Ingredients

Brisket:

One 3- to 4-pound second-cut or point-cut brisket, preferably in one piece

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound small carrots, halved lengthwise

3 large shallots, sliced lengthwise

12 large cloves garlic

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

5 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons grainy mustard

Gremolata:

2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly crushed

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, stemmed

2 large cloves garlic, minced

Zest and juice from 1 large lemon

Kosher salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook the brisket: Tie the circumference of the brisket with butcher’s twine. In a large Dutch oven or other wide heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, sprinkle both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper. Use metal tongs to add the meat to the pot. If the oil is hot enough, the meat won’t stick. Cook, undisturbed, on its first side, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn on the other side and brown, 3 to 5 additional minutes. Remove the meat from the pot and place it on a baking sheet.
3. Cook the vegetables: Lower the heat to medium. In the same pot, add the carrots, shallots and garlic and sprinkle them with another pinch of salt. Brown for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and vinegar and simmer over very low heat until the liquid reduces and starts to coat the carrots, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the vegetables and cooking liquid into a bowl.
4. Cook the meat: Return the brisket to the pot and add the beef stock. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer. Cover, then place the pot in the center of the oven and cook for 1 hour. Remove the pot from the oven and add the vegetables and their liquid back in. Return the pot to the oven, uncovered, and cook until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, an additional 1 to 2 hours. (If the meat looks dry or begins to get overly browned, cover the pot with the lid or a layer of aluminum foil for the remaining oven time.)
5. Make the gremolata: In a small skillet, toast the coriander seeds in 1 teaspoon olive oil until lightly colored and fragrant. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice and a generous pinch of salt. Add the coriander seeds warm, straight from the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then stir and set aside.
6. Finish: Remove the pot from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, blend half the cooking liquid and half of the remaining vegetables in a blender until smooth, then pour back into the pot. Whisk in the mayonnaise and mustard. Taste for seasoning. Slice the meat against the grain. (It should be fork-tender without being dry.) Transfer the meat and the remaining vegetables to a serving platter. Pour the sauce over the meat. Serve with the gremolata.

When blending hot liquid, first let it cool for five minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces elbow shell pasta
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 ounce taco seasoning
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 1/2 cups queso Restless Chipotle homemade or store bought
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese grated
• green onions
• taco sauce

Instructions

Part one

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Cook shells according to package instructions. Do Not Salt! Do not overcook – they’ll fall apart.
• Drain, rinse, and let cool.

Part two

• Brown ground beef in a heavy skillet.
• Sprinkle taco seasoning over the top.
• Stir in water and simmer until the water is absorbed.
• Stir in cilantro.

Part three

• Spray a 13×9 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Part four

• Pour the queso over the shells, mixing well
• Pour into casserole dish.
• Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the casserole is heated through.
• Drizzle with taco sauce, sprinkle with green onions and serve.

To bake after freezing

• Remove the casserole from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
• When ready to fix dinner just bake as directed.

Notes

Expert Tip: Don’t add salt! The taco seasoning is salty (I suggest getting a low sodium variety) and the queso is salty. If you salt the meat it will be WAY over salted.

• For easy stuffing use a cake decorating bag without an end in it. Fill it with the meat and squeeze it into the pasta.
• Sometimes I add RoTel tomatoes to the cooked ground beef along with the taco seasoning.
• Use 90/10 lean ground beef or leaner – it keeps the casserole from being greasy and the seasoning adds plenty of flavor.
• You can substitute ground turkey, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground venison for the beef in this recipe.
• Don’t overcook the pasta! It will fall apart when you try to stuff it.
• If you assemble this dish and freeze it be sure to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
• Don’t use the packaged shredded cheese. Shred it yourself from a block – the packaged shredded cheese has cellulose on it to keep it from clumping and it won’t melt as nicely as block cheese.
• Want to make this even easier? Use the small shells and make it into taco mac & cheese.

Velveeta Queso Dip

Ingredients

• 16 ounces Velveeta cheese
• 10 ounces RoTel tomatoes or favorite canned diced tomatoes and chiles

Instructions

Microwave

• Cube the Velveeta and put it in a microwave safe bowl
• Open the can of Rotel and pour it in – no need to drain.
• Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
• Stir.
• Return to the microwave and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Stir. If it’s not all the way melted microwave it for a few seconds more.
• Add to a slow cooker and keep on the warm setting.

Crock-Pot

• Cube the Velveeta.
• Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
• Add the Velveeta to the slow cooker.
• Dump in the ROTEL.
• Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, or until the cheese is melted.
• Stir.
• Keep on warm setting.

Notes

Expert Tip: If you can’t find Velveeta you can use 1 pound of regular or white American cheese instead.

• If you use a slow cooker for this Rotel queso cheese dip you’ll need about a 3 quart crock-pot.
• This recipe is easy to double.
• Depending on the type of Rotel you use this is a spicy dip. If you don’t like any chiles at all you can use plain, diced canned tomatoes.
• Yes, this Velveeta queso recipe is delicious with tortilla chips… but try dipping pretzels, warm flour tortillas, warm corn tortillas, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and other fresh vegetables!