Asian Beef and Snow Peas with Fried Rice

Beef with Broccoli (or snow peas) with Fried Rice

by The Pioneer Woman & Everyday Food

One day I'm going to open my own Chinese restaurant with recipes by other people. I'd probably include this dish by the Pioneer Woman, who really got it from someone's cookbook. The first time I made this, it was WAY too salty. Almost unedible. The soy sauce covers your salt content, so taste the sauce before you add any more salt. Just wanted to put that out there.

But a super simple and quick recipe. And flank steak is an inexpensive cut of meat that lends itself to a thin slice against the grain. This recipe tastes pretty much like your typical beef and broccoli (or snow peas) dishes. Although, the sauce definitely has more punch and flavor than any take-out I've had.

And just to mix it up, I made Everyday Food's Fried Rice instead of just steaming some white rice. This meal was like an upscale version of Chinese take-out. And maybe, just a little healthier. That is, if you hold off on adding more salt at the end, like me.

Meatballs and Polenta

The Ultimate Meatballs with Polenta
by Tyler Florence

This is one of the first recipes I tried that I had gotten online and a meal that I never really had before. Don't ask me how I stumbled upon it. Maybe I was looking up meatball recipes. Maybe I was looking up a way to use up some beef. Who knows. It was probably one of the more involved recipes I had ever tried to date.

It turned out pretty incredible. Though, I do admit, the recipe makes a lot and it's a heavy dish. With a mixture of pork and beef, it sits heavy in your stomach the rest of the day. But it is yummy with that melted cheese and creamy polenta. The addition of pork to the meat mixture adds a richness and makes for a moister (more moist?) meatball. If you read the recipe, you'll notice that I omitted the tomatoes and mushrooms.

I've made a couple of variations of this recipe. The second time I made it, I cut the recipe in half and only used the ground beef. Still a rich dish, but not as heavy as before. The third time, I think I mixed in ground turkey with the beef which lightened up the dish a lot. It definitely changes the flavor profile, but we're not picky.

A fun take on meatballs for the family!

TV Dinner

Ok, so I totally meant to do some posting last week, but didn't get around to it. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of the Thanksgiving feast that my sister-in-law cooked. So for today, we'll settle for a good old fashioned TV dinner updated.

This is Salisbury Steak with Pesto Creamed Spinach, Mashed Potatoes and Apple Turnovers with Ice Cream. Skip the compartment trays that you stick in the microwave. We did most likely eat this in front of the TV though. Have to keep some sort of tradition alive, right?

The recipes are a mish mash. The Apple Turnovers are from Ina Garten, Salisbury Steak from Rachael Ray, Pesto Creamed Spinach from some cookbook (recipe below) and the mashed potatoes are just homemade.

Pesto Creamed Spinach - Bon Appetit Cookbook
1-10 oz package frozen chopped spinach
2 TB. purchased pesto
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano Cheese

Drain spinach and squeeze dry. Heat heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add pesto, then spinach, stir until heated through. Add cream and stir until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Mix in cheese. Season to taste with pepper.

Overall, a pretty decent meal. Although, since I left the mushrooms out of the salisbury steak, Wes did make a pretty accurate comment in that it was basically just a hamburger patty. I do like my creamed spinach a little creamier, but did enjoy the pesto addition to mix it up some.

The apple turnovers were pretty yummy and easy to make. Although, I wish I could have stuffed them a little more. Served warm with vanilla ice cream and I was pretty happy.

A fun, nostalgic little meal. Could make it even more fun if you did have some trays with compartments, so it could be served like those TV dinners from the 50s.

Enjoy!

Mexican Flatbread Pizza

I'm a fan of The Pioneer Woman's blog. I love drooling over her step by step pictures of her recipes. Unlike a lot of other blogs, this one included, it's kind of nice to watch the process of making a meal. Kind of like watching a cooking show, but without the moving picture.

Anyway, I've tried a handful of her recipes and this is one of them. Super easy and flavorful. It's also easy to tweak to your likings.

Here's the recipe: Mexican Flatbread Pizza

Sorry about the blurry picture. I was in a hurry to eat and didn't take enough shots to warrant one good one.

