Crunchy Beef Bake

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What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say the words “comfort food?“ Don’t over think it, what is first thing that popped in your head? For me, it’s noodles. Any kind of noodle, I’m not picky, and it’s even better if that noodle happens to be baked into a casserole. It can be spaghetti noodles like in Baked Spaghetti, egg noodles as in this Comforting Chicken Noodle Casserole, rotini noodles as in this ultra delicious and ever-so-comforting, Pimiento Mac and Cheese, even chow mein noodles as I use in Oriental Beef Casserole. It doesn’t matter the kind, I just have to have noodles for true comfort, and if I want to maximize that, I also need ground beef.

This was of great comfort to me today. It was easy to put together, tasty and satisfying, and the extra crunch from those French fried onions was most welcome. This is the kind of food that we all need during difficult times, no matter what is causing those difficulties. My son and his family tried this, and it was thumbs up all around. Kid friendly, family-friendly, comforting and tasty, really, what more do you really need?

Crunchy Beef Bake

6-oz. campanelle pasta*
1 lb. ground chuck
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (6-oz.) can French fried onions
¾ c. shredded cheddar cheese
½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ t. Montreal Steak Seasoning
½ c. beef stock
½ c. freshly brewed black coffee

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a two-quart casserole dish with PAM; set aside.

Prepare pasta as directed on box. While pasta is cooking, brown ground chuck; drain. Combine all ingredients except onions. Pour half of the beef/pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Scatter 1/2 of the can of onions evenly over mixture. Add remaining beef/pasta mixture. Cover and bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with remaining onions. Bake, uncovered, an additional 5-7 minutes.

*Or an equal amount of whatever noodle you have on hand.

Witches Brew Coffee

Halloween, like St. Patrick’s Day, is one of those few days when I begin my morning with spiked coffee. There is something so decadent about the combination of coffee and liqueur. It’s not often that I indulge myself like this, but this morning Witches Brew was on the menu. I enjoyed it by flickering candle light in galvanized jack-o’-lanterns.

However you celebrate, have a spooky Halloween!

Witches Brew Coffee

4 Demerara sugar cubes
4 cups freshly brewed Sumatra coffee
8 oz. rum
2 oz. cinnamon liqueur
Cinnamon cream (recipe follows)

In a heatproof pitcher, stir the sugar into the coffee until dissolved, then stir in the rum and cinnamon liqueur. Pour the coffee into warmed mugs or heatproof glasses and spoon the Cinnamon Cream on top. Serves four.

Cinnamon Cream: In a medium chilled bowl, whip 4 ounces chilled heavy cream with 1 ounce Cinnamon liqueur and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Spoon big dollops on top of hot coffee.

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If you prefer cocoa to coffee, you will swoon for this Pumpkin Pie Cocoa.

This post is linked to:

Wonderful Wednesday

Wine’d Down Wednesday

Full Plate Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

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Slow Cooker Roast Beef with Red Eye Gravy

Dad and I have a bit of a deal. Every week or so I go over to his house with a couple of homemade dinners and delicious dessert (yesterday I also took a piece of the frittata for breakfast), and he heads to the local fried chicken joint, and picks up two fried chicken dinners for us to enjoy that day. Neither one of us ever eats fast food, except when he goes to that fried chicken place, and we love it!

One of the meals that I take him that he likes the best is roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans almandine, a meal we fondly remember my mother making quite often. It is always delicious and satisfying, and one of the easiest meals that I make. The beef is done in the crockpot -- the standard recipe that you all have probably seen, but I tweak it a bit by adding red wine and strong coffee. There is something about those two ingredients that makes it so rich and delicious that you will find yourself moaning with delight with each tender mouthful.

I am known for my roast beef dinners. Make this easy recipe, and you will be known for your roast beef dinners, too.

Slow Cooker Roast Beef with Red Eye Gravy

1 3-pound beef roast (I use a rump roast)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (yes, canned soup, so shoot me)
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

Place beef into a crockpot that has been lightly sprayed with Pam. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over roast, cover with lid, and cook on low for eight hours. That’s it. Pure deliciousness!

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Another super easy slow cooker beef recipe is these mouth-watering Coca-Cola Short Ribs.

This post is linked to:

Happiness is Homemade Sunday

What’s for Dinner Sunday

Dishing It & Digging It

Cooking & Crafting with J&J

Homestead Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Wine’d Down Wednesday

Full Plate Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

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Mexican Coffee

This past weekend we were deluged with one icing event after another, running from Thursday night through Sunday morning. While the temperatures had warmed up significantly from those in the single digits and teens of the week prior, seeing a glazing of ice everywhere somehow made it feel colder. It was a weekend where I knew I would be going nowhere, so settled in by the fire, with stitching projects and lots of good books (Why didn't you all tell me that the Rosemont series was so good?!), and cup after cup of Mexican Coffee.

