Beef Brisket (ala Ina Garten - Jewish Style)

I wanted to try to make brisket and since I had cut the 11 lb brisket into 3 pieces (approx. 5 lb & then 2 about 2.5 lb.) I used this recipe as my basis.

Ingredients

• 6 to 7 pounds beef brisket
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 8 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 6 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
• 6 fresh or dried bay leaves
• 1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the brisket in a heavy roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano. Rub the mixture on the brisket. Pile the carrots, celery, onions, and bay leaves on the brisket and pour in enough tomato juice to come about 3/4 of the way up the meat and vegetables. Cover the top of the pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, then with aluminum foil. (The tomato juice will react unpleasantly with the aluminum foil if they touch.) Bake for 3 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove the meat from the pan and keep it warm. Place the pan on 2 burners and boil the vegetables and sauce over medium heat for another 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.
To serve, slice the meat across the grain. Serve with the vegetables.

This turned out really great last night. Yummy!!!

Energy Granola - Diabetic Friendly

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped raw almonds
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit you like
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons agave
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to mix well. In another small bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine until well mixed. Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet and spread it out using a spatula. Transfer to the oven and cook until golden brown, about 22 minutes, stirring midway through cooking.

Remove from the oven and break up any large pieces. When completely cooled, store the granola in an airtight container.

Yield: about 3 cups

Healthier Cookies - Made with Lentils

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cooked mixed lentils, pureed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick rolled oats

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a sheet pan or two.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until pale in color and then add the egg and mix well until incorporated. Stir in the lentil puree and vanilla extract, and continue to mix until combined. Add the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until well combined. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.

Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake the cookies for 13 to 18 minutes and allow to cool on a baking rack.


I added some raisins too but I am sure you could change it up by adding coconut, changing to nuts. We liked them and not a lot of sugar.

For the Lentils - 1 cup lentils and 2.5 - 3 cups water boil for about an hour. Drain and let cool. They can be stored in the freezer for another batch.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I was wondering how using Tastefully Simple's Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce in this recipe would work. I tried it and it was really yummy. So here is my changed version. The basic recipe I received from my friend Beth Thomas.

INGREDIENTS:

1  3-4 pound pork shoulder roast
Montreal Steak seasoning, McCormick or Tastefully Simple Everyday Grill Seasoning
1 - 2  large onions, sliced 
1   bottle (18-ounce) your favorite barbecue sauce
1   bottle of Tastefully Simple's Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce
1-2   cans (16 ounces each) Whole/Jellied Cranberry sauce
1  cup Apple Juice or Cider
 Sandwich rolls or buns, split and toasted (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Sprinkle roast liberally with steak seasoning; set aside. In a 5 quart slow cooker, arrange onion slices and apple juice/cider.  Top with seasoned roast. In a medium bowl, combine barbecue sauce and cranberry sauce.  Pour HALF over roast and reserve remainder. Cover and cook on Low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or HIGH for 4 - 5 hours. Remove roast from cooker to pull or shred roast. Drain juice from cooker but reserve onions to add to the shredded pork. Add remainder of sauce to pork and onions and return to crock pot to warm through. Serve on buns or rolls of choice. You can top with cole slaw for added flavor. Makes 10-12 servings depending on size of serving.


Here is the link to Tastefully Simple to order the Pomegranate Chipotle Sauce: http://www.tastefullysimple.com/home.aspx

Kitchen Adventures of Jacqui and Shirley

I am trying to help my friend be a bit more adventurous with cooking. Jacqui said that she had problems with Banana Bread and it never came out right. So I made a Pillsbury quick bread recipe and one from scratch. Took them to her to decide which she liked better. She chose the one from scratch. Here is the recipe that I used:

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. (Mine was Pyrex)
Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.
Spread slices with honey or serve with ice cream.

Hope you enjoy!