If there is one dish that everyone from a gourmet to a person who favors simple food can agree upon, it’s meatloaf. Now, the ingredients may differ a bit from one category of eater to the other, but the fact remains. Almost everyone loves a good meatloaf.
So, when I woke up yesterday morning wondering what to make for dinner, meatloaf immediately came to mind. It’s easy to prepare, and there are a wide variety of side dishes that compliment this entrée. One especially came to mind (Risi E Bisi – Italian Rice and Peas) since I had just read about the dish in the book I am currently reading.
The book takes place in Venice and what the family of the protagonist eats for lunch or dinner is often included in the narrative. Not the recipes unfortunately, but enough of a description to make me either reluctant to even think about fixing it or eager to go directly to my kitchen and make like a cook.
The mystery series is written by Donna Leon and the protagonist is Commissario Guido Brunetti. The title of the book I am currently reading is “Unto Us a Son Is Given”. (Great reading BTW. I highly recommend this series if you are a mystery nut like me!) (And Risi E Bisi turned out to be as delicious as suggested by the author. I will be sharing this recipe with you in the near future.) But back to meatloaf.
This is not a new recipe. In fact, it is already on this site under the tantalizing title – Old Fashioned Meatloaf.
But never-the-less, I thought it might be a good idea to remind you of the merits of meatloaf lest you had forgotten this simple dish in your quest for new and exciting taste sensations. Not that I don’t go that route myself at every opportunity. But sometimes it’s just nice to sink your teeth into an old favorite.
May you too have many favorite dishes from which to choose.
And as always, peace and love to all.
1 c. finely chopped onion
½ c. dried breadcrumbs (I use Italian breadcrumbs)
1 T. dehydrated parsley
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. granulated garlic
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. ground savory
1 lg. egg
¼ c. milk
1 lb. bulk sausage (breakfast or sweet Italian)
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 T. brown sugar
⅓ c. ketchup
In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir the onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, seasoned salt, granulated garlic, pepper, savory, egg, and milk together. Gently stir in the sausage, then the ground beef. (Don’t overwork the mixture.) Form into 2 loaves and place on a small, rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes in a pre-heated 350-degree oven. Remove from oven and spread with brown sugar and ketchup that have been stirred together. Return pan to oven and bake for another 20 – 25 minutes. (Don’t over bake.) Internal temperature should be 155-160 degrees.
Staying on the theme of Christmas and my favorite recipes, I again offer you my recipe for Swedish Meatballs. Which BTW, was one of my kids’ favorite dishes. (Probably still is!) They would gobble the meatballs up every time I made them. And for me, they were easy to build. Especially if I’d made the meatballs ahead and either refrigerated them overnight or hid them in the freezer.
So, even on a work night, I could throw this dish in the oven and dinner would be ready in about an hour. That left me time to start a load of laundry, make a salad or steam a green veggie, and slowly unwind from my workday. And I often needed that little bit of time to transition from managing people at work, to managing kids at home. (Not that different BTW!) It also left me time to talk with the kids about their day, even though we would be sitting down to dinner together and every subject imaginable would be fodder for our conversations. With 4 kids there were always stories to be told. Sometimes even more information was provided than I wanted or felt I needed to know. But the discussions were always lively. And I learned a lot about what the kids were experiencing just by these easy and relaxed exchanges. But I bet you are wondering why Swedish Meatballs would be considered a Christmas dish.
Every Christmas Eve my sister-in-law Evelyn and brother-in-law Dan and their kids feast on homemade lefsa and Swedish Meatballs. They spend the day making the lefsa and the meatballs and it is a tradition cherished by one and all. So, I too think of Swedish Meatballs as a part of what makes Christmas special.
So, if you too are still making Christmas traditions, I offer this recipe for your consideration. But don’t stop at Christmas time to serve this dish to family and friends. Meatballs are good any old time of year.
Well, enough posting for today. There are presents still to be ordered. And Christmas goodies to be baked.
But before I leave you today, just a hint about making cookies. Especially if you are crazy like me and insist that there be several different types of cookies for family and friends to enjoy. Make all the dough one day and bake it off the next. Most cookies profit from time spent in the fridge anyway. And make refrigerator cookies whenever possible. Much easier slicing the dough rather than shaping it. And making all the dough in one day only makes sense.
