Braised Beef with Shallots and Mushrooms

The saying “you can’t please everyone” applies to this recipe.  With that warning being issued, you may decide to stop reading this right now. 

Ingredients:

• 1 –1/2 lb Beef Chuck Roast, cut into serving sized pieces
• ¼ Cup Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ lb small Shallots
• 1 Cup Beef Stock
• 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon packed Brown Sugar
• 2 large Carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 Cups Mushrooms, cut into quarters
• ¼ Cup chopped Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons grated Lemon Zest

Recipe From: Campbell’s Kitchen

Preparation:

Coat the Beef with Flour.  Heat the Butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the Beef and cook until it is well browned on all sides.  Remove the Beef from the skillet and pour off any fat.

Add the Shallots to the same skillet.  Cook them for 10 minutes until tender.  Stir in the Stock, Tomatoes, Vinegar and Brown Sugar and bring to a boil.  Return the Beef to the skillet and reduce the heat to low.  Cover the skillet and cook for an hour and a half.

Add the Carrots and Mushrooms to the skillet and cook for another 30 minutes.  Remove the Beef and vegetables from the skillet with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Increase the heat to high and cook the Stock until it has thickened, about 10 minutes.  Return the Beef the Beef and veggies to the skillet and heat through.  Season as desired and sprinkle with the Parsley and Lemon Zest.

 In all honesty two bites were all of this dish I could stand.  Aquaman dutifully ate his, but agreed that this was a recipe we need never revisit.  What a shame!  Plus the chopping took forever.  So sad.

Baked Spaghetti

Sorry for the hiatus – I got smacked upside the head by life and it took a while to recover all my marbles.

A twist on the traditional and one that will have you screaming “More! More! More!”  ‘Nuff said.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Spaghetti
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 2 – 26oz. jar of Spaghetti Sauce
• 2 Eggs
• 1/3 Cup grated Parmesan
• 5 Tablespoons Butter, melted
• 2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
• 4 Cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• ½ Teaspoon Seasoned Salt

Preparation:

            Start by cooking the Spaghetti according to package directions.  Meanwhile, cook the Beef and Onion in large skillet until nice and browned.  Drain and add the Spaghetti Sauce, Seasoning Salt and set aside.

            Next, in a large bowl, whisk together the Eggs, Parmesan and Butter.  Add the drained Spaghetti to the bowl and toss to coat.

            Take half of the Spaghetti mixture and place along the bottom of a greased 13-in x 9-in baking dish.  Top with half of the Ricotta Cheese, half the Meat Sauce and half of the Mozzarella Cheese.  

           Repeat the layers.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Uncover and finish baking for another 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

            This dish needs no further rationalization.  One bite and you’ll be smitten.  You're welcome.  

Beef Tenderloin and Hash Brown Casserole

I have only prepared Beef Tenderloin one way, so I was very interested in trying new recipes.  This is one of them.  Obviously Beef Tenderloin is not an everyday meal, but should you chose, this is a very delicious meal!  I also found also found a very tempting recipe for a hash brown casserole that I decided to include and Aquaman was very happy that I did.

Ingredients for the Tenderloin:

• 1 Whole 4-5 Pound Tenderloin
• 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
• 1/3 Cups Whole Peppercorns
• Lawry’s Seasoned Slat
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning
• Olive Oil

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Preparation:

            First preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Next rinse and trim the meat well.  Please don’t remove all the fat, remember it imparts a lot of flavoring! 

            Nest sprinkle the meat with Lawry’s, don’t be afraid to be generous.  Rub the seasoning into the Beef with your fingers.  Now sprinkle both sides of the Beef with the Lemon Pepper Seasoning.  

            Place the Peppercorns in a Ziploc bag and crush using a mallet or heavy can, set aside.  Now heat some Olive Oil in a large, heavy skillet.  Once the Oil begins to smoke, place the tenderloin in the skillet and sear it on all sides.  While doing so, add a couple of tablespoons of Butter to the skillet to give the meat a gorgeous butter infusion before going into the oven.

            Now place the tenderloin into the oven in an oven pan with a rack.  Sprinkle the crushed Peppercorns all over the meat and press them in.   

Place several more tablespoons of Butter all over the Beef.  Cook the Beef for 15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.  Once removed from the oven, allow the Beef to rest before serving.  After slicing, use the accumulated juices of the oven pan as a sauce.

            This is so, so, so, good.  The best part it that it is a very literal translation.  You can use as much, or as little of the seasoning as you like.  It can be tailor made to you and yours!

