Set it and Forget it Shredded Beef (for Burritos and so much more!)

Feels like there have been a few too many treats around the All Things Libby family lately, between Easter coming up and a birthday celebration, not to mention some overripe bananas, so another batch of   Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins were made.  This time with 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed added to continue to challenge the how-much-health-food-can-I-add-to-these-before-you-notice-it threshold. 

Still, ah-mazing!  Nothing, other than deliciousness, detectable.

So, before you are all convinced that we don't eat anything other than gluten and sugar laden treats, I thought I'd bring back a super easy and versatile dinner option.

Ours was made with some of the last remaining venison steaks from our freezer, but is ideal for a beef roast (or chicken breasts) and after a day in the slow cooker, can be used for some sandwiches, burritos or quesadillas, depending on what you have on hand and what you are in the mood for.

Most importantly, I'm thrilled to have finally been able to consistently achieve moist tender roasts in the crockpot.  I was struggling with that for a while and I was worried I my family was going to lose faith in me.

First thing into the crockpot was the meat, seasoned with a salsa seasoning (which can be a source of spicy-ness that my kids weren't thrilled with) as well as steak seasoning.  Then, I poured in a can of diced tomatoes and a half cup of water, which definitely helps with the tender and moistness that was evading me.

After cooking on low for nearly 8 hours, the meat was extremely tender...like could-barely-get-it-out-of-the-slow-cooker-without-it-splashing-back-into-the-juices-as-it-fell-apart tender.

The fat, which also aids in the moistness of the meat, was trimmed before shredding.  Then, a few large spoonfuls on the juice from the slow cooker were added back, as much as the meat would absorb upon stirring.

It's a fine line between being dry and being soggy, but I know my family would prefer a little more moist than not enough.

Finally, the burritos were prepared with some shredded cheese, corn and black bean salsa and, of course,  wouldn't be complete without Libby's Chunky Guacamole, finally topped with a dollop of sour cream.

Truth be told, about half way through this meal, I abandon the tortilla shell and just devoured the filling.  Qdoba is on to something with their burrito bowls.

In the future, I'll just leave the tortillas for the Chicken Quesadillas.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

I don't know about you, but I have always been a big fan of cupcakes.

Not sure why, but in my mind, those individual serve cakes taste so much better than a full size cake.

Perhaps, eating with my hands gives me a license to lick my fingers.  Maybe, the individual serving size carries less guilt.

For whatever reason, they are my favorite form of cake and I am elated when anyone asks for cupcakes in place of cake for their special occasion.

This year Alayna wanted her cupcakes in an ice cream cone for her 10th birthday.  The last time I did that, she was two, so this was the first time she will remember them.

Not only that, she is practically old enough to do it all herself, especially since we took the easy way out and used a box mix.

I do find a certain sense of accomplishment in pulling together all of my own ingredients, especially so that I can hand select them and adjust as I see fit, but sometimes these cake mixes are just the most practical option, especially when I may have left all of the details for the day of.

The real novelty in this recipe was a new process.  Rather than the obvious approach of pouring the batter into the cones and struggling to keep them upright while loading them into the oven, we used the cupcake tins, well sprayed, I might add, filled them with batter and then topped them with an inverted cake cone.

Despite being slightly lop-sided, they still stood just fine and were much easier to manage than the last time I made them, using the more conventional method.

So, she whipped up the batter, according to the box instructions.

Sprayed the cupcake pan well, to ensure the easy release out of the oven.

Placed an inverted cone over the half-filled reservoirs.

Baked according to instructions.

Cooled, frosted and served.

Thankfully they are almost all gone so that I'm not tempted to eat anymore of those tasty little bites.

Cut Out Cookies (with just 7 ingredients)

**Don't forget to Pin for future use!**

Updated pictures and recipe, 

but entry from April of 2014 remains the same. 

Yay for spring!  And for Easter right around the corner.

Just in time, I wanted to share the easiest recipe for cut out cookie dough that I've ever seen and I love that the number of ingredients are minimal and household staples and, of course, they always turn out…delicious!

Along with the change of seasons comes a change of schedule and routine around this Bailey household.

Trying to figure out the best times to feed the family and how to have it ready when they are hungry is the latest challenge around here, which has made it nearly impossible for me to blog about any meals from the last week.

So, before I get to the super simple cookie recipe, I'll share with you what we ate last week, since I was completely MIA, floundering in the chaos of the new schedule.

