Quick Crockpot Beef Roast

Quick Crockpot Beef Roast

So, I haven't been able to post a recipe in awhile, but who can blame me when I have been spending every possible free moment I can with this little guy???

 

I mean...seriously...does any baby ever get any cuter?!?! (Shout out to TJMohr Photography for the amazing 3 month photos!)

At any rate, I wanted to share a quick, easy recipe I was handed by a librarian at one of the schools where I work. It is a cinch to put together, cooks all day in the Crockpot, and has an AMAZING flavor! Normally, when I do a Crockpot roast I use the three packet method that floats around all of the time on Pinterest (one pack of ranch dressing mix, one pack Italian dressing mix, and one pack of brown gravy mix with 1/2 cup water), but this one sounded intriguing and magically delicious. What is this magic you may ask? Here is the recipe she shared with me:

1 beef roast (about 2 lbs)

1 packet of French onion soup mix

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Place roast in Crockpot. Stir together the soups and soup mix.  Pour over roast. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is fall apart tender. 

That's it! Seriously...so easy and versatile! Serve over rice, with mashed potatoes (as we did), or make roast beef poboys! This was truly one of the quickest home cooked meals ever, and the leftovers kept and reheated beautifully. I had to tweak the recipe slightly as I didn't have cream of mushroom soup on hand, so our gravy consisted of a can of cream of onion and a can of cream of chicken. I don't think you can go wrong...it was just good! 

I hope you enjoy and come back and visit the site soon. Leave comments and let me know how yours turns out.

In Christ Alone,
Brittney

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Artichoke and Bacon Pasta

Hey, Blogging Friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with lots of love and gratitude. I certainly enjoyed mine with little Eli and my Prince Charming. I know some people come down hard on Valentine's Day for being a "greeting card invented" holiday, but I lean towards the school of thought that since life can get so busy, it is nice to have a day set aside to remember to express your love to the people you care about. It is also a day that provides many reminders of all the blessings God has given out of His love for us, mainly the gift of His only Son, Jesus, to bring us back to Him. Greater love hath no man than this, that He lay down His life for His friends. 

I am a stay at home for Valentine's kind of girl. I would rather picnic in the den than go to a crowded restaurant. Prince Charming knows this. He surprised me with a homemade dinner when I came home from work. He had made me the same meal he made for me on our honeymoon when we got snowed into our cabin in Lake Tahoe. We dined on French onion soup, grilled steaks, and sweet potato oven fries. He served this delicious dinner on our wedding china. He still amazes me with his thoughtfulness and romance, and it was a perfect evening.

Eli has had a couple of late nights because of tummy aches, so we have spent much of our weekend time resting. This equaled no time to go to the grocery store. I decided to try to pull dinner together with what we had on hand, and I was pretty pumped with how it turned out. I had in mind making spinach and artichoke pasta, but we didn't have the ingredients on hand for that. Instead, I came up with this artichoke and bacon pasta dish, and it is pretty phenomenal. It was quick and easy with little clean up. The sauce is creamy and cheesy, and the artichokes were perfectly balanced with the salty bacon bits. Although there was no substantial meat in the pasta, the bite of the artichoke gave a meaty texture. You could easily adapt this recipe to be vegetarian by leaving out the bacon and maybe adding in some spinach. It would still be a very satisfying, tasty meal. Next time I make it, I will try a squeeze of lemon juice with a bit of zest, and I think it would be really good with a short pasta, like penne or bow tie. Give this recipe a try this week and let me know what you think!

 

Artichoke and Bacon Pasta in Cheesy Sauce

2 T butter

2 T olive oil

1 box frozen artichokes, thawed

1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes (or to your heat tolerance)

1 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

2 T all purpose flour

3/4 C half and half

3/4 C low-sodium chicken stock

2 T cream cheese

2 T sour cream

1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese 

1/2 C grated Gouda cheese

1/2 t Cajun seasoning 

1/2 C real bacon bits

1 box pasta of choice (I had spaghetti on hand)

1) Bring a pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. This is for cooking the spaghetti (or whatever pasta you have). Add the pasta to cook while you bring the sauce together.

