Heather says: This recipe is a riff on Wicked Noodle’s Chuck Roast with Balsamic and Dijon. I’m not a super huge thyme fan so I went with garlic, but you can do whatever makes you happy. You could even do both. If you’re looking for a traditional pot roast, you can try this back…
Albondigas Soup, Simplified for Weeknight Ease
Heather says: I absolutely love albondigas soup, it’s a family favorite, but sometimes I just don’t have the energy to mess with rolling the meatballs. Sometimes I just can’t bring myself to care that much. So on a whim one evening, when I had planned on making the original albondigas, I looked at it and…
Simple Philly Skillet
Heather says: This simple Philly skillet is another in my impromptu, unorganized, and a johnny-come-lately decision to dive into cooking basics here on Home-Ec 101. I try my best to stay out of the center aisles of the grocery store. Yes, there are some pantry basics on some aisles that I must have, but for…
Turkey or Beef Taco Skillet
Heather says: Taco Skillet? Yep. We’re Home-Ec 101 here and one of my goals for this year is to go back and share those simple recipes that we assume everyone already knows how to make. This is as close to Hamburger Helper™ as you can get without opening a HH box. Sometimes dinner is just thrown…
Getting past the ick factor: Boiled Beef Tongue – a Fearless Friday Post
We haven’t done it for a while, but Fearless Fridays are where readers of this site share their culinary adventures. For some, it’s simply the act of preparing a meal in their home instead of hitting the drive through. For others it’s trying new foods, recipes, or techniques. It’s a chance to push against our…
Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe – Like Mom Used to Make
Bobbie says: Have you ever caught a whiff of an unexpected scent that suddenly sent you back in time? Figuratively speaking, of course. The sense of smell is a huge memory trigger, and if there’s a smell that says “home” to me, it’s the comforting aroma of simmering Vegetable Beef Soup the way our mom used to make…
Quick Beef and Cabbage Skillet Recipe – Hearty Winter Fare
Bobbie says: Winter was almost ignoring us here in south central Pennsylvania: not too frigid and hardly any snow, and heck, I even wore shorts last week. Well, indoors, at least. Then that stupid groundhog saw his shadow on February 2, signaling six more weeks of winter. And then, someone must have passed the message…
Beef Stroganoff, Gluten Free and for the Slow Cooker
Heather says: Beef stroganoff is not an attractive comfort food, which is why it has taken me nearly five years to get around to posting this slow cooker recipe. It’s not the beef stroganoff’s fault it’s unattractive and the recipe itself is quite simple; it’s just a homely dish. People on the interwebz can be…
What Is the Difference Between Cube Steak and Round Steak?
Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m really trying to cook more at home, but sometimes I’d like to make substitutions but I’m just not sure when it’s ok to substitute round steak for cube steak or vice versa. I’m just not comfortable talking to the butcher, I just want to grab whatever happens to be in the…
Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Heather says: My inner twelve-year-old is having a field day as I try to describe this spaghetti sauce without sounding like a pervert. In fact, I give completely up, snicker away, it’s a thick and meaty sauce that is perfect over spaghetti noodles or sauteed vegetables for the gluten free and low carb crowd. Personally,…
How to Grill Meatloaf
Heather says: Earlier this week I asked Home-Ec 101 readers to share their questions about grilling. Sandee asked how should I grill a meatloaf? There are several methods out there on these wild, wild interwebz. Some of them are rather unsettling. Foil packets are awesome for vegetables, but what foil packets create is an environment…
Country Fried Steak
Heather says: I can’t remember the last time I made country fried steak for dinner. Heck, it’s been a long time since I’ve fried anything, the last frying adventure was when I made fried chicken thighs almost a year ago. -Running this site, makes it pretty easy to keep tabs on our lives. So don’t…
How to Cook Steak Properly
Brian says: As I mentioned in my last post, there are a great deal of people out there who cook their steaks half to death with the slightest bit of remorse. At first I was just going to let it go, hoping to play the ignorance-is-bliss card but I just can’t let it stand, people!…
Cheeseburger Macaroni
Heather says: There are some meals that are so simple that I’ve forgotten to include them in the recipe files here on Home Ec 101. This easy recipe for Cheeseburger Macaroni is one of the forgotten go to meals. This quick dinner is a great for busy weeknights. It is as simple as it sounds,…
Albondigas Soup Recipe
Heather says: This is my family’s version of the spicy Mexican meatball soup often called Albondigas. The recipe came from my mother, who I think got it from her sister or mother. The meatballs are a little tedious to make, but if you crank the radio or bribe your kids, spouse, or a friend into…