Cast Iron Standing Rib Roast

Sometimes i go to the clearance section in my meat department to see the goodness on sale. Now don't be turned away because it's on clearance, it just meat that needs to be sold before the date in package. This meat is a great deal because you can either cook it that night or you can freeze it. Most of the time I freeze it and that's how Ben and I can eat fabulous steaks for cheaper. 

Well in the clearance section last week I found the "holy grail' of steamy goodness.....a huge prime rib!!! That was marked down from $55 to $24....um can we say SCORE!!! What a perfect Sunday meal!! 

So here is my cast iron prime rib recipe! Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS 

Prime Rib(standing rib roast)

Coarse salt

Fresh black pepper 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup red wine or red cooking wine 

DIRECTIONS

I take my meat out and let it come to room temperature before I sear it. I left this one out for about 3 hours. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Rub salt and pepper all over that baby don't be shy. This is going to to give your meat the flavorful crust that will make you wanna sear everything you eat. 

Heat about 2 tbsp over medium high heat in your cast iron until you can the oil become shimmery. Then add the meat and sear on all sides until a deep brown crust is formed. 

Place the meat with the fat cap on top so that it can baste itself in its own far. Cook the prime rib in the oven at about 15 mins per pound for medium-rare. Temperature should be at 125 degrees when it's done. 

Remove prime rib from oven, place on cutting board and let rest for 25 minutes to allow the juices to be pulled back into the meat for juiciness!! 

Put the cast iron back on the stove at medium high heat and deglaze pan using a wooden spoon. Pour about 1/4 cup of red wine or in my case red cooking wine in cast iron and scrape the bits and pieces off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Place meat back in skillet. 

Slice and serve with the drippings on top. 

Cast Iron Rolls

OMG.....I'm making these again tomorrow they were that good and my husband said that there was something "sexy" about them being served in the skillet!! Excuse me while I wipe the proud tear from my eye while you enjoy these rolls. 

So I used my recipe for the knockoff Texas Roadhouse Rolls(a previous post) and made it BETTER!! Enjoy!!

DIRECTIONS:

Note: instead of cutting in squares I did round. 

After rising, brush rolls with melted garlic butter.

Sprinkle on chopped rosemary. Brush with additional butter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Bake at 359 degrees for 10 to 15 mins until rolls are a deep golden brown on top. Then brush with more butter....DUH!!

Serve skillet on the table.

Rosemary and Garlic Steak

• Cast iron series....

Let's start off right with steaks. I love steak and mushrooms. Here is a simple and easy way to impress. 

• 
  
• Two sirloin steaks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• Shiitake mushrooms 
• 1/8 cup Red wine(red cooking wine)
• 1/8 cup Balsamic vinegar

1. Rub the sirloins with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil then season with salt and pepper.
2. Let the meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil until shimmering.
4. Add the steaks and cook over high heat until crusty on the bottom.
5. Turn the steaks and add the butter, thyme, garlic and rosemary to the skillet.
6. Turn broiler on high.
7. Cook over high heat while continually basting with the butter, garlic and herbs until until seared. 
8. Add the red wine.
9. Put under broiler for 2-3 mins. 
10. Remove steaks and put on plates.
11. Place the cast iron back on the stove on medium high heat. Add mushrooms and balsamic vinegar.
12. Place mushrooms on top along with the pan sauce. 
13. Serve

Oatmeal Pies with Salted Carmel

My inlaws always offer us when we go visit Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pies and brings back memories of child hood and ALL the Little Debbie snacks that I consumed when I was young. 

I have been trying my hardest lately to make snacks for my kids instead of buying the ones from the store that has weird ingredients. So what's better than just oats, butter, sugar and vanilla without the preservatives. 

Well here is the most delicious tasty oatmeal pies ever. 

Ingredients

• 1¼ cup (2.5 sticks) butter(cold)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg(cold)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups quick oats

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until well combined, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter and mix on low speed just until combined. Add the oats and stir until just combined.
   
