Showing posts with label easy meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy meals. Show all posts

Monday, June 3, 2024

4 Ingredient Beefy Mushroom Roast - EASY Slow Cooker Meal

By the time I have worked an entire day outside of the home, cooking dinner is the last thing on my mind. I am always looking for easy, tasty, and economical meal ideas. This beefy mushroom roast couldn't be easier or more delicious. 

photo of soup, vegetables, beef and an onion


I am a household of one. So it is easy to make large and inexpensive meals. Rice and Pasta dishes are economical and fairly easy to make. If I make a large pot of either of those two meals, I also have an expensive lunch for the next day at work. I like avoiding the expensive (and often calorie-laden) fast food meals that I would resort to if I didn't make these meals for dinner and left-over lunches.

But sometimes I crave a different flavors from the pasta and rice routine. Unfortunately, I require easy meals and that often limits the variety flavors. This is why I was thrilled when I stumbled onto this four (or three if you don't like onions) ingredient recipe that is perfect for a slow cooker.

Beefy Mushroom Roast

One day at the grocery, I just happened to notice the cans of Campbell's Beefy Mushroom soup (condensed). I had been craving a beefy mushroom and rice menu item from a favorite Chinese restaurant in a neighborhood where I previously lived but I don't have access to that now that I'm living in a very rural area. I decided to try this soup with a beef roast to try to take care of the beef and mushroom craving. And I'm so glad I did!

Ingredients:

1 can of Beefy Mushroom soup (10.5 oz)

1 small onion (sliced or chopped)

1 small bag of frozen "soup" vegetables (16 oz)

1 beef roast  (2 - 3 lbs)

Preparation:

  • slice (or chop) the onions and place them in the bottom of the slow-cooker
  • place the beef roast on top of the onions.
  • pour the can of beefy mushroom soup on top of the roast
  • set the slow-cooker on "low" (I use this setting because I'll be at work during the day. You could use a high setting and have the meal in half the time)
  • approximately 30-60 minutes prior to serving, add the bag of frozen vegetables in the slow-cooker. Turn the setting to high and cook until they are heated. Stir.
  • serve
  • Freeze or refrigerate leftovers for additional meals

Leftover Beefy Mushroom Roast

I have discovered that I usually end up with a large amount of leftovers with this meal. I often separate it into single serving (freezer) containers, pop them into the freezer, and I can use them for furture meals whenever the mood hits. 

I have made mashed potatoes the next day and spooned some of the Beefy Mushroom Roast leftover mix onto the mashed potatoes. 

I recently discovered the Bisquick "Impossible" Pie recipes. I most often make a chicken-pot-pie meal using the Bisquick recipe. It just requires some filling, pouring a Biquick/milk mix over the top, and baking until heated through and brown on top. It didn't take long for me to realize that the Beefy Mushoom Roast is a perfect filling for the Bisquick Impossible Pie recipes. And so quick and easy to make when using the leftover roast for the filling.

Additional Seasonings?

I am not good in the kitchen. And when I try to venture from exact recipes or be creative with additional herbs, I often end up with flavors that clash. So I haven't added any additional seasonings to my Beefy Mushroom Roast meal.  I occasionally wonder about adding Herbes de Provence, since I am fairly new to that herb mix and have discovered how much I like it in venison stews. But frankly, the onion and condensed beef mushroom soup seem to add sufficient salt and flavors to this easy slow cooker meal. 

There are a variety of frozen mixed vegetables to try. Mixes that include okra, spinach, or potatoes.  All of those have been good but I have preferred the mix with green beans. 

There is a creamy beef mushroom soup option that I have thought about trying but this roast is so good as it is that I haven't attempted to make that particular substitution yet.

Related Links: 

This Beefy Mushroom Roast is a delicious filling for the Bisquick Impossible Pies. I usually use a chicken-pot-pie type of filling but the beef roast is an amazing way to use leftovers with an additional flavor. 

My blog post after learning about Herbes de Provence for stews and  how wonderful those herbs are in a venison stew. 

Do you have a craving for less beef and more veggies? The 4 Ingredient Baby Lima Bean Soup recipe is another of my favorites




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, March 1, 2021

Phillips Frozen Crab Cakes Review and Recipe

 I recently made a meal that was both decadent and almost too easy to believe. Phillips Maryland Style Crab Cakes are delicious and were the star of show. Because they were from the local grocery freezer section, I was eating like a queen in 20 minutes with no work beyond popping the crab cakes into the oven and frying an over easy egg. That's all. 

look at that chunk of crab meat!

A Bit About Phillips Foods, Inc

Maryland is known for it's blue crabs. Fresh crabs and crab cakes are a favorite here. I am not a native Marylander so I did not begin to fully appreciate seafood until I moved here as an adult. However, even I immediately learned that a Phillips restaurant is an excellent place to grab a delicious crab cake. 

The Phillips Family seafood story began 100 years ago on the Chesapeake Bay. In the community of Hooper's Island where most families made a living on the water. Mr. Phillips owned a seafood packing plant (wild crabs, fish, and oysters in season) and they shipped their fresh seafood by steamship to Baltimore. In 1956, Bryce and Shirley Phillips opened a small carryout in Ocean City, Maryland.


Crab Cakes and Eggs Over Easy

One day recently, my son messaged me. He said that my young grandson wanted crab cakes with over easy eggs. What?! First of all, I was surprised that my grandson would list crab crakes as a meal request, let alone with an egg on top. After all, I was in my 30's by the time I had a good understanding of the deliciousness of crab cakes. But then again, their family had lived in both Florida and on the Gulf coast of Texas. Of course my grandchild would know about crab cakes.  But the over easy egg addition? Hmmm.

