Beef & Barley Soup

So I know that in part of the country, there was a blizzard last week.  And while New York and Massachusetts were blanketed in snow, we were enjoying some 70 degree weather here! While that might not be normal soup weather, we enjoyed this beef and barley soup so much that it didn't really matter what the weather was like.

As I usually do (I can't help myself), I added some extra vegetables to this soup - extra carrots, sliced mushrooms, and chopped cauliflower.  They all worked very well in this dish - our 2 year old especially loved finding the cauliflower "trees" in her bowl.

We all loved this soup but the person who loved it the most was our toddler.  She had 4 bowls for dinner (small bowls but she still put away quite a bit of food!).  The next day she had almost as much for lunch so it was definitely a huge hit in our home.

I think this soup is hearty enough to have on its own for dinner but we added a salad to round it out - you could also include bread or a sandwich on the side, too. 

Beef & Barley Soup
Taken from: Pink Parsley
Serves about 8 (I halved this and got about 4 servings from it)

• 2 medium white or yellow onions, chopped fine
• 2 Tbs tomato paste (I omitted)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs minced fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3-5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup sliced or chopped mushrooms (optional)
• 2-3 cups of chopped cauliflower (optional)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dry red wine (I omitted)
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2-3 lbs beef blade roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 4 chunks
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, for serving (I forgot to add this)

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the onions, tomato paste, oil, thyme, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Stir well to combine and microwave for 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened.  Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, beef broth, chicken broth, carrots, mushrooms, cauliflower, soy sauce, wine, and barley.  Generously season the beef with salt and pepper and nestle it into the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook until the beef is tender, 9 to 10 hours on low, or 6 to 7 hours on high.
4. Carefully transfer the beef to a cutting board.  When it's cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces with 2 forks, discarding any fat.  
5. Use a large spoon to skim any fat from the surface of the soup.  Stir in the shredded beef and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the parsley and serve.

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Easy Banh Mi Sandwiches

We don't make many sandwiches.  Maybe because we never have deli meats in the house and usually only have bread when I make it so sandwiches here take some planning.  I had been wanting to try a banh mi sandwich for a while and while this is probably an adaptation of the real thing, it was pretty delicious.  What stood out to me, actually, was the shredded carrot and cucumber relish that's soaked in rice vinegar and a little sugar.  It was delicious! I would eat that all by itself.  But with a spicy sauce and then some Asian meatballs (which were very flavorful), this is the kind of sandwich I would make again and again.

I served this with some cauliflower tots (which fell apart but were delicious!) and a salad.

Easy Banh Mi Sandwich
Taken from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Makes 4-6 sandwiches

Spicy Sauce

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (like sriracha) or sweet Thai chili sauce (see note above)
• 1 green onion, white and green parts finely chopped

Relish:

• 3 large carrots, coarsely grated or cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 English cucumber, coarsely grated or cut into thin matchsticks
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Meatballs:

• 2 pounds ground pork (I used ground beef instead)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried (I completely forgot to add but will try to remember next time)
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (like Sriracha) or sweet Thai chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Sandwiches:

• 4 to 6 (6-inch) baguettes or hoagie buns
• Bunch of fresh cilantro

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the spicy sauce. Cover and refrigerate. This can be made several days in advance.
2. For the relish, toss together the carrots and cucumber. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, vinegar, salt and sesame oil. Pour over the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate. The relish can be made a day or so in advance.
3. For the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork (or beef), basil, garlic, green onions, fish sauce, hot sauce, sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Scoop the mixture into 1- to 2-inch meatballs. Place on a baking sheet or in a muffin tin.  
4. Bake the meatballs for 10-15 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the oven (I like to place the cooked meatballs one by one on a layer of paper towels to absorb any excess grease).
5. While the meatballs are cooking, slice baguette/buns in half (I prefer to cut almost all the way through but still leave the buns connected).  We prefer our bread warm - wrap them in aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes while the meatballs cook.
6. To assemble the sandwiches, spread the spicy sauce on the top half of the bread. Layer cilantro to taste on the bottom half. Place 3 or so meatballs (will depend on how big you made them) on top of the cilantro. Place a heaping spoonful or two (or three) on top of the meatballs. Press on the sandwich top and devour.

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Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

This dish was born out of necessity because I had half a package of top sirloin left and broccoli from our garden to use(!!).  This is my first time trying a vegetable garden (actually, it's pretty much my first time trying to grow anything), so it was nice to actually be able to enjoy anything from there.