2) In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the thawed artichokes and saute them with the crushed red pepper flakes for several minutes. The chokes probably won't take on much color since they were frozen and thawed, but you will be able to tell when they are taking on flavor when they start to color slightly.

3) Sprinkle the artichokes with the garlic powder and onion powder and cook another minute. Sprinkle on the flour and saute until the flour is completely dissolved into the cooking fat and artichokes. This should take one-two minutes.

4) Pour in the half and half and chicken stock. Stir to combine well and let it come up to a low boil. Simmer it until it thickens slightly. Then add the cream cheese and sour cream and let it continue to simmer until it thickens slightly again.

5) When the saucy mixture coats the back of your spoon thinly, add in the shredded cheeses and cajun seasoning. Stir until cheese melts. The cheese should thicken the sauce further so that it looks like an alfredo sauce consistency. If it seems too thick, add a bit more stock. If it is too thin, let it simmer gently until it reduces further. You want it to coat the pasta but not be glue! (Glue is only appetizing to kindergarteners...not that I know from experience because I don't...really...I have only seen it in movies...but I digress!)

6) When the sauce is the right consistency, add in the real bacon bits. (This is the point where next time I will add in the juice of a lemon and its zest.) Put your cooked pasta into the sauce and toss it all together. I like to cook my pasta until just before it is perfectly al dente and then I let it finish cooking in the sauce. It is a trick I picked up from watching Lydia's Italy in America on Create TV. Grazie, Lydia!

 

Serve the pasta in a bowl topped with more parmesean cheese and maybe some fresh chopped parsley, a caesar salad, and a side of crusty French bread, and I would say this is one delectable dinner! Enjoy, my beautiful friends, and come back soon, ya hear?

 

In Christ Alone,

Brittney

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My Holiday Cooking: Shrimp Soup & Broccoli Salad

Hey, Blogging friends!

I know that my blog has been focused lately on the arrival of our sweet, awesome, wonderful, fantastic, adorable, precious baby boy, so I wanted to be sure to add a new post that focuses back on another love of my life: cooking! While my holiday cooking this year was not as intense as last (due to previously mentioned baby), I was able to whip up a couple of my favorite dishes for some family get togethers, and I wanted to be sure to share them with you! If you follow the links, you will be taken to my step by step Snapguides of how to make these delicious dishes.

The first recipe is for a New Orleans classic: Shrimp and Corn Soup. This is one of my FAVORITE soup recipes ever. I could literally eat the entire pot given the chance. The first time I had it, I am pretty sure I went back for fourths or fifths, and it was only the appetizer for the meal! Everyone in the city has their own spin on it. Some people make a roux to thicken the soup, some use this while others use that...but it is always delicious. You can even customize the soup to include your favorite shellfish: crawfish, crab meat...maybe even lobster! This particluar recipe I have is divine! It is slightly sweet, devilishly spicy, and full of cajun flavor. I have NEVER made this for anyone who didn't go back for at least seconds, and at one party, the host packed up the leftovers and stuck them in her fridge before I even got a chance to offer. With the cold snaps going on all over our country right now, this is a must make item! You can thank me later.

Shrimp and Corn Soup

Ingredients:

3 lbs of fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 large yellow onion

3 cloves of garlic

1 stick of butter

1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained

1 quart of half and half

1 quart of heavy cream

2 cans of cream style corn

2 cans of whole kernel corn, drained (or an equivalent of fresh or frozen corn)

1 pound of Velveeta, cubed

2 T light brown sugar

2 t dried thyme

3 T cajun seasoning (I like Slap Ya Mama's or Tony's)

1 T liquid crab boil (I prefer Zatarain's)

 

Melt butter in a large pot on the stove top over medium heat. Dice your onion and finely mince your garlic. Add to melted butter and saute until onions begin to soften and garlic is fragrant. (Be careful not to burn your garlic.) Add your Rotel and shrimp. Stir until shrimp begin to turn pink. Add a capful (about 1 T) of liquid crab boil and the cream and half and half. Stir to combine and bring mixture to a boil. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to keep the soup at a simmer. Once simmering, add in both types of corn. Toss in the cubed Velveeta and spices. Stir at a simmer just until the cheese has melted. Done!

