dinner

Korean Beef Tacos

It was when we were on a family vacation in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan that I had my first Korean beef taco (ok my first 6… we went back for more- again, and again that trip, I couldn’t get enough!) The Little Fleet, is a great place to visit for live music and food, and in the summer they host a “fleet” of food trucks with exceptional menu options. If you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend you give them a try!

-Rachel

This recipe is a creation of our own. Perfect to feed a crowd with little fuss, or simply cut the ingredient amounts in half for a family sized portion. It’s everything we love about Korean beef, in super easy crockpot ready style. Also, these ingredients can be found at any grocer, with no need to visit a Korean market. Although we love the inspiring flavors we discover at specialty markets, we keep it convenient because when the craving hits (and it will)…you have to be ready!!

Easily makes 20 tacos…

3½ lbs Flank Steak
2 Tbsp Ginger Paste
½ cup Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp Sriracha
2 tsp Fish Sauce
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 cup Soy Sauce

Place steak into crockpot laying flat.

Mix all other ingredients together in medium bowl.

Pour over beef. Try to situate the steak so it is submersed in sauce. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.

Remove meat and cut across grain into large sections about 3-4 inches long and then shred it, using two forks to pull it apart (it should be extremely tender).

*Sometimes I do this whole step while still in crockpot, but it can scratch your pot!

Place back into crockpot with sauce and serve from there.

I serve my tacos with sliced avocado, a dollop of spicy Greek yogurt (1 cup Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon sriracha mixed in), a squeeze of fresh lime and thinly sliced purple cabbage.


Cottage Tot Pie

Let me start with saying I love a good traditional Cottage Pie. I love Shepherd’s Pie. I love meat and mashed potatoes and gravy… which is kind of what shepherd’s pie is, but constructed and upside down. I am all for whipping up mashed potatoes to top a pie… I’ve done it and I’ll do it again. But I am a busy mom! And if I’m honest about it, most nights of the week if I’m going to whip up some potatoes, it’s because it’s a side dish- not an extra step toward accomplishing dinner. I’m also a child of the frozen food era. And I am not too proud to admit that a tater tot baked and salted to crispy perfection is delicious. Of course, in this case I can also boast (like I really care), that it’s baked not fried. However, if I wanted to get really honest, a deep fried tater tot is sublime. If I could figure out a way to deep fry this whole dish I probably would. But if I had time to shred the potatoes for an awesome crust that I stuffed with this seasoned beef filling to deep fry, then surely I would have had the time to whip up a mashed potato topper. Right? So, when you want all the taste without the extra steps… this is the bomb. #momwin

As organic as possible:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced

1 Celery stalk, diced small

1 lb ground Beef (or Lamb, but then you need to call it Shepherd Tot Pie)

1 tsp Salt, to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

1½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup Peas, frozen or fresh

1 cup Corn, frozen or fresh

1-1½ cups Beef stock

2lbs or 24 oz. (approx) Seasoned Tater Tots, frozen (I like Alexa)

Heat the over medium high until hot. Add the diced onion and celery. (And if you’d like a little diced carrot to make it a true trinity… but if your kids are like mine, leave the orange vegetable out.) I only like to cook it for a minute before I add the ground beef, because it’s going to get baked and I like to try and have some texture.

Add the beef, salt and pepper. Cook until just browned. (And if it’s just slightly pink, it’s ok. It will continue to cook and better that it’s not overdone.) Strain all but about a tablespoon of the fat into a safe hot fat catching container. Add the tablespoon of butter.

When it’s melted, give it a little swirl around the pan and add the 2 tablespoons of flour.

Let the flour cook in the meat, onion and celery mixture for a couple minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup beef stock. Let cook for a few minutes, until sauce starts to thicken, if too thick add remaining 1/2 cup of stock. Add the peas and corn. Give the whole mix a stir and take it off of the heat.

I have a 1¾ quart dish that is perfect for this recipe, however a 2 qt dish will do. Pour the meat and veggie mixture into the dish in an even layer. Then lovingly place the tater tots in calculated rows (or completely abstract) in a single layer on top of the meat mix.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tots are golden brown and crisp.

Let stand a couple minutes to cool After gravy stops bubbling, serve warm… and with ketchup if you’d like, because it’s tasty.

 

 

 

 

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Southern Fried Chicken

I love fried chicken as much as the next girl, who loves fried chicken, who’s not from the South… but my grandma was, so it’s in my blood, right there with biscuits, and gravy. And I’m a fan of soaking your chicken in buttermilk, so it’s moist and juicy. However, many of you know that one of my children has a dairy allergy, so what is one to do? Enter Paula Deen, who is from the South- so that’s legitimate. She has given us a fantastic recipe, which we (a.k.a. my sister the chef) have adapted, full of juiciness and flavor… (BTW do not be dismayed by the cup of Sriracha, it’s really not spicy.)