Chile Beef Short Ribs with Queso Fresco Polenta

Chile Beef Short Ribs with Queso Fresco Polenta

Recipe from Bobby Flay

I don't remember a whole lot about this recipe. I got a bunch of cook books from the library and saved a bunch of recipes that looked enticing. This was the first time I ever made short ribs. And this being a Bobby Flay recipe, it has a lot of steps and layers. Nevermind that to properly cook short ribs, it needs to be "low and slow" as they say.

The flavor was there, but seemed to be missing something. Maybe it's that Bobby Flay touch. And I mean the actual touch. Like him making the meal and not me. The meat was tender, but it did take some effort to shred the meat.

I don't know if I'd make this recipe again, but I'll definitely give short ribs a go again.

CHILE RUBBED SHORT RIBS WITH CREAMY POLENTA AND COTIJA CHEESE

Serves 4

3 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican cinnamon

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

3 pounds bone-in short ribs

1/+ cup canola oil, plus extra as needed

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

1 cup dry red wine

4 cups Enriched Chicken Stock or low-sodium chicken broth

6 sprigs fresh thyme

Freshly ground black pepper

Creamy Polenta with Cotija

1. Preheatthe oven to 325 degreesF.

2. Mix together the chile powder, 2 teaspoons salt, the cinnamon, and the coarsely ground black pepper in a small bowl. Lay the ribs on a baking sheet and season one side with the spice mixture, rubbing the mixture in so that it adheres to the meat.

3. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches, place the ribs in a single layer, rub side down, in the oil and cook until a crust has formed and the ribs are golden brown. Turn the ribs over and cook until the second side is golden brown. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remainino ribs adding more oil if needed.

4. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan and add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery and cook until golden brown and caramelized, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and boil until nearly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.

5. Return the ribs to the pan along with the thyme and bring to a simmer. Place the lid on the pan and place in the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and is falling off the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

6. Carefully remove the ribs to a large plate and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones.

7. Strain the sauce into a medium saucepan and return it to the stove over high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a sauce consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and discard the thyme sprigs. Return the ribs to the pan to reheat.

8. Serve over creamy polenta with cotija in large shallow bowls.

Grilled Flatbread with Beef, White Bean Puree and Sun-Dried Tomato Chutney

Normally I'm not a fan of Bobby Flay. And I'm not sure how I found this recipe, but when I read it, I decided to give it a try. Gotta give Food Network's grill master at least one try before I completely count him out. I personally think he could've came up with a better name for this meal than simply listing out the ingredients. But nonetheless, here it is:

Grilled Flatbread with Beef, White Bean Puree and Sun-Dried Tomato Chutney

1 - 8 oz. beef tenderloin (I used two tenderloins)
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

White Bean Puree:
1 cup cooked white beans, plus 1/4 cup cooking liquid or 1 - 15 oz. can white beans, slightly drained
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 Tb. olive oil
2 Tb. lemon juice
1 Tb. fresh thyme leaves
Salt & pepper

Sun-Dried Tomato Chutney:
6 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and julienned
2 Tb. olive oil
2 Tb. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1/4 chopped flat-leaf parsley

Flatbread:
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 - 110 degrees F)
1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tb. olive oil, plus more for bowl

4 roasted shallots, sliced thin

To roast shallots on the grill: place the shallot in the center of a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bring the edges of the foil together and scrunch to seal tightly. Place on a hot grill, close the cover and "roast" for 25 to 30 minutes or until soft. Remove the skin and slice.

For flatbread: Mix water and yeast in a large bowl and let stand 5 minutes to proof. Gradually pour in 2 cups of the flour and stir to incorporate. Mix for about 1 minute to form a sponge. Let stand, covered, for at least 1 hour.

Put sponge in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, add the salt and oil, then add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a dough. Remove from bowl and knead. Place in a clean oiled bowl and let rise, slowly, about 2 1/2 hours. Divide dough into 4 balls, if desired, let rise again for 1/2 hour and then roll out as desired.

For beef: combine meat, olive oil, and garlic in a large resealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.Preheat the grill to high. Grill on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes, for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then slice thinly.

Puree the beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and thyme in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, honey and parsley. I ended up just using dried parsley. So I used half the amount the recipe suggests. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat grill to high.