I place all the ingredients I will be using that day on a kitchen counter or sometimes on my kitchen table. Then any recipe calling for room temperature butter, vanilla, all-purpose flour, etc. etc., is right at hand. No putting ingredients away just to have to get them out again for the next recipe. Plus, you only make a mess one time. And measuring cups and spoons if used for dry ingredients can be used repeatedly thus saving time for cleanup. And yes, it took me years to figure this out. But there is no looking back now. This system just plain makes cookie baking easier and faster.
OK Patti, enough pontificating. Let these fine folks get back to their real lives. And the real reason they are reading this post in the first place!
As always, may you find peace and love in your life. And Merry Christmas.
⅓ c. dehydrated chopped onion
½ tsp. granulated garlic
2 T. parsley (dried or fresh)
½ tsp. ground savory
¼ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
¼ tsp. dried rosemary
pinch nutmeg
½ tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
2 T. milk
¾ c. uncooked oats
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. pork sausage
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. beef base
2 c. sour cream
Combine the onion, garlic, parsley, savory, paprika, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, salt, pepper, eggs, and milk in a bowl. Add the oats, ground beef, and pork sausage. Form into balls with a small ice cream scoop. Place on a low sided baking pan and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile whisk the cream of mushroom soup, beef base, and sour cream together. When meatballs are out of the oven, layer them with the sour cream mixture in a covered casserole.
Cover dish and bake at 350-degree for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking an additional 15 minutes.
There is just something about stuffed green peppers that practically brings me to my knees. First of all, I am a veggie lover. Have been my entire life. My parents often told the story that as a toddler I preferred green onions to ice cream. I’m not sure I believe them, but I stole veggies out of the garden as a child, (especially peas and tomatoes) so, my parents may have been telling the truth. (They usually did!) Anyway, I have loved stuffed green peppers from my earliest recollection. What I didn’t have as a child, however, were sloppy Joes. And there’s a good reason for that.
Some attribute the original Sloppy Joe to a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, where, in 1930 a cook named Joe added tomato sauce to his “loose meat” sandwiches. Voila: a new between-the-bread offering, and the sandwich’s official name.
Well, I didn’t grow up anywhere near Iowa, and Manwich, a portmanteau of man and sandwich, was the brand name for a canned sloppy joe sauce produced by ConAgra Foods and Hunt’s, introduced in 1969. And that was long after I had gone away to college.
Apparently, this canned product contained seasoned tomato sauce that was to be added to ground beef. It was marketed as a quick and easy one-pan meal for the whole family. Which, BTW, you can still buy at your local grocery store. But please don’t!
Sloppy Joes are just so much better made from scratch and don’t contain ingredients that no one can pronounce and require a PhD in food chemistry to analyze. So, if you are so inclined to make a real sloppy Joe some evening for dinner, you will find my recipe under the captivating title – Sloppy Joes. But back to these stuffed green peppers.
Since I already had several recipes for stuffed peppers on this site but am always up for changing things up a bit, I thought using meaty sloppy Joe sauce as the filling for stuffed peppers would make a nice change of pace. And boy howdy, were these babies tasty. And just the right amount of filling for 3 halved peppers. (And how often does that happen? In my case, never!) Anyway, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner last night. Along with half a baked sweet potato each, we feasted in style.
And tonight, for dinner, I am going to serve the leftover peppers with Cheesy Grits (see recipe below) and Fried Zucchini (also find recipe below). So, another opportunity to eat like kings.
And isn’t that the way it should be. Good homemade food with just a minimum of processed ingredients. Of course, a true food snob would look askance at store-bought ketchup and bottled Worcestershire sauce. But you know, there is being reasonable and then there’s being crazy. And to the best of my knowledge, I haven’t reached the “crazy” classification yet. (I don’t make homemade mayonnaise either.) (But I do make homemade hollandaise, but then that’s entirely different!)
Anyway, for every person there is what works for them in the kitchen. And a lot of it depends on time, monetary, and physical constraints. For me, I can still make most things from scratch. But that doesn’t mean that in 5 years (or less), I won’t be eating the words I wrote above about serving only homemade this and that. We can only do what we can do.
So, if taking shortcuts here and there gets delicious and nutritious food on your table, then go for it. We are after all, only human.
Peace and love to all.