As organic as possible:

3 Eggs

1/3 cup Water

1 cup Sriracha sauce

2 cups Flour

1 tsp Pepper

Season Salt

1 – 1 1/2 to 2 lb Chicken

Oil for frying, preferably Peanut

In a medium size bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add the Siracha and stir. In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Generously sprinkle the chicken with season salt. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg/Siracha mixture, and then coat well in the flour mixture.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep pot. (Using a deep fry thermometer if you have one.) Do not fill the pot more than 1/2 full with oil. Fry the chicken in the oil until brown and crisp. Dark meat takes longer than white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, white meat around 8 to 10 minutes.

You can find the Paula Deen’s original recipe from Food Network here.

 

The Chef’s Egg Rolls

Can I just reiterate that I love having a chef in my family? This time she gifts us little brown packages of fried Asian awesomeness! One of the best things about homemade is that you get to pick and choose your favorite flavors. And I’m not sure I could get enough water chestnuts, ginger, cabbage, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, etc. wrapped in a crispy egg roll wrapper. In fact, I’m pretty sure I can’t.

Makes about 35 egg rolls
So you will need 30-40 egg roll wrappers depending on how you fill them

4 cans sliced Water chestnuts (drained)
1 10 ounce bag shredded Carrots
4-5 Tbsp chopped Garlic
3-4 Tbsp chopped Ginger
1/4 cup Soy sauce

Stir fry in vegetable oil about 3 mins.
Set aside this mixture

In a stock pot place
10 cups shredded Cabbage (cole slaw is what I used)
2.5 cups Chicken broth (can use vegetable broth)
3/4 cup Soy sauce
3/4 cup reduced sodium Soy sauce
3 Tbs Sugar
Bring all ingredients to to a boil, reduce to simmer for 5 minutes then let cool for 10 mins

Strain cabbage and combine with shredded carrot mixture.

Make a paste with flour about 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water mixed.

Lay the wrapper like a diamond with a corner pointing at you. Place about 3 Tbsp of filling into each egg roll wrapper, across the center (in a line between the two middle corners), then fold bottom corner over filling then both sides, then use finger to apply paste along the edge of top corner and roll the filled wrapper over the pasted corner. Press anything that didn’t seal down and it’s ready for frying.

Side note: I work in batches because egg roll wrappers dry out quickly (not as bad as wonton wrappers) so I make like seven at a time and fry because I can fit that many in my skillet

Fry in a pan with 3/4 inch of vegetable oil in pan, after first side is browned (about 1 minute) turn and brown other side.

Place finished egg rolls on paper towel. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. *Sadie suggests plum sauce 😉

Easy Peasy Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is such classic comfort food. It’s hearty, warm and flavorful. On a chilly day it’s like a beacon of cozy. There are many variations, and really you can layer on any vegetables you want. As far as I’m concerned there is really no wrong way… But if you know how to boil potatoes and want it easy, here you go!

As organic as possible:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, diced (1 small onion)

2 lbs ground beef (we like 90/10 lean)

10 crackers, crushed (saltine style or butter)

2 1/2 tsp salt (divided)

1 tsp black pepper (divided)

2-3 Tbsp season salt

2 cans creamed corn

3 lbs potatoes red skin potatoes, washed, halved and quartered to boiling size (2″ or so). If you use another potato, no worries, just peel first.

1 cup heavy cream

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup milk (give or take)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large pot cover potatoes with water and start boiling, cook until fork tender. In the meantime in a large skillet, warm oil on medium heat. When runny and hot add onion and let cook a minute or two. Add beef, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. (Side note: I’m a big fan of seasoning meat initially as it cooks, and again later… it’s tradition.) Cook until browned, drain and add season salt and crackers, toss around until evenly distributed. Taste for seasoning! It’s got to be good enough to eat on its own, salt and pepper as necessary. Then spoon meat mixture evenly on the bottom of a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Next cover meat mixture with creamed corn. (Another side note: if you are not a fan of creamed corn, don’t worry, it won’t taste like creamed corn.) Set aside.

Check potatoes for tenderness and drain when ready. Add butter and cream, mash. Add milk as necessary until desired (slightly spreadable) consistency. Add remaining salt and pepper. Taste! Season as needed to taste delicious on their own. Then layer on top of corn and meat mixture, spread evenly. If you’d like sprinkle lightly with a little of the season salt for color. Bake for 35 minutes, until potatoes just start to brown and dish is heated through. Serve lovingly.

