Montreal Pot Roast

I fix pot roast quite often as it usually makes enough for several meals, and hubby can eat the leftovers on the nights that I work.  One of the things I do to vary a pot roast is to use different seasonings on it.  One of the seasonings that I use often is the Sorta Montreal Steak Seasoning that I posted recently.  It gives the meat a little bit of a kick.

I use a Corning Ware casserole dish (that I have had forever) which can be used both on the top of the stove and in the oven.  A Dutch oven can also be used.  If neither of these is available, brown pot roast in a skillet and transfer the meat to a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Most of the time, I serve pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy as that is hubby's preference.  My preference is to cook the vegetables with the pot roast so I do that from time to time.  Hubby doesn't eat cooked carrots as a side dish, but he will eat them in stews, soups, casseroles, and when cooked with a pot roast   If the vegetables are cooked with the meat, pot roast is an easy-to-do, mostly hands-off, one-dish meal, and that is something I really, really like.

Montreal Pot Roast
1-2 T. olive or vegetable oil
3 lbs. boneless chuck roast, or other pot roast meat
1-2 t. Sorta Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 t. beef bouillon granules or broth base
6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
6-8 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch x 1 1/2-inch sticks
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
2 to 3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch chucks
1 c. water, divided
1/4 c. flour

Heat oil in a range-top/oven-proof casserole, Dutch oven or a skillet.  Rub all surfaces of roast with the seasoning.  Place in hot oil and brown on all sides.  Remove from heat.  If using a baking dish, transfer meat to it.  Add tomato sauce.  Fill sauce can with water to rinse out and add to tomato sauce.  Add beef bouillon and stir a bit to blend the water, tomato sauce, and bouillon.  Cover and place in 350-degree oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Add potatoes, carrots, onions and celery to the casserole or Dutch oven, arranging the vegetables  all around the meat.  Cover, and continue to roast in oven another 45 minutes to 1 hour until vegetables are tender.  Remove meat and vegetables from the liquid.  If using a baking dish, pour the liquid into a medium saucepan.  Add 1/2 c. water and heat until boiling.  Mix 1/2 c. water and 1/4 c. flour together until smooth and stir into pot roast liquid.  Stir and cook until gravy is smooth and thickened.  Serve gravy with pot roast and vegetables.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Full Plate Thursday

Fantastic Thursday

Vegetable Beef Soup

Shame on me, I forgot my weekly Welcome and Thank You to my new followers and readers so here it is today.  Welcome new followers and Thank You to all who take the time to read my blog.  I am truly humbled that anyone would spend some time from their busy lives here.  I always endeavor to write posts that will be useful.

The days are getting a little colder, so when I think about something to make for lunch soup comes to mine.  From time to time our local newspaper prints recipes that have been sent in by readers.  This soup recipe was submitted by Amy Olander.

I, of course, have changed the recipe some from the original.  This is somewhat like a sloppy stew and  makes a large pot which will feed hubby and me for several days.

Vegetable Beef Soup
adapted from a recipe by Amy Olander
2 c. cubed potatoes
1 c. diced carrots
3/4 c. diced celery
1 c. diced onions
6 c. water
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained of excess fat
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. diced green or red pepper
1/2 c. barley
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 t. dried parsley or 1 T. snipped fresh parsley
1 large bay leaf
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
3 whole allspice
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

In a large sauce pot combine potatoes, carrots, celery and onion.  Cover with water.  Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are just tender.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer at least 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and allspice before serving.  Serves 6 to 8.

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Show Me What You Got Tuesday
Tuesday Talent Show
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Get Your Craft On
Hunk of Meat Monday

Sweet and Sour Meat Loaf

It is another Monday, and I want to say “Thank You” to all who come by and take the time to read this blog.  It is truly appreciated, and I hope what you find here is useful to you.

I had to work an extra night last week, so decided to make a meatloaf for hubby to warm up for dinner.  This is a new recipe that has been in my computer files forever.

Using different mustards in this will give the sauce a slightly different flavor each time.

I make my meat loaves free-form in a 7x11-inch pan so that a sauce topping can be  used.  I did not get a chance to take a photo before the meatloaf had been sliced so the pic is not a particularly good one.  What is there about meat that it just doesn’t photograph very well?

Sweet and Sour Meat Loaf
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 t.  salt
1 t. poultry seasoning
1/4  t. pepper
2  eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. finely chopped onion or 2 T. instant chopped dried onion
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce -- divided
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
3 T. brown sugar
2 T. rice or wine vinegar
2 t. prepared mustard

Mix together beef, bread crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper and eggs. Add onion, half of the tomato sauce and the Worcestershire sauce.  Form into a loaf shape and place in a baking pan.  I use a 7x11-inch glass one.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard and remaining tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Pour over meat loaf and bake 10 minutes more.  Serves 6 to 8.

