Steaks with Mustard Sauce

4 beef steaks (your choice)

pepper

2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (or dry red wine if you have it)

1/3 cup beef broth

2 tbsp mustard

Coat both sides of steaks with pepper. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook steaks until done on each side.

Add garlic, stirring until golden brown (feel free to add more olive oil to keep garlic moist, remember if it gets too brown it gets bitter). Add vinegar (or wine) and broth and bring to boil. Remove steaks from skillet, covering to keep warm. With whisk, stir in mustard until well blended.

Serve sauce over steaks with potatoes, veggies and rolls.

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Tex-Mex Pot Roast

2 medium carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
2-1/2 lb. chuck pot roast
1.25 oz taco seasoning mix [next time I'm omitting]
14.5 oz can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
16 oz jar salsa

In a 3-1/2 or 5 quart slow cooker, combine carrots, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Sprinkle tapioca over top. Rub roast with taco seasoning mix; place on top of vegetables.

In a bowl combine tomatoes and salsa. Pour over roast in cooker. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8-10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours.

Remove roast from cooker. Reserve 1/3 of beef and all the liquid for soup. Slice remaining beef and serve with vegetables.

Enchilada Casserole

Super easy and super yummy! The perfect meal to make when you don't want to heat up the house in the summer time.

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onions
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tsp chili powder (I also added 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
4 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup sour cream

Microwave meat and onions in 2-qt microwaveable dish on high 4 to 6 minutes or until meat is done, stirring every 2 minutes; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, water and chili powder. Microwave 5 to 9 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring every 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Place 1 tortilla in same microwaveable dish; top with layers of 1/4 each meat sauce and cheese. Repeat layers 3 times. Microwave 2 to 5 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes. Top with tomatoes and sour cream.

Spicy Beef and Noodles

Super easy and really good.

1 lb lean round steak cut into strips [I used beef stew cubes]
1/2 onion sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp beef broth [I skipped]
6 oz mushrooms, drained [I skipped]
2 drops hot sauce [or 5]
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp nutmeg
10 oz tomato soup
12 oz wide egg noodles cooked and kept hot

Saute beef, onion and garlic in broth [olive oil] in a large saucepan until the meat is browned and onion is tender.

Add remaining ingredients except noodles and simmer until beef is tender.

Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Tatertot Hotdish (Casserole)

Never the same twice. One of my favorite comfort foods. I apologize for there not being exact measurements, but with this dish you cook until it smells good.

1lb hamburger
chopped onion
pepper
1 can cream of (whatever) soup - I've used chicken, celery, mushroom and it's all been good.
frozen corn or other frozen vegetables
cooking spray
shredded cheese
steak seasoning
frozen tatertots

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or whatever is recommended on tatertot package).

In large skillet, brown hamburger and onions with a few dashes of pepper, I don't use salt at this point because salt will be added with the steak seasoning at a later step.

Add creamed soup and frozen vegs. I use about 1 cup because I'm not a big fan of cooked veg's, so feel free to use more if you like. Heat thoroughly.

Spray 8x8 or 9x9 casserole dish lightly with cooking spray. Spread meat mixture evenly into pan.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese, I like a good layer for lots of cheesy goodness.

Spread tatertots over cheese to cover entire surface - 1 layer of tatertots only! Sprinkle tots lightly with steak seasoning.

Place in oven for about 25 minutes or until tatertots are golden brown.

I like to eat this with buttered bread and a big glass of milk. Feels like home again.