Because I come from a family full of foodies, much of the planning for this trip involves figuring who is going to bring what snacks or drinks. We have a cooler full of our favorite Indiana craft beer, Cardinal Spirits Maui Mules, homemade pesto and Impostor Al Pastor marinade from Alison Roman’s Dining In cookbook. I also packed plenty of healthy snacks and homemade sandwiches to get us through the nine hour drive to Arkansas. Stocking up ahead of time is so much healthier, cheaper and tastier than grabbing snacks at gas stations and fast food joints.

My all-time favorite sandwich is the vegetarian muffuletta from the Garlic Press Cafe in my hometown. I’m not sure what inspired me to order it for the first time, because it was full of ingredients that I’d never tried growing up. But I was blown away by the first bite. The sandwich had only a handful of components, but was packed with amazing salty, sweet and acidic flavors. It was unlike any sandwich I’d tasted before, and nothing else has compared since.

Sadly, while the Garlic Press is still open, the cafe is now a popcorn and candy shop. The closure led me to create my own version of the veggie muffuletta I loved so much. I tend to tweak the toppings based on what’s in my pantry and fridge, but the recipe I’m sharing below is the standard base for the sandwich. I love adding sliced tomato and fresh basil this time of year.

I will warn you: this sandwich can get messy. If you plan to eat it on the go, wrap the sandwich in waxed paper before slicing it in half and storing the sandwich in a plastic bag or glass container. Peel back the wax paper when you’re ready to eat, keeping it wrapped around the bottom of the sandwich to catch anything that falls.

While this sandwich is great fresh, I think it’s even better if you let it sit overnight. That allows the flavors to really marinate.

What’s your favorite road trip snack? Tell me in the comments!

Vegetarian Muffuletta

serves one

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• Two slices crusty bread, such as ciabatta
• 1/2 oz goat cheese
• 4 Kalamata olives, pitted
• 4 Manzanilla olives
• 4 artichoke hearts, sliced in half
• 4 Peppadew peppers, sliced in half
• 1 tsp. olive oil
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Finely chop Kalamata and Manzanilla olives, then place in a small bowl and stir until combined. Set aside.
2. Spread goat cheese on one slice of bread. Top with chopped olives, pressing down slightly to get them to stick to the goat cheese. Top olive mixture with artichokes and peppers, then drizzle with olive oil. Top with the other slice of bread, pressing down slightly to compress sandwich. Eat immediately, or refrigerate overnight.

[/directions]

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After a few months of stepping away from the blog, I’m back! I fell off the writing wagon for awhile because life got busy, and I honestly wasn’t feeling very inspired in the kitchen. Sometimes you just have to get a meal on the table as quickly as possible, and there aren’t enough hours in the day to make the perfect meal. But, that’s life! I hoped things would slow down a bit over the summer, but this seems to be our busiest season every year. There’s just so much going on in June and July — holidays, birthdays, all sorts of celebrations. It’s all so much fun, but sometimes it’s hard to juggle it all.

But there’s something about all of the delicious, fresh produce that comes along during the summer that makes me want to embrace simplicity. When you have high quality ingredients that are naturally bursting with flavor, there’s no need for meals to get complicated. I can’t get enough melon lately, and the tomatoes I’ve been picking from our garden are to die for. I didn’t like tomatoes at all as a kid, but they’re one of my favorite summer treats as an adult.

While BLTs and panzanella are delicious, my favorite way to enjoy summer tomatoes is actually by slow roasting them. We grow three varieties in our garden and, when I’ve got more tomatoes than I know what to do with, I throw them in the oven for a couple of hours with some good olive oil and fresh herbs. Cooking them low and slow almost caramelizes the tomatoes, drawing out their sweet and acidic flavors. And, they make your house smell delicious — definitely worth turning the oven on for in the middle of the summer.

Once the tomatoes are done roasting, you can store them in a jar in the fridge until you’re ready to use them. I like to throw them on sandwiches and salads, but they also make for the best pasta or pizza sauce ever. All you have to do is sauté some chili flakes and garlic in a saucepan, then add the tomatoes and crush them up a bit with a wooden spoon to draw out some of the juices. I like my sauce thick and rustic, so I just let it simmer this way until it breaks down a bit and the flavors come together. Throw some chopped basil in at the end and you have a ridiculously delicious sauce.