Flatten flatbread dough and gently press into a large rectangle ad throw on the grill. Grill on 1 side until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill, turn over and spread each flatbread with a thin layer of white bean puree, sliced beef, roasted shallots and tomato chutney. Return to grill, close cover and cook 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Fanciest pizza I ever did see.

So this meal seems pretty involved. It's actually not too hard to make, just a lot of steps. I made the tomato chutney and white bean spread ahead of time so that it was ready to go that night. I also made the flatbread dough ahead of time and just kept it covered with saran wrap in the refrigerator until I was ready to roll it out. Of course the marinating takes planning ahead.

When I was ready to make the meal, the meat definitely took longer than the 3 to 4 minutes on each side that recipe suggests. Granted, I like my meat a little more well-done than rare. The flatbread, once rolled out, took no time at all to cook. I ended up making 4 flatbread and each one was about half the size of a baking sheet. With all the ingredients piled on each flatbread, it was more than enough for one person.

So this meal didn't turn out as mouth-watering yummy as I had anticipated. The white bean puree got a little lost as the base. To me, it almost blended in with the bread so much, that it tasted a little like I was eating raw flour on the bread. A part from the bread though, the puree was delicious! The tomato chutney definitely gives this meal the flavor kick with the sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. There might have been a little more flavor and texture difference if I had used fresh parsley instead of dried. The meat was a very tender piece of meat. And even though it got cooked to well-done, it wasn't try at all.

Again, with the flatbread being so big, it was a little awkward to eat. You could eat it like a pizza or cut into it with a fork and knife. Wes did the former. I did the latter. If I were to make this meal again, I might even plate the different elements differently which might enhance the dish a little more for me.

Overall, not a bad meal. But not one that stands out as being amazing. It definitely takes a lot of planning and it helps if you make things ahead of time. I'd have to say that Bobby Flay is 0 and 1 in my book for his recipes. But not a bad meal to try if you're looking for a fancy, impressive meal.

Pot Roast & Roasted Veggies

Who doesn't love a hearty pot roast. It's such a classic. I actually came across this recipe while surfing FoodNetwork.com. And you cook it in a crock pot so that it's basically ready when you get home. Generally I don't use a lot of Sandra Lee's recipes, but this was a good one.

Pot Roast with Roasted Root Vegetables

Pot Roast
1 1/2 lbs. beef bottom round roast
2 tsp. salt + more for seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper + more for seasoning
2 Tb. all-purpose flour
2 Tb. canola oil
2 carrots, cut into 2" pieces
2 stalks of celery
1 medium yellow onion
1 can (15 oz.) beef broth
1 cup water
1 Tb. minced fresh garlic
2 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
4 sprigs fresh thyme

Roasted Root Vegetables
2 carrots, cut into 3" pieces
2 russet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 lb. turnips, cut into wedges
2 Tb. canola oil
1 tsp. each fresh rosemary and thyme leaves
1 red onion, sliced

For roast:
Season beef with salt and pepper and lightly coat with flour. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides. Remove to a platter and set aside.

Arrange the carrots, celery and onion in the bottom of a slow cooker and top with the seared beef. Add the broth, water, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Set the cooker on low for 8 hours.

When finished, remove the meat. Let the vegetables and broth cool for about 5 minutes, then add to a blender. Slowly blend until smooth and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve the gravy with the pot roast and roasted vegetables

For roasted root vegetables:
One hour before the pot roast is done cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the vegetables to a large bowl and add the canola oil, rosemary, thyme, and onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste and arrange on a sheet tray. Roast for 30 minutes, then toss and roast another 30 minutes. Serve on a platter with roast.

These pictures don't do this meal justice.

Nothing's easier than throwing a piece of meat in the crock pot and letting it go all day. And I don't know that this hunk of meat was any different than any other slow cooker piece of meat that I've done before. What did set it apart was the gravy and roasted root vegetables.

How easy is this gravy? Take what's left in the crock pot, throw it in the blender and let it go. And I did use an onion in here because I figured it'd get blended up later and Wes would never know. And he didn't! Granted I did not use all the leftover vegetables and liquid since it would have made a lot of gravy. But this sauce adds a nice, light veggie flavor to the beef. It's not your typical brown or gray gravy.

