Cajun Pot Roast

Happy Fat Tuesday all! 

This is great for Mardi Gras or anytime.

4 lb. beef roast
1/8 -1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper, dried parsley

Pinch each: cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, onion powder, granulated garlic, dried thyme
1 - 2 cloves fresh garlic crushed, chopped

1 capful each: red wine vinegar, worchesthire sauce

1 - 2 drops hot sauce
1/3 - 3/4 c. cold water
1 onion peeled and quartered
20 - 30 baby carrots

4 medium potatoes, quartered

Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat slow cooker to 350 F'.

Spray nonstick cooking spray in bottom of slow cooker.

Peel, rinse, cut carrots, onions, garlic.

Rinse and quarter potatoes.

Make some tiny slits all over roast. Stuff slits with sliced garlic.

Sprinkle half of the seasonings over roast. 

Pour half of vinegar and Worcestershire sauce over roast.

Turn roast over, repeat prior process with sliced garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings.

Pour water in bottom of pan.

Add carrots, potatoes, onions to pan. 

Cook roast for 2 - 3 hrs. approx. or until desired doneness. 

Remove roast from slow cooker and cover with foil to keep warm. 

Let roast rest for a few minutes before carving.

Serves 8.

Hurry Spring Milkshake

Spring is coming in a few weeks, can't wait for warmer weather.

2 c. skim or low fat milk
2 - 4 peppermint hard candies
1 - 3 oz. dark chocolate (broken up)
1  1/3 c. reduced fat ice cream

1 drops green food coloring

Break chocolate into pieces.

Remove ice cream container from freezer and set on a clean counter.

Combine: milk, peppermint candy, food coloring chocolate and ice cream into blender. 

Blend well for 20 - 30 seconds.

Serves 4.

Award Goes to Martini Spritz

This is great for watching the Oscars or any award show. 

Congrats to all the winners!

4 - 6 oz. gin or vodka

1 - 2 oz. vermouth

24 oz.  club soda

Ice

Place 4 clean martini glasses in freezer for a few minutes to chill.

 In a clean cocktail shaker combine gin, ice and vermouth. 

Shake for a few seconds.

Remove glasses from freezer.

Pour martinis into glasses.

Top off martinis with club soda.

Serves 4.

Easy Alfredo Sauce

Happy National alfredo sauce day.

I'm not a big fan of alfredo sauce, but this was pretty good.

1/2 c. each: sliced fresh mushrooms, parmesan cheese

1 - 2 c. reduced fat milk

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1 clove garlic crushed and chopped

1 - 2 T. each: flour, butter

Rinse and slice mushrooms.

Peel, rinse and chop garlic.

Heat a saucepan over medium high heat

Reduce heat to medium low, add butter.

Mix flour in butter to make a roux.

Add milk, salt, pepper and garlic. Stir frequently and cook for 10 - 15 min or until done.

Halfway through cooking, add mushrooms cheese and continue cooking until thickened.

Serve over prepared fettuccine.

Serves 4.

Baked Potato Chips

This is great for watching the big game or anytime.

2 medium potatoes

Non stick cooking spray

1/8 - 1/4 tsp.: salt, pepper

1/8 - 1/4 c. oil

Pinch each: granulated garlic, dried parsley, red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Spray 2 baking sheets with non stick cooking spray.

Rinse and pat dry potatoes.

Cut ends of potatoes with a clean knife. 

Peel 1 side of potatoes.

Lay potatoes on a clean cutting bowl.

Very carefully slice potatoes into very thin slices, place potatoes into a clean bowl.

Pour oil over potatoes and toss to coat.

Arrange potato slices on baking sheets.

Sprinkle spices over both sides of potatoes.

Place potatoes in oven and bake on 1 side for 5 - 8 min.

 Flip potatoes on other side and bake for 5 - 8 min. more. 

Keep an eye on the potatoes to make sure they don't burn.

Serves 4.

Orange Beef

This stirfry is perfect for Chinese New Year or anytime.

1 lb. beef strips

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1/8 tsp. sliced fresh ginger 

Juice and zest of 1 orange

3 T. olive oil

1 T. low sodium soy sauce

1 onion chopped

2 carrots sliced

1/8 c. sliced green onions

1/3 c. cold water

1 tsp. corn starch

Slice fresh ginger.

Rinse, zest, cut in half orange

In a bowl combine beef, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, 1 T. oil., ginger, orange zest.

Cut orange in half. 

Through a sieve squeeze orange over beef.

Toss mixture to coat beef.

Cover beef, place in refrigerator to marinate for a few hrs. or overnight.

Remove beef from fridge. 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat.

Lower heat to medium, add 1 T. oil.

Add beef and cook for 6 - 9 min.  

While beef is cooking, peel, rinse, chop onion.

Rinse, seed, chop pepper.

Rinse, cut ends off, chop carrots and green onions.

Place vegetable in a clean bowl.

Remove beef from skillet, add more oil if needed. 

Add vegetables and cook for 6 - 10 min. 

Add beef back into skillet and cook for a couple of minutes more.

In a cup combine water and cornstarch. 

Stir with a fork to mix.

Push vegetables and meat to the side of pan, pour water mixture in center of skillet. 

Stir to coat and let cook for a couple of minutes more.

Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle green onions over beef before serving.

Serves 4.

Easy Enchiladas

This is perfect for Winter or anytime.

6 - 8 flour tortilla
1 - 1  1/2 lbs ground meat
1 onion (chopped)
1 jar picante sauce
1/8 tsp. each: black pepper, salt, crushed red pepper flakes

2 - 3 c. shredded cheese (I use a Mexican blend)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350' F degrees.

Lightly grease baking pan with cooking spray.

Put some of the picante sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. 

Peel, rinse, chop onions.

In large saute pan combine meat, onion, spices.

Brown ground meat, onions for 8 - 10 min. 

Drain meat & onions to remove excess fat.

In mixing bowl combine meat mixture, and picante sauce.

In baking pan, place 1 tortilla.

Spoon of the meat mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with some of the shredded cheese. 

Roll the tortilla up, place the tortillas seam side down in the pan.

Repeat process with remaining tortillas.

Place enchiladas in oven, bake for 20 - 30 min. or until done.

Makes 6 -8 servings.