Salisbury Steak

Salisbury Steak

(4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

1 ½ lb. Ground Chuck (80/20)

1 cup Fresh Bread Crumbs

1 tsp. Seasoned Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper

½ tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 large Fresh Egg

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Sliced Mushrooms (your choice)

¼ cup All-Purpose Flour

2 cans (14 oz.) Beef Broth

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add half the oil.  When shimmering, add onion and sauté until soft (about 6 minutes).  Spoon half the onions into a large mixing bowl and the other half into a smaller bowl and set aside.  To the large bowl add the ground chuck, bread crumbs, seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and egg.  Mix to combine and form into 4 oval patties.  Heat the rest of the oil in skillet and browned the beef patties on both sides (about 4-5 minutes per side).  Remove to a platter and drain off grease leaving 2 tbsp.  Next add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the reserved onions and flour mixing well to combine and cooking about 2 minutes.  Slowly add the beef broth while stirring and bring to a boil.  Return patties to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened and patties are cooked through (about 10 minutes).  Best served with mashed potatoes or egg noodles to help enjoy the sauce.

Note:               If you don’t like mushrooms, they can be left out of recipe.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Swiss Steak

Swiss Steak

(4-6 servings)

 

Ingredients:

2 lb. Beef Round Steak (see note)

2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper

¾ cup All-Purpose Flour

¼ cup Canola Oil

1 large Onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 stalks Celery, chopped

2 large Carrots, chopped

1 tbsp. Tomato Paste

1 can (14.5 oz.) Diced Tomatoes

1 tsp. Smoked Paprika

1 tsp. Dried Oregano

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1½ cups Beef Broth

Directions:

Follow note below with the steak.  Combine salt, pepper and flour in a low sided bowl or pan.  Dredge each piece of steak in the mixture and then pound with a meat tenderizing mallet.  If you have a needle tenderizing device, you can use it instead.  Once tenderized, dredge pieces again.  Using half the oil, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the meat several pieces at a time and brown well in each side (about 2 minutes per side).  Remove steaks to a platter and repeat until done.  Add more oil if needed.  Now add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots to pot.  Sauté for about 2 minutes and add tomato paste stirring to combine.  Next, add remaining ingredients and mixture well with items already in the pot.  Add back in the pieces of steak submerging them in the mixture.  Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and place in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 1½ to 2 hours on a middle rack.  Or until meat is tender and starting to fall apart.  This dish goes well with mashed potatoes or egg noodles because of the sauce.

Note:               Buy ½ inch to ¾ inch thick steak.  Cut into 8 portions before flouring and pounding to tenderize.  You could make it easier by buying minute steaks.  Then you would only have to flour meat before continuing with recipe.  No pounding needed for the minute steaks as they are already tenderized.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Old Comfort Entrees for the Fall

As the weather starts to cool down for the fall season of the year, we tend to eat a little heartier.  The majority of what we call or think of as "Comfort Food" is consumed during the fall and winter seasons.  They tend to be dishes that are done in the oven, slowly on the stovetop or now a days in slow cookers.  They were cooked in pressure cookers too when I was young.  Today the pressure cooker has become popular again and more versatile.

I remember growing up eating the two recipes I'm posting this week.  Although the ones this week are a little different then the those my mother made us for dinner.  The two I picked for this week are "Swiss Steak" and "Salisbury Steak" and you'd have trouble finding them on menus today.

The first uses a tougher cut of meat that needs to be tenderized a little before cooking.  You can buy them that way or do it yourself.  It is started on the stovetop but finished in the oven and is falling apart by the time it reaches the table.

The second one uses ground beef and are made into patties similar to hamburger patties but are formed into oval shapes.  They are browned first and then cooked and served in a sauce.  The sauce usually comes as a mushroom sauce but can be made without the mushrooms.

I have a good number of these comfort food recipes on my food blog already.  Just go to the recipe tabs above and check them out.

There are also about a dozen "Comfort Food" recipes in my cookbook "More than Your First Cookbook" to try.  Stroganoff, goulash, beef burgundy, meatloaf, lasagna and mac & cheese are just a few of them.  There are locations listed above where you can buy my cookbook if you live in those towns.  But it is also available through a tab above to order online.  Remember online you can get the cookbook in "Print" or "As a Download" for your devices.

Be sure to check that out and don't forget they make great "Gifts" too.  So until next week, "Happy Cooking" and please share my food blog link with others.  Thank you.

