Showing posts with label Ground Beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ground Beef. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: March 2011 - Traditional Shepherds Pie



Now see? THIS is what I wanted to make...I had my Irish on...and although I couldn't be TOTALLY authentic (where do you find rabbit in Miami...or cubed lamb for that matter?)...I did my very very best. I adapted this recipe off one from Danny Boome...making more than the recipe called for because i was going to feed the leftovers to my family for dinner AND I have a VERY deep casserole dish that is PERFECT for this...but below is the recipe in it's original form, just as Danny Boome shared it. Feel free to add and take away as you see fit...I did.

Traditional Shepherds Pie

1 TBS butter
1 TBS olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 TBS tomato paste
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground lamb
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
1-1/2 cups garden peas (I used the frozen variety)
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add butter and oil to a large skillet on medium heat. Saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until tender...about 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Once veggies have softened and start to brown a little, add the tomato paste and mix evenly. add the beef and lamb and cook until no longer pink...about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the beef stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook and simmer for another 10 minutes. Mix in peas. Transfer to an oven-proof baking dish and spread evenly. Place potatoes on top of ground meat mixture and spread evenly. Once the top has been covered, rake through with a fork so there are peaks that will brown nicely. Place dish into the preheated oven and cook about 20 minutes. Spoon out Shepherd's Pie and serve.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered
4 TBS butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated mature white Cheddar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large saucepan with cold water and a TBS salt. Add potatoes to the water and bring to a boil. Let potatoes cook until soft...about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are at a desired density, drain the potatoes and place them in a saucepan for mashing. Add butter and cream and begin to mash potatoes into a semi-smooth consistency. Once at a desired texture, add the cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Make this for St. Patricks Day or any blustery winter day you're yearning for the Emerald Isle...you'll be glad you did...

courtesy Danny Boome

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Giant Italian-Style Meatballs

My kids LOVE meatballs...all kinds, and all shapes. But they especially love GIANT meatballs. And this recipe is just SO DARN EASY...I cannot resist...
I don't double...but you can make the meatballs much smaller and get more, or use less meat and stuffing and make less. We served these with fettuccine and tomato sauce, store-bought garlic bread, and green beans.
Giant Italian-Style Meatballs
1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix for Chicken
2 lbs. ground beef
1-1/4 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 400.
2. Mix all ingredients until well-blended.
3. Shape into 7-8 LARGE meatballs. Put in a single layer in a foil-lined 13x9 in. pan.
4. Bake 30 minutes or until done.
courtesy Kraft foods

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Skillet Stuffed Peppers



Have you noticed how expensive bell peppers are lately? Am I the only one to notice? Did they just suddenly leap in price, or was it a gradual ascent that I didn't notice until it was so high I had to say: "DAMN!! Those there are some expensive peppers!"

I don't know the answer, but I do know that when my local grocery store had peppers on sale for .99 a pound, I had to buy 'em (we'll discuss the fact that .99 a pound is a sale price at a latter date...when my heart stops palpitating at the sight of an empty bank account).

One of my FAVORITE autumn/winter recipes is Skillet Stuffed Peppers. I don't really know why...they are not especially autumn or fall dishes...that's just when I like to cook them.

This recipe is really easy...it uses copious amounts of A-1 sauce, which my children love. I always double the filling, because my kids are less for the peppers and more for the meat/rice mixture. I also only cook 4 peppers, instead of the recommended 6, because my kids can't eat a whole pepper (although they eat TWICE the suggested meat/rice filling)...so I cut the peppers in half and give them extra insides. And you steam buttered carrots right along with the peppers, which are a huge hit for veggie choices at my house...so this is an all-around family friendly recipe.

We served it with those pop-from-a-can Pillsbury biscuts...so very gourmet!!



