Steaks On The Grill Potatoes In The Oven

When you're grilling what do you plan for side dishes? Do you try to cook everything on the grill? Do you plan some make ahead things waiting on you in the fridge? Do you let the master griller in your house take care of the main dish while you cook the sides inside? 

I would say I am definitely a mix of all three, depending on the situation and how many I am cooking for. If we are doing a big cookout I will make sure some tasty sides can be prepared earlier in the day so we are only waiting on the burgers and dogs come supper time. But if we are just grilling for the four of us, I am happy to let Mr. E take stand over the hot grill while I am in the comfortable AC taking care of the rest of the meal.

Roasted potatoes are a classic side dish for steak night, and I have many different varieties we enjoy! Crispy Roasted Reds, Garlic Roasted, Fingerlings, Barbecue Roasted....so many more! And now we have one more that I am totally obsessed with! 

These only have 4 ingredients, one of them being optional, and the star is Montreal Steak Seasoning. I always have a bottle on hand because I use it on steaks, chicken, burgers and even in a fantastic dip that is addictive!

For this recipe I chose the baby creamer potatoes. They can be cooked whole, with the skin on, and the seasoning clings to every inch of it while it crisps up on the oven, all while the inside takes tender and buttery. 

If you can't find the creamer variety (or if they aren't in the budget--they can be a little pricey at times) red or gold baby potatoes, quartered would work well too.

We are celebrating the arrival of grilling and cookout season. These simple, but flavorful potatoes will definitely be making an appearance over and over all summer long! 

 Montreal Roasted Potatoes

3 lbs. creamer potatoes

3 TBS olive oil

2 TBS Montreal Steak Seasoning

Dried Parsley

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl combine potatoes, oil and seasoning. Toss to coat. Transfer to a large baking pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until fork tender. Sprinkle with dried parsley before serving.

 Shared at Weekend Potluck

 

The Teenager Had A Brainstorm

 

 Have you seen the tortilla boats they have now? I realize I am probably late to the party, but they are a recent discovery in our house and they have been life changing! Seriously. Whoever came up with the idea deserves a big high five!

If you're like me and have been living under a rock, let me explain. Right there in the aisle next to the hard taco shells there are now these soft tortilla "boats" or bowls. They come in regular size (used in this recipe) and mini ones too. They also come in different flavors- corn, flour, or a mix of both. 

I don't know about you but tacos, hard or soft, are my little guy's nemesis. He loves them, but gets so frustrated when all the yummy insides fall out onto the plate, or mommy's favorite, his lap. These solve that problem completely. The meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato all stay put while his little hands hold it. 

So, you're probably wondering where this story is going if you've looked at the picture and saw breakfast foods. It's actually brilliant. I had made tacos one night, and had mini boats leftover the next day. (For regular beef tacos, I like the mini size. For these breakfast boats I used the bigger ones.) Big brother was home doing school remotely, so I took the mini boats, filled them with scrambled eggs and cheese and he was thrilled. And that's when it happened. "Hey, mom! I bet these would be good if you made them into a breakfast burrito boat. Eggs, potatoes, gravy, cheese, bacon. Do you think you could do that?"

Challenge accepted! These might look like a lot of steps, but don't worry, they are super easy. While the potatoes cook you can whip up the gravy and scrambled eggs. Then it's just assembly. I like the flat tater tots for this because they line the bottom of each boat and act like a barrier. But diced or shredded hash browns would work too. I also used real bacon bits because I also have those on hand, but crumbed crispy bacon would be delicious. Anything you love in a breakfast burrito can easily be a passenger in your tortilla boat!

 I love that my kids are such foodies they can look at one dish and brainstorm what else we could do with it and use it in whole new creative way. If you've never tried to let your kids help you plan new meals, try it! It's a fantastic way to get them to try new things and become more adventurous eaters!