The second recipe is for a simple Mississippi tradition: Broccoli Salad. You cannot go to a dinner-on-the-grounds at church or a family get together without having this light, crunchy, sweet and tangy salad somewhere on the table. It is a perfect compliment to really rich dishes. I love serving it with my chicken spaghetti. We had it over the holidays with a large family dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cabbage casserole. (There are so many things right with that sentence!)

Broccoli Salad

2 heads of broccoli

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 C of mayonnaise

1/2 C of white sugar

1/4-1/2 C of white vinegar

golden raisins

sunflower seeds

shredded sharp cheddar cheese

real bacon bits

chopped pecans (optional)

 

To prepare the salad, chop the broccoli off of the heads into bit size pieces. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the broccoli for about 60 seconds (until bright green). Pull broccoli from boiling water and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. (You aren't trying to soften the broccoli, just brighten it up.) Drain broccoli through a strainer and allow to sit and dry a bit while you make the dressing. In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, white sugar, and white vinegar. Taste the dressing and adjust amounts as you see fit. (Although this dressing has mayo, it is more of a vinaigrette consistency than a creamy dressing.) In a serving dish, combine the broccoli, red onion, raisins, sunflower seeds, cheese, bacon bits, and pecans. Pour dressing over the salad and toss together to combine. Serve right away or (preferably) let it sit a couple of hours or overnight for flavors to develop.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do. They will make a great addition to any recipe box. They are easy to make and perfect for any occasion. Now, go forth and cook, my friends!

In Christ Alone,
Brittney

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Gestational Diabetes Friendly Recipe: Spinach and Artichoke Chicken

So, if you have ever been to a restaurant or party in NOLA, you will know that a staple at many of our gatherings is spinach and artichoke dip. It is a warm, gooey, satisfying appetizer that is terrific with fried bowtie pasta or tortilla chips. It's a staple on many local places' menus and on many a buffet at people's houses for parties, holidays, and sporting events. It can easily feed a crowd, and the leftovers keep really well. So, when I came across a recipe on Pinterest for Spinach and Artichoke Chicken from the awesome blog Sarah's Low Carb Life, I was stoked. I added the ingredients into the recipe builder of the myfitnesspal app on my phone, and it turned out a serving only has 9 grams of carbs. This is FABULOUS in terms of an entree for a GD mama! The recipe was simple and quick to make, and it served up a delicious, moist roasted chicken breast with a tasty, creamy sauce.

If you want to try out the recipe, you can find the link here: Spinach and Artichoke Chicken. I did make a couple of modifications. Before roasting the chicken, I salted and peppered it plus I added a sprinkle of Paul Pruddhome's poultry seasoning. For the spinach and artichoke topping, I used a small, finely chopped yellow onion in place of the shallots and used Blue Plate low fat mayo in place of full mayo. I also dropped in a couple of tablespoons of 1/3 less fat cream cheese. Pictures of my finished product are below. I didn't set a timer, and my pregnant brain left the dish in for an extra 5-10 minutes over the recipe's cook time; however, I LOVED the browned cheesy top and crispy bits on the edges.

The casserole dish with the Spinach and Artichoke Chicken.

My plate of food. One serving of Spinach and Artichoke Chicken with a side salad featuring romaine, cucumbers, shredded cheddar, real bacon bits, and Spitale's house dressing (local restaurant that sells its house dressing in grocery stores).

The recipe was so good that my mom made it on Tuesday for my sister and brother-in-law, and she said it turned out great and that they loved it! She served theirs over bowtie pasta. Give this recipe a try, and come back and visit again soon!

Be A Blessing,
Brittney

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Gestational Diabetes Menu - Week 1

Greetings, blogosphere!