Beef and broccoli seems like a classic combination so I was excited to try it at home.  We both really enjoyed this dinner, although it didn't hurt that we were able to sit out on our back patio and soak up the end of a beautiful day while we had dinner. I love spring here.

I served this with quinoa (I recommend that or rice to soak up some of the sauce!) and potstickers on the side.

Beef & Broccoli
Taken from: Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Serves 4-6

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Beef and Broccoli:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices (I used 1 pound of top sirloin instead)
• 6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
• 1 1/4 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal, optional

1. In a medium bowl, combine beef and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a liquid measure or small bowl. In another small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.
2. Heat 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Don't overcook the meat - cook until just barely cooked through so the meat stays tender. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and cover with a lid and tin foil. Heat another 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.
3. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until rippling and hot. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Push the broccoli to the sides of the skillet and add the garlic/ginger mixture. Cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Stir the mixture into the broccoli. 
4. Add the beef back to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 1-2 minutes. 
5. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions (if using), and serve.

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Maely's Chili (Slow Cooker or Stovetop)

To say this is weird weather is probably the understatement of the year.  At least where we live, it's warm, then cold, then warm and now it's taken a turn for cold -- again.

It's times like these that call for chili.  Actually, I love soup and stews anyway.  Without fail, I always put a soup or stew on our weekly meal plan throughout the winter (even though we don't always have much of a winter here, thank goodness!).  More often than not, my husband asks for chili.  And specifically, his sister Maely's chili.

My sister-in-law emailed me her recipe 4+ years ago right after my husband and I were married and it's been  our favorite chili recipe ever since.  (Actually, when my slow cooker was broken and I was looking for a stove-top version, America's Test Kitchen's chili was almost the exact same ingredient list, so Maely clearly has good taste!)

We love to pile ours with different things -- cheddar cheese, diced onions, cubed and roasted sweet potatoes (my favorite!), plain Greek yogurt, and maybe Fritos.  It's so perfect for cold weather and seems especially appropriate for football games.  Perhaps even for Super Bowl XLVIII? (Go Seahawks!)

Maely's Chili
Taken from: my sister-in-law (stove-top instructions taken from America's Test Kitchen)
Serves 6-10

• 3/4 - 1 pound ground beef
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 onion, chopped (probably about 1 cup of chopped onions)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 3-4 cans kidney beans (light and/or dark), drained and rinsed
• 1 large (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
• 3-4 cans chili beans (I usually use pinto beans and black beans instead if I can't find chili beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons chili powder or more (I start with about 3 tablespoons and then add in more if needed)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Toppings: diced raw onions (we prefer red onions), shredded cheddar cheese, plain Greek yogurt, cubed and roasted sweet potatoes, crushed red pepper (if you want extra heat), Fritos

1. For the slow cooker: In a saute pan over medium heat, add ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is almost done and then add the onions, garlic, and bell pepper.  Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are turning color. (You can drain some of the fat off now, if you'd like.)
2. Add beef and onion mixture as well as the rest of the ingredients to a slow cooker.  If possible, cook on low heat for most of the day (6-9 hours).  Taste and add more chili powder, salt, pepper or other seasonings if needed.

1. On the stove-top: Heat a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the beef until almost no pink is left.  Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about  4-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the beans and diced tomatoes (with their juice). Bring to a simmer, cover, then reduce the heat so it maintains a slow simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the lid and continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste and add more chili powder, salt, pepper or other seasonings if needed.  
4. Leftover chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The chili can also be frozen for up to 1 month (let the chili thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating).

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Teriyaki Meatballs with Carrot Rice

I'm a planner.  I have our weekly meal plans scheduled at least a week in advance, sometimes two. The meal plans often go through minor tweaks throughout the week but this week? My plan somehow fell apart.  Not necessarily in a bad way, but somehow this week I didn't have some ingredients for a dish (and refused to run to the store), my husband had a more frustrating day which clearly called for pizza, or I realized (in advance, thankfully) that a recipe was way too time-consuming for a weekday.  And then there was that incident with the dishcloth that started to smolder when I turned on the wrong burner on the stove.

But even though we've only had 1 meal that was originally on the week's menu, we've still eaten well.  Case in point: these teriyaki meatballs which were thrown on last night's menu primarily because I had all the ingredients and I had already prepped a Thai slaw.  But somehow, this meal came together so well! 

Although there were a few components, each step was pretty simple.  Rice into a rice cooker? Check.  Mix ingredients together and form the meatballs? Check.  While the meatballs bake, make the teriyaki sauce? Check.  Everything was excellent, too! The sauce was a great complement to the meatballs and the rice helps to soak up all the sauce.  We served it with a little extra sriracha sauce and sesame seeds alongside the Thai slaw and some edamame.  It was as if I had planned this meal all along.

