Meatball Sliders for Super Bowl!

Here it is, almost Super Bowl Sunday! If you are one of the many people planning a party for the big day, I have a fantastic Meatball Slider recipe for you to serve during the Super Bowl or any time for that matter. This is a really easy recipe where the meatballs are baked and then cooked for a short time in the quick tomato sauce, topped with cheese and then the buns. I have adapted my mother's meatball recipe for these yummy sliders and made an easy Italian flavored sauce for them. My husband loves these Meatball Sliders, so I hope you will too! Here's my recipe.

Meatball Sliders
From Lynda's Recipe Box
(If you want to add some spicy heat to the sauce just add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the oil at the same time as the minced garlic when making the sauce.)

Meatball Ingredients:
1 pound beef ground chuck
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk 1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper
either shredded or sliced Provolone or Mozzarella cheese. If using slices you will need 6 slices to have cheese on top and bottom. Cut the sliced cheese in 4 square pieces.
1 dozen slider rolls, or dinner rolls if you can't find sliders

Directions for Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, Parmesan and minced garlic; toss it lightly with a fork to incorporate. Add the remaining ingredients and mix fairly well, either with a fork or your hands. I use my hands, I confess. It's just easier.
Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray liberally with cooking spray. Divide the meat mixture into 12 even pieces and roll each into a ball and place on baking sheet. Place pan in oven and bake meatballs for 25 minutes. When done remove meatballs from pan and add to the sauce.

Quick Italian Style Sauce Ingredients:
1 - 28 ounce can of good quality crushed tomatoes
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes, optional, only if you want some heat
salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan or Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the olive oil, then the minced garlic and pepper flakes, if using. Saute for 30 seconds; then add the tomatoes and dried basil. Cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes or so. If sauce gets too thick you can add a little water to thin it. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. I sometimes add about 1 teaspoon of sugar if sauce needs it. Some canned tomatoes can have a sharp taste and the sugar helps.
Add meatballs when they are done, cover and cook another 10-20 minutes.
I like the sauce to be thick so it will stick to the meatballs some.

To assemble sliders:
If you want to toast the rolls, just open the rolls and lay on a baking sheet, put under the broiler for a short time. Stay by your stove as they toast really quick! Remove from oven.
Add cheese to the bottom of the buns; place 1 meatball on each bottom bun. Top with more cheese and the tops of the buns. Place on serving tray and enjoy!

Tex - Mex Beef Enchiladas - ground beef filling with a chipotle sauce

 I have a serious love affair with Tex - Mex food and I especially love enchiladas. I rarely order them in restaurants, but love making them at home instead. I found these wonderful ground beef enchiladas at Everyday Food and couldn't wait to try them. My husband and I loved the smoky,spicy flavor the chipotle chili gave the sauce. It is spicy hot, but not a fire alarm hot, so it does cool down. And considering that we both don't do well with real spicy food, we had no trouble with these enchiladas. Loved them, will make again next week, in fact. Hope you'll give them a try!

Tex - Mex Beef Enchiladas

adapted from Everyday Food

Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1 can (15 ounces) of low sodium chicken broth

1 cup of water

1/2 of a medium onion, minced, my addition

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried cumin - my addition

1 small, canned, chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, minced- my chili was about 3-4 inches long

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

Beef Filling:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 of medium onion

2 cloves minced garlic, my addition

1 teaspoon chili powder, my addition

1 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces freshly grated cheese, I used a Cheddar Jack cheese

1/2 cup cilantro

about 10 corn tortillas

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the onion in the 2 tablespoons of oil until softened. Stir in the flour and the chili powder, and whisk for about 1 minute while the flour cooks. Slowly pour in the broth and water, whisking as you pour. Add adobo sauce and minced chipotle pepper, the broth and water. Mix well; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from heat until needed.

2. In a skillet, brown the ground beef and minced onion together. When meat is no longer pink, stir in the garlic and stir about 1 minute. Drain off any fat. Season the meat with the chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper.

3. To assemble the enchiladas:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pour about 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Warm the tortillas. I stacked the tortillas on foil, wrapped them up and placed in oven for about 10 minutes. They were ready to use then. Stir about 1/3 cup of sauce into the beef mixture. Place a rounded 1/4 cup of meat on each tortilla. Add about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese, and roll up. Lay seam side down in the baking pan. Spread the remaing sauce over the enchiladas. Cover with the cheese. Turn oven up to 400 degrees F. and place enchiladas into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and enchiladas are bubbly. Remove from oven and garnish with cilantro. I also added some diced green onion. So good -  enjoy!

Also check out my Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce
and my Shredded Beef Enchiladas.

Bacon and Brown Sugar Wrapped Smokies

Do you need an appetizer idea for the football games this weekend? I made these over New Years and had trouble getting a picture because family members were getting impatient to get some. Sausages, bacon and brown sugar- what's not to love. While they aren't going to be the healthiest appetizer, they definitely will be devoured as they are very addictive. We couldn't stay out of them! Here's the recipe.

Bacon and Brown Sugar Wrapped Lil Smokies

1 package Lil Smokies sausages, beef or pork - I used Hillshire Farms Beef sausages
bacon slices, cut into thirds
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
toothpicks

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut your bacon slices into 3 equal portions. Wrap each sausage with a piece of bacon and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sausage and bacon. Scatter the brown sugar over the sausages. I made sure there was a little heap of brown sugar on each one. Place into the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the whole pan of sausages is bubbly. Remove pan from oven. Place a toothpick in each sausage and place appetizers on a serving tray. These will delicious either hot or room temperature. Enjoy!
NOTE: Most recipes I've seen for these say to put toothpicks in the sausages before baking, but they get very messy, so I tried waiting until after they were baked and the sausages did just fine.