Skillet Stuffed Peppers

1/2 cup cooked rice
3/4 lb ground beef
1/4 minced fresh onion
3 TBS A-1 sauce (I use more...but it's a personal preference thing)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
6 large green peppers
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (or you can use the pre-peeled, ready-to-eat baby carrots like I do)
3 TBS butter
1/2 cup water

1. While rice is cooking, in medium skillet brown beef until crumbly (I add extra several dashes of A-1 to cook into the meat...we like it a bit spicy). Add onion. Cook until onion is soft. Remove from heat. Mix in A-1, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, corn, and rice.


2. Cut tops, seeds, and membranes from peppers. Discard. Fill peppers with meat and rice mixture.
3. In a 10-inch skillet (I use my stock pot), place peppers and carrots. Add butter and water. Simmer, covered, 30-40 minutes, or until carrots are tender.
courtesy Best Recipes from the backs of Boxes, Bottles, Can and Jars by Ceil Dyer

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Hearty Meatball Spinach Soup

I love to have soup all year round, but find that most people associate soups with the cooler seasons. It's totally understandable...soups are comforting, filling, and warm. They are a perfect fit for Autumn and Winter.

But there are GREAT soups for the Spring and Summer, too. Lighter, more refreshing soups than those generally reserved for colder weather. And they are not all chilled soups, either...so don't get all freaked out about "yet-another-cold-cucumber-soup recipe".

Although the title says "hearty"...this soup is not "heavy"...which makes it PERFECT for summer. It's also a kid-pleaser because of the meatballs, and a mom-pleaser with all that healthy spinach!!

I doubled this and served it with LOTS of Saltine Crackers.
Bon Apatite!


Hearty Meatball Spinach Soup

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
2 tsp dried oregano leaves, divided
20 Saltine crackers, finely crushed
1 egg, beaten
1 TBS oil
2 cans beef broth
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well-drained

1. Combine meat, 1/4 cup onions, 1/3 of garlic, and 1/2 tsp oregano in a large bowl. Add cracker crumbs and egg; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls.


2. Cook and stir the remaining onions and garlic in hot oil in a Dutch Oven or large stockpot on medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Add broth, tomatoes, spinach, and remaining oregano; bring to a boil. Add meatballs; cover. Simmer on low 20-25 minutes or until meatballs are done..

3. Serve with additional saltines.

courtesy Kraftfoods.com

Hungarian-Spiced Skewers with Sour Cream

This recipe comes from my FAVORITE grilling cookbook EVER...aptly titled Grilling: Where There's Smoke There's Flavor by Eric Treuille & Birgit Erath. It's not too thick...has BEAUTIFUL pictures, and clean, concise instructions for all dishes, sides, and sauces. Check out this absolutely delicious gem that is so flavorful, you'll feel like your mouth is going to EXPLODE...

I doubled and served with grilled potato slices and and a Greek-inspired salad...

Hungarian Spiced Skewers with Sour Cream

1 lb ground chuck steak
1 onion, grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp ground caraway
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
Salt and Black Pepper to sprinkle
2/3 cup sour cream to serve
8 10-inch pre-soaked bamboo skewers

1. Place ground steak, onion, garlic, paprika, marjoram, caraway, pepper, and salt in a food processor; pulse until combined.

2. Divide into 8 equal-sized portions. With wet hands, mold each portion round a separate skewer, shaping into a sausage, about 8 inches long.

3. Grill over medium coals, turning every two minutes, until well-browned but still juicy and slightly pink inside, 8-10 minutes total.

4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve hot with sour cream.

courtesy Grilling: Where There's Smoke There's Flavor by Eric Treuille & Brigit Erath

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Mexican Lasagna


Oh, look!! Pictures!!

I stole my daughters camera...but I don't really like it. Hers is an Olympus Stylus, and it's really high-tech. It's got all these crazy features for gadget gurus.

And I am NOT a gadget guru.

So my pictures with it suck worse than with my old camera...and that's really saying something. "Cause if you've seen the pictures SHE takes with it - you'll realize how ultimately untalented I am in the field of photography. Which really doesn't help my plea to my hubby to get me a fancier camera with a bunch of lenses and stuff.