PS - The meatballs and teriyaki sauce would also make great appetizers!

Teriyaki Meatballs with Carrot Rice
Meatballs and Rice taken from Martha Stewart
Teriyaki Sauce taken from Cookin Canuck
Serves 4-6 (more if used as appetizers)

Meatballs:

• 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 pounds ground dark-meat turkey or ground pork (I used ground beef instead)
• 3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced (I used minced red onion)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I omitted)
• 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• 4 teaspoons hot-pepper sauce (preferably Sriracha)
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Extra Sriracha and sesame seeds, for serving (optional)
• Carrot Rice:
• 1 cup long-grain white rice (I used brown rice in a rice cooker instead)
• 1 carrot, shredded
• Teriyaki Sauce:
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger (I didn't have so I used a dash or two of ground ginger)
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook rice according to directions (brown rice will take longer). Remove from heat and top with carrot. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then stir in carrot and fluff rice with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add turkey, scallion whites, cilantro, fish sauce, hot-pepper sauce, sugar, garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Gently mix to combine and form into 12 regular meatballs or 24 smaller meatballs. Place the meatballs in a muffin pan.
3. Bake meatballs until cooked through, 10-15 minutes (depending on the size).
4. While the meatballs are baking, in a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, brown sugar, water, soya sauce, 1/4 cup canola oil, ginger, garlic, flour, and sesame seeds. Whisk the sauce together and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.
5. Serve meatballs with rice, scallion greens (optional), sauce, Sriracha (optional) and sesame seeds.

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Lighter Shepherd's Pie

Since I am cheap frugal, I often check out cookbooks from the local library.  And the latest has been one of the best: Light & Healthy 2010 by America's Test Kitchen (the same people in charge of Cook's Illustrated).  I've made several of the recipes from this cookbook so far and they have been hugely successful! I still have several more to try before it's due back at the end of the month (apparently, I've overstayed my welcome and have to give the cookbook up). The recipes in this cookbook are a combination of naturally healthier dishes and lightened-up recipes (and bless them, they try to cut down on the cooking and prep time on the recipes, too!).

We recently tried their shepherd's pie recipe.  Shepherd's pie isn't exactly known for its light fare but with ATK's changes, they nixed 300 calories and 26 grams of fat.  It was delicious and quite honestly, you couldn't even taste that it had been lightened. In this recipe, I decreased the chicken broth to provide a slightly thicker sauce as ours was a bit too soupy.  However, Bryant still said it was one of the best he's had.  And just in time for St. Patrick's Day!


Lighter Shepherd's Pie
Taken from: Light & Healthy 2010 by America's Test Kitchen
Serves 6

•  3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 onion, minced (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 pound 90% lean ground beef (I used 93% ground sirloin)
• 5 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth (preferable homemade and low-sodium)
• 3/4 cup beer (Sorry Guinness, ATK actually prefers amber beers for this recipe - O'Douls was their surprising number one choice!)
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (I used 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn

Topping:

• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (3-4), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk*
  *A good substitute for buttermilk is pour 1 Tbsp of lemon or white vinegar in a 1-cup measuring cup and then fill the rest with milk

1. Adjust the rack to upper-middle position and heat the oven to 375.
2. Combine carrots, onions, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch skillet (I used my dutch oven instead). Cover and cook over medium-low until the carrots and onion have softened, 8-10 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium, add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through but still slightly pink, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the flour, tomato paste and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 minute.
3. Gradually whisk in the broth, beer, Worcestershire, and thyme. (Start potatoes in step 4 at this point). Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened but still saucy, 20-25 min. Take off heat and stir in peas and corn, season with salt and pepper and transfer to broiler safe 2-quart casserole dish (my dutch oven was broiler safe so I didn't switch dishes).
4. While filling simmers,bring 2 quarts water, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a simmer in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the potatoes are tender, 15-20 min. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Mash potatoes with buttermilk until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Spread the potatoes over the filling (they recommend starting at the outside of the dish and spreading to the middle with a rubber spatula) and smooth the top.  Make sure that the filling completely covers the top. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 min. Turn on broiler and broil until top is golden brown, 3-5 min. Transfer dish to wire rack and let cool 10 min.