How to Cook a Tender, Oven Braised, Beef Pot Roast

My first cooked meal of the New Year was a very tender and delicious beef Pot Roast, braised in the oven. A cold front that blew in left me wanting something warming and comforting for dinner. And I had a chuck roast in the freezer that was calling my name, and bringing back memories of my Mother. My mom made the most tender, melt in your mouth roasts I've ever tasted, so I think of her every time I make pot roast. Sometimes I make mashed potatoes with pot roast, but most of the time I bake potatoes with the roast as my Mother did. You can just break up the potatoes on your plate and cover with gravy. This is comfort food at it's best.

I always add onions to the pot and I brown them slightly the first thing. Then I brown the roast on all sides, even the ends for just a few minutes. Add carrots and potatoes to the pot and you have a true one pot meal to look forward too. I even make the gravy in the same pot. I'm lazy when it comes to clean up.

If you cook chuck roast long enough, it will be very tender and delicious. Many folks tend to take it out of the oven too soon, resulting in a tough piece of meat. You really need about 1 hour of cooking per pound of chuck roast. Use the fork test to see if it's tender. Stick a fork in the meat and pull. If done, it should begin to pull apart very easily, like you are going to shred it.This is right where you want it. Here's my method.

Classic Oven Braised Pot Roast

my Mothers

1 chuck roast- mine was only 2 1/2 pounds

1 onion, sliced

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into about 1 inch slices

5 or 6 potatoes,(I used Yukon Golds) peeled and cut in half or fourths, depending on the size

1 dried bay leaf

beef broth, water or chicken broth

In a dutch oven over medium high heat, in about 1 tablespoon of oil, cook the sliced onion for just a couple of minutes, until it softens and begins to turn golden. Remove the onion to a bowl. Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper, and garlic powder if desired. Add more oil to the dutch oven if needed. Add the chuck roast to the pan and brown it on all sides. Place half the onions on top of the roast and half scattered around the roast in the pan.  Add enough liquid to come up most of the way next to the roast. I used 1 can low-sodium beef broth and 1/2 cups water in my pan. You could need more or less, depending on the size of your pan and how full it is. Toss the bay leaf in the liquid and cover pot with lid. Place dutch oven in a preheated 300 degree oven and cook for about 60 minutes per pound of beef. My 2 1/2 pound roast took about 2 3/4 hours to become tender and delicious. Add the potatoes to the pan about halfway through cooking. Cover the pan and continue baking until roast is tender. When done, you can serve the pan juices as is, spooned over the meat and potatoes, or you can do as I do and thicken the juices some for a really tasty gravy.

To Make a Quick Gravy: After you remove the roast and veggies from the pan, skim any fat from the juices,or use a fat separator to make the job easier. Then make a slurry of about 1/4 cup flour and some water. Mix until there are no lumps. While meat juices are simmering, whisk in flour and water mixture a little at a time, only using enough flour mixture to thicken the gravy as much as you want it. Simmer gravy a couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour gravy over potatoes and meat. Enjoy!

Easy Slow Cooker Stew

Stew is one of my favorite meals to have during the cold months of the year. Cooking it in the slow cooker makes it super easy. Last week when my Mother-in-law passed away, we had extra people to feed, so I dug out my crock pot and got to work. Peeling the potatoes and carrots were the most time consuming. Plus, I cut up a chuck roast, instead of buying stew meat. By using a roast, I feel I'm using a better quality of beef for the stew. When making stew, there doesn't need to be a recipe. Just use the vegetables you like and  you can also use up any leftover veggies you may have in the fridge.
Here's what I did this time.

Slow Cooker Stew
1 beef chuck roast, cut into cubes- I had a 2 1/4 pound roast
potatoes, peeled and cubed
carrots, peeled and sliced- I used almost 1 pound this time
1 onion, diced
2 ribs of celery, sliced
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen peas
1 can diced tomatoes
green beans and any other vegetables you want to use
1 can low sodium beef broth
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
parsley
salt and pepper to taste
water

Cut the beef roast into cubes. Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, and then add half of the beef cubes. Add salt and pepper to the meat. Brown meat in the hot oil turning when browned on one side. While the beef browns, peel and cut up the potatoes and carrots and add them to the crock pot. Then, remove the beef and add to the crock pot. Add another tablespoon of oil to the dutch oven and add the rest of the beef. When it is brown on the side, stir and add the chopped onion and garlic, if using. Turn the heat down if necessary to keep the pan from burning.
Add the beef broth to the browning meat and stir up all the brown bits that are in the pan. There will be a ton of flavor in those brown bits from the meat. Don't skip browning the meat for the stew as browning gives it so much flavor. Add all the meat and broth to the slow cooker, the tomatoes, then the rest of the vegetables you are going to use. Fill the cooker with water to cover the stew. Add the bay leaves and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Sometimes I thicken the stew a bit by adding 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to about 1/4 cup water. Mix well and add to the stew, stirring carefully. Cover the stew and cook another 30 minutes. When done, you have a delicious hot stew to warm you up. Enjoy!
This coming week I'll be posting some Thanksgiving recipes, so be sure to stop back by!