Sunday - Grilled venison and veggie kabobs
Monday - Throwback to Classic Chicken and Dumplings (Alayna's request)
Tuesday - Home made pizzas (Landon's request) with a Gluten free crust for Jerry and me
Wednesday - Hamburgers on the grill for the guys, while I met up with the girls for a bite to eat
Thursday - Grilled chicken tenders on a bed of romaine

Friday - Broiled Lamb Chops (Ryker's request) with roasted potatoes
Saturday - Chicken with cherry wine sauce from Iowa Girl Eats

With spring break ahead of us, we should have a little more time for meal preparation, but we also have a 10th birthday party for Alayna at Helium Trampoline Park and an overnight at my brother's horse farm, Sublime Saddlebreds, so I'm sure the week will go fast!

Before we could launch into spring break, there were some treats needed for school, including these cookies to wrap up Landon's week of being STAR Student and some birthday treats for Alayna.

Now onto the cookies that Landon requested.

Blend 1 cup of sugar into 3/4 cup of softened butter until creamy.

Then add 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp of vanilla and beat well.

For simplicity purposes, I added the dry ingredient directly to the wet ingredients.

2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt  

Mixed the dough on medium until everything was well blended.

Mold into one large dough ball and refrigerate for an hour or so, 

until the butter in the dough starts to harden again.  

Makes for the best texture for rolling, cutting and baking.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, cut out the cookies of desired shape, 

fitting as many cookies as possible onto the dough.

Bake at 400 F for 6-8 minutes, 

I generally error on the side of less time for chewier cookies.

Once cooled, frost with icing of choice and sprinkle immediately.

Slacker alert…

I bought this icing at U-bake this week, as I knew time would be tight.  

Don't tell my mom!

Luckily, since I work at Landon's school now, 

I was able to meet the qualifications for a taste of my own masterpieces. 

 And they were yummy, (which should go without saying)!

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Fridge Time: 1 hour, minimum

Makes: Depends on the size of the cookie, only about 1 dozen eggs, but closer to 2 dozen hearts. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of softened butter

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

Directions:

• Cream together sugar and butter. 
• Fold in eggs and vanilla until smooth. 
• Measure out the flour, baking powder and salt. 
• Combine all ingredient well and refrigerate until firm, minimum of 1 hour. 
• Roll the chilled dough out on floured surface to desired thickness. 
• Cut out cookies and bake at 400 F for 6-8 minutes. 
• Frost and decorate. 

Super-simple, scrumptious Shrimp Tacos (and counting carbs)

Whew, that went fast!  We had a couple of jam-packed days with baseball, basketball, Girl Scouts, piano, Badgers, our favorite near 2 year old, Kennedy, visiting and to top it all off..warming temperatures and sunshine!

Welcome to a new week!

I have never been so elated to see 60's in the forecast, especially with the kids' spring break coming up and a garage in desperate need of purging.

Regardless of the weather, shrimp is always in season.   This time in a taco, quick, easy and so delicious!

Before I get to the meal, I'd like to share some other recent learnings.

Jerry and I met with a dietician to learn more about a diabetic diet, I have to admit, I was pretty clueless, which is embarrassing to admit as a food professional, but I didn't know how many grams of carbs were ok or the best way to spread them throughout the day.

We learned that rather than feast or famine, it is much better to consume the carbs evenly throughout the day (This isn't Weight Watchers, where you have a certain number of points to use however you want throughout the day).

Seems logical. But, how many carbs are optimal?  And, of course, what is a proper serving size?

This one gets me every time! It is generally much smaller than you think.  Like 8 tortilla chips…when is the last time anyone ate just 8 chips?!?!?

Regardless, it was great for Jerry and I to be there together so that we are on the same page and can keep each other in check.

For anyone with an inquiring mind, the goal is 3 servings of carbs per meal and 2 snacks of one serving each.  (One serving of carbs is about 15 grams. )

As I was making dinner, I was taking inventory of the grams of carbs in each component, so that I could prepare Jerry's plate accordingly.  Note to self...while cooking is a little late, but we are both learning as we go.

The taco shells are each about 20 grams of carbs, the rice was a whopping 51 grams of carbs/serving (probably not a great choice on my part, I realize as it is already boiling.)

And, most importantly, to Jerry's satisfaction, the shrimp have 0 grams of carbs...so he can eat those to his hearts content (well, except for the cholesterol content, his heart probably doesn't love that!).

