Smoked Brisket Pie

The inspiration for this dish came out of having leftover brisket. In the fall, I find myself eating an abundance of it due to football tailgating and parties (and it might just be because I live in Texas 😉). When contemplating what to make, I leaned towards a beef bourguignon because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a red wine braise? This is my Texas spin on a sheperd’s pie.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Smoked Brisket Pie

6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup dry red wine (I used a dry red blend.)
• 6 ounces baby brown mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced
• 2 cups smoked brisket, cubed
• 1 recipe mashed sweet potatoes

Directions:

Place a medium pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and swirl around the bottom of the pot to coat. Add the bell pepper and celery. Sauté until they start to soften, about 5-8 minutes. Next add the shallots and garlic; continue to cook until they have softened and the mixture is fragrant.

Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, thyme, and Herbes de Provence, and pour in the beef broth and wine. Stir, and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow the liquid to reduce by about half and the mixture to thicken.

Once it has thickened, add the mushrooms and brisket. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes to cook the mushrooms and heat through the brisket meat.

Turn the oven to the broiler setting, and spray a 8″x8″ baking dish with nonstick spray.

Carefully ladle and eventually pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top the dish with the mashed sweet potatoes. (I had a little extra time, so I decide to pipe on the potatoes to make it look pretty.)

Place the baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 5 minutes to heat everything up. You can leave it in there for longer if you want to crisp up the top of the potatoes as well – just be sure to keep an eye on it because it can go from a nice golden brown to burnt in a matter of seconds. Serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“Y’know nothin’ goes better with beef than beef!” – Adam Richman

Texan Cheesesteak Sandwiches

I always try to be as creative as possible with second round recipes. While this isn’t super inventive, it does bring in our favorite flavors while using some left over prime rib. The best thing was that it took no time at all to get dinner on the table!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Texan Cheesesteak Sandwiches

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 red bell pepper, julienned
• 3/4 green bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
• 1 jalapeño, julienned
• 4 ounces baby brown mushrooms, sliced
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 pound roast beef, sliced into strips*
• 4 hoagie rolls, sliced open
• 4 slices pepper jack cheese
• Mayonnaise, for serving

*I used left over prime rib meat from last week. 😀

Directions:

Place a large pot over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil to it. Next, add the bell peppers, onion, jalapeños, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook until all the vegetables have slightly softened. Add the beef. Continue to cook, until the beef has warmed through and the vegetables have fully softened.

Spread the mayonnaise on the inside/cut side of the hoagie roll. Add the veggie and meat mixture to it, and top with a slice of the pepper jack cheese.

Close the sandwich and enjoy the yumminess!

Enjoy!!

“”The Philly cheese steak, a combination of cheap industrial cheese, cheap industrial steak, onions and a roll that strains to contain it, like the casing on a cholesterol torpedo, could be the truest expression of the American dream of easy plenty for all.”” – Tim Hayward

Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Pattypan squash! This past weekend, my husband and I made a trip to the Hill Country of Texas. Much to our delight, it was littered with local produce stands. As one of our souvenirs, along with our 6 bottles of wine, we decided to get some home grown veggies and fruit. One of the gems we came away with was, yup, pattypan squash. I couldn’t say no to it’s cute shape. I ended up stuffing it and serving it as a gluten-free side dish during a weekday dinner.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Stuffed Pattypan Squash

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 4 small/medium sized pattypan squash (I picked out ones that were roughly the size of my palm.)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup of baby brown mushrooms, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced (I used red and green since I had some left over.)
• 1/4 cup white onions, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup brown rice, already cooked
• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, part skim
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese (anything you have on hand or your favorite – I used mozzarella)

Directions:

Heat a medium pot of water over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the pattypan squash. Cook for 15 minutes. Once time has elapsed, remove from water, and allow to come to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a small baking sheet with foil, and spray with nonstick olive oil cooking spray. Set aside for later.

In the sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and garlic. Cook until the veggies have softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Place the cooked vegetables in a medium mixing bowl, and add the rice, parmesan cheese, seasonings, and ricotta cheese. Set aside.

