Flank Steak in the Slow Cooker

So remember how I said that one of my New Year’s resolutions was to blog more?  Well, that was over a week ago.  Oops!  I do have a good excuse – I, like the rest of the country, got sick.  And, that was after my husband and my 8-month old baby got sick.  Let’s just say it wasn’t the best week for our family.

Anyway, I did manage to make a meal courtesy of Pinterest this week.  This recipe for Flank Steak, from LifetimeMoms, promised the following in its pin description:

If you enjoy cooking with a crockpot, this flank steak recipe is for you. Flank steak is a rather inexpensive cut a meat. If it is not prepared properly, it can be rather tough. This recipe is so easy and makes the most tender flank steak.

Basically, you throw the browned flank steak into the slow cooker with a few spices and green chillies, and it makes the most tender flank steak.  I followed the instructions (using 1/2 a can of green chilies because we were not in the mood for spicy) and by the end of the day, I had some very tender flank steak.

Unfortunately, it didn’t really taste like much.  I didn’t taste the green chilies, in fact, I think it tasted like pot roast.   I was planning to serve it on tortillas with some pickled onions and sour cream, but I wound up shredding it with some BBQ sauce and serving it on buns.  Not a bad save, but not what I was hoping for.

Here’s the recipe.  If you give it a try and it turns out with a delicious, spicy Mexican flavor, let me know what you did!

Flank Steak

1 Flank Steak –  1 3/4 lbs to albs (cut in half)
1 small can of green chiles
1 large red onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1/4 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 cup of water
1 tbsp of olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic minced (depending on taste)

1. In a small pan, brown flank steak in olive oil on both sides.
2. Add all ingredients to slow cooker.
3. Cook on low for 4-5 hours if you prefer it sliced, cook 5-6 hours if you prefer it shredded.

Serve shredded over rice, in a tortilla or even plain.

Recipe courtesy of LifetimeMoms.com

Chicken/Veggies/Potatoes Bake – Too Simple to be Good?

This recipe has been floating around Pinterest for the a while now.  It’s one of these recipes that looks too simple to be good.  So, I thought I would give it a try.

I couldn’t find a webpage that links to the description so here’s the pin description with the recipe:

A friend of mine brought me this when I had surgery. Now it is my “go to” dish for taking to people who have had babies, surgery, etc. 4-6 raw chicken breasts, new potatoes, green beans (fresh or canned-really any green veggie would work. Broccoli is good, too). Arrange in 9×13 dish. Sprinkle with a packet of Italian dressing mix and then top with a melted stick of butter. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Enjoy!

I followed the instructions as written – chicken, potatoes and a can of green beans.  I used two large chicken breasts and one can of beans, cutting down on the quantity since there are just two people in our house eating table food.  (Pureed sweet potatoes doesn’t count…sorry baby Avery.)  A stick of butter and the Italian dressing mix, and in the oven it went.

One hour later, our house smelled like wonderfully baked chicken.  I thought about pulling it out a little early since my dish was a little smaller, but the potatoes were still a little crunchy at the 45 min. mark.  That being said, I wish I would have boiled the potatoes a little bit before baking because the chicken was over-done and a bit chewy.

With a little tinkering, I think this recipe could be a success.  This one may be a little too simple to be a success, but I’m willing to give it another try.

Having Dinner with Friends – Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage

So, it’s been over two years since my husband and I packed up our house and moved from Michigan to Kentucky.  It was one of the toughest decisions we ever made – leaving our friends and family for a new job and new adventure.  Looking back, I’m still proud that we took the leap and moved south.

Thank goodness for Facebook, Skype and now, Pinterest, to keep my in the loop with all of our friends in Michigan.  Sometimes I feel like I’m peeking into their kitchens to see what they are making for dinner.  And when I make one of their favorites, it’s like we’re sharing a meal – 350 miles away.  🙂

So this week, we “had dinner” with our friends, Michelle and Jeremy.  Michelle posted this recipe – Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage, courtesy of Real Simple – on Pinterest with the note that it was one of her husband’s favorites.  We had to give it a try!

The pasta was delicious – a nice combination of chicken sausage, peas, green beans, pesto and pasta.  And, it was easy to make – just throw some pasta in a pot to boil, add the veggies at the end, brown the sausage and toss together with some pesto and parmesan cheese.  I used frozen peas and french green beans, but the pesto really brings a fresh flavor, so you couldn’t even tell that they were frozen.

So, even though our friends were far away in Michigan, we thought of them fondly as we enjoyed one of their favorites.  If you want to “have dinner” with the Bosschers, here are a few of our favorites:

Grilled Chicken with Goat Cheese Zucchini Pasta,
Chicken and Rice Casserole,
and good old’ burgers with a little blue cheese on top.