This Brisket is the Bomb!!

I can say with some conviction that this photo in no way does this dish justice.  The smokey flavor, the juiciness, the easiness of preparation, none of it can be captured on film.  Can you tell Mr. Gooch and I liked this dish? 

We have had this twice since I found the recipe (two weeks ago), that is how much we liked it.  Though the second time, I made a few modifications which are found in the recipe below.  We also found that the next day, the brisket with a little cheese on a mini french roll toaster in the toaster ovden is pretty amazing.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Smokey Crockpot Brisket

(Modified from a recipe found on A Year of Slow Cooking)

Ingredients
2.5 lb round roast or other roast type meat

1/4 cup A1 Sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup liquid hickory smoke
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Directions
Liberally season roast with salt and pepper.
Place in smallest crockpot you can (if it is larger than necessary, you will cover the meat with aluminum foil to help keep meat from drying out)
Combine A1 Sauce, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke together in a small bowl.
Pour over meat.
Cover with aluminum foil (if necessary).

Cook on low heat for at least 8 hours.

Shred with fork when done and serve on french rolls or other crusty fresh bread.

Tip:  When storing leftovers, make sure to pour some of the juices over the meat in the container.  This will keep the meat nice and moist.

Menu Plan for the Week of November 8

It is another Sunday night, and that means it is another weekly menu plan.  After last week's hiatus getting ready for our housewarming, we are back at it this week. 

Sunday: Leftovers from the house warming open house
Monday: Chicken Pasta in a Garlic Wine Sauce
Tuesday: Mr. Gooch Makes Steaks on the Grill
Wednesday: Salmon Pesto Pasta
Thursday:  Forage in the Fridge (FITF)
Friday: Out of town
Saturday: Out of town

I still have some write ups from our previous new recipes still to post.  Now that I have some time, those will be coming in the next couple of weeks. 

If you are stumped on your own menu plans, make sure to visit http://www.orgjunkie.com/ to see what others are planning on their menus this week.

A Fruity Cole Slaw - Not a Contradiction, It's a Tasty Treat

Now that we have gotten a handle on some of our home renos, we are back to trying new recipes each week. During the process of moving, unpacking boxes, spending too much time at home reno stores and little time on cooking, I had forgotten how much I liked flipping through my cookbooks, going through my Reader and surfing the internet for new (and hopefully tasty) recipes.

However, be not afraid, now that I have remembered those joys, I am back in the groove. We tried two new recipes last week, this being one, and both were great successes. So much so that they are going in the "regular rotation" notebook.

We served it with Crockpot Hickory Smoked Brisket and it was the perfect accompaniment to the smokey flavor of the meat.

The only thing we will change when we make this again is to find something (cider vinegar maybe), to give it some bite. The sweetness of the apples and the dressing were just a little much for us. But we do like the savory things.

Apple Cole Slaw
(Source: modified slightly from Delicious Meliscious - a cooking blog by Melissa)

Ingredients:
3-4 cups chopped cabbage
1 unpeeled red apple, cored and chopped
1 unpeeled Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 finely chopped red bell pepper
1 finely chopped yellow pepper
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste (we used a bit more than 1 tablespoon)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, red apple, green apple, carrot, red bell pepper, and green onions.

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, brown sugar, and lemon juice.

Pour dressing over salad.

Menu Plan for the Week of November 1

This week is a crazy busy one.  We are putting the last touches on several projects in the house to have them done before our housewarming open house on Saturday.  Eep!  Dinners this week are going to be pretty much out of the crockpot since those take much less effort since I have a feeling we are going to have several late nights.  So no new recipes scheduled for dinner this week (though I have a couple of new appetizer recipes I will be trying for the party).   We will be back trying new things next week.

Sunday:  Leftovers
Monday:  BBQ chicken in the crockpot
Tuesday:  Crockpot Hickory Smoked Brisket 
Wednesday:  Brats on the Grill
Thursday:  Forage in the Fridge
Friday:  Forage in the Fridge
Saturday:  Housewwarming - Look for the menu in a later post since we haven't finalized it yet.

Check out http://www.orgjunkie.com/ to see what others are eating this week. 

Happy menu planning!!

Happy 2nd Anniversary To Us!

It is hard to believe that it has been two years since our wedding day.  What a two years it has been.  Job changes, house selling and buying, relocating to another state, just to name a few things.  And I wouldn't change any of it for anything.

To celebrate we are heading out for a night on the town at a great steakhouse with a little bubbly and a great dessert, then weather permitting, a walk along the river.

Here's to another two (plus 48 or more) years of wedded bliss. 

Menu Plan for the Week of October 25

Mr. Gooch is only home for three nights this week so I only have meals planned for those nights and one other.  The rest of the time I will Forage in the Fridge.

However, I will be trying a few new recipes to mix it up a little.  The new recipes from last week didn't turn out quite as well as we had hoped but it is good for us to mix it up a little from our usual favorites.

Sunday:  Roast Chicken with Cumin, Honey and Orange with carrots, rice, salad and rolls
Monday:  Crockpot Hickory Smoked Brisket on kaiser rolls with apple cole slaw
Tuesday:  Out to dinner to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary
Wednesday:  Alton Brown's Baked Mac and Cheese with Chicken Sausage and salad
Thursday:  FITF
Friday:  FITF
Saturday:  FITF

A Chill in the Air Means Apples and Applesauce

I love applesauce.  I could eat it every single day, especially in the Fall.  Strange when I think about it since I am NOT a fan of cinnamon, but the slight hint in a bowl of applesauce just seems right.

