The Official What's For Dinner thread:Thursday 1-24-08? Recipe finder in OP. Enjoy! Part 2

[shovan]

Sheryl, I'm showing my ignorance, but what is ropa vieja and how do you make it?

Also, for all of my new NOLA friends, I have a crawfish question. I have never had crawfish, but have been dying to try it. Now, I know what they are selling in my grocery store isn't the same as what you can get (not by a long shot - I know), but they are selling them pre-cooked. Is that usual? I found a couple of different recipes I could try, but I figured they would be kind of like shrimp and you don't really add cooked shrimp to many recipes as they overcook easily. Please help!

Gretchen

That dish I did last week & posted,the one that Jenn gave me, I think it was called Seafood Florentine would be very good with the packaged crawfish. I would use them in something with other ingredients or a good sauce to flavor them up. You could use any recipe for shrimp, like a Shrimp Etoufee or Shrimp Creole would be yummy. Emeril's recipes are always good!

Ropa Vieja is Cuban Shredded Beef, the word's mean Old Clothes i think. It's usually done with flank steak, that what I use. I'll post the recipe in a bit.

 

[shovan]

Sheryl--I wouldn't be too nervous about me trying out your recipe. Number 1 it sounds yummy--and number 2: DH loves anything with sausage and peppers. So it's bound to be a hit with him!

Stephanie, If your DH loves sausage & peppers I guess you can't go wrong with that one! Whew!

 

[shovan]

Ropa Vieja-Cuban Shredded Beef

INGREDIENTS
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 2 pounds beef flank steak
· 1 cup beef broth or more to cover steak
· 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
· 1 small onion, sliced
· 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
· 2 cloves garlic, chopped
· 1 teaspoon ground cumin
· 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 teaspoon white vinegar
· 1 small can diced jalapenos or 1 fresh jalapeno and/or canned green chilies
salt, pepper or Cajun or Mexican Seasoning Mix

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Transfer beef to a slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours. When ready to serve, shred meat and serve with tortillas or rice.
3. Alternate methods: Cook an hour and a half in a pressure cooker. Or in covered pot on the stove several hours until meat is very tender & shreds easily.


This is my already tinkered with recipe. I added the spices the original recipe didn't have any, and I cut back on the vinegar it had called for 1 tbsp. I'll use tomato sauce or diced tom. whatever I have in the house. I have never cooked this in a crockpot, I always use my pressure cooker (the alternate methods are mine, the crockpot is the original.)

Note: edited to add jalapenos

 

[JennyMominRI]

Ropa Vieja-Cuban Shredded Beef

INGREDIENTS
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 2 pounds beef flank steak
· 1 cup beef broth or more to cover steak
· 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
· 1 small onion, sliced
· 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
· 2 cloves garlic, chopped
· 1 teaspoon ground cumin
· 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 teaspoon white vinegar
· salt, pepper or Cajun or Mexican Seasoning Mix

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Transfer beef to a slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours. When ready to serve, shred meat and serve with tortillas or rice.
3. Alternate methods: Cook an hour and a half in a pressure cooker. Or in covered pot on the stove several hours until meat is very tender & shreds easily.


This is my already tinkered with recipe. I added the spices the original recipe didn't have any, and I cut back on the vinegar it had called for 1 tbsp. I'll use tomato sauce or diced tom. whatever I have in the house. I have never cooked this in a crockpot, I always use my pressure cooker (the alternate methods are mine, the crockpot is the original.)

I make this all the time...Love it,Love

I'm reheating leftover Chinese Food..

 

[shovan]

I make this all the time...Love it,Love

I'm reheating leftover Chinese Food..

Jenny, How do you cook it? CrockPot, Stove? Anthing different in your recipe? Just in case, your's might be better!

 

[JennyMominRI]

Jenny, How do you cook it? CrockPot, Stove? Anthing different in your recipe? Just in case, your's might be better!

I use a ton of cilantro ,which I don't throw in until the end...I also throw in green Chilis and jalapenos...I've never used beef broth.
I use the crockpot too.I usually throw it all in the night before.
I will admit to being lazy sometimes and just throwing the beef in the crock pot with a jar of hot salsa..
I usually use the shredded beef to make chimichangas

 

[Glynis]

Oh my goodness! So many yummy sounding new recipes! I can't wait to try them out!

