Shepard's Pie

Jane's Beef Stew

Meatballs

Grandpa's Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes

Last week, we had one of the best meals ever.  If you ask Mr. Wonderful, he might say that, yes it was good, but not the best ever.  After all, if was meatloaf.  But for this meal, you have to look beyond the delicious flavor, and appreciate where all the food in the meal came from... that's what makes it so special.  We had steamed green beans, fresh from the garden, roasted fingerling potatoes, fresh from the garden, and Grandpa's Meatloaf made with homegrown grass-fed beef, and topped with homemade ketchup.  Not every meal is so close to home, but I try and do my best to as cook as local as possible.  Your local farm stands will be open for a few more weeks.  What are you waiting for, make you and your family a local meal.

Beef Brisket

Here is a delicious recipe for beef brisket shared with me by my dear friend Shallin and her family.  Growing up on a beef farm, I never had brisket before, so I thought I had better try it.  This is a tougher piece of meat, so it needs to be cooked low and slow to tenderize it, and the homemade BBQ sauce adds incredible flavor.  This recipe isn't hard at all (and you can try out some of the homemade dry onion soup mix), but it takes some time so plan ahead.  Serve with some of Pioneer Woman's Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (click for link), and this meal goes over the top.  Definitely one of my favorites!

Drip Beef Sandwiches

Here is a quick and easy slow cooker recipe for a basic drip beef sandwich.  No photos this time... I was hungry and forgot to take one.  You'll have to trust me, it's a tasty sandwich that is simple to put together in the morning, and will be ready to eat when you get home from work. Thanks to Pioneer Woman for sharing this recipe.  The link below shows 2 ways to make it, I used the second one.

Beef Stroganoff

Not much cooking going on this week, but stay tuned for the pork chop request.  It's on the menu for Saturday night!  In the meantime, try this recipe... quick, easy, and tasty.  I know it might not be especially appealing from the picture, but beef stroganoff isn't the most photogenic meal there is.  Trust me, it's worth trying.

Pasta e Fagioli

Soup was on the menu this weekend, and I decided to make a special treat, Pasta e Fagioli.  After all it was our 8 month anniversary!  For those of you who have been to Olive Garden for "Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks" this recipe is exactly like theirs.  For those of you who haven't tried it before, please add it to your menu sometime soon.  This is an easy recipe, and very, very tasty.  The wine is optional, but highly recommended.

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

My favorite spaghetti sauce is the homemade variety that has become a tradition for the Agnew ladies.  We make as much as we possibly can each fall, but it's never enough.  And when you are in the middle of February and trying to ration the delicious sauce, you have to come up with some alternatives.  I have lots of home canned tomatoes in the pantry, so I decided I needed to find a recipe to use them.  Here is a recipe that I found on Tasty Kitchen from Liliputtin, which I adapted slightly, and really enjoyed.  It's not the original, but it is a nice alternative when you are trying to make the original last just a little bit longer.

Better Than a Big Mac

I've lost count of how many years it's been since I've set foot in a McDonald's.  I decided a while back that even though I enjoyed the taste of fast food, it wasn't so good for me.  It's hard to forget what a Big Mac tastes like and every once in a while I get a craving for one.  So instead of giving in, I decided to make my own, complete with homemade french fries.

Pot Roast & Mashed Potatoes

You can't be a farm girl without meat and potatoes.  This was the standard fare in our house growing up... meat, potatoes, and "what kind of vegetable do you want?" from Mom.  Although I've tried many new and different dishes since I've been out on my own, meat and potatoes is always the go-to comfort food.  Here's my recipe for pot roast served with mashed potatoes.