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 med. white or yellow onion, diced
2 lg. clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried marjoram
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¾ c. water
3 T. tomato paste
2 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)
¼ c. ketchup
2 T. packed brown sugar
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. yellow mustard (don’t even think about using a fancy mustard)
3 green bell peppers, cut lengthwise (or red, yellow, or orange bell peppers)
1/3 c. beef broth (or water and beef base)
1 c. grated Mozzarella cheese
paprika
In a large, covered pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat; add ground beef and sauté until browned. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking until onion translucent. Add marjoram, chili powder, salt, pepper, water, tomato paste, beef base, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and mustard.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and let simmer until filling is thick, about 20 minutes.
Place the cut pepper halves in a large baking dish. Divide the beef mixture evenly between the 6 halves. Pour the beef broth into baking dish (to help peppers steam) and cover with foil.
Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven until peppers are tender, about 60 minutes. Uncover, and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake another few minutes until the cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately.
CHEESY GRITS
1½ c. whole milk
1 c. water
¾ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. granulated garlic
½ c. + 2 T. stone ground corn grits – not instant or quick-cooking grits
Mix the milk, water, salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic in a covered sauce pot. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, gradually whisk in the grits, until there are no clumps. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12-20 minutes, (depending on the package instructions), stirring occasionally.
Once the grits seem soft and thick, stir in the butter and grated cheese. Taste, then adjust seasonings as needed.
If the grits are thicker than desired, stir in ¼ – ¾ cup hot water. The grits will continue to thicken as they cool.
FRIED ZUCCHINI
1 egg, or more as needed
½ c. cornmeal, or more if required
butter
zucchini, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices
seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
Beat the egg in a shallow container. (I use an 8-inch round cake pan.) Pour cornmeal in another shallow container. (You got it, I use another cake pan.)
Melt as much butter as it takes to cover the bottom of a griddle or fry pan.
Dip the cut zucchini in the egg (both sides), then the corn meal (both sides), and place on the griddle.
Sprinkle on seasoned salt (don’t be shy) and a nice sprinkling of pepper. Using a paring knife, cut off small amounts of butter and tuck them in between each of the pieces of zucchini on the griddle. (This dish requires a bit more butter than is usually associated with a fried veggie dish. Thank you, grandma!)
Fry the zucchini until it is crispy brown on the bottom side. Carefully flip the pieces and fry the second side until crispy brown. Serve hot off the griddle.
Well, as promised in a recent post, this is my take on Peposo, a traditional Tuscan braised beef and black pepper dish. And as you will soon learn if you make, or should I say, WHEN you make this dish, this amazing preparation should probably have been christened – Braised Beef on Steroids! Because this is not a wimpy, ho/hum, what’s all the fuss about, kind of beef preparation. This dish is a full on, in your face, magnificent use of relatively inexpensive beef, Chianti (or other inexpensive Tuscan red wine containing at least 60% Sangiovese varietal), and a prodigious amount of black pepper. (FYI – Sangiovese is the predominant grape grown in Tuscany. So, if a Tuscan red would pass your lips, then that same wine would be perfect in this recipe.) But on to more great things you should know about this recipe.
It’s bloody easy to prepare. Yes, it takes time to burble its way to perfection. But while it simmers away, you can be doing other amazing things with your time. Like making a lovely green salad to go with this dish. Or start a load of laundry. Or clean your bathroom. Or my personal favorite, put your feet up and read a few chapters in your book. Speaking of books, if you have never read any of Michael Dibdin’s books starring Aurelio Zen, get with it! Fabulous reading if you are an avid mystery lover. If you don’t enjoy mysteries, then never mind. But if you are, and haven’t, then you are in for a treat! But, again, back to this recipe.
I basically made this recipe because I had a hunk of beef that I had found on sale that had been in the freezer since before Covid. Well, maybe not that long, but definitely would be deemed a bit long in the tooth if it were anything other than a piece of meat! So then, what to do with this hunk of beef that is starting to show signs of freezer burn? Well, trim off the offending part and go from that directly to the internet to try and find a recipe that would be perfect for chunks of beef. And easy to make also. And luckily for me, up sprung several recipes for Peposo. I took what I considered to be the best parts of several recipes, and the result you find below is what I came up with.
So, I hope you enjoy this recipe. As I stated above, Peposo is ever so easy to build and absolutely scrumptious. Especially when it’s served over polenta.
Well, that’s it for today. The sun is trying to break through the marine onshore flow that has been obscuring our view of Port Susan Bay and the Cascade Mountains. But if you live near the water, then you take what you get! And I’ll take this part of the world over almost anywhere else any day of the week!
