Extraordinary Entree: Stewed Beef and Okra

Ingredients

4 pounds beef shoulder
1/4 cup teriaki sauce
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 green pepper, rough chopped
1/2 yellow onion, rough chopped
1 pound okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups tomato sauce
reserved beef broth

Directions

1.  Trim the fat from the beef.

2.  Marinade the meat with the teriaki sauce, thyme, Italian seasoning, cloves, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cover with foil or saran wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3.  Transfer the marinated beef along with the marinade into a pressure cooker to braise...

4.  Add about 1 cup of water, and cook on med heat until the meat is tender.

5.  When the meat is cooked heat 4 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil in a large saute pan.

6.  Strain the cooking broth and set aside.

7.  Transfer the meat into the heated oil and brown.

8.  When the meat is browned add the green peppers, onion, and okra.

9.  In a small bowl combine the strained beef broth and the tomato sauce. Pour the sauce over the veggie-beef mixture and stir to combine.

10.  Cover the stew. Bring the stew to a vigorous simmer, then reduce to low and a calm simmer until you're read to eat!

11.  Serve with white rice, rice and beans, or boiled plantains.

Sassy Sauces and Seasonings: Beef Marinade II

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce (can use low-sodium)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste I use seasoned salt)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
3 cloves fresh minced garlic
1/2 cup store-bought teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey or 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Directions

Whisk together all of the ingredients.  Marinate beef in this sauce. Reserve sauce for use during cooking.

Garlic Mashed Potato...The Super Side Dish!

I love Garlic Mashed Potato.  It serves as a great side kick to Meatloaf, sits well at any potluck, or can serve as a delicious base for comforting Shepard's Pie.  I know whenever I'm planning any kind of dinner one of the first things I ask myself is: do I need to roast onions or caramelize onions? If the answer is no to either question, then I'm a pretty bummed cook for the day. The smooth subtle taste of garlic sets this dish off...but the use of herb infused half and half instead of mayo or sour cream lightens up the dish. I like when my mashed potato melts in my mouth like cotton candy, albeit kinda heavy cotton candy, but cotton candy nonetheless...

Oh you know where this works well?  Don't laugh, but I smear mashed potatoes on my burgers. UGH! I know!!!  I plot some on the top bun, press just a pinch, and enjoy!  Some day soon I'm going to feature a bunch of burger recipes and I'll have to gross you out with one with mashed potato mushed in one. Mashed Sweet Potato works great in a turkey burger, too...OMG, now I'm getting off topic.

Garlic Mash...I think of done extolling it virtues, but I'm not done eating it...I have some leftover from dinner this evening that I just might tear into!

LET'S GET COOKING!

Extraordinary Entree: Cornbread Shepard's Pie

Ingredients

Beef Filling:


1 tablespoon olive oil 


1 small onion, chopped and caramelized


1 1/2 pounds ground beef 

2 cups cooked mixed vegetables (peas, diced carrots and corn)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons water


Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mashed Potatoes:


5 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 small head roasted garlic


1/2 cups half and half 

1/2 cup butter

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cornbread Crust:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
2 cup half and half
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten


Directions

Filling:
Caramelize the onions for 30 minutes.

When the onion is soft add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon and brown.

When meat is just about cooked through stir in tomato paste and water (to thin out the tomato paste).

Stir in mixed vegetables until combined.  Don't worry if the vegetables are not cooked through because the baking process will cook the veggies through.  Season the beef throughout cooking.

Garlic Mashed Potato:  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Cut the top 1/4 inch of the garlic head to expose the garlic cloves.  Drizzle the exposed head with olive oil and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until fork tender, about 25 minutes.  Drain, cool the potatoes. Using a potato masher, mash the potato and stir in butter, milk, salt and pepper. Remove the garlic from the oven, and cut in half. Squeeze the softened cloves into the potatoes. Blend potatoes with an electric mixer until desired consistency is achieved.

Cornbread Crust: 

In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the half and half, oil, and eggs. Fold in the cheese; stir to combine.

Shepard's Pie:

Lightly grease a 13 X 9 glass baking dish with olive oil flavored nonstick cooking spray.

Spoon the garlic mashed potato onto the bottom of the glass baking dish, spreading it evenly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Add the meat filling, spreading that evenly over the garlic mashed potato.

Pour the cornbread batter evenly over the meat layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes until the cornbread is cooked through and golden on top.

Extraordinary Entree: Italian Meatballs

I love Italian food! Pizza, ravioli, stuffed shells, the list goes on and on, but nothing makes this girl happier than a simple plate of spaghetti and meatballs!  I LOVE serving this at my dinner parties for two reasons: 1) my meatballs are to DIE for and 2) the sound of slurping spaghetti is music to my ears. I love watching people enjoy my cooking! The sound of slurping spaghetti is the icing of on the cake for this dish!

To be clear, I'm not Italian, but I know a good recipe when I see one.  I adopted this meatball recipe from a combination of recipes I've seen around the web and put this winner below together. Every time I make it I purposely make enough to have meatball sliders the next day for lunch (or sometimes breakfast!). My preparation may be a little different, my ingredients may be a little non-traditional, but believe me when I say you'll enjoy these moist morsels of deliciousness!