So, Jerry's plate was two taco shells overflowing with shrimp and a slice of avocado, while the kids and I were left to fill up on shells, rice and about 3 shrimp each.  Haha!

These changes to the diet might take a little to get used to, but we all know we feel better when we eat better and that's the goal for my whole family!

Now that I've shared all that I know about a healthy, optimal diabetic diet, I'll get to the goods!

Start by sautéing the shrimp in a pan with olive oil and minced garlic.  Season with chili powder, salt and pepper.

When the shrimp are cooked, finish with the juice from half of a lime and some crushed rosemary.

Stuff the shrimp into a taco shell of choice and serve with a slice of avocado and a side of rice.

It's that easy and doesn't take much more than 10 - 15 minutes.

Jerry is now torn between the fish tacos and these as his favorite, as they are both delicious. I can't argue.

Although, next time, I'd probably whip up a chili-lime sauce to serve them with, as there is something so delightful about the contrast of cool, creaminess with the snap of the shrimp and the crunch of the shell. (Sorry folks, I don't have that for you now, I'll have to dream it up sometime soon.)


RECIPE

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 lb raw shrimp, thawed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lime
1 tsp crushed rosemary
1 avocado
taco shells of choice

Directions

Saute the shrimp and garlic in the olive oil over med heat.
Season with chili powder, salt and pepper.
Finish with the juice of half of a lime and rosemary.

Stuff into shells, top with a slice of avocado and serve with rice.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers

How do you define a burger?

This was called into question tonight when I announced what was on the menu for dinner.

I got at least two questions wondering whether or not there was meat in those burgers. And, the muffled responses were less than thrilled.  Even from my husband, who knows that my meal failures are few and far between.

This debate took me to the Merriam Webster on-line dictionary where their definition of burger is a food that is like a hamburger but is not made from beef.

Ahhh, I felt vindicated.  I wasn't lying or trying to trick my family.  I just wanted to try something different.

There are lots of different kinds of burgers...hamburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, which is the avenue I took for tonight's dinner.

All of these doubts, before I even started the meal, made the process even more daunting, causing procrastination to set in.  But, finally dinner was started, served and ENJOYED!

Alayna's response after her first bite was "This is amazing!"

And, Jerry was reluctant to admit that it was really good and he did go back for seconds.

So, let me share how we got this party started.

One cup of dried quinoa was cooked in water, but broth or bouillon is always an option. (I always buy the pre-soaked quinoa to save on my prep time).

While the quinoa was cooking, the mini food processor was put to work.  Not to mention that this mini food processor is 14 years old and, did I mention mini?  A new food processor is definitely on the list as a future investment.

The mini-factor made this process a little more tedious as I had to work in small batches, but the same deliciousness resulted.

Two cans of black beans, rinsed with a half cup set aside, one medium sweet potato (with skin-on cooked in the microwave), 2 tbsp of minced garlic, 1 onion, chopped, one half cup of jarred roasted red peppers, one half tsp of cumin, 1 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of salt and a pinch of pepper were all puréed in the processor and poured into a mixing bowl.

Then, then quinoa and reserved black beans were added to the vegetable purée and stirred well before forming into patties, using about a 1/2 cup of the mix yielded 7 patties.

These patties were baked for 20 minutes at 400 F before topping with shredded cheese, Libby's Chunky Guacamole, salsa and sour cream.

In an effort to reward my family for being good sports on this adventurous meal, I also served their favorite fruits and veggies…edamame (cooked, I might add!) and strawberries.

When I revisit this adventure, I might opt for some more sweet potatoes, could hard tell they were in there other than an occasional piece of skin and, I think I'd add some corn, for texture and visual appeal. 

Overall, it was a hit, but more importantly, I just can't say enough about how much it means to have my whole family around the dinner table, talking about our day and sharing a meal.  I'm sure it won't last forever, as the kids schedules get busier, but I will certainly cherish it while it lasts.


 RECIPE

Ingredients
One cup of dried quinoa
Two cans of black beans, rinsed with 1/2 cup set aside, 
One medium sweet potato (with skin on cooked in the microwave)
2 tbsp of minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 half cup of jarred roasted red peppers
1/2 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of chili powder
1 tsp of salt
a pinch of pepper 

For topping
Shredded cheddar cheese
Libby's Chunky Guacamole
Salsa
Sour cream

Directions
Cook quinoa according to directions.
Puree together beans, sweet potato, garlic, onion, red peppers, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
Add the cooked quinoa and reserved black beans.
Stir until mixed well.
1/2 cup of the veggie mix makes 7 burgers.
Baked at 400 F for 20 minutes.