 Breakfast Burrito Boats

1 (8 count) package tortilla bowls/boats

7 eggs

2 1/2 c. milk, divided use

1 lb. pork sausage

1/4 c. flour

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 packages real bacon bits

1 (30 oz.) bag frozen tater rounds, baked per bag directions

Salt and Pepper

Dried Chives 

Begin by baking tater rounds according to package directions. To make the sausage gravy. In a large skillet brown the pork sausage. Do not drain. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add 2 cups milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thickened. Keep on warm burner. Whisk together eggs and 1/2 c. milk with salt and pepper. In a another skillet, sprayed with non stick spray, scramble eggs until cooked through. In each boat, layer tater rounds, top with scrambled eggs, bacon bits, sausage gravy and cheese. Garnish with chives. 

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck
 

One Skillet Brings Chilhood Memories

 Did your mom make Hamburger Helper when you were a kid? Mine definitely did! I remember helping her choose which kind we would get at the store. It was a quick, simple meal for a working mom and she never got any complaints from my dad and I. 

Funny story though- she was forbidden from making Tuna Helper because when they were first married and still learning to cook...she made that one a lot...according to dad A LOT...so yeah he got a little burned out on it. To this day, and they have been married for almost 43 years...it's never showed up in the house again. 

I will admit, when the boxes of this convenience meal go on salt for $1 or less, I will grab a couple to keep in the pantry. No shaming! There are great to have on hand when I'm testing new recipes for all of you...and it turns into a disaster! When the experiment ends up in the trash...it's so nice to know I can reach into the back of the cupboard and still feed the family. 

If you enjoyed the boxed variety growing up, but want to stay away from the processed foods, this homemade version will knock your socks off! This was one of those meals I made that immediately got rave reviews and I was promptly told to make again. 

The best part? Just like the boxed mix, this is a one pan supper! Everything cooks in one large skillet, can be on the table in about 30 minutes, and you have less clean up! I love pairing it with a fresh garden salad or a steamed veggie on the side for a complete meal. 

You just might have everything you need to make this in the kitchen right now! Simple ingredients lead to the flavors you will remember from when you were a kid. Be sure to read my note about the pasta to meat ratio too. This is how we like it, but I have some tips if you feel like your family would enjoy it with more/less pasta or meat. 

I am not one to shame anyone for taking some help from the store and convenience foods. You want to use something from a box or the frozen food aisle? Go for it. We all need to make dinner time a little less stressful, and using those things once in a while isn't an issue in my kitchen. But I also love finding ways to make the ones we enjoy with fresh ingredients that I control so I can feel just a little bit better about my big bowl of creamy pasta in front of me! 

Homemade Hamburger Helper

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. elbow macaroni

1 (32 oz.) box beef broth

1 TBS ketchup

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. seasoning salt

1 c. sour cream

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Dried Parsley

Salt and Pepper

 In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown beef and drain if necessary. In a small bowl whisk together ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, salt and pepper. Add to beef and stir well. Add beef broth, scraping bottom of skillet. Add macaroni and stir well. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until macaroni is cooked. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until smooth and creamy. Put skillet back over low heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish with dried parsley. *NOTE* We like this ratio of beef to pasta. If you want less macaroni, only use half the box. Or if you want more beef, use 1 1/2 lb. with the whole box of pasta. If it's too thick when finished, or sits a while, add a little extra beef broth to make it creamier. 

 

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

 

Easter Side Dish

If you haven't been paying attention, there are now less than two weeks until Easter.  Have you got your menu planned? Even if we probably won't be having huge family gatherings, that doesn't mean the food doesn't need to be on point! I will plan a big spread even if it's just the 4 of us, like last year, or our family plus my parents. Holidays are a time to enjoy those foods we look forward to so much, no matter what! 

How about a new side dish that would be delicious with your Easter ham, is simple as can be, and screams spring time? Sound good? Then you've come to the right place! Oh, and don't worry if you don't need another dish for Easter, because these are easy enough for a weeknight supper too! 