The more I thought about it, the more I craved crab cakes! And once I crave crabcakes, I must have them. I went straight to the grocery and bought a box of Phillips Crab Cakes from the freezer section.

This was the first time I've bought frozen crab cakes. Frankly, I thought they wouldn't be very good. But with all of the social distancing and such, I really wasn't up to picking up fresh crab cakes from one of the local restaurants.

The frozen Phillips Crab Cakes were easy and DELICIOUS! I was so pleasantly surprised. 

My son and family ended up making a fancy version of the crab cakes and eggs. It included beef in a surf and turf version. My version was ridiculous simple.

My grandson's recipe: filet mignon, crabcake, egg, and bacon
(photo courtesy of my son)


My Crab Cakes with Over easy Eggs and Guacamole

Ingredients:

  • 2 Phillips Maryland Style Crab Cakes (frozen)
  • 2 large eggs
  • Premade Guacamole
  • Butter or cooking spray
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare the two crab cakes following the directions on the box (I baked mine in the oven using a small bit of butter in the pan and baking at 425F for 12 minutes, turning once and baking for 4 more minutes - until browned on each side)

After flipping the crab cakes, fry two eggs to over-easy; salt and pepper to taste (remembering that crab cakes contain salt and spices).

Plating: place the crab cakes on a plate. Gently place the eggs on top of the crab cakes. Top with Guacamole to taste (I used just over a tablespoon).

Enjoy!

Imagine all of the variations on this meal - from super easy (crab cakes alone or on a simple bun) to more advanced as my son and grandson made (filet mignon, crab cake, egg, bacon, on a bed of spinach). 


Related Links:

For more information about the Phillips family history or their foods (past and present) please visit their official website here

My son enjoys cooking and making interesting and beautiful meals. Once, I stated that I was going to have fish sticks for dinner. My son immediately sent a recipe for avocado cream sauce and suggested that I make fish tacos. I followed his advice and had an easy and quick dinner of Fish Tacos.

Fish tacos with avocado cream sauce

I am not the only Review This! contributor who uses frozen fish or seafood for an easy and delicious meal. Our Wednesday Elf has reviewed Sea Pak's Budweiser Beer Battered Cod and Gorton's Roasted Garlic and Butter Grilled Tilapa. She recommends both and I am especially interested in her comment "It's like having your kitchen become your new favorite pub". It has been far too long since I've had good pub fish and chips. I've been watching for the Budweiser Beer Battered Cod and will snatch some up as soon as I am in a grocery store that stocks them.






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, March 2, 2020

Easy Meal Recipes: Fish Tacos

I am always looking for easy week night meals that are easy and inexpensive. Thanks to a suggestion from my son, I made these easy and delicious fish tacos. I want to pass this meal idea on to you.


Easy and delicious Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce


My youngest son regularly sends photos of the beautiful and delicious meals he prepares for his family. One recent evening, in response to his mouth-watering food photo, I responded something like: 


" I'm stopping for frozen fish sticks. Yay."

He responded that I should make fish tacos. That sounded way too difficult after a hard day at work and an irritating commute home on the beltway. Fortunately, he sent a link for avocado cream sauce. That did it. I stopped for the frozen fish sticks and the 5 ingredients that I didn't have in my kitchen already. And I made easy and delicious fish tacos. I am so glad I did.


Avocado Cream Sauce


The link he sent was the Avocado Cream Sauce recipe by Barefeet in the Kitchen. Along with the recipe on the page there are links for many recipes using the avocado cream sauce. But my taste buds were firmly set on fish tacos.



Avocado Cream Sauce shopping list


I did not use a blender to prepare my sauce. I was too tired to drag out a blender, wash it, and put it away. So I used a potato masher and mashed the avocados, adding the other ingredients while mashing. I liked the slightly chunky texture and I think it turned out great. But if you prefer a smoother sauce, make sure to use a blender as directed in the original recipe.


Cheap and Easy Weeknight Fish Tacos


Of course, these fish tacos would be even more delicious with fresh fish in place of the frozen fish fillets. However, whether you are cooking for yourself or for the family after a hectic day of work/school/activities, frozen fish fillets make this an easy meal.

Meal Ingredients:

  • small flour tortillas - approximately 6" size
  • frozen fish fillets - prepared per package instructions
  • half head of cabbage - shredded
  • Avocado Cream Sauce - prepared per the recipe instructions
Directions:
  1. Bake fish per the package instructions
  2. While the fish bakes, make the sauce using the avocados, sour cream, fresh garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set that aside in the refrigerator.
  3. Cut the cabbage into small strips
  4. Allow the fish to cool slightly before assembling the tacos. Then assemble by placing a bed of cabbage onto a tortilla, a fish fillet on the cabbage, and a spoonful of avocado cream sauce on top of the fish.
Enjoy!

This recipe was a wonderful change of pace from my normal easy/cheap meal line up. The avocado and lime added a fresh summery flavor in the middle of our mild but dreary winter. The fish, avocado, and cabbage was definitely a healthier alternative to most fast food drive-thru meals. 

Related Link:

After looking more closely at the Barefeet in the Kitchen site I learned that the author is Mary Younkin. She has published recipe books that look right up my alley! Ms. Younkin caught my attention with the philosophy of "cooking from scratch as simply as possible".








Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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