Friday, February 5, 2016

Crockpot Beef

I modified this recipe from the short rib recipe I posted a long time ago.  It is a new family favorite.

2-3 lbs beef (chuck, bottom round, or brisket all work)
4 onions roughly chopped
1 bag baby carrots
3 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or garlic paste
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dry red wine (merlot or cabernet)
2 cups beef broth or stock
3-4 tablespoons flour

I sometimes do this when the beef is still frozen - doesn't seem to matter.

Salt and pepper the beef.  Put all vegetables (including garlic) in bottom of slow cooker/crock pot. Place beef on top of the veggies. Pour wine and broth over top of beef. I usually cook it on high for an hour or two and then switch to low and cook for approximately 6-8 hours. Remove the beef from the pot, then I remove all the veggies and strain the broth. Put the broth into a small pot and whisk in the flour until the sauce thickens. I pour the sauce over the beef and put it back into the slow cooker on warm until everyone is ready to eat. The meat is usually falling apart. I tend to discard all the veggies and serve with other side dishes like mashed potatoes and green beans or whatever your family likes best.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Oven Baked Macaroni & Cheese - UPDATED VERSION

I was asked to make macaroni and cheese for a function today.  When I went back through my old blog posts and pulled out the original Macaroni & Cheese recipe that I used many times I realized that the old recipe doesn't state the amount of flour to use or the method of blending the flour into the milk to make the roux. I decided to do an update with a more accurate recipe that you will find below.

Oven Baked Macaroni & Cheese

16 oz of uncooked elbow macaroni
1 stick of butter
4 cups of milk
1/2 cup flour
12 oz sharp cheddar (grated) cheese, reserve a handful to sprinkle on top
1 teaspoon of salt (I cut this down from 2 teaspoons in the original recipe)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions.
3. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter, whisk in flour to make a paste.
4. Warm the milk in microwave for 2-3 minutes.
5. Slowly add milk to the paste.
6. Whisk in the milk until thickened (about 1-2 minutes).
7. Remove from heat and add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, mustard and cheese, stir until smooth.
8. Stir the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and pour into a 3 quart casserole dish.
9. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes.

(You can easily do half the recipe in a 1-1/2 or 2 quart baking dish or even double the recipe for a large crowd.)

Enjoy!