Peppered Filet Mignon with Dijon Mayonnaise

Today is Joey's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!) and what goes better when celebrating then pepper on meat? Joe picked up some steak from a local butcher and dear lord were they ever good. So tender and juicy. The price was excellent too, less than what we would have spent at the grocery store.

Pepper Added by Joey - NONE! Yippppppeeeeeee

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayo
5 cloves of garlic, roasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 filet mignon steaks
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

1. In a bowl stir together mayo and roasted garlic (I pressed mine after roasting it), olive oil, mustard and lemon juice. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle filets on both sides with black pepper and salt. Press the pepper so the sticks to the meat.
3. Grill beef over medium high heat until it is cooked to your desired taste.
4. Allow meat to rest after removing it from the grill.
5. Top each filet with the dijon mayonnaise.

Meatballs

Joey loves meatballs but I rarely ever make them because I am not a huge fan of them. I decided to make a batch and freeze the leftovers so he can have them whenever he wants them. Well actually Joey made them this time. He takes 3 times longer to make things then it would take me so it is hard to sit and watch him slowly chop things. He did a fantastic job on these and they turned out delicous (yes, I even tried one).

Pepper added by Joey - added to the meatballs and to the spaghetti they went on.

Ingredients
Ground Beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup onion, diced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1. Mix all ingredients together and roll into large balls.
2. Heat oil in a pan and place meatballs in. Brown on all sides, turning often.
3. Grease a baking dish and then add meatballs in once they are browned.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes (depending on size).
5. Remove and serve over spaghetti or on a sandwich.

Campfire Tinfoil Dinners

We were camping this past weekend and I decided to bust out the old Girl Guide recipe for tinfoil dinners. Now everyone was unsure of how these would turn out but once they were done everyone was very impressed. We used the leftovers for burgers the next day.

You could do this with any meat really, chicken would be really good. There are a few key things that you have to do to prevent it from burning and sticking. Also you have to make sure the fire is perfect with the nice red coals.

Pepper added by Joey - Since I did bring the pepper mill he added a few dashes

Ingredients

Lean ground beef (as much as you will need based on the number of dinners you are making)

Potatoes - peeled and sliced

Broccoli - cut into pieces

Carrots - peeled and cut into sticks

Mushrooms - diced

Onion - diced

BBQ sauce

Salt and pepper

Tinfoil

Paper towel

*note we ran out of eggs but if we hadn't we would have added a few eggs to this to hold it together. Regardless ours stayed together really well.

1. Prepare the fire so that you have nothing but hot red coals. This took us about an hour but during this time we got all the ingredients ready.

2. Mix together the ground beef, mushrooms, onions, BBQ sauce, salt and pepper (and egg).

3. Make burger patty's in whatever size you want.

4. Take one piece of tinfoil (needs to be big enough to wrap around all the food to make a packet).

5. Take a piece of paper towel and wet it. Place it ontop of the tinfoil.

6. Place another piece of tinfoil on top of the wet paper towel.

7. Spread butter on the tinfoil to prevent sticking.

8. Put burger patty in the middle of the tinfoil. Cover with potatoes, carrots and broccoli.

9. Season veggies with butter, salt and pepper.

10. Wrap packet tightly and mark on the top so you can identify who owns each packet (we did initials).

11. Place on top of the red coals. If you have any large logs that have not broken up yet you can place those on top of the packets.

12. Allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes on each side (depending on size of burgers you made). Check occassionally to see if they are done.

13. When done open up packets and place food onto your plate.

Bacon Cheddar Burgers

Mmmm homemade burgers. I used to hate all ground beef but I love these burgers and keep them on hand to grill at any time.

Pepper added by Joey - None



Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 mushrooms, diced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
2 eggs
3/4 cup bread crumbs
6 shakes of worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Cheddar cheese
Hamburger buns
Bacon slices

1. Mix ground beef with onion, mushrooms, garlic, BBQ sauce, eggs, breadcrumbs, worcestershire sauce and salt/pepper.
2. Make into large round balls, then flatten, ensuring the edges are rounded. Wrap in saran wrap and place into the fridge to chill for an hour.
3. Cook bacon in a pan.
4. BBQ burgers until cooked. Adding cheese at the very end.
5. Add burger to a bun with your favourite toppings. Add bacon on top of burger.

Beef Fajitas

We had leftover flank steak to use up and since it was so nice out today we decided to BBQ the beef and make fajitas.

Pepper added by Joey - none as the salsa is spicy enough



Ingredients
Flank steak
1/2 tomato, diced
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded cheese
Salsa
Sour cream
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Fajita wraps
Taco seasoning

1. BBQ flank steak, marinating in BBQ sauce.
2. Season peppers and onions with taco mix.
3. Cook peppers and onions (we did it on the BBQ but on the stove works too) until soft.
4. When steak is cooked slice against the grain into small thin pieces.
5. Assemble tomato, sour cream, salsa, beef, veggies, lettuce and cheese on a fajita wrap.