I loved the vegetables. I only ended up using carrots and potatoes since turnips are foreign and you-know-who has an aversion to onions. I also cut the pieces a lot smaller than suggested and cranked up the heat to about 475 degrees. I originally had it at 500, but then the oil started smoking. I didn't plan ahead for the 1 hour of roasting. The result was that these vegetables were done in 20 minutes instead of an hour. And oh man, where they yummy. Crispy on one side and so full of a nice herbal flavor from the thyme and rosemary. I would make those again with anything. I think roasted vegetables are the way to go.

So an easy meal for when you don't feel like cooking. You can prep the vegetables ahead of time and when you get home or are ready to eat, throw them on the pan and dinner is done in 20 minutes (if you cook them the way I did).

Enjoy!

Bolognese Sauce

I've talked about my love of pasta and carbs right? Well, I love a good meat sauce with my spaghetti. So why not try and make my own? I looked up a lot of recipes and many of them incorporated pork and beef. That's a lot of meat. Luckily, the Pioneer Woman had a guest blogger and fellow cook over at her house. And he made Bolognese Sauce. If there's a difference between bolognese sauce and meat sauce, I couldn't tell you. Pastor Ryan has his own blog here, but here's also the recipe on the Pioneer Woman's site. And here's the recipe:

Bolognese Sauce

1/2 cups olive oil
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 whole large red onion, diced
2 lbs. ground beef
2 Tb. dried oregano
2 Tb. dried basil flakes
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 cups red wine
2 Tb. Worcestershire sauce
2 cans (28 oz. each) whole tomatoes - I used a can of diced tomatoes
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots (I grated my own carrots, but you can buy a bag at the grocery store) and onions and cook for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and then add in ground beef. Cook for a few minutes until brown, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.

Throw in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have it; if you don't it's fine. (If you use fresh herbs, double the amount.) When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes. Finally pour in milk, stir and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours - however long you need. Taste here! I found out it needed some salt.

Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Look at that melted Parmesan cheese!

Ok, I was giddy with how this turned out. I halved the recipe since as it's written above is for 8 servings. And this recipe was super easy! Definitely let the sauce simmer for a while so some of the liquid cooks out. Unless you like a runnier sauce. But the outcome was thick and beefy and so delicious. It stuck to the noodles like a good sauce should.

As I mentioned above, definitely taste the sauce. It ended up needing some salt to give the flavors an extra boost. And once that salt was added, it was so much better. I skimped on the onions for reasons we all know and didn't have any red wine. I almost ended up using red wine vinegar which would've been a big no no. Instead, I substituted some sherry, which I had. If you use red wine, the sauce would probably be a little more robust. If you're not a wine drinker, go buy the little travel/airplane size bottles that you can find. That way you're not left with a big bottle of red wine that you won't drink.

Loved this Italian meal. Of course I served this with some garlic bread, you know, for the added butter and carbs. Forget a nice green salad. Although that would've been refreshing. If you do decide to make the whole 8 servings, you probably could freeze half of it for later. The amount I ended up making was enough for dinner and lunch leftovers for both Wes and me, plus a little extra.

So, so easy and a classic. Hope you give it a try!

Enjoy!

Beef Brisket

Beef Brisket

5-6lb beef brisket
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1 can of Coke
1 bottle of Heinz chili sauce

Mix cola, chili sauce and onion soup mix. Place brisket, fat side up, in a 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Pour liquid mixture over brisket and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes per pound, about 3 hours or until tender. Trim off fat after cooking.

The steam kind of created a cool image for the beef.

Ok, so I either forgot to get brisket or I couldn't find it at the grocery store. Either way, I ended up with some kind of roast and ended up cooking it in the crock pot for about 8 hours. So I really can't comment on this recipe since I didn't cook it the way it was supposed to and, really, you can't go wrong with a crock pot. So the meat was tender and I definitely spooned some of the sauce over the meat to keep it moist. Next time, I'll have to try it the way the recipe says.

The great thing about this meal was the side items. Roasted broccoli, fried carrots and oven baked potatoes. Yum. To roast the broccoli, heat the oven to 400 degrees and toss the florets with olive oil and salt and pepper on a roasting pan. Stick in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. It gives a nice rustic element to the broccoli. I added a few shavings of asiago cheese for a little bit of a bit.