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Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce...I had never had it before last night but after one bite, I was a convert.  We had it over our grilled flank steak (which set off our smoke alarms as just about everything does...our poor neighbors) and it was just delicious. I've never been a huge red meat fan (I was a downright picky eater growing up) but with this sauce, it was delicious.  And I didn't stop at my steak - I was using the chimichurri sauce over my steamed green beans as well.
 

As Bryant described, chimichurri sauce has same similarities to pesto.  Olive oil, herbs (in this case, parsley and oregano), garlic, salt...only in this case, you nix the nuts and add in red wine vinegar and black and red pepper flakes instead. Delicious, healthy and a great way to use up the extra parsley that always seems to be lingering in my fridge.

This dish also took minutes to come together - the chimichurri takes probably 10 minutes to prep and make and the flank steak takes about 10 minutes to cook and 10 minutes to rest (you could make the chimichurri while the steak is resting). Served with polenta and steamed green beans, it was an ideal weeknight dinner (you could also serve over a bed of lettuce as the blogger from Cookin' Canuck does for a great steak salad).

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Taken from: Cookin' Canuck

Serves 4-6

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning steak
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning steak
• 1/2 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing steak
• 1 1/2 pound flank steak

1. Preheat a grill to high heat. Brush both sides of a 1 1/2 pound flank steak with a generous amount of olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the steak on the grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until the steak is rare to medium-rare (145 degrees).
2. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. While steak is resting, in a food processor or blender, combine chopped parsley, red wine vinegar, water, minced cloves of garlic, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried hot red pepper flakes, and chopped oregano leaves. Pulse until the parsley and oregano are finely chopped, but not completely smooth, scraping down the sides after every few pulses. With the food processor running, slowly pour in 1/4 cup olive oil. Pour the dressing into a bowl and set aside. 
4. Cut flank steak across the grain.  Drizzle with chimichurri sauce.

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Potstickers

For the Super Bowl tonight, we've decided to split the food into the two halves of the game.  First half will be classic nachos, chips and salsa, guacamole, hummus with carrots and celery.  Second half will be more like our dinner, in the form of Asian Beef Skewers and potstickers.  It'll be our first time trying the beef skewers  but these potstickers are tried-and-true.  They do take a little time to make but are definitely a worthy appetizer!

Potstickers
Taken from: Everyday Food
 Makes 24 potstickers

• 24 rectangular (3 1/2-by-3-inch) or square wonton wrappers
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Napa or Savoy cabbage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces ground pork (I use 93% lean ground turkey instead)
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  

1. In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Wrap cabbage in a double layer of paper towels; firmly squeeze out excess liquid. Return cabbage to bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat.  Cook ground meat just until all the pink is gone.  Remove from heat and let cool in a medium bowl.  Add scallions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and cabbage. Mix well with a fork. Refrigerate leftover filling up to 2 days. 
3. Work with one wonton wrapper at a time, and keep the rest covered with a damp towel. Spoon one rounded teaspoon of filling in center.
4. In a small bowl filled with water, dampen fingers and wet the four edges of the wonton wrapper. To make a triangle, fold wrapper in half over filling, making sure the ends meet and filling is centered; press edges down firmly to seal (I use the tines of a fork to help seal the edges).
5. Transfer to a plate lightly coated with an oiled plate; cover with a damp towel to keep moist. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
6. Return skillet to medium-high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon oil until heated and add half the wontons and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Carefully add 1/2 cup water (oil may sputter), cover, and steam until translucent, 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and wontons. Serve with dipping sauce (below), if desired. 

Soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce
Taken from: Everyday Food
Makes about 1/2 cup

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

1. In a bowl, stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil.

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Poor Man's Beef Wellington

I have to say, I've never had a proper beef wellington but the idea of beef in a puff pastry...how could you go wrong?  However, you have to shell out quite a bit of money for beef tenderloin, one of the most expensive cuts of beef; enter the poor man's version of a beef wellington: a ground beef wellington.  And since I was bringing this to feed 3 hungry boys at the hospital, I just happened to have the perfect audience. 

The ground beef wellington was so good, too! You can make one large wellington or 4 individual ones (I even cut the individual ones in half).  First of all, it's just an impressive presentation of a golden brown crust and the smell just fills the room.  Bryant actually commented that tastes a little like a Shepard's pie in a flaky crust (it was from Jamie's Food revolution cookbook by Jamie Olivier, a native Brit).  While the ground beef wellington was great just the way it was, I'd like to tweak it next time by increasing the vegetables a bit and perhaps try serving it with some kind of sauce (maybe a spicy sauce?). I actually served it all on it's own but I think it would be good with a salad or (my next post) roasted cauliflower.

I have a feeling Bryant will be asking for this again...

