Country Style Steak

This was excellent with a side of mashed potatoes. Very easy to throw in the crockpot, and made the house smell like I had cooked a roast for hours. I substituted top sirloin steaks for the cube steak, since that is what we had in the house at the time.

What's Needed:
4-6 beef cube steaks
All-purpose flour
1 T. vegetable oil
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 envelope brown gravy mix.
Water

1. Dust the steaks with flour. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Brown steaks on both sides. Drain fat. Transfer steaks to crockpot.

2. Add soup and gravy mixes and enough water to cover the meat. Cover; cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

Serves: 4-6. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes.

PointsPlus: 8 points (just steak and gravy)
Husband's Grade: A+

Inspired by: Crockpot: The Original Slow Cooker, 3 books in 1

Steak Fajitas

Yes--in the crockpot. This worked out fantastic, although a bit too wet for the tortillas. Next time, I will probably add a little less liquid.

What's Needed:
4 ribeye steaks, trimmed of all fat
15 oz. can low-sodium diced tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium onion, sliced
2 medium bell peppers (any color--I used red and yellow), julienned
1 T. parsley
12 tortillas (I prefer corn), warmed

IF WANTED:
Fat-free sour cream
Low-Sodium Salsa

1. Slice steak thinly into strips across grain. Place in crockpot.
2. Add tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt.
3. Cover. Cook on LOW for 7 hours.
4. Add onions, peppers, and parsley.
5. Cover. Cook 1-2 horus longer, or until meat is tender.
6. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into crockpot.
7. Cover. Cook on HIGH 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus: 3 (1/2 C. meat mixture, tortilla) Doesn't include sour cream or salsa.

Inspired by: Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly

Summer Edition: Beef Stir-Fry

I must say, this stir-fry turned out almost as good as a Chinese restaurant, with decidedly less points. DH graded the meal a 'B', because it was 'good' despite his definite dislike of Chinese food.

What's Needed:
2 T. dry sherry
2 T. dark soy sauce
1 T. ginger
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 tsp. Asian (dark) sesame seed oil
1/2 lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into strips
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 T. vegetable oil
4 C. broccoli florets
1 C. bell peppers, cut into strips
Optional: 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1. Prepare the marinade: Combine sherry, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame seed oil, and (if you want some heat) crushed red pepper in a gallon-size ziploc bag. Add the beef. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air. Turn to coat the beef. Refrigerate about 1 hour.

2. Drain the marinade into a measuring cup; add enough water to make 1/3 C. liquid. Add the cornstarch and stir until it dissolves.

3. Heat a large skillet or wok with a lid over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and beef; stir-fry until beef loses its red color. Remove beef with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

4. Reduce heat and add the broccoli and bell peppers. Stir-fry three minutes, then cover/steam 1 minute.

5. Add the beef to the skillet and add the marinade. Increase heat to high and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, 2-3 m inutes.

Serve with brown rice. Makes 4 servings.

Husband's Grade: B
PointsPlus: 8 (1/2 C. brown rice; 1/4th of the stirfry)

Inspired by: Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Japanese Beef Stew

This was the BEST stew I've ever made. It will be a definite repeat.

What's Needed:
2 T. vegetable oil
2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 C. frozen carrots
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 white onion, peeled and chopped
1 C. water
2 C. white wine (one small bottle)--or 1/2 C. Japanese sake
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt

1. Heat oil in skillet until hot. Sear beef on all sides, turning as it browns. Transfer beef to crockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine.

2. Cover; cook on LOW 10-12 hours or HIGH 4-6 hours.

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus: 7

Inspired by: Crockpot: The Original Slow Cooker

French Country Soup

This was a wonderful dish. Serve with some dinner rolls or a nice baguette from the bakery :)

What's Needed:
2 14 oz. cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 C of frozen carrots
1 large onion, cut into wedges
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 can low-sodium beef broth
2 C. dry white wine
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Combine beans and meat in the crockpot. Add all other ingredients. Cover; cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving. Makes 6 servings

Husband Rating: A+
PointsPlus 5 points per serving

Inspired by:
Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes

Mexican Steak

Yummy, yummy, yummy! And not too spicey--just the way I like it. If you like spice, I'd suggest adding more chili powder and cumin. If you have a craving for Mexican, but don't have enough points for the 'real' thing, this meal should definitely satisfy!

What's Needed:
1 1/2 lb. beef flank steak
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 small green, red, and/or yellow sweet peppers, cut into strips ( I used frozen pepper strips--turned out great!)
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups hot cooked rice

1. Trim fat from meat. Place meat in crockpot. In a bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Pour over meat.

2. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or on HIGH 3.5-4.5 hours.

3. If using LOW, turn to HIGH. Add sweet pepper strips and pinto beans. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Remove meat; cool slightly. Shred or thinly slice meat across the grain.

4. To serve, spoon rice into soup bowls. Arrange meat on rice. Spoon bean mixture over meat.

Husband Rating: B+
PointsPlus 9 (4 oz. steak, 1/2 C. rice, 1 small ladle of bean mixture)

Subs? In a Crockpot???

That's what the recipe said. My husband likened it to beef stew in sandwich form. It was still mighty tastey :)

What's needed:
1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless beef round steak, cut into thin strips
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (I used mild)
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
salt
black pepper
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
Sub sandwich rolls from the bakery

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown steak on both sides. Drain and discard fat. Place meat in crockpot.

2. In same skillet, cook Italian sausage, stirring to break up. Cook until no longer pink. Drain and discard fat. Add sausage to crockpot.

3. Place bell pepper and onion over meat in crockpot. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Top with spaghetti sauce. Cover; cook on LOW 4-6 hours. Serve mixture on bread.

Husband Rating: A
PointsPlus: 14 for 1 roll and 1/6 of the meat mixture