Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Beer-Braised Beef with Onions

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6

Ingredients
■1 whole Chuck Roast, 2 1/2 To 5 Pounds
■Salt And Pepper To Taste (Be Generous!)
■3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
■4 whole Onions, Peeled And Sliced Thick
■5 cloves Garlic Chopped
■2 cans Beer
■1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
■½ teaspoons Rosemary Leaves
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat.

Season meat generously with salt and pepper. Sear meat on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove meat from pan. Lower heat to medium.

Throw in onions and garlic. Stir for 30 seconds. Pour in beer, and add thyme, rosemary, and salt to taste—about 1 teaspoon. (Do not undersalt!) Add meat to pot, put to submerge, and place lid on pot.

Cook in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat is fork tender and falling apart.

Shred meat with two forks. Serve on dinner plates and spoon juice and onions over the top.

Serve with very crust bread to sop up the juice.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/beer-braised-beef-with-onions/

Monday, August 30, 2010

Layered Salad

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 12

Ingredients
■SALAD:
■2 heads Iceberg Lettuce, Chopped
■8 ounces, fluid Baby Spinach, Washed And Dried
■Salt And Pepper, to taste
■8 whole Hard Boiled Eggs, Chopped
■16 ounces, weight Bacon, Cooked And Chopped
■4 whole Tomatoes, Chopped
■1 bunch Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
■8 ounces, weight Cheddar Cheese, Grated
■1 bag (10 Ounce) Frozen Peas, Partially Thawed
■FOR THE DRESSING:
■½ cups (real) Mayonnaise
■½ cups Sour Cream
■1 Tablespoon Sugar (more To Taste)
Preparation Instructions
In a clear glass bowl, layer salad ingredients in the order they appear above, concentrating ingredients around the perimeter of the bowl and filling in the center with lettuce, if needed. End with the layer of peas.

Combine dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and mix well. Pour over the top of the peas and spread to cover, bringing dressing all the way out to the edges of the bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Toss just before serving.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/layered-salad/

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Fried Round Steak

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6

Ingredients
3 pounds Cube Steak (round Steak That's Been Extra Tenderized)
1 cup All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
3 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper, Or To Taste
Salt, For Seasoning Meat
½ cups Canola Oil (more If Needed)
2 Tablespoons Butter

Preparation Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Mix together flour, seasoned salt, and pepper.

Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour mixture, pressing to coat with as much flour as possible.

Add butter to pan right before frying.

When butter is melted, fry pieces of steak in butter/oil mixture. Flip when sides are deep golden brown and cook about 1 minute on the other side.

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

YUM.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/fried-round-steak

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Homemade Cinnamon Bread

Prep Time: 4 Hours
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 12

Ingredients

1 cup Milk
6 Tablespoons Butter
2-½ teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
2 whole Eggs
⅓ cups Sugar
3-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
⅓ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Preparation Instructions

Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot. Sprinkle yeast over the top, stir gently, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Combine flour and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix sugar and eggs with the paddle attachment until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the other half and beat until combined.

Switch to the dough hook attachment and beat/knead dough on medium speed for ten minutes. If dough is overly sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and beat again for 5 minutes.

Heat a metal or glass mixing bowl so it’s warm. Drizzle in a little canola oil, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and set it in a warm, hospitable place for at least 2 hours.

Turn dough out onto the work surface. Roll into a neat rectangle no wider than the loaf pan you’re going to use, and about 18 to 24 inches long. Smear with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.

Smear loaf pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix a little egg with milk, and smear over the top. Bake for 40 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.

Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve, or make cinnamon toast or French toast with it.

Yummy!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/homemade-cinnamon-bread/

Monday, August 23, 2010

Curried Chicken Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 12

Ingredients
3 pounds Chicken, Cooked And Diced/shredded
6 ounces, weight Dry Pasta, Cooked And Drained
4 whole Ribs Celery, Thinly Sliced - Leaves Included (use Interior Ribs)
¾ cups Golden Raisins
¾ cups Slivered Almonds
½ cups Mayonnaise
½ cups Sour Cream
1 cup Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Curry Powder, More Or Less To Taste
1 Tablespoon Sugar, More Or Less To Taste
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions
Boil chicken to cook. Boil pasta in chicken broth.

Dice/shred chicken. Drain pasta.

Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, heavy cream, curry powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until well combined.

Combine chicken, drained pasta, sliced celery, raisins, and almonds in a large bowl. Pour curry dressing over the top. Fold together with a rubber spatula. Make sure it’s all combined, then add more of whatever it needs. Make sure the sweet/savory balance is right for you! (I like mine a little sweet.)

Chill for several hours. Serve with juicy grapes on the side.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/curried-chicken-pasta-salad/