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Salisbury Steak conjures up images of the TV Dinners that my Mother fed me occasionally, and some school lunches that I ate in grade school. I actually really liked it then, but making your own is much tastier and really easy to do. This dish consists of ground beef with bread crumbs and seasonings added in. I've made my version of this dish for years, but wondered how it got it's name. It was interesting reading several different googled sites. According to Wikipedia and other sources, Salisbury Steak received it's name from an American physician, Dr. James Henry Salisbury, during the Civil War. Dr. Salisbury thought people, especially soldiers, would benefit from eating ground meat 3 times a day for different health problems. Well, I make Salisbury Steak because, it tastes good, and because it makes a very affordable and easy meal. And because my husband loves it! Here's my recipe. SALISBURY STEAK with MUSHROOM GRAVY
from Lynda's Recipe Box
1/2 of a medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons oil
1 pound ground beef chuck-80/20 blend
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, or can use steak sauce
about 1/2 teaspoon salt about
1/4 teaspoon pepper
FOR GRAVY: 1/2 of a medium onion, diced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1- 15 ounces can of beef broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
a couple drops of Kitchen Bouquet, if desired.
In a skillet, saute the onion in the oil until softened. In a large bowl, break up the ground chuck. Add the remaining ingredients and the cooked onion . Stir beef mixture with a fork until combined and then form into patties about 1 inch thick or so. I made 4 patties. Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Add a couple teaspoons of oil if needed, and brown the patties on both sides. (Carefully turn the patties over-they can fall apart easily, and watch closely as the patties can burn because of the bread crumbs and other ingredients).
To make gravy: Make the gravy while the beef patties cook. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and add the sliced mushrooms and diced onion. Saute until all the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the onions are soft. Stir in the flour and cook about 30 seconds. Stir in about half of the beef broth until the gravy is smooth, then add the remaining broth and cook a couple of minutes. Stir in Kitchen Bouquet, if using. Season with salt and pepper. When the beef patties are browned on both sides, pour the gravy over the patties, and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes, until the patties are done. If gravy needs to thicken more, cook a bit longer, or if you need to thin the gravy, add a bit of water. I served this Salisbury Steak with egg noodles this time, but we like it with mashed potatoes the best. Let me know if you give this dish a try. Enjoy!
NOTE: Kitchen Bouquet is a browning and seasoning sauce found in the grocers on the condiment isle. In my store it's next to the steak sauces.

Tijuana Torte (a Mexican-style casserole)

While flipping through an old recipe book of mine, called "Some of the Best Recipes Ever Assembled into One Cookbook", I came across this Mexican-style casserole that I used to make often. While it wasn't a favorite of our kids, my husband has always loved it. Truthfully, it isn't my favorite Mexican casserole, but I do enjoy it as it has a layer of sour cream that really sets the Tex-Mex flavors off. I always put the canned tomatoes in the blender to pulse, because my family doesn't like chunky tomatoes in their food. Picky, I know, but I do what needs to be done to get people to eat! This easy casserole is layered like a lasagna and is mild in flavor. It calls for stewed tomatoes, which are somewhat sweet, but I sub diced tomatoes most of the time. Use whichever you prefer. I hope you enjoy this flavorful casserole.

TIJUANA TORTE

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chuck or ground round beef

1 medium onion, diced

1- 15 ounce can can diced tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes (I pulse them in the blender)

1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 -4 ounce can diced green chilies

1 package taco seasoning

flour or corn tortillas- I used 18 fajita sized flour tortillas,(6 for each layer), but any size will work

about 1 cup of sour cream

1 pound freshly grated cheddar cheese

1. Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet; drain off any fat from the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients to the meat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Place 1/4-1/2 cup of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch non reactive baking pan. Place a layer of tortillas over that.

3. Place about 1/3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

4. Add another layer of tortillas, and then a layer of meat sauce. Cover with more cheese; then dollop with all of the sour cream and gently spread out.

5. Lastly, cover with the rest of the tortillas, the meat sauce and the rest of the cheese.

6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and let cool about 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTE: I usually make this casserole in 3 layers, but it would work well in 2 layers, if preferred.

Skillet Lasagna

I needed a quick, hearty and tasty meal last night. My husband had been shoveling snow a big part of the day, and I had helped some also, so I wanted something easy to prepare. I had been wanting to make Skillet Lasagna for a while, and I had most of the ingredients needed. The original recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, so I was reasonably sure it would be good. It was; this lasagna has a wonderful Italian flavor! The whole dish is assembled and cooked in a large skillet and ready to eat in 30-40 minutes, depending on how fast you are. All the flavor of a delicious lasagna, but this dish is so much faster to prepare. The recipe calls for a mix of ground beef and ground pork. I replaced the pork with Italian sausage since I had it on hand. It added great depth of flavor to this dish. You gotta try it! Here's the recipe that I found at Apples and Twinkies.

SKILLET LASAGNA

adapted from Apples and Twinkies and Cook's Illustrated

3 cans (14.5 oz.) whole, peeled tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 medium garlic cloves, pressed- I only used 2

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes- I used a pinch

1/2 pound of ground round beef

1/2 pound ground Italian sausage

10 curly edge lasagna noodles- it is NOT recommended that no-bake noodles be used

1/2 cup (2 ounces) mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

pepper to taste

1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Pour the 3 cans of tomatoes into a blender or food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Heat oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet. Add diced onion and salt and cook until softened; stir in garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground meats; break up the meat as it cooks. Drain grease from skillet if needed.