So - I tried a new recipe last night. I got it off Pioneer Womans cooking site...but it is not hers. It is one of her guest commentators, a man named "Pastor Ryan", so named because he's a, uh, well...a brother of the cloth. And also, a genius in the kitchen. I guess living proof that God can give you multiple callings in this life.

Anyway, I found it and it tickled my fancy and sounded delicious, so I decided to try it. And I have to say...it IS delicious. Like - I could live on it. And so could my kids.

Now you know when I bring over recipes from Pioneer Woman, you never need to double. She, after all, feeds a family of 6, plus a ranch full of cowboys. Her recipes reflect that...for which I'm grateful. (Hey - there are some nights that even simple math is more than I can take).

So I knew I wouldn't be doubling. In fact, after looking at the amount of ingredients called for in this recipe, I had the urge to... (I'm about to say something that I have never said before, and you may never hear me say again)...scale back.

I know, I know. Shocker.

But I decided to just go with it and make it as the recipe says. And that's why, about halfway through, I called my friend Michelle Marlowe and desperately asked her if I could bring her dinner that night...because there was NO WAY IN HADES that we were gonna be able to eat that much food.

This ended up filling (and I do mean FILLING) two ENORMOUS oval bakers from Crate & Barrel (approx. 13x9 size)...and there was STILL some I couldn't fit. This would feed THREE of my families. It would feed a WARD. It's PERFECT for a large gathering of hungry people.

And the bonus was that I got to give some away AND get a second opinion on the recipe (which, by the way, scored a "two thumbs up").

So, Pastor Ryan and Pioneer Woman...you got me. I actually get to say a phrase that I NEVER thought I'd say on this site...if feeding an average-sized family, scale this back to ABOUT A THIRD. Unless you want to eat it for a month.

Which, actually, by the way it tastes, is totally do-able.

Served with corn-on-the-cob!!


Pastor Ryan's Mexican Lasagna

(This is the original recipe with original measurements. Do the math to adjust to feed your family!!)

4 cups unprepared rice
8 cups chicken broth
4-8 tomatoes (up to you)
2-3 onions (up to you)
8-14 LARGE cloves of garlic (up to you)
3 lbs ground beef
3 x 16oz. bags of Mexican cheese blend, all mixed together and then divided in half.
3 cans corn (drained)
1-2 cans black or pinto beans (up to you), UNdrained
Two 16 oz. jars of Salsa Verde
1 16-oz. jar of enchilada sauce
1 pouch Taco seasoning
6 TBS chili powder, divided
3 TBS EACH of paprika and cumin, divided
20 (2 packages) Fajita-size flour tortillas
Sour cream
Fresh Cilantro
Butter

1. Prepare rice with chicken broth. Once prepared, salt to taste and set aside.

2. Chop tomatoes, onions, and garlic as small as you prefer. Saute in a pan with a few TBS of butter. Add 3 TBS chili powder, and 1-1/2 TBS of both paprika and cumin. Stir until nicely combined. Feel free to add beans (juice and all). Mix cooked rice together with tomato/onion/garlic/bean mixture.


3. Brown the ground beef using about remaining 3 TBS chili powder and 1-1/2 TBS of both paprika and cumin. Add salt to taste. Add about 4-6 oz. of water to create the taco beef, and let simmer until absorbed.

4. Spread one container of salsa verde in the bottom of a large casserole baking dish (or two). Layer on tortillas covering salsa verde (overlapping is expected). Divide your rice mixture in half, and spread one half over the layer of tortillas. Use half of your divided cheese and layer it on top of the rice layer. Add another layer of tortillas on top of cheese layer. Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas and spread evenly. Add layer of browned ground beef (all of it). Add 3 cans of drained corn on top of beef layer. Add remaining amount of rice mixture on top of corn layer, followed by remaining jar of salsa verde, on top of which you'll add the remaining cheese. sprinkle cheese layer with packet of taco seasoning.

CASSEROLE (S) WILL BE EXTREMELY HEAVY!!!

5. Bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown.

6. Serve with sour cream, fresh sprigs of cilantro, and a hearty appetite.


courtesy Pioneer Woman

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Salisbury Steak

I'm so sad to have to post this without pictures...but I guess my pictures aren't that great anyway...so you'll probably survive.

