Category: beef dishes

I love Tex-Mex, heck, I’m born and raised Texan, so I would eat this style of food every day if I could! I’ve made the traditional enchiladas with rolled corn tortillas filled with chicken, beef and sometimes just cheese; but enchiladas can be tedious and when we are really hungry we need short cuts.

I’ve turned the process of rolled enchiladas into a lasagna-type casserole and it doesn’t skimp on flavor. Tonight, I’ll tell you how to make this cheesy-beefy version.

lazy beef and cheese enchiladas

makes 5 – 7 servings

• 1 pound ground beef, I like 85/15
• 1 teaspoon oil, we use avocado but you can use vegetable
• 18 corn tortillas
• 1/2 a small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon crush garlic
• 1 small can of diced green chiles
• 2 cups shredded cheese of our choice
• 1 large can of red enchilada sauce, I didn’t have any so I made my own – recipe below
• optional fixins: sour cream, cilantro and pickles jalapenos

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and set aside.
3. In a medium pan, cook and brown your beef and onion in a teaspoon of oil.
4. Add the crushed garlic and green chiles and mix until beef is cooked through.
5. If your beef mixture is watery, drain the fat. Mine was not and I used a slotted spoon when adding to the casserole.
6. Open your can of red enchilada sauce and heat over a small pot until simmering. If you don’t have store-bought enchilada sauce, you can make your own with ingredients you probably already have. Recipe below.
7. Now you can start layering your enchilada bake. Start by adding about 1/4 cup of red sauce to the bottom on your casserole dish, spread evenly.
8. Next, carefully dip a corn tortilla in the red sauce, making sure to coat the front and back and then lay at the bottom of the casserole dish. Repeat this step 6 times to cover the bottom.
9. Next, add half of your beef mixture on top of the tortillas, spreading evenly.
10. Next sprinkle 1/3 of your shredded cheese on top. That’s the first layer!
11. Repeat this process one more time.
12. Next, dip 6 more corn tortillas into the red sauce to top your casserole.
13. Pour the remaining red sauce evenly over the entire casserole.
14. Sprinkle your remaining cheese on top and cover with foil.
15. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
16. Once the 30 minutes is up, remove the foil and add pickled jalapenos to the top and place back in the oven for 3 – 5 more minutes.
17. Last, slice up and serve with cilantro and sour cream!

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Now that we’ve reached our first day with 40 degree weather here in Texas, I’m ready to get my baking on. It was a chilly and rainy day here to start and by the time I finished breakfast, I knew what I was going to make for dinner.

Now lasagna is like chili. Everyone has their own recipe and there are so many great variations. If you’ve gotten to know me by now, you know that I cook with a “little of this, and a little of that” attitude. The kitchen is my testing ground and I’m happy to say that although I started with a pile of ingredients, I took notes of my portions and came up with a pretty tasty result. My version is gluten free – but you can follow the same steps with gluten-full.

You can check out how I made it on my Instagram highlights here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17918160637345176/

gluten free lasagna

makes 8-10 servings

• 1 pound of 85/15 ground beef
• 1 package of gluten free lasagna sheets, ready for the oven – I used Barilla brand
• Salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon of garlic, crushed
• 1/2 an onion diced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tub of 15 oz. ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs, scrambled
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 jars of marinara sauce

1. Put a pan on medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
2. Add the ground beef, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and the garlic to the pan. Break up the beef and brown. Once cooked, set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta cheese and other teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Mix until smooth. Set aside.
4. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.
5. Pour about 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of your 9×13 baking dish and spread evenly.
6. Next, lay 4 sheets of pasta and spoon over more marinara sauce. Spread to cover the pasta completely.
7. Dollop the ricotta cheese over the sheets, using the back of the spoon to spread evenly.
8. Sprinkle fresh spinach leaves on top, then add a few spoonfuls of the beef mixture on top of that.
9. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over. Repeat 3 more times ending with just the marinara sauce, ricotta cheese, remaining mozzarella cheese and then the Parmesan cheese.
10. Bake for 55 minutes, turning to broil for the last 2-3 minutes.

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My favorite way to cook a skirt steak is not on the grill…it’s on a skillet! It’s truly a one pan dinner and makes for a quick weeknight meal. The way you serve it is full of possibilities. Family style with a side of quinoa and charred veggies like I did tonight. Or with warm tortillas eaten as tacos. If you do have leftovers, you can serve it on top of lettuce and all the accouterments to make a great steak salad.

TIP! A tip I have for you as well is all about how you cut the meat – any meat. Asses the meat. Look at the way the grain runs along the meat, and then cut against it. The grain are simply muscle fibers in the meat that can make meat chewy and tough if cut incorrectly. Cutting against the grain will ensure you have not only a juicy cut of meat but also a tender one.

