Pages, Pucks and Pantry

Velveeta Cheeseburger Mac

Since I've already admitted that I have a fondness for Velveeta, it probably won't surprise you that I also am partial to Hamburger Helper. Back in the day, hamburger was pretty much the cheapest beef you could find. And there weren't all these fancy variations...no sirloin, no percent fats...you just went to the grocery store and bought a package of hamburger out of the meat counter. Wrapped in plastic on a white plastic plate. And for a single working mother with me as her daughter (meaning feed me now Mom), my Mom didn't have a lot of time to spend fixing dinner once she came home every night. Variations of Hamburger Helper made regular appearances on our kitchen table. By far my favorite (and my Moms) was the Cheeseburger Macaroni version.

A while back I asked my Mom what dish she wanted me to make out of the Velveeta Incredibly Easy Recipes cookbook and she chose this Cheeseburger Mac. We both figured it would be close to our beloved Hamburger Helper version, and while it was good, it certainly didn't match up. Both my Mom and I thought it was too sweet. I'm thinking it was because I used some organic ketchup from Trader Joes that tends to be sweeter than normal. Or maybe because the Velveeta had a heart attack when it came in contact with something organic and real.  Didn't make it inedible, but it just didn't have the Hamburger Helper flavor we were looking for. Mr. L, who is not really a Hamburger Helper connoisseur, had no problem finishing off his portion.

This is super quick to put together since you don't have to boil the macaroni separately.

 

VELVEETA CHEESEBURGER MAC
(Velveeta Incredibly Easy Recipes)

1 pound ground beef
2 3/4 cup water
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tsp. onion powder
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/2 pound (8 ounces) Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Brown meat in a large skillet; drain.

Add water, ketchup and onion powder mix well. Bring to boil. Stir in macaroni; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 8 to 10 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

Stir in Velveeta; cook until melted, stirring occasionally.

Makes six servings.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a cooked crisp green vegetable, such as broccoli.

NOTE: I figure I need to taste test some ketchup's to find one that might have less of a sweet taste when I'm cooking with it (I'm not a fan of ketchup...don't dunk my fries in it, don't put it on hamburgers or hot dogs).

NOTE: Even though I'm sure this would be way salty for some folks, I added additional salt (I do that to my Hamburger Helpers too so the sodium goes through the roof).

NOTE: This wasn't extremely cheesy. I think you could get away with adding a bit more Velveeta though you might need to cook it a bit longer so it's not soupy.

NOTE: You could always try adding the Mexican Velveeta for a change of pace.

NOTE: This reheats very well.

Will I make this again? Probably not. I think it maybe be kind of like those donut hamburgers...try it once and then move on to something different. There are plenty of other Velveeta recipes to try and if I have a hankering for something like this I can always just buy a box of Hamburger Helper (and I did make Mom some of her beloved Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni before she passed away and she far and away liked it better than the Velveeta version). 

Bloody Mary Flank Steak

I know Guy Fieri gets a lot of crap these days. I have eaten in one of his restaurants locally here in San Jose and though some of the dishes weren't my favorites, some were very good. He might be a little crazy but I kinda like that. I've eaten at several of the places he's featured on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives and cooked from one of those cookbooks and had great success (American Chop Suey). I've always felt he would be a kick to hang out with. But he does seem to be the one to make fun of.

We enjoyed this recipe. I put the flank steak in the marinade and reduced the sauce the night before so it made a quick dinner when I got home from work. Both Mr. L and I liked the flavor and liked having something different to go with our steak. Is it the best thing since sliced bread? No. But it's something that we will make again.

I found the recipe through Pinterest and the Serious Eats Website. The recipe comes from The Guy Fieri Food cookbook. No I do not own this cookbook. Yes, there is actually a cookbook out there I do not own LOL.

BLOODY MARY FLANK STEAK
(Guy Fieri-Serious Eats)

1 cup vegetable juice (Guy recommends V8)
1/2 cup vodka
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 teaspoon hot sauce (Guy recommends Tabasco)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 garlic gloves, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound flank steak
Small celery stalks and leaves, and grilled tomatoes, for garnish (optional)

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix all the ingredients except for the flank steak and the garnish. Pour half the marinade into a resealable 1-gallon plastic bag and add the flank steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 and up to 24 hours.

Pour the remaining marinade into a saucepan over medium-high and simmer until it is reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste.

