One Pot-Pot Roast

Recipe here:  Pot Roast

Last weekend we had our first blast of very cold temperatures.  This was the perfect meal to come into after skating in the frigid cold on our ice pond.  Comfort food at its best!

The cold temperatures only lasted 2 days and the next ten days it seems we will be back up into the mid 40’s again.  It’s been a very mild, snowless winter here on the Island so far.  I don’t mind too much but sure hope we get some snow and colder days so we can snowmobile and skate again!

 

Dinner Rolls

These rolls are super easy to make. You can freeze them after baking which is a perfect way to grab a few dinner rolls when you need them as this makes 24 rolls (or you can make 18 larger size but I think 24 works best)

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 1/2 TBSP active dry yeast (or use 2 packets)

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

4 Cups of all purpose unbleached flour (or plain all purpose)

Mix the yeast and 1 tsp. sugar into the warm water and set aside to proof for 10 minutes

In a mixing bowl with your dough hook or in a regular bowl with a wooden spoon, mix together the oil, melted butter, sugar, 2 eggs and salt until combined.

Add in the proofed yeast mixture and mix just to combine

Add in the flour one cup at a time mixing slowly until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl

Flour a surface and scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle a bit of flour on top and knead the dough about a minute or two.

Pull apart into 24 pieces as even pieces as you can get (doesn’t have to be perfect) and roll into balls

Place into a greased cake pan or 2 round pans

Put into a warm spot to rise for an hour to 90 minutes or until doubled in size.

Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 15-17 minutes until lightly browned on top and remove from oven Let set for 5 minutes and then pour out onto a wire rack to cool.

Break apart and store in an air tight container or place in freezer bags and freeze!

The whole process takes about 15 minutes to get the dough into the cake pan to rise. Super easy and delicious flavor!!

I find if reheating from frozen state it’s best to let them thaw and warm in the oven.  You also can microwave them…either way, they are delicious!  I recently made 9 dozen for a Farm Market Feast dinner event with over 100 people and there was not a roll left over!

Homemade “Beef” Helper

On busy school days with hockey, cheer, barn chores and so on, you can still make a great homemade hamburger helper without a box in about 30 minutes if not a little less.

Last night was one of those nights and with this meal, everyone was happy!

You can see how I made our homemade hamburger helper on my facebook page here:  Homemade Hamburger Helper

Italian Sausage Pasta

https://wordpress.com/post/chasenchanceranch.wordpress.com/6094

This is another easy, hearty delicious meal.

This is a dish I created a while back trying to come up with a different use for Italian Sausage instead of the usual meals.

4 Italian Sausage Links
16 oz box of pasta (I use large shells) cooked
1/2 onion
1/4 slice of pepper (2 colors or 1/2 of one color)
1 medium clove of garlic
3 TBSP butter
4 TBSP olive oil
2 cups beef bouillon with 1 heaping TBSP cornstarch stirred in until dissolved
Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Par-boil the sausage for 25 minutes and then finish cooking in micro (about 3 minutes) or pan fry until cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit to slice

Dice the onion and peppers (I like to use 2 colors to keep it colorful)

Mince the garlic clove or dice very small

Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onions and peppers. Cook until soft (about 5 minutes).

Add the oil and garlic and stir gently heating it on medium heat for 2 minutes.

Turn the heat up and pour in the bouillon and cornstarch mixture stirring frequently until starting to thicken and turn down heat.

Add in the sliced Italian Sausage and heat it through.

Serve over pasta and sprinkle with grated cheese!

Pork Rollups

These pork rollups are delicious and so easy to make.  Kids love them as it’s a change from pork chops.

This is the same way we do chicken rollups substituting the pork for the chicken.

If you buy a pork roast you can slice it yourself or ask the meat department of the store (or butcher) to slice it thin for you.

Pork
1 box stuffing mix mixed with 1 1/4 cup water
1 can cream of chicken soup mixed with 1/2 cup water

Pound out the meat slightly, place a tablespoon of the stuffing mix in the center and spread it. Roll up the pork and secure with a toothpick.

Layer a little of the soup mix on the bottom of the casserole dish. Lay the rolls on top and cover with the remaining soup mix.

Cover and bake at 350 approximately 40 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink.

Serve with some homemade cranberry sauce and a veggie! YUM

You can see more pictures of how we make ours on my Facebook page here:  Pork Rollups

Romano Buns

If you are looking for a quick sandwich type dinner, this is it!  These are perfect baked in the oven and even better cooked on the grill or right on the side of a bonfire.  These are a must for our camping trips and as a dinner when we are cooking on the bonfire.

They are like a melted ham and cheese with a buttery rich mustard flavor.

I don’t really measure anything but it’s simple ingredients:

Sliced deli ham (use a good one)
Swiss Cheese
Mustard (any kind you like)
Butter softened
Chopped Onion
Poppy Seeds
Sandwich or Hamburger rolls

Mix mustard, softened butter, and onion in a bowl
Place 2 slices of ham and a slice and 1/2 of swiss cheese on the roll
Place a tablespoon of the mustard mixture on the inside of the roll
Close the roll and spread a little extra mustard mixture on top and sprinkle with poppy seeds
Wrap loosely in tent style in aluminum foil

If baking bake at 350 for 10 minutes to let the cheese melt and the roll get crusty.
If cooking in the fire set on hot coals for about 8 minutes

The roll gets crusty, the cheese and buttery mixture melt into the roll and you have a delicious quick lunch or dinner!

Beefaroni

This is way better than hamburger helper and so easy to make.  Definitely a favorite of the boy’s in this house!

1 lb ground beef

2 TBSP minced garlic

one medium onion diced fine

2 TBSP garlic infused oil or olive oil

1 jar/can or 3 cups homemade spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 lb your choice of pasta

 

I boil ground beef before I brown it but you don’t have to.

 

Brown the ground beef and onions in the oil. When done add the 2 TBSP minced garlic.

 

Add the sauce and right on top of that add the heavy cream. Mix and heat through.

 

Cook the pasta and serve the sauce on top with some grated cheese and fresh basil leaves.

So easy to make!!  Great with ground venison and ground turkey as well!

Rolled Braciole

This is a family favorite and so quick and easy!!  You can see how I make our Rolled Braciole in a red wine reduction sauce on my Facebook page here:  Rolled Braciole

Kitchen Tips

I recently posted two tips I use to keep our busy lives rolling.  The first tip was to let family members (children/husband) choose a meal for the week.  This is a HUGE load off my plate every week in our house with each child picking a meal and the man choosing one as well.  We usually order out or go out to eat once a week so I am left with only planning 3 dinners a week.  That’s awesome in my world as I have enough to plan daily.

The second was to try and think ahead and make “multi-meal” plans.  You can see how I do it on my Facebook page here:  Kitchen Tips

Meatloaf Cupcakes

Who can resist dinner when you put this on the table???

Another super easy VERY kid friendly meal

Mix the 1 lb of beef, 1 package stuffing mix, 1 cup of water and 1 tsp. garlic salt in a bowl until fully incorporated

Lightly spray your cupcake tins (I used the jumbo tins) and place even amount pressing down lightly so the top is smooth

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes (or until cooked through)

“Frost” with your mashed potatoes (store bought are fine in pinch) and sprinkles with corn

I promise they will all be back for seconds!!