Be sure to check out my step-by-step video on Instagram in my highlight videos titled: Skirt Steak. https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18086050294012603/

skirt steak

• 1 package of skirt steak
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil

1. Bring a skillet to medium-high heat and add the olive oil in.
2. Season your skirt steak with chili powder, salt & pepper on one side.
3. Place the skirt steak seasoned-side down in the skillet and leave it alone. Do not flip the steak for several minutes, maybe 7-10 minutes.
4. TIP! When you start to see blood pooling at the top of the skirt steak, the steak is about ready to be flipped. Season the other side and then flip the steak to cook on the other side an additional 5-7 minutes.
5. Once the steak is done, remove to a cutting board and tent a piece of foil over to let the meat rest for about 5 minutes.
6. TIP! Allowing the meat to rest under the foil will let the juices go back to the center and keep your steak juicy.
7. After the meat has rested, cut against the grain about a half-inch in thickness.

Please follow me @aimeesapron on Instagram for more recipe ideas daily! https://www.instagram.com/aimeesapron/

Top round beef is an inexpensive cut of meat located in the rump and hind leg area of the cow.  The beef itself is much leaner and less tender than other cuts of meats making it more challenging to cook with when you are trying to make quick meals.

One thing I’ve done to combat the tenderizing issue is to cut the meat as thinly as possible against the grain.  This helps to prevent the meat from being chewy once cooked. I also find that making a quick marinade for meats that include acids like lemon or lime and vinegars will aid in breaking down the tissue.

Enough anatomy class…let’s get into how to make this dish!

asian inspired beef stir-fry

makes 4 servings

• 1.5 pounds of top round steak, cut thinly into strips
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ a red or yellow onion, sliced in half moons
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
• Squeeze of one whole lime
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil – optional
• Red pepper flake to taste – optional
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro – optional
• 1 cup shredded cabbage – purple or green
• 1 cup of what rice (see below for how I cook rice)

1. Combine the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, lime and sesame oil in a small bowl to make a marinade.  I use a measuring cup for easy pouring.  Set aside.
2. Slice top round steak into thin strips, against the grain.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Put oil in a skillet over high heat.
5. Add the beef strips to the skillet, turning them over frequently.  They will cook very quickly.
6. Once the beef is somewhat brown, add the cabbage and onion in.
7. Next, drizzle the marinade over the meat and veggies.  Stir to combine.
8. Once everything is cooked through, spoon the beef and veggies mixture along with the sauce over rice.  Top with fresh cilantro and red pepper flake if you please.

How I Cook Rice

Something you will get to know about me, is that when I am cooking for my family, I rarely measure. Even if I am following a recipe, my normal routine is to add a little of this and a little of that.

I watched my mother cook rice and now I do it this same way.

1. I put a pot on medium heat and add about a tablespoon of my favorite cooking oil.
2. I add the dry rice in and let it saute in the oil, stirring frequently. You don’t want the rice to burn.
3. Once I smell the toasted rice and see it has a beautiful golden flavor, I add some water to cover and stir. I do not put the lid on the pot.
4. Optional: if you wanted to make flavored rice, I add my flavorings here. Maybe a chicken or tomato bouillon cube. For the taco bowls I left the rice plain but added a little salt.
5. I continue to stir occasionally and add water as needed until rice is cooked al dente.

Please follow me @aimeesapron on Instagram for more recipe ideas daily!https://www.instagram.com/aimeesapron/

I live in Texas. Born and raised, so don’t come for me Philly! You’ll notice I did not dare call this a Philly cheesesteak, however I was inspired by the original. Mine, however doesn’t require long roasting or all the laboriousness that goes with a juicy, creamy, savory cheesesteak. That process is better left to the pros.

I can however, tell you just how easy and satisfying this cheesesteak was to make.

The Cheesesteak

makes 4 servings

• A baguette sliced into sandwich portions *
• 1 pound top round beef
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 6 mini bell peppers or 1 whole one
• 1 small red onion
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• * for my fellow gluten free friends, you can use Udi’s brand french baguettes: https://udisglutenfree.com/products/french-baguettes/

1. Slice the top round into strips – as thin as you can get them. Season with salt and pepper. Add them to a skillet with a little olive oil to brown.
2. Once browned, remove and set aside.
3. Add the sliced peppers and onions to the same skillet and brown.
4. Once browned, add the meat back in with 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
5. Slice your baguette through the middle but not all the way through so you can pocket your filling.
6. Add the meat, peppers and onions to the bun and then lay two slices of provolone on top.
7. Put the entire sandwich open faced on a sheet pan and put it either in your oven with the broiler on for maybe 5 minutes or you can put it in your toaster oven like I did for literally 1 minute.

The Elote

makes 4 servings

• A can of low sodium corn, drained
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of sour cream
• 1 small can of green chiles
• 1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise
• Queso fresco or grated Parmesan to taste
• Cholula hot sauce to taste

1. Add a tablespoon of butter to a pot over medium heat and the corn.
2. Also add the whole can of green chiles
3. Once the corn and chiles have come to a simmer, lower the heat to low and add in the mayo and sour cream and combine.
4. To serve, add to a dish and sprinkle cheese to taste as well as your favorite hot sauce.

Please follow me @aimeesapron on Instagram for more recipe ideas daily!https://www.instagram.com/aimeesapron/