Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff~ A Recipe Gone Wrong

I found this recipe from The Crockstar via Pinterest.  It claims to be the best ever so I decided to make it for my dinner tonight.  I changed a few things...mostly because I couldn't find the Campbell's Golden Mushroom soup.  Here's what I did:

Gathered up the following ingredients-
2 pounds cubed stew meat
2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
1 1/2 medium onion diced
4 tablespoons of Worcestershire (you can use less, adjust to your personal taste)
1/2 cup water
8 oz of cream cheese (I used the ultra low fat kind)
couple of dashes of Garlic Salt (1 tsp?)
couple dashes of Smoked Paprika
2 squirs of Sriracha asian hot sauce (to add a little kick)

In the slow cooker stir in all the ingredients, except the meat and the cream cheese, together. Once combined add the meat and mix together.

Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes.

This can be served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes (I actually used macaroni noodles since that's what I had).

If you plan on freezing this do not add the cream cheese.  Just re-heat on the stove and add cream cheese 10 minutes before serving. The meat becomes even more tender when reheated.

Now here is the bad part.  What I did, did not work.  This recipe tasted like shit.  Well shit might be a bit harsh, but it was ultra bland tastless, runny, blechy-ness.  It probably had something to do with the fact that I tried to healthify it.  I should have just used the full fat, full salt stuff...then I am sure it would have been tasty.  I wish I wasn't on this damn health kick.  Maybe once I am over it (which is inevitable) then I will try it again the way The Crockstar intended it...provided I can find the Golden Mushroom Soup.

P.S. I had a picture of my soupy stroganoff...but I am too disappointed and lazy to even bother to get it off my computer.  Sorry.

P.P.S.  Some things are intended to be creamy, fatty and delicious.

Cookin' with Martha~ Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake

I have eight million apples at my house.  Sooo...some apple baking was definitely in order.  I have about 10 lbs of apples that I picked yesterday, plus about a dozen MacIntosh apples that I bought about two weeks ago that have definitely seen better days (so clearly that equals eight million).  Since I am on a Martha kick I went online and found this recipe, Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake.

Here's how Martha says to do it:
Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
2.In a large bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients just until combined (do not over mix). Using a rubber spatula, fold in apples. Spoon batter into a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan, and smooth top. Bake until a tester inserted in cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes; invert onto rack to cool completely.
3.Make the Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and enough water to form a thick yet pourable glaze. Set rack with cake over a piece of wax paper (for easy cleanup); drizzle cake with glaze, and let set before serving.

Here's how I did it:
I pretty much followed the directions except for the following:
-The recipe called for Granny Smith apples, I used MacIntosh.  I think the Granny Smith might be a little better since they are a little less mushy and more tart.
-I also made a little extra glaze, I like it sweet:)
 
 

All in all this was a great cake.  I especially liked that it had some crunchy cinnamon bits near the edges.  I think it would be divine served warm with ice cream or whipped cream!

Cookin' with Martha~ Smokey Beef Tacos

I am a huge Martha fan and haven't tried a recipe of her's I haven't liked.  Just today I tried a new one and again, I was not disappointed!

Martha's Slowcooker Chicken Chili Tacos have been part of my cooking repetoire for about a year now.  They are delish!  Sooo...when I came across Martha's Smokey Beef Tacos I just had to give them a try.

Here's how Martha says to do it:
Ingredients
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
2.Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
3.Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.
4. To soften the tortillas and give them a quick char, toast them directly over a low gas flame using tongs (or use a dry skillet on medium heat).

Here's How I Did it:

I pretty much followed the directions except for the following:
-I have no sweet clue about cuts of beef and I couldn't find anything that said "chuck beef roast", so I used some other cut...boneless blade roast or something...not sure...I also have no idea if it was anywhere near three pounds, it was the perfect size to fit in my slow-cooker so I bought it.
-I was in a rush this morning and I didn't have time to chop up 8 garlic cloves so I just threw in some garlic powder.  I have no doubt that the real thing is better but I was in a time crunch.
-Also I didn't measure anything.  I just guestimated and threw it in there.
-I also didn't cut the beef into four equal pieces.
-As I already mentioned I used my slow cooker instead of the oven.  Turned it on low and cooked it for nine hours (8 would have been fine but I had a mishap with my car and it took an extra hour to get home).  If you want it to be done quicker 4 hours on high should be just fine.