Break the lasagna noodles into 2 inch pieces and scatter over the meat in the skillet. Pour the tomatoes over the noodles and sprinkle with the dried basil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. (I used a stainless steel skillet, so I stirred the lasagna a couple of times to keep the noodles from sticking).

When done, remove the pan from the burner. Carefully stir the mixture together, taste and add pepper to taste; more salt if needed. Lightly stir in half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheeses over the top. Spoon the ricotta cheese in spoonfuls over the lasagna. Cover skillet with lid and let the cheese melt. I added some chopped fresh parsley also. Serve with some garlic bread and salad if desired. My husband and daughter loved it-it got 2 thumbs up, so I'll be making it again often. Let me know if you give this a try!

Texas Oven-Roasted Brisket (from Paula Deen)

Beef. It was for dinner tonight. This is the second time I've made this juicy, brisket. The spicy rub gives this brisket great flavor without being overpowering. Sliced thinly, this delicious meat was easily cut with a fork. Oven time is about 4 hours. The oven heat felt really good today with this massive snow storm blowing through. I hope you all in the storms path can stay warm! My daughter's car was pretty well buried by the middle of this afternoon, and it just kept on snowing. We have about 20 inches of snow, the most we've had in very many years. Thankfully we did not get much ice. Needless to say, my husband and daughter did not make it to work, nor will they tomorrow. Everything was pretty much shut down today around these parts (southwest Missouri). I know many of you are getting this storm now, so stay warm!

But, back to this delicious brisket. I cooked a 4 pound brisket. If you haven't cooked one before, please note that brisket needs a layer of fat on one side to keep it moist. The fat can be trimmed to about 1/4 inch thick, and it will retain it's juices. If all the fat is trimmed off, you will have a dry piece of beef. So the combination of fat and liquid keeps this roast juicy and tender. I hope you'll give it a try.

TEXAS OVEN-ROASTED BRISKET

adapted slightly from Paula Deen

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 bay leaf

4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed but at least 1/2 inch of fat left

1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth

1 onion, sliced thinly

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the dry rub with the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, sugar, and mustard. Season the brisket on both sides with the rub. I only used about half of the rub, maybe a tad more. Place brisket, fat side up, in a roasting pan and roast, uncovered, for one hour.

Remove brisket from oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Add beef stock to pan and enough water to yield enough liquid to come up the sides of the beef at least 1/2 inch. Add the bay leaf and sliced onion to the broth. Cover pan tightly and continue baking about 3 hours, or until the brisket is fork-tender. Larger briskets will take longer to reach the tender stage.

Remove the brisket to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes or longer.

Trim the fat from the brisket, and slice the meat thinly across the grain. Top with the juices from the pan. Enjoy!

NOTE: Leftover brisket will freeze just fine. Be sure to add some of the cooking juices to the containers before freezing. This brisket also makes fantastic sandwiches and the pan juices are perfect for dipping that sandwich roll into.

Chicken Fried Steak with Creamy Gravy

I'm still on my comfort food kick, so Chicken Fried Steak was on my menu last week. This meal was one of my favorite dishes that my Mother made when I was a kid, and I still love it. I don't make it much any more, but I still love this crispy, breaded steak served with mashed potatoes and lots of creamy gravy. Mmmmm, it doesn't get much better than this, if you are craving comfort food. Mom also made steak by dipping it in just flour only and then frying it, which is also tasty. But real Chicken Fried Steak has a nice crispy coating from dipping it in flour, then a milk mixture and the flour again. I don't usually use a recipe for this meal, but I've written out directions for those of you who maybe haven't tried making this before. You can use round steak and tenderize it yourself, or you can buy individual steaks that have already been tenderized at the store. Here's my method.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK with CREAMY GRAVY

from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 1/2 pounds bottom round steak, cut into serving pieces and pounded about 1/2 inch thick with a meat mallet

about 1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 - 1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

canola oil for frying

1. Pound steaks with a meat tenderizer until thin, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

2. Season steak with salt and pepper.

3. Place flour, salt, pepper, garlic and paprika in a plate and mix. Pour beaten egg and milk in another bowl that is wide enough to dip the meat into.

4. Heat a skillet, and about 1/2 cup canola oil, to medium or medium high heat

5. With a fork, or your hand, dip each steak into flour mixture, and then shake off the excess.

6. Then dip steak into the egg/milk mixture and then back into the flour. Lay on a clean plate.

7. Place each steak into a frying pan in the hot oil. Do not crowd the steak. Fry 2-3 minutes until golden and then turn the steaks over and cook until golden, another 2-3 minutes.

8. Remove steaks to a paper towel lined plate to drain. While making the gravy, I place the steaks in the oven, which is heated to the lowest heat setting. Place the steaks on a wire rack on a baking sheet, just to stay warm and crispy while making the gravy.

GRAVY: Drain all but about 3 tablespoons of oil from the skillet. Leave all the brown crispy stuff in the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the oil and stir until combined and creamy. Cook this roux until it is lightly golden, a couple of minutes. Turn heat down, if needed. If the roux looks oily, add a bit more flour. Stir in 2 cups of milk, whisking until it bubbles and there are no lumps. Cook gravy until thick and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. If needed add more milk. I ended up using about 2 1/2 cups of milk total, but it depends on how thick you like your gravy. Now ladle gravy over hot mashed potatoes and Chicken Fried Steak. At this point I like to add more black pepper. I like this gravy well peppered, but go by your own tastes for this. Groan and enjoy!