Wes pan-fried the carrots in soy sauce, garlic powder and salt & pepper. I can't tell you exactly what he did but I love the way he cooks carrots. He had a nice crust on them and turned them really sweet. So good. And the potatoes? They're from a packet.

Overall, a great, hearty meal.

Beef Stroganoff

I don't think I'd ever order beef stroganoff at a restaurant. But this is probably one of my most favorite meals ever and the easiest! This recipe comes from my mom. I don't know where she got it from, but I love it. I think a lot of my food likes come from my dad because he likes this dish quite a lot too. So easy... It only takes... four ingredients. Yes, four!

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef
1 can cream of chicken
8 oz. sour cream
Egg noodles, or whatever kind you have
Salt & pepper <-- those don't count as ingredients

Cook pasta according to directions.

Brown meat, draining fat as needed. Once all the meat is cooked, add the can of cream of chicken. Turn the heat down to low and wait until the pasta is done or almost done. Add most of the sour cream and stir. If it's too thick, add some milk to thin it to the consistency you like. Add salt to taste. Add lots of freshly ground pepper.

Dish out noodles into a bowl and spoon sauce over the noodles. Top with parsley for some color.

Add a little bit of parsley to give the dish some color.

Ok, I know beef stroganoff usually has mushrooms in it. So you could probably substitute cream of mushrooms for cream of chicken. My mom always made it this way, so I don't change it up. Have I said how much I love this dish? It must be the sour cream and pepper combo, but I can never get enough of this dish - even when I'm stuffed.

It's such an easy and quick meal to make. I have no idea what "real" beef stroganoff tastes like, but this is good enough for me. I don't always use egg noodles either. I frequently make it with spaghetti noodles. But a wide noodle definitely holds on to the sauce a lot better.

You have to try it and taste all it's deliciousness.

Enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

I've never had Shepherd's Pie before. Wes had it at the cafeteria in college and was not too excited when I told him I was making this. I guess the cafeteria just threw all the leftovers together and topped it with mashed potatoes. I don't blame him for having a jaded few of this dish.

Luckily Rachael Ray's version of this dish changed his mind to what it's really supposed to be like. It shouldn't be a surprise that I watch A LOT of Food Network. And of the shows that make Shepherd's Pie, they all say it's a good way for kids to eat their veggies because of the other elements in the dish. That's not why I made this dish, but if you have/will have kids at home (I don't think anyone who reads my blog has kids who won't eat their veggies), let me know if trick works. ;)

Shepherd's Pie

2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 Tb sour cream or softened cream cheese

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth

Salt & pepper

1 Tb. olive oil

1 3/4 lb. ground beef or ground lamb

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped - Of course I left this out, but used some onion powder to fill in the onion flavor.

2 Tb . butter

2 Tb. all-purpose flour

1 cup beef stock or broth

2 tsp. Worcestershire

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tsp. sweet paprika

2 Tb. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream and add to potatoes. Mash until smooth.

While potatoes boil, cook meat over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Drain fat from pan. Add chopped carrot and onion to the pan. Cook veggies with meat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

In another small skillet over medium heat, cook butter and flour together for about 2 minutes. Don't let this mixture burn. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy for about 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and veggies. Stir in peas.

Preheat broiler to high. Fill a casserole dish with meat and veggie mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from heat until potatoes are evenly browned, about 6 minutes. I think mine took maybe closer to 8 or 10 minutes to brown. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Not the prettiest picture, but you can see what the inside looks like.

I didn't really make the potato topping according to the recipe. I made mashed potatoes how we like them. A little bit of milk, butter, garlic powder, salt and powder. I'm sure the recipe's version of the mashed potatoes is really rich and creamy. Do it the recipe's way or do it your way. Whatever you like. Ooh, garlic mashed potatoes would up the ante on this meal! Definitely be sure to salt and pepper the meat AND potatoes liberally. The first time I made this dish, I don't think I did enough and it tasted a little bland.

This is a nice comfort food dish. It's not too hard to make, although there is a lot going on at once: browning the meat, cooking the veggies, making the sauce, making the potatoes. It may help to have an extra set of hands. Of course you can always make the mashed potatoes first since they're going to get warmed up in the oven anyway. You could probably make this dish ahead of time and cook later in the day. I'm not sure about freezing and then cooking. But let me know if that does work!

Enjoy!