You can use this recipe with any type of tomato, but the cooking time will vary based on their size. If you’re roasting several varieties at once, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them and pull out the smaller tomatoes early so they don’t get burnt. I like this recipe best with a variety of cherry and Roma tomatoes.

Slow-Roasted Summer Tomatoes

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 lb. tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh herbs (I like Thyme and Rosemary best)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Place tomatoes in a large bowl, then toss with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper. Carefully spread tomatoes in an even layer on the baking sheet, making sure the cut side of the tomatoes is facing up.
3. For small varieties of tomatoes like cherry, roast for 1.5 to 2 hours — until the tomatoes are shriveled but still have some liquid in the middle. For medium and large varieties of tomatoes, roast for 3 to 4 hours.
4. Allow tomatoes to cool on baking sheet until they reach room temperature. Transfer tomatoes and any oil into a large mason jar and store in the fridge for up to five days.

[/directions]

The post Slow-Roasted Summer Tomatoes appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

As I was flipping through my planner at work today, I realized something crazy: Thanksgiving is next week! It feels like November just started, so it’s hard to believe we’re already on the verge of the holidays.

I love this time of year because, while it’s hectic, there’s always some type of get together to look forward to. Many of our family gatherings over the next month are centered around a delicious spread of food. I lalways make a couple of old standbys (like grandma’s green bean casserole), along with a new recipe or two.

Because I know oven space is especially precious on Thanksgiving, I’m always on the hunt for dishes that can be made ahead of time or cooked quickly on the stove. I love this cheesy garlic kale because it has delicious flavor but isn’t as heavy as some of the more traditional holiday vegetable side dishes.

There are a few people in my family who turn their noses up at kale, but this recipe is husband approved. James isn’t a huge vegetable fan, but he actually went back for seconds when I served this with dinner last night! This is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket even after the holidays are over because of how quickly it comes together. I recently paired it with chicken sausage and polenta and loved how it complemented the rest of the meal. 

Cheesy Garlic Kale

serves 4-6

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch kale
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add kale to skillet and carefully pour water over top. Cook kale until bright green and soft and all the water is evaporated.
3. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. cheese, salt and pepper to skillet and toss kale until evenly coated. Remove from heat and top with remaining parmesan.

[/directions]

The post Cheesy Garlic Kale appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

After what seems like a month of nonstop travel, life is finally slowing down in our household this week. We’ll be spending the next few weeks at home and I’m so excited to get back into my routine of cooking. When life gets hectic, I often find myself craving time in the kitchen. It’s the place where I can escape from other aspects of life and lose myself in a good recipe. That’s exactly what I did when we arrived home from a weekend away this week.

James had been sick all weekend and requesting nothing but soup to help nurse his aching throat back to health. It gave me the perfect excuse to make a batch of my Grandpa Cattaneo’s tortellini, which may be the most treasured recipe among my mother’s side of the family. The recipe itself is delicious – it’s one that my cousins, aunt and uncle always request when they’re visiting. But it’s the tradition of making the tortellini that makes us love it so much.

This is a recipe that’s rarely made alone, but rather assembled with family around the table, helping to crank out dozens of delicious pasta pillows. I have fond memories of making this tortellini with so many people I love — and I considered it a true test of our relationship the first time I asked James to lend a hand. It’s now a tradition he also embraces. My family typically makes several batches of tortellini between Thanksgiving and Christmas to gift to others or enjoy as part of our holiday celebrations. But, I look for any excuse to dust off my pasta machine and make this ultimate comfort food. When done alone, the task is time consuming. The delicious results make it worth the effort.

Everyone in my family has the same hand-crank pasta machine, which I can’t recommend enough: the Marcato Atlas. This recipe is written according to the settings on that specific machine, but can be adjusted if using different equipment. I suggest serving this tortellini in the traditional Italian way — with simple toppings that let the fresh pasta shine. We eat it most often as a soup, boiled in homemade chicken stock and topped with parmesan. It’s also lovely with fresh marinara sauce.

