Beef

Cuban Picadillo

This Cuban Picadillo recipe is one of my family’s favorite! It’s really quick and easy to make, and if you are lucky enough to have any leftovers you can serve this Picadillo in tacos, empanada filling, baked sweet potatoes or regular potatoes, and just about anything you can think of!

Cuban Picadillo is a saucy, sweet and savory dish that pairs perfectly with a bowl of ANY kind of rice- white, brown, cauliflower rice. It’s so good! If you’ve never heard of picadillo then let’s get you up to speed before you run to the kitchen.

Cuban Picadillo can be made with ground pork or beef or sometimes both. I opted to use ground bison because I’m a huge fan! Did you know that bison meat is much more likely to be grass-fed and organic than beef? It’s true. That’s because bison live freely in the wild, not on factory farms like most of cattle do.

There is not a lot of technique involved in the making of Cuban Picadillo. As for the ingredients, I recommend not passing on the raisins and olives. It gives this dish its sweet and savory staple flavors.

Note: I made this dish ahead to serve it on our busiest night of this week. It’s easy to reheat and serve on top of rice (possibly cauliflower rice this time) with a side of salad. *Top it with chopped hard-boiled eggs to keep up with the traditional Cuban Picadillo

Cuban Picadillo

Another one of my family’s favorite! This Cuban Picadillo recipe is easy, versatile, and perfect as leftovers.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Entree
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cored and seeded, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (90% lean) I used Bison because why not. See note on post.
  • 2 small diced tomatoes (any type)
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 2 small diced tomatoes (any type)
  • 1/2 cup pimento stuffed olives plus 2 tablespoons brine
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped (for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic, cumin, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and cook until fragrant and tomato paste darkens in color, about 2 minutes. Add 3/4 water and let it simmer.
  • Add meat and cook, stirring and breaking up chunks, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir, raisins, olives, and brine. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until most of the liquid evaporates.
  • Turn heat off, add chopped tomatoes and cilantro. Serve with white rice.
Keyword Bison, Cuban cusine, Family Dinner, Keto, Paleo
J J

Slow Cooker Chili with Kale and Fresh Tomatoes

Lean Chili with Kale and fresh tomatoes

No super tasty comments about how ‘dealicious’ this chili turned out. No orgasmic pictures either (chili is just not photogenic.) I just want to have this recipe documented because I must repeat the achievement. It was the best Chili EVER end of the story!

Slow Cook Lean Chili with kale and fresh tomatoes

Best Chili EVER! Slow Cooker required!

Dominique for dealiciouscooking.com
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Course Winter bliss!

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 Lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup of bacon or smoked sausage optional...but I used a bit of both
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 tbsp of VOO
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • 5 medium roma tomatoes diced
  • 3 tbsp of tomato paste
  • 1 small can of white beans
  • 1 tbsp of molasses
  • Beef broth or red wine or beer for deglaze 2 tbsp approximately
  • 1 Lacinato kale bunch chopped optional....gotta put something green on it
  • 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro from our garden
  • 1 hot cherry pepper or any pepper available like serrano, jalapeno, or pasilla
  • 1 tsp of these DRY/Powder spices mixed all together on separate small bowl:
  • cinnamon
  • pasilla
  • chipotle
  • paprika
  • smoked Spanish paprika/pimenton can be replaced by an additional tsp of paprika
  • thyme
  • oregano
  • 1 tbsp of:
  • salt
  • dry cumin
  • apple cider vinegar
  • liquid aminos OR soy sauce

Instructions
 

  • Remove ceramic pot from slow cooker and keep it close to stove. Turn slow cooker on high and set timer for 3 hrs.
  • Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meat (and optional bacon/sausage) first adding a little of the dry spices to it (I like to leave the meat in small clusters/chunks. Place it in the crock pot and reserve.
  • In the same pan saute the onions, garlic, tomatoes, cherry pepper, kale and cilantro with a little of the dry spices until most of the liquid has evaporated. Place it in the crock pot and reserve.
  • Deglaze the saute pan with beef broth, wine, beer, or water. Add tomato paste dissolving it in the deglaze (add more liquid if too dry). Add all the leftover spices to the broth. Cook for about 2 minutes and place it in the slow cooker.
  • Add all the other ingredients (except for the white beans) and mix well. Transfer ceramic pot to the slow cooker and let it cook for about 2 1/2 hrs then check for taste. Add the white beans (drained) and any salt or spice to taste. Let it cook another hour and tadah...best Chili EVER!!!!

Kids had chili leftovers for lunch. Husband had it at work. I ate it with rice. I ran out of rice. I ate it with pita bread. I ate it with chips. And when nothing else was available to accompany it,  I ate it with a spoon straight out of the fridge because I was running late to pick up the kids. It tasted good every single time!!!!

Dealicious Ground Sirloin at Sprouts

THE DEAL: If you want to give this recipe a try get the ground beef at  Sprouts. Starting today they have ground sirloin (93% super-lean) for $5.99 lb. (Check your local store for offers)

Quick Mongolian Beef with Broccoli

Quick Mongolian Beef

I’m so excited that this Mongolian Beef was a winner! This was such an easy and quick fix that I was able to make it in less than 30 minutes.  The kids really enjoy it and seeing my ‘flexitarian‘ child eating chunks of beef was priceless.

I used Filet Mignon for this recipe (don’t judge me yet) because my daughter would not eat even the slightest chewy meat.  I got a great deal on tenderloin steak today at my local Ralph’s ($5.57 for 0.62 lb.). It was a manager’s special. You can judge me now!

The manager’s special section is never a sure bet for me. Most of the time I don’t see anything I’m interested in cooking, but today almost everything in the Ralph’s meat shelves had the “manager’s special” sticker including filet mignon. There is really nothing wrong with “manager’s special” meats except their bad reputation. Usually “manager’s special” meats are set to expire within 2-3 days and as long as the meat is cooked or even frozen the same day as purchased it should be totally safe and hopefully ‘dealicious’.

 

Quick Mongolian Beef with Broccoli

Dominique for DealiciousCooking
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/2 medium onion sliced thinly
  • 2-4 cups of broccoli florets
  • 1 pound steak sirloin, flank or tenderloin, sliced thinly
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili sauce I used Sambal Oelek
  • 2 clove garlic grated
  • 1/2 tablespoon ginger grated
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup beef broth I used TJs
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup green onion sliced
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • On a separate bowl start by mixing the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, beef broth, chili sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and cornstarch. Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Reserve.
  • Heat up the canola oil and sesame oil on a wok or large pan. Add the onion and garlic. Sauteed at high temperature until slightly brown. Add the steak. Cook for approximately 3 minutes and add the broccoli. Cook 3 more minutes until steak looks cooked. Remove from wok to a separate container.
  • Using the same wok/pan add the sauce and cook at low temperature whisking it until sauce thickens.
  • Place the sauteed beef and broccoli back on the wok/pan mixing it well with the sauce. Add the green onions and sesame seeds. Cook at medium heat for additional 2 minutes.
  • Serve over brown rice, jasmine rice or even couscous.

Notes

This is a kid friendly version but if you like more heat fell free to add another tsp of chili sauce or chili flakes.