My mom used to make Salisbury Steak when my dad was home (he was an airline pilot and was often gone several days at a time). Her recipe was a lot more complicated...I use a recipe from Kraft Foods and tweak it to more closely resemble my moms. I don't double this recipe, as it makes 8 patties. I do, however, double the sauce...because it is GOOD stuff. I have changed the recipe to reflect that, so if you follow it, you'll come out fine with plenty of sauce...enough to drizzle on your mashed potatoes if you want.

We served this with brown-sugar glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, and bread sticks!! Enjoy!!

Salisbury Steak

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 pkg stuffing mix for chicken (like Stove Top)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 egg whites
2-1/2 cups water, divided
1 STICK (1/2 cup) of butter
1 cup bar-be-que sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used baby Portobello mushrooms - caps only)

1. Mix meat, stuffing mix, onion, and egg whites and 1-1/2 cups of the water until well-blended. Shape into 8 patties.

2. Heat skillet and add 1 STICK of butter. (Yeah...you gotta channel Ree in this part...but if you're looking for healthier alternatives, go for the non-stick spray or olive oil. You'll save your backside, but you won't get the golden brown crispy outside of the patties). Add patties; cook 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Drain fat from skillet.

3. Combine bar-be-que sauce, remaining cup of water, Worcestershire sauce and pepper; pour evenly over patties. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add mushrooms, and cover. Cook up to an additional 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened and heated through and mushrooms are tender, but not limp.

courtesy Kraft foods and me!!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Dutch Meatloaf

Okay - after all that chicken this month...I was REALLY craving some RED MEAT (let's hear a hallelujah from our hubbies)...

So I made one of my EASIEST and most trustworthy meatloaf recipes....which is really saying something, because, SERIOUSLY...how hard is meatloaf?

If you're like me, you a ba-jillion meatloaf recipes, but one of my favorites comes from this recipe book...


Don't let the cover full you...it may look all clean and new...but inside....


It's stained and torn and written in...just like any well-used cookbook should be.


I think the reason I like it so much is that my mother bought it for me back when I first got married and COULD NOT COOK, and this book used really familiar ingredients (most of which I already had stocked in my pantry) and delivered excellent and consistent results.

Dutch Meatloaf is the first meatloaf recipe I ever attempted...and it my go-to meatloaf recipe if I need one on the fly...

I don't really double this, as it serves 6...but I buy meat in bulk and separate it into 1 pound increments. So, the recipe calls for 1-1/2 pounds ground beef, but I thaw and use 2 pounds...and then I estimate the rest of the ingredients accordingly.

We served it with roasted red potatoes, canned biscuits, and a lettuce salad.


Dutch Meatloaf

1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup water
2 TBS brown sugar, packed
2 TBS prepared mustard
1 TBS vinegar (I use apple cider for the extra tang)

1. In a medium bowl, lightly mix beef, bread crumbs, onion, 1/2 can tomato sauce, egg, salt and pepper. Shape into a loaf in a shallow baking pan.

2. Combine remaining tomato sauce with rest of ingredients; pour over loaf.


3. Bake at 350 for 1-1/4 hours, basting loaf several times throughout.


Thursday, April 2, 2009

Costa Rican Beef and Chayote

Remember way back when, it my very first post, when I promised all the white girls out there that were afraid to visit the ethnic sections of their local grocer that I would slowly lead them down the path?

See - you know how I believe in easy recipes that EVERYBODY likes? Well - I believe that these recipes can include "exotic" ingredients, and still be easy, and quick, and delicious...and maybe even fun.

So tonight, we're going to introduce an ingredient...a vegetable...that I am willing to bet is new to most of you. It is called a chayote.


This is a chayote. Chayote is a tropical form summer squash about the size and shape of a pear. It is also called mirliton and christophene. It has deep lengthwise ridges and a center seed, like an avocado. I'm told that the harder the squash is, and the darker the green of the skin, the better the flavor is. To me, chayote has the consistency of a perfectly ripe and crisp apple, and in it's raw state tastes something like jicama or turnip.

