Roast Beef

I had never made roast beef before.  I have cooked roasts in a slow-cooker plenty of times, but this is the kind of roast beef that you slice into thin slices and eat with mashed potatoes, or on a sandwich.  It was so good.  My kids, who aren't big beef eaters, loved this.  They asked for seconds, then thirds, then fourths.  They even asked for it again for lunch, which is unheard of.  It really is so good. Give it a try.  But be aware, you'll need to plan ahead for this one.  It's not at all difficult, but it takes some time.  But Boy, is it worth it!

Roast Beef
Recipe from America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 boneless eye-round or top-round roast (2 1/2 - 4 1/2 lbs)
Kosher salt (1 T for 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 lb roast; 4 tsp for 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 lb roast)
2 tsp vegetable oil, plus 1 T oil for cooking
Freshly ground black pepper (1 1/2 tsp for 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 lb roast; 2 tsp for 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 lb roast)

Sprinkle all the sides of roast evenly with salt.  Wrap roast in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
Heat oven to 225F.  Pat roast dry with paper towels; rub with 2 tsp oil.  Sprinkle all sides evenly with pepper.
Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until smoking.  Sear roast until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer roast to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast in the 225F oven until a thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 125-degrees F, about 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 hours.
Turn oven off, but leave roast in oven, without opening door, until temperature of meat reaches at least 130 degrees (medium-rare) or 140 degrees(medium), about 30-50 minutes longer.  Transfer roast to carving board and let rest 15 minutes before carving.  Slice meat crosswise as thinly as possible and serve.
The leftovers make great sandwiches.  Try topping a pile of sliced roast beef with mango chutney for an amazing sandwich!
Serves 6-8.

Buttery Scones

I love scones.  I have already posted my favorite blueberry scone recipe, and this one is similar, but without the berries.  Half my kids don't like blueberries, so I have to make plain scones for them sometimes, too.  We like to eat them with jam. 

Buttery Scones
Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping


Ingredients:
3 1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 T cold butter
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 T whole milk
1 T sugar

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a cookie sheet.
Using a box grater, grate the butter.  Put in freezer until ready to use.
In a large bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add in grated butter and mix lightly with your hands until butter is evenly distributed. 
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup milk and eggs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in milk mixture.  Stir until just combined.
Turn dough onto prepared cookie sheet (dough will be sticky).  Using floured hands, pat dough into a 9-inch circle.  Brush 1 T milk over the surface of the dough, and sprinkle with remaining 1 T sugar.  With floured knife, cut into 8 wedges, but do not separate.
Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool 5 minutes or completely before serving. 
Makes 8 large scones.

Cedar Grilled Salmon

By the time we remembered to take a photo, this was all that was left!

I don't eat fish.  This is something you have to know about me.  My husband is always trying to get me to eat fish, and I obligingly try it, and don't like it.  But this fish I almost liked.  I certainly didn't have a problem finishing my entire steak, and if I hadn't known it was fish I probably would have eaten it without any problem.  My husband assures me it was fantastic.  Try it, and tell me what you think.  By the way, if you don't have a cedar plank, you can grill this without it, it just won't have that smoky flavor.

Cedar Grilled Salmon

Ingredients:
1 T chili powder
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp olive oil
4 salmon steaks, 3/4-inch thick (8 oz each)
cedar plank for grilling

4 hours before grilling, submerge the cedar plank in water.  Let soak for 4 hours.
Prepare grill.  In small bowl combine chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, thyme, salt, ginger and oil.  Rub on all sides of salmon steaks.
Place the cedar plank on the grill and turn the heat to medium-high.  Place salmon steaks on the plank and close the top of the grill to create that delicious cedar smoke.  Grill until just opaque throughout, about 10 minutes (when grilling on a plank you don't need to flip the meat).
If not using the cedar plank, grill 4 minutes per side.
Serves 4.

Ginger Cake

I have to start by saying that this is NOT gingerbread.  The flavor and texture is nothing like gingerbread.  It is ginger cake, and so it tastes like ginger and spices, not like molasses and spices (which is what the main flavor in gingerbread is).  It is so delicious.  The texture is very light and moist, and despite the copious amounts of ginger in it, the flavor is not at all overpowering.  It's a perfect blend of ginger, spices, and a touch of sweetness.  It would be great as a teacake, or since ginger is so good for digestion, you can eat it with abandon as a dessert.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top, if you prefer.

Ginger Cake
Recipe by Susan Wittig Albert

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
4 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1/4 cup grated fresh ginger root
Zest of half a lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 9" Bundt pan.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally.  In a separate medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside. 
When the butter and sugar are light and fluffy, beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the grated ginger root, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Beat in flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto serving plate.  Dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.