Linking to:  Hunk of Meat Monday
Recipe Sharing Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Must Try Monday
Mangia Monday
Made by You Monday
Making Monday Marvelous

Easy Beef Enchiladas

Here it is another week, and I want to wish a warm welcome to my new followers.  Thank you for following my blog and thanks once again to all those who take the time out of your busy lives to stop here for awhile.  It is truly appreciated, and I hope what you find here is useful.

This is another freezer/pantry shelf recipe that can be made with ingredients easily kept on hand.  It appears on our table monthly.  Hubby and I get a good meal, and there is plenty leftover for him to eat a couple of evenings while I am at work.

I make my own red enchilada sauce and am including the recipe.  However, purchased sauce could be used.  I think it would take a couple of cans to equal the amount of sauce that the recipe makes.  I put the tomato sauce into the pan before the water and then use the can to measure the first cup of water.  This rinses out all the tomato sauce.  I am a wimp when it comes to spicy foods so use only1 T. chili powder in the sauce and 1 t. chili powder in the ground beef.

I use my already browned frozen ground beef which usually has onions, celery, and red peppers in it, but I like to add additional onion and red pepper when I heat the ground beef for this recipe.  I think that it helps to give the dish a fresher taste.

Easy Beef Enchiladas

Enchilada Sauce
1 T. minced garlic
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 1/2 c. water
1 to 2 T. chili powder (I use 1 T.)
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies, drained


Beef Filling
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped red or green pepper
additional chili powder to taste (I use 1 t.)

10 (8 inch) flour tortillas [or 8 (10 inch)]
1 1/2 c. (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Monterey jack cheese  OR
2 1/2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Mexican Blend cheese

In a medium saucepan, combine garlic, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, and green chilies.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, brown ground beef and onion in medium skillet.  Add 1 cup of the enchilada sauce to the ground beef and continue to cook beef until the sauce has been absorbed, about 5 to 10 minutes.  To assemble enchiladas, heat a tortilla either in the microwave for about 10 seconds or in an ungreased skillet for about 15 seconds per side.  Dip tortilla in sauce,  fill with about 1/4 c. of beef mixture and top with about 1 T. of cheddar cheese or Mexican Blend cheese, if using.  Roll up tortilla and place seam-side down in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.  Repeat with rest of the tortillas.  Pour remaining sauce evenly over tortillas.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let set 5 minutes before serving.  Makes 8 to 10 enchiladas.

Linking to:  Mop It Up Monday
Recipe Sharing Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Must Try Monday
Mangia Monday
Made by You Monday
Making Monday Marvelous

DIY Groceries-Barbecue Rubs and Sauces 3

Happy Monday and welcome to my newest followers.  I hope you enjoy your time here at Grandma Loy’s Kitchen.

Here is another quick and easy barbecue sauce that is inexpensive to make.  It uses a can of tomato sauce as a base.  Today I will be using it in an Oven Barbecued Chicken recipe, but it can be used to baste other meats whether in the oven or on a grill.  I always reserve some to pass at the table.  There is a range for the chili powder.  I use 3 t., and it is plenty spicy for me, but I am a weakling when it comes to very spicy food.

There is not a barbecue rub in the usual sense today, but there is a mixture of celery seed, garlic and onion powder, and salt sprinkled and rubbed on the chicken.  I use bone-in, skin on chicken thighs, but chicken breasts or a cut-up whole chicken can be used, about 3 to 3 1/2 lbs.

This recipe came from the internet several years ago, but I do not know the source.  I have adapted it to suit our tastes.

Oven-Barbecued Chicken
3-3 1/2 lbs. cut-up chicken, breasts, or thighs
2 t. celery salt
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. onion powder
1/4 t. salt

Combine celery seed, garlic and onion powder, and salt in a small bowl.   If using cut-up chicken rub on skin surfaces.  If using bone-in, skin-on thighs as I do.  Lift skin and sprinkle mixture on chicken meat, replace skin; turn thighs over and sprinkle remaining mixture on bone side of thighs.  Line a 9x13 or larger baking pan with foil.  Place chicken, bone side down, in the pan.  Bake at 375 degrees 30 minutes.   Remove from oven.  At this point, I pour off any accumulated fat and remove the skin from the chicken thighs.  (Leaving the skin on during the first part of cooking keeps the chicken meat from drying out.)  Spoon some of the barbecue sauce evenly over the chicken, coating completely.  Bake 30 minutes longer or until chicken is tender, basting with additional sauce every 10 minutes.  Heat remaining sauce to pass at the table.  Makes 4 servings.

