I am stuck with a few leftovers from yesterday's dinner and wanted something different. So I am using my pot roast in some tortillas for lunch.
I discovered a cheese alternative a few months ago that I was very pleased with. But since that time, I have stumbled on one that I enjoy even more and that melts better on pizzas and quesadillas. It is called Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella. Most dairy alternatives do not last as long as your typical dairy products so you need to use this cheese fairly quickly - or shred and freeze it. This cheese is vegan and gluten free and has no casein, which is the protein in cow's milk that causes those globs of mucus to get stuck in the back of your throat...well in mine anyway.
These tortillas can be made with corn, all purpose, whole grain or white whole grain flour. I did not have time to go through the process of making an actual quesadilla so I just took the roast, added some peppers, onions, cheese and arugula, rolled it up and drizzled it with some balsamic vinegar.
Whole Wheat Tortillas
1 1/2 c white whole-wheat flour (or whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, frozen
3/4 c very warm water (or milk)
Cut butter into small cubes. Set aside momentarily. Mix flour and salt in food processor. Add butter and pulse a few times, until crumbly. Add liquid and pulse until dough forms into a ball.
Remove dough and place onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead. Add a little more flour if needed. Dough should be soft.
Divide dough into 8 portions. Flatten dough into disks and sprinkle with flour. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for approximately 10 minutes. On a floured surface, roll disks into circles.
Preheat griddle (or large skillet) over medium-high heat for five minutes. Place tortillas on warm griddle. Cook 1-2 minutes, until puffed and brown. Cover with towel to keep warm.
Pot Roast Quesadillas
Leftover pot roast
Mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
Red peppers
Red onion
Arugula
Salt and pepper, to taste
Balsamic Vinegar, optional
In a small saucepan, heat olive oil and saute red onions and peppers for approximately 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
Place a pat of butter in a saucepan. Place tortilla into the pan, sprinkle some cheese on the tortilla followed by the beef, onions, and peppers; top with more cheese, arugula and finally the other tortilla. Cook until the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
One would never imagine that something so good was so simple. But this crock pot recipe is just that.
One thing I did not intend to do for this Easter holiday is be slaving in the kitchen from sun up to dinner time. So I am going to use the crock pot to make my roast so I can actually enjoy the day with everyone else.
The best cuts of meat for a crock pot are the ones which are toughest when cooked with dry methods. So select a chuck or round roast if you are planning to cook it in the crock pot. If you cook it slow, all of the collagen from the roast melts and turns into gelatin, which makes for a tender, yummy end result.
Tips:
- Be sure to let the roast rest for at least ten minutes before carving to allow the natural juices to settle.
- Use a knife that has been sharpened before you begin carving.
- Carve the roast across the grain at a consistent angle for each slice. This will result in a more tender cut.
Pot Roast
1 3-4lb chuck roast, boneless
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic powder
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 c baby carrots
3 celery ribs
Mushrooms, optional
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Thyme springs
1 bay leaf
1/4 c flour
1/2 c red wine, beer or bourbon
1 1/2 c beef broth
Heat the olive oil in a skillet until hot. Rub salt, pepper and garlic powder into the roast. Brown the meat on all sides.
Season the vegetables and place them in the bottom of the crock pot.
Put the meat on top of the vegetables.
With the oil from the browning, place the flour in the pan and whisk until incorporated and slightly browned, stirring constantly. Be sure to get all of the bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the liquids to the pan, whisk and reduce.
Pour the liquid over the roast, into the crock pot. Top with thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Cover and cook until tender, 8 hours, in a slow cooker (or in a 350 degree oven for 2.5-3 hours).
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
It is Easter weekend and it is smelling like ya grandma's place over here. At my house it is mandatory that every holiday dinner be accompanied by greens of some sort. I love collards, kale and turnip greens so I am preparing some mixed greens with our Easter dinner.
As much as I love greens, my back and my neck don't like the cleaning process. So sometimes I will cheat and purchase the pre-cut greens. And even though they still need washing, it is not as tedious as cleaning, rolling, cutting and removing the stems from buying the bundles of greens. Whew! I am getting tired just thinking about it.
Mixed Greens
24 oz water
2 smoked turkey parts (or ham hocks)
2 lbs fresh greens
1 small onion, diced
2 to 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 c organic apple cider vinegar
16 oz chicken stock
Add water to a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Add smoked turkey parts or ham hock and boil for approximately 30 minutes, to season the water, as you clean the greens and remove the stems.
In a small saucepan, saute onions for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add greens to seasoned water, in handfuls, until pot is full. Cover and cook collards down for about 45 minutes. Add onions, olive oil, seasonings, chicken stock and apple cider vinegar. Cover and continue to cook greens for another hour to an hour and a half.
About mid-way through cooking the greens, taste the greens and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
When I was eating sweets peach cobbler was, hands down, one of my favorite desserts.
I am going to be posting a few items over the weekend that are on my Easter dinner menu...and some of these are totally not on my meal plan; but I am staying true to my sugar free diet. Sadly this peach cobbler will not be on my plate. But, my son and sister are here so I won't bore them with all of my sugar-free treats.
I fondly remember the good ole days when Easter consisted of large family dinners, good food, sunrise service and new Easter suits. And then there was Easter Monday. We would get together with our friends and spend the entire day at Paramount Carowinds theme park. Candy apples, funnel cakes, jelly bellies, turkey legs, Thunder Road, White Lightning, the Cyclone, the water park...those were some good times. But back to reality...and this cobbler.
Peach Cobbler
Crust:
2 c all-purpose flour
A scant tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks frozen unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 c ice cold water
Combine the flour, salt and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is the texture of cornmeal. Add ice water and pulse until mixture forms a ball.
Dust the dough lightly with flour and shape into a square. Wrap in wax paper and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer.
Filling:
4 c fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 1/2 c water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp brandy
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c margarine
1 tbsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
In a medium pot, cook ingredients until tender, but not mushy.
Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray. Add peaches to baking dish. Dot with butter. Place pastry crust over the peaches and cut 4 slits in the top. Brush crust with egg wash.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Sweet Treats 'n Good Eats, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.
