Southwestern Steak Salad

 

I have a fantastic and fast recipe to share with you today. As a former salad-hater, I understand the "meh" feeling that can come from seeing a recipe for rabbit food (or, "cow food", to my dear husband!). However, I learned that the key is to include lots of colorful ingredients and whip up an easy, homemade dressing. I promise, it makes all the difference!

The dressing on this salad is unbelievable and was so surprising. It is a bit spicy, but you can turn down the heat by reducing or omitting the canned chipotle chiles. I have terrible heartburn, but this salad was so good I couldn't help but dig in. This would be great for a relaxing night at home or for entertaining a group. Enjoy!

Southwestern Steak Salad

Recipe via Jourdan Leigh in the Kitchen, adapted from Martha Stewart

serves 2-4

Cheeseburgers + Dijon Aioli

In the last year, John and I cut out a lot of red meat from our diet. I almost always substitute ground turkey, and we haven't felt deprived. The only time I really want actual beef? Burgers. I know turkey burgers can be great, but I usually crave a burger, burger.

As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I wanted to play around with it. John asked me to try incorporating mushrooms a bit more - I'm not a huge fan - and I thought this recipe seemed like good baby steps. I broke down the steps below, so you can feel free to omit, add or play around with the toppings however you'd like.

I loved how the arugula, cheeses and dijon aioli complemented the burger. The whole thing had a "fancy" feel to it, and I'll definitely make these again, especially with summer weather on the way. If you're looking for a fresh burger idea, this is definitely the one for you. Cheers!

Cheeseburgers + Dijon Aioli
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is
Yields 4 burgers

Zesty Turkey Tenderloin

A few weeks ago I was at Target and saw turkey tenderloins on sale for a great price. Never one to pass on a bargain, I quickly snagged a package and started googling recipes for turkey tenderloin. As I walked the aisles I came across this lovely gem, which required hardly any additional ingredients than those already in my kitchen.

I was super excited for this recipe, but found the results to be just a bit too tangy. So, after some modifications, I came to the recipe below. This definitely has some signature flavors - dijon and lemon, primarily - so feel free to adjust according to your preferences. While the cooking time for this is fairly long, the steps and work involved make this super, super easy.

I paired this with some broccoli and a new recipe coming your way this week - Lightened-Up Mashed Potatoes! (Spoiler alert: There's a secret ingredient that dramatically ups the nutrition value and lightens the calories!). Stay tuned and...enjoy! :)

Zesty Turkey Tenderloin
Recipe adapted from Linda Larson, via About.com Busy Cooks
Serves 4-6, depending on servings

Hanky Pankies

Here I am with another Rapp family recipe! Hanky pankies are always a big hit with crowds, as I personally experienced when I made them for my sorority sisters' monthly girls dinner! These are a staple at the lake and family events because they are easy to make and freeze.

I've adapted these slightly - subbing ground turkey for ground beef - and adjusting the cheese. It's completely up to you and your family's taste preferences! Velveeta cheese will give you a very creamy combination, but you're welcome to use any other type of cheese if you don't like processed food.

PS: Still stuck in iPhone picture land. What can you do, eh?

Hanky Pankies
Recipe adapted from Mimi & Leslie Rapp
Yields about 16 hanky pankies (depending on loaf size)  

BBQ Blue Cheese Burger Cups

Ever since I made these tasty delights, I've had tons of new traffic to the blog. Thanks to all the wonderful people who commented on that recipe, I have a new - and easy! - recipe for you. All I can say is that it was a relatively effortless meal, which is great for me during the week. John was a happy, happy camper, too. He shouted "awesome!" after his first bite, and he hasn't stopped talking about them since.

Normally I would say more, but honestly I'm too tired and I know these will speak for themselves. So make them!

BBQ Blue Cheese Burger Cups
Recipe adapted from my Honey BBQ Blue Cheese Burgers and Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie Cups
Servings vary based on use of biscuits  

Loaded Turkey Santa Fe Baked Potato Skins

I didn't have the highest expectations for this dish. I was excited to try something new, but honestly I thought this might be a bit bland. Thanks to a few key spices and veggies, this was a phenomenal meal. John has told me every day since I made these how good they were. Who doesn't appreciate that?

