A Sunday dinner worth sharing

Really, it was that freaking good!

A while ago, my facebook bestie, Lisa shared her beef tips recipe on her blog.  She assured me that these were the most delicious beef tips ever... well, only one problem, we eat the other beef -- venison.  Either way, I was bound and determined to try her recipe -- you know, cause I value her opinion and if she says they are the most delicious, well then, they are!  I have to add, I'm laughing at the term facebook bestie.  Although Lisa and I have yet to meet, you would never know it!  She is truly a bestie, not just a facebook bestie!

Now, back to Sunday dinner... Sunday is kinda' the only day we are all home and in one place -- and well, if you're not home, you'd better be home!  But this weekend my hubby was away and my son was worried we weren't having Sunday dinner.  By all means, we sure are!  I look forward to Sunday dinner because it usually results in leftover lunch and dinner for Monday, and sometimes lunch for Tuesday -- oh yeah, the family time is great too!

So... defrosted some tenderloins, a backstrap, and a roast from deep freeze.  I wanted to try several cuts of meat to really test the recipe.  Not because I didn't trust Lisa, but because deer meat can sometimes act differently than beef.  I know, you're all scratching your heads... South Florida - deer?  Remember, I'm from Jersey, annual hunting trip = loads of goodness in my freezer!  I really shouldn't say SoFL doesn't have deer, they do, just nothing in comparison to New Jersey!

Let me start with... I can't follow directions.  Really.  Especially in the kitchen, I'll be reading a recipe and following along yet my brain and hands do totally different things.  I go my own way... so I always "base" meals off of recipes.  No worries, I will make Lisa's beef tips exactly as her recipes states one day.  It might take some medication for me to follow word for word, but I will!  I also wanted to use my crockpot, because let's face it, this is SoFL... it's hot when you use the stove all day!

To begin I get a large skillet and throw in some butter, garlic, and onions.  While this is getting hot I cut all the meat into cubes.  Once the skillet is super-freaking hot I toss the cubes of deer meat in to sear all those delicious juices inside!   No, for some strange reason I have no picture of this step?  Freaking idiot that I am!

Then... okay, let me stop here and add I do not measure.  I just add til it looks/tastes the way I want it to.  This is the difficult part in sharing a recipe and drives my mother absolutely insane... I'm like "some" add "some".  Sorry, remember I share the good and the bad... it's all me!

Okay... meanwhile, while all the cubes of meat are searing away, I've got the crock pot on low.  With some olive oil and beef broth in the bottom, why? Cause that's how I cook.  Once the meat is beautifully seared and looking super delicious, I add in some Worcestershire sauce (and here's where I go astray), horseradish, salt, pepper, and beef broth.  I let this simmer just enough for the juices to blend and then dump it all into the crock pot (you know, cause it's going to simmer all freaking day in there).

I know, it doesn't really look like much at this point.  Soooooooo... being a veggie junkie like I am I add some carrots.  Lisa's recipe calls for brown gravy mix (not a single packet in any of my cabinets - sucks), so I had to improvise and use beef broth, the skillet drippings, and flour... yes, old fashioned boring way!  So after that's all super good looking I add it to the meat in the crock pot.

And it cooks... and cooks.  And the house smells beyond delicious!
And then it's late afternoon.  Time to add some dumplings.  OMG... yes, dumplings!  Part of the reason why I put this delicious dinner into the crock pot, just for dumplings!  I use the super simple bisquick method!  And nope, don't measure either!  Bisquick and milk until its the consistency I want for dumplings!  Oh, and I tend to go overboard with dumplings - can't help it, they are freaking delicious!  I just drop them in with tablespoons and let then whole thing cook on high for about an hour.  The best part... at this point dinner is only an hour away!

And, after an hour this is what you have - all those scrumptious juices bubbling up and around the dumplings.

And then the kid grabs a spoon and attacks!

Here's my bowl, umm, my first bowl ( yes I had two, I waited all day for this)!!!

And, yet another day I will make Lisa's beef tips exactly her way... because the mashed potatoes and broccoli are sounding super good right now!