BBQ Cheddar Meatloaf Muffins

My kids love BBQ anything. BBQ chips, BBQ chicken, BBQ ribs...I could probably pour BBQ sauce over ice cream and they'd eat it. This is so different from the way I was when I was a kid that it makes me laugh. I was completely indifferent to BBQ sauce until my pregnancy with Will. Now, though, I'm with them: I love BBQ anything.

Another thing we all love is meatloaf (aka sauce cake), so it was only a matter of time before I combined those two loves. And thus, these BBQ cheddar meatloaf muffins were born. Let me tell you, it was love at first bite for all of us.

What makes these extra-delicious are the crushed French-fried onions I stir into the meat mixture. They give the meat such an incredible flavor. With only a handful of ingredients, these couldn't be simpler to prepare -- and they are so incredibly tasty. 

I served the meatloaf muffins with corn and coleslaw. The next day, I put a couple of the leftover muffins and some of the leftover coleslaw on a bun to make the most delicious sandwich in the entire universe. I'm giving myself a fist bump for that.

BBQ Cheddar Meatloaf Muffins

1 pound lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups freshly-shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 small can French-fried onions
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, divided
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Using a food processor or blender, pulse the French-fried onions until finely crushed.

2. Combine beef, 1 cup cheese, the crushed French-fried onions, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Divide into 12 equal portions and place in the prepared muffin tin. Brush remaining 1/4 cup BBQ sauce over each portion. 

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over each portion. Cook for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Sriracha Beef Tacos

As much as I love to cook, I frankly just don't have the time or the energy lately to make dinners that take a lot of time. The Cassie of Spring 2014 is giving the side eye to the Cassie of Fall 2013 (the girl who made chicken noodle soup completely from scratch and bolognese sauce for days) and wondering just who the heck that girl was, and how the heck she had that much time. Cassie of Spring 2014's days are filled with work deadlines and soccer games and tee-ball games and a multitude of social activities that I am committed to, whether I like them or not. So dinner's gotta be easy. And fast.

These tacos take about 15 minutes to make, start to finish, so they fit into my current food philosophy perfectly. They're just ground beef tacos, yes, but they're taken to a completely new level with the addition of sriracha (one of the world's best ingredients, in my opinion). The sriracha is spicy, but ranch dressing and avocado provide just the right amount of cool creaminess to take the edge off. They're fabulous and simple, and a fun and delicious take on taco night.

Sriracha Beef Tacos
adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking and originally from Sweet Beginnings 

1 pound ground sirloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion , finely chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons sriracha, divided
1/2 cup ranch dressing
8-10 flour tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Sliced avocado 

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, until softened. Add sirloin, stir to combine, and cook until browned. Add water, chili powder, cumin and 1 tablespoon sriracha to the meat mixture. Stir, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. While taco mixture finishes cooking, combine ranch dressing and remaining 1 tablespoon sriracha in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Warm flour tortillas; spoon taco mixture into tortillas and top with cheese, tomato, lettuce, avocado, and sriracha ranch sauce.

Burger and Fries Friday: Bacon, Caramelized Onion and Cheddar Cheeseburger Sliders

We don't eat hamburgers in our house anymore. I don't know if I told you that. Nope, no hamburgers around here. Instead of hamburgers, we eat crabby patties.

That's right. In the tradition of sauce cake and tweetos, my sons have given hamburgers a new name. This one comes directly from SpongeBob SquarePants, which is not exactly my favorite show for them to watch, but I will admit it has gotten me through a stressful afternoon here and there.

Up until recently, the boys actually weren't big fans of burgers. They loved the idea of them and the novelty of calling them "crabby patties," but when it came to eating them? Not so much. That is, until it occurred to me to make boy-sized burgers (a.k.a. sliders) and let them choose their own toppings. And thus, Build Your Own Slider night was born. 

BYOS night has since become a favorite in our house. The boys love having things deconstructed for them so they can build them back up, and these sliders are a perfect example of this (I also do this with them for salads and any type of Mexican meal involving a tortilla). 

I've made a few different types of sliders for BYOS night, but this is definitely our favorite. The sliders themselves are loaded with caramelized onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese. I offer all the fixings on a big tray, and we each add whatever toppings we like. The possibilities are endless with these!