I made this with only 4 potatoes, but I kept the recipe the same. I had some leftover turkey filling, and we've used it by itself and in wraps. I definitely plan to make more of this for lunches during the school year. It's a great way to get in veggies and protein while keeping things light.

One last suggestion? Use nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. John always claims he can tell a difference, so this time I acted like it was sour cream. Guess what? He didn't figure out it was Greek yogurt until he finished his meal and I told him. Sneaky substitutions for the win. ;)

Loaded Turkey Santa Fe Baked Potato Skins
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste
Serves 3-7, depending on portions

Brioche Burgers + Brie, Caramelized Onion & Aioli

This burger is inspired by one of my favorite Indy restaurants - Petit Chou. If you're ever in Indy, you definitely need to stop by Petit Chou or Cafe Patachou. It has awesome French food, and won't disappoint. Anyway, they have a burger with Brie and house aioli, and John suggested I try to recreate it. While I wouldn't say it tastes exactly the same, it came pretty close and was nice for an at-home dinner.

This is a meal that is sure to please any man in your life. John "mmm'd" the entire time he ate this burger. He continued to call it "savory" throughout the meal, and he loved it so much that he even made the aioli the next day when he reheated the last burger. I love my hubby, but he doesn't cook. So if he loves it so much that he's willing to make it, trust me when I say it's easy and that good.

While you are welcome to use any type of bun, I highly, highly suggest using brioche buns. They are such a perfect compliment to the brie and onions. Simply toast them under the broiler for a minute or two and you will be so glad that you went this route.

Brioche Burgers + Brie, Caramelized Onion & Aioli
Recipe inspired by Petit Chou
Serves 3-4, depending on burger size and amount of beef

Ingredients:
*brioche buns (or rolls, cut in half)
*ground beef of choice (I used 90% lean ground sirloin) 
*wedge of brie, cut into slices for topping burger
*1 large onion, chopped or sliced for caramelizing
*1 tbsp butter
*1 tbsp brown sugar
*aioli (I used 2 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 tsp light mayo, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp dijon)

Preparation:
*Preheat a grill or grill pan. Mold meat into patties. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and any desired seasoning. Place burgers on the grill and cook to your desired temperature.

*While burgers are going, place onion slices, butter and brown sugar in a pan. Cook until caramelized.

*Once burgers are finishing up, toast brioche buns under broiler for 1-2 minutes. Combine aioli ingredients.

*Serve burgers with brie slices, aioli and caramelized onion. Enjoy hot!

Cut up brie & onions | caramelizing the onions
Grilling burgers! Check out all the smoke - good thing windows were open!

Ready to dive into these bad boys :)

French Dip Sandwiches

Where to start? Well, for one, pretty much all the work is done in the slow cooker. How can you complain about that? It's the best! I love heading off to work knowing our dinner is cooking away and I will have little to no work to do upon returning home.

What else? Oh, these are super, duper tasty! I have never ordered or had a French dip sandwich. John also says that he never has them. However, we both went crazy over these! Incredible is the word Jourdan used and I could not agree more.

FYI: This was so delicious that John mentioned how amazing they were at least 6 times a day ever since I made them. No, I am not exaggerating. I really, truly am not. So make these. Enjoy the easy and tasty meal and tell your special someone they owe you for such an amazing meal.

French Dip Sandwiches

Recipe from Jourdan Leigh in the Kitchen, adapted from Our Best Bites

Yields about 8-10 sandwiches

Ingredients:

*1 2-3 lb. beef roast (the bigger the roast the more it will serve)

*2 tbsp olive oil

*salt and pepper
*2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
*2 cups water
*2 cans beef broth (or 1 box, as I used)
*8-10 ciabatta buns
*provolone cheese, sliced (about 1/2 a slice per sandwich)

*1-2 large onions

*2 tablespoons butter

*1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preparation:
*Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper. When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices.

*Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

*Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. You will know it's ready when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork. 

*About 20 minutes before serving, add sliced onions to pan with butter and sugar.  Cook over medium low heat until caramelized.

*Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melted.

*Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

seared meat | in the slow cooker before cooking
piece of meat | shredded meat

meat on bun | plus caramelized onion | plus provolone

sandwiches | dipping | delicious!

Templeton Taco Pie

This is another wonderful recipe from John's family! It's a dish that is served often at the lake, and one I've loved from the beginning. For one of my showers, hosted by three lovely friends of Leslie's, guests were given a recipe card and asked to submit a favorite recipe. All the recipes were collected and put into a beautiful recipe binder, complete with categories (nice!). This was in there, and I was so excited to make it on my own.

This is quite literally a taco pie, but it is one of the easiest recipes ever. I'm serious. If you know how to cook ground beef and chop two vegetables, you can make this. This was the perfect thing to whip up the other night when I got home late from running errands and hitting the gym. The prep time is fast - less than 15 minutes, even if you're a slow chopper like me.

I imagine kids would like it too (John loved it growing up - and still does!), as it's a fun way to eat tacos. They could even help with the sprinkling of chips, cheese and veggies. How fun! So get cooking and enjoy this awesome family recipe (thanks again, Templetons!).

Templeton Taco Pie
Recipe by Aunt Linda
Yields 1 taco pie; serves 3-4, depending on portions
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Ingredients:
*1 pound lean ground beef (or ground turkey!)
*1 package taco seasoning (I used Ortega)
*1 package reduced fat crescent rolls (one that has 8 rolls)
*1-2 tomatoes, chopped (I used 2 roma tomatoes; 1 regular tomato would be fine)
*1 green bell pepper, chopped
*1 cup shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese (original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups)
*1 cup sour cream (I used 1/3 cup nonfat sour cream and 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt)
*1 cup lightly crushed tortilla chips

Preparation:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Lightly grease an 8-inch pie plate. Pull apart crescent rolls (should be in triangles) and press into pie plate. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from oven (but don't turn it off!).

*While crescent crust is baking, cook ground beef on a skillet, breaking meat apart into small pieces. Once cooked, drain on paper towels. Return to skillet and add taco seasoning (plus water - follow the package directions!).

*Layer the following in the cooked crescent crust: seasoned ground beef, sour cream (or sour cream/Greek yogurt combo), tomatoes, green pepper, cheese and tortilla chips.

*Bake for 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes after removing from oven. Slice like a pie and enjoy!

Crust before and after baking

Layers for the pie

slices removed, leaving shots of my "apple pie" pie plate

Messy shot, but showing you all the good stuff :)

Simple Stuffed Red Peppers

Ready for a crazy easy and fast recipe?! Because here it is!

Okay, okay you're probably SO tired me posting recipes that involve stuffing something. Since this is like, four in the past two weeks? More? I'm too afraid to count. However, it's not my fault. Not totally. It's just that I've realized how amazingly easy - and quick! - it is to a make a meal that involves stuffing all the ingredients together.

This meal comes together in a flash, and is stuffed with great-for-you foods! Veggies, whole grains and lean meat. It's also super filling, thanks to all those great ingredients. I love a tasty dish that leaves you feeling good because you fed your body what it needs. And this was super tasty. Not only that, just one each was enough for John and I to feel full and satisfied. No sides needed. Perfect lazy meal.

Stuffed Red Peppers
Recipe by Call Me Mrs. Rapp
Yields 2 Stuffed Peppers
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Ingredients:
*2 red bell peppers
*3/4 cup ground turkey marinara meat sauce (or ground turkey plus marinara/tomato sauce;  
      *Vegetarian option: sub black beans for ground turkey)
*1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
*1/4 cup peas, cooked
*1/4 cup sweet corn, cooked 
*1/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I did parmesan and cheddar)

Preparation:
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

*Cut off top of red pepper. Try to cut as little as possible. Cut out pepper's ribs and pull out seeds. Trim any ribs after you've pulled out the seeds/center.