NOTE: Start the mashed potatoes first, so they can cook while you make the steak and gravy.

Also, in these photos, the steak appears a bit darker than it really was.

Korean Beef Rice Bowl

I saw this dish recently at Steamy Kitchen and wanted to try it soon, and I'm so glad I didn't wait! My photo isn't as good as Jadens, but the meal was certainly excellent. Once you have all the vegetables chopped and the beef sliced, this meal comes together in just minutes. That is if you are not working around a 14 month old granddaughter who is trying to pull stuff out of your cabinets. She didn't take her planned nap, so meal preparation was a bit challenging, to say the least, with a very active and curious toddler around. But back to this meal- it's one of those lick the bowl clean type of dishes. Judging by the groaning that was coming from my husband, I knew he loved it. The sauce that the beef is marinated in is delicious; sweet but yet it's got so much flavor from the garlic and fresh ginger. I've got to make it again this week because it keeps calling my name! Here's what I did.

KOREAN BEEF RICE BOWL
slightly adapted from Steamy Kitchen

2 cups dry rice, your preference, cooked

1 pound beef, I used top sirloin, sliced thin

2 tablespoons soy sauce-I used low sodium

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon cooking oil

1/2 of an onion, diced

1/2 cup of carrots cut into matchsticks -recipe calls for 1 cup

1 small zucchini, diced

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Put your rice on to cook first, using whatever kind you like. The vegetables can be prepared a day ahead if desired. If doing them at time of meal, have them chopped before you begin cooking. Slice beef very thin, across the grain. It can be prepared several hours in advance also.
Mix the minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil and brown sugar together in a bowl. Pour over the beef and let marinate.
Heat a wok or skillet to medium heat. add the 1 tablespoon oil and the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Turn up to high heat, add beef and cook until barely an pink left. Add the carrots and zucchini and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds. Serve this over rice. Enjoy!

Pan Fried Sirloin Steak with Mushrooms

Saturday was such a dreary, stormy day here, which was not very agreeable with me wanting to grill outside. I had bought some petite sirloin steaks on sale that day and wanted to try them. Since my husband and I ended up being the only ones here to eat, I pan fried our steaks and made easy sides so there was very little clean up. I'm only sorry that the picture is not very good. My husband was wanting to eat, so I hurriedly took photos, hoping one would be good. They weren't. But the steak was very good.
The steak was delicious, juicy and tender, only seasoned with salt and pepper and a bit of garlic powder. We prefer our steaks rather basic, but I had some mushrooms to use up, so I sauteed them in butter with a bit of fresh thyme and covered the steaks. Yum!

PAN FRIED SIRLOIN STEAK with MUSHROOMS
thick sirloin steaks- mine were about an inch thick
olive oil for brushing on steaks
8-10 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter, for mushrooms
fresh thyme
salt, pepper and garlic powder for seasoning

Dry steaks with paper towels, so that meat will sear better. Brush steaks lightly with olive oil. Season them with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over medium high to high heat. I used my cast iron skillet that is well seasoned. If you're not using a well seasoned pan, you made need to oil your pan with a small amount of oil or butter.
Lay steaks in skillet, not touching. I cooked these about 4 minutes per side and they were very pink in the middle, just right for me. To test for doneness, you can use a meat thermometer. Stick it in the thickest part of the steak for a reading. If you've cooked enough steaks you can tell by touch. If the meat is soft it's rare. If it feels solid, it's probably well done.
Of course you can cut into it too, to see how pink it is.
Rare steak will register 120 - 125 degrees on a meat thermometer. Medium rare-130-135 degrees. Medium is 140- 145 degrees. Medium well is 150-155 degrees. Well done meat will be about 160 degrees, but since meat continues to cook a little after it come off the heat, you really should take it out of the pan early. Also, I think sirloin steak cooked until well done should be marinated, otherwise it tends to be dry and tough. I prefer steak cooked about medium doneness and it's usually tender and juicy at that point.
After removing the steaks from the pan, let them rest a few minutes so the juices can settle.
To cook the mushrooms, add 1 tablespoon of butter to either the same skillet, or another one, and add the sliced mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt and stir them around. As they release their juices, add some fresh thyme if desired and cook until the mushroom juices have evaporated. Serve over steak.
NOTE: Sirloin, New York Strips, T-Bone Steaks  and other better cut of steaks can be pan fried. Cooking times will vary because of size and thickness, and whether or not there is a bone.

I also served Oven Roasted Red Skinned Potatoes, and Oven Roasted Broccoli which I cooked on the same baking sheet. I cooked the potatoes in a 425 degree oven for about 25 minutes, and then added the broccoli and cooked another 10 minutes. Clean up was easy, which made me very happy! Have a wonderful week!

