Pot Roast (Whole 30)

 I tweaked this recipe based on what I normally do for a pot roast, and what would make it Whole 30. Not a lot of changes!

Ingredients:

3 lb chuck roast {or: rump, round, brisket}

3 cups beef stock

1 lb baby potatoes {whole}

4 cups carrots {peeled and cut into large pieces}

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1 cup onion {chopped or sliced}

4 cloves garlic {minced}

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 tsp thyme {dried}

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I mean, a pot roast is really Whole 30 compliant anyway. I do normally add some Worcestershire sauce, but this didn't need anything extra. Perfect and simple! I love this for the nights that I work late and don't want to eat dinner at 9pm!

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

From: Here

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs flank steak
1/4 cups cornstarch
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic minced
3/4 cups soy sauce
3/4 cups water
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup grated carrots
green onions for garnish

Cut flank steak into thin strips. Place in a ziplock bag and add cornstarch Shake to coat.

Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar and carrots in a slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir until coated in the sauce.

Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours until tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Verdict:

This was so good. The thin flank steak was absolutely perfect for this recipe. I think we all agreed it tasted just like it would in a Mongolian restaurant (which we are really missing right now!) The flavor of this sauce was thick and sweet, and it also paired perfectly with the rice. It was almost as good leftover as it was the night I made it. I think this is one of my favorite meals I've ever made. A must-try!

Teriyaki Beef Broil

From: Southern Living 1992 cookbook

Ingredients:
1 3/4 lbs top round steak
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp dry mustard
6 cloves garlic, minced

Partially freeze the steak; slice diagonally across grain into 1/4-inch strips. Place steak in a shallow container. Combine soy sauce and next 5 ingredients; pour over steak. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Remove steak from marinade, and thread onto skewers. Place skewers on a lightly greased rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat for 6-7 minutes, turning once.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! You know I love a simple recipe with ingredients I always have in the pantry! These were so easy to make and totally delicious! We'll definitely eat them again.

Hearty Hamburger Soup

From: Food.com

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
1 white onion, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1 envelope onion soup mix
6 cups water, more to desired consistency
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz can corn, drained
1 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup celery leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh carrot, sliced
1 cup white potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
garlic salt, to taste
parmesan cheese, to serve
sour cream, to serve

• Brown ground beef and onion in a large pot. Drain if needed.
• Add spices and onion soup mix.

• Stir in water, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

• Add the rest of the ingredients up to the potatoes; bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. (Add more water if needed).

• Season to taste with garlic salt.

• Serve with shredded parmesan cheese and sour cream.

What I did differently:

I left out the onion soup mix because they were out at the store the day I went. I didn't do the celery leaves because I bought pre-cut celery sticks (convenience, hello!) Other than that, I didn't change a thing.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! Oh yeah, this was a GREAT soup, and so easy to make! The flavors blended perfectly. I love a good vegetable beef soup and this one did not disappoint!

Italian-Style Beef and Pepperoni Soup

From: Southern Living

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup sliced pepperoni
Cooking spray
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp pepper

Cook ground beef and pepperoni in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Rinse and drain.

Saute mushrooms and next 3 ingredients in hot oil in Dutch oven 5 minutes. Stir in beef mixture, tomato paste, and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. If desired, garnish and serve with parmesan cheese.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I ended up having to leave out the mushrooms, onions and bell peppers because I didn't have them on hand, and it was still a really delicious soup! I will absolutely make this again. It had a great flavor, so I imagine it would be even better with the missing veggies added!

Hearty Lasagna Soup

From: An old index card

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried parsley
3 1/2 cups beef broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 cups uncooked mafalda or corkscrew pasta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the beef, onion, garlic and parsley in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until the beef is browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.

Stir the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning in the saucepan and heat to a boil.

Stir the pasta in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the cheese. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I liked this soup a lot. I used venison instead of beef, crushed tomatoes instead of diced, and elbow macaroni instead of corkscrew. I thought this soup was yummy and filling. My only problem with it is that I had to add a ton of water while it was cooking because the pasta soaked up so much of it. So in the end I wish I had added a little more tomato flavoring to it. It was still great though, and I would definitely make this again in the future. I also appreciated the fact that I had every ingredient in the pantry already! 

