Meat and Potatoes with BBQ Sauce

Last week my dear friend Amy Ellsworth spent a week in SLC and stayed with me for a few days.

As usual, it was great to have her at home and spend time with her at Heritage Park - This is the Place, Cafe Rio, the Tabernacle Choir and The Aviary with her sweet parents, Glenn and Ethel.

Sunday, of course, called for a special dinner for Amy. And this is a great recipe for Sunday dinner! Maravilha!

A couple of weeks ago I made this dish using my slow-cooker and ended up keeping it in the freezer. The reason why I made it in the first place was that I had to use the potatoes I had at home. I don't think they would have lasted another couple of days.

Both the meat and the potatoes freeze and thaw really well.

Here is the menu:

- Meat and Potatoes with BBQ Sauce

- Whole-Wheat Egg Noodles

- Homemade Dark Rye Rolls
- Salad with Cranberry Sauce
- Dessert: Brigadeiro Pudding with Fresh Strawberries

Here is the recipe #1:

Meat and Potatoes with Whole Wheat Egg Noodles

In the slow cooker (in this order):
- half chopped onion
- one tray of beef stew meat
- 2 yellow potatoes, sliced
- 2 sweet potatoes, sliced
- 1 meat bouillon cube
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup bbq sauce
- 2 to 3 cups of water
- pepper

Slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

Serve with pasta, noodles, rice and/or rolls.

And here is recipe #2:

Homemade Dark Rye Rolls

In the bread machine (in this order):
- 9 oz. lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, vegetable oil or low-fat butter/margarine
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion or garlic seasoning or flakes
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 cup dark rye flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, caster sugar or honey
- 1 1/2 tsp active yeast

Select dough and press start. Coat tray with oil and flour. Wait until kneading - don't let dough rest yet - and transfer small balls of dough to tray. Let it rest at warm temperature for dough to rise for approx. 3 hrs. Set oven to 375 and let tray on top of stove while it warms up - this is a trick to make the dough rise a little bit more before baking. Put it in the oven at 325 for 30-40 minutes or until top is brown. Serve with honey butter.

And dessert...

Gotta love weekends!