My Mother's Goulash - for Family Recipes

My Mother was a very busy woman when I was a kid. My brother and I grew up in Colorado on a ranch and my Mother wore many hats, if you will. In other words, she had many jobs. When I was very young, she cooked for the hired men on the ranch, making huge man pleasing meals everyday at noon. She raised a garden, chickens, ducks and she sometimes drove a truck during harvest or feeding cattle, if needed. She had to have some quick meal ideas to fall back on. She went to work when I was in the 5th grade as a secretary at the small school that we attended, so she was always very busy. Goulash, as it was called in our family, is one dish that my Mother would make on really hectic nights. It is typically a hamburger, tomato and macaroni dish that is easy to make and you only need about 30 minutes in which to prepare it. I loved this meal as a kid. Mom sometimes added cheese to the top and she often made biscuits and cooked green beans from her garden to go along with the meal. I hadn't made this dish for quite awhile when I made it a couple of weeks ago. My daughter was overjoyed! As a kid, she loved it as much as I had when I was young. It's still a great dish, easy to prepare and full of flavor. Chopped bell pepper can be added to it as well as cheese, if desired. I know that a lot of families have a similar recipe, maybe going by a different name. Does your family make this tasty dish?

NOTE, 2012: I'm adding this note to my post since this has become such a popular post. I grew up in the 1950's and 60's, and that was a very different time than now. When my mother went to work, she still made dinner every day after she got home from work. People cooked back then; it was a priority. We didn't have fast food places in our nearby town, so we spent our meal time around the family dinner table. Quick, economical meals like this were a lifesaver for many moms. Good memories.

This recipe is my submission to March's "Family Recipes: Memories of Family, Food and Fun", which is hosted by me this month. If you have a family recipe that you'd like to share, please send it to me by March 31st. Check out all the rules here. Any dish that's a family favorite with memories attached will work. We would love to hear from you. This event is hosted by Shelby, from The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch, and Laura, of The Spiced Life, and myself. March is my month to host. Don't forget!


MY MOTHER'S GOULASH
from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 pound lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 bell pepper, diced- either red or green(optional)

1 -15 ounce can small dice tomatoes

1 - 15 ounces can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups dry macaroni, cooked according to package directions

salt and pepper to taste

cheese for topping, if desired

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni. While pasta cooks, brown the ground beef that has been seasoned with salt and pepper. Drain beef well and remove meat to a bowl. In 1 tablespoon oil, cook the onion and bell pepper if using, until softened. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Add the ground beef back to skillet. Cover and cook about 15 minutes. Remove lid and add cooked macaroni. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Toss well and add cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Classic Meatloaf, My Way

I crave Meatloaf at times. I love the taste, the texture, the comfort food charm. It brings back thoughts of eating it as a kid and loving every bite. Meatloaf is just one of those classic American foods that has stood the test of time and has a multitude of different ways of preparing it. My favorite meatloaf is more of the classic version, made with ground meat, bread crumbs, eggs, etc.

I prefer to mound the meatloaf in a baking pan rather than to bake it in a loaf pan. This way, it gets kind of crusty all the way around the loaf, and I love that! It takes a little more time to make it look nice and rounded, but it's worth it to me. But you may use a loaf pan if you wish. My meatloaf is moist and delicious, using ground beef and ground pork here. Many times I use only ground beef, and on occasion I have added sausage to my meatloaf. I like to use dry bread crumbs instead of fresh crumbs. My mother used to use finely crushed saltine crackers in her meatloaf. And I have a friend who used Grape Nuts Cereal to make hers, instead of bread crumbs, (she said it was a Weight Watcher's version)! I think every family makes it differently. I almost forgot to take pictures, so there's not much left on the platter. Here's how I made mine.

CLASSIC MEATLOAF, MY WAY

Lynda's Recipe Box

1 pound of beef ground chuck- 80/20

1/2 pound ground pork (or you may use more ground chuck)

1 cup dry bread crumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup ketchup (or I sometimes sub crushed tomatoes)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup finely diced onion, sauteed in 1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt, or more

1/2 teaspoon pepper

TOPPING:

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon brown sugar- mixed together

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together except the topping ingredients. Shape into a mound in a baking pan or roasting pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove meatloaf from oven and spoon topping over loaf. Return meat loaf to oven for 15-20 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest about 20 minutes before serving. I served with Homemade Mac and Cheese, steamed baby cut carrots and a salad.

Hamburger Stew

Do you have a dish in your family that you've made so often that you could do it blindfolded? I could this one. My Grandmother used to make this Hamburger Stew and likewise my Mother, and I've made it for years too. My husband loves to take this delicious stew to work with him as it's quite filling. It's a perfect soup for using up whatever leftover vegetables you may have in the refrigerator or odds and ends of fresh vegetables hiding in the crisper. Use as many vegetables as you want. I have no written recipe for this; we just throw in whatever is on hand. So, this is a recipe of how I made it this time. I made this huge batch today and enjoyed it immensely on this windy, cold day. We're expecting snow flurries tonight or tomorrow, so this soup will be warm and comforting. Served with homemade rolls or cornbread, it is the perfect comfort meal! Let me tell you how I made it.

HAMBURGER STEW- from Lynda's Recipe Box

Ingredients vary according to what you want to use, or what is on hand.

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 stalks celery, diced - I include the leaves

2 cans of diced tomatoes (15 ounces), or whole tomatoes, broken up

2 cans of beef broth (low sodium)

1/2 pound carrots, or more, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups green beans, fresh, frozen or canned

about 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (or fresh or canned)

about1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1 small, diced zucchini, if desired

about 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage

5 or 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

salt (I used 2 tsp., but I cook low salt so you may need more than this)

pepper, about 1/4 tsp.

water; add enough to cover ingredients in final cooking

In a soup pot over medium high heat, brown the ground beef until done. Drain off any grease. Add onion and cook until slightly softened. Add the celery, tomatoes, carrots and beef broth. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. If more liquid is needed to cover everything, add a little water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; the corn, peas, zucchini, if using, cabbage and potatoes. Add enough water to the pot to just cover the vegetables. Cover and cook another 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. I think the longer you cook it, the better the taste. The cabbage adds a lot of depth of flavor too, and this stew gets better every day! I sometimes add okra too, but I don't always have it. My mother would also add a few turnips to the pot, but my husband doesn't like them, so no turnips for us! Thyme is a great herb flavor for this soup, and sometimes oregano is my fave. It just depends what ingredients I use.