These sliders cook up in no time, and they're such a fun dinner idea -- especially during the middle of the week, when we're feeling burnt out and just really need a crabby patty in our lives.

Bacon, Caramelized Onion, and Cheddar Cheeseburger Sliders

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound ground sirloin
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hamburger seasoning (or a combination of salt, pepper, and granulated garlic)
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Slider buns
Lettuce, tomato, pickles, and condiments for topping

1. Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.

2. Add the butter to the reserved drippings in the skillet, then add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown and caramelized. Set half of the onions aside for topping the burgers later. Cool the other half of the onions, then chop finely.

3. Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the chopped caramelized onions, the reserved bacon, the Worcestershire sauce, the hamburger seasoning, and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese. Mix well. Divide the meat mixture in half, then divide each half in half, and then each resulting half into thirds, for a total of 12 sliders. Cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat to desired doneness. Divide the remaining 1 cup of cheese among the sliders and cover the skillet to melt.

4. Serve the sliders on slider buns with the reserved caramelized onions and any additional toppings you like.

Recipe Rewind: Our Favorite Shepherd's Pie

It makes my life much more stressful, but I'm one of those people who gets very, very anxious about the weather during the winter. You'd think after 30 years of Ohio winters I'd be used to the awfulness but somehow, I'm not. This winter has been very snowy and, lately, very cold, so my anxiety has been ratcheted up pretty high.

For me, the only saving grace of an awful winter is that it pretty much requires us to eat lots of comfort food -- and there is nothing I don't love about comfort food. I've been making this shepherd's pie (one of my very favorite comfort foods) for years now. I posted this recipe in the very early days of my blog, and I thought it was high time I revisited it here -- because it's just that good.

This shepherd's pie recipe has such wonderful flavor -- the cinnamon and cloves make it so interesting and special -- and it's simply ideal for warming you up on the frigid winter days we've been having. The ingredients are humble, but the dish as a whole is exceptionally delicious, and one of my family's absolute favorites.

Shepherd's Pie
slightly adapted from There's a Chef in My Family! by Emeril Lagasse

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large Idaho potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sour cream
3 ounces cream cheese
Splash of milk as needed
1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1. Grease a casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium saucepan, place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover with water by 1 inch and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil until fork-tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, the sour cream, the cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Add a splash of milk if needed for consistency. Mash with a potato masher until smooth and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, then add the beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat chunks, until cooked through.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Tilt the pan away from you, and carefully remove as much excess liquid as possible from the pan. Discard the liquid.

5. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the Italian seasoning, thyme sprigs, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, the cinnamon, and the cloves, and cook until the meat is well-browned, stirring frequently, about 6 to 8 minutes.

6. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and cook, stirring, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir well, then add the beef broth and the peas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.

7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spoon the mashed potatoes evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

8. Increase the oven temperature to broil and cook until golden brown and crisp around the edges, about 4 to 6 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Leftover Pot Roast Patty Melts

Inevitably, one of the first things people say to me when they discover that I have two sons is, "Just wait until the teenage years! Your grocery bill is going to skyrocket!" What I want to tell people when they say this is, Going to skyrocket? What is this going to you speak of? Since my older son turned five, my grocery bill has already skyrocketed. 

I don't know what is with Andrew lately, but it's like he has a hollow leg. It's the growth spurt that seems unending. He can eat and eat and eat and then ten minutes later, he's ready to eat again. It's like I already live with a teenager. You wouldn't believe the amount of food we go through in a week.

Since we're on a budget, it's been important for me to continue with my "make it once, use it a bunch of times" food philosophy so there is more room in the grocery column for Andrew's voracious appetite. 'Tis the season for pot roast, so when I made one in the Crock pot recently, I decided to use the leftovers in a couple of different ways. These patty melts were the first use, and in my mind, they may just be the best use of leftovers ever. I mean, come on. Look at all that gooey cheese.

You can use your favorite pot roast recipe for these sandwiches; this is ours. You can also use whatever type of cheese you like. The one thing I wouldn't skip is the special sauce (a combination of mayonnaise, steak sauce, and Worcestershire); it totally makes these sandwiches.

Give these a try, and I guarantee you that before you know it, you'll be making pot roast just so you can use the leftovers for patty melts.

