Pepperoncini Beef

I'll be honest, I don't know how to start this post.  This Pepperoncini Beef has me nearly speechless.  Really.  It is an incredibly simple recipe, yet packs in so much flavor.  And it has become a favorite around these parts--one of those meals that I will make again and again.

I originally saw this recipe on "My Muffin Thursdays" (which has recently changed to One Lovely Life). And, since I like to share random stories, here's a story for you: It's been about a year since I started finding recipes on My Muffin Thursdays (MMT).  The hostess was from UT, had a husband in school, etc.  Just like we were a few short months before.  The world, when connected through Utah, is so small that I wondered if I knew this person or if we knew some of the same people.  A few months ago, one of my former neighbors (and good friend), mentioned that the hostess on MMT was her former neighbor as well.  Turns out that we moved out as they were moving in.  All I can say is that it really is a small world after all.

Pepperoncini Beef

2.5 lbs. beef roast
1/2 jar pepperoncinis (16 oz.)
1 cup beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Sandwich buns
Provolone cheese

Trim visible fat from your roast.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place in slow cooker.  Add pepperoncinis, about 1/4 cup of brine from pepperoncini jar, and beef broth.  Cook on low 7-8 hours.

Remove pepperonicinis from slow cooker; slice or chop.  Shred beef; add pepperoncinis back to slow cooker. 

Toast sandwich buns.  Top with beef then cheese.

NOTES: You can use any cheese that you like.  I do suggest staying away from cheddar, though, as it would probably overpower the beef.  And, I brush the buns with my Sotto Voce garlic olive oil before toasting.  It gives it just a little more flavor, (not that it really needs much more).  You could toast them and then rub them with garlic if you feel so inclined.  My mouth is seriously watering just typing this recipe up.  I wish we were having this for dinner tonight! 

Floating Tacos

Last year, my friend mentioned that she was making freezer meals before her baby came.  She took an entire Saturday to cook and stock her freezer so her family would actually have food while she was out of commission.  I was thoroughly impressed.  And, of course, knowing that my baby was coming a few months later, I checked out her recipes.  Not that I stocked my freezer before my baby came.  When I'm pregnant, I feel accomplished if I shower and get dressed in the same day.  That and my baby came a little sooner than I planned.  But if I had stocked my freezer, this would have been in there, (with a few adjustments).

Floating Tacos
Servings: A LOT (See notes)
(Adapted from Just Because I am Me)

1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 can tomato paste (6oz.)
3 cups water
2 cans kidney beans
1 cup uncooked rice

1 T. sugar
1 T. cumin
1 T. oregano
1 T. chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute meat and onion in large saucepan (or dutch oven) until onion is tender. Add tomato sauce, paste, water, beans, and rice. Stir in sugar, cumin, oregano, chili powder; bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 min., (or so) stirring occasionally until rice is fully cooked.  Add water as needed if mixture becomes too thick.
 
Serve over Fritos and top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, olives, and Ranch Sauce (recipe below).

Ranch Sauce
 
1 cup Ranch dressing
1 cup sour cream
 
Mix thoroughly.
 
NOTES: While I thought this was pretty good, I thought that it lacked SPICE.  I'm not talking "burn your mouth" spice--I'm not into that.  But, it just needed some more intense flavors.  And, I would most likely leave out the sugar.  When I used the leftovers, I added about 1/4 cup taco seasoning.  It was good--but, once again, could have used even more spice. 
 
This makes a TON of food.  It made 2 meals for our family, (with leftovers), in addition to a meal for another family of 4.  It's a great one to make ahead and freeze for easy meals later.
 
Oh--and the ranch sauce?  It reminded me of an amazing cucumber dressing from Romeo's in Gilbert, AZ.  Aadd some chopped green onions and finely chopped cucumber to your leftover sauce.  Then use as a dip for soft, warm pita bread.  Or french fries.  Or really anything.  It's that good.

Father's Day: 3 recipes in one

I am going to start this post with an apology.  By the time we served dinner on Father's Day, I was too hungry to take a pic.  So, you are just going to have to use your imagination with this one...

Originally, Ryan was planning to make a smoked brisket for Father's Day.  I was all for it.  Less planning and work on my part.  However, when we saw that the weather was going to be rainy and cold all weekend, we scrapped that idea.  Instead, Ryan requested the following:

Pot roast with carrots and onions

Mashed potatoes and gravy

Steamed broccoli

Jello

Rolls

Yellow cake with strawberries and cream

(OK--I decided to have mashed potatoes and jello.  It just went!)

(The explanation paragraphs are color coded to match the colored items on the menu.)

I was reminded that just before we moved, my friend Anna Marie made us pot roast for dinner one evening.  It was seriously the BEST pot roast I had ever tasted and I demanded her recipe.  Turns out it was Pioneer Woman's Pot Roast.  So, that's where I went for Ryan's roast.  Because I forgot to add beef broth to my grocery list, I used 2 cans of chicken broth with 3 beef bullion cubes.  (Again. Has anyone else realized yet that these things are more the norm than the exception?)  I have to say, though, it was still absolutely fabulous.  This recipe has become my absolute favorite Sunday Roast recipe.

And, going back to the whole forgetfulness thing, I'll tell you about our Father's Day jello.  We painted our kitchen (red, of course) on Saturday.  Since it was drying overnight, we had a lot to put away on Sunday morning.  Between assembling the kitchen, getting all 5 of us ready for church, and prepping food, we had a very busy morning.  And, I didn't get a ton of time to prep food prior to our 11 o'clock church meeting.  I made our "Tropical Fusion" jello and put it in the fridge to wait for the pineapple tidbits and chopped maraschino cherries to go in.  When we got home from church, I realized that I had forgotten to stir the fruit into the jello.  By that time, the jello was completely set.  Instead of serving the fruit on top, I broke up the smooth, solid jello and stirred in the fruit bits.  And then I prepared a small box of peach jello (what I had on hand) according to the "Speed Set" directions, then stirred it into the Tropical Fusion and fruit.  By dinner time, the jello was set beautifully--once again smooth and beautiful.  The flavors blended perfectly and it was quite tasty.

OK. Last one. I love watching Alton Brown.  And I consider it quite fortunate that I happened to catch his "Gold Cake" episode sometime last week.  When it came time to make Ryan's yellow cake, I knew I had to give Alton's recipe a try.  Ryan described the cake as "Alton Inspired" because I had to make a few subs.  First of all, I didn't have an accurate kitchen scale.  So, I wasn't able to weigh the ingredients.  Secondly, I didn't have cake flour.  I subbed all-purpose flour. (1 cup cake flour = 1 cup minus 2 Tbls AP flour)  And thirdly, I eyeballed the vanilla and accidentally added way too much.  This being said, it was not my favorite yellow cake.  I thought the butter flavored shortening and too much vanilla gave it an artificial flavor.  And it was a little dry and not very sweet.  Next time, I think I'll switch back to "David's Yellow Cake" from allrecipes.com.  That's my favorite so far.

There you have it.  I hope your Father's Day was as tasty as ours was!