What's Cooking

Herb and Potato Chip–Crusted Beef Tenderloin

1 4-5 lb beef tenderloin
3 t kosher salt
3/4 c panko
1 t garlic
2 t pepper
3 T olive oil
1-1/4 c crushed, plain kettle-cooked chips
¼ c chopped parsley
1 T choppd thyme
1 bay leaf
1 egg white
1 T Dijon

Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle tenderloin with salt. Let stand 30-45 min.

Saute panko, garlic, 1t pepper, and remaining 1t salt in 1 T hot oil over medium heat until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes) Let cool completely, about 10 min., Stir in potato chips, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and egg.

Pat tenderloin dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining 1 t pepper. Brown beef in remaining 2 T oil in a roasting pan over medium-high heat until browned on all sides (2-3minutes per side). Transfer tenderloin to a wir rack in an aluminum-foil lined jelly roll pan. Let stand 10 minutes.

Spread mustard over tenderloin. Press panko mixture onto top and sides.

Bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes or until coating is crisp and meat thermometer registers 155. Let stand 10 minutes.

Peppercorn-Crusted Standing Rib Roast

½ c butter, softened
2 T pepper
2 T kosher salt
1 T fresh rosemary
1 T fresh sage
1 T freh thyme
1 T EVOO
1 8-lb, 4-rib prime rib rost, chine bone removed.

Stir together butter, spices, and oil in a bowl. Spread evenly over the roast. Chill, uncovered, 12-24 hours.

Remove from refrigerator, let stand at room temp for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450. Place roast on a lightly greased rack in a roasting pan, Bake on lowest oven rack 45 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350, bake another hour and a half or until meat thermometer at thickest portion registers 135-140 degrees. Let stand 30 min, transfer to serving platter and reserve ½ c drippings for gravy.

Gravy:

½ c drippings
1 t onion powder
½ c flour
4-5 c beef broth
1-1/2 T sherry vinegar
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper

Heat drippings in medium saucepan. Add flour and onion powder, stirring constantly until golden brown, about 2 min. Whisk in 4 cups of broth; cook stirring often until mixture comes to a boil and is smooth and thick, about 5 min. Add up to 1 more c broth, ¼ c at a time, to desired consistency. 
Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper.

Crockpot Meatloaf

2 lbs ground chuck
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
2 t onion powder
1/2 t salt
1 c cracker crumbs
1 egg
1 packet brown gravy mix
1 c milk
4-6 small potatoes, cubed

Mix all ingredients except potatoes in a big bowl.  Form a loaf.  Place in pot, surrounded by potatoes. Cook on low 8-10 hours. 

Crockpot Barbecue Ribs

2 slabs pork spareribs
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 jar barbecue sauce

Rub each side of spare ribs with salt and pepper. Cut into serving portions. Place ribs in broiler pan and broil 15 minutes or until browned. Drain. Put sliced onion in stoneware, place rib sections on top. Pour barbecue sauce over all. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Crockpot Swiss Steak

2 round steaks, about 1/2 lb each, cut 3/4 inch thick
1/4 c flour
1/2 t pepper
1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 can tomato sauce

Cut steak into serving pieces. Place flour, salt and pepper in plastic bag. Add steak pieces a few at a time and shake to coat. Place onion slices in bottom of pot, steak on top of those. Top with carrots and celery and cover with tomato sauce. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Crockpot Beef Bourguignon

6 strips bacon
2-3 lb beef rump or chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can beef broth
1 T tomato paste
1 t garlic powder
3/4 t thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 lb small white onions
1/2 lb mushrooms
2 T butter
1/2 c red wine

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain. Add beef cubes and brown well. Place browned beef in crockpot. Brown carrot and onion. season with salt and pepper, stir in flour. Add broth, mix well and add to slow cooker. Add cooked bacon, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and onions. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.  Saute mushrooms in butter and add with wine to stoneware an hour before serving.

To thicken, turn cooker to high. Combine 3 T flour with 3 T melted butter and stir into stew.

Crockpot Pot Roast

3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 2-3lb boneless beef rump roast
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 c water or broth

Put vegetables in bottom of pot. Salt and pepper meat, then palce in pot on top of vegetables. Add liquid. Cover and cook 10-12 hours.

Prairie Land Pot Roast

1 boneless 2-lb chuck roast
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 8-oz bottle Kraft Catalina dressing
2 onions
2 potatoes
1 lb carrots
2 T parsley

Season roast with salt and pepper. Brown in large heavy pot or Dutch oven in 1/4 c of the dressing. Add onions.

Add remaining dressing, potatoes, carrots and water to come 3/4 way up the meat, about 2 c. Bring to boil, cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 2 hours.

Orange Pepper Steak

1/2 c Kraft Catalina dressing
Juice from 1 medium orange
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t garlic powder
1 2-lb boneless sirloin

Mix all but steak. Reserve 1/4 c of the mixture. Marinate steak in rest of mixture for at least 1 hour.

Preheat broiler or grill. Drain steak and discard marinade. Cook 2-3 inches from heat source for 10 min per side. Serve with reserved dressing mixture on top.

Italian Beef and Pasta

1/4 c Italian dressing
1/4 c soy sauce
1 lb boneless sirloin, cut into strips
garlic powder
2 c snap peas
1 yellow pepper
cilantro
12 oz spaghetti

Heat nonstick skillet. Add steak, dressing and garlic, cook 3 minutes or until steak is barely pink in the center. Transfer to plate, set aside.  Add snap peas, pepper and dressing to skillet. Cook 3 minutes. Return steak to skillet, stir fry 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve over pasta.