Turkey Tortellini

Dough

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups flour
• 1 egg
• 3 egg yolks
• 4 Tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. salt

[/ingredients]

Filling

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. dried onion
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbsp. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Place flour on a large, clean surface. Form it into a small mound, then make a large hole in the middle of the flour. Carefully pour egg and egg yolks into the depression in the center and use a fork to lightly beat eggs. Once eggs are combined, add water to the eggs and use a fork to slowly incorporate the flour with the liquids. If the dough appears too dry, add an additional 1/2 tsp. of water until it starts to come together. Once the flour is incorporated, the dough will likely look shaggy and bumpy. Use your hands to carefully fold the dough a few times, being sure to pick up any loose pieces.
2. Once the dough is staying together, slowly start kneading it. If the dough starts sticking to the counter or your hands, sprinkle it with more flour. Continue kneading the dough until it’s smooth and pliable — this will take several minutes. Form the dough into a ball then cut it in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. While dough chills, make the tortellini filling. Combine egg yolk, garlic, onion, parsley, Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk until combined. Add ground turkey and use your hands to mix with seasonings until just combined. Chill until you’re ready to assemble the tortellini.
4. Once you’re ready to make your tortellini, remove one of the dough balls from the refrigerator. Place the dough on a lightly-floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a disk that’s about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully run the dough through the widest setting on your pasta maker (on my machine this is the 0 setting). Fold the pasta sheet into thirds, then run it through the machine again on the same setting. Repeat this process of folding and feeding the dough through the machine on the same setting once more.
5. At this point you should have a smooth but thick pasta sheet. Change the machine’s setting to the next widest thickness (on the Atlas that’s 1). Run the pasta sheet through the machine, then change the setting to the next level and run the pasta sheet through the machine again. Repeat this process until you achieve a thin, long sheet of pasta — I go until level 6 on my machine.
6. Carefully place the sheet of pasta on a clean surface and cut it in half vertically so you have two, long, wide sheets of pasta. Use a ruler to trim the edges of the pasta sheets to form rectangles, setting any dough scraps aside. Next, use the ruler to cut each pasta sheet into several two-inch squares, again setting any dough scraps aside.
7. To fill the tortellini, take 1/4 tsp. of turkey mixture and form it into a loose ball. Place filling in the center of each square. To shape the pasta, fold one corner of the square to meet the other (forming a triangle), then press down on the edges to seal the pasta. Then press the two opposite edges of the triangle together to form the tortellini. Dip your fingers in a small bowl of water before shaping each piece of tortellini if the pasta isn’t sticking together easily. Repeat the process until you’ve formed all squares into tortellini shapes.
8. Place the tortellini on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for ten minutes, until firm. Transfer frozen pasta to a large ziplock bag and freeze until ready to use.
9. Take any scraps of dough and use your hands to form them into a small disk. Run the disk through the pasta machine starting on the widest setting and repeating until you’ve reached the desired thickness. Trim the edges of the pasta sheet using a ruler to form a rectangle, then use the ruler to cut as many 2-inch squares out of the dough as you can. Fill and fold the tortellini as outlined in step 7. Repeat this process until you’ve gotten as many 2-inch squares out of the dough as possible, then freeze the tortellini as outlined in step 8.
10. Repeat steps 4 through 9 with the second half of the pasta dough.
11. Roll any leftover turkey filling into teaspoon-size balls and place on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. Freeze meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes or until firm before placing in a ziplock back and storing in the freezer until ready to use.
12. To prepare tortellini, take it and the meatballs out of the freezer and carefully pour them into a large pot of boiling water or chicken broth. The tortellini and meatballs are ready when they float to the top of the water or broth, about 3 to 4 minutes.
    [/directions]

The post Turkey Tortellini appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

If I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, pasta would top the list. The never-ending combinations of noodles and sauces mean it never gets boring — and I have yet to find a bowl of pasta I don’t like. Gnocchi with pesto and mom’s lasagna are the ultimate comfort foods for me, but oftentimes real life calls for a dinner that’s even more effortless.

I always keep a jar or two of store-bought pasta sauce in our cabinet for nights when I really don’t feel like cooking. I always buy a marinara-style sauce because it’s a blank canvas for other ingredients. My favorite pre-made sauces are Rao’s (worth the extra cost) and Private Selection Basilico. While the sauces taste OK straight out of the jar, a little extra effort makes them taste more like they’re homemade. And, the final product still comes together quickly.