*Combine brown rice, corn, peas and turkey meat sauce in a bowl. Mix well. Spoon mixture into each bell pepper.

*Place peppers in individual ramekins or in a casserole dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

*Remove peppers and top with cheese. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.

Trimming the ribs inside the pepper

I cooked mine in mini ramekins to keep them standing upright

the filling and the stuffed peppers

Cheesy and out of the oven

Pork Tenderloin with Pesto, Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Oh and with spinach, too. But that would have made the title even longer than it already is.

Okay...I have a problem. I've been stuffing everything lately, as I'm sure you've noticed. Maybe it's because I've finally figured out how to slice the meat without cutting all the way through. Or perhaps it's because it's just so easy to make a full meal by stuffing a few extra ingredients inside it. Either way, this is a problem I can handle.

I came up with this while planning a dinner party with some of my sorority sisters. I was hosting everyone, and I wanted something that would be easy, wouldn't make a big mess, and would allow me to spend time with my girlfriends instead of glued to the kitchen. Oh, and something super tasty, too.

This met all the requirements! I was able to have the tenderloin all rolled up and ready, and popped it in the oven once everyone arrived. I enjoyed sitting with my friends, having a glass of wine, and knowing dinner was in the bag. I think it turned out great, and received many compliments from the girls - even one who normally doesn't eat meat. This night was a success, and a perfect evening filled with wonderful friends! :)

Pork Tenderloin with Pesto, Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Spinach
Recipe by Call Me Mrs. Rapp
Serves 4-6, depending on portion sizes. 
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Ingredients:
*pork tenderloin (my 1.5 lb package included 2 tenderloins; I rolled both of them)
*2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
*2 oz. light cream cheese
*1.5 oz. goat cheese
*6 oz. spinach, roughly cut or torn
*1/3 cup pesto
*olive oil
*salt and pepper
*2 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation: 
*Preheat oven to 400.

*Combine cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, pesto and garlic in a bowl. Mix until well combined.

*Create a slit in the pork tenderloin, lengthwise, so it lays flat like a book (careful not to cut all the way through!). Spread mixture onto tenderloin, and roll it up (lengthwise, like a jelly roll). Use toothpicks to secure.

*Place stuffed and rolled tenderloin on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

*Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork is 155 degrees.  
Note: I would highly suggest using a meat thermometer because I saw so many different suggestions when researching cooking times. Time will vary based on thickness of your pork, oven, etc.

*Let pork rest for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

blurry...but you can see it cut

Open like a book

Showing how I cut it

the filling!

spread out

secured with toothpicks

toothpicks, olive oil, slat and pepper done

cooked!

sliced and standing

yummy filling

Stuffed Zucchini

The zucchini is stuffed with brown rice, lean ground beef, red peppers, parmesan cheese and basil, just to name a few. I thought that would be a bit of a mouthful if I put it in the title. In fact you may have looked at a long title and thought, "forget about it!" Hopefully you didn't because this was super yummy!

I told you I love zucchini! When I was searching for a great casserole recipe I also stumbled up on this little gem. Turns out, Kalyn's Kitchen has tons of great zucchini recipes. Looks like she's as crazy about them as I am. I found her recipe here, but I made a few modifications based on what we had - and err what I forgot to do while cooking.

This was filling and very healthy. It gives you something from almost every food group! Talk about a well-rounded meal. We were both full but not stuffed and uncomfortable like some dishes can make you. I will definitely be making this again!

*Note: For you vegetarians: substitute ground beef for black beans! I plan to make it that way next time. I think it will be awesome! 

Stuffed Zucchini with Ground Beef, Red Pepper, Brown Rice & Parmesan
Recipe by Kalyn's Kitchen
Yields 4 stuffed zucchini halves
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Ingredients:
*2 large or 4 small round zucchini (or use regular shaped zucchini)
*1/2 onion, chopped
*1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
*2 tsp. olive oil
*1 lb. very lean ground beef (less than 10% fat; mine had 4% fat)
*1 tsp. chopped garlic or garlic puree (from a jar; *I used 2 cloves garlic, minced)
*1/2 tsp. ground fennel seed (I did my best to "grind" my fennel seed - from spice rack!)
*1 cup cooked brown rice
*1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
*3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
*1/4 cup chicken stock (totally forgot this step while cooking, whoops!)