May you too love where you are and who you are with. Because, like me, if you are happy with both, we are among the luckiest people on earth!
Peace and love to all.
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1½ – 2 lbs. lean beef (like top round or sirloin), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-inch cubes
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (more pepper added further down the recipe)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 c. Chianti or other Tuscan wine, divided
1½ c. beef broth
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes (preferably Italian tomats)
1 T. tomato paste (again preferably Italian)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 T. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed pan that has a tight-fitting lid. (I use my large Le Creuset Dutch oven.) Sprinkle the beef cubes with salt and pepper, then place in the fry pan. Cook beef cubes until each side is a deep, dark brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add ¾ cup of the Chianti to the pan and let it cook down a bit, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any of the brown bits. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Return to a boil.
Cover the pot, reduce heat to very low, and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
Stir in the remaining Chianti and the tablespoon of pepper, raise the heat to medium, and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes uncovered, or until the sauce is quite thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove the bay leaf.
Serve over Creamy Parmigiano-Reggiano Polenta. (See recipe below.)
Leftovers are wonderful!
CREAMY PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO POLENTA
4 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (just a smidge)
1 c. polenta (not instant)
2 T. unsalted butter
½ c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano* or Pecorino-Romano**
Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a large saucepan; pour polenta slowly into boiling broth, whisking constantly until there are no lumps.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. (Mixture should still be slightly loose.)
Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring periodically. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy, and the individual grains are tender.
Turn off heat and gently stir in the butter and the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
Stir polenta before serving.
*Parmigiano-Reggiano is aged longer than Pecorino-Romano, so it is harder, drier, and has more of a nutty, sweeter flavor profile, often with mellow caramel notes.
**Pecorino-Romano, which is a younger cheese, tends to be softer and creamier, with a brighter, grassier, tangier, and saltier flavor profile. (We love both these cheeses!) (And use them interchangeably.)
I believe I have stated many times that I love ground beef. Good ground beef that is. The kind that looks like it just came out of an old-fashioned meat grinder. (I don’t care for the mushy stuff that I am finding more and more at my local grocery stores. So, I am about to rebel and tell the fine folks in the meat departments just exactly what I think of the product they are currently passing off as “ground beef”.) (I’ll let you know how that turns out!)
Anyway, I had a package of really good ground beef (wagyu) in the freezer that I believe my good friend Jim gifted me several weeks ago, that I had been waiting to use for something special. (It was so long ago I might have bought the meat myself. But Jim often gives me unique and delicious food items that he has discovered. So, even if the ground beef wasn’t from him, he is getting the credit.) But back to what I was saying about waiting to use this beef. (And really, for what I was waiting, I really don’t know. But none-the-less, I was conscientiously determined not to use this wonderful meat for something like tacos. (Too plebeian for words!} The meat had to be used for a special dish.)
And I do believe this recipe for beef patties and gravy fits my criteria. Because these beef babies, when served over polenta and smothered in gravy are good enough to serve to even the pickiest gourmand. Really!
Now, I am not going to tell you that this is a quick and easy meal to prepare. Because that would be a lie, and I refrain from lying unless it is absolutely necessity. (Yes, those pants make you look 20 pounds lighter. That kind of little white lie.)
So, when you decide to serve this to your nearest and dearest, give yourself time to make the patties, gravy, polenta, and either a side salad or a steamed green veggie. And of course, do not forget appetizers and dessert. This recipe demands that appetizers come first with dessert to follow the meal. (OK, not necessary if you are only serving it to your family. But to guests, there MUST be appetizers and dessert.)
(Patti’s rules of hosting guests demand appetizers and dessert. Even if your guests are bringing one or both!)
Well, that’s it for today. I have Candied Ginger Molasses Cookies in the oven, and I must see to them. If the recipe works, you will know all about it in the next couple of days. If it doesn’t work, you won’t hear a thing from me!
Peace and love to all. And do try this recipe. It is FABULOUS!!!!
For the hamburger patties:
½ c. yellow onion, very finely minced
3 T. grated frozen unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-1¼ lb. lean ground beef
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
Gently combine the minced onion, butter, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and ground meat. Don’t overwork the meat or it will make the meat tough.