Ground Beef Wellington
Taken from: Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
Serves 4-6 (or 3 really hungry boys)
If your puff pastry is in the freezer, make sure to defrost it by sticking the 2 sheets in the refrigerator the night before.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1-2 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1-2 stalk celery, diced
• 1-2 potato, peeled and diced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4-8 fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 4 twigs fresh rosemary, leaves pulled off the stems and chopped (I had to use two large pinches of dried rosemary)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 egg, beaten together in a small bowl
• 3/4 - 1 pound ground beef (make sure to use at least 90% as the fat will actually drain onto the baking sheet!)
• salt and pepper to taste
• a bit of flour
• 2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted if frozen

-Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large skillet on medium low, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, potato, mushroom and rosemary. Cook, stirring, about 8-10 minutes. Add the frozen peas and stir for about a minute more.  Place this mixture in a large bowl and set it aside for a few minutes to cool a bit.
-To the large bowl with the vegetable mixture, add the ground beef, half the beaten egg and salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix it well.
-On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry. You can put the two sheets on top of each other and roll out one big rectangle (about 14×16″) and make a large Beef Wellington or cut that into 4 smaller rectangles to make 4 smaller ones.
-Place 1/4 of the ground beef mix onto the long seam of each rectangle, brush the outside long edges with some beaten egg and roll up lengthwise, pinching the edges together to seal. Put on a large cookie pan, seam side down.  Repeat for each. (I actually had enough leftovers for a 5th.)
-Brush the tops with the rest of the egg and bake for an hour at 350 F.

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Mongolian Beef

I don't often go out for Chinese.  I like it but it's been years since I've had takeout and have only been to a Chinese restaurant a handful of times since high school.  But I like making Chinese food at home.  And when I saw this recipe, it immediately made our menu plan.  It also didn't hurt that broccoli AND mushrooms were on sale at the grocery store and we have grass-fed beef sold at our farmers market.  What more could you need? It did not disappoint either - this recipe turned out incredibly well (I might or might not have licked my bowl clean)! The brown sugar adds some sweetness but is nicely balanced from the heat of the red pepper flakes.  It's made our 5-star menu and will be a great go-to recipe.

Another plus? Stir fry is almost always a fast-cooking meal which is great when you want a quick (and fairly easy) dinner. But since it's so quick cooking, it's best to have all the ingredients all prepped (vegetables washed and cut, sauce already made, etc), by the wok and ready to go.  Whether you're making this for a quick dinner, a Chinese food fix or both, enjoy!

Mongolian Beef
Taken from: Handle the Heat
Serves 3-4

• 2/3 lb. flank steak, sliced across the grain
• 3 Tbsp. corn starch
•  2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. (heaping) red pepper flakes
• 2-3 large scallions, sliced
• 1-2 broccoli heads
• approx 6-7 mushrooms, sliced (if desired) or any other vegetable (baby corn, thinly sliced carrots, snow peas, etc)
• brown rice, cooked (I often cook rice ahead of time and store in the freezer.  While the Mongolian Beef does its last 4 minutes of cooking, I heat up the rice over the stove or in the microwave.)

-Cut steak fairly thinly across the grain.  Pat the steak pieces with a paper towel to get rid of any moisture. Toss the steak and cornstarch together and then shake off excess cornstarch using a fine strainer.
-Mix together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and red pepper flakes in a small bowl or large measuring cup.
-Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a wok or large fry-pan at medium-high heat and add the ginger and garlic.  Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant, then add the soy sauce mixture to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes and transfer back to the bowl or measuring cup.
-Heat the wok on medium high and when hot, swirl the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Add the beef and cook, stirring until just browned (approx 1-2 minutes).  Add broccoli and mushrooms to pan (I had precooked my broccoli and mushrooms slightly but I'll try it next time just adding the vegetables raw).
-Pour the sauce back in and let it cook with the meat. Simmer for around 4-5 minutes or until thickened.
-Place beef mixture on top of a bed of brown rice and garnish with scallions.

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Skirt Steak Salad with Blue Cheese

I knew my husband would like this recipe as soon as I saw it.  Steak and blue cheese...it's exactly his kind of recipe.  It didn't hurt that I also threw in a few beets for good measure (beets just happen to be one of his favorite vegetables). I love that it's a salad so you instantly get a few servings of vegetables in for the day (just make sure you're not using iceberg lettuce!).

