Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash

The hearty flavors in this dish make for great comfort food on cold winter days.  Delicious over homemade noodles.

Ingredients:

1 (4 pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
salt
pepper
1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, rinsed
1/3 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pound onions, chopped (about 6 cups)
4 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons flour
1 bay leaf
5 tablespoons water
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Directions:

• Season beef with 1 teaspoon salt and transfer to slow cooker
• Process red peppers, paprika, paste and vinegar in food processor, or blender, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides as needed.
• Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots, and 1 teaspoon salt. 
•  Cook, covered, until onions are soft, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in flour, bay leaf and red pepper mixture and cook until mixture starts to brown, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in water and scrape up any browned bits.
• Stir onion mixture in to slow cooker until beef is coated.
• Cover and cook until meat is tender--6-7 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low
• Turn slow cooker off and let stew settle for 5 minutes
• Skim fat from surface and discard bay leaf.
• Combine sour cream and 1/2 cup hot stew liquid in small bowl and return to stew.
• Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley

Yields: 6 servings

Basic Chili

My chili always seems to be different each time I make it--a little sweeter, a little chunkier, a little spicer. . .All because I can't seem to just follow a recipe.  This recipe is the closest to what I start with, but spices, beans, tomatoes and meat are all subject to change.

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 (14.5 ounce ) can petite diced tomatoes
2 (14.5 ounce ) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a large stockpot, brown ground beef
• Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent
• Add all other ingredients.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes and serve

Yield: 8 servings

Oven Baked Beef Tacos

This recipe has been all over Pinterest.  I modified it a bit to fit our tastes.  There are so many ways to adapt it.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef 
1 small onion, diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/8 teaspoon each, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (4 ounce) can  tomato sauce
 1 (8 ounce) can  refried beans 
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
2 cups shredded  Monterey Jack, or Mexican Cheese blend
12 hard taco shells 

Shredded lettuce
Salsa
Guacamole
Black Olives
Sour Cream

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Brown ground beef and onion. Add chilies, seasonings, tomato sauce and beans.  Cook until thickened.
• Stand taco shells open side up in a 9 x 13 baking dish, or smaller--whatever will allow the shells to stand upright. 
• Sprinkle a bit of the cheese in the bottom of each shell. 
•  Fill shells with meat mixture and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted. 
• Remove from oven and top with optional condiments, as desired

Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

Easy meatballs to serve a crowd

Ingredients:

3 pounds frozen meatballs
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
12 ounce can beer
1 1/2 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Heinz 57 sauce

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a crockpot
• Heat on low for 8 hours

Taco Casserole

Mild or spicy? Adjust the taco seasoning and taco sauce to suit your tastes. I sometimes add half a can of rinsed, black beans with the corn.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground sirloin
1/2 pound chicken chorizo (2 links)
1 cup chopped onion
taco seasoning
taco sauce
3/4 cup water
1 15-ounce can corn
1 4-ounce can green chiles
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
tortilla chips
1 tomato chopped or 2/3 can diced tomatoes, drained
3 green onions, sliced
1 2-ounce can sliced olives
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
sour cream
salsa

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


• Brown meats and onion in a skillet over medium heat.


• Add seasoning and water. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes.


• Add sauce, corn, and chiles.


• Crumble a handful of tortilla chips in a greased 9"x13" dish. Layer half of meat and half of the cheese. Top with another layer of chips and the rest of the meat and cheese.


• Bake for 20 minutes.


• Layer with additional chips, olices, tomatoes, green onion and cilantro.


• Bake for another 5 minutes.


• Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves: 5-6

Cincinnati Chili

When I first moved to Cincinnati twenty years ago, Cincinnati chili was only served in local chili parlors. It's a unique taste, but everyone in Cincinnati has their "way" of enjoying it. A two-way is chili over spaghetti. A three-way is topped with mounds of cheese. A four-way is topped with kidney beans or chopped raw onions, and a five-way is the works!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine
1 medium glove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups canned tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds 85-90% lean ground beef

Directions:

• Heat oil in Dutch oven over med-high heat. Cook onions until soft and browned around edges, 7-8 minutes.
• Add garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and allspice. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in broth, tomato sauce, vinegar and sugar.
• Add beef and stir to break up meat into small pieces. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to med-low and simmer until chili is deep brown and slightly thickened, 15-20 minutes.
• Season with salt and serve with spaghetti, cheddar cheese, onion and kidney beans.

Servings: 6-8

Stroganoff

There's nothing fancy about this dish, but it's a great comfort food entree on a cold winter evening! I like it with steamed broccoli.

Ingredients:

12 ounces uncooked noodles
1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

12 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup beef broth

1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon sherry

Directions:

• Cook noodles according to package directions; rinse in cold water and drain.


• Heat oil over medium-high heat; add beef and cook 4 minutes, crumbling into small pieces. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook 4 minutes.


• Sprinkle with flour, and cook 1 minute stirring constantly.


• Stir in broth, boil; reduce heat and simmer 1 minuted until slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper.


• Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and sherry. Serve over noodles.

Servings: 4-6