It Was 33 Years Ago Today

 

Thirty-three years ago, my cat, Amaretto, and I embarked on a new chapter together. This photo has always been one of my favorites. While Amaretto is no longer with us, I'm sure he'll be the first furry friend to greet me on the other side.

For our 33rd-anniversary dinner Chris and I decided to eat at home this year. And what better way to mark the occasion than with a hearty and comforting Osso Bucco.

The Osso Bucco was cooked in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low.

It was a delicious dinner. 

And I am so glad that Chris is not a fan of the marrow in the bones!!!

The recipe is from the Table for Two blog. The recipe is for 4 so obviously I made 1/2 the recipe.

Slow Cooker Osso Bucco

Ingredients-

1 teaspoon olive oil

4 pieces veal shank, each about 1 1/4 inches thick (about 2 pounds total)

1/3 cup (53 g) chopped onion

1/3 cup (34 g) chopped celery

1/3 cup (43 g) chopped carrots

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/4 cups (303 g) canned crushed tomatoes

3/4 cup (178 ml) beef broth

Fresh ground black pepper

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

Chopped fresh parsley, for topping

Method-

Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. 

I tied the veal shanks so they would stay together while braising. Click here for a video on how to tie the shanks and brown the meat before adding to the slow cooker.

Season veal shanks with salt then sear all four sides until browned but not cooked through. 

Add to the insert of a slow cooker.

Then add the onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 

Stir to mix a bit.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 

Discard sprigs of thyme and rosemary. 

Sprinkle fresh parsley on top prior to serving, if desired.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Saturday.

Ingredients-
2 lb boneless beef chuck pot roast
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
8 oz tomato sauce
2 bell pepper, sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
6 oz jar sliced pepperoncini (plus more for serving)
crusty sandwich rolls, split and toasted
Sliced Provolone cheese

Method-
Spray the insert of a 6 or 7 qt slow cooker with cooking spray or use a slow cooker liner!

Drain the pepperoncinis reserving 1 1/2 tbsp of the liquid.

Combine the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in small bowl.

Trim the fat from the roast and season each side with roughly one-third of the seasonings.

Place the roast in the slow cooker.

Pour the tomato sauce over the roast.

Top with the peppers, onions, and pepperoncinis.

Sprinkle the remaining third of the seasonings on top as well as the reserved pepperoncini liquid.

Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 250F.Use two forks to shred the meat. It should be so tender that it basically just falls apart.

Using a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon, place the shredded beef mixture along with onions and peppers on the bottom half of the rolls. 

Make sure you let most of the liquid drain away so your sandwiches don't get soggy.

Top the shredded beef mixture with additional pepperoncinis if desired, and two (or more) slices of Provolone cheese. 

Place in oven just until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Game Day Chili

Week One is in the books.

The New Orleans Saints and the NY Giants both win.

Dinner was Game Day Chili. Another winner!!!

Unfortunately, I do not know where I found this recipe, but it is a house favorite.

Ingredients-

1 pound lean ground beef 
1 onion, chopped 
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1(14-ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 oz Lindt Cherry Chili 70% Cacao

Method-

Cook the first 3 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. 

Place mixture in 5-quart slow cooker; stir in beans and remaining ingredients. 

Cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours or on LOW 5 to 6 hours. 

Slow Cooker Guinness Corned Beef

This is the only recipe I will ever use for making Corned Beef. I love the blog this recipe is from, What's Cooking Italian Style. The recipe is so very easy and the meat comes out perfect. I even like the way the cabbage came out. 

If you want the recipe, and you do want to try this one, Click Here to view the recipe on the original site. And check out the other recipes. Lots of good eats there.

Beef with Bourbon and Coke

Last year Sharon Canosa gave me a Slow Cooker Magazine. I pulled it out for tonight's dinner. Beef with Bourbon and Coke. The recipe called for Brisket which I could not find. I picked up a chuck roast instead. 

This was amazing. The meat was so tender and the sauce!!!! Wow!!

Ingredients-
1/3 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
2# Chuck Roast or Beef Brisket.
1 Med Onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup beef broth
1 cup cola
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp dried thyme

Method-
Place flour in a dish and season with salt and pepper.
Heat half of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Coat beef in flour, shake off excess. Reserve the excess flour.
Cook the beef for 5 minutes on each side until well browned. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.

Heat remaining oil over medium heat in the same Dutch oven. Cook onion, stirring for 5 minutes or until the onions soften. 

Sprinkle with reserved excess flour into the Dutch oven and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in bourbon, then broth, cola, tomato paste, honey and thyme. Bring to a boil and add to slow cooker.