Ingredients

1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf Italian Parsley, chopped fine (no stems)
1-1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb mild bulk sausage
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Olive Oil cooking spray
3 - 6 cups of your favorite marinara sauce (or use my recipe below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Place the onion, garlic, and parsley in a blender or food processor and puree.  Slowly add the chicken stock to form a paste. You may not end up using all of the stock.

 

In a large bowl, whisk together the puree, remainder chicken stock, spices, salt, red pepper flakes, and eggs. I like to call this the flavor mix.

Combine the flavor mix, meat, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese.  Mix by hand until the mixture is uniform, do not over mix.

 


Put a little olive oil on your hands.  Using an ice cream scooper, scoop out the meat mixture, and form mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.

Lay foil on a sheet pan. Spray with olive oil cooking spray. 

Cook for 25 minutes. Turn meatballs, drain excess oil, and cook for another 25 minutes.

 

While meatballs are cooking, heat the marinara sauce in a large pot.

Transfer the meatballs to the pot with the marinara sauce and simmer for at least one hour.

 Serve alone or over your favorite pasta.  Use any leftovers for a delicious Italian Meatball Slider!

 

Makes about 20 meatballs.

Sassy Sauces and Seasonings: Beef Marinade I

Ingredients

1 tablespoon green grind seasoning (recipe found here)
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup fat-free beef broth
1/2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
1/2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly mixed.

Pierce meat with fork and place in a seal-able container.

Pour marinade over meat and seal and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Marinade up to 8 hours.

Stews and Soups: Beefy Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 large onions, diced
2 lbs stewing beef, cubed
 and marinated (recipe found here)
2 bay leaves

1 bottle stout beer (12 oz)

1 cups beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
4 potatoes, diced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup froze corn, thawed
1 cup mixed frozen veggies, thawed
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup water

Directions

1. In a heavy frying pan or skillet, heat oil, add sugar and allow to burn until light to medium brown.

2. Add more oil if necessary and cook onion, garlic, cloves, and allspice.  Cook until onions are translucent and sugar is dark brown. So not allow to burn. If it burns, then start over. Don't worry, you're not on chopped or top chef, so you're not being timed!

3. Add marinaded beef (reserve the marinade) and stir well to coat pieces of meat

4. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly

5. Stir in beer, beef stock, beef marinade, and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until meat is tender (60-90 minutes)

6.  Add potatoes and simmer for 45 minutes or until fork tender.  Don't panic if the stew looks a little low in moisture. Just evenly coat the potatoes, cover the pot, and the potatoes will cook through.

7.  Add thawed vegetables during the last 15 minutes of simmering.

8.  Dissolve 2 tablespoons of corn starch in 1 cup water, and mix into stew to thicken the broth.   After mixing let sit for a few minutes to thicken, if not to desired thickness add more cornstarch and repeat.

Extraordinary Entree: Red Sauce Lasagna Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup marinara sauce
1 lb ground beef (1 pkg may be a little more than 1 lb and that's ok. The meatier the better.)
12 wonton wrappers (should be found in the produce section of your supermarket. Each package makes 25 muffins).
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Asiago/Parmesan cheese blend
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
Olive Oil flavored cooking spray
6-muffin baking tin (I think the 12-muffin baking tin makes them too small and the wonton wrappers don't fit as nicely in that tin.)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

Brown beef and season as you normally would. Drain of any excess fat.

Stir marinara sauce into brown beef and cook through. Set aside.

Cut wonton wrappers into circle shapes using a biscuit cutter or using the top of a drinking glass. For 2 layers 12 round wrappers will be needed.

Reserve 6 tablespoons Asiago/Parmesan cheese blend and 6 tablespoon mozzarella for the top of you muffins. Start layering your muffins. Begin with a wonton wrapper and press it into the bottom of each muffin tin.

Using about 1/2 tablespoon of each ingredient layer the wonton in the following manner: a) spread Ricotta cheese on the wonton wrapper; b) sprinkle Asiago/Parmesan cheese blend and mozzarella cheese; c) top with meat sauce.

Repeat layers ending with meat sauce. Top with reserved Asiago/Parmesan blend and mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. To remove use a knife to loosen the edges then lift and pop each muffin out with a spoon.

Extraordinary Entree: Meatloaf

Ingredients
Meatloaf:
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 pound lump sausage
1/4 teaspoon salt  

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup bread crumbs
1 overripe banana (yes...you read that right! Check out the inspiration at allrecipes.com)
1 large egg
2 teaspoon yellow mustard

Topping:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Gravy:
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a blender pulse together the onion and garlic into a paste. Set aside.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the onion-garlic paste with all of the meatloaf ingredients.

Press the meat mixture into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Topping: Only do this step if you're not doing the gravy below. In a small bowl, stir together remaining mustard, ketchup and brown sugar; pour on top of the meat loaf.

Bake in preheated oven for 2 hours.  Allow to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Gravy: Only do this step if you're not doing the topping.  While the meatloaf is resting, prepare the gravy. In a medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions; cook and stir until tender. Add beef broth; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine water and cornstarch in a small cup; stir into broth. Cook and stir for 1 minute, or until thickened.