I've had people tell me their families also made this type of dish. Some have called it "Everything but the Kitchen Sink Soup". Do you or someone you know make stew similar to this? If so, what is it called? I'd love to know.

Barbecue Meatballs (Baked)

This is one of those recipes that could be classified as "comfort food", because it's a very satisfying older recipe. It was given to me by an older lady in our church, who is a great cook. She makes these yummy meatballs for a lot of different occasions, from church and funeral dinners that we ladies cook for families of members who have passed away, to holiday parties. People almost start fights over the last few of these luscious meatballs! The meatballs are tender and covered in a sweet, tangy and easy to make sauce. I made these a bit smaller than a golf ball and had them for dinner with some garlic mashed potatoes. My family loves the tangy sauce!

But, these tasty Barbecued Meatballs are wonderful made a bit smaller and served for all kinds of get togethers. Are the guys coming over to watch football? Serve these. Having a small party and want some easy dishes? Make these! They go together quickly. Here's how.

BARBECUE MEATBALLS- from Lynda's Recipe Box

3 pounds lean ground chuck (the leaner, the better)
2 cups oatmeal (I use quick oats)
1 1/2 cups milk (recipe calls for 12 ounces canned milk)
1/2 garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup diced onion
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Make into balls and place into baking pan. I used a large roasting pan to hold them all. Make sauce.
SAUCE:
2 cups ketchup
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
Mix all ingredients and pour over the meatballs. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.
TIP: Use at least 80-20 lean beef, as fatty beef will yield more grease in the sauce. You can also make these the day before you want to serve them, and then reheat before serving.
If you are serving these for a small family, the recipe can easily be halved. Enjoy!

Hamburger Stroganoff - A super quick and easy meal!

Recently I was flipping through the 2009 Cooking Light Cookbook, when I came upon a recipe very similar to one I made waaay back when I was in high school! This was about 1969 or 1970, many years ago when "groovy" was the favorite word, mini skirts and Go-Go Boots were "in" and the Beatles were the most popular singing group! I was taking home Economics in school, with one semester of sewing, and the other semester was cooking. I still have several recipes that we made that year, although I haven't made any of them for ages! Well, I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, so I made it and my husband really liked it, plus, it took less than 30 minutes to make. Even though this dish is made with ground beef, it still has the yummy sour cream sauce and delicious mushrooms that are components of stroganoff. This dish will come in really handy this holiday season when I'm so busy caring for my lovely granddaughter, who is now 4 months old, and trying to keep up with all the extra we do this time of year! Think about it, in less than 30 minutes you can have a delicious and quick meal on the table. Just add a salad or veggie with it and you're good to go! I hope you'll give this delicious Hamburger Stroganoff a try!

HAMBURGER STROGANOFF - slightly adapted from Cooking Light

8 ounces uncooked egg noodles

1 pound lean ground beef

1 cup diced onion

1 tsp. minced, bottled garlic, or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1 8 ounce package mushrooms(calls for sliced cremini) I used white mushrooms

2 T. flour

1 cup low fat, low sodium beef broth

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

3/4 cup low-fat sour cream

Paprika and chopped parsley for garnish

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
In a skillet over medium- high heat add beef and onion; cook for about 4 minutes, until browned. Add mushrooms and cook another 4 minutes, or so, and stir frequently until most of the liquid evaporates. Sprinkle with the flour; stir and cook 1 minute. Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until broth is slightly thick. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta and top with paprika and parsley. Enjoy!

Swiss Steak ( slightly adapted from Alton Brown)

I used to make Swiss Steak quite often in my early married years, but after we had kids, they didn't like the tomato type sauce that makes this dish. My kids never did like anything with chunks of tomatoes in it, or chunks of anything, for that matter. So, I gradually quit making it. Not long ago, my husband remarked that it had been along time since I'd made this recipe. He has always loved Swiss Steak, so I thought I remembered seeing a recipe on Food Network that I wanted to try. This dish, by Alton Brown, is delicious and easy to make, but you need to plan for 1 1/2-2 hours of baking time in the oven. This recipe uses round steak. If you buy it not tenderized, then you will need to tenderize it with a meat mallet to break down the muscle fibers of the steak a little.

Brown the steak in hot oil in a dutch oven; just a couple of minutes per side. Remove meat and add the onions and celery to the pan to soften for a minute or two. This smells so good!

Add tomato paste, spices, broth and other seasonings to pot. Place browned meat in the pot, submerging in the savory liquid. Cover pot and place in oven. Bake until meat is fork tender.

Oh, this dish is delicious! I baked it for 2 hours and the meat easily fell apart when cut with a fork. The addition of beef broth and garlic in this recipe gave this Swiss Steak great flavor, not too overpowered with tomatoes. I'll be making this often as my husband loved it. Even my daughter thought it was really good. Here's my slightly adapted version of this delicious recipe.

