"Una de cada" is Spanish for "one of each."  It's used in this recipe to refer to the fact that it contains both chicken and beef.  This is like meat lovers' enchilada casserole.  The dish was so full I didn't think it was going to all fit.  It was delicious!  Be careful that you are using equal amounts of chicken and beef.  If your chicken is meatier than you need, you can always freeze the rest to make a lovely chicken salad later (recipe to follow).  
Source: Food Network Magazine

For the enchilada sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 clove garlic, grated on a rasp or finely minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup beef broth


For the beef layer:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
Kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, grated on a rasp or finely minced
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1/2 to 1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 packet (about 1/4 teaspoon) Sazon seasoning
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup beef broth
Freshly ground black pepper


For the chicken layer:
1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese


For the casserole:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
20 to 24 six-inch corn tortillas, cut in half

Make the enchilada sauce: In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the oil, onion, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the tomato paste; stir with a wooden spoon and cook until it deepens in color, 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and thyme. Cook, stirring, until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Cook the beef: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large straight-sided pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and green and red bell peppers. Sprinkle with a nice pinch of salt and cook until the onion and peppers are tender but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. In this order, add the beef, onion powder, cumin, thyme, Sazon, tomatoes and broth, allowing time between each addition to stir and blend. Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, stirring to break down the beef into bits. When the beef is cooked through, taste and season with a pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper. (Sazon adds salt, so be careful not to over-season.) Set aside.

Prepare the chicken layer: In a large bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce and the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. Set aside.

Assemble and bake the casserole: Use the butter to coat the bottom and sides of a deep 13-by-9-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the shredded cheeses together. Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce into the prepared dish. One at a time, dunk the tortilla slices in the still-warm enchilada sauce in the pot and layer them on the bottom of the dish using the straight edges to line the sides, overlapping where needed and covering the entire bottom of the dish. Next, add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese blend, all of the beef, another 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese blend, a new layer of tortillas dunked in the enchilada sauce, all of the chicken and a final layer of tortillas dunked in the enchilada sauce. Pour the rest of the sauce over all of the layers and top with the remaining shredded cheese blend. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles, about 30 minutes. Let it rest a bit before you slice it, just like lasagna.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/una-de-cada-enchilada-casserole-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

 
I got some great local grass fed ground beef and wanted to do something easy and simple with it.  I am really impressed with how delicious and simple this seasonings recipe is.  I added this to a pound of beef and cooked it in cast iron skillet.  I served it on a whole wheat tortilla with some Mexican cheese and a craft local beer. Yum!
Source: Allrecipes.com

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (I cut this back to 1 tsp) 

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix together and enjoy!
 
This is a delicious French recipe that uses a whole bottle of red wine; you won't find any beef broth here! You will need to increase the cook time to 2.5 hours so that the beef easily falls apart.  I added a small bag of baby red potatoes and it made it more substantial with no need for a side.  I made this with a velvety bottle of Pinot Noir from California.  Good enough to serve to guests on a cold day.
Source: Food and Wine Magazine

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds trimmed beef flatiron steak or chuck, cut into 8 pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
One 750-milliliter bottle dry red wine
2 bay leaves
1 thyme sprig
One 5-ounce piece of pancetta
15 pearl or small cipollini onions, peeled
15 cremini mushrooms
15 baby carrots, peeled
Sugar
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the meat in the casserole in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 minutes. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat the meat with it. Add the wine, bay leaves and thyme, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
  2. Cover the casserole and transfer it to the oven. Cook the stew for 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is flavorful.
  3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cover the pancetta with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain the pancetta and slice it 1/2 inch thick, then cut the slices into 1-inch-wide lardons.
  4. In a large skillet, combine the pancetta, pearl onions, mushrooms and carrots. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of water and a large pinch each of sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until almost all of the water has evaporated, 15 minutes. Uncover and cook over high heat, tossing, until the vegetables are tender and nicely browned, about 4 minutes.
  5. To serve, stir some of the vegetables and lardons into the stew and scatter the rest on top as a garnish. Top with a little chopped parsley and serve.

SUGGESTED PAIRING: Robust, dark-fruited Cabernet Sauvignon

 
You're never too old for a sloppy Joe.  Make mine extra sloppy.
Source: Everyday Food 
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced small (2 cups)
  • 1 large celery stalk, diced small (1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced small (1/2 cup)
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 4 hamburger buns, split

Directions
  1. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add beef, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned, 2 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and ketchup.  Simmer for 6-8 minutes.
  2. Generously spoon beef mixture over toasted bun bottoms. Sandwich with bun tops and serve
 
My mom used to make this when I was growing up.  I think she found the recipe in a magazine.  Here, I double the sauce.  I also sometimes make meatballs instead of loaves so they are saucier.  It has a great tangy flavor from the apple cider vinegar.
Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
6 tablespoons of brown sugar

Cook over medium heat until granules dissolve. 



