Beef and Broccoli, Crock Pot

I love to look on pinterest and find new recipes. Especially recipes that are one pot or crock pot meals. Its makes my families evenings so much smoother and more fun to be together when I don't have to be in the kitchen all afternoon. This is one of our favorite crock pot meals. Its better than take out and much cheaper! The meat melts in your mouth, its perfectly seasoned and the broccoli has just a little bite to it. Its a meal that's in our rotation for good!

Beef and Broccoli
Recipe Source: bsrecipe.blogspot.com

2.5lb boneless Beef Chuck Roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup Beef Broth
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
4 cups Broccoli Florets

1. Put the beef roast in your crock pot. In a small bowl, combine the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic. Stir to combine then pour over the beef and cook on low for about 6 hours.

2. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of sauce from the crock pot until smooth. Then pour it in the crock pot. Stir until combined.

3. Add the broccoli to the crock pot and stir. Cover and let cook for an additional 30 minutes on high. If the sauce doesn't thicken bring to a boil on the stove and stir until its thickened. Serve over rice.

Beef Stew, Slow Cooker

This is the perfect Sunday dinner. So good, warm and filling! It does take a little time to brown the meat but the flavor is totally worth it.

Beef Stew, Slow Cooker

Recipe Source: MelsKitchenCafe.com

5 lbs Boneless Chuck Roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 medium Yellow Onions, finely chopped
1-6oz can Tomato Paste
2 cups Beef Broth
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Bay Leaves
3 1/2 cups Carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 1/2 cups Red Potatoes, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
2 Tablespoons Minute Tapioca

1. After the meat has been cut into chunks, pat it dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat until the oil is hot. Cook half of the beef until it is well browned on each side, about 4 minutes. Don't cook it all the way through – just get it brown on all sides. Toss the meat in the slow cooker and follow the same process with the second half of the meat. Remove the meat to the slow cooker, trying to keep as much oil in the pan as possible.

2. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions are translucent and golden, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour it into the slow cooker over the meat.

3. In a large bowl, toss the carrots, potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. On the counter, lay out a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and place the tossed vegetables on one side of the foil. Fold the foil over the vegetables and crimp the edges really well to form a little foil packet that will fit in the top of your slow cooker. Stir the tapioca into the slow cooker. Place the foil packet of vegetables on top of the stew, cover the slow cooker, and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 10-11 hours. 

4. When the stew is finished cooking, carefully remove the foil packet from the top of the stew. Discard the bay leaves from the stew. Carefully open the foil packet (be careful of steam that will escape as you open it!). Return the vegetables and any juices to the slow cooker and gently mix them into the stew. Serve.

Pineapple Meatballs

I am going to start off by saying that I havent had many meatballs in my life but these are the yummiest I have had. There is so much flavor and they are so good.

Pineapple Meatballs
Recipe Source: melskitchencafe.com

Meatballs:
2 lbs Ground Beef
2 Large Eggs
1/2 cup Italian Beadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Sauce:
1 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 3/4 cups Pineapple Juice (reserved from pineapple tidbits, if there isn't enough use water to make up the difference)
1/4 cup White Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1-14oz can Pineapple Tidbits

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. For the meatballs, combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well, I used my hands, and shape into 1 inch balls.

2. Brown the meatballs in a non-stick frying pan. Drain on paper towels.

3. For the sauce, combine cornstarch and brown sugar in a sauce pan. Then add the pineapple juice and mix until the mixture is smooth. Add vinegar, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and stir. Simmer uncovered on medium-low until thick. Approx. 5 minutes.

4. In a 9x13 dish place in the meatballs and pour sauce over. Add pineapple tidbits. Gently mix the meatballs until they are coated with the sauce. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked.

Sloppy Joes

This is my favorite sloppy joe recipe. It is so good, way better than the canned variety. 

Sloppy Joes

Recipe Source: AllRecipes.com

1 lb Ground Beef

1 cup Ketchup

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

4 Tbsp Water

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp Mustard

2 Tbsp Vinegar

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

Cook and drain ground beef. Add all ingredients in with the ground beef and stir until combined. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Chili Mac

This is a really good combination of macaroni and cheese and goulash. It is really flavorful and simple to make.

Chili Mac

Recipe Source: melskitchencafe.com

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 pound Ground Beef
1 Onion, minced
3/4 Tablespoon Chili Powder (add more if you want more heat)
1/2 Tablespoon Ground Coriander (substitute ground cumin for a smokier flavor)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
2-8oz. cans Tomato Sauce
8 ounces (2 cups) Macaroni
1 cup Frozen Corn
1 4.5-oz can Chopped Green Chiles
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups shredded cheese (You can use a combination of cheddar and monterey jack, pepper jack or a mexican shredded cheese blend)

1. Boil a pot of water and cook macaroni. 

2. Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onion, chili powder, coriander, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat or grease. Stir in garlic and brown sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce.

3. Drain macaroni and then return to pot. Pour beef and sauce mixture into the pot. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, frozen corn, green chiles and cilantro and sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Cover and let sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.