Martha suggested to serve the following with the tacos Avocado-Red Onion Relish, Corn-and-Tomato Salsa and Cilantro-Lime Crema.  If I were going to have company over I would go through the trouble of making those toppings.  However, since it was just little ol' me...I just topped mine with cheddar cheese, sour cream, PC Jalapeno Passion Fruit salsa (which is to die for!) and chopped avocado.

All in all it was a delightful and simple dinner.  When I was taking the beef out of the slow cooker it was so tender that I had a hard time even picking it up with my forks.  The first attempt ended with the beef falling back into the slow-cooker and the cooking liquid, which was a little greasy, splashing all over my shirt!  So I got out my trusty apron and continued without further incident.  The flavour was great...I am not a huge lover of chipotle flavour but the subtle smokey flavour was just right. 

There is nothing better than throwing a bunch of ingredients in the slow cooker, heading off to work and coming home to a delicious dinner.  I ate three of these bad boys and have plenty left over!

I could get used to days like these...

Today was a perfectly lovely day.  I did very little and enjoyed every minute of it.  I woke up went for groceries, came home and did some dishes and then spent pretty much the remainder of my day lounging on my back deck reading in my new floppy hat.  The sun was glorious, with just enough of a breeze that I never felt uncomfortable.

For dinner I tried out a new recipe; quinoa burgers.  They were really, really yummy!  I think next time I may experiment with some different spices (maybe a curry), but I will definately be making these again.  They are a great, healthy, vegetarian alternative to traditional burgers! 

Find the recipe here!

This evening I played floor hockey in an extremely hot gym and now am going to relax and watch some bad t.v., sounds like a good way to end a perfect day!

Burgers, Buttercream and Birthday Baking

I've been wanting to try this idea I found a while back on Bakerella's site for tiny tiny realistic looking hamburger cupcakes.  So...when the BF's 32nd birthday rolled around last week I thought it was about time I gave it a go!  What could be more perfect for a man's birthday than little burger cakes. 

Before I show you my little burger I need to explain something.  This little burger has seen better days.  He was much cuter four days ago on Saturday when he was nice and fresh.  I had meant to take a picture of him when he was freshly assembled but someone...not saying who...went to a party on Friday night...had a few tasty beverages....shook her booty....alot....and....left her camera at the party.  So originally there were more than a dozen of these bad boys but they had to be fed to the guests of the birthday boy.  I did save this one to take a photo of but by the time this morning rolled around and I took the picture his icing was all melting together and the bun parts were a little shiny and sticky...but you'll get the main idea.

I also tried to make little sugar cookie fries like Bakarella did but in the hustle and bustle of cleaning up for the party and trying to multi-task I burnt them!  Oh well maybe next time.

I also made this pink ruffle cake for the party that someone went to on Friday and forgot her camera at (still not saying who).  It has vanilla and chocolate layers and is frosted with a strawberry-marshmallow buttercream icing that I got from my Hello, Cupcake! book.  The icing was only half homemade and was super delicious.  It was supposed to be just a plain butter cream but I added in the strawberry!

Almost Homemade Vanilla Buttercream
1 container (16oz) Marshmallow Fluff
3 sticks (3/4 pound or 1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1" pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (plus additional sugar if needed)
* I also added about 3 tbsp of strawberry jam and a little red food colouring to make it extra pink.  In hindsight I would've used a little less food colouring and kept it a bit more natural.

Spoon the marshmallow fluff into a large bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on low.  Gradually add the butter pieces, beating well after each addition, until smooth.  Add the vanilla extract and the 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar.  Scrape the bowl well to incorporate.  Add more confectioner's sugar, if necessary to adjust the texture.

Enjoy!