A Cook's Quest

Whenever we get a beef we go through the meat in a certain order, steaks are gone first, followed by the burger and stew meat, and lastly we always have roasts.  It isn't that we don't like a good roast, but rather that I don't have a lot of experience producing a roast that is moist and juicy and flavorful.  I don't want to waste a good cut of meat on experimenting, so I usually wait until there are no other choices left and then make the roasts. When this happened recently, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration.  If you have not checked this site out I am urging you to do so very soon.  It is a plethora of ideas of ALL kinds, but my favorite are the food boards.  I found this recipe that someone pinned from Kalyn's Kitchen .  It is a slow cooker roast recipe that is moist, tender, and full of flavor.  I LOVE the depth of flavors created by the balsamic vinegar and beef broth along with the sweet roasted onions.  We served it w...

I'm going to spare everyone my raving and just say...go make these as soon as you can!  If you love a good burger this one will be at the top of your list.  Stuffed burgers are all over the place in blog land but they just were too complicated for me the day I planned to make them.  Instead, I did these and boy were we happy with them! Really though, what could be bad about a burger that has bites of cheese and bacon mixed in?  Is there anything wrong, ever, with adding bacon?  Not in my book!! What I love best is they are E. A. S. Y. to change up to suit your flavor preference.  Next time I will add finely chopped jalapenos for the hubby who likes his burgers with a little spice to them.  Go make them...please...and don't forget to pair them with these homemade buns because every great burger deserves a good bun to hold it all together!  Enjoy! I'm linking up to a few linky parties this week, go check out the great recipe...

This recipe is fast, simple and E. A. S. Y.!  My kids loved it and said, "this tastes like tacos!"  I, too, was surprised at the flavor.  The sauce is creamy, with a hint of spice (depending on what kind of salsa you use), and the pasta gets coated with all the yummy deliciousness creating a simple main dish.  I doubled everything in this recipe except for the ground beef, to make sure we had enough for dinner and lunches for me and the hubby. Taco Pasta Recipe Source: Plain Chicken printable version 1 pound ground beef 8 ounce small dry pasta shapes 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup salsa 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or one packet) 3 ounce cream cheese 1/2 cup sour cream Salt and pepper Shredded Cheese for topping Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground meat and onion over medium-hi...

I love meatloaf, especially my Dad's and I love meatballs.  One day I realized that meatballs are essentially the same concoction of meat, filler and seasonings as meatloaf and I decided to take my favorite meatloaf recipe and put it into meatball form.  This recipe was born and it was quite simply a delicious idea; one that I am going to repeat with my Dad's recipe and others like it. Ok, so enough with my undying  love of meatballs.  This recipe is simple, fast and very kid friendly.  I love the smoky/salty flavor from the bacon paired with the sweet tangy flavor of the barbecue sauce.  Match it up with noodles, rice or your favorite potato dish for a quick weeknight meal.  Barbecue Bacon Meatballs Recipe Source: A Cook’s Quest 1-1½ pounds ground meat (beef or turkey work best) ¾ c quick oats ½ c milk 1 egg ¼-½ c grated onion 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp pepper 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 3 slices bacon fried and ...

These meatballs are crazy good. I mean, they aren’t just pretty good--they are crazy, ridiculous, I want another one now, good. They bake in a sweet and tangy sauce that I think would be great on a variety of different meats, from chicken to salmon. The ground meat mixture can be used in a variety of different recipes, from spaghetti and meatballs to meatballs in cream sauce to these delicious sweet bites of yumminess. I hope you enjoy! Jenn’s Pineapple Meatballs Recipe Source: A Cook’s Quest  ¾ c quick oats ½ c milk 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef (turkey works well too) 2 eggs beaten ¼-½ c chopped onion 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp pepper 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juice) Sauce ¾-1 c pineapple juice ¼ apple cider vinegar 1/3 c soy sauce 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp garlic powder ¼-½ cup brown sugar (depends on how sweet you want the sauce) In a mixing bowl combine the oats, and milk. Let set for ab...

Every family has their own names for certain well known dishes. They are often named by the youngest members, and our family is no different. When my son was about 3 years old he discovered the French Dip sandwich and decided it was the best sandwich ever. The name was a little hard for him to say, so we have called them "Dippy Sandwiches," ever since. This is a remake inspired by many different but similar dishes--the French dip of course, the Cheese steak sandwich with onions and peppers, slow cooker pot roast, and Italian flavors of basil and oregano. The whole family loved this recipe. I paired it up with potato wedges tossed in olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and seasoning salt then roasted in the oven until crisp and golden . Dippy Sandwiches Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest This makes a lot. I had plenty for my family of five, with enough for the freezer and some for my husbands lunch. 1 Chuck Roast 3-5 lbs (Mine was 3 pounds) 1 cup of wate...