Spicy beef with couscous

1 T oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 t minced fresh ginger
1 pound ground beef, I am using beef stew meat, sliced thinly
1 T curry powder
1/2 t salt
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup plain couscous
1/3 cup golden raisins (I will use regular raisins or cranberries my kids won't eat golden ones)

In large skillet heat oil in med high heat, add onion, and cook until golden about 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook one more minute. Add beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir in curry powder and salt, cook for 30 seconds. Add broth and peas and cook until slightly thickened.
Cook couscous according to directions and add raisins.

Thai beef salad

Thai dressing
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lime
3 T oil
2 T grated fresh ginger
1 T fish sauce (start with 1 t at a time)
red pepper flakes to taste

Salad
8 oz thin sliced deli roast beef (I am using grilled skirt steak)
2 green onions
2 carrot cut into matchsticks
1 small red pepper cut into matchsticks
1 large head lettuce, romaine
Fresh cilantro, thai basil to taste.

Grandma's Sloppy Joes

You will never use the canned stuff after you try this recipe!

Grandma's Sloppy Joes
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion diced
2-3 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup ketchup
2 T worcestershire sauce
1 t sage
1 t curry
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Brown beef with onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Drain off any fat. Add ketchup, water, and spices. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.

My changes
I added 1T curry, 1 T cumin, and 2 t sage, I doubled the recipe and used 1 1/2 lbs ground beef and 2 cups cooked barley (no one knew the difference!)

Check out The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap for more fun frugal recipes!

Italian Stew

1 lb stew meat cut into small peices
1 lb Hot sausage browned
1 onion diced
4 ribs celery diced
3 cloves garlic minced
6 potatoes diced
1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
4 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
1 T dried basil
3 bay leaves
1T dried oregano
1 t dried rosemary
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste~ about 1 T each
Add all the ingredients except for the canned tomatoes to a large, at least 6 quart, crockpot. Puree the tomatoes in a blender until smooth. Pour over other ingredients in the crock pot. Cook 4-6 hours on high or 5-10 on low. This stew would freeze very well without the potatoes

Firecracker Beef

This was a great recipe,I had all the ingredients on hand. The kids loved this one! I made a simple chow mein for the side. I added sliced celery, onions, garlic, and shredded cabbage, a little soy and a few drops of oyster sauce to the noodles.

Here is the recipe for the Fire meat. I did not have any leeks so I left those out. I used grated carrots in it too. I think that the dish was a bit too salty, next time I will use a little less soy sauce. I used skirt steak for the meat.

http://allrecipes-shop.albertsons.com/Recipe/Recipe.aspx?nprid=37965

Crockpot Dinner Party

I decided to have some friends over for a dinner last night. It was great to spend some time with them! I cooked all the main parts of our Mexican meal in the crock pot. I love my new one!

Salsa Chicken

2 pounds chicken
1 cup salsa

My chicken was frozen so it took about 3 hours on high to cook.

Beef Brisket Enchilada Style
4 lbs beef brisket
2 cups red enchilada sauce

Salt and pepper the beef, cover with sauce. Cook on low for 8-10 hours until the meat shreds easily.

Pork Barbacoa (Sweet BBQ Pork)
3 lbs pork roast
1 cup red enchilada sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 small can dice green chilies

Salt and pepper pork roast, cook on high for 4-6 hours until tender. Shred meat removing and excess fat. Add the sauce, sugar, and chilies and cook for 1 more hour.

Crockpot pudding cake~from scratch
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 t baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa
1 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 t baking powder
2 eggs

Mix everything together in a mixing bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes until fully combined. Pour into greased crockpot.

Mix
1/4 cocoa powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
Sprinkle over the top of the cake
Pour 1 1/2 cups hot water over the cake.

Cover and cook for 2 hours on high.

Where have we been?!

We have been out of town for a week! It was so much fun to visit friends and family in our old home town. We miss our family there, but not the weather! It was nice to get out of the heat and back to the 70 degrees that we love here at home.
I have a new recipe for you to try, sorry no pics though!

Mexican Shredded Beef
1 beef roast, the one we used was about 4 lbs
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder
fresh garlic
1 can of mexican style stewed tomatoes

The roast we used was frozen, just season the roast the best you can. Add the roast to the crockpot with the garlic cloves, we used 4. Add the tomatoes and let it cook for 6-8 hours until very tender. Shred and eat. You could make enchiladas, taquitos,or just serve it with rice.

Fajita Brisket

Fajita Brisket
Fajita Brisket
1 3-4 lb beef brisket
2-3 bell peppers
2 large onions
2 T chili powder
2T dried oregano
1 T ground cumin
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Salt and pepper all sides of the brisket and put in the crockpot with the spices and water. Thinly slice the onions and peppers and put on the top. Cook 4-6 hours on high and 6-8 on low. Shread meat and serve with tortillas, rice, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and salsa