Taco Rice

From: An old index card

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 cups medium salsa
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 1/2 cups rice

Brown the beef and onion in a skillet. Add the salsa, tomato sauce and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Make the rice and serve the beef mixture over rice.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Listen, I know the picture isn't pretty, but I loved this recipe. I used ground venison instead of beef, and pasta sauce instead of tomato sauce. Other than that I didn't change anything about the recipe. It was incredibly simple to toss together and had a great flavor! I'll definitely be making this again. I think it would even be great in burritos or tacos.

Sweet and Sour Venison Stir-Fry

From: One Pot cookbook

Ingredients: 
12 oz venison steak
1 bunch of scallions
1 red bell pepper
3 1/2 oz snow peas
3 1/2 oz baby corn cobs
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1-inch piece fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp clear honey
8 oz canned pineapple pieces, drained
1/4 cup bean sprouts
freshly cooked rice, to serve

Trim any fat from the venison and cut into thin strips. Cut the scallions into 1-inch pieces. Halve and seed the red bell pepper and cut into 1-inch pieces. Trim the snow peas and baby corn.

Heat the oil in a preheated wok or skillet over high heat. Add the venison, garlic, and gingerroot and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the scallions, red bell pepper, snow peas, and baby corn cobs, then stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, sherry and honey. Stir-fry for an additional 5 minutes.

Carefully stir in the pineapple pieces and bean sprouts and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to heat through. Serve with freshly cooked rice and extra soy sauce for dipping.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I love stir-fry and I've done a sweet and sour before that I didn't love. I really liked this one although I did vary the recipe a bit on the veggies. I used onions instead of scallions, no baby corn cobs (didn't have any at home), ginger powder instead of gingerroot, I left out the sherry, and I didn't add bean sprouts. But the sauce was so yummy and I loved the other flavors as well! I'll be making this one again.

Penne Pasta Skillet

From: Here

Ingredients:

1 lb. (450 g) extra-lean ground beef

1 jar (700 mL) pasta sauce

2 cups water

3 cups penne pasta, uncooked

1 cup Kraft Part Skim Mozzarella Shredded Cheese

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pasta sauce and water; mix well. Stir in pasta. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium heat 16-18 minutes or until pasta is tender; stir. Top with mozzarella; cook, covered, 1 minute or until melted.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing, other than substituting venison for the beef.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! What an easy, straight-forward recipe with ingredients that everyone in my family likes! Even my hubby who isn't a fan of tomato sauce liked this recipe and even ate leftovers. :) I highly recommend this to someone who needs a quick dinner or doesn't want to have to think about dinner!

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked tube or spiral pasta
1 lb ground beef
6 bacon strips, diced
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. In skillet, cook beef over medium heat until done; drain and set aside.

In same skillet, cook bacon till crisp; remove. Pour out drippings. Drain pasta; add to skillet. Add soup, beef and bacon, heat through.

Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook until melted.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used ground venison and turkey bacon, but other than that I did everything the same.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up for me! Stephen wasn't a huge fan but I didn't think he would be. I really liked it, but it definitely did remind me of Hamburger Helper... which is good if you like HH! It was very quick and easy too. And I love one-pot recipes (except the pot to cook the pasta which shouldn't even count.)

Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked tube or spiral pasta
1 lb ground beef
6 bacon strips, diced
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. In skillet, cook beef over medium heat until done; drain and set aside. In same skillet, cook bacon till crisp; remove. Pour out drippings. Drain pasta; add to skillet. Add soup, beef and bacon, heat through. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook until melted.

Beef Pot Roast

From: Better Homes and Gardens Limited Edition Cookbook (Breast Cancer Awareness)

Ingredients:
1 2 1/2 - 3 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
2 Tbsp cooking oil
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp instant beef bouillon granules
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
12 oz tiny new potatoes or 2 medium potatoes or sweet potatoes
1 pound carrots or 6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces
2 small onions, cut into wedges
2 stalks celery, sliced into pieces
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup flour
black pepper

Trim fat from meat. Thinly slice vegetables; place in a cooker. Cut roast to fit: place on top of vegetables. Combine the 3/4 cup water, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, basil and salt. Add to cooker. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I just threw in two beef bouillon cubes instead of the granules. I think that was just right. I left out the onions (Stephen doesn't like them) and celery (didn't have it on hand).

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing!