This recipe also ended up being a blessing in disguise because we didn't end up getting home last night until almost 8 pm.  Luckily, since I had prepped the meat and roasted the beets the day before, all I had to do was cook the meat for a few minutes and shred some lettuce.  And not only was it a quick meal, it was a delicious one! My husband crowned it a 5-star meal, the highest of praises.  He's already requested that we have it again soon.

We used grass fed beef from our farmers market and it was delicious! It was incredibly flavorful AND it's much better for you.  Obviously, it's more expensive so I only cooked less than half a pound and a little went a long (and very delicious) way.

Skirt Steak Salad with Blue Cheese
Taken from: Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4 (I halved this recipe very easily)

• 1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat if necessary, halved crosswise, at room temperature
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese (or if you're like me and not a blue cheese fan, use feta cheese as a great substitute)
• 1/2 pound greens - baby arugula, spinach, romaine, etc.
• 3 tablespoons minced chives or finely chopped red onion (you can also use 2 thinly sliced scallions)
• 3-4 beets, previously roasted, peeled and sliced
• Steak Salad Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

-If you want beets, make sure they are fully cooked at this point!
-Pat steak dry; season on both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and many grinds of black pepper.
-Ways to prepare steak: 

• In a cast-iron skillet: Heat skillet on medium-high to high and add olive oil. When oil begins to shimmer, place steak in skillet and do not move it for 3-5 minutes (judge by the thickness of your steak; my steak was thin so 3 minutes was plenty). Turn it once, and cook for another 2-3 minutes for medium-rare (mine only needed 1-2 minutes). You may need to cook your steak halves separately, depending on the size of your pan.
• On a grill: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal or high heat for gas. Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, 3 to 6 minutes total for medium-rare.

-Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest, loosely covered with foil, for five minutes.
-Arrange lettuce on a large platter.
-Thinly slice steak on the diagonal, across the grain. Arrange over arugula, then toss halved cherry tomatoes, sliced beets and blue cheese over platter.  Sprinkle with chives/scallions/red onion. Serve with vinaigrette on the side or lightly toss salad just before serving.

Steak Salad Vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoon coarse Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/3 cup olive oil

-Whisk ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and adjust ingredients to taste.  Serve on side.

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Beef & Black Bean Enchiladas with Restaurant Style Salsa

Well, I was supposed to make this enchilada recipe several weeks ago but somehow, we never got around to it. I did half of the work and then stuck it in the freezer. This made dinner last night really easy to assemble - thaw out the enchilada sauce and meat, combine with cheese, cilantro and jalapeno, then assemble. Not a bad weeknight meal plan! The meat and beans were also great in tacos so if you have the meat already cooked and simmered, it makes for an even quicker meal.

Using ground beef and black beans instead of steak really helped to make this an economical meal. I had also stocked up on 100% vegetarian, non-antibiotic ground sirloin when it went on a big sale (and then froze it in 1/2 pound increments), making it even cheaper to make.

This salsa recipe tastes like it came straight from a Mexican restaurant...delicious! I had halved the recipe but it still made a TON. Which is fine with me - we'll be having this salsa again and again. I still haven't quite figured out how to make "medium" salsa - taking out the seeds of the jalapeno is too mild but when I keep them in (as I did in this case), it was too hot for us! But even though I'm still figuring out the right amount of heat for us, this recipe tastes pretty auténtico to me! It's also quite easy to make -- just throw in all the ingredients to a blender.

Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas
Taken from: Cook's Country TV

• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ - 3/4 pound ground beef (preferably 85% lean or leaner)
• 2-3 cups black beans
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions , chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce (I used fresh tomatoes pureed in the food processor)
  
• ½ cup water
• 2 cups shredded cheese (you can use part-skim mozzarella, Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese or a combination)
  
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped (remove seeds to make it milder)
• Corn or whole wheat tortillas

-Combine garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in small bowl. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook meat until browned (about 6 min), then drain off fat. Transfer meat to plate.
-Add onions to pot and cook over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and water and bring to boil. Return meat, beans and juices to pot, cover, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
-Strain beef mixture over medium bowl, pressing on mixture to break meat into small pieces and extract as much sauce as possible; reserve sauce. At this point, you could refrigerate the meat and sauce for up to 2 days or freeze each for up to a month.
-Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
-Transfer meat to medium bowl and mix with 1 cup cheese, cilantro, and jalapeños.
-Spread 3/4 cup sauce in bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Microwave 6 tortillas on plate on high power until soft, about 1 minute (if necessary). Spread 1/3 cup beef mixture down center of each tortilla, roll tortillas tightly, and set in baking pan seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and beef mixture.
-Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and spread to coat evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese evenly over enchiladas, wrap with aluminum foil, and bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese browns slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.