I'm not particularly a fan of flavored coffees unless somehow alcohol is involved (as in Irish coffee, something I don't drink nearly often enough), but wanted to give this a try because it sounded so good. As it turned out it was very good, and I'm sure would make an excellent after dinner drink with the addition of a shot or so of Kahlúa. It's as easy to make as it is to enjoy, and with plenty of winter left, you have no excuse not to try it.

Mexican Coffee

1/2 cup ground dark roast coffee
1 T. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
5 cups water
1 cup milk
1/3 cup chocolate syrup
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnish

Put coffee in filter basket of coffeemaker; add 1 T. ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Add 5 ups water to coffeemaker; brew coffee as manufacturer’s instructions. Mix milk, chocolate syrup, and sugar in large pan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Stir in brewed coffee and vanilla extract. Pour at once into mugs and top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and ground cinnamon. Serves 6.

This post is linked to:

 Homestead Wednesday
Full Plate Thursday

Grace at Home
Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Mocha Fudge Sauce

My mother's favorite dessert was always pie, mine, not so much. This never posed a problem for me when I was a kid, but as I got older and started having her and dad for dinner on special occasions, she would always ask that I make her pie. Lacking culinary skills in that department (long since remedied, I am happy to say) I would look for easy pie recipes of the pudding or ice cream variety. I well remember making an ice cream pie of some sort for her birthday one year. It was fairly easy to assemble with its graham cracker crust base topped with a layer of coffee ice cream, a layer of caramel, another of coffee ice cream, and then topped with a decadent mocha fudge sauce. The pie was forgettable, but that sauce stuck with me. Forget buying fudge sauce at the market and make this one. It is so good that people have been known to eat it right from the jar. Okay, it was me! But, I couldn't help myself, it is really that good.

Mocha Fudge Sauce

2 tablespoons boiling water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir the 2 tablespoons boiling water and coffee powder together in a small bowl until the powder is completely dissolved; set aside. Whisk the sugar and cocoa together in a heavy medium saucepan until thoroughly blended. Whisk in the cream, corn syrup, and coffee mixture. Add chocolate and butter. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Store in a covered container in the fridge until ready to use.

This post is linked to:

Friday Finds

Show and Tell Friday 

Friday Unfolded
Fridays Flash Blog
Simple and Sweet Fridays

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

What To Do Weekend 
The Weekend re-Treat

The Weekend Blog Hop

How to Make Cold Brew

I have to be honest with you, I LOVE my coffee. The best part of waking up really is coffee in my cup. I like a low acid, dark roast, and I grind my own beans. To me, the whole act is a part of the ritual that adds to the enjoyment. As much as I like that hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning, I also love a tall, cool glass of iced coffee on a hot summer afternoon. I used to treat myself to an iced coffee from a local coffeehouse once a week. Then I learned about cold brew. Wow! For years I had actually deluded myself into thinking that the coffeehouse's ice coffee offering was actually good. Boy, was I wrong. Having made my own cold brew, I now see that what I had been drinking, and paying dearly for, was really rather watery and tasteless. Never again will I buy iced coffee.

Making cold brew is very simple, the only downside is that you must plan 1-2 days ahead. The ratio of freshly ground coffee to water is really up to you and your personal tastes, but I find that one cup of freshly ground coffee (I use the medium grind setting) to three cups of water works perfectly for me.

Place the grounds into a French press or quart Mason jar if you don't have a French press, and then slowly pour the water on top.

Stir everything together.

Cover the top of the press with plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band. If using a Mason jar, simply seal with the lid.

Put the coffee and water into the fridge and leave it there, undisturbed for 24-48 hours. There is an ongoing debate among cold brew enthusiasts as to the ideal length of time.  The first time I made this I put it in the downstairs fridge and completely forgot about it, so mine chilled for 48 hours. The end result was exactly what I was looking for, so now I always go with that.

After the allotted amount of time has passed, separate grounds from water with the plunger, and strain. 

I have found that the easiest way to strain the cold brew is by pouring it through a filter attached to a little four-cup coffee pot. If you don't happen to have something like this available, you can strain it through strategically placed coffee filters, or multiple layers of cheesecloth.  The idea here is not only to separate the grounds from the liquid, but also to remove any and all silt. You want your coffee syrup (as it is now called) to taste bright and clean.

Once strained, store your syrup in the fridge for 7-10 days. Mine never lasts that long. I pour mine into a tall, ice-filled glass and add a splash of chocolate syrup and cream. So delicious!

This post is linked to:

Melt In Your Mouth 
Amaze Me Monday

Metamorphosis Monday 

Clever Chicks Blog Hop