Beef and Snap Peas

Beef and snap peas are a great combo. This dish was delish, just make sure you cut the beef the correct way or else it will end up tough.

Pepper added by Joey - 3 shakes



Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) flank steak, trimmed
2 tablespoons soy sauce,
3/4 cup chicken broth object
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 cup sliced onion
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
3 cups frozen sugar snap peas
1 cup shredded carrot

1. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Combine steak and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Toss to coat.
2. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, broth, hoisin, and cornstarch; stir well with a whisk.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add steak mixture; sauté 1 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove steak from pan.
5. Add onion and ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes.
6. Add peas and carrot; sauté 2 minutes.
7. Stir in steak mixture; sauté for 30 seconds.
8. Add broth mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly.
9. Serve immediately over rice.

Roast Beef Pita

Leftover roast beef meets pita and homemade tzatziki sauce. Mmmmm so frickin good. I think could possibly be the best sandwich that I have ever had in my entire life.

Pepper added by Joey - There was no time to add pepper

Ingredients

Roast beef cut into thin strips

Homemade tzatziki sauce (see recipe below)

Lettuce

Tomato slices

Pita pockets

1. Open pita pockets, and put tzatziki on both sides.

2. Add lettuce, tomato and roast beef slice.

Mustard Herb Roast Beef

I had a roast in the freezer and wanted to try a new way to cook it. I am all about the slowcooker so I pulled it out and found a recipe that sounded yummy. The only thing I would do differently next time is put the rub on the roast first and then brown it in the pan. The roast was good as is, but I didn't like that it didn't "crispen" up on the top, the rub just sat up there.

Pepper added by Joey - few shakes

Ingredients

Roast beef (whatever kind/cut you have/want)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns

1/2 cup chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme and tarragon)

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon

1 cup beef stock

Carrots, peeled

Potatos, peeled

1. Season beef with salt and pepper.

2. Mix mustard, peppercorns, herbs and garlic in a bowl and rub all over the roast.

3. Pan sear all sides of the roast over medium high heat.

4. Place in the crockpot. Pour wine and beef stock over top.

5. Add as many carrots and potatos as you want to the crockpot.

6. Turn onto low for 7-8 hours.

Beef Manicotti

Made just for Joey because I am not a fan of ground beef. Weird yes because I can eat meat loaf and burgers. Its a beef in sauce/small chunks thing that makes it icky for me.

Pepper added by Joey - Minimal

Ingredients

Ground beef (as much as you think you will need based on the number of shells you have)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 garlic clove, smashed

Manicotti shells

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1/8 cup parmesan cheese

Pasta sauce

1. Bring a pot of water to boil and add noodles cooking until just tender.

2. Place onions and beef in a pan and cook over medium high heat. Add salt, pepper, oregano and garlic.

3. When cooked add 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/8 cup parmesan cheese.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

5. Add a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the dish.

6. Fill each noodle with the meat filling and place into the dish.

7. Once all noodles are filled, top them with remaining sauce and cover with remaining mozzarella cheese.

8. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 10 minutes (use broil if you like).

9. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and then serve.

Lasanga Rolls

I didn't feel like making a full lasanga so I tried this instead. I was able to make Joey's with meat sauce and mine without - which was a treat for him (I hate meat sauce).

Pepper added by Joey - 1 long shake

Ingredients
8 lasagna noodles
Spaghetti sauce (one meat sauce, one veggie sauce - both homemade)
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup baby spinach (finely chopped)
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook lasanga noodles until slightly tender. When cooked lay flat on greased saran wrap.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Mix cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, oregano and salt and pepper.
4. Pour a small amount of sauce into the bottom of your dish.
5. Spoon the cottage cheese mixture onto a lasanga noodle. Roll the noodle up tightly but not so tight that the mixture comes out.
6. Place seam side down in the dish.
7. Repeat with a second noodle and place in dish beside first one. (My dish fit two rolls, put as many in your dish as it will fit).
8. Pour sauce over top of rolls and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Shepherds Pie

I did not try any of this because it's not my bag baby but Joey really enjoyed it and asked that it be added to our regular rotation.

Pepper added by Joey - Nadda

Ingredients

4 large potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon butter

Milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 carrot, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup beef broth
1/2 cup peas

1/4 cup worstershire sauce

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add potatoes.

2. Add worstershire sauce to ground beef.

3. Brown ground beef with onions and carrot.

4. Drain fat and add in flour and cook for 1 minute.

5. Add in beef broth, peas and ketchup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Remove potatoes from water when cooked and mash with margarine and milk.