   
3. Use a medium cookie scoop to place dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes until edges start to turn golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
   

BUTTERCREAM 

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbs whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Place the butter, sugar, whipping cream and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. When the cookies are cool, sandwich frosting between two cookies. Enjoy!! :)

SALTED CARMEL

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, cubed
• 
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook just the sugar. Whisk it occasionally as it melts and cook it until it turns a deep amber color. Then add the butter and stir until it is melted. Add the heavy cream and whisk until the caramel is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.

Drizzle over Oatmeal Pies. 

*adapted from pinterest

TURKEY BALLS<----lol

Ok ok I know....."that's so inappropriate" this title....well suck it up lol!!!! 

These are to die for!!! In not lying I had two huge plates of spaghetti. I almost made myself sick. AND if you know me you know that I have this ONE rule about spaghetti...."if it's not Henrietta's(my gma) I don't want it....PERIOD". Well I retract that statement, well not in its entirety..it should now say,"I'd its not Henrietta's OR this spaghetti with turkey balls I don't want it". 

Ingredients

• 1 - 1.5 lbs. of ground turkey
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup dried parsley
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 
• 3 Tbsp tomato sauce

Instructions: 

In a bowl, combine everything

Form small balls of the meat and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment. 

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes (this could be longer or shorter depending on the size of the meatballs).

I used Kroger brand spaghetti sauce, roasted garlic, and added my meatballs in as I heated up sauce. OMGEEEEE, it was soooo good!!

Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms

Ingredients:
8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, sliced 
1 lb. fresh green beans
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Garlic powder 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450F/230C. Wash mushrooms and let drain. While mushrooms are drying, trim ends of beans and cut beans in half so you have bite-sized pieces. Cut mushrooms into slices. 

Put cut beans and mushrooms into a Ziploc bag. Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour over, then shake bag so all the beans and mushrooms are lightly coated with the mixture. Arrange on large cookie sheet, spreading them out well so beans and mushrooms are not crowded. Roast 20-30 minutes. Cook until beans are tender-crisp, mushrooms are cooked, and all liquid on the pan from mushrooms has evaporated. Season beans to taste with garlic, salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve hot.

adapted from pinterest

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Who doesn't love lemon and garlic?!?! If you don't, don't worry about the first line 😂😂!!! 

This recipe not only combines two spectacular ingredients but it also can be made in the CROCKPOT!!! Yep that's right...a whole chicken ready by the time you're ready for dinner!!! 

Ingredients

• 4 lemons(sliced)
• 2-3 heads of garlic
• 1 whole chicken 4 to 5 pounds
• Fresh thyme
• Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning 

Instructions

1. Cut garlic heads and lemons in half and lay in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Add thyme.
3. Remove insides from chicken, rinse chicken and pat dry.
4. Season chicken well, inside and out, with rotissierie seasoning or just kosher salt and fresh pepper.
5. Lay chicken on top of garlic and lemon slices. 
6. Cover top of chicken with additional lemon slices and rosemary

1. Turn slow cooker to high, and cook for about 4 hours, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.
2. When chicken has reached 165, turn off slow cooker and let chicken rest for about 15 minutes.
3. Remove from slow cooker, carve and serve.
4. Liquid from slow cooker can be strained and served over chicken.

Adapted from Pinterest

Longhorn Steakhouse bacon mac

So we went to family dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse and on the menu as a side was this bacon macaroni cheese and I knew I knew it I knew I wanted it I had to have it so I got it and it was definitely the star of my plate but it came in like a 2 inch ramekin and it cost $3. I wanted more but there was no way I was going to pay three more dollars to eat another 2 inches of bacon macaroni and cheese. So I knew I had to re-create myself.

Ingredients

• 1 pound cavatappi pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups cream
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 3 ounces white Cheddar, shredded
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese , shredded
• 4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 4 pieces bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Prepare pasta according to packaged directions. Heat together in a large saucepan 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour over medium heat. Cook until the roux becomes fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of cream and stir until sauce thickens. Add an additional 1/2 cup of cream when the sauce thickens, and then add final 1 cup of cream and stir until the sauce becomes thick.

