Beef Enchiladas

Recipe Found HERE

SPICE MIX 

1 tsp each onion & garlic powder 

1 Tbsp cumin powder

1 Tbsp paprika 

1 Tbsp dried oregano 

1/2 – 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, spiciness) 

ENCHILADA SAUCE

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp flour, plain/all purpose

2 cups chicken stock /broth, low sodium

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (eg Hunts) 

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper 

BEEF

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves , minced

1 onion , finely chopped (1 cup)

1 lb  ground beef (mince)

1 can (14oz) refried beans

1 can (14oz) black beans, drained 

ENCHILADAS

8 tortillas

1 1/2 cups grated melting cheese, or more (I like Monterey Jack, tasty or cheddar cheese) 

Cilantro, roughly chopped (optional garnish) 

Mix together Spice Mix ingredients. Set aside. 

ENCHILADA SAUCE 

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine into a paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, whisk straight away then it will turn into a thick smooth paste quite quickly. 

Add remaining chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and 2 Tablespoons of SPICE MIX. Whisk. 

Increase heat slightly to medium high. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup. Remove from stove. 

FILLING 

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes. 

Add beef and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it up as you go. Add remaining Spice Mix. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until completely brown. 

Add refried beans, black beans, about 1/4 cup of Enchilada Sauce + salt & pepper. Mix and cook for 2 minutes then remove from stove. 

ENCHILADAS

Smear a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (stops sliding). 

Place filling on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll up then place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining Filling & Tortillas. 

Pour Sauce over the Enchiladas, top with cheese, bake for 10 minutes covered then 10 minutes uncovered. Serve hot!

1. Make-Ahead/Freezer Friendly Instructions: 
2. The enchiladas can be assembled up to one day ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated until ready to bake. If you go this route, bake for 15 minutes covered with foil, and then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted. The enchiladas can also be frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight before cooking).

French Green Beans & Shallots

Recipe Found HERE 

4 cups water 

1 pound very small, firm green beans, cleaned 

3 tablespoons butter 

3 tablespoons peeled and chopped shallots 

¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste 

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste 

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Bring the water to a boil. Add the beans and cover the pot. Continue cooking the beans, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water. 

At serving time, heat the butter in a skillet, add the shallots and sauté for about 1 minute, until the shallots start to brown. 

Add the beans, salt and pepper, and sauté briefly. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.

Perfect Pot Roast

Recipe Found HERE

1 whole (4 to 5 pounds) chuck roast 

2 tbsp. olive oil 

2 whole onions 

6 whole carrots (up to 8 carrots) 

Salt, to taste 

Pepper, to taste 

1 c. red wine (optional, you can use beef broth instead) 

2 c. to 3 cups beef stock 

3 sprigs fresh thyme, or more to taste 

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or more to taste 

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast. 

Preheat the oven to 275˚. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split). 

Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate. 

Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so. 

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate. 

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up. 

When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme. 

Put the lid on, then roast in the oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Goulash

Recipe Found HERE

1 large onion diced (or substitute onion powder)

2 cloves garlic 

1 lb ground beef 

6 oz tomato paste 

1 tsp salt 

1 ½ tsp paprika 

1 tsp dried basil 

1 tsp dried oregano 

½ tsp black pepper 

1 15-oz can tomato sauce 

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes 

2 cups beef stock 

2 cups tomato juice 

1 lb macaroni (dry, uncooked)

6 oz shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese

In a large oven-safe 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, garlic, and ground beef. Break the beef into small bite-size pieces and cook until the beef is browned and the onion has softened, 8-10 minutes. 

Once the beef is cooked, add the tomato paste. Stir and cook the tomato paste until it is worked into the beef and is darker in color, 6-8 minutes.

Add the salt, black pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, and paprika. Stir the spices and herbs in and add the tomato juice, tomato sauce, beef stock, and diced tomatoes with their liquid. Pour in the dried macaroni and stir to combine. 

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a low simmer. Simmer until the pasta is cooked, 20-30 minutes. Simmering instead of boiling in water will take the pasta longer to cook than the box instructions indicate. While cooking, stir every few minutes to ensure the pasta cooks evenly. 

Once the pasta is cooked, remove it from the heat. 

I like to leave it done at this point on the stovetop and offer cheddar or parmesan cheese for topping it.