Here I am in week 33 of pregnancy, and things are progressing right along. I had an A1C test to determine if I needed to take any medicine for the gestational diabetes, and, PRAISE THE LORD, I don't! The test left a lovely huge bruise on the crook of my arm that is still there (a week later), and I have started to experience what I call my "pregnant marshmallow feet." They are puffing up on the top like muffins. Nothing too terrible at this point, but when you are used to having very long, very thin (think Olive Oyl, people) feet, it is quite a shock to see!

As promised in my last post, I wanted to be sure to post the menus I have been following in an effort to help control my gestational diabetes. AGAIN: I AM NO DOCTOR OR NUTRITIONIST. THIS IS THE DIET THAT IS WORKING FOR ME; BUT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR OR NUTRITIONIST BEFORE BEGINNING ANY PROGRAM. I built mine under the guidance of my doctor and the ADA website. I use the myfitnesspal website and app to document my food choices and help me calculate my carbs.

I hope these menus will help someone out there who needs some ideas of where to start on their road with gestational diabetes. Let me know if you have any questions or would like any particular recipes. Enjoy!

Week 1 Gestational Diabetes Menu

Day 1
Breakfast - Nature's Own Whole Wheat Thin Slice Bagel with one egg, one serving of Oscar Meyer Deli Turkey, and 1 slice Kraft 2% milk American cheese
Mid-morning Snack- .5 package of Nabisco fresh stack saltine crackers with 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
Lunch- Mexican salad with corn salsa, guacamole, salsa, and Greek yogurt
Afternoon Snack- sugar free strawberry jello
Dinner- Steak fajitas with steak, onions, and peppers on a corn tortilla
Before-bed Snack- Decaf coffee with light creamer, one serving of graham crackers, and two tablespoons of peanut butter

Day 2
Breakfast- 1 large egg scrambled with one slice of Kraft 2% American cheese
Mid-morning Snack- 1/2 cup of Quaker quick cook oats with 1 tsp butter, 1/3 cup of nuts, and cinnamon
Lunch- Cobb salad with no blue cheese and ranch dressing
Afternoon Snack- 2/3 cup of cheerios with 1/2 cup of skim milk
Dinner- Homemade asparagus soup with oven roasted shrimp and Greek Yogurt lemon dip
Before-bed snack- cucumber and celery with spicy hummus and strawberry, sugar-free jello

Day 3
Breakfast- 2 egg omelet with Kraft 2% American cheese single, Jimmy Dean turkey sausage, and tomato with a 1/2 cup of skim milk
Mid-morning snack- 1 small Gala apple with 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter
Lunch- roast beef, steamed broccoli, and black eyed peas
Afternoon Snack- Jello sugar free pudding with 1/4 c walnut pieces and light whipped cream
Dinner- smoked chicken and apple sausage with oven baked sweet potato fries (equal to half a sweet potato) with Greek yogurt sriracha dip
Before-bed snack- thin crisp Triscuits with hummus, 2% string cheese, and 1/4 c cantaloupe

Day 4
Breakfast- Flatout Hungry Girl whole wheat flatbread with one hard boiled egg and a tbsp of mayo
Mid-morning Snack- small Gala apple and 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter
Lunch- asparagus soup with a chicken and apple sausage and a slice of Ezekiel bread
Afternoon Snack- 1/4 c strawberries with a 1/4 c cantaloupe and a 2% string cheese
Dinner- 1/2 whole wheat pita with rotisserie chicken, cucumber, tomato, garlic, bacon, and sundried tomato Greek yogurt sauce with a black bean brownie
Before-bed snack-  1/4 c of cantaloupe and blueberries, 1/2 c cheerios with 1/2 c skim milk, and triscuit thin crisps with one wedge of laughing cow light sharp cheddar cheese

