I've been making this Mexican skillet for my family for years. This week when I made it, my husband commented that it is actually one of his favorite recipes of mine. Its just a filling stick to your ribs no fuss meal. Classic Mexican flavors that come together in a cinch. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 packet taco seasoning

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 tsp butter

1 can black beans

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

1 avocado, sliced 

2 tsp chopped cilantro

Directions: Cook your rice with 1 tsp butter and a pinch of salt. While that cooks, in a large pan heat some oil, cook your onions until they begin to brown. Add your ground beef and crumble and cook until golden brown. Mix in your taco seasoning, and beans. In a large dish, layer your rice on the bottom, meat mixture on the top, then cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. 

We hope this easy weeknight meal quickly becomes a favorite in your household as well. 
Enjoy!

A good pasta sauce is worth its weight in gold. You can make a big batch all at once and freeze whatever you have left over for easy weeknight meals. You can make spaghetti, lasagna, penne, its so versatile and a great tool to have in your cooking wheelhouse! 

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup red wine

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes 

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp lavender salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Heat your oil, the chop and add your onion in a medium saute pan until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds. Add your ground beef and cook until brown and cooked through. Remove your meat mixture. Add your wine and deglaze your pan for 2-3 minutes on high heat. Stir in your tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, and add back your meat. Simmer for 15 minutes. 

We hope you enjoy this easy and oh so delicious cooking staple. 
Bon Apetite! 

This recipe is brought to us by Mike and Peggy's son Quentin. Quentin caught the cooking gene from his mother and loves to be in the kitchen. He whipped up this shepherds pie recipe from his imagination and boy is it good!

Ingredients:

12 oz ground beef (85-90% lean)

1/2 bag frozen peas

1/2 large onion, diced

1 package of good brown gravy mix

1 cup of water

1/2 cup red wine

3-4 pounds of potatoes

Fresh rosemary

1-3 bay leaves

and dried thyme

Rosemary mashed potatoes:

Boil and mash 3-4 pounds of potatoes.  Add 1/2 stick of butter and about a cup of milk.  You want to make these potatoes slightly on the wet side so add however much more milk you need to. Add 1 tbs finely diced fresh rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.

Filling:

Add 3 tbs of olive oil to a hot pan.  Add 1/2 of a diced onion and cook for a few minutes until soft.  Add ground beef and brown thoroughly   Add red wine and reduce for a few minutes and then add the water and gravy mix. Add the bay leaves and thyme and bring to a simmer. Simmer down until gravy has thickened a bit. You can strain any extra grease off the top of the meat if needed. Cover the meat mixture with your frozen peas. Then cover your peas with your mashed potato mixture. 

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Turn oven to broil and broil for 3 minutes to add a little golden color on top. 

This delicious dish should serve 4-5 people. Not only is this savory and hearty, but even little ones love it! 

There is a wonderful authentic Vietnamese joint in my town that sells the most delightful bahn mi sandwiches. My husband has been wanting me to recreate these at home for some time but  I'll admit, I was intimidated. Today I finally decided to make his wish come true and wow, are these sandwiches good! I'm kicking myself for not trying to make them sooner! 

6-8 hoagie type buns

1 carrot, julienned 

1 diaikon (carrot sized), julienned 

1 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons salt

1 pound lean ground pork

1 pound lean ground beef 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2/3 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup hoisin sauce 

1 cup oyster sauce 

Black pepper

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Chopped cilantro as garnish 

Simmer your vinegar, salt, and sugar together in a sauce pan until sugar is dissolved. Combine your carrots and diaikon in a bowl and cover them with the vinegar mixture. Allow the mixture to marinate for at least one hour. 

Add your oil to a large deep skillet and soften onion. Add your garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute. Add 1/2 a cup of the vegetable vinegar liquid and simmer for an additional minute. Add your stock, hoisin, oyster sauce, and pepper. Allow sauce to reduce for 10 minutes. Add your beef and pork and break it up into peices and cook it through (about 7-8 minutes). 

While your meat cooks place your rolls in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes to crisp up. Slice down the center without cutting them into 2 pieces. Fill with meat, top with the pickled vegetables, cilantro, and peanuts. 

This is such a flavorful and memorable sandwich. You will love chowing down in flavor town. Enjoy!