Do you love artichokes? We can't get enough. I am always on the lookout for ways to use the canned artichoke hearts. Ironically I have never had a fresh artichoke, and am actually they intimidate the heck out of me. I know I would enjoy the leaves as much as I do the heart, but I just haven't gotten the courage up to try them. Someday...maybe...

In the meantime when the canned ones are inexpensive, versatile and so yummy, I will keep coming up with ways to use those! I've done then Au gratin style, of course in spinach and artichoke dip, and salads like my Quick Artichoke and Hearts of Palm Salad. 

The crunchy topping on this gives it a great texture contrast with the soft artichokes. For not having a long ingredient list, they really bring the flavor! 

Spring time is a great time to try a veggie maybe you don't think of a lot. Your Easter menu would love something unique and new alongside all the traditional favorites we love. 

Baked Artichokes

2 (14 oz.) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained well and patted dry

1 TBS olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

2 TBS butter, melted

1 tsp. dried parsley

2 TBS grated Parmesan/Romano cheese

Salt and Pepper 

Preheat oven to 375. Place artichokes in 2 quart casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, melted butter, parsley and grated cheese. Mix well. Sprinkle over top of artichokes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned on top. 

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Shared at Meal Plan Monday

Spring...Somedays

 After some major snow in January and February, here in Indiana, we got a lovely taste of spring over the past few weeks. It was 50 degrees on February 27th, my birthday! That is unheard of! Then last week we had a few days in the 60's and one afternoon it even got up to 70! It was just what my mood needed. The dark, gray, cold, gloomy winter days tend to chip away at my soul. So, some warmth and sunshine really helped! 

But alas, it is March in the Midwest,  o as I type this I'm watching the weather on the news and hearing "chance of winter like weather on Monday." Of course there is! Just when we were getting use to the idea of spring! Then again, I hear Colorado and Wyoming are supposed to get snowfall totals measured in FEET this week, so I won't complain too much! 

Either way, spring is close enough to smell, and there will soon be more days that feel like than ones that don't, so our meals will start to reflect that more and more. However, soup is one thing that doesn't have to go away quite yet. Sure, fall and winter are when soup, chowder and stew season goes into full swing, but rainy and chilly spring days scream soup weather too! 

This is where today's recipe comes in. Creamy Taco Soup is the next rainy night supper you will crave! It comes together in almost no time, so it's perfect on those nights when you're in a rush to get out the door again, or just too tired to deal. What is it about being out in the elements (snow, wind, rain...doesn't matter) that is simply exhausting? 

This is not a spicy soup, but you could easily add some heat! Swap out half the diced tomatoes for some Rotel, or add a small can of green chilies. You could even saute a diced jalapeno to the onion pepper mix. I love when recipes are easily adaptable to all palates! 

This would be a great one to keep handy for Cinco de Mayo too! It's coming quicker than you think and while conditions are improving across the country (thanks be to God) big restaurant celebrations probably still aren't the best idea. So, a pot of this soup, an ooey gooey quesadilla and some chips and salsa, and you can have yourself a pretty stellar fiesta at home!

If we can just hold out a little longer, sunny warm days are ahead. I can't wait until we are sweating because of the heat, but I will take any kind of warm up I can get. And on those days when mother nature tricks us, a big bowl of delicious warm soup can turn a gloomy mood around!

 Creamy Taco Soup

2 lbs. ground beef

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 c. beef broth

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese

2 packets taco seasoning

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juice

Salt and Pepper 

Tri-colored tortilla strips

In a large stock pot over medium high heat, brown ground beef with onion, red pepper and garlic. Once cooked, drain if necessary. Add beef broth, scraping bottom of pan. Add tomatoes and taco seasoning. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add cream and shredded cheese, stirring constantly until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with tortilla strips. 

 Shared at Weekend Potluck

Shared at Meal Plan Monday