Cuban-braised beef, more commonly called Ropa Vieja, is shredded flank steak in a tomato-based sauce base.  The steak slow cooks in the sauce with the oregano and cumin giving it a great flavor.  The normally tough flank steak shreds easily after 7 hours in the slow cooker.

While some slow cooker recipes require you to sear the meat or cook some ingredients before adding to the pot, this recipe is so quick.  The only real prep is slicing the red peppers!

I served the ropa vieja with yellow rice and avocado.  It was a delicious meal.  The only disappointment was that it did not keep well.  The leftovers just were not as tasty.

(And, I must thank Real Simple yet again!  This is another recipe from Real Simple’s: Dinner Done Right.)

Slow-Cooker Cuban Braised Beef
Real Simple

• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.

25 minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.

Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

The two keys to this recipes are: 1) thin chicken cutlets; 2) high quality jarred marinara.  The thin cutlets cook up quickly and a good marinara just makes the dish so much tastier!  I actually forgot to buy the mozzarella so I put dollops of ricotta on top of the cutlets.  Delicious and a change of pace from your typical parmesan.

By the way, this is another recipe from Real Simple’s: Dinner Done Right.  Definitely got my money’s worth out of that checkout line purchase!

Baked Chicken Parmesan
Real Simple

•    8 thin chicken cutlets (1 1/2 pounds total)
•     kosher salt and black pepper
•     1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•     2 large eggs, beaten
•     2/3 cup bread crumbs
•     1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•     3 tablespoons olive oil
•     1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
•     1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced

Heat oven to 400º F. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Place the flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls; in a third shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Coat the chicken with the flour, then dip in the eggs (letting any excess drip off), then coat with the bread crumb mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Pour the marinara sauce into a large, shallow baking dish. Top with the chicken and mozzarella.

Bake until bubbling and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

The recipe seem very heavy on the beans relative to the turkey — it calls for 1/2 pound of ground turkey and 2 cans of kidney beans.  I upped the turkey to 1 pound.  If you increase the turkey to a full pound, you might up the chili powder and cumin a bit.

In the last few minutes of cooking, I added frozen corn for some color, crunch, and additional flavor.  Serve with avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Overall, the chili was tasty and a nice change of pace from my usual turkey chili.

Turkey & Bean Chili
Real Simple

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 pound ground turkey (preferably dark meat)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper or 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• cilantro sprigs, for serving

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.  Add the turkey and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, and chili pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, beans, ½ cup water, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve the chili with the sour cream and cilantro.

I have already made two recipes from it and have another two planned for this week.  The recipes do not require a lot of ingredients, are relatively quick, and (so far) have been very flavorful.

I made this lasagna recipe for my book club meeting last week.  Everyone loved it — even one woman who doesn’t normally like cheese!  Tim and Charlotte had leftovers and both gobbled it up.  I didn’t know an 18-month-old could eat so much lasagna!

A few notes – make sure to thaw the broccoli and to squeeze the excess water out of it so that the lasagna is not soggy.  I used Rao’s marinara sauce — it is a bit pricey but so delicious!  I doubled the recipe and we were able to get two dinners out of it.  And, lastly, definitely use fresh mozzarella — it melts beautifully and tastes delicious!

The prep and assembly of the lasagna was super quick; so, as long as you have 40 minutes for it to bake, it is definitely doable on a weeknight! Tweet

Broccoli & Three Cheese Lasagna
Real Simple
•    1 15-ounce container ricotta (about 1 3/4 cups)
•    1 pound frozen broccoli florets—thawed, patted dry, and chopped
•    2 1/4 cups grated mozzarella (9 ounces)
•    1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
•    kosher salt and black pepper
•    1 16-ounce jar marinara sauce
•    1/2 cup heavy cream
•    8 no-boil lasagna noodles
•    2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the foil
•    4 cups mixed greens
•    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 400º F. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, broccoli, 2 cups of the mozzarella, ¼ cup of the Parmesan,½  teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a small bowl, combine the marinara sauce and cream.

Spoon a thin layer of the sauce into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 noodles, a quarter of the remaining sauce, and a third of the broccoli mixture; repeat twice. Top with the remaining 2 noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Cover tightly with an oiled piece of foil and bake until the noodles are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Toss the greens with the olive oil, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the lasagna.

And, pureed cauliflower is one of my favorite veggie sides!  All the creaminess of mashed potatoes but lighter and healthier!

Seared Steak with Cauliflower Puree
Real Simple

• 1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into florets
• 4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 strip steaks (1 inch thick; 1 1/2 pounds total)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water and fit it with a steamer basket. Bring the water to a boil.

Place the cauliflower in the basket, cover, and steam until very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Season the steaks with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest before slicing.

While the steaks cook, transfer the drained cauliflower to a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.

In a bowl, combine the parsley, olives, shallot, vinegar, remaining oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with steak and cauliflower.

October’s issue of Real Simple Magazine features a four-week dinner plan.  Not having a ton of time to look for menu ideas, I decided to give Week 1 of the plan a whirl!  I made 4 of the 5 recipes.  They were all quite good but I thought the Penne with Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Mozzarella and the Pork Cutlets with Spicy Noodles really stood out!  Real Simple provided a shopping list making my life even easier!   I bought all of the ingredients on a Sunday and was prepared for a week of tasty, healthy eating!

The four recipes I made are below.

Roasted Tilapia, Potatoes, and Lemons

Very tasty!  I used tri-colored fingerling potatoes which were tasty and provided some great color to the dish.  The lemon and olives lend a great flavor to the very mild tilapia.

• 1 pound baby potatoes (about 12), halved
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 4 6-ounce skinless tilapia fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Penne With Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Mozzarella

Delicious!  I skipped the mint and used basil instead.  I also added some grated parmesan.

• 1/2 pound penne (1⁄2 box)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium eggplant (about 1 1⁄4 pounds), cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the eggplant. Cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, red pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, tossing, until the tomatoes soften, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the tomato mixture to the pasta, along with the mozzarella and reserved cooking water. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with the mint.

Turkey Burgers With Creamy Romaine Slaw

This was my least favorite of the four dishes but it was still tasty!  To save time I used shredded carrots.  And, we used sandwich thins as opposed to buns to save on calories.

• 1 pound ground dark meat turkey (93 percent lean or less)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 scallions, sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 leaves romaine lettuce, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
• 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
• 4 soft rolls, split and toasted
• potato chips and pickles, for serving

In a medium bowl, gently combine the turkey, mustard, thyme, and scallions. Form the meat into four ¾-inch-thick patties. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss with the lettuce and carrot.

Serve the burgers on the rolls, topped with the slaw. Serve with chips and pickles (if desired).

Pork Cutlets With Spicy Noodles

This was delicious!  I had trouble finding udon noodles so I used a brown rice spaghetti that I found at Trader Joe’s.  The noodles had great flavor from the broth, ginger, and jalapeno.  The pork was delicious as well!  I used two butterflied pork chops.

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 pound udon noodles
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced
• 1 red jalapeño pepper, sliced
• 4 thin pork cutlets (about 3⁄4 pound total)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 scallions, sliced

In a large pot, bring the chicken broth and ginger to a boil.

Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until the broth is nearly absorbed and the noodles are al dente, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and jalapeño and simmer until the mushrooms are just tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Coat with the flour, then the egg, and finally the panko.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the pork until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Slice the pork and serve over the noodles. Sprinkle with the scallions.

Tim and I both enjoyed our “Caprese” quesadillas!  And, I loved getting dinner on the table in 10 minutes and the very limited clean up work!

Tomato & Mozzarella Quesadillas with Basil
Real Simple

• 8 8-inch flour tortillas
• 12 ounces grated or sliced mozzarella
• 2 tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves picked
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

I made a couple of changes to the recipe.  I used Italian parsley instead of basil and added 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese to the asparagus mixture in the food processor.  I also used whole wheat spaghetti rather than spinach pasta because I had some in the pantry.

The dish was tasty — very fresh and light for the spring.  Next time, to save a little time, I might skip the step of sauteing the shallot and adding the broth to the pesto.  I think the recipe would be delicious if you just tossed the hot pasta with the pesto and added a little pasta water to make the sauce.

Spinach Pasta with Asparagus Pesto
Real Simple

• 1/2 pound green asparagus, peeled and trimmed
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 ounce pine nuts (2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 pound spinach spaghetti
• 1 ounce Parmesan, freshly grated (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

The store didn’t have frozen lima beans so I substituted frozen edamame (baby soybeans).  Edamame are packed with protein and quite delicious.

A tip on prepping leeks…Leeks are often filled with sand even after you rinse them.  The trick is to slice and chop them as you want and then put the cut leeks in a bowl of water for a few minutes.  This will help remove the sand trapped in the leeks.

Overall a perfect weeknight pasta dish — little prep time and delicious.

Fettuccine With Lima Beans, Peas, and Leeks
Real Simple

• 12 ounces fettuccine (3/4 box)
• 1 10-ounce package frozen lima beans (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into half-moons
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan (1 ounce)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the beans and peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (but not brown), 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the pasta and tarragon to the skillet and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the cheese before serving.

A few tips — I used chicken tenderloins instead of whole breasts so the chicken would cook quickly.  I mixed shredded carrots and sliced red onion into the greens.  Lastly, I used a microplane to quickly grate the ginger.

A nice lighter meal as we edge towards spring!

Sesame Chicken and Soba Noodles
Real Simple

• 1 8-ounce package soba noodles
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 7-ounce package mixed greens
• 3 carrots, cut into matchstick-size strips or shredded
• 1/4 sweet onion, thinly sliced

Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions and rinse under cold water.

Heat the soy sauce and brown sugar in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken and toss to coat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, vinegar, and oil.

Divide the greens, carrots, and onion among individual plates. Top with the soba noodles and chicken. Serve with the vinaigrette.

Serves 4.