Serves 10-12.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I love BBQ Chicken Pizza.  When I go to one of those fancy pizza restaurants it's always what I order.  When my sister-in-law Natalie mentioned that the Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken from the previous post was great on pizza, I thought, "I have to make that!"  Most of the ingredients for the pizza are the same as the sandwiches, so save some of everything if you want to make the pizza later on in the week.  Of course, you could always just make the chicken for the pizza, too!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2 cups BBQ Chicken
Pizza dough (see recipe below)
1/2 cup whole milk
4 T melted butter
1 T flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (the real stuff, people, not the kind in the green can)
2-3 T chopped red onion
1-2 T chopped cilantro
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Corn meal

Preheat oven to 425F.  Sprinkle corn meal in a 10" circle on a baking sheet.  Roll out pizza dough into a 10" circle and place on baking sheet.  Refrigerate until needed.
In a small saucepan, combine milk, butter, flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.  Turn heat to medium-high and whisk continuously until mixture begins to bubble and turns thick.  Remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan cheese.
Remove pizza crust from refrigerator.  Spread warm milk mixture over crust.  Top generously with BBQ chicken, then red onion and cilantro.  Finally, top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Pizza can be refrigerated until ready to use, or baked immediately.
Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly brown. 

Pizza Dough
Makes 2 10-inch pizza crusts

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 T yeast
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour (I use 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, and the rest white, or you can use all white)

In a mixer combine water, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Add 3 1/2 cups flour and stir well.  If dough is very wet and doesn't come away from the sides of the bowl, add additional 1/2 cup flour.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.  After 1 hour, turn onto lightly floured surface and divide dough into two.  Form into pizza crusts, add toppings, and bake at 425F for 15 minutes.
Makes 2 crusts.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

These are so amazingly delicious.  We had them at my sister-in-law Natalie's house a few weeks ago and I made them again the next week because I'd been thinking about them non-stop.  I really think that it's the combination of toppings that makes it so amazing.  You can double this recipe and save some of the leftovers for BBQ Chicken Pizza, which I'll post next. 

Slow-Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
Your favorite BBQ sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 T mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Sandwich buns
Chopped cilantro
Chopped red onion
Avocado slices

Place chicken in slow-cooker.  Pour over enough BBQ sauce to coat chicken.  In a small bowl combine honey, mustard, and garlic powder.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Shred chicken 1 hour before serving.

To serve, place shredded chicken on sandwich bun.  Top with cilantro, red onion, and avocado slices.  Enjoy!
Serves 6.

Cumberland Sausage Rolls

Have you ever made your own sausage?  It's actually easier than you would think, and since you're making it yourself, you can adjust the flavors to suit your taste.  This recipe is from the mystery book series "Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter" by Susan Wittig Albert.  I recommend the books as a fun read, and there are lots of recipes in the back of each one.  My kids loved this recipe, and I'll definitely be making it again!

Cumberland Sausage Rolls
Recipe by Susan Wittig Albert

Ingredients:
1 lb ground pork (or turkey or chicken)
1 egg
3-4 T dry breadcrumbs
1 tsp dry sage
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1/2 tsp dry savory or tarragon
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 T oil
Pie pastry, enough for 2 pies (see recipe below)

Mix pork, egg, breadcrumbs, and herbs.  Divide the mixture into 4 parts, then divide each part into 4 parts so you have 32 equal pieces.  Roll sausages into 4-inch-long cigar shapes.  Heat oil in skillet over medium or medium-high heat.  Fry sausages until nicely browned.  Set aside to cool.

Roll out half pastry into a circle 1/8" thick.  Cut into 16 wedges.  Place a sausage at the wide end of a wedge and roll up.  Place point-side down on a baking sheet.  When 16 rolls have been completed, roll out second pastry and repeat directions.  Refrigerate rolls until just before you're ready to eat, then bake at 400F for 15 minutes, or until pastry is lightly browned.  Serve immediately.

Pie Pastry
Makes enough for 2 pies

2 1/2 cups flour (you can include up to 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour if desired)
1/2 tsp salt
8 T cold butter (1/2 cup or 1 stick), cut into small pieces 
4 T shortening or lard
6-8 T ice water

Place flour and salt in a food processor.  Process to combine.  Add butter and shortening and process until mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Add 6 T ice water, process until dough comes together.  If dough doesn't come together, add more water a teaspoon at a time.  Divide dough into two equal pieces and wrap each in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or freeze for 10-15.  Roll and bake as directed.