Take each squash, cut off the end with the stem so that they sit flat on the larger bottom side. Using a small paring knife, cut out a deep pocket.  Repeat with the rest of the squash. Keep half of the flesh you cut out, and eat or discard the tops (but not the stem if you eat it silly!).

Chop it up, and add it to the mixing bowl. Stir the contents of the medium bowl well.

Stuff each squash with the mixture, and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with cheese. Return the sheet to the oven for 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook’s year. I get more excited by that than anything else.” – Mario Batali

Slow Cooker Gravy Beef Bites

Our house loves meat and potatoes. Here is another simple slow cooker tender beef meal that you can serve with potatoes, rice, or vegetables. It really takes minimal prep for maximum deliciousness!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Slow Cooker Gravy Beef Bites

6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large white onion, cut into eighths and layers separated
• 10 ounces fresh button mushrooms, cleaned, de-stemmed, and cut in half
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 pounds beef chuck, fat trimmed and cubed
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (10.75 ounces) can condensed cream of mushroom soup*
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

*If you have time you can also make this from scratch. Here is my recipe.

Directions:

Place your slow cooker lining in your slow cooker, if you like to use them. I also like to spray mine with non-stick cooking spray just to avoid the food sticking. (Better safe than sorry in our household.)

Layer the onions, mushrooms, and garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker.

Next add the remaining ingredients. Stir the ingredients well to make sure everything is coated.

Cover the slow cooker, turn it to low, and cook for 8-10 hours.

Once time has elapsed, stir the meat and vegetables well.

Serve it warm over mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!!

“Yes, beef is what was for dinner last night. Tonight it will be my dinner, and it will continue to be.” – Christopher Bond

Guinness Meatloaf

This is a manly meatloaf. It has multiple meats, cheese, and even beer. The bacon is just the crowning touch. Enjoy all you meat-lovers!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Guinness Meatloaf

4-6 Servings

Ingredients for the glaze:

• 3 ounces Guinness (or another stout beer)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tablespoon honey

Ingredients for the meatloaf:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 ounces baby brown mushrooms, de-stemed and diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3 ounces Guinness (or another stout beer)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 slice wheat bread, torn into large pieces
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 3/4 pound ground lamb
• 1 large egg
• 2 ounces aged white Cheddar cheese, diced
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
•  8-10 ounces sliced bacon  (about 8-10 strips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and a piece of parchment paper. Set aside for later.

Start on the glaze. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir, and once the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer. Allow the glaze to reduce by half, and then remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool.

Heat a large pan over medium heat, and add the olive oil.  Add the onion and mushrooms. Sauté until softened.  Next add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour in the beer, and simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool to a temperature you can handle by hand.

In a small bowl, soak the bread in the milk, tossing once, until soggy. Move the soaked bread to the onion mixture bowl.

Add the beef, lamb, egg, cheese, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper; mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Dump the meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet, and form into a rectangular loaf.

Cover the meatloaf with strips of bacon, being sure to tuck in the ends under the loaf. Brush the top of the meatloaf with the cooled glaze.

Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 160° F in the center of the meatloaf. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, and change the temperature of the oven to broil.

Brush the remaining glaze over the meatloaf, and place the baking sheet back in the oven.

Broil the loaf until the bacon is browned and crisped, about 2-3 minutes. (Make sure you keep an eye on it to avoid burning.)  Remove from oven, and carefully transfer the meatloaf to a cutting board. Allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Cut into 3/4-inch thick slices, and serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“It’s like people call me a rock star or this or that. And I go, ‘Don’t call me that. I don’t think of myself in those terms. If you have to call me anything, call me a chameleon.” – Meat Loaf

Coq Au Vin

Coq au vin is a traditional French dish. Translated it means “rooster with wine.” Of course, these days roosters are not readily available in grocery stores. I make mine with chicken and pinot noir.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Coq Au Vin

4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (3-5 pounds) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour, for dusting
• 4 ounces (about 4 slices for me) bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 cup yellow onions, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, smashed
• 8 ounces  baby brown mushrooms, de-stemed and quartered
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 (about 1.5 cups) a 750mL bottle of Burgundry wine (can substitute Pinot Noir – which is what I did since I had some in our wine fridge)
• 2 to 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bundle thyme (about 6-8 stems)*
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 pound (4 ounces) frozen pearl onions, defrosted
• green onions, sliced, for garnish

*I usually tie these together with twine so that I can easily remove it after cooking.

