Foodie Friday: Crock Pot Roast

I've shared a crock pot roast recipe here before, but I made one today that was pretty delicious and wanted to share. I cut up an eye of round roast, browned it and put it in the crock pot. I added two Vidalia onions quartered and sprinkled it with garlic salt. I then added about a cup of blush Chablis wine and a cup of water.

Seal the lid and cook it in the crock pot on high for about 6 hours or for about 8 hours on medium. I whipped up a pepper gravy (see next week for that recipe) with the "sauce" created as it cooks. It's delicious and SO, SO easy!

Foodie Friday: Feta Burgers

Looking for a twist on your 4th of July burgers? How about Feta Burgers? If you like Feta cheese, you'll love these burgers.

 

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 8 oz. package Feta cheese, cubed

In a mixing bowl, mix 1 pound of ground beef, pour in cubed Feta cheese, crack an egg over it and add your packet of salad dressing mix. Mix with your hands and form into patties.























Place patties on the grill or fry them up in a skillet to your desired state of done-ness. Throw the cooked burger on a bun with lettuce and tomato and you'll have a delicious holiday treat!

Foodie Friday: Easy Breakfast Omelet

Just about every Sunday after church, Mama would make us brunch. Sometimes that meant pancakes, but most often it meant an omelet, grits, biscuits and ham or sausage. But Mama's recipe was for four people and we only have two people, so I've adapted this to make it smaller. You can double or even triple it if you've got more people to feed.

I take 6 eggs, 3 Tablespoons fat free sour cream and about 1/4 cup cheddar cheese (or you can used any grated cheese blend you prefer). I whip this up with a whisk, add salt and pepper to taste and then pour it into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray so it'll come out easily.

Pop that into a 350 degree oven for about half an hour and you've got a start to a wonderful breakfast. You can tell it's done when you wiggle the dish and the eggs no longer jiggle - the bottom should be a little brown as well. Enjoy!!

Foodie Friday: SUPER easy side dish - Tomato Mozzarella Salad

I know this is probably the easiest side dish in the world and most of you have figured it out, but for those of you who haven't here you go.

Gather:
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinegar (I used white for this dish)
Salt and Pepper
Basil is optional as is olive oil

I think this dish is best in the summertime because fresh tomatoes are more delicious, but vine ripe tomatoes will do in a winter pinch.

Slice your tomatoes in about 1/2 inch slices and lay them out on a serving dish. Slice the fresh mozzarella in the same thickness and lay one slice per tomato. If you like basil, put one basil leaf on top of the pile.

I then liberally pour balsamic vinegar over the whole thing and allow it to sit and marinate for 5-10 minutes. The cheese and tomatoes tend to soak up the vinegar with yummy goodness. I use white balsamic vinegar because it has a bit of sweetness that I enjoy, but regular balsamic is good too. Some people add olive oil, but I don't think you need it. I do, however, finish up with a little salt and pepper - I prefer sea salt and fresh ground pepper, but tonight mine are still in the bags that went to the beach and haven't yet been unpacked!

And there you have it my friends. The easiest side dish in the world that can also be a meal!

Foodie Friday: Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

I often have the same problem when I get home from work. I'm too tired to make a gourmet dinner. I tried when I was first married to present hubby with lovely, multi-course meals. That lasted about 6 months. Now, I look for quick an easy. And that's where my handy crock pot comes into play!

I make this spaghetti sauce pretty often and can use it in many ways. Want spaghetti? Perfect. How about lasagna? Check out next Friday's post. Then there's that thing my husband called "goulash" for the first six months of our marriage that I finally figured out meant rotini or macaroni with sauce and cheese piled on. You can do that too.

Pull out your crock pot and gather your ingredients:
1 Vidalia or 3 small onions
1 pound super lean ground beef
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 can mushrooms (stems and caps are fine), drained (optional)
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup Cinnamon
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

I cut up the onions and put them in the bottom of the pot. Since my family has no problems with onions, I keep the pieces big! Over the onions, I put in the beef and then break it up into smaller chunks.

Then I layer in the Italian seasoning, cinnamon and salt and pepper. The cinnamon gives it a sweetness that we love - it's the more Greek version of sauce. If you want a more Italian style taste, throw in a couple Tablespoons of garlic powder instead.

Here's the hard part, open your cans of diced tomatoes and mushrooms (drained) and throw those in. You can also put in peppers or black olives if you like them in your sauce. Then stir up the whole thing and cover your pot.

As for cooking, I usually cook this on high for 8-9 hours. If you anticipate being longer, you can cook it on medium for probably 12-14 hours. When I get home I find delicious goodness waiting for me as I walk through the door. I throw on some angel hair pasta and I have dinner in a snap!

Enjoy!