Chayote has to be peeled, especially if it is large and the skin is tough. I use a vegetable peeler. I know some people prefer to peel it under running water because there is a sticky substance just under the skin that is a bit irritating (it disappears after cooking), but I've never had that problem (my chayotes are probably not big enough). Then I cut the chayote in half lengthwise, use my vegetable peeler to peel the skin in the little fold at the bottom, and use a medium-sized melon baller to extract the seed and tougher skin around the seed. From there, you can stuff it, dice it, or do anything you would normally do to a squash. I'm told they're excellent with cheese (I haven't tried yet...I always have some other crazy recipe for them to star in).

I got this recipe out of the March 2009 edition of Family Fun magazine. It turned out great. I didn't double, as I served it with lots of sides...refried beans, white rice, tortillas, and a tropical fruit cocktail (just a canned version that I chilled all day in the fridge).

Now - if you can't find chayote at your grocery store...don't freak. Substitute with zucchini. It'll work great. (I shouldn't hear this complaint from anyone here in South Florida...it is, after all, the Central and South American and Caribbean hub of the continental U.S.)

Enjoy!!


Costa Rican Beef and Chayote

2 TBS canola or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup diced green pepper
2 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
(confession...I used half a can of diced tomatoes w/jalapenos because I was in a hurry and hate peeling tomatoes. Feel free to do the same)
2 TBS tomato paste
1 large chayote, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice, OR zucchini cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 TBS finely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute for a few more seconds.


2. Add the meat, curry powder, salt, and pepper to the mixture. Continue to saute until the meat is cooked through, breaking into small bits with your wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the green pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, chayote, and corn. Lower the heat, cover, and cook until chayote is tender, about 15 minutes (zucchini will take about 5 minutes to cook).


4. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Courtesy Family Fun magazine, March 2009

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Beef Creole and Rice

Feeding kids is challenging. Especially a lot of kids, all at the same time. See - they all have different tastes and likes, and it is near IMPOSSIBLE to please everyone at the same time. So I started a side-blog...one that I could put recipes on for other moms like me. Moms who are tired. Moms who hate cooking the same things over and over. Moms on a budget. Moms with more kids than hands. Moms that are DESPERATE.
For all those moms out there like me...I understand. I relate. I am here to help...I think.

For my first entry, I thought I'd start with what we're having for dinner tonight...and that is: Beef Creole and Rice.

Don't worry...it's not tricky, and doesn't require hard to find ethnic ingredients. It is safe for all white girls out there...well, it's safe for EVERYONE, but I've noticed white girls have a fear of anything that's not distinctly "American", so my disclaimer is really for them. Don't worry, gringas!! I understand!! I, too, used to fear the ethnic aisle at the local grocery store. Stick with me a little while, and I'll help you overcome your fear...but first, we're gonna start out slow, and that is Beef Creole and Rice.

Beef Creole and Rice is easy, cheap, and yummy. It meets all the requirements for your average weekday dinner. It pairs nice with a simple green or (especially) fruit salad. You can spice it up or mellow it out...it is COMPLETELY up to interpretation.

And for those EXTRA picky eaters...you can serve just the rice. (I have one of those. No Beef Creole...just Rice. With soy sauce. Whatever.)

Beef Creole With Rice
1 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp. garlic salt (I use real minced garlic and a pinch of salt...about 2 cloves worth)
1 medium bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 cups diagonally sliced celery
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder (heres where I up it a bit...I add 1 TBS)
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TBS flour
3 cups conventional white rice

-Start rice following package directions. While it simmers/steams, prepare Beef Creole as follows:

-Cook ground beef with onion and garlic until brown. Drain off fat.
- Add bell pepper, celery, juice from the can of tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
-Heat to boiling, then reduce to low heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- In a cup, blend 1/4 cup water with 1 TBS flour
- Gradually stir into the meat mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Add the tomatoes from the can of tomatoes
- Heat thoroughly
- Serve over the hot rice


courtesy Deseret Recipes