Form into 4 or 5 round, plump patties. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Several hours is better.) Remove meat from fridge and season each side with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the hamburger patties and sear on each side for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. (The patties will not be cooked through. That will come later.) (Save the pan, plus grease, for the gravy.)
For the onion and mushroom gravy:
1 yellow onion, peeled, halved, then halved again, and thinly sliced
8-10 button mushrooms, thickly sliced
5-6 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 c. beef stock (I use 2 cups water and 2 healthy teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef base)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried thyme
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Heat the pan and the remaining oil used to cook your beef patties and add the onion. Stir over low heat for several minutes or until the onion is soft and starting to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook until they too are starting to brown.
Add the flour and stir for 1 minute or until the onions and mushrooms are coated.
Slowly add the beef stock, whisking the whole time. Then add the mustard, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Add the seared hamburger patties back to the pan and cook uncovered until the patties are cooked through.
Serve with Savory Cream Cheese Polenta (see recipe below) or mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. (It’s all good!)
SAVORY CREAM CHEESE POLENTA
4 c. water
1 tsp. beef base
¾ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
scant 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1 c. yellow polenta (not instant)
2 T. unsalted butter
4 oz. (½ pkg.) low fat, Neufchatel,or regular cream cheese
Bring the water, beef base, salt, pepper, and dried thyme to a boil in a heavy, covered 2 or 3-quart pan. Slowly whisk the polenta into the boiling liquid to prevent any lumps from forming.
Lower the heat to a very low simmer. Continue to whisk the polenta until it just starts to thicken. Then cover the pan and let the polenta cook for 25 minutes.
Stir occasionally so that the polenta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. The polenta should be soft and tender when done. If not, let it cook a little longer.
Stir in the butter and cream cheese. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
(Now, there’s a recipe title if there ever was one!)
Having already posted a recipe for an easy, delicious homemade au jus – Homemade Au Jus (no drippings required) and my recipe for Caramelized Onions, I thought I should also provide you with the other culinary parts that I consider to be required for the perfect French Dip Ground Beef Sandwich. (Of course, each of these components could be used in other dishes, but I’m sure you would have figured that out for yourself!)
1 – Easy Soft French Baguettes, 2 – Seasoned Ground Beef Patties, 3 – Caramelized Onions, and 4 – Homemade Au Jus (No Drippings Required)
But seriously, all 4 used in combination for these sandwiches make for one tasty dining experience. Perfectly seasoned ground beef patties, placed on the bottom half of a soft and tasty baguette, then topped with caramelized onions, the top half of the baguette placed lovingly over the whole mess, and before each bite taken, dipped in a marvelous tasting au jus. (Please no bad marks from academics who might take umbrage at that last sentence. I penned it fully aware of what I was doing, including length, grammatical errors, and all!)
To continue, I made these sandwiches the other night for dinner. And every part of the sandwich was a success.
Now I’m not going to expect those of you who aren’t retired to arrive home in the evening and whip up these tasty sandwiches for your adoring family. That would be going above and beyond the call of duty. But on a weekend? Even then that might be asking a bit much. So, cheat. (That’s what I would have done while I was still gainfully employed.) Delight in buying baguettes and au jus in package or liquid form. But the seasoned ground beef part is easy. So are the caramelized onions. So, if you are going to expend any effort in the making of these sandwiches, do so on the parts (patties and onions) that can’t be purchased at your local grocery store.
But, if you are like me, a lover of all things homemade and with adequate time to spend on meal preparation, make every bit of this sandwich from scratch. It will be totally worth your effort. Let the fun begin.
And as always, peace and love to all.
EASY SOFT FRENCH BAGUETTES
1 c. warm water
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1½ tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. kosher salt
1½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the mixing bowl
2½ – 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 sm. egg
Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer. Let sit for 5 minutes or until you see the yeast starting to bubble. Add the kosher salt, olive oil, and 2 cups of the flour to the mixing bowl. Using your dough hook, mix on low speed until thoroughly combined.
Add in enough of the remaining flour to form an elastic, smooth dough ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This will take about 5-6 minutes.
Add a small bit of olive oil to the bowl, and using a stiff rubber spatula and your clean hands, form the dough into an evenly greased ball. Cover with a clean kitchen tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, between 60-90 minutes.
Divide the dough into fourths. Place a small amount of flour on a clean surface and flour your hands. Stretch and pat each piece of dough until it is about 5-inches long.
