*Decadent Roast with Pototoes, Carrots, and Gravy

• 1.8 lb London Broil
• 1 packet Ranch Dressing Dry Mix
• 1 packet Au Jus Dry Mix
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 2 c. Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 c. low sodium beef broth
• 1 c. water
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 3 lrg carrots
• 4 lrg Russet potatoes
• salt, a little as needed

Place meat in large crockpot.  Sprinkle about 2/3 of each seasoning packet on meat.  Slice butter and place evenly over meat.  Pour wine, beef broth, and water around meat.  Cut potatoes and carrots into large chunks and place around and on meat.  Sprinkle celery on top.  Sprinkle mushrooms on top.  Sprinkle the rest of the seasoning packets over mushrooms.  After simmering a couple hours, taste to see if salt is needed.  Add a little and allow to simmer a while before tasting again.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

*Easy French Dip Sandwiches

• 1½ lb Roast beef
• 1½ lb Baby Swiss cheese 
• 32 oz. beef stock
• 2 packets McCormick's Au Jus seasoning mix 
• 4 med yellow onions 
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 hoagie size sandwich buns, 6-7 inches

Slice the onions into thin slices.  Melt butter in a saucepan and add onions.  Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the Au Jus seasoning mix onto the simmering onions and stir to coat.  Slowly add the beef stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes uncovered.  Turn off heat.  

Using a slotted spoon, dip the onions out of the sauce and place in a bowl. These will be put on the sandwiches.

Lightly toast the buns under the broiler in the oven.

Place the roast beef, some onions, and Swiss cheese on the buns.  Put back under the broiler to warm and melt the cheese.  Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.  Enjoy!

Squash Casserole

• 2 c. cooked cornbread, crumbled
• 2 c. squash
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• ½ - 1 med onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)

Grate squash on a cheese grater.  Saute squash, onion, and jalapeño in the butter.  Mix all ingredients together and bake in a casserole dish at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Recipe courtesy of James Robert King.

*Blackberry Chardonnay Cobbler

• 6 oz fresh blackberries
• ¾ c. sugar
• ¾ c. Yellow Tail Chardonnay

Combine blackberries, sugar and chardonnay.  Let set in the fridge for 4 hours.

• 1 c. self-rising flour
• ½ c. milk (2%)
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• ¾ c. sugar

Combine melted butter and sugar in a bowl with the blackberries and all of the chardonnay juice.  Add the milk and flour.  Stir well.  Pour into a nonstick baking dish and cook for 35-40 minutes at 350° F.

*Golden Creamed Potatoes

Golden Creamed Potatoes

2 c. instant potato flakes

2 c. unsalted chicken stock

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp chives

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. sour cream

Heat chicken stock and butter to a boil.  Dissolve salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Add chives.  

In a separate bowl, put potato flakes.  Pour chicken stock over potatoes and stir until dissolved.  It will be extremely thick.  Add milk and sour cream and stir well.  Serve hot. 

"Steakhouse Onion Burger Seasoning Blend" McCormick Grill Mates - Copycat Recipe

I was getting ready to make hamburgers last night, and I discovered I was nearly out of my favorite hamburger seasoning blend.  When I say "almost out," I mean about 1/2 a teaspoon left in the bottle.  I needed 1 & 1/2 to 2 tablespoons for my burgers.  So I decided to see if I could create a blend that tasted like it.  After reading the back of the bottle, I got to work mixing seasonings and compared it to what was left in the bottle.  Success!  We tried it with the burgers last night and they turned out delicious!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 

Steakhouse Onion Burger Seasoning Blend (copycat recipe)

4 tsp dry onion flakes

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper 

1 tsp paprika

Mix ingredients well and store in airtight container.  Add 1/2 - 1 Tbsp per pound of hamburger meat.  If possible, add seasoning to meat 2-4 hours prior to cooking.  Keep meat refrigerated until ready to cook. 

*This will make enough to season 3.75 lbs using 1 Tbsp per pound. 

For a crowd (~7.5 lbs hamburger meat):

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp onion flakes

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp onion powder

2 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp paprika

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 2 lbs red potatoes
• ¹⁄₂  cup milk
• ¹⁄₄  cup heavy cream 
• 3 Tbsp butter
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• ¹⁄₄ cup garlic (whole cloves)

Place a single layer of garlic cloves on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and wrap tightly.

1. Roast in 400F degree preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes or until soft.
2. Unwrap and let cool until touchable.
3. Peel cloves and mash with potatoes when they are ready.
4. Wash and rinse potatoes under cold water.
5. It is not necessary to peel potatoes, unless you desire.
6. In large sauce pan (or pot), bring red potatoes to a slow boil for approximately 20 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and drain in colander.
8. In pan or bowl, combine potatoes, peeled and roasted garlic cloves, and all other ingredients and mash with a potato masher.
9. Keep warm.