Fall Apart Slow Cooker Roast Beef

I remember thinking, when assembling this dinner in crockpot in the morning, wow, this is so easy! Now maybe I have extra time to snuggle up with my toddler to a good storybook! In the evening, I was even more amazed that all I have to shred the beef and plate it up for dinner and prepare a side or two and bang! Dinner's all ready! And it was so delicious that my husband thought I slaved in the kitchen all day. Let it be a little secret between us, ok?

3 pound chuck roast
1 (1 ounce) packet ranch dressing mix
1 (1 ounce) packet Au Jus gravy mix
5 sliced pepperocini peppers 
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup beef broth

For gravy:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2-2 cups drippings from slow cooker

For Roast Beef:
Place pot roast in greased slow cooker.
Top with ranch dressing mix, gravy mix, pepperocini peppers, and pats of butter.
Pour beef broth over roast.
Cook on low for 8 hours

For gravy:
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt your butter.
Stir in your flour creating a roux for your gravy.
Slowly pour in strained liquids from slow cooker while whisking.
Continue whisking over medium heat until desired consistency is reached.
Gravy will thicken over time.

Best served with Honey Glazed Carrots and warm rolls on side. 😏

Recipe courtesy Six Sisters Stuff.

Layered Green Salad

This delicious, creamy salad from the 1970's will have your guests asking, mmm, now what salad is that?

1 medium head Romaine or iceberg lettuce, washed and chipped

1 handful fresh spinach leaves, washed
Vegetables such as sliced cucumbers, chopped bell pepper, and shredded carrots

2 cups cooked peas drained and cooled

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp sugar

dash black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a casserole dish, spread lettuce and spinach in a layer across the bottom. 

Layer an assortment of desired vegetables.

Sprinkle cooked peas on top.

In a small mixing bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar and pepper. 

Spread and smooth the dressing mixture on the top of the salad.
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over to.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Creamy Yogurt Fruit Salad

A refreshing summer fruit salad that goes with so well with almost any dinner dishes. Family practically licked this bowl clean after dinner one night!

2 cups strawberries, sliced
2 cups canned peaches, drained and diced 
2 cups red seedless grapes
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 (8 ounce) container vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together the prepared fruit in a large bowl.
Gently mix in lime juice to keep the fruit from browning. 

In a separate small bowl, mix together yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla.

Right before serving, add yogurt mixture to the prepared fruit.

Baked Salmon Teriyaki

I just love how easy and flavorful dish this is, all I have to do is to remember to marinate the salmon fillets after lunch and the salmon will be ready to be baked in the evening. This dish ends well especially with Creamy Yogurt Fruit Salad. Yummy.

1 to 1 1/4 pounds fresh or frozen salmon fillets
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove minced garlic (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
dash of crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Combine the teriyaki sauce, oil, garlic, onion, pepper, red pepper (if using), and sesame seeds in a gallon sized ziploc bag.
Add the salmon fillets (fresh or still frozen) in a single layer. Remove excess air from bag, seal, and make sure fillets are covered on both sides in the marinade.
Marinate in fridge for 2 or more hours.
Remove salmon from marinating bag and put atop a greased, foil-covered baking pan
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork (145 degrees internal temperature). Don't bake too long, or salmon will be dry!
Serve hot (immediately) with rice or rice noodles, and/or stir fried vegetables.

Monster Candies

As known as Chocolate Oatmeal Clusters. I have fond memories of this delicious recipe. When I was little, I adored to watch the Sesame Street on television, and guess which character was my favorite? Of course, the Cookie Monster. I was fascinated how fast and messy the Cookie Monster would gobble up the cookies into his fuzzy mouth! Then, one day, my mother wanted to make the chocolate oatmeal clusters and naturally I wanted to be her assistant so that I could steal few sweet bites between mixing the ingredients. Then I said "Cookie Monster" to my mother. And the name stuck.

6 ounces package semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butter
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Heat chocolate chips, butter, marshmallow creme in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth; remove from heat. 
Mix in vanilla extract, oats, and coconut flakes.
Working fast, drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper.
Shape into clusters with hands.
Refrigerate until firm for about 30 minutes.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen candies.

Egyptian Fried Tilapia

This dinner dish hails as one of my husband's all-time favorite. Golden fried tilapia sprinkled with lemon juice and slathered with a creamy tahini sauce. Side of white basmati rice and a crispy Lebanese salad graces this dish. There are no leftovers for this meal, sorry honey. 😊

Fried Tilapia

1 1/2 lbs tilapia fillets

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tsp cumin

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup flour

oil for frying

lemon slices

In a deep bowl, mix salt, oil, cumin, garlic, and lemon juice. Marinate fish fillets in sauce for 30 mins. Heat the oil in a skillet (the oil should be about 1 inch deep) to a medium heat. Coat both sides of fish with flour, shaking off the excess flour. Fry the fillets in oil 5-8 mins per side til golden. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish.

Creamy Tahini Sauce

1-2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup tahini paste

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup cold water, more if needed

Mince the garlic cloves, sprinkle with salt. Add the crushed garlic, tahini paste, fresh lemon juice to the food processor and blend until thickened. Add some water and blend until the sauce reaches the consistency of a thick ranch dressing. Enjoy! Can be stored in an air-tight container in refrigerator up to several days.