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Stephen actually looked like he might take my life if I don't make this again. He was drooling at the thought of it and fortunately the taste exceeded his expectations! All my other pot roast recipes are going out the window... this one is the best!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 2 1/2 - 3 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
2 Tbsp cooking oil
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp instant beef bouillon granules
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
12 oz tiny new potatoes or 2 medium potatoes or sweet potatoes
1 pound carrots or 6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces
2 small onions, cut into wedges
2 stalks celery, sliced into pieces
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup flour
black pepper

Trim fat from meat. Thinly slice vegetables; place in a cooker. Cut roast to fit: place on top of vegetables. Combine the 3/4 cup water, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, basil and salt. Add to cooker. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

Slow-Cooked Chili

From: Taste of Home

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (16 oz each) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (16 oz each) light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Transfer to a slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I halved it, but this would be a GREAT recipe to make the full amount and freeze whatever you can't eat. Or take it to a party! Also, instead of using a can of stewed tomatoes and a can of green chilies, I bought diced tomatoes with chilies. It was much cheaper than buying two separate cans, especially if you are going to be chopping the stewed tomatoes anyway!

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! I only got a tiny taste of this tonight, to make sure it was edible, and it was so scrumptious. I don't like really spicy chili, so this is quite mild, but it would be so easy to throw in some seasonings to make it spicy if that's how you like it. Also, nothing's easier than the slow cooker, so another thumbs up for that!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (16 oz each) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (16 oz each) light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Garden Vegetable Soup

From: North Cobb Christian School's cookbook

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 package Hamburger Helper (cheeseburger macaroni)
5 cups water
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 16-oz stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 16-oz can Veg-All undrained

Cook and stir ground beef and onion in Dutch oven until done, drain. Stir in sauce mix, water, basil, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in macaroni and Veg-All. Cover and cook until macaroni is tender, 10-15 minutes longer.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Used venison instead of beef, made stewed tomatoes rather than bought them, and added okra because we had so much in our garden.

What I'll do differently next time:
Not sure.

Verdict:
Neutral. It was okay, I love this type of soup, but I think the mix from the Hamburger Helper gave it a slightly odd flavor. If I made it again I would probably try to find something to replace that.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 package Hamburger Helper (cheeseburger macaroni)
5 cups water
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 16-oz stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 16-oz can Veg-All undrained

Cook and stir ground beef and onion in Dutch oven until done, drain. Stir in sauce mix, water, basil, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in macaroni and Veg-All. Cover and cook until macaroni is tender, 10-15 minutes longer.

Broccoli and Beef Stir-Fry

From: Great American Brand Name Recipes Cookbook

Ingredients:
boneless tender beef steak (about 1/2 lb or so)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1 cloved minced garlic
1 lb broccoli
1 1/4 cups water
4 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, chunked
hot cooked rice

Cut beef across grain into thin slices. Combine 1 Tbsp each cornstarch and soy sauce with sugar, ginger and garlic in small bowl; stir in beef. Let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop broccoli if necessary. Combine water, 4 tsp cornstarch and remaining 3 Tbsp soy sauce; set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in hot wok or large skillet over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry 1 minute; remove.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in same pan. Add broccoli and onion; stir-fry 4 minutes. Stir in beef and soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Serve immediately over rice.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I made ours with not just broccoli, but also carrots, red peppers and green peppers. I actually did onions and some peppers separately in some soy sauce mixture because Stephen doesn't like onions but I love them. Also, when I do stir-fry I always do the same thing to my beef - I cut it, spread it on the cutting board, pour over it salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, and Italian seasoning (or other spices if I'm feeling creative), then I flip the pieces and sprinkle all of those on the other side. I mix it really well, and then for this recipe I "hand-breaded" it in the cornstarch/soy sauce/garlic/ginger mix. It really coated the beef and was very thick. Yum! I threw the carrots and peppers in at the same time as the broccoli. I also cooked everything much longer than the recipe called for.