Dinner tonight will be ground beef vegetable soup with homemade biscuts. It's quick, easy and yummy! Since we're on the go with Spring Break activities, this will hit the spot at the end of the day!

 

[lori1043]

POLYNESIAN LUAU CHICKEN (1994- Mickey's Gourmet Cookbook)
1 whole chicken cut up (or I used about 6 boneless, skinless thighs and still had enough marinade for about 6 large chicken strips for another dinner in the freezer)
1 tbs black pepper
1.5 tbs garlic powder (or granulated)
1.5 tbs garlic salt
3 tbs. ground fennel
1 tbs poultry seasoning
3 tbs ground rosemary (I did not have ground fennel, so use the regular whole kind)
1 tbs curry powder
2 tbs onion powder
1 tbs Chinese 5 spice powder
2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup splenda to make it slightly less sugar!)
1 c chicken base

wash chicken under water and pat dry
combine all seasoning ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate at least 3 hours, if not, all night
preheat oven to 375
place seasoned chicken on a wire rack in a roasting pan
bake 20 minutes
turn down oven to 250
bake another 30-40 minutes (I did it for a little less time since I had bonelss/skinless chicken)
chicken will be golden brown and have a sort of crispy glaze

We had this with green beans and banana bread made from the same cookbook, but using wheat /white flour (instead of all white) and sucanat/sugar instead of all sugar. If you want that recipe I can post it another time!

This is a YUMMY recipe-sweet , yet has kick!
Enjoy!-Lori

 

[TheBeadPirate]

Well with Rick gone I've had the same thing 2 nights in a row and maybe a 3rd if I do it again tonight.

Can anyone say RUT?!?

But I've festively named it "mixed grill". It's just marinated, freezer burned ribeye with grilled sweet potato rounds, grilled marinated portobello mushroom and buttered onions. All grill and the juicy stuff goes in foil to cook- almost no clean up! I wanted to take a picture last night and join the photo revolution...but I left the camera at the shop.

Oh and when Rick called last night and said he was having dinner at Cracker Barrel (chicken & dumplins, fried okra and green tomatoes- my favorites!) I held my tongue about never taking me there (because he hates it). And left out the freezer burned part of my dinner! He said I always cook good stuff when he's not home!

 

[OKWMom]

Ropa Vieja-Cuban Shredded Beef

INGREDIENTS
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 2 pounds beef flank steak
· 1 cup beef broth or more to cover steak
· 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
· 1 small onion, sliced
· 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
· 2 cloves garlic, chopped
· 1 teaspoon ground cumin
· 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 teaspoon white vinegar
· salt, pepper or Cajun or Mexican Seasoning Mix

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Transfer beef to a slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours. When ready to serve, shred meat and serve with tortillas or rice.
3. Alternate methods: Cook an hour and a half in a pressure cooker. Or in covered pot on the stove several hours until meat is very tender & shreds easily.


This is my already tinkered with recipe. I added the spices the original recipe didn't have any, and I cut back on the vinegar it had called for 1 tbsp. I'll use tomato sauce or diced tom. whatever I have in the house. I have never cooked this in a crockpot, I always use my pressure cooker (the alternate methods are mine, the crockpot is the original.)

Sheryl, thank you for posting this. It looks fabulous. Definitely on the list for the post-vacation menu.

Gretchen

 

[shovan]

I use a ton of cilantro ,which I don't throw in until the end...I also throw in green Chilis and jalapenos...I've never used beef broth.
I use the crockpot too.I usually throw it all in the night before.
I will admit to being lazy sometimes and just throwing the beef in the crock pot with a jar of hot salsa..
I usually use the shredded beef to make chimichangas

Jenny, Thanks! Jalapenos, that's what I didn't add to the recipe & forgot to add when I cooked it this week! I thought it was missing something! I have to watch myself with the cilantro, I LOVE it, but DH is not a big fan, he says it taste like soap.

Note to Gretchen, add jalepenos! (I'll go edit the recipe.)

POLYNESIAN LUAU CHICKEN (1994- Mickey's Gourmet Cookbook)
[We had this with green beans and banana bread made from the same cookbook, but using wheat /white flour (instead of all white) and sucanat/sugar instead of all sugar. If you want that recipe I can post it another time!

