Beef Brisket Hash

When we made this delicious brisket a couple months ago, we had quite a bit left over so we bagged some of it up and stuck it in the freezer.  I was looking for a fun/different way to use it up and came across this recipe.  Let me tell you, this was a HUGE hit.  My husband literally could not stop talking about how good it was.  I even made the mistake (which I often make) of overcooking his egg and he still raved about it.  And with some leftover brisket sitting in the fridge or freezer, this comes together pretty quickly.  Who can complain about that, right?

Beef Brisket Hash

Number of Servings: 4
Time to Prepare: 30 minutes

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
• 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt
• 12 oz leftover beef brisket
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (we really like Dinosaur BBQ--I used the roasted honey garlic flavor on this)
• 3 oz Swiss cheese, grated
• 4 eggs
• salt & pepper

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook without stirring for 5 minutes. Stir and continue cooking until golden, about 3 more minutes. Add the red onion, jalapeno, and garlic; season with kosher salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the brisket and cook until heated through. Add the barbecue sauce and cook for two more minutes.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and cook until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining vegetable oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the whites are set, about 3-4 minutes.

Divide the hash among plates; top each with a fried egg.

 

Source: adapted from Food Network

Produce Used: Red potato, red onion, jalapeno, garlic

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

As promised way back in May, here is my beloved Pumpkin Black Bean Soup.  It has such a unique but delicious combination of flavors, I can't help but make it every fall...and several other times throughout the year.  My husband is a little weirded out about the idea of pineapple in it, but he still loves the soup and actually forgets there is pineapple there.  If the pineapple worries you, just make sure you cut it up really small.  It adds a great depth to the flavor, but the little bits will blend right in with everything else. I usually use pineapple chunks and then I can cut them to whatever size I want, but if you don't want to worry about the chopping you can just use crushed pineapple.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Number of Servings: 8
Time to Prepare: 25 minutes

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 3/4 to 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped canned pineapple
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 4 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• salt
• pepper

In a large pot, saute the onions in the butter until translucent.  Stir in the cumin and coriander.  Add chicken and cook until onions are slightly browned and chicken is cooked through.  Add the pumpkin, chicken broth, black beans, tomatoes, corn, pineapple, pineapple juice, coconut milk, cilantro, and half and half.

Bring the soup to a boil.  Turn heat down to medium and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Source: adapted from Anna's Bananas
Produce Used: Red onion, corn, pineapple, cilantro, lime

Avocado Hummus

My husband loves hummus.  I mean loves hummus.  There can never be enough hummus in the house for him.  The lack of hummus is probably the thing he complains about the most.  He kind of hates raw carrots, but put some hummus in front of him and he'll down them like they're going out of style.  So the other day he was lamenting the fact that we have a huge bag of baby carrots (Costco, you know...sometimes it feels like our lifeblood) but no hummus and he specifically requested I make avocado hummus.  Or guacahummus, as he calls it.  Yeah, he's dorky like that.  So seeing as how I had six avocados all getting ripe on me, I figured it would be wise to oblige.  And boy did this recipe deliver.  The avocado makes it so smooth and creamy, and I really love the pale green color they give it.  I'm pretty sure my husband is already planning to buy avocados again so I'm "forced" to make more.

Avocado Hummus

Number of Servings: 6-8 (or 1, if it's my husband)
Time to Prepare: 5 minutes

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 avocados, pits and skins removed
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• olive oil for drizzling
• crushed red pepper

Combine 3 Tbsp olive oil, water, tahini, garbanzo beans, avocados, lime juice, lemon juice, garlic, red onion, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (make sure to put at least some of the liquids in first so the blender doesn't get stuck).

Scrape into a serving bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed red pepper.

Source: adapted from Cooking Classy
Produce Used: Avocado, lime, lemon, garlic, red onion

Brown Sugar Bacon Edamame

Ok, guys, I'm seriously drooling just thinking about these.  I have some leftovers in the fridge (I can't even tell you the amount of restraint it took to actually have any left over) and I may just have to bust those out as soon as I'm done writing this up.  The brown sugar bacon in this recipe is to die for.  SERIOUSLY.  I know I just used all caps, like I'm yelling at you or something.  That's how good this is.  Finger-licking, stealing bacon crumbles off the four-year-old's plate, don't share with anybody good.  Just try it.  You'll understand.

