Southwest Pot Roast

This is perfect for an early April dinner or a get together.

4 lb. beef roast 
1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper
1/2 tsp. each: dried parsley, granulated garlic
1/4 - 1/3 c. water
1/8 c. olive oil
1 large onion peeled and quartered

4 medium potatoes quarted
30 baby carrots

juice of 1 lime

Non stick cooking spray

Pinch red pepper flakes 

2 - 3 drops each: worchestershire sauce, hot sauce

Remove roast from refrigerator, let it set out for a few minutes.

Preheat slower cooker to medium high heat. 

Spray bottom of pan with cooking spray.

Turn temperature on cooker to high heat.

Place roast in a roasting pan, and sear on 1 side for a few minutes.

Turn roast over and sear on other side for a few minutes more.

While roast is searing, rinse and quarter potatoes.

Peel, rinse, quarter onions, rinse baby carrots.

Lower heat to 350° F.

Cut lime in half. 

Through a sieve squeeze some lime over roast. 

Pour some of the oil, sprinkle  worchestershire and hot sauce on 1 side of roast 

Sprinkle half of the seasonings over roast.

Turn roast over. 

Pour remainder of the lime, oil over other side of roast. 

Repeat prior process with seasonings, hot sauce and worchestershire sauce 

Pour water in bottom of pan.

Add carrots, potatoes, onions to pan. 

Place pan in oven and cook for 2 -3 hrs. approx or until desired doneness. 

Remove roast from oven and cover with the foil to keep warm. Let rest for a few minutes before carving.

Serves 6 - 8.

Monte Crisco

This my version of the french classic, it's perfect for lunch or anytime.

It's also a great way to use any holiday ham leftovers.

8 slices bread

1 - 2 eggs 

2 T. butter 

4 slices each: cooked ham, swiss cheese

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper 

Nonstick cooking spray

Crack eggs into a clean bowl.

Add salt and pepper and stir with a clean fork to mix, set aside.

Place 8 slices of bread on a clean cookie sheet and butter one side of the bread.

Arrange ham, chese on buttered side of 4 slices of bread. 

Lay buttered side down of bread on top of ham.

Preheat skillet to medium-high heat.

 

Lower heat to medium low and spray nonstick cooking spray in pan.

Dip the sandwich in the egg mixture to coat.

Place sandwich in pan to cook on 1 side for 5 min. 

Flip sandwich over and cook on other side for a few minutes more or til done.

Repeat cooking process with remaining sandwiches.

Serves 4.

Broasted Aspargus

Need a side dish for your Easter meal, try this.

1 - 2 bunches fresh aspargus

1/8 - 1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 - 1 tsp. lemon juice

1 clove garlic crushed, chopped

Nonstick cooking spray

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

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Spray cooking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Remove rubber band from asparagus bunches.

Rinse asparagus through a colander under running cold water.

Peel, rinse, cut and chop garlic clove.

Cut lemon in half with a clean knife.

 Place asparagus on a clean workboard and cut ends from asparagus.

In a clean small jar combine oil, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes.

Squeeze some lemon juice through a seive into jar. Put lid on jar and shake to mix.

Arrange asparagus on baking sheet.

Remove lid from jar and pour over asparagus.

Flip aspargus over to coat both sides and place pan in oven to cook for 15 - 30 min.  

Keep on eye on aspargus to make sure they don't burn.

Sreves 4 - 6.

Tuna Salad

This is perfect for a light lenten lunch or anytime.

15 oz. (2 cans) tuna (packed in water)

1/3 c. each: chopped celery, chopped onion

1/4 - 1/3 c. light mayo (to taste)

1/8 tsp. each: black pepper, salt

Pinch: granulated garlic

1 - 2 dill pickle spears chopped

Open cans of tuna and drain tuna through sieve.

With a clean fork, remove  dill pickle spears from pickle jar, chop and set aside.

Peel, rinse and chop onions.

Rinse and chop celery.

Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl. 

Mix well to coat mixture with mayo. 

Serve with crackers or with toasted bread as a sandwich.

Serves 4-6.

Gaelic Steak

Have a safe St. Patricks Day all!

This is perfect for St. Patrick's Day or anytime.

2  - 3 T. each: oil, butter

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic crushed, chopped

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper
1/2 c. each:  heavy cream, sliced mushrooms
1/4 c. (4 T.)  whiskey

Place steaks into a dish.

Prick steaks with fork into both sides of them.

Season steak with salt, pepper and pour 2 T. of whiskey over them.

Cover steaks with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to marinate steaks.

Peel onion and garlic. Smash garlic and chop both garlic and onion.

Preheat pan over medium high heat, lower heat to medium, add butter and oil.

Add steaks and cook on 1 side for 6 - 10 min.

Flip steaks over and cook on other side for 6 - 10 min more.

Remove steaks from pan and transfer steaks to a clean dish. 

Lower heat to medium low, add rest of butter, oil, garlic, onions, mushrooms and cook for 5 - 6 min.

 

Lower heat to medium low, add cream and whiskey very carefully and cook for for a few minutes.

Return steaks to pan and cook steaks for another 3 - 5 min or until steaks are warm.

To serve:

Place steak on a clean serving dish, spoon sauce over steak.

Serves 4 - 6.

Strawberry Banana Yogurt

2 - 3 c. reduced fat greek yogurt

1/8 1 tsp. sweetner (optional)
1 banana peeled and chopped 
1 drop vanilla extract (optional)

Rinse berries through a strainer under running cold water.

Rinse strawberries, remove stem and cut into 3rds.

Peel banana and chop.

In a bowl place yogurt, desired amount of sweetener, strawberries , banana, vanilla extract. Stir to mix.

Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves 4.

Spring Break Paloma

Spring break begins soon.

It's considered a rite of passage for many college & high school students.

One destination for spring breakers is Mexico.

If you can't get away for spring break this year, you can still enjoy this Mexican cocktail.

I've used bottled grapefruit juice, but you can use fresh grapefruit juice if desired.

4 - 6 oz. tequila 

4 c. prepared grapefruit juice

1 oz. triple sec

1 liter bottle (32 oz. approx.) club soda 

Ice

1 T. (enough to coat rims of glasses) Salt

Orange food coloring

In the bottom of a clean pitcher, place ice. 

Combine grapefruit juice, tequila and triple sec over the ice.

Pour club soda into pitcher.

Stir to mix with a wooden spoon and place into refrigerator until ready to serve.

Just before serving:

Pour salt into a small clean bowl.

Add one to two drops of food coloring, stir to mix.

Sprinkle salt onto a clean plate.

Wet the rims of 4 clean glasses with a clean napkin.

Place glasses rim side down on plate with the salt to coat.

Place glasses in freezer to chill for a few minutes.

Remove glasses from freezer and pour cocktail into glasses.

Serves 4.