Baked Huevos Rancheros (GF)

Baked Huevos Rancheros (GF)

(8-12 servings)

 

Ingredients:

12 corn tortillas

1 can (15 oz.) Red Enchilada Sauce (see note)

1 can (15 oz.) Black Beans, rinsed & drained (see note)

1 cup Shredded Cheddar-Jack Cheese, divided (see note)

10-12 large Fresh Eggs

Toppings:

Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Fresh Avocado, sliced

Sour Cream (see note)

Salsa (see note)

 

Directions:

First fry the tortillas until crisp, drain on paper towels and then break into pieces.  Grease a 10x15 baking dish and layer half of tortilla pieces on bottom of dish.  Top with half the enchilada sauce followed by half the cheese.  Then spread all the beans over the cheese.  Repeat tortilla layer, enchilada sauce layer and finish with remaining cheese.  Now carefully break eggs over top of the cheese layer and season with salt and pepper.  Place the dish in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes.  Be sure whites are set and yolks are still runny.  Watch closely starting at the 20 minute mark as you don’t want to overcook the yolks.  Sprinkle cilantro over top and serve with avocado, sour cream and salsa on the side.

Note:               You need to be sure that all commercial products are gluten-free before using them.  Not all brands of a product are gluten-free.  Some examples in this recipe include shredded cheese, sour cream, enchilada sauce and salsa.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Sausage Muffin Cups (GF)

Sausage Muffin Cups (GF)

(12 servings)

 

Ingredients:

1 box (12 each) Little Sizzler’s Original Sausage Links (see note)

6 large Fresh Eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups Shredded Gluten-Free Cheese (see note)

¼ cup Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped

3 cups Frozen Ore-Ida Shredded Hash Browns (see note)

3 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted

1/8 tsp. Salt

1/8 tsp. Black Pepper

¼ cup Fresh Chives, finely snipped

Directions:

Cook sausage according to package directions, then set aside and cut each link into 5 pieces before adding to muffin cups.  In a medium bowl, combine eggs, cheese and red peppers.  Then set aside.  In another bowl, combine hash browns, butter, salt and pepper.  Grease a 12 cup muffin pan.  Divide mixture equally between the 12 muffin cups of the pan.  Press mixture up walls and across the bottom before placing in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12 minutes.  Remove muffin pan from oven and place 5 pieces of cooked sausage in each muffin cup.  Now spoon egg mixture evenly into the 12 muffin cups and top with a sprinkling of chives.  Place back in oven for 13 to 15 minutes or until set.  Serve at once.

Note:               You have to look for Gluten-Free products because all packaged brands are not gluten-free.  Hormel’s Original little sizzlers and ore-ida’s shredded hash browns are labeled gluten-free.  Using shredded cheese, there are several brands that are mostly gluten-free.  But you need to check each type of shredded cheese to be sure.

Note:               You could substitute bacon or ham for the sausage links too.

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Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes

I have a couple of "Gluten-Free" breakfast recipes for you this week.  "Breakfast Muffin Cups (GF)" is the recipe for Wednesday and "Huevos Rancheros (GF)" on Thursday.  Thought you might like a little variety in your breakfast choices.  Do remember that these recipes can be made and eaten for lunch or dinner too.

Just want to remind everyone that in making gluten-free recipes, you still need to watch brands and labels on packaged items used in these recipes.  It will surprise you that many labels you read don't mention gluten in the product.  If you are not sure on product, call the company.  There is usually a phone number or e-mail address on the package somewhere.

Also, not all brands of a product you find gluten-free will be too.  I suggest you stick to brands you know are gluten-free and don't substitute another brand unless you're sure.  A couple of examples in these recipes this week include the hash browns, sausage and cheese.

"Happy Cooking" and enjoy these recipes.  Please let others know of my food blog link.  Remember that I do "Gluten-Free" post every 4 weeks.  My next gluten-free posts will include recipes for a "Honey Oat Bread (GF)" and "Homemade Mac & Cheese (GF)" for you to try.

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

(12 servings)

 

Ingredients:

3 large Fresh Eggs, beaten

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 can (32 oz.) Pumpkin

½ tsp. Ground Ginger

¼ tsp. Ground Cloves

1 can (14 oz.) Evaporated Milk

1 box (2-layer) Cake Mix (white or yellow)

1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

1 cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped

as needed for topping Whipped Cream or Ice Cream

Directions:

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin, ginger, cloves, and milk in a large bowl.  Pour batter into a greased or sprayed 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle cake mix evenly over the batter.  Drizzle melted butter over the cake mix. Then top with chopped nuts.  Place baking dish in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for one hour.  Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream on top.

Note:               The ginger is optional based on ones taste for it.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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