Preparation:

*Preheat oven to 375. 

*Cut stem and flower ends off zucchini. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then using a pointed teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out and discard most of the zucchini flesh and seeds.

*Microwave zucchini 3-4 minutes on high.

*Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan and saute chopped onions and peppers until they are just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. (They will cook more in the oven, so they don't need to be fully cooked at this point.) 

*Remove onions and peppers to large mixing bowl, then add ground beef to hot pan and cook until starting to brown. When meat is about half cooked, season with ground fennel and add garlic, and continue to cook until meat is well browned, breaking it into small pieces. Remove cooked ground beef to mixing bowl.

*Add cooked brown rice, chopped basil, Parmesan cheese, and chicken stock to meat and vegetable mixture, and gently combine.

*Spray pan with nonstick spray or a light misting of olive oil. Stuff zucchini with stuffing mixture, packing in as much as you can into each zucchini, and mounding it up as high as you can, until all stuffing is used (I couldn't even use all mine! It will be lunch leftovers this week!).

*Put zucchini into roasting pan (I used a 9x9 pan), putting them close together so they hold each other stuffing-side up. Roast uncovered 20-30 minutes, until zucchini is tender-crisp, and filling is hot and slightly browned. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

scooped out zucchini

onion and pepper cooking

time to add seasoning to meat!

everything mixed up and ready for filling

the boats are ready!

with a little extra parmesan cheese on top

delicious and filling!

Steak with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce

Remember that ridiculously fabulous and easy Fettucini Alfredo recipe I made? The one that I wanted to lick the bowl for? Well, the Pioneer Woman (who is the mind behind the Fettucini Alfredo recipe) has done it again. She made up this recipe that I knew I had to make the second I saw it.

While I made a few modifications (this sauce is heavy so I wanted to attempt to lighten it a bit...right). I put my version below in parenthesis below. I didn't think you'd believe me that I lightened it if I didn't show the original ingredients!

Anyhoo, this was totally worth the splurge. The sauce was "awesome!" according to John, and I finally cooked a steak correctly! Helloooo medium steak :)  I got lots of compliments from the hub about this meal, and I felt like superwoman making steak for him for lunch Saturday. (Hey, if you're going to make a heavy sauce may as well have it for lunch so you have time to burn it off during the day. I definitely forced myself out the door an hour later for a run.)

Steak with Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Serves 2  
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Ingredients:
*2 steaks (I used top sirloin filet, she used ribeye) 
*2 tablespoons butter 
*salt and pepper 
*4 tablespoons butter (I used 2 tbsp)
*1 whole very large yellow onion (I used one and a half small sweet onions...all I had)
*1 cup heavy cream (I used 3/4 cup)
*1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (I used about 1/3 cup)

Preparation:
*Slice onion into medium slices. (See pictures for how mine looked).

*Saute onions in 4 tablespoons butter (I did 2 tablespoons instead of 4 and thought it was fine) over high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until dark and caramelized.

*Salt and pepper both sides of the steaks. Grill (I used a grill pan) in 2 tablespoons butter until medium rare. (I started with 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other because mine were quite thin.)

*Reduce heat of onions to simmer and pour in cream. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.

*Stir in blue cheese until melted.

*Serve steaks on generous portion of sauce with a green veggie on the side to balance it out.

Sweet onions sliced and ready to go.

Butter on the grill pan.

Onions ready for sauce!

Onions plus cream

Plus blue cheese

finished sauce

Steak over sauce

Yummm

Note the steak was not nearly as red as this picture implies...I hit the "enhance" button in iPhoto and it also enhanced the red in the steak. John swears it was perfectly medium and I tried his and agreed!

Ahhh the beauty of pictures in natural light...Creamy, perfect steak yuminess. Yeah, I said it.