Directions:

Place a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom.

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour on a plate. Coat the chicken with flour on the plate, shake the excess off, and place immediately in the hot pot. Only flour the chicken that fits in the pot.

Brown the pieces on both sides, and then remove from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.

Next, lower heat to medium, and add the bacon to the now empty dutch oven. Once the bacon pieces are brown and crispy, add the celery, carrots, and onion. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until the veggies start to soften, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic to the pot, and cook until fragrant. Next, add the mushrooms, and cook until softened and the mushrooms give off their juices, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour in the brandy, and allow to cook until it is reduced by half. Add the tomato paste, and stir to combine fully. Pour in the wine, and bring the mixture to a boil, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Return the legs and thighs of the chicken to the pan (You will add in the breasts and wings in a few minutes.). Pour in enough chicken broth to cover 3/4ths of the chicken. Next, throw in the thyme and bay leaves. Bring the mixture up to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Taste the mixture, and add additional salt and pepper, if needed. Add the pearl onions, and stir. Partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Once the time has elapsed, turn the legs and thighs over and add the breasts and wings to the pot. If the liquid has cooked off, add more chicken broth to bring it back up to 3/4ths of the chicken. Partially cover the pot again, and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Once cooked, remove the chicken pieces from the pan and skim the top of the sauce, if needed. The sauce should be thick, but if not, cook it uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Remove the bundled thyme. Plate the chicken on top of some mashed potatoes, and a generous amount of saucey goodness. Garnish with green onions.

Enjoy!!

La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin…”Life is too short to drink bad wine” in French

Cajun Breaded Chicken with Creamy Pasta

I just love a great crispy breaded chicken with comforting pasta. If it’s creamy, it makes it even better. Since I had a huge container of cajun seasoning, I figured I should get some use out of it.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Cajun Breaded Chicken with Creamy Pasta

2 Servings

Ingredients for the chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts, thin cut
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon low fat or non-fat milk
• 2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning + more for seasoning the chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Ingredients for the pasta:

• 2 pieces of bacon, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup white onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 6 ounces baby brown mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (can substitute dried Italian seasoning)
• 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 6-8 ounces pasta, cooked and drained

Directions:

Rub the chicken breasts with cajun seasoning and set aside while preparing the breading dishes.

On the first plate, place the flour. On a second deep plate or wide bowl, beat the eggs with milk. Combine the breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper on a third dinner plate.

Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, and shake excess flour off. Then dip both sides into the egg mixture so the chicken is fully coated. Finally dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan and cook the battered chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

Once finished cooking, transfer to a plate to allow excess oil to drain. (At this point, I usually store it in a microwave until the pasta is ready.)

While the chicken is cooking, place a large pan over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces. Allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes, and then add the garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant.

Next add the onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and dried herbs. Fry until vegetables start to soften. At this point, add the chicken broth, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Pour in the heavy cream, and bring to a simmer. Stir in lemon juice, butter, and cajun seasoning. Taste sauce and add salt and pepper if necessary. Toss in the tomatoes and cook until it starts to soften.

Finally, stir in the parmesan. Remove the pan from heat, and toss in the cooked pasta. Coat the pasta completely with the sauce.

Serve the pasta with the chicken and an additional sprinkling of parmesan.

Enjoy!!