This is a YUMMY recipe-sweet , yet has kick!
Enjoy!-Lori

Lori, Thanks so much for posting this! I'm wishing I didn't have all the leftovers, I want to cook this now! Disney should reprint all of those old recipes, I used to have one of the old Disney cookbooks but it was ruined with several others I had a while back. I can't remember if it was olive oil or wine that was spilled but I've since learned not to keep them in the kitchen anymore!

 

[THE HAT]

Afternoon all-
It's been a few days since I posted, between it being spring break, and all the rain, and weather issues we have had here I just haven't had the time.
We lost power for just a few hours here (better then most knock on wood, some are still without), but lost cable for over a day (no cable means no computer, ugh!!) I spent most of yesterday and today helping my neighbor clean her basement that flooded with around 3 feet of water, my dh was helping her bf install a sump pump at 11pm the other night. We got the water out now we our in clean up mode! This is the first time they ever flooded from rain, so didn't know they had any drainage issues and needed the pump. We were fine as we have great drainage, and we are up much higher then most in our neighborhood.
That being said suppers around here have been of the take out kind, lol. A few of our favorite seasonal places also opened this week so of course we were hitting those.

Tonight after ds gets home from Karate I will make a quick meal of Hamb Helper and fresh greenbeans. A step up from take out at least, lol.

Stephanie- WB glad you had a good time and how great you get to go back for an alone trip with dh too!!

Lauren- Love hearing all the wedding plans- how wonderful that the meeting went so great!!

Betsy- Welcome looking forward to your recipes and meal ideas!!

Lindsey- glad to hear that the shoulder is doing a bit better, now take it easy and don't start working it to soon!!!

 

[sj&k]

Hello, everyone! I have not posted in a few days-not much to say, I guess. On Tuesday, we picked up takeout on the way home from DD's soccer practice. Last night we had country fried steak with gravy, rice, corn, and field peas. Tonight I am making breakfast for dinner-french toast, eggs, and smoked sausage.

Have a great evening!

 

[TigerKat]

Jenny, Thanks! Jalapenos, that's what I didn't add to the recipe & forgot to add when I cooked it this week! I thought it was missing something! I have to watch myself with the cilantro, I LOVE it, but DH is not a big fan, he says it taste like soap.

I thought I was the only one.

 

[Zandy595]

DH finally got the propane, so we're finally having the chicken fajitas! Only took a week of me asking this time, he's getting better.

I did some major house cleaning today and made him a list of (his) things to pick up. He actually took care of all of them, expect the fingernail clippers that are still in my dining area. I know he only did it because his parents stopped by this morning. He always puts on the "perfect husband" act when they come over. Like when he clears the table and puts the dishes in the dishwasher when they're here for dinner. They don't realize that that's the ONLY time he ever clears the table. Men! You can't live with them and you can't kill them and put them in the freezer. Anybody watch Desperate Housewives Sunday?

 

[betsywdw]

Hi Everyone

Wow, I am really enjoying reading this thread! Tonight I am having Paula Deen's Cheeseburger Meatloaf, Smashed Potatoes (with cheese sauce) and some sort of veggie, just not sure yet.

I really want to just go through the recipe list here and cook away! It's so nice to see tried recipes that everyone likes. It takes the guessing out of if they are ok or not.

Lori - The recipe for POLYNESIAN LUAU CHICKEN sounds so wonderful! That will be on my list for next week to make and I can't wait!

Lindsay - Hope your shoulder is feeling better. What a great idea you had when starting this thread

Hi Hat! Nice to meet you

I really look forward to sharing some recipes with all of you and enjoying yours too! Of course I already did with the Ritz Parm chicken...mmmmmm!!!!!

 

[TigerKat]

Men! You can't live with them and you can't kill them and put them in the freezer. Anybody watch Desperate Housewives Sunday?

I never miss it! Fortunately I have an upright freezer - it'll be easier for me to get him in there!

 

[nucpharm29]

Sheryl--just to put your mind at ease--the recipe was a hit--DH had 2 servings! Thanks!

 

[OKWMom]

I never miss it! Fortunately I have an upright freezer - it'll be easier for me to get him in there!

 

[Zandy595]

I never miss it! Fortunately I have an upright freezer - it'll be easier for me to get him in there!

Lucky you. I wonder what our DHs would say if they read this. They should start helping around the house more, if they know whats good for them.