Here’s how to elevate your favorite store-bought pasta sauce:

Start With Garlic

In my opinion, this is how all delicious meals start! I begin by sautéing two to three cloves of minced garlic in two Tablespoons of olive oil until fragrant. You can also add some soffritto, which is the base of all good Italian dishes. It’s the flavorful combination of chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cook the garlic and onion first until softened, then add in the carrot and celery.

Add Protein

Adding meat to the sauce will not only give your final pasta dish more flavor, but it will amp up the nutritional stats on the meal and keep you feeling full longer. I love using lean ground beef, ground turkey or a combination of sweet and spicy Italian sausage. Once the meat is browned, drain fat and add sauce to the pan. Simmer for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors marinate; the longer it simmers, the better it will taste. I typically use about one pound of meat for 24 oz. of sauce.

Pour In Some Wine

If you really want to make your sauce taste fancy, pour a couple splashes of wine into the pan to deglaze it after sautéing meat or veggies and before you add the sauce to the pan. A little bit goes a long way and makes pasta taste especially rich.

Stir In Fresh Herbs

I like my pasta sauce packed with flavor, so I often throw in a handful of chopped fresh herbs while it simmers. You can use whatever herbs you have on hand, but I like to toss in lots of basil, oregano, thyme and parsley. If you don’t have fresh herbs, use a Tablespoon or two of dried Italian seasoning and one teaspoon of ground fennel to amp up the flavor.

Top With Quality Cheese

One of the biggest splurges in my grocery budget each week is fancy cheese. I buy a couple of varieties: at least one for snacking and one for grating. I like to top my pasta with aged parmigiano-reggiano, mimolette or fresh mozzarella — or all three! I stick the cheese-topped pasta under the broiler for a couple of minutes to make it extra gooey and delicious.

The post How To Make Store-bought Pasta Sauce Taste Homemade appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

When I was a kid, getting Chinese takeout was a real treat. It wasn’t something my family did often, so my brother and I always got really excited when my parents decided to pickup dinner from our favorite local spot. Our tastes weren’t very sophisticated back then, so we always opted for orange chicken. While it’s very much an Americanized Chinese food, the sweet and spicy sauce is still one of my favorites.

I wanted to make a healthier version of that childhood favorite when I found myself craving Chinese food Monday. I decided to serve this chicken over cauliflower rice, which is an easy way to get some veggies in. I love how mainstream veggie pastas and rices have become; I used to make my own cauliflower rice in the food processor, but now I can find riced cauliflower in the frozen vegetable section at the grocery store. I’m willing to spend a little more for convenience foods that will save me time and cut down on dirty dishes!

My husband can be a picky eater sometimes, so I know a recipe is good when he goes back for two more bowls. This is a recipe that the whole family will enjoy, just omit the Sriracha from the sauce if you’re worried about it being too spicy.

I also picked up some frozen veggie egg rolls to serve alongside our orange chicken. They completed the healthy and delicious weeknight meal!

Healthy Orange Chicken

serves 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Tamari
• 1 Tbsp. Sriracha
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1 tsp. pepper, divided
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 scallions (white part only), thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 12 oz. frozen cauliflower rice

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together marmalade, hoisin, Tamari, Sriracha, cornstarch, garlic, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Set aside.
2. Coat a large skillet with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and scallions and cook until soft and fragrant, stirring frequently, for about four minutes. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salt and pepper then add it to the pan and cook until browned, about three minutes on each side. Add sauce to pan and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer until thickened.
3. While chicken simmers, coat a medium skillet with 1 Tbsp. sesame oil and place over medium heat. Add cauliflower rice and cook until heated through, stirring frequently, for about five minutes.
4. Once the sauce for the chicken is thickened, remove it from heat. Place 1 cup of cauliflower rice on a plate or in a bowl, then top with 1/4 of the orange chicken.

[/directions]

The post Healthy Orange Chicken appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

It’s safe to say our gas grill is one of the best purchases we’ve made. I love cooking with charcoal, but you can’t beat the convenience of being able to quickly heat a grill up and cook a meal within minutes. We’ve been using ours nonstop this summer to cook everything from hot dogs to pizzas. They’ve all come out beautifully charred, with an extra layer of flavor.