This year, I decided to try to make crockpot applesauce.  After seeing and reading about how easy it was, I figured even I couldn't mess it up. 

The best part is that the recipe is all approximate amounts.  So you can increase or decrease the various ingredients as you see fit. 

 I hope your batch(es) turn out as tasty as mine.

Slow Cooker Applesauce
Source:  a combination of various internet recipes

Ingredients
8-10 cored, peeled and chopped apples
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon (I use only 1/2 tsp)
1/4 to 1/2 c demura sugar (I like the hint of molasses left in the sugar)  This mount varies depending on the sweetness of the apples you use.

Directions
Pour chopped apples into the slow cooker
Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over apples.
Stir to distribute sugar and cinnamon.
Turn slow cooker onto Low and cook for 8-10 hours.  (I like to cook mine overnight).

I package the applesauce into containers, freezing those that will not me consumed immediately.

Menu Plan for the Week of October 18

Mr. Gooch is back from out of town and so we are actually menu planning this week.  While being on my own last week and foraging in the fridge, pantry and freezer was fun and resulted in some strange and odd combinations for my meals, having an actual plan is better.

This week we have all new recipes planned.  I will be posting our reviews later in the month.  Keeping our fingers crossed that they turn out well and tasty.

Sunday:  Roasted Salmon with Rosemary-Garlic Rub

Monday:  Mustard-Tarragon Roast Chicken with Noodles

Tuesday:  Attending a Beer Tasting Fundraiser for Glida's Club

Wednesday:  Grilled Herbed Tuna Steaks

Thursday:  FITF (Forage in the Fridge)

Friday:  FITF

Saturday:  FITF 

Don't forget to visit http://www.orgjunkie.com/ to see what others have planned on their menus for this week.

Menu Plan for the Week of October 11

There is no real menu plan this week. Why you ask?  Because Mr. Gooch is out of town all week and so I am on my own.  That means my meals will be Lean Cuisines, pizza, cereal, and meeting my Mom and Dad for for dinner one night.

I will be back next week with an actual menu plan since Mr. Gooch is back on Sunday. 

Hope everyone has a good week.  Be sure to visit http://www.orgjunkie.com/ to see what others actually have planned for this week's dinners.

Mr. Gooch Cooks (Seasoned Steak Perfection)

Or V for Victory!  Mr. Gooch believes, and I agree, that we have achieved steak perfection with this recipe. 
The spices and the balsamic glaze all combined with the tenderness of our thick-cut New York Strip steaks from Heartland Meats to create nirvana.

A quick plug for Heartland Meats - if you are located near Chicago and you can get some of their meats, do it.  You won't regret it.  After finding their booth at the Oak Park Farmers Market several years ago, we were regular customers until our move.  We miss our favorite meat man.

If anyone knows of a rancher of grass-fed beef in western Michigan, please leave a comment.  We are looking for a local supplier since we don't get to our old Farmers Market anymore.

Back to the recipe.  It is easy; however the only drawback is that two of the key ingredients are proprietary  blends.  The Chicago Steak Seasoning I purchased at The Spice House in Chicago.  They do, however, have an online store so you can order a batch for yourself.  And I would suggest that this is an ingredient that any beef lover should have in their spice pantry.  Mr. Gooch has added it to hamburgers with great success.  The Smokey 4/S Special Seasoned Salt is from Penzeys, our absolute favorite spice store ever.  Again, they also have an online store you don't have one of their physical locations near you.

Seasoned Steak Perfection
(Source:  Depths of Mr. Gooch's Brain)
Ingredients
1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp Mesquite Liquid Smoke
1 tbs Chicago Steak Seasoning (from The Spice House)
1/4 tsp Smokey 4/S Special Seasoned Salt (from Penzeys)
Directions
Combine Worcestershire Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar and Mesquite Liquid Smoke in a small bowl.
Combine Chicago Steak Seasoning and Smokey 4/S Special Seasoned Salt in a second small bowl.
Rinse and dry the steaks.
With a basting brush, brush one side of the steaks with the liquid, then sprinkle with the dry seasonings.

Flip the steaks and repeat.

Place seasoned steaks into a zipper bag and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).

Heat your grill to a low to medium temperature. 

Cook low and slow on the grill until it reaches your desired doneness.

Then enjoy!

Menu Plan for the Week of October 4

Last week we were a bit off in our planning.  I stopped by Costco at dinner time to pick up a few things and the roasted chicken smelled so good, I got one.  That ended up lasting me for two nights. 

But we are back to it again this week.

Sunday:  Take out from Panera Bread (I love their Chicken Chipotle Sandwiches)
Monday:  Stovetop Taco Pasta (moved from last week)
Tuesday:  Out for dinner with friends after a trip to IKEA to furnish our office.
Wednesday:  Chicken Caesar Salad (dinner size)
Thursday:  Forage in the Fridge
Friday:  Orzo with Sausage, Chicken and Peppers
Saturday:  Forage in the Fridge

Don't forget to check out http://www.orgjunkie.com/ to see what others are planning on thier menus this week.

Menu Plan for Week of Sept. 27

We did really well last week following the plan.  Now that we are on a roll, it it onto this week.

Sunday:  Forage in the Fridge (FITF)

Monday:  BBQ Chicken in the crockpot

Tuesday:  Tri-tip, dilled carrots, crashed potatoes, salad, peach or pear crisp (my grandmother and great-aunt are coming over for dinner and to see the house for the first time.

Wednesday:  FITF

Thursday:  Stovetop Taco Pasta

Friday:  FITF

Saturday:  Homemade Pizza