Slow Cooker Pamegranat Beef

What do you say we revive this thing?! :D 

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 pounds beef roast (I used a chuck roast)
4 garlic cloves (whole is fine, or you can chop them)
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup golden raisins

DIRECTIONS
Use at least a 6-quart slow cooker. Swirl the olive oil into the bottom of the stoneware. Add the onion. Rub the spices on all sides of meat and add to the stoneware with the garlic, the whole can of tomatoes, pomegranate juice, vinegar, and syrup. Sprinkle the raisins on top.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 5. The meat is done when it has reached desired tenderness. Serve with mashed potatoes, and drizzle with the sauce.

This was one of the best things to ever come out of my slow cooker! A must try!

Sweet Potato Cake with Vanilla Maple Glaze

I've made this for Thanksgiving 2 years in a row and I love it more each time!

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt


1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
1 teaspoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture to potato mixture. Beat on low until combined.
3. Pour batter into 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool cake for 20 minutes in the pan, then invert onto serving plate.
4. To make the glaze, melt the butter and add to rest of ingredients. Mix until creamy. Pour over COOLED cake.

Award-Winning Tuna Burgers

Take a break from beef patties and franks and try these not-for-the-boring, AWARD WINNING Tuna Burgers! Good tuna is a must (don't get chinsey) but the real secret is in all the toppings!

1 1/2 lbs tuna steak
1/4 cup diced green onion
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup of mayo (Kewpie Japanese mayo recommended)
1 tsp of prepared wasabi

1/4 head of cabbage
2 tbsps Sesame Dressing

Pickled ginger*
Spicy Chinese mustard

Mango chutney

4 brioche or ciabatta rolls

Sesame oil

*Pickled ginger can be substituted for fresh or ground ginger, just mix it in the ground tuna before forming patties.


1) Cut the steak(s) into chunks and pulse in the food processer until roughly ground. Add soy sauce, onions and salt & pepper. Form into 4 1 1/2 inch thick patties

2) Mix panko and sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Coat patties on both sides with panko mixture.

3) If grilling: Right before placing on the grill, coat patties with a bit of sesame oil.

If pan frying: Pour a 1/4 of sesame oil in a pan and place patties in, 1 or 2 at a time when oil is hot

For rare burgers, patties should need about 3 mins per side, 6 min per side for burgers cooked all the way through

4) Shed cabbage. Toss with sesame dressing. Set aside.

5) In a separate bowl, mix mayo and wasabi. Set aside.

6) Assemble burgers! Spread some of the wasabi mayo and/or hot mustard on one half of each roll, mango chutney on the other. Place a pattie on each roll and top with cabbage slaw and pickled ginger.

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

Super easy, super forgiving meatloaf that's just a bit different. I work 2 jobs so I do all my prep on the weekends and stick things in the freezer until I need them. This is one of my staples. I made this last week with seasoned bread crumbs instead of saltines, and with only a pound of ground beef because I messed up at the grocery store - still turned out great!

Ingredients
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.
2. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.