Add cheeses to sauce slowly stirring until the cheese is blended. Spinkle in smoked paprika. Mix together pasta and sauce, and pour into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Top macaroni and cheese with crumbled bacon and panko bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until panko breadcrumbs are brown. 

***adapted from copykat.com***

Buttermilk Buscuits

Growing up I knew that my Grandma made the best biscuits that mankind has ever tasted. They were flaky, buttery, melt in your mouth greatness. Nobody can beat those. 

I have tried and failed many occasions with the perplex science on how to make the perfect buttermilk biscuits. They were either not big and fluffy, or dry and crisp, or not flaky, on and on. 

Being me and not giving up(well at least food wise) I wanted my Grandmas or at least the equivalent of her biscuits. So I rolled up my sleeves and got in the kitchen. 

And drumroll please...........not to brag BUT Grandma watch out Haley is coming through!!! 

Here it is my perfect, easy and homemade buttermilk biscuits. 

**I did use food processor but if you don't have this can be done by hand**

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 stick COLD unsalted butter, diced 
• 1 cup of buttermilk 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. heat oven to 425°f.
2. whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
3. using your fingers or a dough cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks course.
4. Pour in the buttermilk. stir just until all the dry bits are incorporated, no longer. It should be sticky and shaggy. Not too dry and not wet. You might need to add a small bit of extra flour or flour your surface a little more. 
5. Flour a work surface and turn your dough out onto it. Lightly flour the top of your dough and use your hands to pat it out into a rectangle a little over an inch thick. 
6. Fold that rectangle toward you, rotate the dough counter clockwise, roll it out gently using a rolling pin starting always from center of the dough, careful to not crush the outer edges and destroy your layers. Roll very gently. 
7. Repeat the folding and rolling two more times. 
8. Roll the dough out to about an inch thick and using a floured biscuit cutter, cut your biscuits straight down on good push.....no twisting. Continue with scraps until there is no more dough. Placing the cut biscuits touching one another on a lightly greased baking sheet.
9. Bake for 10-15 minutes. They should be golden brown and fluffily cooked through. 

Pan fried pork chops

Sometimes what you need in life is a crunchy, juicy, delicious fried pork chop!!! Before this whole chicken and waffles craze hit my family had been eating fried porkchops and buttermilk biscuits. It's something about this sweet and salty combo with honey drizzle that does it for the taste buds. And reminds me of growing up.

I suggest nice thick center cut bone in pork chops. The pork chops with the bone in them will always taste better than boneless pork chops. The flavor that comes from the bone being there is amazing plus it's juicer meat.  

So try these out along with my buttermilk biscuits for a great combo your family will crave!!

Ingredients For Your Pork Chops

You will want to get started by sifting together the below ingredients. 

1. One Cup All Purpose Plain Flour. 

2. One Teaspoon Ground Sea Salt. 

3. One Teaspoon Ground Ginger. 

4. One Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg. 

5. One Teaspoon Ground Thyme. 

6. One Teaspoon Ground Sage. 

7. One Teaspoon Garlic Powder

8. One Teaspoon of Smoked Paprika

Sift the above ingredients together very well and put all your sifted together ingredients into a large bowl. 

Now mix together four large eggs and a cup of buttermilk. Mix it together very well. 

Heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil in a large skillet until the oil is hot but not smoking. You want your oil hot enough to brown your pork chops but not burn them. 

Put your pork chops first in the milk and egg mixture and then into the flour mixture. Now they go back into the milk and egg mixture and then back into the flour mixture. They are going to be double breaded. Be sure they get very well breaded before you fry them in the hot vegetable oil. Fry them on one side until they are good and brown and then flip them over and brown them to done on the other side.

Drain them on paper towels. I suggest 2 per paper towel as not overcrowd and so it can soak up oil better. 

Strawberry Angel Cake

HAPPY EASTER!!! 