Leftover Pot Roast Patty Melts

For the sandwiches:

2 cups leftover pot roast
8 slices sturdy bread
3 tablespoons butter, plus more for the bread
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
8 slices Colby cheese (or Swiss, or provolone, etc.)

For the sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons steak sauce (like A1)
Dash Worcestershire sauce

1. Re-heat the pot roast in the microwave. Butter one side of all 8 slices of bread.

2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add onions and mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and mushrooms are browned. Add garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

3. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Place a slice of cheese on the unbuttered side of 4 slices of bread. Top each slice with 1/2 cup of the pot roast, a generous portion of the onion and mushroom mixture, and the other slice of cheese. Repeat with all four sandwiches and top with the other slice of bread, buttered side out. Grill, flipping once, until both sides are browned and crispy.

4. Combine all sauce ingredients. Serve the sauce with the patty melts.

Revolutionary Baked Ravioli

When I shared my delicious bolognese sauce with you on Monday, I promised that I'd post a fantastic recipe on Friday that calls for it -- and here it is. I'm calling this "revolutionary" baked ravioli for one simple reason: When you're layering the casserole ingredients, you add the ravioli while it's still frozen. You don't even have to cook it first! That may seem like a small thing to you, but to me, it's huge. I know ravioli doesn't take very long to cook, but it still saved me from having to boil it in a separate pot, thereby dirtying more dishes that I would later have had to clean.

Another thing I love about this dish: It only contains three ingredients. The ravioli, the sauce, and the cheese -- that's it. Layer them all in a dish, stick the dish in the oven, and in 45 minutes dinner is served. You can use whatever kind of ravioli you like, and of course you can use jarred sauce to make this even easier. The version picture above, using my bolognese sauce and cheese ravioli, tastes exactly like lasagna -- and it was about 100 times easier to prepare.

I can't say enough good things about this recipe. I'll be keeping sauce and ravioli in the freezer at all times so I can make this whenever I crave it -- which I'm sure will be often.

Revolutionary Baked Ravioli
adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 25-ounce bag frozen ravioli
4 cups bolognese sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of a 9×13 rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce in the baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Big Batch Bolognese Sauce

It snowed last week here. Snow! In October! I'm never really ready for winter, but I'm especially not ready for it when it starts this soon. Give me my autumn, Universe!

Since the weather has cooled down, I've been craving slow-cooked comfort food in a major way. In that vein, a few weekends ago I made a delicious bolognese sauce that I'm so excited to share with you. Coming up on Friday, I'll share a fabulous recipe I made using this sauce. It's going to be a delicious week here on the blog!

As I do with so many things I make these days, I just kind of winged it with this recipe. I don't know if this would be considered "traditional" bolognese sauce, because I never really looked up any recipes. I just did my own thing, and I was so pleased with the results. The sauce has a nice bit of heat, a little bit of sweet, and a deep, rich flavor overall. It's thick and meaty and so comforting -- and it makes the house smell amazing while it's simmering on the stove. And plus, there's something so satisfying (at least for me) about preparing something and letting it cook all day long, and then getting to enjoy the results multiple times.

As the recipe title indicates, this is truly a "big batch" sauce. It uses three pounds (plus four ounces) of meat! You'll get at least two uses out of it, and it freezes really well. It fits perfectly into the "make it once, use it a few times" cooking philosophy that I've adopted lately.

One more thing: The sauce calls for the rind from a wedge of fresh parmesan cheese. I love the salty-cheesy flavor it adds to the background of the sauce. If you don't have a rind, you could stir in some grated parmesan at the end and the results would be just as delicious.

Big Batch Bolognese Sauce

Olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, diced
2 pounds ground sirloin
1 pound  ground Italian sausage
2 large onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1 green bell pepper, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried oregano, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
Rind from a wedge of fresh parmesan cheese
Granulated sugar, if needed

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat a layer of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until slightly crisp, then add the sirloin and sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add the onions, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Stir in the tomato paste until thoroughly coated and fragrant, then add the red wine. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and cook until wine is reduced. Stir in the beef stock, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and parmesan rind. Heat to bubbling, then reduce heat to medium low.