7. Spread the ground beef on the bottom of a greased pie plate or casserole dish.

8. Spread mashed potatoes over top of the beef.

9. Bake in a 375F oven for 20-30 minutes.

Meat Loaf

Let me start by saying that I hate ground beef. I rarely eat it but I know that Joey loves it so I thought I would try a meatloaf as a treat for me. I can not believe how much I enjoyed this recipe. It was also good reheated the next day!

Pepper added by Joey - Day 1: a little bit, Day 2: a little bit more

Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 medium clove garlic , minced
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon basil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds of ground beef

Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1. Heat the oven to 375F.
2. Cover a broiler pan (or you could use a baking sheet) with tinfoil and cut holes in it for the fat to drain through.
3. Heat butter in a skillet and add onions and celery. Cook until brown.
4. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
6. Whisk eggs in a bowl. Add soy sauce, mustard, bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture.
7. Add ground beef to the mixture. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
8. Transfer the meat to the broiler pan and form into a long rounded rectangle (or whatever shape you want).
9. Bake for 45 minutes. Add glaze to the top and put back in the oven for 15 minutes.
10. When done remove from oven and turn broiler on high. Add more glaze to the meatloaf and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Glaze
1. Add all glaze ingredients into a small saucepan and heat until thick.
2. Remove from heat

Big Shells - Mushroom and Beef

I don't like ground beef all that much and Joey doesn't like mushrooms so when I make manicotti I make half for him in beef and half for me in mushroom. I planned on making manicotti for valentines day but realized that we didn't have any noodles so I made big shells instead. I really liked it this way too.

Pepper added by Joey - dash




Meat version - Ingredients
1 package of ground beef
1/4 onion chopped
shredded mozarella cheese
tablespoon parsley
tablespoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta sauce

1. Cook the beef until no longer pink, adding the onions about half way through.
2. Add all the seasonings and continue to cook.
3. Add in mozarella cheese (as much as you want!) and allow to melt.
4. Allow to cool slightly while water is boiling for pasta. Add big shells and cook until slightly tender.
5. Stuff each shell with meat mixture and add to a greased 8.5x11 pan. Cover with pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes.


Mushroom version - Ingredients
1/2 cup of white wine
1/4 onion chopped
mixture of mushrooms chopped (I use at least 2 types - using as much as you want to fill the number of shells required)
salt and pepper to taste
teaspoon of parsley
teaspoon of oregano
Pasta sauce
mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. Saute onions and mushrooms until mushrooms are soft. Add in seasonings and continue to cook.
2. Add white wine and allow to cook off.
3. Add mozzarella cheese and allow to melt. Remove from heat.
4. Bring a pot of water to boil and add big shells. Allow to cook until slightly tender
5. Stuff each shell with the mushroom mixture and top with pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes.

Julia's Peppery Pot Roast

Mmm pot roast. I typically do a roast with more of an onion or mushroom taste but I think that this recipe is sooo much better. Thanks Julia!!!

Pepper added by Joey - A little on the veggies

Ingredients

4 lb beef roast

2 cloves of garlic - minced

1/2 tsp onion salt

1/2 tsp celery salt

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1Tbsp dry mustard

Dash of nutmeg

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp lemon juice

3 drops hot pepper sauce

1 cup beef stock

Bring the roast to room temperature, rub it with salt and pepper then brown it on both sides.

Place roast in the crock pot and add 1 cup of beef stock to the bottom

Mix all the above ingredients together and pour onto the roast.

Cook for 6-7 hours on high

I add potatos, carrots and onions around the roast and add them in with about 2 - 2.5 hours left in the cooking.

Beef Stew

Nothing says "its a cold Canadian winter" like hot beef stew. I have not had beef stew in hmmm about 15 years maybe even longer but Joey really wanted it so I caved and decided to make it. I used the crockpot because it is just way easier and it was nice to come home to after a long ass day at work.

Pepper added by Joey - I didn't even catch if he added any

Ingredients
2-3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
6-7 potatoes, cut in fourths or eighths depending on size
1/2 cup frozen peas
8 oz. sliced mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half
2 bay leaves (or 1, if it's bigger)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon butter
2 small or 1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves of garlic

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Cook in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the meat.

Place the potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms on the bottom of the crockpot. Top with browned meat, worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.

In the same skillet, melt butter and saute onions until softened. Add the tomato paste and cook off a bit and stir in garlic until fragrant.

Pour red wine and beef broth into the skillet, deglazing the pan and scraping the brown bits. Reduce slightly before pouring the mixture into the crockpot.

Cook on low for 7-9 hours. When done, stir in peas.