Beef stroganoff with mushrooms

Comfort food in 15 minutes

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 pound of top sirloin or tenderloin, cut thin
1/3 cup onions
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 dashes nutmeg
1/2 cup of sour cream

Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the beef, browning on each side. When both sides are browned, remove the beef and set aside.

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Cook for a minute or two, allowing them to soak up any meat drippings. Remove onions, placing aside with meat.

Increase heat to medium and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Sprinkle in nutmeg.

Reduce heat to low and add the sour cream to the mushrooms. If sauce is too thick, add a few Tbsps water. Stir in the beef and onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over egg noodles, fettucine, or rice.

Mother-in-law's Swiss steak

I was introduced to Swiss Steak by my mother-in-law. It's a great cool-weather dish, served over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes (our favorite).

1 lb top round steak, sliced to about an inch thick
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, crushed
1-2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 cup flour
salt & pepper
4-6 slices of Gouda, Trappista or Colby cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Season the steak with salt and pepper, then dredge through flour. Brown the steak in the pan, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside.

Add another Tbsp of oil to pan. Cook onions, peppers and garlic for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.

Add Italian seasonings and stir. Place steak on top of onions and peppers. Add the chopped tomatoes and cover. Reduce heat to simmer gently for at least an hour, preferably two. At the end of cooking, place cheese on top until melted.

Mmm... yum. Serve over hot mashed potatoes, or rice or noodles.

Boeuf Bordeaux

I've heard of boeuf bourguignon, so got inspired when we had beef and a little Bordeaux in the fridge

1 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 carrots, cut into thick rounds
1 lg onion, cut into 1/8ths
1-2 cups Bordeaux
2 tsp beef bouillon
bay leaf
1/2 tsp thym
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp oil
salt and pepper

Season the beef with salt and pepper, then roll in flour to coat Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Brown the meat. Once all sides are browned, add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping all the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Add bay leaf, thyme, sage, bouillon. Add enough water to cover most of the meat. Cover and reduce heat to just a simmer and cook two hours.

Add the carrots and onions. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, then cover. When the carrots begin to get tender, remove the lid and cook, stirring occasionally, and until meat is very tender and sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.

Black bean chili

The delicious secret in this chili is in the larger chunks of tomato and creamy black beans

1 large can whole tomatoes, roughly mashed
2 cups black beans, soaked and cooked
1/2 cup ground beef (optional)
1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp red wine vinegar
salt

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until onions are translucent. Add ground beef and cook, stirring, until meat is brown. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, paprika and vinegar. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until flavors are well blended. Salt to taste.

Serve with grated Gouda or Chedddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Senegalese ceebu yapp

This recipe falls somewhere between the Senegalese Ceebu Yapp (pronounced cheh-boo-yap), Riz au Gras (ree-oh-grah) from Côte d'Ivoire and Jollof rice made in Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. In any case, it is most definitely a West African dish!



4 Tbsp oil (divided)
1 lb stew meat, cubed
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 head cabbage, sliced (opt)
4-5 "chunks" of winter squash (opt)
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups broth (or bouillon + water)
1 small can tomato paste
hot sauce (Scotch Bonnet is best)
cayenne pepper
salt
pepper
2 cups rice
lemon

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook beef until browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the oil and set aside.

Add the onions, garlic and carrots and fry until the onions begin to become tender. Remove the onion mixture from the skillet and set aside with the meat.

In a large pot, bring the 2 cups broth to a simmer, then add meat and onion mixture. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and about 1-2 tsp Scotch Bonnet hot sauce. Let simmer while you...



Heat 2 Tbsp oil in frying pan. Over low heat, mix the rice and tomato paste in the pan. Allow to cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add the rice to the large pot and stir gently. Place chunks of squash and cabbage on top.

Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is done and the vegetables are tender.

VERY IMPORTANT: Stir gently every ten minutes or so and be sure there is still some liquid in the bottom of the pan so the rice does burn. Add more water or broth as needed (1/3 cup at a time).