3. Cover and let simmer for 3 to 5 hours. The longer the sauce simmers, the thicker and richer it'll be. Discard the bay leaves and cheese rind before serving. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes, if needed. If the sauce is too acidic, add sugar to taste. Serve with spaghetti or anything you want.

4. To freeze, place portions of the sauce in gallon-size plastic freezer bags. Remove all the air from the bags and store flatly in freezer until ready to use.

Meatball Sliders

The idea for these meatball sliders isn't all that original; I've seen versions of them all over the place. This version, though, is pretty darn delicious, if I do say so myself. After a sear in the skillet, homemade meatballs finish cooking in marinara sauce before being placed on garlic bread-style slider buns and topped with gooey mozzarella cheese. They're simple and delicious and, judging by my family's reaction to them, will be a go-to meal for us going forward. 

I mentioned earlier this week that I've been doing more batch cooking lately, and these meatball sliders are another great example of that. I used two pounds of meat to make the meatballs (a pound of ground beef and a pound of Italian sausage), and I simmered them in two jars of marinara sauce. Since I only needed 12 meatballs for the sliders, I reserved the remaining meatballs and sauce for another perennial family favorite: spaghetti and meatballs. But, going forward, I may freeze the rest in batches of 12 so I can use them for these sliders over and over again. You'll understand why when you try them.

The recipe below calls for freshly-ground Italian-style breadcrumbs. I make these by toasting 2 slices of wheat bread and pulsing them in the food processor with Italian seasoning and garlic powder to taste (I never measure this stuff). I like using freshly-ground breadcrumbs because they're fluffier than store-bought and give the meatballs a better texture, but of course store-bought breadcrumbs are fine.

Meatball Sliders

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground Italian sausage
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup freshly-ground Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Olive oil
2 jars of your favorite marinara sauce
6 slices sliced mozzarella cheese, quartered

For the garlic bread-style slider buns:

4 tablespoons softened butter
Italian seasoning to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
12 slider buns

1. To make the meatballs, add the ground beef and Italian sausage to a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat; add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Let the onion and garlic mixture cool slightly off the heat, then add it to the bowl with the meat. Season the meat with additional salt and pepper and add the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, eggs, milk, and parmesan cheese. Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients, but don't overmix them.

2. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Roll the meat mixture into balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball. Cook in batches until browned on all sides.

3. Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the marinara sauce over medium heat. As the meatballs finish searing on all sides, transfer them to the marinara, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover the pot to allow the meatballs to gently finish cooking through. Reserve all but 12 of the meatballs with their sauce for later use.

4. To make the slider buns, stir together the butter, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and cheese. Place the slider buns cut-side-up on a baking sheet. Spread some of the butter mixture onto the top and bottom of each bun. Broil until browned and crispy.

5. Place one meatball on the bottom of each slider bun. Top each with half a slice of mozzarella cheese (2 quarters). Return the bottom buns only to the oven and broil on low until cheese is melted. Top each with one of the reserved bun tops. If you have some fresh basil, throw it on there, because that would be delicious.

Smoky Meatloaf

I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but around here, it seemed to go from SUMMER! to FALL! within the span of 24 hours. Last week it was in the '80s, and this week it's in the '60s. It's got me craving comfort food in a major way -- and does it get any more comforting than meatloaf? Not in my book!

I love making meatloaf for lots of reasons, not the least of which is because of the name my boys have for it. They call meatloaf "sauce cake". I think it's pretty much the most fantastic thing in the world; who doesn't want to have sauce cake for dinner? Sauce cake (as it will ever be known in our house) happens to be one of their favorite meals, too.

As much as we love traditional meatloaf, sometimes I get the hankering to make a different version. This one, inspired by a Paleo meatloaf recipe I found, has all of my favorite smoky/roasted ingredients in it: roasted garlic, roasted red pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked cheddar cheese, and bacon. It's topped with a smoky chipotle ketchup. Honestly, it couldn't have been any more delicious -- and the leftovers made for the most delicious meatloaf sandwiches ever. I highly, highly encourage you to give this sauce cake a try.

Smoky Meatloaf
inspired by Civilized Caveman Cooking

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
1 small onion
1 14-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 roasted red pepper*, peeled and chopped
1 head roasted garlic**, pasted
1/2 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo puree***
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain. 

