Cheeseburger Casserole

 Cheeseburger Casserole

 

 

 

 Perfect for a Fall day in October.  Meaty and cheesy and hearty!  I usually make this with egg noodles, but if I don't have any on hand, I use whatever pasta I do have like penne or rotini.  I typically serve this meal with a crusty bread and a Caesar salad on the side.  It is an easy meal that can be frozen.  After you put it together, put in the freezer and not the oven.  If you cook it straight from the freezer, it will take longer to cook. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
Kosher salt
3 cups wide egg noodles (about 5 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
12 ounces ground beef
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
One 14 1/2-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups grated Cheddar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Oil a 2-quart baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain and put in the prepared baking dish. Toss with the sour cream, Parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the bell peppers and scallions and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Make a space in the pan, add the tomato paste and toast for a minute. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the diced tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Pour the beef mixture over the noodles and sprinkle with the grated Cheddar. Bake on the middle rack until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Filets with Mushroom Sauce and Parmesan Popovers

• Beef Filets with Mushroom Sauce and Parmesan Popovers
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• Sunday Dinner.  This is a wonderfully, hearty meal.  The steak is perfection and the popovers divine.  The whole thing is low fat too- thanks to Cooking Light.  I love their publication and often use recipes from them for healthier meals.  This will be a good one for tonight! Enjoy!
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  PreparationPopovers:
• 1 cup fat-free milk 
• 2 large eggs 
• 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cooking spray 
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
• Sauce:
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups boiling water 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 4 ounces sliced fresh cremini mushroom caps (about 2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup pinot noir 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• Beef:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 6 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. 1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 2. Combine milk and eggs in a bowl. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt to milk mixture, stirring well; let stand 30 minutes. Place popover tin in oven for 5 minutes. Remove tin from oven; lightly coat popover cups with cooking spray. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until puffed and golden.
3. 3. Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl, and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserving mushrooms and soaking liquid. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots to pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add cremini mushrooms to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until almost tender. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in porcini, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil. Cook until liquid almost evaporates (about 3 minutes). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over mushroom mixture; cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Gradually add the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, stirring constantly; bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Stir in herbs.
4. 4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle beef with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add beef to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 10 minutes.
5. 
   

Julianna Grimes, Cooking Light 
NOVEMBER 2011

Grilled Steaks with Ginger Butter

 

 

 

Grilled Steaks with Ginger Butter

Ingredients:

2 New York strip steaks
salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 freshly ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons softened butter
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Preheat your BBQ grill or stove-top (oven-safe) pan to medium-high heat.Combine the garlic powder, five-spice powder, and pepper in a small bowl.  Also,  add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Rub the spice mixture on the steaks. Place the steaks on the grill (or pan) spice-side down and let them cook, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, until grill marks (or dark sear marks) form. Flip the steak and cook for another few minutes, until the steak is cooked to your liking.  Transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm. Let the steaks sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing to retain their juices.
Meanwhile, combine the butter and ginger in a small bowl. Add a spoonful to each steak before serving. You can also make this ahead of time, wrap it up in wax paper, and store it in the freezer. It slices into "coins" nicely that way.from Perry's Plate

Baked Chimichangas

Baked Chimichangasfor the Mexican Meat Mix:
2 lb. beef roast
1-2 cups beef broth
olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles
1 7-oz. can tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. cumin
3 Tbsp. flour
juices from roast
salt & pepper

for the chimichangas
12 8-inch flour tortillas
sour cream
roma tomatoes, diced
salsa
lettuce, shredded
guacamole

Set out a crock pot large enough to fit your roast. Turn on low.

Heat a small drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Generously season both sides of roast with salt and pepper and place in skillet. Brown on all sides. Place browned roast into warm crock pot and add beef broth until it reaches about half way up the roast; between 1-2 cups. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours. Alternately you could put the roast in a roasting pan in the oven at about 275 degrees F for about 2-3 hours.

Once roast is cooked, remove meat to a large platter, reserving juices. Shred meat and set aside. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds, then sprinkle with flour and saute another minute or so. Add green chiles, tomatillo salsa and cumin, then reserved meat and juices (should be around 1 1/2 cups-feel free to add more broth if you don't have many drippings). Cook about 5 minutes, until it has thickened. Cool slightly.

*Preparing the Mexican Meat Mix can be done a day in advance to minimize time spent in the kitchen during dinner prep.

To assemble the chimichangas: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Warm tortillas in the microwave about 20-30 seconds so they are pliable when rolling. Spread about 1/4 - 1/3 cup Mexican Meat Mix on lower third of tortilla. Fold bottom edge up over filling, then fold sides toward center and roll up the rest of the way. Place on greased baking sheet and continue with remaining meat mix and tortillas. Brush the tops of each chimichanga with olive oil and bake about 20-30 minutes or until lightly golden.

Serve on top of a bed of shredded lettuce. Top with your choice of garnishes: sour cream, chopped fresh tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, cheese, olives, etc.

*These freeze very well. Once you are done rolling them all up, stop there and place them in a zip-top freezer bag. When you're ready to bake, continue with the rest of the instructions, baking slightly longer to account for them being frozen.