What I'll do differently next time:
A combination of the above, probably.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! We eat a lot of stir-fry and this is the first time I've added peppers - the green ones came in our food co-op last week and the red were on clearance a couple of weeks ago. Stephen definitely crinkled his nose at the smell of the peppers cooking but to his credit he ate them. He said they were delicious and I thought so too! I was surprised that the flavor was not really intense of this dish though. I left out a little soy sauce because it seemed like a lot to me, but I ended up dashing my serving with honey terikayi marinade and it was awesome.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
boneless tender beef steak (about 1/2 lb or so)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 Tbsp soy sauce, divided
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp minced fresh ginger root
1 cloved minced garlic
1 lb broccoli
1 1/4 cups water
4 tsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, chunked
hot cooked rice

Cut beef across grain into thin slices. Combine 1 Tbsp each cornstarch and soy sauce with sugar, ginger and garlic in small bowl; stir in beef. Let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop broccoli if necessary. Combine water, 4 tsp cornstarch and remaining 3 Tbsp soy sauce; set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in hot wok or large skillet over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry 1 minute; remove.
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in same pan. Add broccoli and onion; stir-fry 4 minutes. Stir in beef and soy sauce mixture. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Serve immediately over rice.

Potluck Beans

From: This awesome website

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground meat, browned and drained
1 pound smoked bacon, browned, drained, and diced
1 medium onion, diced and browned
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 (30-ounce) can Pork n' Beans
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

In a skillet, brown the hamburger, bacon and onion. You can do it together or separately. While they are browning, add the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Don't stir too much or the beans will fall apart. Drain the meats well and dump into the slow cooker. Use a large spoon to gingerly fold in the hot ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. If you are making the full amount of this recipe, you should use a 6-quart or larger crockpot.

Note: Did not get my own picture because it was eaten fairly quickly. This picture from Stephanie's website will have to do!

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used venison instead of beef, turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, and I halved the recipe. For that reason, I only cooked it about 6-7 hours on low.

What I'll do differently next time:
The same things, most likely. Although I might make a full batch and freeze half. If you freeze it, pull them out the night before eating and thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Amazing that such a small amount of brown sugar could really sweeten up this recipe! Supposedly this is a bean recipe for people who don't like beans (me). I say, Yes! I would willingly eat this anytime. It was also a nice cross between soup/stew/meal if you know what I mean. Very hearty!

Beef Stroganoff

From: Recipezaar (directed there by Supercook; thanks Maegan!)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
cooked egg noodles

Brown beef in large skillet. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent. Drain grease.

Stir in condensed soup, then garlic powder, salt and pepper. Allow to simmer until all other parts of meal are prepared. Just before it's time to serve, stir in the sour cream completely and heat through. Serve over egg noodles.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used venison instead of beef. Other than that, I didn't change anything.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! So simple and it was really good! It's pretty straightforward - if you like meat, noodles and a cream sauce, you will like this recipe!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
cooked egg noodles

Brown beef in large skillet. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent. Drain grease. Stir in condensed soup, then garlic powder, salt and pepper. Allow to simmer until all other parts of meal are prepared. Just before it's time to serve, stir in the sour cream completely and heat through. Serve over egg noodles.

Beef Stew

From: Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 lb beef stew meat
1 medium onion, diced
1 package (8 oz) baby carrots
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 1/2 oz) beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
12 new potatoes, cut into fourths
2 cups sliced mushrooms

Heat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients except potatoes and mushrooms in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover and bake 2 hours, stirring once. Stir in potatoes and mushrooms. Cover and bake 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until tender.



What I did differently from the recipe:
Pretty much everything. I omitted onions and mushrooms for Stephen. I used venison instead of beef. I used canned carrots instead of fresh. I used beef bouillon cubes instead of beef broth. I omitted the tomato sauce. I increased flour to 1/2 cup. I used a crockpot instead and cooked for 8 hours.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Not our favorite. In my opinion, the tomato taste was too bold. And I really like tomatoes. Other than that, it was easy, but I would have preferred to taste more of a beefy flavor.

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 lb beef stew meat
1 medium onion, diced
1 package (8 oz) baby carrots
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10 1/2 oz) beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
12 new potatoes, cut into fourths
2 cups sliced mushrooms

Heat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients except potatoes and mushrooms in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover and bake 2 hours, stirring once. Stir in potatoes and mushrooms. Cover and bake 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until tender.

Beef and Potato Soup

From: Busy People's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 (16-oz) bag frozen, Southern style hash browns
1 cup frozen chopped onion or 1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 (4-oz) cans mushroom stems and pieces, not drained
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 16-oz jar chunky salsa

Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray. Put into the slow cooker the water, hash browns, onion, beef, mushrooms, onion soup mix and salsa and stir until well mixed. Cover and cook in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.