2. Add the ground beef and the bacon to a large bowl. Using a small grater, grate the onion into the meat mixture. Add the tomatoes, roasted red pepper, roasted garlic, cheese, eggs, oats, paprika, salt and pepper and gently mix just until combined. Shape into a loaf and place on a cookie sheet or in a 9x13 casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

3. Stir together the ketchup, chipotle in adobo puree, and Worcestershire sauce. Brush onto meatloaf and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*I don't have a gas stove, so I roast my peppers under the broiler. To roast your own red bell pepper, turn the broiler to high and place the pepper on a cookie sheet. Leave the oven door ajar so you can keep an eye on the pepper, turning it after each side is blackened. Place it in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam the skin loose, then peel it and remove the seeds. I like to leave a little bit of the char on it for flavor. The peppers will keep in an airtight container for a week in the fridge, topped with a little bit of olive oil.

**To roast garlic, cut the top off of a head, leaving the bulb intact. Place on a sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roll up the foil. Cook in a 350 degree oven until your house smells amazing (about 1 hour). Squeeze the bulb to release the cloves and mash the garlic.

***When I buy a can of chipotles in adobo, I puree the entire can when I open it. Then I place the puree in a plastic baggie, roll it into a log shape, and freeze it. Then I use a grater to grate the frozen mixture when I need it for a recipe. You can also freeze the puree in ice cube trays, but the plastic baggie works just fine for me.
  

Taco Omelets

Do you ever have one of those "Duh? Why didn't I think of that??" moments? I have them frequently and, especially these days when Pinterest is so widely-used, I think probably most people have them. Or maybe I'm just trying to convince myself of that so I don't feel so silly.

Anyway, this particular head-slapping moment came when I was surfing Instagram a few weeks ago, and my friend Denise posted a photo of a taco omelet that she was having for breakfast. A taco omelet. It's just like a taco, but uses eggs instead of a tortilla. I felt like Monica from Friends when I discovered this, and I'm pretty sure I actually said "GET OUT" out loud.

I made these that very night. I didn't get super fancy with the ingredients because I just used what I had on hand, but they could be jazzed up in a bunch of different ways. Pretty much any way you can eat a taco, you can eat a taco omelet. You just have to try this simple and delicious dinner.

Taco Omelets
inspired by Creative Kitchen

1 pound ground sirloin
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
8 eggs
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Canola oil
Shredded cheese
Salsa, sour cream, and any other toppings you like for serving

1. Brown the ground sirloin with the onion and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the meat has cooked, sprinkle in the taco seasoning and add a bit of water to loosen it. Remove from heat.

2. Beat the eggs with a little milk and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat canola oil in a large non-stick pan. 

3. Add about 1/4 of the egg mixture (2 eggs' worth) to the skillet and cook, without turning, until eggs are cooked through. Top half of the omelet with some of the reserved ground beef and shredded cheese, then fold the other half of the omelet over the top. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you repeat the process with the remaining eggs, meat, and cheese.

4. Serve omelets with salsa, sour cream, and any other desired toppings.

Roast Beef Reubens

Every time I make a double-duty meal using my Crock pot, I ask myself why I don't do it every single week. The idea of shoving a roast in the Crock pot and having dinner for at least two nights just gets more and more appealing to me, the older our boys get and the crazier our lives become. Not to mention the cost-effectiveness of Crock pot cooking! Yes, I really must do this more often.

I made a version of this roast beef for my brother for his birthday (minus the condensed soup and gravy mix, plus some sherry), and I whipped up these roast beef reubens for dinner for us the next night. They couldn't have been simpler, and we all loved them. The roast beef is a great stand-in for a reuben sandwich's traditional corned beef; it has such a rich flavor that works so well with the Swiss and sauerkraut. 

And not only were these sandwiches delicious; they also took less than five minutes to prepare. Somehow, that made them taste even better.

Roast Beef Reubens

8 slices hearty wheat or rye bread

Butter

2 cups prepared roast beef, heated through

8 slices Swiss cheese

1 cup prepared sauerkraut

Prepared Thousand Island dressing

1. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. To build the sandwiches, place a slice of Swiss cheese on the unbuttered side of a slice of bread. Top with 1/2 cup of the roast beef, 1/4 cup of sauerkraut, another slice of Swiss, and the other slice of bread, with the unbuttered side in. Repeat with all sandwiches.