Day 5
Breakfast- Flatout Hungry Girl whole wheat flatbread with one hard boiled egg and a tbsp of mayo with 1/2 c skim milk
Mid-morning Snack- 1 small Gala apple with 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
Lunch- chicken and apple sausage with 1 slice Ezekiel bread and roasted brussel sprouts
Afternoon Snack- Blue Bell Moo Bar (no sugar added) with walnuts
Dinner- hot dog with all meat chili and mustard on 1/2 whole wheat pita with 1/4 c broccoli salad
Before-bed snack- 1/4 c blueberries and cantaloupe with 2% string cheese and jello

Day 6
Breakfast- Flatout Hungry Girl whole wheat flatbread with tomato and bacon with sriracha Greek yogurt sauce
Mid-morning Snack- 1/4 c cantaloupe and a small Gala apple
Lunch- chili cheese dog with 1 slice of Ezekiel bread
Afternoon Snack- 1 serving of pear chunks packed in their own juice
Dinner- taco salad with salsa and 1 tbsp light sour cream
Before-bed snack- 1 serving of popcorn

Day 7
Breakfast- 1 slice of Ezekiel bread with 1 serving of Oscar Mayer ham and 1 tsp French's creamy and light mustard
Mid-morning Snack- 2% string cheese
Lunch- all meat chili with cheese in 1/2 whole wheat pita
Afternoon Snack- 1/4 c honey dew melon
Dinner- Chik-fil-a Cobb Salad with buttermilk ranch dressing and medium diet lemonade
Before-bed snack- 1/2 c strawberries with light whipped cream

Remember: an important part of this is measuring out your servings according to the package instructions and carb counts. Good luck, mamas, and I will post week 2 very soon!

Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Hear?
Brittney

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Mississippi Classic: Peach Cobbler

I hope you are ready for this! As promised in my last post, I am sharing with you my Big Mama's recipe for peach cobbler. This stuff is so fine, so simple, and so classically comforting. Anyone who has ever seen the classic Southern woman film Steel Magnolias can recite the classic "cuppa-cuppa-cuppa" recipe. This one starts with that same principal. I hope you make it and love it as much as I do! Serve it up hot out the oven with some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or just some heavy cream poured over top. Hey, you can even eat it in all of its simple goodness with no additional treats and have a brief love affair with your spoon...and probably your bowl, too, when you finish. :)

 

Big Mama's Peach Cobbler

1 cup of flour

1 cup of sugar, divided in half, plus 2 T of sugar

1 cup of milk (whole or low fat work best, but skim will do in a pinch)

1 stick of butter, melted

1 t cinammon

1 t nutmeg

2 14 oz cans of peaches, mostly drained (feel free to sub in fresh peaches - about 2 cups)

 

(Do you see where the cuppa-cuppa-cuppa fits in?)

 

Step one, in your baking dish, put in your flour and a 1/2 cup of sugar and combine.

 

Next, add in your cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

 

 

Now, pour in your cup of milk...

and your melted butter. Stir until combined, but don't overwork it. You don't want to beat it to death.

 

 

In a bowl, add your mostly strained peaches and the other 1/2 cup of sugar. Stir them around and pour them over the top of your mixed batter.

 

Pop your pan into a 375 degree preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes until it starts to brown on top. This is where I add an awesome Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond's blackberry cobbler trick to my Big Mama's recipe. At the end of the cooking time, I sprinkle evenly over the top of the cobbler about 2 tablespoons of sugar. Then, I pop it back in the oven for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time. You could also put it under the broiler for a minute or two, but keep the door cracked and an eye on it so it doesn't go too far. This makes a delicious, crispy, carmelized crust over the top of the cobbler.

I wish I could add a final picture of the very final product, but I made this for company and it was inhaled right after emerging from the oven. The smell of this cooking in my kitchen and the taste of it when it is done brings me back to my Big Mama's trailer in the backwoods of Yazoo City, Mississippi. It truly comforts and warms me heart and soul, and I hope it will be for you, too!

Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Hear?
Brittney

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Carrot Cake Craving

Greetings, Blogosphere!