Preheat a grill to high or heat a skillet over high heat. Remove the flank steak from the marinade and wipe off the excess liquid with paper towels. (Discard the meat's marinade.) Grill or pan-sear both sides, then lower the heat to medium and cook to medium rare (135 degrees F), 8 to 10 minutes.

Let the flank steak rest, covered with foil, for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the steak on the bias across the grain and serve with the reduced marinade. If desired, garnish with celery and tomatoes.

Serves 4 to 8

NOTE: I used V8 and Tabasco...not because Guy recommended them, but because they are favorites of mine too.

NOTE: I left the actual cooking of the steak to Mr. L who just broiled the steak to medium rare.

NOTE: Did not garnish with celery and tomatoes. I suck at garnish. Always forget even if I have bought the ingredients. Luckily garnish is usually optional.

Again, very tasty, not too much work, something I can put together the night before if I have time and then come home and put a decent meal on the table.

 

 

Roz's Lumpia

 

When my mom's cancer returned last year, one of the first things that she and I talked about was having me learn how to cook many of the recipes I grew up with. Though I do have written "recipes" of these dishes, most of them are written in what I call "Grandma's Style"...Take some pork, cook it with some onions and garlic and then add some of this and that and cook until done. I need more direction...how much pork? How much of this and that? Is done when the meat is cooked or do you mean simmer on the stove for an hour? Plus, I found that some of the recipes left out important steps (like when I made Grandma Rosie's Garbonzo Stew and the directions never mentioned adding some water...it was something that my Mom knew automatically to do, but it never made it into any of the steps).

Since my mom was born in the Philippines (she lived there until she was twelve) a lot of the comfort food she has been craving in her illness has been Filipino food.  I grew up with my Moms wonderful FIlipino cooking and in fact her Pansit is on the top of the list as my most favorite food dish ever (a dish that has become standard Thanksgiving fare for us instead of a turkey). Over the years, while my mom has cooked Filipino dishes on a regular basis, the one that she hasn't made for quite a while has been Lumpia. I always thought it was a long involved process, probably because the last time Mom and I made Lumpia was for a party almost 30 years ago, where we prepped hundreds of the little rolls to be fried later in the day.

Lumpia is not as difficult or time consuming as you might think. There is a bit of prep (that can be done the night before) and once you get the hang of how to wrap them it's a quick process.To be quite honest, my first wrapped Lumpia were a mess. But after wrapping a few, I got the hang of it and they turned out like the little beauty above. Yes, there is only a photo of one Lumpia...we were eating them as fast as I was cooking them!

My Moms Lumpia is not the standard Lumpia you'll find in most restaurants. It's probably not the Lumpia you'll find made in your Filipino neighbors kitchen. In fact, it's probably not the same Lumpia many of my Aunties and cousins make. That's because, like many cultural dishes, each cook has put their own spin on a dish, changing up ingredients whether it's because of cost or availability or convenience. We've never made the slim "finger size" Lumpia, ours has always been more the size of standard Chinese Egg Rolls. This is the same recipe that my Mom has been making since I was a kid.

ROZ'S LUMPIA

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
Bacon grease
2 cans french style green beans
2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 large onion minced
2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic from a jar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Rice Flour Lumpia Wrappers
Egg White for sealing edges
Vegetable oil for frying
Vinegar and chopped or crushed garlic for dipping

Saute onions in the bacon grease until almost translucent. Add garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add beef and pork and cook until done. Drain mixture in colander.

Drain the cans of french cut green beans in a colander.

Wash and dry bean sprouts.

Once everything has drained, mix meat mixture with green beans and sprouts. Add salt and pepper.

Take small spoonfuls of mixture, put in Lumpia wrapper and wrap into shape.

Heat vegetable oil in pan (doesn't have to be deep oil, a one inch layer works), about medium high. Fry each Lumpia 15-30 seconds in the oil, turning the roll so it gets golden brown all over. Remove and put on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any additional oil.

NOTE: Draining in a colander is an important step. You want as much moisture out of the ingredients as you can, otherwise you will have soggy Lumpia (and especially if you are making these ahead of time and freezing or cooking later). After letting the meat mixture sit in a colander for a bit, I turned it out onto some paper towels and pretty much let any grease or water soak up. I did this with the green beans too and was surprised at how much liquid they contained. I used a lot of paper towels drying those beans!).