Meat:


1.5 lb ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together and shape into six loaves.  Place in prepared baking sheet.  Spoon half of the sauce over the loaves.  Bake for 30 minutes, then top with remaining sauce.  If making meatballs: shape into 12 balls, increase the temperature to 425 and bake for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway.
 
I wanted to try something different so I just put a little of this and a little of that into these burgers.  We finished it off with roasted corn (just lay them in their husks right on the racks in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes), baked beans, roasted marshmallows, and Summer Blue Moon.  Happy Fourth!
  • 1 1/4 lb of lean ground beef
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon of dried oregano 
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Combine together and divide into four patties.  Grill to desired consistency, about 3-5 minutes on each side.
 
Here's another wok recipe.  It features oyster sauce which I think is a really clever way to create a stir fry sauce with a nice texture. Be very careful not to overcook your beef because it will cook quickly!  I used a ton of ginger in this and it gave it a great healthy flavor.  I served this over brown rice.

Source: Allrecipes.com
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Asian (toasted) sesame oil
  • 1/3 cup sherry
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 3/4 pound beef round steak, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if needed
  • 1 thin slice of fresh ginger root
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets
Directions
  1. Whisk together the oyster sauce, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the steak pieces into a shallow bowl, pour the oyster sauce mixture over the meat, stir to coat well, and marinate for at least 30 minutes in refrigerator.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and stir in the ginger and garlic. Let them sizzle in the hot oil for about 1 minute. Stir in the broccoli, and toss and stir in the hot oil until bright green and almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the wok, and set aside.
  3. Pour a little more oil into the wok, if needed, and stir and toss the beef with the marinade until the sauce forms a glaze on the beef, and the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Return the cooked broccoli to the wok, and stir until the meat and broccoli are heated through, about 3 minutes.
 
This took about five minutes to prepare and was ready when I got home! Love slow cooking!

Source: Everyday Food

Ingredients
  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3 equal pieces
  • 1 head garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions

In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, combine beef, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high until beef is tender and can be pulled apart with a fork, 6 to 7 hours.

Pull beef apart with a fork and serve on sandwiches with mayo or bbq sauce, or in large pieces with rice.
 
Frico Salad Shells
Source: Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (with changes)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon of flour
Salad with dressing (I used romaine with a lite peppercorn dressing)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix together cheese and flour. Spread half of the cheese mixture onto a baking sheet covered in foil, sprayed with cooking spray.  Repeat onto a second sheet.  Bake for 6-8 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Quickly remove carefully and lay over a bowl turned upside down.  Allow to cool then carefully remove and fill with salad.  Makes two shells.

This is tough but worth the effort!  
Tenderloin with Red Winy Gravy and Cracked Garlic Jumbo Shrimp
Source: Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book (this recipe is for one person - adjust portions as needed) 

Ingredients:
1 tenderloin steak (I wrapped mine in bacon)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of flour
1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of dry red wine
1/4 cup of beef stock
2 large garlic cloves, cracked and peeled
2 jumbo or colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined
A couple spigs of fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat a small skillet over high heat.  Preheat oven to 400F.

Drizzle the meat with a little oil and season it liberally with salt and pepper.  Sear the meat in the skillet for 2 minutes on each side, then transfer to a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 8 minutes for medium rare.  Cool the skillet for 1 minute, then return to the stovetop over medium heat.  Add a drizzle more oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and, when it melts, add the shallots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the flour to the shallots and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and red wine.  Stir for 30 second more, then whisk in the stock and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

While the meat cooks, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the cracked garlic and toss around the skittle for 1 minute. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, add the shrump to the skillet, sprinkle in the thyme and hot sauce, and cook for 3 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque.  Douse the shrimp with the juice of 1/2 lemon and remove to plate.   

Spoon gravy over meat before serving.
Carytown Cupcakes!

These delicious little pieces of heaven are made fresh daily.  They have a few flavors on the menu but each week also offer specialty cupcakes and we were lucky to snag some Valentine's Day treats.  
 
This is a recipe of my mother's - she made this for my family when I was child.  I made this the night before and stored it in the fridge.  In the morning, I just placed the crock into the cooker and turned it on for 9 hours (then my cooker automatically switches to the "keep warm" setting.  My husband said the whole house smelled great when he came home :-) 

Ingredients 
1 lb of lean ground beef or turkey
2 cans of dark kidney beans
2 cans of pinto beans 
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
1 can of a chili starter (or a chili starter pouch)
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced

1. Brown the beef with the onion and pepper until cooked through.  If there is excess fat, be sure to drain it off.
2. Add the beef mixture to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes and chili starter and stir thoroughly.  
3. Cook this mixture on low for 7-10 hours.
4. Rinse the beans thoroughly to remove excess salt.  Add them to the slow cooker in the last 60-30 minutes of your cooking time.  You can even add them when they are on the "keep warm" setting.
5. If you choose to cook for a shorter period, you may cook the beef mixture along with the beans for 4 hours on high.

See my earlier post for slow cooker tips: http://bonappetitrichmond.weebly.com/1/post/2012/01/spiced-braised-beef-with-sweet-potatoes.html