When the ride is done, serve in large bowls with a squeeze of lemon and another dash of Scotch Bonnet hot sauce.

Beef stew with root vegetables

2 pounds stew beef
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 large carrots, sliced
2 turnips, peeled and cubed
2 potatoes, cubed

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, garlic, bay leaf, onion, salt and pepper. Add water to cover. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Add carrots, potatoes and turnips. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer.

Goes great with Rosemary-garlic bread!

Red pepper sloppy joes

1/2 pound ground beef
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 to one cup tomato purée
salt and pepper to taste
2 toasted buns

Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain off fat. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for five minutes. Add tomato purée and stir. Reduce heat to simmer and cook five minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over toasted buns.

Zucchini pomodoro

1 box tomato purée / pomodoro (about 2 cups)
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced
1/2 cup carrot purée (optional)
4-6 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp sugar
5-10 basil leaves, sliced thinly
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
1 tsp olive oil
Optional: 1/2 lb ground beef, browned and drained

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add zuchinni and cook 5 minutes or until soft and bright green around the edges. You may need to add a little water to keep it from sticking.

Add tomato purée, carrot purée, sugar, thyme and rosemary. (If using beef, add now) Simmer on low at least 15 minutes.

Serve over hot pasta with basil on top.

Hamburger corn casserole

I used to request this on special occasions as a kid. It was a real shocker to me the day I figured out that it isn't fancy or expensive to make :)

1/2 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 chopped onion
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 small can corn
1/2 cup sour cream (crême fraîche), or more to taste
2-3 servings cooked pasta
1/ tsp beef boullion

Brown the ground beef and drain fat. Put meat to the side and brown onions in the same pan.

Toss together all ingredients. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 350° until hot all the way through.

Serve on fancy occasion plates.

Steak au poivre (peppercorn steak)

Adapted from a recipe by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin

2 faux filet steaks (sirloin)
1 Tbsp cracked black peppercorns
pinch of salt
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil butter

Sprinkle salt to taste on the top and bottom of the steaks then press each side into the cracked peppercorns, encrusting the steaks lightly or heavily, as you prefer.

Heat the oil and the butter in a frying pan over high heat. When the pan is quite hot, lay the peppered steaks in. Fry for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the undersides are well seared. Turn the meat and cook the second side for about a minute. Press with a finger to test for the slight springiness that indicates rare. Cook to desired doneness and remove to a warm platter.

Smothered hamburger steak

I used to work in a restaurant that sold a hamburger steak. It was basically ground beef smushed flat before being grilled and then smothered in a brown onion gravy. I actually never tasted it, although served it many times. The other night I was insprired to create my own version of it.

1 tsp oil
1 lb ground beef
2 slices dry bread, crumbled
2 eggs
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp beef bouillon

Heat oil in a large frying pan over med-high heat.

In a bowl, mix beef, bread crumbs, eggs, Worcestershire, garlic and a little salt and pepper. Shape into four flat patties about 1/2 inch think. Cook in frying pan for about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on how well done you generaly like your burgers. Once cooked, remove the hamburger steaks and place them on a plate covered with aluminum foil to keep hot.

Sauté the onions in the frying pan with the drippings from the steaks. Once soft, add the mushrooms and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour and bouillon and stir to coat evenly. Pour in 1/2 the milk and stir well, dissolving any lumps of flour. Continue stirring until the gravy begins to thicken. Slowly add remaining milk 1/4 cup at a time. Once all the milk has been added, continue stirring until it reaches desired thickness. Taste and add salt and/or pepper. A pinch of rosemary is nice too.

Serve over hamburger steaks with white rice.

Authentic Hungarian Goulash

A recipe from my favorite babushka in Budapest.

1 lb pork stew meat, cubed
1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp paprika
salt
2 tsp carraway seeds
1/2 tsp pepper
2 carrots, diced
2 parsnips, diced
2-3 sweet peppers, diced
4 med potatoes, diced
2-3 cloves, crushed
2 tsp beef bouillon
1-2 Tbsp oil

Over high heat in a large pot, brown beef and pork in oil.