NOTE: There are specific wrappers made for Lumpia. The ones I bought were actually a bit dry right out of the package which made it difficult to wrap without them breaking. Next time I'll try a different brand of wrappers (if you don't have a FIlipino store near you, a lot of Asian markets do sell them). Be sure to keep them under a wet towel while your working so that they don't dry out. My mom has a recipe for making the wrappers from scratch which I'll have to try someday.

NOTE: I'm not going to try to explain how to wrap the Lumpia. I went online and looked up videos of Lumpia wrapping (yes, there are quite a few). It's similar to wrapping a burrito in that you put the mixture on one side, roll, then pull the sides in and roll again.

NOTE: Because the wrapper seems a bit big and you're making more of an egg roll size roll, you might try to put more filling in the wrapper than is necessary. I kept breaking the wrapper until I put much less filling in. This gives the Lumpia lots of wrapper to get that nice crunch.

NOTE: Per Mom, the filling is already cooked so you just want to heat it up a bit with the frying and crisp the outside wrapper. If you've made the filling the night before, let it come to room temperature before wrapping. Basically you are frying the wrapper so it looks nice and just heating up the filling. Depending on how hot your oil is (we just fried in a stove top wok but plan on using a cast iron skillet next time) you may fry these more or less than the 15-30 seconds.

NOTE: I fried these one at a time because we were pretty much eating them as they were cooked. Some of the ones towards the end came out a bit dark because I was running out of oil. Best to start with a good amount of oil or add more as you go. You can obviously fry more than one at a time.

NOTE: If one of the wrappers breaks while frying, do try to get as much of the filling out of the oil as possible, otherwise it burns and colors the oil and doesn't make for pretty Lumpia.

NOTE: This may seem a bit bland so adding a good amount of garlic and salt and pepper to the filling helps. Also, we dip our Lumpia in a mixture of vinegar and garlic which to me makes the dish. There is special FIlipino vinegar if you can find it, but we've used apple cider and white rice vinegar.

NOTE: My mom has also made this with potato...You would want to dice them real small.

Obviously, you can add other ingredients to the filling. You can usually find julienned carrots, cabbage and other assorted vegetables in most Lumpia. You can go all pork. You can add some shrimp. You can doctor this up all you want. But for my Mom and I, this is Lumpia.

Individual Beef Wellingtons with Madeira Sauce

I still remember the first time I had Beef Wellington. I was just out of high school and dating an older man. He took me to this nice fancy restaurant where he ordered Beef Wellington, a bottle of expensive red wine and cherries jubilee for dessert. Yeah, definitely impressive. Though the relationship didn't last long, the memories of that meal have always lingered. So when my little London Olympics Food venture came about, I figured to impress Mr. L by making my first ever Beef Wellington. I found several interesting recipes in my British cookbooks, most very traditional, but it was this recipe I came across in America's Test Kitchens Cooking For Two 2009 annual that really intrigued me. Sort of a deconstructed Beef Wellington.

This was awesome. It had great flavor and made a wonderful presentation. I felt bad that I didn't put linens on the table and light some candles LOL. This was surprisingly easy to make, basically it's just a filet mignon, with some puff pastry, pate and a sauce. The sauce has a sweetness to it from the Madeira (which you can find in the wine section near the sherry and vermouth). I loved the play of the crunch of the puff pastry and the meltingly tender cut of beef. Don't be put off by the long list of instructions, it's more of America's Test Kitchen telling you what to do in detail.

You only use half of a standard 9-inch square sheet of puff pastry. I actually used the other half of the sheet for dessert...cooked them and then added some butter, cinnamon and brown sugar.

I'd make this again in a heartbeat. I can so see serving this anytime I want a fancy celebratory meal. I also think I could easily double the recipe and serve to company for an impressive dinner. Not the cheapest meal I've ever made and not necessarily very British, but I think the end results were worth every penny. And I think this recipe is worth the cost of the Cooking For Two 2009 Annual alone! (as with all their recipes, the introduction to the dish, the tips and tricks, the concise and clear recipe directions, all help make the dish).

INDIVIDUAL BEEF WELLINGTONS WITH MADEIRA SAUCE
(Cooking for Two 2009 Annual)

Pastry and Beef
1/2 (9-inch square) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed, cut in half width-wise to make two 4 1/2-inch squares (see note)
2 (7 to 8-ounce) center-cut beef tenderloin steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick
Salt and Pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons smooth chicken or duck liver pate, at room temperature

Madeira Sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
1 shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 cup Madeira
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper

1. For the Pastry and Beef: Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack, and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pastry squares on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until needed.

2. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the steaks in the skillet and sear until well browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through cooking.

3. Transfer the steaks to the hot baking sheet on the lower oven rack, setting the skillet aside for the sauce. Place the refrigerated baking sheet of pastry on the upper oven rack. Cook the tenderloin steaks and pastry until the centers of the steaks registers 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (for medium-rare) and the pastry is puffed and golden, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Transfer the steaks to a carving board, spread the pate evenly over the top of each, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the pastry from the oven to let cool on the baking sheet.

5. For The Madeira Sauce: Meanwhile, add the oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and shallot, and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a bowl.

6. Return the skillet to medium heat, stir in the Madeira, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until it has thickened slightly and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the cooked mushroom mixture, parsley, thyme, mustard, butter, lemon juice, and any accumulated beef juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cover to keep warm.

7. Following the photos (see notes below) split the pastry squares in half with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half of each pastry on an individual serving plate and lay a tenderloin steak on top. Spoon the Madeira sauce over the steaks, top with the remaining pastry, and serve immediately.

NOTES FROM RECIPE: Be sure to let the pastry thaw on the counter before cutting it in half and cutting the squares; if the dough starts to separate at the seams before you cut it, simply rejoin the seams by rolling them smooth with a rolling pin. See recipe (they give a recipe for Cheese Straws) to use up leftover pastry, or you can refreeze or refrigerate it for up to 2 days.

NOTES FROM RECIPE: They prefer these steaks cooked to medium-rare

NOTES FROM RECIPE: Serve immediately or else the pastry will turn soggy

NOTE: I used Duck Liver pate that I found at my local grocery store.

NOTE: Took much more time than the 3-5 minutes to reduce the Madeira Sauce (more like 5-10)

NOTE: I was worried about the beef and pastry cooking together, but they both were actually done about the same time (10 minutes for the beef, maybe 12 for the pastry). I did use a thermometer to test the beef for doneness (medium-rare).

NOTE: Though I realize beef shrinks, a 7-8 ounce fillet is not only too big a portion for one person, but costs quite a bit. I think you could get by with smaller cuts of steak (just watch the cooking time). You'd also probably have to cut down the size of the puff pastry. Which changes the whole recipe. Which leads me to the next note...

NOTE: Didn't pay attention and baked a full sheet of puff pastry cut into fourths so I ended up with two additional puff pastries. No problem since I only ate half my filet. I took that half, the leftover sauce and reheated it for lunch. Meat and sauce reheated wonderfully. The puff pastry, not so much, but it still tasted good. I know, completely goes against my "this is a dish for two" philosophy, but 8-ounces of meat is not one serving for women!

NOTE: Madeira Wine is a fortified wine that can be used in many different dishes. Just do a Google search and you'll find a ton of different recipes to try.

NOTE: The black and white photos in the cookbook do show you how to "cut" the pastry in half. Having never worked with cut sheets before, I didn't realize that when the squares of pastry cook, they actually make two half's, top and bottom. It's very easy to take a knife and cut the two horizontally in half. You can see it a bit more in photo below.

Again, even I was impressed with how good this turned out. Though it may seem like a lot of steps, this did come together fairly quickly. It made me excited to try out other recipes from the cookbook!

Bubble and Squeak: Fried Cabbage, Potatoes, and Corned Beef

Anybody who has ever made Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patricks Day, has probably made Bubble and Squeak without really knowing it. Basically it's leftover corned beef mixed with leftover cabbage and potatoes. In our family, not only do we always have a corned beef in the freezer, we also always have canned corned beef in the pantry. And quite frequently leftover potatoes. So when life is busy, opening up a can of corned beef and making Bubble and Squeak will probably be a regular occurrence. Yes, I'm sure that using a fresh corned beef instead of canned would have made this taste even better, but time constraints and lack of planning (read remembering to take the dang corned beef out of the freezer) made me very glad for the canned stuff.

This recipe came from The Ploughman's Lunch and the Miser's Feast. It was a familiar dish to start my British Food fest for the Olympics. The name for the dish supposedly comes from the sound and appearance of the ingredients when they are put in a hot skillet. I have never heard food squeak when putting it in a hot pan. If it ever does, I'm probably not going to eat it.

This made a nice comforting dish as it was quick to make even though I made it from scratch since I didn't have leftover potatoes.