Top with cheese, guac, salsa and sour cream as you please and enjoy!

Asian Roasted Cauliflower

Vegetables are the topic of the day.

Are they perpetually debated in your house like they are in ours?

My goal is to serve as many veggies as possible with was little noise in reply as possible.  This is a little tricky.  Aside from salads, which all of my kids eat willingly, we debate almost every other form of vegetable that is presented.

For some reason, I feel that veggies served as a side dish, should be cooked, while the kids most certainly prefer the raw version, which is great for a snack and all, but not dinner.

And, then they all have their pecking order as to which vegetable they prefer in each form.  Broccoli this way...carrots that way...

How about my favorite line "Why can't we just have corn?!?"  Who doesn't love those golden nuggets of sweetness...but, they are a starch and don't fit the category in question.

So, when this Asian Roasted Cauliflower dish was not only initially well-received but subsequently requested, for a birthday meal, no less, I was pretty excited about the accomplishment.

I know there are lots of great things to do with cauliflower these days, but this side dish rates pretty high for me.

Start with making the Homemade Asian Marinade by adding 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tablespoon say sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar  and 1 tbsp of hot sauce to 1/3 cup olive oil. The flavor of this marinade is so awesome, I may also try it with salmon sometime soon.  Stay tuned!

This marinade has also been requested with broccoli, so that is another option should your preference lean towards green. 

Then, add 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets to the marinade. Toss to coat before layering on a sheet pan and roasting for 20 minutes at 400 F, stirring halfway through.

 It is that easy!

This was served for dinner last night to compliment an awesome pork roast recipe from Skinnytaste as well as a spinach salad.

The kids were asking for more.  Guess I'm going to have to start doubling these recipes.  Seems to be happening a lot lately with a house full of growing near-tweeners.




 RECIPE

Homemade Asian Marinade 
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tablespoon say sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp of hot sauce
1/3 cup olive oil

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

Whisk together the Homemade Asian Marinade, toss in the cauliflower to coat.
Roast at 400 F for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Pizza Pinwheels

Happy April Fool's Day…hopefully you have something great planned to get a good laugh at someone else's expense. I'm going to let my family cook me dinner.  April Fools!

Last week, Kraft's Food and Family magazine arrived and I was inspired to try their pizza roll up recipe.  Seemed to be the perfect balance between something different and something familiar.  I got to have fun experimenting in the kitchen and the family got to enjoy something familiar.

There is just something so perfectly wonderful about cheese melted on top of sauce, meats, veggies and bread that whether it is Buffalo Chicken  or Spaghetti Squash Boats, you just can't go wrong with pizza!

In fact, there aren't many things that would make my weekly menu on a regular basis, but pizza is one of those few exceptions.  In general, I prefer to make something totally different and new rather than go with something familiar, but I try to balance the old with the new to keep my family on board with all of the crazy recipes.

Starting with a tube of refrigerated pizza dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to keep it from sticking, a large cutting board would be best. I do believe that the recommendation was to roll it out to a symmetrical shape, which I ignored and experienced some lopsided ends of the roll as a result.  Still was delicious, just the same.

Top the dough with thin layers of pizza sauce and other favorite toppings.  We kept it simple sausage, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, despite my favorite pizza toppings being onion and green peppers.

Now, the pizza is ready to roll, from the long side of the dough, roll it up until all of the toppings are enclosed in the dough.  Then slice the roll into pinwheels of desired thickness, this is where the cutting board would come I handy.  I think 16 was the recommendation, but I only got 14, which worked out just fine.

Place the pinwheels on a shallow pan for baking, but could see how the recommended 9x9 pan could work as well. Don't forget to spray first.

Sprinkle with some grated Parmesan and bake at 375 F for 25 minutes or so, to desired doneness.

Served these pinwheels up with a nice side salad, that is generally my go to veggie to compliment pizza.

RECIPE

One tube of refrigerated pizza dough
Classico pizza sauce
Sausage - cooked
Pepperoni
Mozzarella Cheese - shredded
Grated Parmesan

Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface.
Top with a thin layer of sauce, pizza toppings of choice and cheese.
Roll into a long roll.
Slice into 14-16 pinwheels and place on baking pan.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes at 375F.