3. Cook sandwiches on the preheated griddle, flipping once, until both sides are browned and crispy. Slice sandwiches in half and serve with Thousand Island dressing.

Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes

I've had these sloppy joes saved in my drafts folder for months now, and I have absolutely no idea why it's taken me so long to share them with you. As soon as I saw this recipe in my issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray, I put them on our menu. The very day I'd planned to make them, I was working from home and had Rachael's show on as background noise, and she made them as her meal of the day. From that moment on, I was pretty much salivating and praying for dinner to come very, very quickly.

So, basically: Bacon. Beef. Beer. Cheese. Avocado. Fritos. 

Yep. Months later, just the thought of these still makes me salivate. 

Smoky Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes
adapted from Rachael Ray

4 slices bacon, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 cup beer at room temperature
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Hamburger rolls, toasted
Shredded Monterey jack cheese for topping
Sliced avocado for topping
Crushed Fritos for topping

1. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain.

2. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until browned, breaking it into pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the pan and add the onion, jalapenos, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring, until the onion is softened.

3. Add the beer to the meat mixture and cook until reduced, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, and hot sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened.

4. Spoon the mixture onto the roll bottoms. Top each sandwich with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, Fritos, and the roll tops.

Rigatoni with Italian Beef Ragu

You're getting a two-for-one recipe today. Remember the amazing Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches I shared with you last month? Well, you really need to make them. And then you need to use the leftovers for this pasta.

What's great about both of these recipes is that they require so little time to prepare, because the Crock pot does all the work. You don't even need to make the recipes on consecutive nights; just have the sandwiches one night, and freeze the leftovers for later, which is exactly what I did. The meat tasted just as good after it had been frozen -- maybe even better!

I used a sturdy pasta with lines for this recipe to stand up to the robust sauce. Because the meat had already stewed in so many delicious ingredients, all I really had to do was make a quick tomato sauce for it, and the flavor was amazing. This dinner was a show-stopper, and definitely tasted like it took a long time to cook -- even though it was ready in the time it took to boil the pasta.

Rigatoni with Italian Beef Ragu

1 pound rigatoni or other sturdy pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups Italian beef with its juices

1 sprig thyme leaves, finely chopped

1 14.5-ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes

1 large can tomato sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Freshly-shredded parmesan cheese

1. Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water according to directions on package; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onion is softened and translucent. Add garlic cloves; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in Italian beef with its juices and cook for a couple of minutes until heated through.

3. Add thyme and both cans of tomatoes to the pan and stir gently to combine. Heat through, then taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve sauce over rigatoni and top with shredded parmesan cheese.

Burger and Fries Friday: Gouda Bacon Patty Melts with Marsala Mushrooms and Onions

I don't think I will ever grow tired of trying new burger recipes. I just don't see how I ever could, not with so many delicious possible flavor combinations out there. One of my favorite combinations for burgers is mushrooms, bacon, and gouda cheese. The beefy mushrooms compliment the burgers so perfectly, and the creamy gouda and smoky bacon just enhance the flavor even more. These patty melts get their inspiration from two other burgers, and the results are simply perfect. What more can I say, really? 

Gouda Bacon Patty Melts with Marsala Mushrooms and Onions

4 burger patties
Salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce
8 slices bacon, cooked to desired crispness
8 slices gouda cheese
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for the bread
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup marsala wine
8 slices hearty wheat bread

1. Season burgers with salt and pepper and cook in a large skillet to desired doneness. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to each burger, then remove the burgers from the skillet.

2. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet and let melt, then add mushrooms and onions and saute until mushrooms are browned and onions are softened. Add garlic and salt and pepper to taste; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add marsala and cook until reduced, scraping the bottom of the skillet to remove any browned bits.

3. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Top the unbuttered side of four slices with a slice of cheese, a burger patty, two pieces of bacon, a quarter of the mushrooms and onions, and another slice of cheese. Add the other four slices of bread to the sandwiches.

4. Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook, flipping once, until each side is browned and crispy.