SWISS STEAK (slightly adapted from Alton Brown)

2 pounds round steak, tenderized ( Alton used bottom round that he sliced into steaks)

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup oil or bacon drippings ( I used a combination of both)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce)

1 tsp. paprika (Alton used smoked paprika)

2 tsp. fresh Thyme (Alton used 1 tsp. dried oregano)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 cups beef broth (I used low sodium, low fat)

Cut the steaks into serving size pieces, season both sides with salt and pepper and pound with a meat mallet. Dredge meat in the flour and set aside. Dice up the onion and celery. Mince the garlic.

Add enough oil to just cover the bottom of a dutch oven set over medium high heat. Brown the steaks in hot oil about 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove steaks to a plate and repeat with the remaining steaks. Don't crowd the meat in the pan while browning.

After removing the last of the steak to the plate, add the onion, celery and garlic to the pot and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir well. Add the tomatoes, paprika, thyme, Worcestershire and beef broth and stir. Return the steak to pot and submerge into the sauce. Cover pot and place in a 325 degree preheated oven. Cook for 1 1/2 -2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Enjoy! I served this delicious Swiss Steak with mashed potatoes smothered with the pan veggies and sauce. Delicious! In fact, after I took picture, I ladled on more yummy sauce until you really couldn't distinguish what I was eating! It was a flavorful and comforting meal, perfect on the cold rainy day that we had. I'll be making this often. Have a great day!

My Mama's Stuffed Bell Peppers

I grew bell peppers in my garden this summer, and they did pretty well, if i do say so. I had these last four peppers and decided to make Stuffed Peppers like my Mother used to. I don't know if she had an exact recipe or if she just did made them from memory, but her stuffed peppers were always delicious! I try to make them several times a year so that I don't forget how, so I guess it's high time that I wrote the method down. That's why I started this blog anyway, to put old family recipes on paper so that I wouldn't forget them. These peppers certainly qualify as an old family recipe. So let me tell you how to make these marvelous peppers! First off, you need to brown some lean ground beef in a skillet with some onions.

Let the meat brown before turning it over and breaking it apart. Don't just stir it around until it's grey. Meat needs to brown to bring out its great flavor. To the meat mixture add the cooked rice, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Cut the tops off of the peppers and place in a baking pan with fairly high sides. Pack the meat into the peppers. Bake for about 50 minutes and voila! Dinner is served! You'll have nice tender peppers full of deliciously seasoned, tender meat. This is home style food at its best!

MY MAMA'S STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

4 large bell peppers, any color

1 pound of very lean ground beef

1/2 of a large onion, diced

1 cup of cooked rice, either white or brown rice works

about 3/4 cup of tomato sauce- from an 8 ounce can

1/4 cup diced tomato, small dice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 clove of minced garlic

1 T. fresh parsley, diced, if desired

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the ground beef and the onion. Drain off any fat. Add the 1 cup of cooked rice, 3/4 cup of tomato sauce, diced tomato, garlic, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer while preparing the peppers. Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Place peppers in a baking pan with fairly high sides(about 2 inches). Spoon the beef filling into the peppers, packing down somewhat, to the top. There should be a little tomato sauce left in the can, so fill the can about 3/4 full with water and pour it into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes. Check to see if the peppers are tender. If not, cover and bake another 5-10 minutes. Remove foil and add a little cheese on top of each pepper, if desired. Bake just til cheese melts. Don't let it get rubbery like I did!

I sprinkled the cheese on top, placed the pan back in the oven, and went back to playing with my granddaughter, so I over baked the cheese! At least the filling was delicious, so that made up for the rubbery tops.

My mother would sometimes add corn to the meat filling just to change it up some. It's quite good that way, plus the filling goes a bit farther. Also, It will depend on the size of the peppers as to how far the filling will go. I know there are other methods in making stuffed peppers, but this is my tried and true version. Hope you enjoy them!

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches - Slow Cooker Recipe

It has been 98-100 degrees this week here in my small part of the USA! Of course, I was doing my jury duty thing, so I wasn't outside much, but I didn't want to heat up the kitchen when I got home either. I would have been fine with salads in the evening, but my husband and grown son think they still need filling food! So, I pulled out my slow-cooker, bought about 4 pounds of beef round roast, put the meat in the cooker and let it cook for hours until it was tender. It didn't heat up the kitchen at all. This time, I somewhat based this recipe from one in Southern Living's "Secrets of the South's Best Barbecue" cookbook. I browned the roast, added spices and a tangy sauce and let the cooker do the rest! It resulted in tender and very tasty BQ sandwiches, which lasted several days! A perfect meal for busy days.

BARBECUE BEEF SANDWICHES

1 (31/2- 4 Lb.) round roast or chuck roast

spices of choice- I used salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder

1 onion, small diced

1- 1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 T lemon juice- recipe calls for 1/2 cup

3 T steak sauce- I used Country Bob's sauce

1 tsp. black pepper

1 T Worcestershire sauce

sandwich rolls

In a dutch oven in hot oil, brown roast on all sides. Season well with spices of choice and place meat in slow-cooker. Add in the minced onion. Mix the sauce ingredients together and taste. Pour beef broth and sauce over the meat and cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours until the meat is tender and shreds easily with a fork. You may not need all of the liquid in the slow-cooker, so I removed the meat to a cutting board to shred and I also skimmed any fat from the sauce. Add desired amount of sauce to beef and serve on some nice sandwich rolls. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend everyone!