The Ultimate Cauliflower Cheese

I have a confession to make. Thanks to my wife, I’ve been sucked into the world of Cotswold, UK fashion vloggers. Think crunchy homestead vloggers in the US, but with renovated manor houses and Land Rovers. However, the thing that I really watch for is their gardening and cooking. Many of them grow their own produce and source local ingredients. Ironically, that’s something you can easily do right here in our own region. I’ve featured recipes from Josie Irons before, but now her husband, Charlie, has started his own channel dedicated to cooking and gardening. This recipe is for a cauliflower cheese, a classic British side dish that is simple, filling, and healthy.

Cottage Pie

This recipe is a quick, simple alternative to traditional shepherd’s pie that is sure to be the perfect dish for cold winter days.

Ingredients

• 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered

• 6 tablespoons butter, divided

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 ½ cups frozen peas

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate.

• Step 2

  Place potatoes into a pot; cover with salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover; simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; mash with 2 tablespoons of the butter and the garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

• Step 3

  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, herbes de Provence, and nutmeg; cook and stir until beef is lightly brown and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Spread the beef evenly in the prepared pie plate. Cover evenly with the peas; spread the mashed potatoes over the peas. Dot the casserole with the remaining butter.

• Step 4

  Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage

There’s nothing better than warm stuffed cabbage on a cool fall day.

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• ¾ cup uncooked white rice, rinsed

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 pound ground pork sausage 

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 (32 ounce) can tomato juice

Directions

• Step 1

  Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook cabbage in boiling water until outer leaves pull away easily from the head, 3 to 5 minutes. Separate leaves and let cool. Reserve 1 1/2 cup cooking water.

• Step 2

  Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in wet rice; cook and stir until moisture evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool, about 5 minutes.

• Step 3

  Mix beef, sausage, and egg together in a large bowl. Stir in cooled rice mixture.

• Step 4

  Place a golfball-sized amount of the beef mixture on the ribbed end of a cabbage leaf; roll up, tucking in the sides. Repeat with remaining beef mixture and cabbage leaves.

• Step 5

  Place rolls seam-side down in a slow cooker. Cover with tomato juice. Pour reserved cooking water on top.

• Step 6

  Cook on High for 30 minutes. Switch to Low and cook for 6 1/2 hours.

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Very tender and flavorful, this recipe is one of our family's favorites. It's great to make ahead of time in the slow cooker and then serve over rice or noodles.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips

• garlic powder to taste

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 cube beef bouillon

• 1/4 cup hot water

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon white sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.

2. Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.

3. Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Tuna Curry in a Hurry

A fast and easy tuna dish with a creamy curry sauce. Serve over rice.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• ⅓ cup chopped onion

• ⅓ cup chopped green bell pepper

• 1 (5 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Directions

• Step 1

  Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic, onions and green pepper. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft.

• Step 2

  Stir in tuna, sour cream, curry powder, salt and pepper. Heat until warm and serve.

Easy Korean Beef Bowl

For a simple and flavorful meal, consider trying out this easy Korean beef bowl recipe. Serve the beef over steamed rice and top it with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for a touch of freshness and crunch. This dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and is sure to be a hit with your family.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

• ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

• ⅓ cup light brown sugar

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 6 green onions, chopped, divided

• 4 cups hot cooked brown rice

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add beef and cook, stirring and crumbling into small pieces until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Drain excess grease.

4. Stir in garlic, ginger, and sesame oil and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

5. Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper.

6. Cook until beef absorbs some sauce, about 7 minutes.

7. Add 1/2 of chopped green onions.

8. Serve over hot cooked rice; garnish with sesame seeds and remaining green onions.