Crock Pot Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches

I've been on a sandwich kick lately. I'm not sure why, but I'm not questioning it, because my current obsession has resulted in some really, really delicious sandwich-based dinners for us recently. The sandwich I'm sharing today is OMGgood, so delicious that there really are no words. The balance of flavors is just so perfect. And this sandwich is made mostly in the slow cooker, making it perfect for warm weather, busy nights, and lazy people such as myself.

Let me break it down for you. The sandwich starts with a beef roast that's seared in a hot Dutch oven until it's beautifully browned on all sides. Then it takes a bath, along with some garlic, onions, and spices, in red wine for 8 or so hours. As if that wasn't delicious enough on its own, the meat is then shredded, placed in a toasted bun, and topped with sweet bell peppers, marinated fresh mozzarella, and spicy chopped giardiniera. And! Even better! You'll probably have some meat left over, which you can freeze for an easy dinner later.

Honestly, the most difficult part of this recipe is lifting your heavy Dutch oven to pour the wine into the Crock pot. And sweet mercy, this is just delicious.

Crock Pot Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches

adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

For the beef:

1 boneless beef chuck eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup dry red wine

3 cups beef stock

2 sprigs fresh thyme

For the sweet bell peppers:

2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

For the sandwiches:

4 soft, hinged sub or hoagie rolls, toasted
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced (I found some marinated with basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and crushed pepper flakes, which I highly recommend if you can find it)
Hot giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables), chopped

1. Season the entire roast with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown the roast on all sides, and transfer the roast to the slow cooker.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and saute, stirring occasionally until just beginning to brown. Add the garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to slow cooker.

3. Increase heat to medium-high, and add red wine to the Dutch oven. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the stock, and bring back to a simmer. Add Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and fresh thyme. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker.

4. Set slow cooker to low, cover, and cook until tender, about 8 hours. (Or, set the slow cooker to high, and cook for 5 to 6 hours.) The meat should fall apart easily. Shred the meat with two forks, and put it back in the slow cooker with the juices.

5. To make the sweet peppers, add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the pepper strips, garlic, and salt and pepper. Saute until peppers are softened. Sprinkle with sugar, stir to combine, and cook for 1 more minute.

6. Place some beef on a roll. Top with peppers and cheese. Set the oven to broil and cook until cheese is melted. Top with hot giardiniera and serve.

Burger and Fries Friday: Bruschetta Burgers

It's spring! Yay! And also: HA. The joke is on us, because it was 19 degrees outside this morning. It was so cold, in fact, that my digital temperature display simple read: ICE. I think it, too, has just given up and decided to go into hibernation until warmer temperatures finally arrive.

It may still feel like winter outside where I live, but the fact is that it is spring, so I'm craving all kinds of spring and summer favorites -- one of which is bruschetta. Man, I love bruschetta. When I saw this idea for a burger, I couldn't believe I'd never thought of it before. Fresh, flavorful bruschetta, piled atop a cheeseburger. Betstill my heart.

I used my friend W's recipe for brushcetta, because her recipe is what I always use. It's just the best. I topped the burgers with provolone cheese, a generous pile of the bruschetta, and a smear of balsamic-infused mayonnaise, and put the whole business on a bun that I broiled like garlic bread. Ohhh yeah. That's really all I can say.

Bruschetta Burgers

inspired by Cookies and Cups

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (more to taste, if desired)

6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup basil, sliced into a chiffonade

1/4 cup finely-shredded asiago cheese

1 tablespoon grated onion

1 garlic clove, finely grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Extra-virgin olive oil (I usually use a couple of tablespoons)

4 hamburger burger patties

Salt and pepper to taste

4 slices provolone cheese

4 sandwich buns

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Pinch each of salt and pepper

1. Combine the mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl; refrigerate until serving.

2. Combine tomatoes, basil, asiago, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil in another small bowl; cover and refrigerate until serving.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season burger patties with salt and pepper and cook, turning once, until desired doneness. Top each patty with a slice of cheese and remove from heat.

4. Combine butter, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Spread evenly over each bun half and place buttered-side-up on a baking sheet. Broil until browned and fragrant.

5. Serve the hamburgers on the garlic bread buns, topped with a generous pile of bruschetta and a slather of the balsamic mayonnaise.