Restaurant-Style Salsa
Taken from: Good Life Eats

• 1 - 14 ounce can Whole Tomatoes With Juice (I used 2 fresh tomatoes instead)
  
• 1 - 10 ounce can Rotel Original (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies) or Rotel Mexican (diced Tomatoes with Lime and Cilantro)
• 1/4 medium onion, roughly chopped
  
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  
• 1/2 jalapeno, roughly chopped(seeds removed for milder salsa)
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/2 lime, juiced

-Combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—about 5 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings and adjust as needed.
-Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour before serving.

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Choosing Lean Cuts of Meat

I don't know about you but I am just intimidated by choosing cuts of beef and pork. If it's not listed in the recipe or if I want to do a substitution, I wander up and down the meat department, helplessly trying to decipher and decide. Does the word "loin" imply a leaner cut of pork? What's the difference between choice and prime beef? It might be very unusual for someone who likes cooking so much but when it comes to cuts of meat, I'm a complete novice.

In the past, I've assumed that more expensive equals leaner but I'm sure that's not always the case. Also, our budget (and my naturally Scrooge-y self) only allows for filet mignon or pork tenderloin for special occasions.

So after choosing what I assumed was a leaner cut of pork for our pulled pork last night and being sadly mistaken (I was deceived by the lack of visible fat), I realized I needed to start learning a thing or two about choosing cuts of meat - specifically, lean cuts of meat. And since I might not be the only one who's ever wondered the same thing, I figured I would pass along a little newfound knowledge!

No matter what cut you choose, look for meat that is antibiotic-free and 100% vegetarian-, pasture- or grass-fed (otherwise, there's a good chance that these animals are being fed parts of other animals which is disgusting, not to mention unnatural). Since buying these meats will probably be more expensive pound for pound, buy small quantities. But this doesn't mean that you have to go hungry. Here are a few tricks to make a little go a long way. You can try adding the meat to a dish with several other ingredients (think kabobs, tacos or pasta) to make a little seem like a lot. Or have the meat stand alone but use more filling sides (sides with beans can be a good choice) to round out the meal.

Beef
Information from here and here.

-Certain words on packaging indicate cuts that are lower in fat: round, chuck, sirloin or tenderloin. Here are some cuts to look for:

• eye of round
• top round steaks and roasts and sirloin
• top loin
  
• tenderloin steaks

-When buying ground beef, choose at least 85 or 90 percent lean. (Also, remember to drain off the fat after cooking the ground beef.)
-Choose "Choice" or "Select" beef, not "Prime," which usually has more fat.

Pork (and Lamb)
Information from the same source as beef.

-Leanest cuts of pork include the tenderloin, loin chops or leg (the same is true for lamb as well).
-Look for these cuts of pork:

• pork tenderloin
• boneless top loin roast
• bone-in sirloin roast
• boneless top loin chop
• bone-in rib chop
  

How to Prepare:

In case you're wondering the classic ways to prepare each cut, here's a helpful Everyday Food article: How to Choose (and Prepare) a Steak

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Week's Menu Plan & Sirloin Kabobs

Life seems to be back to normal - back to my menu plan and my farmers market shopping tomorrow. I did, however, go to a farmers market today to visit with a good friend. As a bonus, I got broccoli for the chicken chow mein and my friend gave me some blackberries as a (delicious) gift which I will promptly turn into blackberry crumb bars.

Week's Menu Plan

Friday: chicken chow mein with blackberry crumb bars for dessert

Saturday: spanakopita with Greek salad

Sunday: burgers (with roasted cauliflower and red bell peppers)

Monday: Italian wedding soup

Tuesday: eggplant curry with rice

Wednesday: balsamic chicken with mozzarella & basil

Thursday: ahi tuna bowl over rice

Also, the sirloin kabobs we had last night were delicious. They were so tender and moist, even though I forgot to use the extra marinade to baste the sirloin while grilling. Also, next time I'll toss the vegetables in olive oil, oregano and salt and pepper before grilling but they still turned out well.

We've been buying grass-fed beef (higher in omega-3s, lower in saturated fat) which is definitely better for you but more expensive. Since we keep a stricter budget, we buy a smaller amount and make it count when we do have it. Kabobs are a great way to stretch a budget. We got 4 meals out of 3/4 of a pound of beef (which means a lot for us!).