 

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK: Fried Cabbage, Potatoes and Corned Beef
(from The Ploughman's Lunch and the Miser's Feast)

4 quarts water, to cook the cabbage and potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to your taste, plus 1 tablespoon if cooking cabbage and potatoes
2 cups chopped potatoes, cooked or fresh
2 cups chopped cabbage, cooked or fresh
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups chopped cooked boiled or corned beef
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. If your potatoes and cabbage are not already cooked, bring the water and 1 tablespoon of the salt to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon, reserving the water and set aside. Repeat with the cabbage, but simmer it for only 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and cook it, stirring occasionally, until the edges begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the boiled cabbage and potato and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown too, about 20 minutes more.

4. Taste for salt. If the beef was salty enough, you won't need it; otherwise, add 1/2 teaspoon or to taste. Add the pepper and stir. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

NOTE from author: If you leave out the corned beef, you'll have Colcannon, a classic Irish vegetable side dish.

NOTE: Mr. L and I have actually made Colcannon before, it's actually very good.

NOTE: We didn't have any leftovers so we followed the directions to cook the potatoes and cabbage from scratch. I used Yukon Gold potatoes.

NOTE: I used just one can of canned corned beef (for those not aware of this product, you can find them near canned corned beef hash and they sell them in bulk packages at Costco). Canned corned beef doesn't crisp up like fresh corned beef will and seems moister, read fattier, than the fresh kind. Canned corned beef is one of those shelf stable cooked meat "emergency" products we tend to have on hand in our pantry.

NOTE: Quite frankly, I think amounts listed here are rough estimates. If you have leftovers, just throw them all in the pan, doesn't matter if you have more potatoes than usual or more cabbage etc.

Since we eat corned beef year round, Bubble and Squeak will be showing up at our table on a regular basis.

 

Baked Brie Bites

One of the reasons I love this little recipe is the fact that I can make as many as I want. If I'm craving a little snack, I can make just a couple of these at a time. If I have company coming over and want to make a quick appetizer, I can whip up a whole batch of these in no time to keep guests busy until dinner. The ease of making these is also why they can be dangerous. You might find yourself making two or three of these bites before dinner, every day for a week. Not that I would do any such thing....

Though I came across this recipe on Pinterest here, this recipe and many variations can be found...adding jams or fruit preserves, varying the types of nuts or cheese used...around the Internet (links to some follow).

I not only liked the flavor of these but I loved the texture...the crunch of the shell and nuts, the creaminess of the cheese and honey. Great little snack that also looked pretty good presentation wise.

Except for the mini phyllo shells I usually have all the ingredients for the Baked Brie Bites on hand which makes this a quick appetizer or snack to put together.  And since these can be so addicting, I may just start keeping those phyllo shells in the freezer for quick ideas like this.

 

BAKED BRIE BITES

Mini Phyllo Tarts
Brie
Dark Brown Sugar
Chopped Pecans
Honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions are for one brie bite:

Put a cube of brie (or a good melting cheese of your choice) in the middle of each phyllo tart. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar over the cheese in the tart. Top with the pecans. Drizzle some honey over the top of everything. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Note: I used Athens Mini Fillo Shells (there were 15 shells in the box), Small Bees Pure Raw Unfiltered Wildflower Honey US grade B (local from Los Gatos).

Note: The cheese kind of melts down a bit so you can see in my photos that the bites weren't as filled as most you'll see. I've tried to put in more cheese but then there wasn't room for the nuts and such. And I liked lots of nuts and sugar and honey in mine.

Really like this recipe and looking forward to trying all it's little variations.

More Baked Brie Bites Recipes:

Baked Brie Bites from Plain Chicken

Raspberry Brie Bites from Food.com

Mini Brie Bites from She Wears Many Hats

Brie and Honeyed Pear Tarts  from Athens Foods and Weight Watchers

Hot Brie Kisses from Recipe Girl

 

Balsamic-Glazed Short Ribs

I found a three pound package of beef short ribs in the freezer that I decided to pull out as my next Operation Pantry Project meal. I then went looking for a slow cooker recipe thinking that would probably be the best way to cook the ribs. I found this recipe in The Italian Slow Cooker (via Eat Your Books) and though I didn't have the right amount of short ribs, thought that a balsamic glaze sounded good.

This dish tasted pretty good, though I did have a few problems. My short ribs didn't turn out as tender as I would have liked. That may have been because I used a large crock pot and I didn't have the right amount of beef ribs (I did make the entire amount of sauce though). My rosemary sprig completely fell apart during the cooking process so I had to strain the liquid before I reduced it. Alas, the strainer also retained much of the bits of garlic that had been in the sauce. Yes, I stood there trying to get little bits of garlic out of the strainer from among the rosemary leaves before realizing I probably looked like an idiot. I decided that whatever garlic was already in the sauce would have to work cuz pickin' the little bits out wasn't working for me. I don't think anyone noticed the lack of garlic bits in the finished sauce.

I never got the "glaze" the recipe was calling for. It took a good 20 minutes before I had a decent sauce. I think part of the problem was I didn't get as much of the fat off the sauce as I would have liked. Since I didn't allocate twenty minutes to make the sauce, I took some of the sauce out at the 10 minute mark of reducing to serve Mr. L and take photos (so the photo above has a very watery sauce compared to what I served).

Even with the problems, the sauce had a wonderful flavor. We used it over rice for one meal and over potatoes the next. Making extra sauce even though we didn't have the full amount of ribs called for turned out to be a great idea for leftovers too as it kept the short rib meat somewhat moist.

BALSAMIC-GLAZED SHORT RIBS
(The Italian Slow Cooker)

1 tablespoon olive oil
4-5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, well trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 3-inch fresh rosemary sprig

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the meat dry and add only as many pieces to the pan as will fit comfortably without crowding. Cook until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a large slow cooker and brown the remaining meat. Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper to taste.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid over the ribs and add the rosemary.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the ribs are very tender. Remove the ribs from the slow cooker and discard the rosemary sprig and any loose bones. Cover the ribs and keep warm.

Skim the fat off the liquid. Pour the remaining sauce into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced and slightly thickened. Spoon the sauce over the ribs and serve hot.

Serves 6

Note: With my big crock pot, I would try to use the full amount of meat called for next time. Either that or use short ribs that probably haven't been in the freezer half a decade (okay, not that long, but I don't even remember when I bought them so they had been in there a bit).

Note: I would think about maybe putting the rosemary into a bit of cheesecloth before tossing it in so it wouldn't disintegrate in the sauce. Or maybe I needed to use a fresher piece of rosemary sprig? Not sure if that would make a difference in it falling apart during cooking.

Note: In retrospect, I may not have had the heat up enough to reduce the liquid. I would have liked more of a "glaze" than a sauce, though the sauce was excellent.

Even though this took more time than just dropping everything into the slow cooker (you have to brown the meat, saute the garlic and liquid beforehand and then spend the time reducing liquid after) I did like the flavor. Since we usually have beef short ribs in the freezer, I think this is a great recipe to have on hand.

 

T-Bone Steaks with Balsamic Onion Confit

When it comes to a good rib-eye or t-bone steak I usually don't do much to prep them. A bit of salt, some heat and the steak gets eaten. I'm not one to use dry rubs or marinades unless I'm working on a specific recipe. It's Mr. L who loves to play around with seasonings when it comes to meats. Though I've recently made some compound butters to put over steaks, more often than not, the steak on my plate gets eaten with few accompaniments.

Which is why when I saw this recipe, I was surprised that it demanded to be made. It's pretty simple, but the flavors of the onions and steak worked well together. I was also surprised by where the recipe came from. People Magazine. For quite a while now, they have been featuring recipes from celebrities and this recipe was featured as coming from A-Rod (or Alexander Rodriguez for those non baseball types). The cookbook People mentioned was Diamond Dishes: From the Kitchens of Baseball's Biggest Stars which was from the May 30, 2011 magazine. Can't say I'm going to run out and buy the cookbook, but it might be a nice gift for someone who likes baseball and likes to cook. I guess it's only appropriate to make this since baseball season is right around the corner (though truth be told, I'm not an A-Rod fan).

T-BONE STEAKS WITH BALSAMIC ONION CONFIT
(People Magazine May 30, 2011)

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 large onions, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. honey
4 (14-oz.) T-bone steaks
1/2 tsp. salt, plus a pinch
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

(2 cups water which is not in the ingredient list but is in the directions)

To make confit: Melt butter in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, pinch of salt and 1 cup water. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until water evaporates and onions are softened. Stir in another cup of water. Cook 20 minutes more, stirring often, until water evaporates and onions begin to brown.

