Mandy and Jace

This weeks meal plan might sound a little bit like last weeks. We bought some 5 spice seasoning for our stir fry last week and liked it so much that we decided to make something else with it. It has Szechwan pepper, star anise, ground fennel seeds, ground cloves, cinnamon, salt and white pepper, all in one bottle. It has this great sweet flavor from the cinnamon and cloves but a spicy flavor from the pepper. Last week we put it on beef with some peppers and onions over white rice and it was really good. So this week we are using chicken and noodles. If it works out well I’ll post the recipe. Here’s this weeks plan.

Tonight: five spice chicken and noodles
Tuesday: sausage jambalaya (we may throw some chicken in there do depending on our mood)
Wednesday: turkey and cheese paninis
Thursday: take out before praise and worship practice
Friday: date night!

Happy eating!

This recipe was beyond easy and was very good. I threw everything in the crock pot before I went to work one day and it was ready to eat by dinner time. It can’t get much easier than this! I got the recipe from my faithful Pioneer Woman. If you haven’t looked through her blog yet, please do. She has amazing recipes that are right up our alley here in West Texas. She uses simple ingredients, that I usually have on hand, so when I need a recipe fast I always run straight to her.

Here’s what you will need: chuck roast, beef broth, italian seasoning, a jar of pepperoncini peppers and salt.

Put the roast in the crock pot with a liner. I love the crock pot liners. You just throw them away when you are done and put the crock pot up. No cleaning necessary.

Pour in about half of the carton of beef broth. You may use the rest at the end depending on how big your roast is.

pour in 3 tablespoons of Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of water

and half the jar of pepperoncini peppers with the juice

If the liquid isn’t just over the roast add more beef broth. This is what it should look like. Cook for 6-7 hours

Pull the meat out of the crock pot. Don’t get rid of the juice. You will need it.

With two forks shred the beef

Put it on the bread of your choice

Top with the cheese of your choice. I really like the colby jack

Ladle some of the liquid in the crock pot into small bowls…

and serve.

Slow cooker drip beef sandwiches
1 beef chuck roast. Around 2-4 pounds
1/2 carton beef broth
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 jar pepperoncini peppers with juice
Bread
Cheese

Put the chuck roast into the crock pot. All all other ingredients on top of it. If needed top it off with beef broth. Cook for 6-7 hours depending on the size of your roast.
Pull the meat out of the crock pot and shred it with two forks. Put the beef on your bread and top with cheese.
Ladle cooking liquid into small bowls and serve with the sandwiches.

Happy Valentine’s day to my love. I have always loved you and I always will!

I had to double this recipe to cover all of the cupcakes that the recipe from yesterday makes. I got the recipe from a website called Joy the Baker. I have used tons of her recipes and they have all been amazing. She has a killer pancake recipe that I used and I will never go back to store bought mix. Here’s the icing recipe.

Sift 2 cups of powdered sugar and place in your mixing bowl.

Put 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter in the mixer too and mix with the paddle attackment on medium speed until the butter and sugar mixes.

In another bowl combine 2 tablespoons of whole milk

and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Stream the milk mixture into the butter and sugar mixture. Once it is all in turn the mixer up to high and beat for about five minutes.

Spread or pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes.

Vanilla buttercream frosting
adapted from Joy the Baker
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift 2 cups of powdered sugar and place in your mixing bowl. Put 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter in the mixer too and mix with the paddle attackment on medium speed until the butter and sugar mixes.

In another bowl combine 2 tablespoons of whole milk and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stream the milk mixture into the butter and sugar mixture.

Once it is all in turn the mixer up to high and beat for about five minutes.

Remove icing and spread or pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes.

These turned out really well. They are very chocolaty with just a hint of root beer and the butter cream icing is nice and sweet. I got the recipe from this book. The recipe was for a bundt cake and I thought cupcakes would be better. I have to say I like the cupcakes much better than the whole cake. Here’s how I made them.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and put liners in your muffin tins.

In a small pot pour in 2 cups of root beer

and 1 cup of dark unsweetened cocoa powder

and 1 stick of unsalted butter.

Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted.

It will come together quite nicely. Resist the urge to lick the spoon, since it still doesn’t have any sugar. Again, I learn things the hard way.

Move the chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl and add 1 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar. Stir until the sugars dissolve and let it cool a bit.

While that is cooling use another bowl to whisk together 2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

and 1 teaspoon salt and set aside.

In a small bowl crack two large eggs

Pour the eggs into the cooled chocolate and root beer mixture and stir until combined.

Combine the chocolate mixture with the flour mixture and gently fold. The batter will be lumpy so be sure you don’t over mix because your cupcakes will come out tough.

Spoon the batter into the cupcake tins. I use a small ice cream scoop to ensure even filling.

Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from tins and set out to cool.

Tomorrow, I will post the recipe for the butter cream icing.

Root beer float cupcakes
adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

2 cups root beer (not diet)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and put liners in your muffin tins.

In a small pot or sauce pan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Move the mixture to a bowl and add the sugars. Whisk until dissolved. Let the mixture cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together then add them to the chocolate mixture. Stir until combined. Combine it with the flour mixture and gently fold being careful of over-beating.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from tins and let cool.