                

Ingredients for the Hash Brown Casserole:

• 1 Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 8 Ounce Container of Sour Cream
• ½ Cup of melted Butter
• 1 32 Ounce Bag of Has Browns
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 8 Ounce package of Cheddar Cheese, about 2 Cups
• ½ Cup crushed Corn Flakes
• Ground Black Pepper

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Preparation:

                 Start by heating your oven to 350 degrees.  Next stir the Soup, Sour Cream, Butter, Hash Browns, Onion, and Cheese in a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle the mixture with Pepper and transfer to a shallow 3 quart baking dish.  Sprinkle the dish with the Corn Flakes.

                 Bake the casserole for 45 minutes until it’s hot and bubbly.  Aquaman absolutely loved it!

Beef Stroganoff

What’s for dinner?  Beef!  I have to admit that in attempting this recipe I was a little nervous.  I have a bias against sweet meat.  Strange, I know, but I feel meat should taste like meat.  Baby steps, people, baby steps.  I’ve had almost 30 years to refine my culinary prejudices, I’m working on it!

Anyway, back to the recipe.  It calls for nutmeg, a spice I generally associate with desserts and Christmas.  I wasn’t sure exactly how I felt about combining it beef.  I was more than pleasantly surprised.  This dish is fantastic!  It’s hearty and filling, perfect for a cold winter night. 

Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons Butter (we’re off to a great start!)
• 1 Pound Top Sirloin, cut into thin 1-inch wide strips
• 1/3 Cup chopped Shallots
• ½ Pound Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
• 1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• ½ Teaspoon of dry Tarragon or 2 Teaspoons of chopped, fresh Tarragon
• 1 Cup of Sour Cream at room temperature
• Salt and Pepper to taste

 I just love beef!

 So pretty

Preparation:

            In a large skillet, melt 3 Tablespoons of the Butter over medium heat.  Increase the heat to medium-high or high and add the Beef strips.  Cook the Beef quickly, making sure the heat is high enough to brown the Beef, but not burn the Butter.  I found it easiest to divide the Beef into 2 batches.  While it’s cooking, sprinkle with the Salt and Pepper.  Once browned, remove the Beef to a bowl and set aside.

            In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped Shallots.  Cook them for 1-2 minutes and then remove them to the same bowl as the Beef.

            Next add the remaining 3 Tablespoons of Butter and melt.  Increase the heat again to medium-high and add the mushrooms.  Cook them, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.  While cooking sprinkle the ‘shrooms with the Nutmeg and the Tarragon.

            Reduce the heat to low and add the Sour Cream to the Mushrooms.  Mix the Sour Cream and Mushrooms thoroughly.  Be sure not to let the Sour Cream come to a boil as it will curdle – Gross!  Once mixed, add back in the Beef and the Shallots.  Stir to combine the mixture, taste, and add more Salt and Pepper if needed.

            I chose to serve this delicious dish over egg noodles, but potatoes or rice might be great substitutions if you prefer.

            So, so good!  Added bonus – this dish freezes very, very well, which is always a good thing!

           And, the rarest and most favorite part of the entire night - a clean kitchen!  The cleaning elves really do love me and I must say, did a fantastic job!  Thanks guys!

Tater Tot Casserole

Did Someone Say Tater Tots?  I Am So There!

            Sorry for the hiatus, holidays and car accidents will do that to you, but I digress.

            I promise this dish will become an instant family favorite!  It’s quick, easy and super cheap.  Not to mention that it freezes well too.  I have yet to meet any kid, or adult for that matter, that has ever said No to tater tots.  And away we go…

Ingredients:

1 Pound Ground Beef

1 Medium Onion, chopped

1 10.5 ounce can of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Tablespoon Ketchup

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

3 Cups frozen tater Tots – I will let you know I used more

Source: Allrecipes.com

Preparation:

            Start off by cooking the Ground Beef and Onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is browned and broken up.  Pour off as much fat as you can.

            Next stir in the Mushroom Soup, Ketchup, and Worcestershire Sauce until the entire yummy mixture is heated through.  Now it’s time to spoon the contents of the skillet into a 12 X 8 – inch shallow baking dish. 

*The original recipe calls for you to arrange the 3 cups of Tater Tots around the edges of the casserole dish.  I on the other hand felt that although it was a shame to cover the beauty of the delicious beef blend, there can never be too many Tots.  I covered every square inch, I mean, why miss the opportunity to let the star of this dish shine to its fullest potential?

Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes until the Tots are golden, crispy and just screaming for you to plate them up. And there you have it, from fridge to table in under 40 minutes!  If you don’t fall in love with this recipe, I can’t help you, you are beyond saving!  :) 

As the Koolaid man says "Ooooh Yeah!"