Comfort Food - Beef Brisket

Comfort Food - Beef Brisket

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 pounds brisket roast, fat trimmed to 1/4-inch
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
8 ounces baby bella or crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pat the brisket dry with paper twoels and prick the roast all over with a fork. Cut the brisket in half crosswise into two roasts (just like you’d cut a sandwich or apple in half). Season each roast with salt and pepper.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Brown the brisket on both sides (working with one roast at a time), about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer fat-side up to a 9X13-inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining roast.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. Add the mushrooms and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the onions and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the flour, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broths and bay leaves, scraping up any browned bits. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 6-7 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the roasts in the 9X13-inch pan and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake the roasts in the preheated oven until very tender, 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, flipping the roasts and recovering the dish halfway through cooling.
Transfer the roasts to a cutting board and trim any extra fat off, if the roasts are excessively fatty. Strain the sauce from the pan through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator; reserving the mushrooms. Let the liquid settle and then pour into a microwave-safe bowl, leaving the fat behind. Stir in the vinegar and microwave the sauce for about a minute. If the sauce is too thick, thin with chicken or beef broth. Slice or shred the brisket roasts and place on a serving platter with the reserved mushrooms. Pour the warmed sauce over the meat. Serve immediately.
Recipe Source: adapted from Cook’s Country, Dec/Jan 2012

Cowboy Dinner

Cowboy Dinner
Printable Version with Picture
Printable Version
*Serves 6-8
Beef Mixture:
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups salsa (jarred or homemade)
1 can (15 ounce) black, pinto or white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cornbread Topping:
½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk
Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.
In a large 12-inch skillet, brown the ground beef and onion, adding the salt and pepper, over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the pan. Stir in the corn, salsa, and beans. Pour the beef mixture into the prepared 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
For the cornbread, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, beaten eggs and milk. Whisk together until just moistened and no dry spots remain.
Sprinkle the cheese over the beef mixture and pour the cornbread batter over the cheese and beef mixture. Gently spread the cornbread to the edges of the pan, evening it out over the top of the casserole.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are bubbly and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Beef BBQ Sandwiches

Make your favorite creamy coleslaw to serve with or on this barbecue sandwich. Freeze any leftover meat for up to 1 month.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1  (3 1/2-pound) eye-of-round roast, cut in half vertically
• 2  teaspoons  salt, divided
• 2  garlic cloves, pressed
• 1  (10-ounce) can condensed beef broth
• 1  cup  ketchup
• 1/2  cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2  cup  lemon juice
• 3  tablespoons  steak sauce
• 1  teaspoon  coarse ground pepper
• 1  teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 12  Kaiser rolls or sandwich buns
• Dill pickle slices

Preparation

Sprinkle beef evenly with 1 teaspoon salt.
Stir together remaining 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, and next 7 ingredients. Pour half of mixture into a 5 1/2-quart slow cooker. Place beef in slow cooker, and pour remaining mixture over beef.
Cover and cook on HIGH 7 hours.
Shred beef in slow cooker with two forks. Serve in rolls or buns with dill pickle slices.

Southern Living, MARCH 2005

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy joes are easy to prepare and budget-friendly. For this recipe, throw all the ingredients together and let your slow-cooker do the work.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes
Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  pounds  lean ground beef
• 1  (16-oz.) package ground pork sausage
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 1/2  medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
• 1  (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1/2  cup  water
• 1/2  cup  ketchup
• 1/4  cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons  cider vinegar
• 2  tablespoons  yellow mustard
• 1  tablespoon  chili powder
• 1  tablespoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 8  hamburger buns, toasted

Preparation

1. Brown beef and sausage with onion and bell pepper in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring 10 minutes or until beef and sausage crumble and are no longer pink. Drain well.
2. Place beef mixture in a 4 1/2-qt. slow cooker. Stir in tomato sauce and next 9 ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Serve on hamburger buns.
Cooktop Method: Proceed with recipe as directed in Step 1, returning drained beef mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in tomato sauce and next 8 ingredients, omitting flour. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Prep: 15 min., Cook: 45 min.
Note: To freeze leftover Sloppy Joe mixture, let cool completely. Place in zip-top plastic freezer bags; lay bags flat, and stack in freezer. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or defrost in the microwave.

Roast Beef Party Sammies

Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  finely chopped walnuts
• 2  (9.25-oz.) packages dinner rolls
• 2/3  cup  peach preserves
• 1/2  cup  mustard-mayonnaise blend
• 3/4  pound  thinly sliced deli roast beef, chopped
• 1/2  pound  thinly sliced Havarti cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat walnuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly toasted.
2. Remove rolls from packages. (Do not separate rolls.) Cut rolls in half horizontally, creating 1 top and 1 bottom per package. Spread preserves on cut sides of top of rolls; sprinkle with walnuts. Spread mustard-mayonnaise blend on cut sides of bottom of rolls; top with beef and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Cover with top halves of rolls, preserves sides down, and wrap in aluminum foil.
3. Bake at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice into individual sandwiches.
Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step 2, and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator, and bake as directed in Step 3. For testing purposes only, we used Rainbo Dinner Time Rolls, Hellmann's Dijonnaise Mustard, and Boar's Head Londonport Top Round Seasoned Roast Beef.

Southern Living, OCTOBER 2007

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches

2 lbs boned chuck roast
2 C onion sliced
1 C bottled BBQ sauce
1 TBS corn starch
1 TBS water
6 Kaiser rolls

Trim fat from beef and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Place beef in slow cooker with onion and BBQ sauce. Cook for 8 hours on low heat.  Shred beef with two forks.  Combine cornstarch and water and add to crockpot.  Cook for 10 minutes longer.  Serve on rolls.

Barbecued Beef Sandwiches

2 lbs boned chuck roast
2 C sliced onion
1 C barbecue sauce
I TBS corn starch
1 TBS water
6 Kaiser Rolls

Trim fat from beef and cut into 1 inch cubes. Place beef in slow cooker, stir in onion and bbq sauce. Cover with lid and cook on low setting for 8 hours.

Remove beef and onions with slotted spoon and shred beef with two forks.  Set aside.  Combine cornstarch and water and add to the bbq sauce left in the slow cooker, stir weel.  Cook for 1 minute. return shredded beef to slow cooker and cook for 10 minutes . Serve on rolls.

You can freeze this for up to 3 months.