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GG’s Beef Stew

This is a family heirloom. My mother has memories of her grandma making this stew. She tells me, and now my children, almost every time we eat it, “I used to smell this stew when I would get off the bus. Grandma would have the windows open and I knew… And I would run to the house. We would eat it with buttered bread and a big glass of milk.” So I can think of no better introduction or suggestion. We always make it in big batches, so I tried to break it down into a 1 pot portion. (And therefore can be easily doubled… or quadrupled.) It’s a hearty stew and we have always enjoyed the rustic (large) bites of meat and veggies. I hope you do too!

As organic as possible (my addition)

2 – 2 1/2 lbs chuck roast (stew meat), trimmed and cut into 1″ (or so) cubes

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lbs Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2″ (or so) cubes

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1″ (or so) pieces

3-4 celery stalks, cut into about 1″ (or so) pieces

2-3 large onions, peeled and quartered

2 large cans whole stewed tomatoes, halved and quartered in the can with a knife (it’s tradition)

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp salt, to taste

1 tsp black pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp sugar

1 stick butter

Place meat in a pot (dutch oven) with about 1 1/2 quarts of salted and peppered water. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Allow to simmer until tender, about 30-45 minutes, depending on cut. Skim off and discard the froth. Throw everything (except sugar and butter) into the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, add butter and sugar. Simmer until veggies are tender, about 45 mins to an hour (if you can wait that long). Salt and pepper to taste.

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Open your windows to let out the aroma, and serve with buttered white bread and milk- optional, but highly recommended.

Lasagna

It’s not just Garfield who loves lasagna! I have explained to you before our high regard for Italian cooking. When the smell of garlic bread and baked pasta is in the house I want to pour a glass of vino, raise my voice a little and hug my babies. I can’t help myself, without any actuality I’m part Italian.

As organic as possible:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Yellow onion, diced
3-4 Cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs Ground hamburger (I prefer lean)
2 jars Homemade or store bought pasta sauce (about 50 oz)
1 lb Lasagna noodles

8 oz Cottage cheese
16 oz Ricotta cheese
8 oz Fresh Mozzarella, shredded and divided
3/4 cup Grated Parmesan, divided
1/4-1/2 tsp Salt
1/8-1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Granulated garlic
1 tsp dried basil

Lasagna requires a few steps, but the difficulty is low. And once assembled it’s a make ahead dish that’s easy to throw in the oven, bake and serve.

Preheat the oven to 350º

I like to start with my sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat, add diced onion and let sauté about 2 minutes. Add garlic and let sauté another minute. Add beef, let cook until browned and drain. Pour in sauce and stir. Allow to simmer. Taste! Add seasonings accordingly.

In the meantime, start boiling pasta water and cook according to package directions (remember to salt your water and keep in mind the noodles are supposed to be “al dente,” still maintaining a little bite because they will continue to soften when in the oven). Drain and rinse the pasta under cool water to stop the cooking process and make the noodles easier to handle during assembly.

In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta, 2/3 of the shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, granulated garlic and basil. (Side note: I love cottage cheese in my lasagna; it has a tangy salty zing that I prefer over ricotta, and I have made my cheesy filling with it alone. However, ricotta gives that little bit of creaminess that cottage cheese in general is lacking, so I prefer the combination). Taste! Some cheeses are saltier than others, you want each part of your layering to taste equally delicious, so if this is flat add more salt and/or pepper now.

Ok. You’ve made it this far, so you might as well finish what you’ve started! In a large baking dish (or a 13X9 dish will do) place just enough sauce on the bottom, smearing it all over, so your noodles won’t stick. Line your noodles closely to each other so that you completely cover the pan (trimming noodles to fit like a puzzle if necessary). Using about a 1/3 of your cheese mixture spread the creamy goodness all over the noodles. Next use about a third of your pasta sauce to layer on top of the cheese. Repeat with the noodles and continue with cheese and sauce until you are out (you will most likely have left over noodles).

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. (I did not forget about the remaining cheese…) When the kitchen timer goes off (or after you have watched the clock relentlessly for 30 minutes), carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and turn the oven up to 425º. Take off the aluminum foil and on the top layer of sauce, evenly sprinkle the remaining 1/3 shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Place back into the oven uncovered for about 15 minutes until cheese is browned and dish is perfect!

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before attempting to serve. Not only will you spare the skin on the roof of your mouth, but this gives your dish time to set and will allow for you to cut into it without it spreading.