Category: BEEF

NOSTALGIA, BOB’S BIG BOY & CHILI SIZES

A  million years ago, okay maybe not that long, but it sure feels like it some days, I worked for Bob’s Big Boy during college.  It was the 80’s when they could be found in every town during the iconic days before Marriott took over and ruined them.  We used to have a menu item called Chili Sizes that to be honest turned my stomach at the time,  Recently though I was thinking up new ideas for dinner and my good ideas always come in the shower when I have no pen and paper so was glad this one was easy to remember.  I had some left over Black Bean Chili so the idea just fell into place.

Their Chili Size was a half pound flame broiled burger, pinto beans, chili and cheese. Served with a dinner salad. Mine is a quarter pound flame broiled burger with Black Bean chili and pepper jack or cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

BLACK BEAN KITCHEN SINK CHILI

I call this kitchen sink chili because I use it to get rid of all the leftovers!  Today I added some leftover crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes and I was out of tomato juice so I used Budweiser Clamato.

 BLACK BEAN KITCHEN SINK CHILI
1 pound chuck steak, cut into 3/4 inch chunks**
15 ounce can diced tomato
1 can original Rotel tomatoes 
15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cups tomato juice
2 cubes beef bouillon
medium red onion, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
1 bunch green onions, sliced (reserve some for garnish)
sour cream
grated cheese

  • Combine tomato juice and beef bouillon until well blended.
  • Add diced tomatoes, Rotel tomatoes, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, blending well.
  • Add beef pieces, red onion and green onion.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil, reduce heat and then simmer 1 hour.
  • Top with sour cream, grated cheese and onions for garnish.
  • I served the chili over grilled hot dogs for hubby for opening night football.

**We had grilled rib eyes the night before and I got a great price on buying the family pack so we grilled them all and then I cut the remains into 3/4 inch chunks for the chili.  I have to say the charring added some great flavor.

STUFFED MEATBALLS & ROASTED VEGGIE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

  • I start with whatever vegetables I have in the vegetable bin. Today was Roma tomatoes, celery stalks, green onions and snap peas.
  • Then I drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper over it all and bake it for an hour at 400 degrees.
  • I started the sauce with a can of Contadina tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Better than Beef Bouillon paste, 2 cups orange juice and a V8. This truly was a clean out the fridge day.
  • When done roasting add the vegetables to the sauce and set to simmer all day. The vegetables will continue to cook down into a uniform consistency with the sauce. Salt & pepper taste.


For the meatballs:
1 pound hamburger
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
3 large slices sourdough bread, crumbled
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheeseAlign Center
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1 bunch green onions, finely minced
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
mozzarella cheese, about 4 ounces, cut into 1 inch cubes

  • Crumble bread into a large bowl.
  • Toss in Parmesan cheese, parsley, green onions and garlic.
  • Add meat and with your hands mix extremely well until you have a uniform mixture.
  • Roll meatballs around a Parmesan cheese cube.
  • Chill Meatballs until sauce is done.
  • Just before the sauce is finished, brown meatballs.**
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a medium high simmer until meatballs are cooked though, about 20 minutes.
  • Prepare pasta and Parmesan Cheese Bread while meatballs are cooking.
  • Enjoy

**If you prefer you can add the meatballs directly to the sauce and SLOW simmer for a couple hours instead of browning.

RED AND GREEN SHREDDED BEEF ENCHILADAS – These are the greatest enchiladas for leftover pot roast.

I take the leftover pot roast and shred it adding red enchilada sauce. Then I throw it in the freezer until we want enchiladas. Then I spread some sour cream on the tortillas, plop some red meat inside and add a bit of cheese.

Roll them up, top them with green enchilada sauce and a bit more cheese. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes and serve with homemade refried beans.