Brown Sugar Bacon Edamame

Number of Servings: 3-4
Time to Prepare: 35 minutes

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp honey mustard
• 6 slices bacon
• 9 oz frozen edamame
• 2 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, chili powder, and honey mustard in a large Ziploc bag.  Add bacon and rub brown sugar mixture into the bacon slices.  Lay bacon slices on a cooling rack placed in a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then remove from cooling rack and chop.

While bacon cooks, cook edamame according to package directions (I buy the ones at Costco that you can just microwave straight in the bag).

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and stir to combine.  Cook, stirring constantly, until brown sugar is mostly dissolved, then stir in edamame.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until edamame is glazed with brown sugar sauce.  Stir in bacon and cook for 5 more minutes, continuing to stir, then serve.

Source: inspired by Food Network
Produce Used: Edamame

Sesame Soy Broccoli

This recipe actually came off the bag that I buy my broccoli in (it's a huge freezer bag of broccoli florets from Costco).  It is quick and simple, but packed full of flavor.  Basically any time I'm cooking broccoli, my husband requests this recipe.  Sometimes I oblige and sometimes I don't, but when I do I never regret it.  I especially love the contrast of the bright green broccoli with the little white sesame seeds--it is just so pretty!  And yes, it tastes as good as it looks.

Sesame Soy Broccoli

Number of Servings: 4-6
Time to Prepare: 8 minutes

• 5 cups frozen broccoli florets
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1-2 tsp sesame seeds

Steam broccoli for 5-7 minutes, until crisp tender.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Put broccoli in a serving bowl and drizzle with sauce, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Source: adapted from recipe on broccoli package
Produce Used: Broccoli

Monterey Chicken

Where do I even begin with this one?  This tender grilled chicken is loaded up with savory toppings and thrown in the oven for a few minutes to let everything get gooey and melty.  The different flavors all come together so well, it is seriously like a party in your mouth.  We especially love making this for guests--everybody always loves it and we really just can't get enough of it.  Also, there is a little bit of marinating time, but after that the whole thing comes together super fast and easy.  Trust me, this one is a big winner.

Monterey Chicken

Number of Servings: 4
Time to Prepare: 45 minutes

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp Montreal Chicken seasoning
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
• 1 (14 oz) can Rotel tomatoes, drained (I often don't have Rotel on hand, so I will just use a regular can of diced tomatoes spiced up with a bit of cumin, chili powder, and cayenne...great either way)
• 5 to 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2-3 green onions, sliced

Marinate chicken in olive oil, soy sauce, and Montreal Chicken seasoning for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grill chicken until it reaches 165 degrees in the center (about 10 minutes) and place on a foil-covered baking sheet.  Top each breast with 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 of the tomatoes, 1/4 of the bacon crumbles, and 1/4 of the green onion.  Place in oven and bake just until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Source: slightly adapted from All Things Simple
Produce Used: Green onion

Sweet Crescent Dinner Rolls

These crescent rolls are soft and tender, with just a hint of sweetness.  I have several dinner roll recipes, but this is my go-to.  There are a lot of great rolls out there and I love to change it up, but I always come back to these.  They always impress people, but they are really pretty easy to make.

Sweet Crescent Dinner Rolls

Number of Servings: 24 rolls
Time to Prepare: 2 hours 30 minutes

• 2 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 3 1/4 to 3 3/4 cups flour
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in water.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes until very frothy.  

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine milk, 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the egg, 1/3 cup butter, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt.  Blend on medium until well mixed, scraping down sides as needed.  Add yeast mixture and remaining flour, as needed, until dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl.  Knead in the mixer for 5 minutes.

Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide dough in thirds.  Roll each third into a circle, about 10 inches in diameter.  Spread the 1/4 cup butter evenly over the rounds.  Using a pizza cutter, cut each circle into 12 wedges.  Roll the wedges up, starting at the wide end.  Roll gently but tightly.  Pinch end to seal and place, point side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet  (I can fit 12 rolls on an 11x17 sheet pan).  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden.

Source: adapted from AllRecipes