Place the formed baguettes onto a parchment paper lined baguette pan* or a greased baking sheet. Make a few slashes diagonally across each baguette. Cover with your tea towel and allow to rise another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425-degress after the first 15 minutes of rising time. Also, place about 8 ice cubes in a small cake pan.
After the dough has risen for 30 minutes, place the pan in the pre-heated oven on the middle rack and the pan containing ice cubes on the bottom rack. Then quickly close the oven door.
Bake the baguettes for a total of 20 minutes. After placing the baguettes in the oven, whisk the egg in a small bowl. At minute 12, pull the bread out of the oven, and spread the baguettes lightly with the egg wash. Return the pan to the oven for an additional 8 minutes or until the bread is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads between 190 and 200-degrees. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
This recipe can easily be doubled.
*See a picture of the type of baguette pan I use under my recipe for Thin Sourdough French Baguettes.
SEASONED GROUND BEEF PATTIES
1 lb. lean ground beef
1½ tsp. Monterey Steak Seasoning
freshly ground black pepper (just a bit)
extra virgin olive oil
Mix the ground beef, Monterey Steak Seasoning, and pepper together. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 4-oz. each). Shape each portion into a rounded rectangular patty a little less than ½-inch thick, to match the shape of whatever roll you are using.
Pour just a bit of olive oil in a frypan and let the oil heat until it begins to shimmer. Place the formed meat in the pan and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and cooked to medium doneness, about 8 minutes total.
Remove the burgers from the pan. Scrape any juices or brown bits left in the frypan in with the au jus you are using. (The more flavor in your au jus, the better.)
CARAMELIZED ONIONS
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. unsalted butter
1 lg. yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
pinch kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch dried thyme leaves
Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
Caramelized onions can be made ahead and refrigerated. Warm before serving.
HOMEMADE AU JUS
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ c. dry red or white wine (I’ve used both, and either one is great)
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. Kitchen Bouquet, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
4 c. water
2 T. Better Than Bouillon Beef base, or more to taste
Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two more.
Deglaze the pan with wine, then add the Worcestershire sauce, Kitchen Bouquet, and black pepper. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Add water and beef base; bring to a light boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Can be made ahead and warmed just before serving.
PUTTING THE SANDWICH ALL TOGETHER
Place the burgers on the bottom half of the baguette. Top with a good spoonful of the caramelized onions and the top half of the roll. Serve with the warm au jus on the side for dipping.
In my attempt to reduce the amount of meat we consume, I usually have a small, beautifully marbled steak safely tucked away in our freezer. Never large enough for grilled steak for 2, but enough for a dish like this. So, the other evening I decided to do something with the aforementioned piece of beef that had been residing in our freezer longer than any amount of common sense on my part would dictate! But then what to do with said tiny bit of steak?
I had been to the grocery store the day before and purchased about ¾ of a pound of cremini mushrooms, confident that I could find something wonderful to do with a paper bag full of fungi. And what better way to feature these beautiful baby portabellas than in a savory, saucy beef stroganoff. Then I got to thinking that the Au Jus I made for our French dip sandwiches the night before would make an excellent base for a stroganoff sauce. (I love it when a plan comes together!)
So, that’s how this recipe was conceived. Need, lucky purchase, and a beautiful au jus sauce that was easy to make, delicious, and contained all the right ingredients. The rest, as they say – is history. And yes, of course I already have a recipe for beef stroganoff on this site under the catchy title – Beef Stroganoff. But it’s a bit different. And now you too have 2 recipes for beef stroganoff from which to choose.
Well, that’s it for today. I’m feeling extremely lazy and all I really want to do is read my book. But Mr. C. isn’t feeling well. So, yesterday I made him chicken soup with dumplings, and today I threw together oatmeal cookies. (Mr. C. spoiled? Nah! Just well loved!) As I hope all of you are too.
Peace and love to all.
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
¼ c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 T. dry red wine
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. Kitchen Bouquet, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 c. water
1-2 T. Better Than Bouillon (Beef flavored)
4-5 oz. piece of lean beef steak, thinly sliced across the grain
1 T. cornstarch*
unsalted butter (about half a stick)
3-4 c. thickly sliced cremini mushrooms (button mushrooms are great too)
2 T. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
1½ c. sour cream
2 c. thick egg noodles, cooked al dente
Heat the olive oil in a heavy covered saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two more.
Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add the Worcestershire sauce, Kitchen Bouquet, and black pepper. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Add water and beef base; bring to a light boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for about 30 minutes. Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated until needed.
While the sauce is simmering, coat the meat with cornstarch* and set aside. (The meat should sit for about 20 minutes.)
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large fry pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are nicely browned. Remove from pan and add another tablespoon of butter to the pan along with the meat. Fry the first side just until lightly browned. The top side should still be pink. Flip and fry the second side for only about 30 seconds. Remove from pan and add to the mushrooms.
(If all the butter is gone, add another tablespoon or so.)
Add the flour and seasoned salt; cook it for about 2 minutes. Then gradually whisk in the beef sauce making certain you get every last bit of the stuck on bits from frying the mushrooms and meat. Bring to a boil. Add the sour cream, and once again bring just to a boil. Add the cooked mushrooms, meat, and cooked noodles. Taste and adjust seasoning.
* Cornstarch protects the meat from touching the hot oil directly and locks the moisture inside, thus resulting in tender meat.
The other evening, I was hungry for soup. (Actually, when do I not have a strong craving for soup would be a more accurate statement.) Anyway, I wanted soup for dinner. But I didn’t want a soup that would take a great deal of time to prepare or need to burble on the stove for hours. I wanted a quick, easy, yummy Italian flavored soup that contained pasta. Normally a veggie soup would contain chunks of potato. But I happen to be married to a guy who does not appreciate boiled potatoes. French fries, baked potatoes, and mashed potatoes are OK occasionally. But cut up potatoes in soup or chowder does not in any way, shape, or form appeal to this guy. But pasta? Absolutely!
For the soup, this time, I used extra wide egg noodles because I had just the right amount left in a big old bag that I really wanted to use up. I wanted it gone from my pantry. (One of my New Year’s projects is to clean out my pantry. This was a good beginning.) But next time I make this soup, I will be using a sturdier pasta.
And of course, because this was a beef vegetable soup, I began with a mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery sautéed in oil). Then I added garlic and many of the other usual suspects you would find in any beef and veggie soup. A pretty simple preparation, but hearty and very tasty. You of course, could choose to add more veggies. But I found this to be the ideal balance of veggies, meat, and pasta.
I chose to serve the soup liberally sprinkled with pecorino-Romano cheese. We love this hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. It was the perfect complement to this brothy Italian soup, being an Italian cheese after all!
So, if you too would like to serve a soup that I feel everyone in your family would enjoy, this is probably the recipe for you. Simple, savory, and satisfying.
1 c. dry pasta (I think Fusilli, Rotini, or penne are best)
grated pecorino-Romano cheese, opt. (for serving) (Parmesan in a pinch)
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the veggies are crisp tender. Add the garlic and cook until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, seasoned salt, and pepper, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
When the meat is cooked, add the beef broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and Kitchen Bouquet. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pot, and allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the carrot pieces are tender. Stir occasionally. Add more beef broth if you prefer a more brothy soup.
Bring the soup to a boil and add the dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Remove bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve piping hot. Pass the pecorino-Romano cheese.
Of course, I know it’s technically summer. And finally, and I do mean FINALLY it appears that summer has landed here in the beautiful northwestern part of the great state of Washington. The fact of which I am quite sure my outdoor potted plants will readily attest. (They were really thirsty when I watered them yesterday morning. To the extent that a couple were drooping from lack of turgor pressure.)
Your botany lesson (reminder) for today: Turgor pressure – the pressure exerted by fluid in a cell that presses the cell membrane against the cell wall. Turgor is what makes living plant tissue rigid. Loss of turgor, resulting from the loss of water from plant cells, causes flowers and leaves to wilt. (Actually, turgor pressure is one of the only things I remember from the college freshman botany class I took in 1962. That and the difference between herbaceous and woody plants. And only then because my lab partner and I gave each other the nicknames “Herby” and “Woody”. But I digress….
Anyway, I served this terrific soup last evening for dinner. Even though the temperature had been in the mid-eighties. Because, basically, I enjoy a good soup year-round. And this, dear friends, is a very good soup. And let me tell you right here and now, that compared with making lasagna from scratch, this dish is a snap to prepare.
I can’t tell you how many times over the years, I have finished making lasagna and swearing never to do it again. And then several months later, forgetting the time involved, end up vowing to not make the same mistake again. Basically, I have been repeating this process for decades now. And yes, you would think the girl could learn. But apparently not! (At least now, I have a reasonable alternative that tastes divine and only takes about a fourth of the time to assemble.)