Sirloin Kabobs
Taken from: AllRecipes

• 1/8 cup (equivalent to 2 Tb.) soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage (I used carbonated water with flavoring)
  
• 1 pound beef sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• skewers (if you have wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10-20 minutes and they won't burn on the grill)
  
• 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pineapple cubes (fresh or from a can)
  

-In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, light brown sugar, distilled white vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage. Reserve about 1/2 cup of this marinade for basting. Place steak in a large resealable plastic bag. Cover with the remaining marinade, and seal. Refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight.

-Toss vegetables with olive oil, dried oregano, salt and pepper.

-Preheat grill for high heat. Thread steak, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and pineapple onto skewers in an alternating fashion. Discard marinade and the bag.

-Lightly oil the grill grate. Cook kabobs on the prepared grill for 5-10 minutes (on a George Foreman grill, it was more like 3-5 minutes), depending on your desired doneness. Baste frequently with reserved marinade during cooking.

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Menu Plan and Spanish Rice Casserole

While I originally wanted to write about something else entirely, I first want to tell you (read: brag) about my husband's bread baking abilities. My husband just made bread today using my dad's recipe for loaf bread. He started in the morning before church and by the time we got home, it had completely risen (almost bursting out of the bowl). He did a second rise in the bread pans and FINALLY (patience is clearly a virtue I need to work on) baked it. And this bread turned out delicious! We're always looking for ways to make foods healthier so he used white whole wheat flour (which is a new staple in our household), ground rolled oats and some King Arthur all-purpose flour. It was incredibly light and didn't taste at all like there was wheat in it. In short, it was bread that rivals my dad's. Excuse me for a second while I go back to the kitchen for my third slice.

However, I didn't want to just brag about what a lucky wife I am but I also wanted to share this week's menu plan and a Spanish rice casserole recipe we had last week. I'll try to include links to any recipes that are online in case you're interested. I typically make my menu plan from Saturday-Friday; I plan it on Thursday or Friday which allows me to be prepared to do most of the produce shopping at the Farmers Market on Saturday.

Yesterday (the real beginning of my list of this week's meals), I made Chicago-style pizza for the first time. The recipe needs a few tweaks but did get rave reviews from my husband both yesterday for dinner and today for lunch. However, I've only had real Chicago pizza once so I'm not sure whether I was even close to the real deal. I need to find a Chi-town resident who can test this recipe. But whatever it was, it was tasty. Especially after a couple of changes, this recipe will probably be a future post!

MENU PLAN:

Sunday: Vegetable Linguine (http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2010/01/vegetable-linguine-recipe.html)

Monday: Jalapeno Lime chicken (http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2010/06/jalapeno-lime-chicken-recipe.html), crisp roasted potatoes (http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/detail.php?docid=20855&extcode=M**ASCA00), and steamed green beans

Tuesday: steak tacos

Wednesday: Vietnamese summer rolls with shrimp (http://ahintofhoney.blogspot.com/2009/09/vietnamese-summer-rolls-with-peanut.html)

Thursday & Friday: Out of town!

-

Spanish Rice Casserole

Spanish rice casserole was dinner a few days ago. I actually switched around the week's menu plan but I knew we needed to have an early dinner that day to allow my husband to brave traffic and make it to his shift at 7 pm. This recipe looked both easy and easy to make-ahead. Also what was nice is that it was pretty versatile. I had a lone zucchini so I just chopped it up and added it to the casserole. I didn't have any green peppers only red, so that was an easy switch (for anyone looking to add more vegetables, you could probably a couple more vegetables in here and it wouldn't be noticed). Also, for extra fiber and protein, I added half of a can of black beans. This serves 4 but would be easy to double.

Taken from http://ahintofhoney.blogspot.com/2009/06/spanish-rice-bake.html

• 1/2 lb. ground turkey breast (could also use ground beef)
• 1/2 of 14.5 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped (could use other vegetables instead, like a green bell pepper)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped (could also use a 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes)
• 3/4 cup brown rice (Cook according to package directions)
• 1/2 cup chile sauce or prepared salsa
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2-4 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped (we like a lot of cilantro)

-Cook brown rice according to package directions (you could do this a day or two in advance).
-Preheat oven to 375 F.
-In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook onions, peppers, zucchini and garlic until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey, salt and pepper and cook until brown. Drain excess fat and return skillet to the stove top over medium low heat. Stir in the tomatoes, water, rice, salsa, cumin and Worcestershire sauce.
-Cook for about 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through. Put mixture in a 9x9 baking pan and press down firmly. (You could do up to this step a day in advance and then just bring the casserole to room temperature right before cooking).
-Sprinkle with the shredded Cheddar cheese.
-Bake at 375 F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with chopped fresh cilantro.

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