What I did differently from the recipe:
The mushrooms I used were some I had frozen a month or so ago, so there was no juice to them and I chopped them into small pieces. Other than that, nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Meh. Neutral. It wasn't my favorite, I'll say that. I didn't have high hopes for this soup, but it was actually better than I expected. And I think we all know the picture leaves a lot to be desired. I actually forgot to take that picture until today and had to get the soup out of the freezer to snap it, which is why it looks slightly terrifying. It didn't look near as bad when it was fresh on the stove... promise. I definitely liked the kick from the salsa!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 (16-oz) bag frozen, Southern style hash browns
1 cup frozen chopped onion or 1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 (4-oz) cans mushroom stems and pieces, not drained
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 16-oz jar chunky salsa

Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray. Put into the slow cooker the water, hash browns, onion, beef, mushrooms, onion soup mix and salsa and stir until well mixed. Cover and cook in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.

Beef and Broccoli

I did a lot of things differently from how this recipe specified them to be done. I'll make side notes in italics for parts of this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
2 cloves garlic, crushed (I used 2 cloves minced)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger (I used 1 Tbsp ground ginger; we love the flavor)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 lb flank steak, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced across the grain (I used one pound of venison stew)
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp dry sherry (I used 3 Tbsp orange juice)
1 tsp sugar
3 tsp sesame oil (I used 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp vegetable oil as we don't like the flavor of sesame oil that much)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water
1 1/2 lbs broccoli (I used two 9-oz packages of frozen broccoli)

Prepare rice as label directs. In a medium bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Add beef; toss gently to coat. Set aside.

In small bowl, combine broth, sherry, sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, and remaining soy sauce. In another small bowl, combine cornstarch and water.

Cut broccoli florets into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Trim and peel broccoli stems; cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices. (I didn't do this step because I used frozen broccoli florets instead. Yay timesaver!) In skillet, heat 1/2 inch water to boiling on medium-high. Add broccoli. Cook 3 minutes or until tender-crisp; drain and set aside. Wipe skillet dry. In same skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp sesame oil on medium-high until hot. Add half of beef mixture; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until beef just loses its pink color throughout; stirring. Transfer beef to plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining beef mixture. (With just one pound of meat I easily cooked it all at one time rather than splitting it up.) Add broth mixture to skillet; heat to boiling. Add cornstarch mixture and return to boiling; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens slightly; stirring. Add broccoli; heat through. Remove from heat and stir in beef. Serve over rice.

What I did differently from the recipe:
You can see I changed several things just to tweak it. At the end I also put the venison back in with the broccoli and sauce just so everything would be mixed together.

What I'll do differently next time:
Same things.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! We were gobbling this up. It was really good and very easy to make. Had a good flavor but not too much of any one thing. Definitely a keeper!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp fresh ginger
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 lb flank steak, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced across the grain
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp sugar
3 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water
1 1/2 lbs broccoli

Prepare rice as label directs. In medium bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Add beef; toss gently to coat. Set aside. In small bowl, combine broth, sherry, sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, and remaining soy sauce. In another small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Cut broccoli florets into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Trim and peel broccoli stems; cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices. In skillet, heat 1/2 inch water to boiling on medium-high. Add broccoli. Cook 3 minutes or until tender-crisp; drain and set aside. Wipe skillet dry. In same skillet, heat remaining 2 tsp sesame oil on medium-high until hot. Add half of beef mixture; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until beef just loses its pink color throughout; stirring. Transfer beef to plate; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining beef mixture. Add broth mixture to skillet; heat to boiling. Add cornstarch mixture and return to boiling; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens slightly; stirring. Add broccoli; heat through. Remove from heat and stir in beef. Serve over rice.

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients
1/2 lb ground beef
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1 can (14 oz) beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley

In a saucepan, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and barley are tender.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I substituted venison for the beef. Other than that, I did everything by the recipe.

What I'll do differently next time:
I may leave the barley out. In my opinion, it doesn't really add anything.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Can a recipe get any easier than this? And it's the perfect comfort food!

Printable version:

Ingredients
1/2 lb ground beef
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1 can (14 oz) beef broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley

In a saucepan, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and barley are tender.