Cook covered on low for 8 hours. Season with salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker Short Ribs

I have mentioned the magazine that Delish.com puts out. In the latest issue, I have 14 pages folded down. This was one of them. The sauce was delicious and the vegetables and the meat were packed with flavor. This received rave reviews. Click here for the recipe on Delish.com. I cut the recipe in half and had enough for the two of us. Wish there were leftovers!

 

Game Day Chili

The 2020 Football season is upon us. 

How about those Saints!! 

I know it is only week one, but still! 

Chili was on the menu tonight. 

Slow cooker chili. 

Easy peasy chili.

Ingredients-

1 pounds lean ground beef 
1 onion, chopped 
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1(14-ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 oz Lindt Cherry Chili 70% Cacao

Method-

Cook first 4 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Place mixture in 5-quart slow cooker; stir in beans and remaining ingredients. Cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours or on LOW 5 to 6 hours. 

Wow. I am sure it was the chocolate that gave it that delicious flavor. 

Slow Cooker BBQ Pork

I often see packages of pulled pork at the store and think that would be a great idea for dinner. But then I read was in the packages and I move on.

With this recipe, I was able to make enough for this meal and I have a meal in the freezer. 

I found the recipe on SkinnyTaste.com. I did the slow cooking on Sunday. I picked up some cole slaw and rolls.

Tasty! 

Slow Cooker BBQ Pork, click here for the original recipe.

Ingredients-

2.5 lb boneless pork loin roast, center cut, trimmed of all fat

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup BBQ Sauce


Method-

Place pork in the slow cooker and season with salt, vinegar, smoked paprika.


Cover and set to high 6 hours.


Remove pork and transfer onto a large dish; reserve all the liquid into a cup and set aside.


Shred the pork with two forks and put it back into the slow cooker along with about 3/4 cup of the reserved liquid and the BBQ sauce (for every 3 oz cooked pork, use 2 tbsp BBQ sauce).


Cook on high 1 more hour.


Peppered Beef Shanks in Red Wine

The slow cooker was put to work today. The recipe is from thekitchn.com. No that is not a typo it is thekitchn.com. Anyway, the meal was amazing!!! I think one beef shank would have been plenty for both of us. And I made 1/2  a batch of polenta and of course, it was too much. But I am thinking Air Fryer Polenta Cubes... stay tuned. Click here for the Beef Shanks recipe.

It was the first time we have had Delicata Squash. You are supposed to be able to eat the skin which we did at first but old habits die hard. I coated the squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then I put the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, easy cleanup, and roasted for 20 minutes at 400˚. I turned them over and let them roast for another 10 minutes.

And a quote to start the week -

"For those who love it, cooking is at once child's play and adult joy."

~ Craig Claiborne

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Slow Cooker Ribs and Air Fryer Onion Rings

This is my favorite dinner so far this year. It was easy and WOW delicious. I did a zoom baking class today so I wanted something easy. Click here to learn more about the baking class. Cue the Slow Cooker. Ribs. Our usual recipe with our usual BBQ Sauce, Stubbs. But this time I used the Hickory Bourbon Sauce. The taste was over the top delicious. I heard the word, "Wow" more than once from the other side of the table. Air Fryer Onion Rings have been on the must-try list since the Air Fryer entered the kitchen. One medium-sized sweet onion was just enough for the two of us. I only used 1/2 of the onion, the rest went into the freezer to be used for chicken stock. The recipe was from StaySnatched.com.

The Slow Cooker Rib Recipe-

I made a rub of onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. I removed the membrane for the underside of the ribs. I brushed both sides of the ribs with BBQ Sauce. 8 hours in the slow cooker. I removed the ribs from the Slow Cooker and placed them on an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet (easy clean up is so important). I brushed the ribs with more sauce. They went under the broiler set on low for almost 5 minutes. They were tender and the BBQ sauce was caramelized.

Home Made Air Fryer Onion Rings-

1 Vidalia, or sweet onion (peeled)

1 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs 

1 cup buttermilk (1 cup of milk with 1 tsp. lemon juice)

1 egg (beaten)

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

salt and pepper to taste 

cooking oil spray

The Dipping Sauce! (I made 1/2 this recipe and there was more than enough)

1/3 cup mayo

1 1/2 -2 tablespoons ketchup I use unsweetened and 2 tablespoons

1-2 tablespoons horseradish If you are a fan of horseradish, you may enjoy 2 tablespoons. Start with 1 taste, repeatedly, and adjust as necessary.

