups salsa verde or guacamole salsa (see note), see note
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts (I use thin cut) 
• **I used rotiserrie from Costco
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, thinly sliced into half moons
• 2 medium bell peppers, cored and sliced into strips
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 to 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, or a combo
• Fresh, chopped cilantro

Seasoning Mix:

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, I use coarse, kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch (or similar sized) baking dish. Spread one cup of the salsa verde (or guacamole salsa) in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine all the seasoning mix ingredients. Pat the chicken dry. If using chicken breasts, cut them into thinner strips (similar to chicken tenderloin size or slightly larger). Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken (both sides). Set aside.
• In a 12-inch skillet or saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until the onions and peppers start to soften, 3-4 minutes (they'll cook a bit more in the oven). Spread the onions and peppers over the salsa in the pan.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add a drizzle of oil if the pan is dry. Add the chicken in a single layer (may need to do this in two batches) and cook for 30 - 60 seconds per side for some quick browning action - don't overcook (the chicken will cook longer in the oven). Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a single layer over the vegetables.
• Sprinkle the black beans over the chicken. Pour the remaining one cup salsa over the beans. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes (bake for 35 minutes in this step if using chicken thighs).
• Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Add time, as needed, for the chicken to fully cook through.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and let rest for 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken as the casserole rests. Serve over rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, etc OR serve in tortillas (or roll up in burritos or enchiladas). Serve with additional toppings/garnishes as desired: avocados, fresh lime wedges, sour cream, additional cheese, tomatoes, etc.

NOTES

Salsa Verde: this recipe is pretty adaptable for what kind of sauce to use. The best variation I've tried is salsa verde (I use Trader Joe's brand) on the bottom of the dish and the creamy guacamole salsa (Herdez brand) over the top. I think green enchilada sauce could work equally well, too.

Slow Cooker: I haven't tried it yet, but I think this could transition extremely well to a slow cooker meal. Follow all the steps in the recipe except layer the ingredients in a greased slow cooker instead of a baking dish. Maybe 4-5 hours on low? Yes, I'm liking that idea quite a lot.

Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni

Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni (aka “Hot Meat Noodle”)

★★★★★5 from 6 reviews

• Author: kate jones

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Description

This quick and easy Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni comes together in minutes and has been a HUGE hit with our family! One of their favorite, most-requested meals!

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound lean ground beef (I used 93% lean)
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 pound short, dry pasta like cellentani
4 cups water
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups freshly shredded medium cheddar cheese
1/2 cup half and half

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Instructions

Heat an electric pressure cooker to the sauté setting. When hot, add the butter, stirring until it melts. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until it’s cooked down and broken into pieces. Turn off heat and add the onion and garlic powder, ketchup, mustard, and red wine vinegar. Stir to combine.

Add dry pasta and combine. Add water and salt. Stir, trying to keep as much pasta as possible under the water. Use the manual setting to cook for 5 minutes. When done, use the quick release on the pressure cooker. Remove the lid and turn off the power.

Add the shredded cheese and half and half. Stir until smooth. Lightly cover and let sit for 3 minutes. Season to taste and serve.

Notes

UNTESTED NON-INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS

This is one of the only Instant Pot recipes we have where I’ve never tried making it another way. Usually we like to offer an alternative cooking method because I know not everyone has an Instant Pot, but I haven’t ever made it another way, so I feel uncomfortable giving you very specific directions. However. If I were to make this on the stovetop, I would cook the pasta in salted water while the beef is browning. Before you drain the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Add the ketchup and seasonings to the beef, combine, add the cheese and half and half, and then if you need to thin things out, add the pasta water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Cilantro Lime Rice with Pineapple

 1 cup dry white rice, cooked according to directions

2 tablespoons real butter

Juice from 1 large lime, or two smaller ones (taste as you go, I add a lot!)

1 small can crushed pineapple, drained (You may want 2 small cans)

½ – ¾ cups chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice. As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro. Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

You’ll want to serve this right away, if you don’t, the flavors tend to mellow a bit and you’ll probably need to add more lime juice because the rice kind of sucks it up.If you’re not quite ready to eat when your rice finishes cooking, just toss in the butter and keep a lid on it so it stays warm.Then right before you serve it, toss it all together.

Perfect Roasted Green Beans

 

Perfect Roasted Green Beans

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
 
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
 
• Total Time: 20 minutes
 
• Yield: 4 side servings 1x
 
• Category: Side dish
 
• Method: Roasted
 
• Cuisine: American
 
• Diet: Vegetarian

★★★★★

 

4.9 from 32 reviews

Learn how to roast green beans with this simple recipe. Roasted green beans are an easy and delicious side dish (or snack)! Recipe yields 4 side servings.

SCALE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound (16 ounces) green beans or haricots verts
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Scant 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Wash and trim the rough ends off the green beans. Pat them very dry with clean tea towels (wet green beans turn soggy in the oven).
3. Place the prepared green beans on your baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the beans and sprinkle the salt all over. Use your hands to toss until all of the beans are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the green beans across the pan in a single layer.
4. Roast for 14 to 16 minutes, undisturbed, until they are crisp-tender with some golden, caramelized spots. (If using slender haricots verts, they may be ready a couple of minutes earlier.)
5. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy with any desired accompaniments (see recipe notes for seasoning suggestions). Roasted green beans are best enjoyed while warm, but will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 5 days.

NOTES

Seasoning suggestions: Roasted green beans are nice with lemon zest or wedges, grated Parmesan, fresh herbs (basil, mint, parsley, chives or green onion), red pepper flakes, pats of butter, a drizzle of balsamic reduction or thick balsamic vinegar, or toasted sliced almonds.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

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Recipe Image

Notes

Nutrition Label

GRILLED TERIYAKI CHICKEN

yield: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 1 HR 30 MINS

cook time: 15 MINS

total time: 1 HR 45 MINS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce (see note)
• ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic
• 2 to 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS 

• In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and vinegar. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is simmering and the sugar is dissolved.
• Measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture into a container and put in the refrigerator to use later.
• Cool the remaining sauce to room temperature (speed this up by pouring the sauce from the hot pan into a separate container and refrigerating or stirring until cooled).
• Pour the sauce into a blender and add the ginger and garlic. Blend until well-combined.
• Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Pour the blended teriyaki sauce over the chicken. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 12 hours). The teriyaki flavor of the chicken will be stronger the longer it marinates.
• Grill the chicken (discarding the marinade) over medium high heat for about 6-8 minutes per side (use less time for chicken breasts); an instant-read thermometer should register 165 degrees F at the thickest part. Brush the chicken with some of the reserved sauce during the last 1-2 minutes of cooking (save the rest of the sauce to serve with the chicken).
• Tent the chicken and let rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. Cut the thicken into thin slices and serve with the rest of the reserved teriyaki sauce.

©Mel's Kitchen Cafe — https://www.melskitchencafe.com/grilled-homemade-teriyaki-chicken/