We’ve been making burgers weekly because of how easy they are to throw together. I was on the verge of burger burnout when this recipe idea popped into my head. It’s inspired by this turkey meatloaf, which is a favorite in our house. The sweet, sun-dried tomatoes taste like candy.

I use lean ground turkey in this recipe, which can easily dry out and get tough. The addition of basil pesto helps prevent that and gives the burgers a subtle Italian flavor. We ate our burgers without cheese, but mixing some feta into the patties or topping them with fresh mozzarella would be delicious! To keep this meal super easy, I served the burgers with a side of Alexia fries.

Sun-dried Tomato and Pesto Turkey Burgers

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. pesto
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat your grill to high heat and spray grates with olive oil cooking spray.
2. While grill preheats, form your patties. Place turkey, tomatoes, garlic and pesto in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until just combined. Divide the mixture into four equal portions and carefully form into patties, making a small indent in the middle with your thumb (this prevents the burgers from resembling hockey pucks once cooked).
3. Once grill is preheated, place turkey burgers on grill. Cook for four minutes, then flip the burgers and grill for another three to four minutes, or until cooked through. Remove burgers from grill, place them on a plate and loosely tent the plate with foil. Allow the burgers to rest for five minutes before putting them on the buns and serving.
   [/directions]

The post Sun-dried Tomato and Pesto Turkey Burgers appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Every evening when I go outside to water our plants and garden, I close my eyes and take in the amazing, natural smells they all emit. While I’m a big fan of flowers, the potted herbs lining our back deck produce my favorite smells. My parents have always been gardeners, so the smell of fresh herbs has always signaled summer to me. It reminds me of running around the backyard as a kid looking for caterpillars on the dill plants and summers filled with my mom’s homemade pesto.

Fresh herbs help elevate everyday meals with their strong fragrances and flavors. I plant a wide variety of herbs in pots on our back porch every summer to use in everything from drinks to desserts. Basil and mint are the two I find myself using most often.

I wanted to throw together an easy dinner last night with what we had on hand, so I plucked some herbs from their pots and made this healthy meal come to life. I always cut chicken breasts in half because they’re so large they can easily be split. It’s very important to make sure you don’t marinate this chicken for more than one hour because there’s vinegar in the marinade, which will give the chicken an odd texture if it sits too long before cooking.

You can easily swap out other herbs you have on hand for the ones I use in this recipe. I served our chicken alongside kale I sautéed in a small amount of butter, but it would also taste great with my everyday salad. To make this meal a bit fancier, you can cut a slit in the middle of the chicken breasts and stuff them with goat cheese. Because everything’s better with cheese, right?

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 large chicken breasts, weighing about 1 lb. total
• 1/4 cup high-quality olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• Salt

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Take each chicken breast and cut it in half vertically in order to get four, thinner chicken breasts. Season chicken generously with salt, place in a gallon-sized freezer bag and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, herbs and red pepper. Carefully pour marinade over the chicken in the plastic bag. Squeeze all of the air out of the plastic bag before sealing it and tossing the chicken to coat. Refrigerate chicken for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. About 15 minutes before your chicken is done marinating, preheat your grill over medium-high heat. Once it’s preheated, place chicken on grill and cook for three to four minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove chicken from grill and serve immediately. Season with more salt to suit your taste.

[/directions]

The post Herb Garden Grilled Chicken appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

We’ve officially made it to May! Is this year flying by, or what?! I always love this month because there’s so much to look forward to: college students leaving town, our wedding anniversary, officially kicking off summer. And, of course, Cinco de Mayo!

I’ve long been fascinated by Mexican culture and, although Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, I love how it’s turned into a celebration of Mexican history and heritage in the U.S. Several towns throughout Indiana host their own festivals that showcase Mexican traditions and foods on the holiday.

This recipe for enchiladas won’t come close to being as good as the food you’ll find at those gatherings, but it’s inspired by some of my favorite Mexican dishes and flavors. You start by slow-cooking the beef in a crockpot until it’s nearly falling apart, then finish the recipe off by making a simple enchilada sauce and throwing everything in the oven. The result is a delicious, comforting meal that’s easy to throw together for a small Cinco de Mayo crowd.