In a second pan, sauté the onions to yellow. Add onions to meat. Add paprika, garlic, salt (about 1/4 tsp), carraway seeds, pepper and bouillon. Add 1 quart of water. Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.

Add carrots, parsnips and sweet peppers. Simmer 30 minutes.

Add potatoes and simmer another 30 minutes.

Taste the liquid and add more spices, salt and pepper as needed. Serve with crusty bread or croutons.

Boeuf Daube Provencal

There is quite a drama behind this recipe.

My Cooking Light magazine arrived and had a recipe for Boaef Daube Provencal, a dish I'd never heard of but looked yummy and do-able. I decided I'd compare their recipe with Julia Child's from her famous Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It was apples and oranges, I tell you.

The Cooking Light version was a stew (which they described as, "classic French braised beef, red wine, and vegetable stew is simple and delicious. It stands above all of our other beef recipes because it offers the homey comfort and convenience of pot roast yet is versatile and sophisticated enough for entertaining. Garnish with chopped fresh thyme"), but Madame Child's was a casserole, kind of like a layered meat dish.

Both looked good, but it was obvious that Cooking Light just needed a fancy name for their beef stew. So I combined the best of both, in my humble opinion. The result was what I'd call a rich stew that we ate over garlic mashed potatoes.

2 teaspoons olive oil
12 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 lb bacon or poitrine fumee, cut into thick slices
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup red wine (I used a Cote du Rhone)
4 cups chopped carrot (I like a lot!)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
Dash ground cloves
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bay leaf

Heat olive oil in a small Dutch oven over low heat. Add garlic to pan; cook for 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high. Cook bacon until browned. Remove and set aside.

Add beef to pan. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add garlic, beef, bacon, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, carrot, and remaining ingredients to pan. Bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and pour into earthenware baking dish.Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf and serve over garlic mashed potatoes.

Beef tagine coucous

This recipe originally called for lamb and the addition of turmeric, which I didn't have. It did not call for carrots or prunes, but we had both and thought, "why not?". In the end, we prefered the prunes over the apricots. I tweaked a few amounts of ingredients to our taste, but overall this is a basic beef tagine. Serves two, ready in two hours.

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, diced
1 lb beef, cubed

Spice mix:
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder

Sauce ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 carrots, sliced into rounds
small handful dried apricots, chopped
small handful raisins
4-5 prunes, pitted
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 tsp beef bouillon
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup water
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt to taste

Mix together the spices and coat the meat.



Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the onions well, then add the meat. Stir often until nicely browned. Add all remaining sauce ingredients. Stir well, bringing to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer 1-2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Serve over coucous.

Fiesta pizza

2 pita bread rounds (or tortillas)
1/2 cup cooked ground beef with taco seasoning
1/3 cup salsa
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced
1/4 cup corn
1 small onion, chopped
black olives (opt)
shredded Gouda, Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Spread the salsa on the pita rounds, going to within 1/2 inch from the edge. Top with shredded cheese, then ground beef. Add remaining toppings. Broil until cheese melts and starts to brown.

Porto mushroom sauce

Cook over high heat until reduced by half:
1/2 cup porto wine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Reduce heat to medium, then add:
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup light cream (15 percent)
2 tsp Worchestershire
1 tsp tomato sauce
1/2 tsp Dijon
1/8 tsp rosemary

Simmer until thickened. Serve over steak and mashed potatoes - yum!

Americana meatloaf

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp Worchestershire
2 dashes liquid smoke
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 cup ketchup








Ketchup:
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/8 cup water
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
dash ground cloves
2 tablespoons vinegar
Mix together, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

To make meatloaf, mix all ingredients in a bowl with 1/4 cup ketchup. Using hands, mix well. Place in a cast iron skillet and shape into a loaf. (Or put in a loaf pan.) Spread remaining 1/4 cup ketchup on top. Bake at 350 degrees until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing.