Swedish Meatballs

At some point Alex made us Swedish meatballs. These meatballs were so good and the sauce so delicious that I asked him to forward me the recipe. He didn't save the recipe so he sent me the recipe he thought he used. I knew the recipe was wrong because there was no sauce but I still made the recipe he sent me because it seemed easy enough and I had all the ingredients. That was one of the best decisions I made that day because this recipe was a huge hit with everyone. Cati had her serving for dinner and then ate half of Alex's dinner when he got home from work. This recipe is in the rotation now and I probably make it every other week. The first time I made it I served it with some cranberry sauce but the meatballs don't need any kind of sauce; they're that good on their own.

Swedish Meatballs
Source: Slightly adapted from LindaT on Allrecipes.com

1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
3 tablespoons butter

Mix bread crumbs, water, and half-and-half in a large bowl; let stand for about 2 minutes.

Stir ground beef, ground pork, salt, pepper, and sugar into bread crumb mixture until thoroughly mixed. Shape mixture into about 30 small meatballs.

Melt butter in a skillet; add meatballs. Cook for about 5 minutes then turn over and continue cooking until fully cooked in the middle and no longer pink. Add next batch of meatballs if all of them didn't fit in the first batch.

Remove fron skillet, serve, and enjoy.

Root Beer Brisket

I call this recipe the one that divided the household. I loved it and Alex hated it. I couldn't get enough of the sauce and Alex didn't want to go near the sauce. The reason for this is that Alex hates stew. This recipe was more of a beef stew to him instead of a beef with sauce type dish. I liked that the sauce was sweet and tangy. The meat was still a little tough but brisket, in general, is a tough meat. I don't know what to say about this recipe other than if you like beef stews give it a try. If not, steer clear.

Root Beer Brisket
Source: Baked Bree
Serves 4-6

1 (3 1/2 pound) brisket, trimmed
salt and pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 (4-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups root beer

Trim your brisket if it has a lot of fat. Season well with salt and pepper. Both sides. Add the brisket to a very hot pan. Brown on both sides. Transfer the brisket to your slow cooker. Cover the top with sliced onions.

Mix together tomato paste, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, garlic, and brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the brisket. Pour over root beer. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Slice and serve.

Mongolian Beef

We are big PF Change's fans. We are also extremely predictable because we also order the same thing when we go. One of the things we order is their Mongolian Beef. We've tried making this dish at home on a few occasions and it's never quite right. This recipe is the closest we've gotten. I have two complaints with this dish, though. One is an issue with the recipe itself and the other is an issue with the person who cut the meat (cough cough Alex).

My problem with the recipe was that it created too much waste. We could have easily halved the recipe for the sauce and there would have been enough sauce for the beef. Instead we did the whole thing as copied below and ended up not using half the sauce. Also, it was too much oil for frying and, maybe I'm sensitive to vegetable oil, but I could actually taste a hint of the oil in the beef.  My sauce didn't thicken up so I added 2 tsp of water mixed with 2 tsp of corn starch to help thicken up the sauce.

Other than that the recipe was great. It wasn't as sweet as you would expect considering the amount of sugar and it wasn't nearly as tangy as we remember the PF Chang's version being. Also, our beef came out more chewy than crispy because someone (cough cough Alex) cut the beef into bigger chunks than he should have.


PF Chang's Mongolian Beef
Source: Food.com
Serves 2

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup)
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions

Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat.
Don't get the oil too hot. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove it from the heat.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.

As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later.

Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.

Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions.Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate.

Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.

Corned Beef Experience

My corned beef was a success, all things considered. I botched the preparation because I put the meat into a pot of boiling water instead of letting it heat up slowly as the water heated up. The meat came out a little tough and Alex kept telling me that brisket, in general, is a very tough meat so not to worry about toughness. I've never made corned beef so I was expecting a really juicy cut of meat. Could putting it in the boiling water really have messed things up? Or maybe it's because I sliced the meat really thick?

 

Also, I think because of the size of the meat (2 lb) they didn't include a seasoning pack. I was counting on that! I did a google search and decided to just throw my spice rack into the pot. My meat was already in the water and I didn't want to take it out and start messing with it. I added whole coriander, black peppercorn, bay leaves, salt, a few cloves of garlic, and mustard seed. So while the meat was a little tough and not as juicy as I expected, it did come out delicious. It was salty, sweet, and a little smokey. We were too full from lunch so we ended up having corned beef sandwiches with Dijon mustard and, oh my, was that good.

There wasn't much leftover but I am looking forward to using the bit we have to make corned beef hash. Yum! I hope everyone else's St. Pat's meal was a success!

Slow Cooker Shepherd's Pie

I am always looking for a reason to use my slow cooker. I love the idea of throwing things into the pot and letting it cook, slowly, for an entire day. I can across this recipe for Shepherd's Pie and jumped at the chance to make it. It came out delicious but was different from other Shepherd's Pies I've had in the past. Everything kind of melted together and the corn gave the dish a sweet taste. The meat actually burned a bit because it cooked longer than it should have; I think three hours on low would have been more than enough time.

Shepherd's Pie with Creamy Corn Filling
Source: The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson
Serves 4-6

1 lb lean ground beef
2 onions finely chopped (I omitted)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp paprilka
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup condensed beef broth
2 Tbsp tomato paste (I used puree)
1-8.5 oz can cream-style corn
4 cups mashed potatoes, seasoned with 1 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet over high heat, cook beef until meat is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Drain off liquid.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for one minute. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stir and cook for one minute. Add beef broth and tomato paste, stir  to combine and cook, until thickened.

Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Spread corn evenly over mixture and top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle cheese on top, cover and cook on Low for 4-6 hours or on High for 3-4 hours, until hot and bubbly.

Beer Beef Stew

I made this soup a few weeks ago and, wow, was it delicious. I could seriously eat any vegetable as long as it is in this soup. I used Sierra Nevada for the soup and the soup really took on the flavor of the beer so I recommend using a beer you like.

Beef Beef Stew

1 lb beef loin cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 cups water
12 oz pale ale
2 beef bullion cubes
1 cup chopped potato (about 1 large potato)
1 cup chopped carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1/2 tsp corn starch
1/2 tsp cold water
Saltine crackers (optional)

Season the beef with salt and pepper.

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add beef and brown. Add water, beer, and bullion cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, while you chop the vegetables.

Add the vegetables and continue to simmer, covered, until vegetables are soft, about 20 min.

In a small bowl combine the corn starch and water. Add to stew and continue to cook until the broth thickens, about 5 min.

Serve warm.

Beef Stew Mistake

I messed up what was undoubtedly a great recipe. My stew turned into a meat and veggies mixture that needed to be served with rice. The problem? Cati. It was all her fault. I got to playing with her and kind of, sort of forgot I was making dinner. By the time I remembered all the liquid was cooked out of my stew. It was still good though. The meat was so tender it barely needed a fork to be pulled apart. The veggies were so soft that I felt I could eat veggies cooked this way with every single meal. The next time I make this (there will be a next time) I don't know if I'd be able to stop myself from making the same mistake.

Beef Stew
Source: All Recipes (here)

1 pound cubed beef stew meat
1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cold water 

In a large pot or dutch oven, cook beef in oil over medium heat until brown. Dissolve bouillon in water and pour into pot. Stir in rosemary, parsley and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. 

Stir potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion into the pot. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons cold water and stir into stew. Cover and simmer 1 hour more. 

Cuban Shepherd's Pie

I have never had traditional Shepherd's Pie. What I've had is Shepherd's Pie done Abuela style. The ground beef, or picadillo, is cooked with a bay leaf in a tomato sauce. The resulting meat has such a full bodied taste that pairs well with the garlicky mashed potatoes. One day I will try to make this dish in its traditional incarnation but 'til then I will be feasting away on the Cuban incarnation. Let me add that this dish is for those who like the taste of tomato paste because it's pretty concentrated in this dish.

Abuela's Cuban Shepherd's Pie
Serves 2

3/4 to 1 lb ground beef
~1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
2 medium-sized potatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
~2 Tbsp butter
~2 Tbsp heavy cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare baking dish by spraying with cooking oil.

Brown beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain. Add water, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens and bay leaf is wilted. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until soft. Drain water, add garlic, butter, and heavy cream. Mash with a fork until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour meat into baking dish and top with mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is crisp and hard to the touch.

Oh, Burger!

I love burgers. I'm perfectly happy with a plain cheeseburger but, if you really want to make me happy, give me a burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. My arteries and cholesterol will be thanking me for that one in the future. Alex, on the other hand, likes to experiment with burgers. He made us blue cheese bacon burgers recently and the burger was beyond delicious. He mixed blue cheese into the ground beef so that was a pleasant surprise when eating the burger. I think the cheese mixed in actually helped the burger to taste extra juicy because it added a creamy texture to the hamburger meat. Alex topped the burgers with a mountain of blue cheese, which melted oh so deliciously on the burger, and topped that with bacon. It was pure burger heaven.

What's your favorite burger?

I Can Eat Meatloaf for Days

I am not kidding when I say that I can eat meatloaf for days. I recently ate meatloaf for 3 days straight. THREE DAYS. It was all I had for lunch and dinner for 3 days straight. Sure I had mashed potatoes as a side, but for half of my meals I just ate meatloaf. The recipe was delicious I figured I'd share it with everyone :)

Home-Style Meat Loaf
Source: Cooking Light (here)

3/4 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup minced fresh onion (I left this out)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds ground round
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, oats, and next 6 ingredients (oats through egg whites) in a large bowl. Add meat; stir just until blended. Shape meat mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Shaped

Topped

Baked