The enchilada sauce I use for this recipe is pretty mild because James can’t handle much heat in his food. I will never forget the first time I made my lightened-up beer chicken enchiladas for the first time with a much spicier version of my enchilada sauce — James could barely finish one! Ever since then, he’s a little hesitant to bite into my enchiladas. I now err on the side of caution when it comes to the spice level, which means I end up covering my enchiladas in Cholula. If you’re a fan of spice, you can add more chili powder or even cayenne to the enchilada sauce to take it up a notch!

If you’re looking for a beverage to pair with this meal, I’ll have a margarita recipe for you later this week!

Slow-Cooker Shredded Beef Enchiladas

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]
Enchiladas:

• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp. adobo sauce
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
• 2 lb. beef chuck roast, trimmed
• 1 garlic clove, sliced into 6 pieces
• 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 8 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 10 large, whole-wheat flour tortillas

Enchilada sauce*:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 15 oz. tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth and adobo sauce. Pour mixture, along with the chipotle pepper, into the bottom of a large crockpot.
2. Using a paper towel, carefully pat the chuck roast dry. Cut six small slits all over the roast and place a sliver of garlic inside each. Set roast aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine paprika, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Carefully rub spice mixture all over the chuck roast, being sure not to disturb the garlic. Set roast in crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until roast is nearly falling apart and the beef easily shreds.
4. Once the roast is done, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the beef from the crockpot using a large, slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the beef, then place it in a large bowl and set it aside.
5. To make the enchilada sauce, pour olive oil into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk mixture constantly until it starts to turn golden brown after one to two minutes. Carefully add remaining enchilada sauce ingredients and whisk until sauce is combined. Allow enchilada sauce to come to a boil, then reduce to simmering for ten minutes.
6. Once sauce is done simmering, add 1/3 cup enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup cheese to the beef mixture, stirring until combined.
7. Pour half of the remaining enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. To assemble the enchiladas, spoon beef down the middle of a tortilla. Tightly roll the tortilla up and place it seam-side down in the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas, packing them closely together in the pan. Cover enchiladas with remaining sauce and cheese.
8. Bake enchiladas for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Let stand at room temperature for five minutes before serving.
   [/directions]

*Note: This recipe makes a very mild enchilada sauce. Add more chili powder or a pinch of cayenne to kick up the heat. 

The post Slow-Cooker Shredded Beef Enchiladas appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

We’re halfway through the week — hooray for that! You’ve probably noticed my posts the past few weeks have been less consistent and feature fewer recipes. I’m going through one of those periods where life doesn’t seem to slow down for anything. Most nights consist of me coming home from work, cooking dinner, working out and then heading straight to bed. I’m feeling a bit rundown, so I’ve been neglecting the blog a bit. I’m hoping life will slow down a bit soon so I can spend more time in the kitchen testing recipes. It’s my happy place!

Despite how hectic life is right now, I’m trying really hard to cook at least five nights a week. We usually take leftovers for lunch and knowing we have healthy meals to grab on busier days means there’s one less thing to be stressed about. These five dinners are recipes I find myself making again and again because they’re simple, but delicious. The last thing I want to do at the end of a long day is spend an hour in the kitchen. Hopefully these recipes will make your life easier, too!

Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas

This is one of my all-time favorite meals. You can prep the pork the night before or in the morning and then throw it into the slow cooker while you’re at work. You’ll come home to an amazing smelling house and will only have to shred the pork before you dig in!

 Spicy Peanut Butter Drumsticks

This is one of my favorite meals to throw together when I’m craving takeout. These drumsticks are slightly spicy with just a hint of peanut flavor. I like to serve them with naan and salad or on top of jasmine rice.

Weeknight Chicken Sausage Pasta

Is there anything more comforting than a warm bowl of pasta? This lighter pasta dish is one you can feel good about digging into and takes less than 30 minutes to whip up.

Chicken Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

This healthy meal comes together in just 30 minutes. Sausage, potatoes and carrots get thrown together and cooked on one pan, making for a delicious dinner that couldn’t be easier.

Mini Turkey Meatloaves

I’m saving the best recipe for last. These mini meatloaves are full proof and so darn good! Friends and family request them repeatedly. If I know I’m going to have an especially busy day, I’ll put the meatloaves together the night before so all I have to do is pop them in the oven when I get home from work.

What’s your go-to recipe on busy nights?

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