Boneless Bird

Ok...I have NO idea why my Mom calls this boneless bird...it's boneless....but it's not a bird...hmmm. Either way it's soooo delicious and easy to make!!! ENJOY

Ingredients:
1 small can of tomato paste
1 small can of tomato sauce
2 cans of beef broth
salt/pepper
1/2 cup red wine
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 bay leaves
2 carrots(you can use anything you want for this part)
1 package of beef round (tenderized)
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Slice each beef round into strips that are about 2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long. Brush each strip with Dijon mustard and salt and pepper both sides. Place whatever veggie you are using to put in the middle (I used carrots) on top of the strip and roll the beef around the carrot. Continue with all beef strips.Secure each with tooth pick.

Put oil in pan and bring to med high heat. Brown each rolled up strip on all sides. Remove after browned and place on paper towel.

Poor wine in pan to deglaze... whisk around to get all the bits up off bottom of pan (that's the good stuff). Whisk in tomato paste and sauce until mixed together. Add the beef back to pan. Poor in enough beef broth to bring the liquid to almost cover the beef rounds. You  might not have use both cans of broth. Put in 2 bay leaves. Cover pan and put in a 325 oven for at least an hour. I usually let it cook for about an hour and a half.

You can serve these over rice....but I used egg noodles this time...and it was awesome! Very hearty...tasty....and easy to make:-) ENJOY!!!

Energy Bites

These are super easy to make, and are a great afternoon snack when you start to get tired...and need a little pick me up! Keep them in the fridge so they will stay together and will be easier to handle.

Ingredients:
1 cup (dry) oatmeal
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter ( I use natural peanut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix everything together and roll into small balls...about the size of a bouncy ball (lol...that's all I can think of). Put a layer of wax paper in the bottom of a plastic container and place each ball in the container. Store in fridge and eat 2 for an afternoon snack. DON'T eat more than 2 a day....that's all you need. You will want to eat all of them....if you do...this goes from being a healthy snack...to a bad snack...go it???? ENJOY!!!

Croutons

Homemade croutons are so much better than store bought....and a lot less expensive too! Try these out...you will love them:-)

Buy bread that is on a the clearance shelf at the store. You want bread that is about to go stale...it makes for crunchier croutons. I bought a loaf of asiago cheese bread for $1.69. I cut up half of it...and put the other half in the fridge (so it will last longer) and use it for toast in the morning. Asiago cheese bread makes REALLY good toast...just fyi:-)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried parsley
2 cloves of fresh garlic chopped fine
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan


In a small bowl mix together olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and parsley.

Slice up the bread into small pieces (pretty thin). Brush the olive oil mixture on each piece, front and back. Sprinkle fresh parmesan on top of each piece of bread. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 15 min. at 350 or until the bread is lightly browned and crispy (you can turn them once if you want....but you don't have to). Pull out of oven...let cool, then chop up into crouton size pieces. Store in an airtight container and enjoy throughout the week on your salads. YUM!!!! These are sooooo good! It's hard to save them for a salad...I just want to snack on them...lol.