Monday Menu: Apples Meet Snickerdoodles

Apple Cider Snickerdoodles, recipe below

Chuck Roast was on sale again this week, and I was feeling the need to make something I could use with salads or tortillas or both. The week looks super busy, so having a big batch of this will take a bit off my to-do list.

Ropa Vieja

• 3 lbs of Chuck, London Broil/Top Round, Brisket or Flank*
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 28 oz of diced tomatoes – I had freshly frozen. Canned is fine.
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar (or wine vinegar – white or red)
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 3 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne (depending on your desired heat)
• pinch of red pepper flakes (or to your desired heat)
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of black pepper, so I’m hesitant to give my measurements, LOL)
• green olives (so very optional! I HATE olives, so you will not find them in mine)

instant pot or slow cooker

Heat oil and brown meat on both sides, add onions, and saute until translucent. Then add peppers and garlic, stirring for a minute before adding remaining ingredients.

Instant pot:  Cook for 45 to 50 minutes on soup or meat setting (or pressure cooker high setting). Check meat after depressurizing. If it doesn’t shred easily, make sure there is enough sauce (add water if needed) and repressurize for an additional 10 minutes.

Slow-cooker: Cook on low for 8-10 hours, add water if the liquid gets too thick too soon.

Whichever method you use, you want the meat to shred easily when done.

When I depressurized mine, the sauce was thin, so I cooked it for an additional 20 minutes on the slow-cooker setting until it had reduced to a thick sauce.

Serve with rice and black beans, tortillas, or in salad.

*this cooks until it’s shreddable, so cut doesn’t matter much. I used chuck because it was at a super sale price. So I stocked up for several recipes that will simmer forever.

***

It’s apple season, and that means I am in heaven. Love fresh apples! And have a lot of recipes using them. But when I saw a local bakery selling Apple Cider Snickerdoodles, I knew I had to try and make some. These are yummy, and I will make them again…soon.

Apple Cider Snickerdoodles

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup boiled apple cider*
• 2 ¾ cups unbleached flour
• 2 tsps cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ t tsp salt
• 1¼ tsp apple pie spice**

***

• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tsps apple pie spice

* boil one cup of apple cider until it is reduced to ¼ cup.

Heat oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, mix 1½ cups of sugar, butter, and eggs. Cream by hand or with a mixer until fluffy. Add boiled cider. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and apple pie spice.  Mix well.

Mix 1/4 cup sugar and apple pie spice in a small bowl

Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll balls in spice-sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire rack to cool.

**If you don’t have any Apple Pie Spice, combine the following spices in a small bowl: 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 ½ tsp nutmeg, and 1tsp allspice. Use 1¼ tsp of this spice mixture in the dough and use the remaining in the coating.