Now don’t get me wrong. I still love lasagna in all it’s iterations. And because I do love this quint essential Italian dish, I plan to develop other soups that include the basic ingredients from my favorite lasagna recipes. (Roasted Mushroom Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce immediately comes to mind.)
So, a big thank you to Lauren from the tastsbetterfromscratch.com site for the bones of this recipe. I changed her recipe dramatically, but the basic premise is all Laurens.
Well, that’s it for today. You’ve had your botany lesson for today and been provided with a simple recipe for a great soup that I know your entire family will enjoy. Hopefully your day will be wonderful, productive, and bring you pleasure.
If you are like most people, life can get in the way of taking care of yourself. This is something I have only come to realize as I’ve gotten older. Before it was rush, rush, rush to make everyone’s life around me perfect. Nothing is perfect, no matter how hard we as cooks and care givers try to make it so. But when we take good care of ourselves, we have a basis for taking good care of others. Taking care of ourselves should always be a top priority. (Well, that and having fun in our kitchens.)
Peace and love to all.
1 c. cottage cheese (run through your food processor to make it smooth)
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
¾ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ c. roughly chopped fresh basil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 lg. yellow onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 (28-oz.) can tomatoes (preferably Italian)
2 T. tomato paste
6 c. water
1 T. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef base)
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. fennel seed
1-2 Parmesan rinds, opt.
4-6 lasagna noodles, broken into small bite sized pieces
3 c. roughly chopped baby spinach leaves
In a small bowl, stir the processed cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil together. Set aside.
In a large heavy covered pot over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and sausage until browned. Remove meat from the pot and drain as much grease off as possible. Set meat aside.
In the same pot, add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the canned tomatoes (plus juice), tomato paste, water, beef base, salt, pepper, bay leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, oregano, dried basil, fennel seed, and Parmesan rinds.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. After about 40 minutes, remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind(s), taste and adjust seasoning before increasing heat and adding the broken lasagna noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are al dente.
Add the spinach and cooked meat. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the meat is hot.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and dollop a scoop of the cheese mixture on top.
The noodles I use anytime egg noodles are called for in a recipe. (Costco)
As a younger woman, I could routinely eat a beautifully rare 12 oz. steak and all the fixing’s and still have room for dessert. Now, I can’t even finish a 6-oz. steak, much less a baked potato. And I find this reality completely inequitable! When I was younger, I couldn’t afford to buy or order a really great piece of meat. And now that I am older, I can occasionally justify serving or enjoying a truly fabulous steak in a restaurant but don’t have the room to finish the whole darn thing! Where is the “fair” in this dilemma?
So, the other evening as three quarters of my delicious steak lay uneaten on my plate, I decided this perfect bit of meat could not go to waste. Plus, I had been promising Mr. C. Beef Stroganoff for quite some time. So, this became one of those aha times. Leftover Steak Stroganoff – here we come!
Using my old tried and true Beef Stroganoff recipe as a guidline, this recipe came into being. And what a wonderful way to use up leftover steak. As long as you only add the thinly sliced steak right at the last minute, you don’t have to worry about the rare steak becoming tough.
So, not only is this dish delicious, it’s very quick and easy to prepare. Served with a nice green salad or veggie, it’s perfect for a couple of older appetites, with leftovers the next day for lunch. Better and better.
Well that’s it for today. I don’t have the energy to write a long rant (diatribe really) about the state of our union, so consider yourself lucky.
Have a wonderful day. Be kind to everyone, including yourself. And remember, none of us had a choice in the color of our skin, the parents we were blessed or cursed with, or anything else that was given to us at birth. The only real choice we have is in how we use the blessing we were given to not only make life better for ourselves, but also for those around us.
Peace and love to all.
2 T. unsalted butter
½ sm. onion, diced
1 lb. sliced button mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c. water
1 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef)
¼ c. dry red wine
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. paprika
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 c. sour cream
2 c. thick egg noodles, cooked al dente
⅓ – ½ lb. thinly sliced rare steak
Heat butter in a heavy frying pan. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and sauté until nicely browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the water, beef base, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until the mixture starts to thicken. Add the thyme, paprika, black pepper, parsley, and sour cream. Bring just to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Stir in the cooked noodles and meat. Bring back to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and serve at once.
