Easy Shredded Beef

Prep Time for Meat: 4 to 8 hours
Prep Time for Meals: 20 to 30 minutes
Serves: About 4 per pound of meat

Put London Broil (the amount is up to you) into a crock pot on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. When it pulls apart easily with a fork, shred it with two forks, removing any fat.

Now make a recipe using shredded beef or freeze it in two- or four-cup portions in quart-size freezer bags. Flatten the meat out and remove as much air as possible. Label and freeze up to six months.


Tacos or Tostadas
Put 2 cups shredded beef in a skillet and add taco seasoning and water (according to package directions) to make 1-pound of taco meat.
Meanwhile, fry corn tortillas in a little oil for a couple of minutes on each side over medium-high heat. For tostadas, fry until tortilla is crisp. Top with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced black olives, sour cream, and salsa.

Burritos or Chimichangas
Thaw beef if frozen and add salt and pepper to taste to 2 cups shredded beef. Heat over medium until warm. Optional: add a can of green chilies, 1 to 2 cups cooked rice, a can of pinto beans and/or refried beans. Put 1/4 to 1/2 cup beef in the middle of a burrito-size flour tortilla. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Fold up bottom, then both sides, and roll over (To make rolling tortillas easier, warm slightly in microwave).
For burritos, make all the burritos and put in a baking dish. Top with more cheddar cheese and salsa and cook at 375 degrees until cheese is melted.
For chimichangas, heat about an inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry on both sides until golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Beef Flautas
Thaw 2 cups of beef and make as for tacos. Mix in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional). Spread 2 tablespoons meat mixture in a line across corn tortillas and roll up (if needed, dip tortillas in warm oil to make rolling easier). Fry in 1/2 inch hot oil (over medium-high heat) until light golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Serve hot with salsa and sour cream.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Add 1/2 to 1 cup barbecue sauce to 2 cups shredded beef and heat in microwave or on the stove. Serve on kaiser rolls or hamburger buns when heated through.

Yummy, Healthy Waffles

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 12, 4-inch waffles


1 1/2 cups Krusteaz Pancake and Waffle Mix
1/2 cup soft white whole wheat flour*
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 Tbsp oil

Blend ingredients together; batter will be slightly lumpy (do not overmix). Cook waffles according to waffle iron instructions. Serve immediately.

Topping Ideas:
Sliced bananas and nuts (almonds, pecans, or walnuts - roasted or not, chopped or whole)
Sliced strawberries and whipped cream
Whole raspberries or blackberries
Cinnamon applesauce
Apple butter
Ice cream
Berry Compote
Jam or preserves
Fresh peaches

Peanut butter and honey

The possibilities are endless!

*Regular whole wheat flour is fine, too, but the soft white isn't as "crunchy". If you don't have whole wheat flour, just use more pancake mix. The wheat flour is just to make it healthier.

German Pancakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

We've been making this in my family since I was young. I have seen a few different versions, but this is how I make it:

1/4 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour*
4 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375F. Put butter in 13x9 pan and put in oven. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a blender. When butter is melted, add batter to pan and immediately return to oven. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until edges are puffy and golden. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Serve topped with:
Pancake syrup
Powdered sugar
Fresh berries

*I like to use 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup soft white whole wheat flour to make it a bit more "healthy".


The way we used to make it is:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 eggs

Follow the above instructions.

Go ahead and experiment!

Confetti Bella Chicken

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb chicken tenderloins
1 large green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add the chicken and saute for 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked through; remove from pan. Add peppers, onion, and garlic to pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the peppers are tender, mixing well. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until mushrooms and chicken are heated through and tender.

Serve on a roll for a really yummy sandwich or with buttered pasta and a tossed salad

I got this recipe from "Mr. Food's Italian Kitchen" by Art Ginsburg (Confetti Portobello Mushrooms, 28) and adapted it.