Chipotle Garlic Marinade

 

This Chipotle-Garlic Marinade is delicious and so versatile. It is excellent on steak and pork, or use it to liven up your chicken or shrimp! A few simple ingredients and a zip through the blender is all you need to create a zippy, south-of-the-border flavor to any grilled meat. After you try this marinade, you may never go back to bottled marinades again!

We use this marinade multiple times a month, it has become a staple in our house for our steak tacos. We use it to add zip to roast chicken and shrimp kabobs.

Sloppy Joe Pizza, combining two of my family's favorites to create a new favorite

When my teenage son came in and saw me topping pizza dough with Sloppy Joe meat, it put a huge grin on his face. He knew it was going to be awesome without even tasting it! Topping pizza dough with Sloppy Joes might not be a novel idea, but it does combine two dinners that are big hits in our household into one, easy-to-eat dinner. The thick pizza crust holds up better than soft hamburger buns, making this Sloppy Joe Pizza a little less sloppy!


 I press homemade pizza dough out to create a foccacia-style crust. The thicker crust tends to hold all the meatiness of thick Sloppy Joe mix loaded with onions and peppers. For an easy weeknight shortcut, I use a Sloppy Joe seasoning packet and add onion and peppers to the browned ground beef. If you prefer to make your Sloppy Joes from scratch, Diane at Recipes for our Daily Bread has a great recipe.

Sloppy Joe Pizza

Ingredients

   For the Sloppy Joe topping:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 Sloppy Joe Seasoning Packet
• 6-oz can of tomato paste

• Pizza Dough
• 2 cups shredded cheese, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mozzerella

Directions

1. Brown ground beef, and drain well. Remove from pan.
2. Add diced onion and bell peppers to hot pan, and sauté until softened.
3. Return meat to pan, add contents of the seasoning packet, tomato paste, and 1 can-full (6 ounces) of water. I add less water then called for on the seasoning packet to make a thicker sauce to prevent my pizza crust from becoming soggy.
4. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is hot and thickened.

To assemble the pizza, top your favorite pizza dough or my Rosemary Focaccia Dough (prepared pan-pizza style) with shredded cheese and your Sloppy Joe topping. My family prefers a Cheddar and Monterey Jack blend, but mozzarella or any easy-melting cheese would be fantastic. Sprinkle a bit of extra cheese on top and bake on a pizza stone in a 450 F oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Garnish with basil, and serve. If you like your Sloppy Joes a little spicy like we do, top your pizza with a few dashes of hot sauce or jalapeño pepper rings.

This pizza brought Sloppy Joes up a notch and received high praise from my kids and husband alike. What are some of your family's favorite dinners?

Citrus Chipotle Braised Beef in the Crockpot

Rich, fall-apart-in-your-mouth beef with a sauce that has notes of citrus and spice is not your everyday slow-cooker meal. It is a beauty, with a rust-red sauce that asks to be paired with a vessel, whether that be a corn tortilla or a bun. Move over pulled pork! Try this to fill your next batch of enchiladas, or add it as an option to your next taco bar, and you will have a true winner. It's so easy, you can put the ingredients in the Crockpot in the morning, and have a fabulous meal waiting at dinnertime. This recipe makes enough for a family of four to have leftovers, because you're going to want them!

Notes:

• This dish is as delicious with a chuck roast as it is with more decadent cuts of beef such as brisket or short ribs-making it budget-friendly for everyone.
• Chipotle in adobo are smoked jalapeno peppers in a vinegar-based sauce and can be found canned in the Hispanic foods section of most grocery stores. I use 2 peppers plus about a teaspoon of the adobo sauce in my recipe, then freeze the rest of the peppers and sauce in small zip-top bags. I can typically get 4-5 uses out of one can. If you can't find chipotle in adobo, you can substitute smoked chipotle powder or dried chilies.

Ingredients:

3 pounds beef suitable for braising (see notes)
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Juice and zest of 1 orange, plus juice of a second orange
1-2 chipotle chilies in adobo (3 if you like it super spicy), plus a teaspoon of adobo sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
Kosher salt, to taste

Method:
Season beef with kosher salt, on all sides. Sear on all sides over medium-high heat, deep brown is what you are going for. Add to Crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients to Crockpot, set for 10-12 hours on low, or 6-8 hours on high. Check and stir halfway through. Before serving, shred the beef slightly and add the juice of the second orange.

Click here for a printable recipe.

I hope you try this recipe soon!