 

So, we have already established that my craving thus far in my pregnancy has been for cinammon. The other day, my cinnamon craving lead to something specific...carrot cake! I had some carrots left over from making a creamy chicken over mashed potatoes meal, so very good, and I was trying to think of something to do with the leftover orange root veggies. The natural combination that came to mind between cinammon and carrots lead me to pick a carrot cake.

 

I decided to go with a carrot cake recipe I have made before from Pinterest. It is from a blog called Cooking the Amazing, and while this is the only recipe from the site I have made so far, it is certainly promising of lots of yumminess to find! You can find the link to the original recipe here: Cooking the Amazing Carrot Cake. It is a super moist carrot cake, and it is full of flavor! I don't use the given icing recipe, but I will tell you all about that in a minute. Here is how I made the carrot cake.

 

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Peel and trim about 5 small-medium carrots. You want about 2 C of shredded carrot, and I had exactly that from these puppies. I use a fine shredder because I like the smaller size, but feel free to use a larger grater if need be.

 

Shred away! I will totally count this as your Jane Fonda time for your arms if you would like. :)

 

In a bowl, put in your flour.

 

Follow your flour with your granulated sugar...

and your brown sugar.

 

 

Toss in your spices and baking powder and baking soda. Whisk these together to combine. This is your dry mix.

 

 

In a separate bowl (I use the bowl on my stand mixer), toss in your grated carrot.

 

 

Zest an orange. Throw about 1 T of the grated orange zest into your carrots.

 

To this, add in your sweetened, shredded coconut.

 

 

On top of that, add in your pineapple, eggs, and chopped pecans. Blend the wet mixture together.

Once combined, add the dry mix into the wet mix by about one third at a time. Don't overmix your batter at this point, just make sure everything is well mixed.

I poured this batter into a Pam Baking Spray sprayed (Can that be an acceptable way to say that, please?) 9 x 13 inch baking pan. I popped it into the oven for about 45 minutes, but you may have to leave it longer or for a little bit shorter time. Bake it until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, whip up some cream cheese icing. Here is where I deviate from the recipe and just wing it. I threw an 8 oz block of softened cream cheese into my cleaned mixer with a stick of softened butter. To this, I added about 1 t of vanilla extract and about 1/4-1/2 t of almond extract. I whipped this mixture together until combined and scraped down the sides of the bowl. Then, I added in about 2 C of powdered sugar with the machine running. Just add enough to achieve the sweetness and consistency you want.

After the cake was done baking, I pulled it out and cooled it for about an hour and a half before spreading the icing over the top. This cake is so delicious, and the spiciness of the cinammon, nutmeg, and clove really hit my craving spot! This cake also stores really well. We wrap the pan in foil and leave it on the counter, and it stays super moist. We leave a fork in the pan and work on it all week. The cake was large enough that I cut several pieces and delivered goody boxes to Prince Charming's parents, Bella and Bubby, and to his grandmother, SugarPie.

So that was my craving fix for last week. I am leaning towards whipping up a good, old fashioned Southern peach cobbler this week to take the edge off of that cinammon desire! If I do, I will definitely give you a tutorial on that one. My Mississippi born and raised great-grandmother, Big Mama, taught me to make peach cobbler, and it is so fine! Some things, NOLA can't touch, and peach cobbler is one of them. Maybe as a counter-argument, I can make a bread pudding next week. I do have a Creole Cooking Club meeting, and dessert is my dish. (You can find our website here: Creole Cooking Club. We have an awesome group of girls who are all about sharing good food and good times!)

I hope you have a chance to make this carrot cake soon. It truly is satisfying, whether your craving comes from pregnancy (like mine) or just from loving good food. Either way, eat up!

Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Hear?

Brittney

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Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake...Oh My!

Greetings blogosphere! I have had a very busy week and weekend, but I managed to have time this week to do a little baking. 

I made one of my favorite recipes for a blueberry cream cheese pound cake. 

It is simple to make and oh so satisfying! I created a Snapguide to show how to do it. You can find it here: http://snp.gd/tbdgem 

I hope you guys try out the recipe and love it as much as I do! Talk to you soon, blog friends!

Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Hear?

Brittney

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