Category Archives: Damn Good Dinners

Melt In Your Mouth Brisket Sandwich

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Guys, it’s officially brisket day! In honor of this yummy day, we’re giving you a damn delish brisket sandwich that’s drool-worthy. No need to give up your crock pot just yet. These melt-y, gooey sandwiches are really worth it. Trust me. And they’re perfect for company (or, you know, when you throw a party for brisket day). We’ve started a Tuesday night tradition with some friends to watch Game of Thrones (obsessed), and with these cooking all day while I’m at work they’re super easy to throw together before show time.

If you’re starting this in the morning before work in the morning, give yourself a little extra time as you need to pre-cook the meat. I had three false-start mornings because I was trying to do this while running out the door.

  • 3 tbsp oil (olive or vegetable)
  • 2 lbs. beef brisket
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 4 medium potatoes, quartered
  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • Enough water to cover
  • Burger buns (potato buns are the best)
  • Thinly sliced swiss (parmesan would be amazing too)

Over medium heat, add the oil to a skillet. Really lay on thick some salt and pepper to the beef, then place in the pan. Brown on both sides (but don’t cook it, the crock pot will do that). Place all of the ingredients in to the crock pot, with the brisket on top and cover with all of the liquids (broth, wine, and water). Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 6.

When you’re ready to make the sandwiches, set your broiler to low. Using two forks, begin to pull apart the beef right in the crock pot. Scoop out the beef on to the buns. (If you’re feeling adventurous, you can put some carrots and potatoes on the sandwiches too.) Lay the swiss cheese on top and place in the broiler until melted. In small bowls on the side of each plate, spoon out the beef broth from the crock pot to use as the “au jus”.

French Dip Sandwich

Happy Eating, XO.

Greek Bake

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We’ve all been there – those nights where you just don’t know what to make but have a ton of seemingly random things in the pantry. Not to mention those fresh herbs in the fridge that are about to go bad. Well, you know us a little by now, and we almost (read: almost) like those kinds of nights because that’s when we have to get creative with our recipes. Just like this one. We love our “toss ’em together” recipes that leave just enough cooking time in the oven to go peel off the work clothes and settle in with a nice glass (read: bottle) of wine.
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. lean ground turkey (or chicken or lamb, knock yourself out)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¾ tsp ground oregano
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground pepper
  • 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cup cooked brown rice (I had some white leftover from a fish & rice I had made the night before, works just as well)
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, divided (I did the feta with the Mediterranean herbs, but plain feta works as well)
  • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, ¼ cup of the feta cheese and the parsley. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining feta cheese. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Greek Bake

Happy Eating, XO.

Bad Ass Mac & Cheese

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Sometimes you just have to kick it up a notch, and this mac and cheese recipe does just that. It has a little bit of chedda, some truffle oil (YES! Bc we’re still obsessed with it), some bacon, and it has some…wait for it…whiskey. If this isn’t a bad ass, mans-man mac and cheese then I don’t know what is.

  • 1 box of elbow macaroni
  • 3 tbsp truffle oil
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
  • A pinch of salt and pepper

Sauce

  • 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 tbsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups half & half 
  • 1 tbsp whiskey (I used a little Jack)

Topping

  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 1/2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted

Cook the macaroni to your liking and drain. (I prefer al dente.). Add the macaroni back in to the pot and mix in the truffle oil, basil, salt, and pepper. While the pasta is cooking you can start on the sauce. But before you do, turn on your broiler to high.

Using a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add in the bacon, garlic, and thyme. Add in the flour, half & half, and whiskey and bring it to a boil. After roughly 3 minutes of stirring, reduce to a simmer and add in 2 1/2 cups of the cheddar, mixing until sauce thickens. Then pour it over that delicious smelling truffle macaroni and mix until it’s fully coated. On to the topping. In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, 1/2 a cup cheddar cheese and melted butter. Oil up your ramekins (I used eight 8oz ones) or a baking dish and distribute the macaroni. Sprinkle on the topping and a dash of fresh basil for some color.

Broil the dish for about 3 minutes. Keep a close eye on it as you don’t want it to burn.

 Truffled Mac & Cheese

Happy Eating, XO.

 

Roast Beef

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Although spring is right around the corner, we’re still fighting this damn winter weather. So now’s the time to sneak in one last comfy, hearty meal before we finally move on to some fresh produce. This recipe is perfect for those days you have countless errands and no time to think about cooking. Thanks to Mama Z for giving us this recipe!

  • 1 three pound roast beef (will feed roughly four people)

Gravy (or you can check out our Pantry Gravy recipe. It’s just as easy.)

  • 1 packet of McCormick onion mix
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup flour

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Place the roast beef on a roasting pan or a pan with high sides and stick in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and keep it closed for another 3 hours. The beef will cook slowly while you’re out doing your thing. When you’re ready to eat, heat the water and onion mix in a medium sauce pan. Stir in the flour to thicken it up. Thinly slice the roast beef and either plate it and pour on the gravy, or make an open faced roast beef sandwich by putting it on a piece of Italian bread. The best part is, you may even have some leftover cold cuts for later in the week.

 

Happy Eating, XO.

Multi-tasker’s Meal

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Before you panic at the “long” ingredient list realize it is all things you most likely already have in your pantry & fridge. Its a quick week night meal that you can bake while you change, set the table, throw in some laundry… Or maybe that’s just my game plan for tonight. Anyway, you gotta eat so might as well bake this up and give your taste buds something different than grocery store rotisserie chicken. Although trust me I am not hating, only appreciating how much our age bracket eats that stuff.

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp of Dijon mustard (so very optional, I just like the tang)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash, any flavor
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • pinch of cayenne pepper (more if you like heat, or even a tsp of sriracha would be good)
  • pinch of dried parsley flakes

Here is the picture of just dumping all those ingredients and combining. IMG_6073

Spoon each chicken breast with the mixture. Make a foil tent for each breast. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 min. For the last 5 minutes take out of foil, baste with juices and broil on low. (I did it on high and started charring the tops of the chicken-not a good look)

My friend made a great suggestion of serving the chicken with the pan juices although I thought the chicken was moist enough without making my plate messy with extra sauce. I am also nuts on plate presentation though so I’m probably wrong here on the taste scale.

Happy Eating, XO.