1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1/2 teaspoon oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Method-

Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.

Cut the stems off both sides of the onion. Cut the onion into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Onions are very wobbly. Try to stabilize the onion before you slice.

Add the flour to a bowl large enough to dredge the onions. Season the flour with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.

Add the buttermilk and egg to the seasoned flour. Beat and stir to combine.

Add the panko breadcrumbs to a separate bowl large enough to dredge the onions.

Dredge the sliced onions in the flour buttermilk mixture and then the panko breadcrumbs. 

Place the onion rings on a plate. After breading the onions, freeze the onion rings for at least 15 minutes. This is highly recommended. It helps keep the breading intact.

Place the onions in the air fryer. Do not stack them. Cook in batches if needed.

Spray with cooking oil.

Cook for 10-12 minutes at 360 degrees. I did not need them flip. Check-in on yours to determine both sides are golden brown and crisp. Flip if necessary.

Fort the Dipping Sauce

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir.

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Slow Cooker General Tso's Chicken

I am in a ZOOM group through the Madison Library, The International Cooking Group. This month we are celebrating the Chinese New Year. I suggested the recipe for Slow Cooker General Tso's Chicken. The recipe is from Chef Savvy. 

Three hours in the slow cooker set on low. The taste was as good as take-out. There was just enough heat for the 2 of us. When you order this in a restaurant, do people still eat in restaurants? Okay when you order take-out, Support Local, the dish is made with broccoli. Someone in the house does not like broccoli. That is why we used zucchini and yellow squash. Next time I have to make more sauce. You could use chicken thighs but I had the chicken breast in the freezer.

Slow Cooker General Tso's Chicken from Chef Savvy -

Ingredients-
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup hoisin sauce
4 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Sliced Zucchini and Yellow Squash
green onions for serving, if desired 
     
Method-
Add chicken and cornstarch to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat the chicken with the cornstarch.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok.

Saute chicken until golden brown on both sides for about 2 minutes on each side. (Note the chicken will not be fully cooked and that is ok)

Add the chicken to the slow cooker.

Add hoisin sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.

Pour the sauce onto the chicken and stir to coat the chicken.

Cook on low for 2-3 hours.

Saute the zucchini and squash olive oil and add the slow cooker before serving

We served this over rice. 

I found out that 2021 is the year of the Ox. What does that even mean? 

The Ox is the second of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Ox was about to be the first to arrive, but Rat tricked Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox. Thus, Ox became the second animal.

Men born in the Ox year are reliable and trustworthy. They put their entire heart into everything they do. They feel a great responsibility towards their family as well. However, due to their confidence (almost arrogance), they don’t allow anyone to go against their rules. They hold your children to high expectations, even though it might be unrealistic.

Women born in the Ox year are calm and gentle. They will never surrender to fate and rarely think of choosing an alternative. This no doubt leads to a life of struggles. But no matter what, they will walk down the road they choose until the end. Despite this stubbornness, they think and react quickly.

I did a little more research and found out I was born in the year of the Dog. The eleventh sign. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Monkey, Rooster, and Dog were in another country, helping a god defeat evil spirits. After, they set off to the party together. Because they arrived at the same time, the Jade Emperor went by the order they met the god in the other country. Thus, Dog became eleventh.

Yeah just like me, always late to the party.

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Game Day Chili

Did you taste the chocolate? Bittersweet chocolate. Just a touch. 

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens. A slow cooker recipe. Today was a day of football 🏈. Even though the only game that really matters is on tomorrow at 4:30. 

It just seemed like a chili day. I made changes in the original recipe. For starters I made enough for just the 2 of us, with maybe a lunch leftover. I did not make the Chili Seasoning Puree. I did not use dates or ground coriander. This was the second recipe this year that called for ground coriander. I have tried 2 stores and have not be able to find it. The dates reminded me of raisins in meatballs. Not what I was raised on. I am sure it would have been tasty but not what I wanted to try today.

This is my version. I think it is a keeper!

Game Day Chili

Ingredients-
3/4 pound ground beef chuck
1 onion, chopped 
1 stalk celery, sliced 
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup water
3 ounce can tomato paste
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Method-
In a Dutch oven cook ground beef, onion, and celery over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onion is tender, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat.

Transfer meat mixture to a slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, broth, the water, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, crushed red pepper, and cloves. 

Cook, covered, on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours (or on high-heat setting for 3 to 3-1/2 hours). 

Stir in chocolate and serving immediately.

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