“Laissez les bons temps rouler” – Let the good times roll in French Cajun

Green Beans with Mushroom Gravy

Green beans and mushrooms…two of my fave veggies. They are totally delicious together in gravy. The mushroom gravy can even be used on grilled chicken breast.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Green Beans with Mushroom Gravy

2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hot boiling water
• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed, and halved
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup white onion, diced
• 3 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (can substitute dried Italian seasoning)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Directions:

Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in the hot water and set aside for 20 minutes.

First, place a pot of water on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water. Once the pot of water is boiling, add green beans boil for 5-6 minutes. Remove and drain immediately and place in a bowl of ice water (to “shock” them…aka to stop the cooking).

Once they have cooled, drain the water from the bowl and set aside on paper towels or clean kitchen towel to drain even more. Set aside in a bowl for serving.

In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. (I usually just use the one that I boiled the green beans in.) Add the onions and sauté until tender. Next, add the garlic and Herbes de Provence (can substitute dried Italian seasoning) and sauté until fragrant. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook until they start to soften and turn golden brown.

Add the porcini mushrooms and soaking water to the pan, and simmer at medium-high until reduced by half.

Add the cream and parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until it thickens.

Remove from the heat and serve over the green beans.

Enjoy!!

What did one bean say to the other bean?
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How you bean doing?

Creamy Alfredo Tortellini Soup

More soup. This weekend was a particularly lazy one for my husband and me. So lazy, in fact, that I let the slow cooker do most of the cooking for me. This was a cozy way to finish off our wonderful chill-out weekend with minimal work in the kitchen.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Creamy Alfredo Tortellini Soup

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.6 ounce) envelope of alfredo sauce mix*
• 4 cups water
• 1.75 cups chicken broth**
• 6 ounces fresh baby brown mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup white onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 teaspoons Herbes de Provence (can substitute dried Italian seasoning)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes
• 1 (9 ounce) package fresh herb chicken tortellini (used Buitoni)**
• 9 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 can (12 ounces) non-fat evaporated milk
• black pepper, freshly ground, for serving
• Parmigiano Reggiano, shredded, for serving

*This usually can be found in the grocery store next to the gravy mixes and taco seasonings.
** If you want to make this a vegetarian soup, you can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and cheese tortellini for the chicken tortellini.

Directions:

Place your slow cooker lining in your slow cooker, if you like to use them.

Place the first three ingredients into the lined slow cooker. Whisk until the alfredo mix is fully dissolved.

Next, add the mushrooms, onions, garlic, Herbes de Provence, salt, nutmeg, cayenne, and chili flakes. Mix to combine.

Cover the slow cooker, and cook over low heat for 6-6.5 hours or high heat for 3-3.5 hours.

After time has elapsed, add the tortellini and stir. Allow the soup to cook over low heat for an additional 1 hour or over high heat for 30 minutes.

Finally stir in the baby spinach and evaporated milk.

Ladle into bowls, and serve with fresh cracked black pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Enjoy!!

“Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup.” – Ludwig van Beethoven

Tuna Mac ‘N Cheese

Here is another mac ‘n cheese jazzed up recipe. This was inspired by my friend, Tay. Her dad had a recipe for mac ‘n cheese with tuna and peas that he always used to make in college. This is my version of it with a few more veggies and some additional flavors.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Tuna Mac ‘N Cheese

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 package/box (14 ounces) Macaroni and Cheese Dinner
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup white onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup baby brown mushrooms, chopped
• 1 package (4.5 ounces) hickory smoked tuna
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup provolone cheese, diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Directions:

Prepare the macaroni and cheese dinner as directed on package.

Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet on medium. Sauté the onions and mushrooms in the skillet until everything is softened and liquid is all cooked out.

Once cooked, add the onion/mushroom mixture, tuna, peas, cheese, dill, and green onion to the macaroni and cheese. Toss to combine and heat through.

Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Divide between bowls and serve warm.

Enjoy!!

“Dolphin-safe tuna, that’s great if you’re a dolphin. What if you’re a tuna? Somewhere there’s a tuna flopping around on a ship going, ‘What about me? I’m not cute enough for you?'” – Drew Carey