Add vinegar and honey. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until onions caramelize.

Set charcoal or gas grill on high. Season steaks with salt and pepper.

Lightly oil grate. (If using a gas grill, turn heat to medium.) Place steaks on grill and cover. Grill 3 1/2 minutes on each side for medium rare.

Transfer each steak to a dinner plate. Top with onions. Serves 4

Note: A 14 ounce steak per person? Even with the bone, that's a whole lot of steak! We actually just used one nice big t-bone steak and then split it between the two of us.

Note: For some reason I had way to much liquid so I might think twice about adding that full second cup of water.

Note: Mr. L just grilled the steak on a grill pan inside.

Note: Since we only cooked one steak but made the entire batch of onion confit, we probably used more than normal with our steaks and still had some leftover to eat with some grilled chicken we had in the fridge.

Though maybe not this exact recipe, I think that making some sort of onion confit works wonders on a steak that is overcooked, tough, or not necessarily a tasty cut of meat.

 

T-Bone Steaks with Chipotle-Cilantro Butter

I've made a couple of things with t-bone steaks lately. T-bones aren't my favorite steaks, I prefer an aged rib-eye or a skirt steak. But the last T-bone I used in a recipe turned out great so I thought I'd give this recipe a try.

This recipe is mainly for the Chipotle-Cilantro butter. I forget that making a compound butter to put over steaks is such an easy thing to do. I loved the flavor of this butter and I think that the leftover butter I have will go well over some potatoes or rice...or any other cut of steak I happen to cook.

The only problem were the t-bone steaks I used. They just didn't have the flavor or tenderness I wanted and since we paid top dollar for them, I was disappointed. I definitely plan on making this butter again so I'll try it with a different cut (and I'll remember to make a double batch of the butter since there are so many other things I want to put it on!)

This was so simple to do. Make the butter on a Sunday and then you can use it over the next week. Or you can do like I did, make the butter as soon as you get home from work and then you just cook the steaks whenever you get hungry.

The recipe came from the Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone cookbook.

And did I mention the butter had tequila in it?

T-BONE STEAKS WITH CHIPOTLE-CILANTRO BUTTER
(Relaxed Cooking With Curtis Stone)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon tequila
Four 10- to 12-ounce T-bone steaks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix the butter, chiles, cilantro, and tequila in a bowl to blend. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Spoon the chile butter onto the center of the plastic wrap and roll it into a cylinder. Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight.

Heat a barbecue grill to medium-high, or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and black pepper. Grill the steaks on one side for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the chile-butter log crosswise into 8 slices, and set aside.

Turn the steaks over and top each steak with 2 butter slices. Continue grilling for 5 minutes for medium-rare, or until the butter begins to melt. Transfer the steaks to plates, and serve.

Serves 4

NOTE: I used unsalted butter, so I added a bit more salt after the fact.

NOTE: I only used the required 1 tablespoon of tequila. I know you think I'd add more, but it really wouldn't have done much for the compound butter.

NOTE: I used a grill pan and cooked the steaks on the stove.

We actually split a rib eye so we had a ton of extra butter left. It really is good to use on mashed potatoes!

 

Halloween - October 8, 2011

This is another one of those simple ideas I found on Pinterest. The idea came from Go Diary Free here where she made Quinoa Stuffed Mini Jack-O'-Lanterns. I choose to make some stuffed bell peppers.

I found some orange bell peppers, cut out the face, stuffed them with a mixture of cooked ground beef, ground pork, quinoa, onions and mushrooms and a bit of shredded cheese (seasoned with some Tabasco, Worchestershire sauce, onion and garlic powder). Though I know there was about a pound of meat, I didn't measure any of the other ingredients. I just used leftovers I had in the fridge. I baked the stuffed peppers at 350 degrees* for about 35 minutes in a pan with a bit of water in the bottom and had a nice tasty dinner.

Obviously you can use any sort of stuffing you'd like. Cut a sliver off the bottom to make the bell pepper stand up (I had to lay it on it's side to get the full effect for the photo). Hopefully you'll  be able to cut a better mouth for your pepper, I kinda forgot to give him a bottom lip!

You could also make these in small Oz pumpkins, use small orange acorn squashes like Go Dairy Free...or just cook a big pumpkin that you serve your stuffing out of.

*I think next time I'd turn the heat up a bit or at least let the peppers cook longer. I didn't quite get the wrinkled look on the finished bell pepper as I wanted.