Teresa’s Homemade Barbecue Sauce
1 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 c. white vinegar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
2-4 t. chili powder
1 t. salt
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan.  Add onions and sauté until tender.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Frugal Tip:  Use the measured out vinegar to rinse out the tomato sauce can to get it all. Makes about 1 1/3 c.  Keeps for a week or two.

Linking up to Melt in Your Mouth Monday and Tuesday Time-Out Link-Up Party

1-Dish Meat Lovers' Pizza Bake

I  am so excited!  I managed to edit the HTML for this blog to add a button for PrintFriendly.  I have never done anything with HTML before.  Of course, it was just a copy and paste thing, but I feel so empowered.  It kind of makes up for my stubbed toe (see previous post.)

Now, if you want to print a post, you can just click the print/PDF button below the post.  It will bring up a page where you can delete the photos and any parts of the post you do not want.  You do need to be on the post's separate page, not on the home page.  (See a more thorough explanation here.)  You can then print or save it as a PDF.  Pretty cool, I think, and I use it all the time.

Fleischmann's Yeast has a web site call Breadworld.com.  They have a category there called 1-Dish that has 39 main dish and dessert recipes that can be made in less than an hour.  I often use recipes from there for our lunches.  I made this dish this week but used all Italian sausage.  The crust for this is more like a biscuit crust.  We prefer our crusts thin, so I halve the dough ingredients.  I make my own pizza sauce and have included the recipe below.  I used a 9-inch round pie pan instead of a square pan.

1-Dish Meat-Lovers' Pizza Bake
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 envelopes Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
3/4 cup very warm water (120° - 130°F)
1/4 c. olive oil

Meat Filling
1/2 pound lean ground beef, cooked
1/2 pound Italian sausage, cooked and drained
1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce

Toppings
12 to 18 pepperoni slices (about 1-inch diameter)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian Herb Blend

Mix dough ingredients together in a pre-sprayed 8x8-inch baking dish.  Stretch dough out to cover the bottom and sides of dish.  Combine meat filling ingredients and place on dough in pan.  Evenly distribute pepperoni slices over meat; sprinkle with cheese and herbs.  Bake by placing in a COLD oven; set temperature to 350 degrees; bake 30 minutes.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Pizza Sauce-supposed to be like Pizza Hut's
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried marjoram
1/4 t. garlic powder
1 t. sugar

Combine and let set for an hour to allow flavors to blend or place ingredients in a small saucepan and cook 10-15 minutes.


Linking to Full Plate Thursday and I'm Lovin' It
Ingredient Spotlight

Tomorrow:  Friday Finds and Frugal Tips

Cooking with the Journal-Tamale Casserole

This casserole was a favorite of my children when they were growing up so I made it often.  It makes a lot so leaves leftovers for my husband to eat on the nights that I work. It is a perfect dish to take to a potluck or other get-together dinner.  The use of the tamales makes it different than many ground beef casseroles.  I use Nalley's Tamales, a brand available here in the northwest.  The casserole is quick, easy, and can be made with pantry shelf ingredients.  If you have already browned up ground beef in your freezer, this is a snap to make.  You may, in fact, make this without the ground beef and use two cans of tamales.  It works just fine.  I have also omitted the noodles from time to time.

Tamale Casserole

Family Favorites from Country Kitchens

Farm Journal Books, 1973

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped red or green pepper (omit if you don't like this)

1 (15 oz.) can tamales, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 (1 lb.) can red kidney beans, drained or 1 (1 1b.) can chili beans, undrained

1 (1 lb.) can cream-style corn

2 (8 oz.) or 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

4 oz. wide noodles, cooked and drained

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. chili powder

 1/2-1 t. cumin (not in original recipe, but I use it)

1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef in skillet until meat begins to turn color.  Add onion and pepper.  Saute' until meat is well browned.  Set aside.  Open the can of tamales, rinse the sauce from the tamales, and remove the papers that they are wrapped in.  Cut tamales into 1-inch pieces.  Combine the tamales, beans, corn, tomato sauce, noodles, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder and cumin in a large bowl.  Add ground beef and mix well.   Turn into greased 3-qt. casserole or 9x13-inch baking dish.  Top with cheese.  Bake in 375 degree oven 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Makes 6-8 servings.

I am sharing this recipe at Potluck Sunday at Mommy's Kitchen.

Tomorrow:  Ingredient Spotlight-half n' half/cream