beef

Cheeseburger Flatbread Melts

August 30, 2011 – 7:31 pm

This is a quick, easy and VERY kid friendly dinner idea. It’s almost like a sloppy joe on a delicious, buttery flatbread. Gotta love quick meal ideas for the busy back to school season! Next time I am going to do a taco flatbread melt by simply seasoning my meat with taco seasoning and topping with shredded lettuce, tomato and sour cream.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 cup water
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup ketchup
2 T mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T canola or vegetable oil
1 can Pillsbury thin or regular pizza crust
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown and drain ground beef. Add water, vinegar, onion soup mix, ketchup, mustard and garlic. Stir to combine and simmer over low heat. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp canola oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Divide the pizza dough into 6-8 equal portions and roll into a round, tortilla-like shape. Fry the dough for one minute on each side or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Top with beef mixture and shredded cheese.

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Sliders

August 9, 2010 – 11:28 pm

Confession time. I am currently obsessed with Sliders! I am not sure where it comes from honestly. But to me eating something tiny like a slider is WAY more enjoyable than eating one big burger or sandwich. I have made delicious meatball sliders found here, burger sliders and ham and swiss sliders. All 3 were awesome, particularly the last two which I found blog worthy. The burger sliders are best in my opinion when served with a side of perfect oven fries. The ham and swiss sliders are topped with a mustard poppy seed sauce and were served at my son’s first birthday party over the weekend. I LOVED them. These are definitely an ideal party food because you can assemble them in advance and then just pop them into the oven before serving. I have a feeling these will be on our menu a lot come football season! So slide, slide, slippity slide into your kitchen and make some.

The Perfect Sliders

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground sirloin
2 Tbs. finely chopped yellow onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 or 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
4 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese. quartered (optional)
12 slider buns, split (I found slider buns at the bread/bakery outlet and they also carry them at Cash & Carry)
Sliced tomato for serving
Sliced onion, for serving or you can grill them as we always do
Torn lettuce for serving
Sliced dill pickle for serving
Ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard or other condiments of your choice for serving

Directions:
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.
In a large bowl, mix together the beef, yellow onion, garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Form the mixture into 12 patties each 3⁄4 inch thick.
Grill the hamburgers directly over medium-high heat, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Check for doneness by cutting into a hamburger near the center or testing with an instant-read thermometer. No pink should show on the inside, and the internal temperature should register at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. If making cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese on top of each hamburger during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
During the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, toast the slider buns, cut side down, on the grill. Serve the hamburgers on the buns with tomato, white onion, lettuce, dill pickle and condiments.

Ham and Swiss Sliders

Ingredients:
For the sandwiches:
24 slider rolls (mini Hawaiian rolls are also recommended)
24 slices honey ham
24 small slices Swiss cheese
Mayonnaise

For the sauce:
1½ tbsp. yellow mustard
8 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. finely minced onion (or 2 tsp. dried minced onion)
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Poppy seeds, for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Split the slider rolls and spread the insides lightly with mayonnaise. Fold a slice of ham to fit on each slider bun, and top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Replace the top bun to assemble the sandwiches. Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet.
To make the sauce, combine all ingredients except the poppy seeds in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle the sauce over the tops of the slider buns. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake 2 minutes longer. Serve warm.

Baked Oven Fries:
Oven fries may seem like a simple side dish that just about anyone could whip up with no problem. At least for me, this was not always true. I have made baked oven fries many times in the past and they were always okay, but they weren’t “Oh my gosh, I love love love them” good. A large part of this was due to the fact that they had a mushy texture. If you’re aiming for a half decent substitute for real French fries, chances are you aren’t going for mushy.
I learned the trick of soaking your potato wedges in water before baking the fries and that definitely helped with the texture, but they still weren’t perfect. Well, leave it to the brilliant people of Cook’s Illustrated to perfect the technique because now I have the kind of baked oven fries that I’ve been searching for.

Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 tbsp. vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided
¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes. Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this). Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.
When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

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Cashew Beef Stir Fry

July 15, 2010 – 9:16 am

I have been seriously searching forever for a really good stir fry recipe. Most I have tried are just okay. This stir fry is IT for me. I love the addition of the cashews and all the delicious veggies. Something you can feel good about eating and not sacrifice a bit of taste!

Ingredients

1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cups cold water
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
3 medium carrots, julienned
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger
kosher salt, to taste
2 medium yellow or orange bell peppers, cut into strips
2 medium sweet red peppers, cut into strips
2 medium onions, halved and sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
1-1/2 cups salted cashews
Hot cooked rice

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, water and 2 tablespoons soy sauce until smooth; set aside. In a very large skillet or a wok, stir-fry broccoli and carrots in 1 tablespoon oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the beef, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ginger, salt, pepper and remaining soy sauce; stir-fry until meat is no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, stir-fry bell peppers, onions and zucchini in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Return beef to the pan.
Stir cornstarch mixture and gradually add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cashews. Serve with rice.

* Adjust seasonings to personal taste. The original recipe left out all but the salt and pepper. I wanted a bit more kick to mine.

Source: Taste of Home

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Memorial Day Series – Bobby Flay’s LA Burger

May 29, 2010 – 11:01 am

What’s a BBQ without a juicy burger?? This looks incredible! A perfectly grilled burger topped with an avacado relish, cheddar cheese, tomato and watercress. Go here and tell me this doesn’t look like burger perfection!

Directions

Bobby’s Perfect Patty
Shape 6 ounces of 80 percent lean ground beef chuck into a uniform patty, no more than 3/4 inch thick (don’t overwork the meat). Make a depression in the center with your thumb so the burger won’t bulge; the indent will rise as the patty cooks. Preheat a grill or cast-iron grill pan to high. Brush the burger with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred, turning once (7 minutes for medium-rare). Avoid pressing with a spatula! Add cheese for the last minute of cooking.

Cheese
Your pick: Monterey Jack is a California favorite, but Bobby loves this burger with cheddar, too.

Avocado Relish
Avocado is one of Bobby’s favorite ingredients. He mixes 2 chopped Hass avocados with 1/2 diced small onion, 1 minced jalapeno, the juice of 1 lime, 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper.

Watercress

L.A. doesn’t do iceberg lettuce, so Bobby tops off the burger with this peppery green instead.

Tomato

One thick, juicy slice takes the place of ketchup.

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Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

April 28, 2010 – 3:49 pm

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.
Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.
For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

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Individual Meat Loaves

April 28, 2010 – 10:41 am

Another Barefoot Contessa Fav.

1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don’t mash or the meatloaf will be dense. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

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Sloppy Joes

April 27, 2010 – 9:28 pm

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 crusty rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, Deviled Potato Salad, recipe follows

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops.

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