Sooooo when I was growing up my grandma always made us those Strawberry Shortcakes with those spongy cakes, whipped cream and fresh berries on top!!! I love them. They are so nostalgic to me BUT ever since growing older I'm really not a whipped cream fan. I wanted to make this shortcake for my family but I wanted a modern day, modern Haley twist on it!!! So I decided to combine my favorite CHEESECAKE with my version of a Strawberry shortcake. And I was so nervous about this but it worked and it WAS so good. Not too sweet and not too tart but a perfect combo of fresh, sweet and not so heavy!!! 

INGREDIENTS:

Cheesecake

3 packages of cream cheese(room temp)

3 cups Cool Whip

1.5 cups sugar

1.5 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip. And set in freezer for 10 mins or just until firm. 

Short Cake

9" spring form pan

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Place mixture in an ungreased 9-inch round springform pan and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

DIRECTIONS:

Wash and dry strawberries.

1. Slice about 12 strawberries into thin strawberries to use around the outside edge.

   Cut the tops off of about 3 cups of small to medium sized strawberries (about 18-20 strawberries).

   Line 9 inch springform pan used for the shortcake with parchment paper on the bottom and sides. The parchment paper should stick above the edges of the pan about an inch or two.

   Place shortcake in the bottom of the pan.

   Line the sides of the pan with the sliced strawberries, using the prettiest slices.

   Add about 1/2 of the cheesecake filling on top of the shortcake and spread into a thin layer, filling any gaps around the shortcake and sliced berries.

   Place the strawberries on top. 

   Then add remaining cheesecake filling on top of the strawberries. Spread the remaining cheesecake evenly over the strawberries. 

   Cover loosely and refrigerate until firm, about 4-5 hours.

Before serving place strawberries on the top in the center for serving!! 

Indian Chicken with Garlic Spaghetti Squash

Sooo yeah anybody who knows me knows that my three true loves are 1. My family 2. Cheesecake and 3. Pasta!!!! Since I'm in the process of working for that summer bod cheesecake and pasta have to be axed....😩😩😩. I'm working on that cheesecake substitute but the pasta sub I knew that I would use that fabulous veggie Spaghetti Squash....it looks just like pasta!!! It does have a tad bit more of a "crunch" then pasta but heyyy it works!!! 

Ingredients:

Marinade: 

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized chunks

Sauce:

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, bottom two inches of stems removed

4 cloves of garlic

3 Serrano chilies, seeds and membranes removed

⅛ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

⅓ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

½ cup water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the chili powder, salt, lemon juice, and chicken breast pieces in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour if you have the time. 
2. Place the cilantro, garlic, Serrano chilies, ½ tsp. cumin, lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp. water in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process 20-30 seconds, or until the mixture forms a paste. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the black pepper and red pepper flakes and let cook in the oil for 1 minute. Add the cumin, onions, and brown sugar to the pan and toss to coat the onions in the spices. Let cook for 6-8 minutes, or until onions are nicely browned.
   
4. Remove the chicken from its marinade and add to the pan. Toss to coat it in the onions and spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken pieces have turned white on all sides.
5. Reduce the heat to medium, then add in the ginger, tomatoes, turmeric, and cardamom and give it a good stir. Add in the contents of the food processor or blender, stir, and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Pour in the coconut milk and water and let the contents of the pan slowly come to a boil over medium heat. Once it has reached a boil, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
   

   
   
7. After ten minutes, uncover the pan and taste the sauce. If it is too spicy, add more brown sugar. Add salt and black pepper as needed.

Garlic Spaghetti Squash 

INGREDIENTS

1 small spaghetti squash (about 3-4 pounds)

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely minced parsley (or basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Pierce squash a few times with sharp paring knife (to let steam escape). Bake spaghetti squash for 60 minutes, or until a paring knife pierces easily through skin with little resistance. Let squash cool for 10 minutes. 

2. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Use a fork to remove and discard the seeds. Continue using fork to scrape the squash to get long, lovely strands. If the squash seem difficult to scrape, return the squash to bake for an additional 10 minutes.  

3. Heat a large saute pan with the butter and the garlic over medium-low heat. When garlic becomes fragrant, add parsley, salt and spaghetti squash strands. Toss well, sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and taste to see if you need additional salt. The spaghetti squash should have a slight crunch.