SMOTHERED CHOPPED STEAKS

SMOTHERED CHOPPED STEAKS

2 pounds ground sirloin
1 sleeve Keebler club crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 Jumbo eggs
1 tablespoon liquid Smoke – MYSTERY ingredient
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large heirloom tomato, chopped,
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
large shred cheddar cheese
  • Combine all the hamburger steak ingredients until well mixed. Form six steaks.
  • In a well seasoned cast iron grill, sear steaks on both sides.  About 4-5 minutes each side should leave you with medium steaks.
  • In a large skillet melt the butter. Saute the onions and garlic until fragrant and caramelized.
  • Top steaks with onions, tomatoes and cheese.

BEEF & PASTA PIE

This week is for a great casserole that looks good for potlucks or company.
BEEF AND PASTA PIE
3/4 pound mini penne pasta or elbows
3/4 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 large can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained
basic sauce (see recipe below)
4 eggs + the white from the sauce recipe below
1 package frozen broccoli florets, chopped small
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare pasta according to the package directions.
  • Saute meat, onion and garlic.
  • Drain off fat.
  • Add tomatoes, broccoli and seasonings.
  • Heat through. Add cheese and set aside.
  • Set aside.
  • Prepare sauce (recipe below).
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the sauce and pasta until well blended.
  • Spray a spring form pan with PURE.
  • Put 1/2 of the pasta mix in the pan and form a ‘crust’ along the bottom and up the sides similar to what you would a cheesecake.
  • Top with the meat mixture.
  • Finish with the remaining past mix.
  • Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes.
  • Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.
  • Bake on a cookie sheet just in case!
  • Run a knife around the edge before removing the sides.

SAUCE
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

  • Melt butter in a saucepan.
  • Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
  • Gradually add heavy cream, stirring constantly until thickens a bit.
  • Stir in salt, pepper and grated cheese and stir constantly until melted.
  • Whisk in egg quickly and heat through.

ITALIAN BEEF STROGANOFF

ITALIAN BEEF STROGANOFF
28 ounce can Contadina crushed tomatoes
8 ounce can Contadina tomato sauce
1 MAGGI beef seasoning cube
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 pounds chuck roast or chuck eye steak*, cut into stew sized pieces
2 cups cooked wide egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
fresh parsley

  • Layer beef chuck pieces, garlic and onions in bottom of slow cooker.
  • Whisk together tomatoes and sauce.  Microwave for 3 minutes until HOT!  Add beef cube and stir until dissolved.
  • Pour over meat and onions.
  • Cook 8-10 hours on low OR 4-6 hours on high.
  • Pour meat through colander so it is separate from the sauce.
  • Stir sour cream into sauce. 
  • Fold noodles into sauce mixture.
  • Fold beef back in.
  • Sprinkle with parsley.
  • Enjoy.

*these 2 pieces of meat are actually from the same cut, but I base it on which one is currently on sale.  This week I saved 50 cents a pound by using 2 steaks instead on 1 roast.

BEEF VEGETABLE STEW

BEEF VEGETABLE STEW

1 pound lean beef stew eat, cut into cubes
1/2 pound baby carrots, halved
1 large Vidalia onion, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Knorr Spring Vegetable Recipe Mix
1 cup V8 juice*
1/4 cup white zinfandel wine*
2 tablespoons brown sugar*
1 tablespoons tapioca*

  • Spray bottom of slow cooker lightly with PURE!
  • Place the beef cubes in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Layer onions over top of beef.
  • In a mortar and pestle, grind all the seasonings together to reactivate their properties.
  • Add to Knorr Spring vegetable mix and blend well.
  • Sprinkle over the meat and onions.
  • Add carrots.
  • Whisk together the wine, V8 juice, brown sugar and tapioca until sugar and tapioca is completely dissolved.
  • Pour this over meat and vegetables.
  • Cover and cook on low 5 hours, undisturbed.
  • DO NOT CHECK ON IT!
  • Serve Immediately over mashed potatoes.
*The tapioca, wine and brown sugar make a really nice thick gravy consistency with robust flavor when mixed with the V8.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

Traditionally this recipe is served with lingonberries – YUMMMMMMY!!
MEATBALLS*
1 Jumbo egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large slice white bread, crusts removed, and bread torn into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces ground pork, double ground
8 ounces ground beef, double ground
1 medium onion, grated or minced
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
Avocado Oil, heavy coat

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Whisk egg and cream together in small bowl. Stir in bread and set aside to soak.
  • Blend hamburger & pork, onion, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, brown sugar, and salt smooth and uniform.
  • Using fork, mash bread mixture until no large dry bread chunks remain.
  • Add mixture to beef mixture and blend until well mixed.
  • Form 1-inch round meatballs. You’ll have about 25-30. 
  • Bake 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
  • At this point you can either complete the recipe or freeze the meatballs for a later weeknight.

SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
Table salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Melt butter over medium high heat.
  • Once melted, add flour and cook, stirring constantly with whisk, until flour is light brown.
  • Slowly whisk in broth.
  • Add brown sugar and bring to simmer.
  • Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce is reduced to about 1 cup, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in cream and return to simmer.
  • Add meatballs back to sauce and simmer, turning occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.  If making the meatloaf, at this point pour sauce over the meatloaf and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over noodles.

CARNE ASADA & FRESH GUACAMOLE

According to Wikipedia Carne asada is a roasted beef dish, literally meaning “roasted meat”[1][2]. The dish mainly consists of pieces or thin cuts of beef (e.g. flank steak, skirt steak), sometimes marinated, sometimes lightly salted or rubbed with salt, pepper and/or spices, and then grilled. It can be eaten alone, with side dishes, chopped and eaten as tacos, or chopped and used as filler for tortas, burritos, etc. It is commonly accompanied with guacamole, salsa, beans, and grilled scallions and tortillas.
The dish is commonly prepared in the northern parts of Mexico (in the states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas) as well as in the American Southwest (especially Texas and New Mexico). It can be found as the main ingredient in tacos, tortas, burritos and fajitas, or is simply served as a stand-alone. It is sold at Mexican meat markets called “carnicerias” in the American Southwest; especially those states with Mexican/Mexican-American enclaves.
When purchasing carne asada from meat markets, consumers have two options available to them regarding the amount of preparation the steak has undergone pre-purchase: preparada, marinated meat as described above, serving as a time-saver for the home cook but typically at higher cost; and no preparada, unprepared meat, allowing for a home cook to create one’s own marinade. I buy unprepared meat and doctor my own.
All my pictures are before as we’re having it for dinner tonight. I’ll add an after picture later.



CARNE ASADA
2-3 pounds flank or skirt steak, sliced THIN
1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 lemons, 1 sliced thin, 1 wedged for squeezing
1 lime, sliced thin
1 orange, sliced thin
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon FRESH ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
  • Soak the meat in the vinegar for an hour or so.
  • Remove meat from vinegar and dry on paper towels.
  • Sift together all the seasonings and rub into the meat on both sides.
  • Layer the meat into a container alternating with the slices of lemon, limes, oranges and onions squeezing lemon juice on each layer as you go.
  • Let marinate for overnight or a day or so.
  • Grill on a VERY hot grill to desired doneness.
  • Serve with warm tortillas, Fresh Guacamole and Fresh Garden Salsa.
FRESH GUACAMOLE

3 large avocados
1 bunch green onions, chopped fine
1 red chile pepper or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon minced garlic, jar
Juice of 1 lime
1 small tomato, chopped fine seeds and all
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper

  • Cut avocados in half. 
  • Remove seed. 
  • Scoop out avocado from the peel. 
  • Using a fork, mash the avocado. 
  • Add the chopped onion, garlic, lime, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. Add your desired degree of hotness. Be careful handling the peppers; wash your hands thoroughly after handling and do not touch your eyes or the area near your eyes with your hands for several hours. 
  • Add the tomatoes. 

Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.

BAKED MEATBALLS w/ ONION GRAVY

MEATBALLS
1 pound hamburger
1 pound ground pork
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Panko crumbs or crushed saltines
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Using your hands blend all the ingredients together.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Roll meatballs into golf ball size meatballs.
  • Bake for 30-45.
  • Bake how ever many you need today and freeze the others for future meals. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

ONION GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1 tablespoons cream sherry
2 cups hot water
1 tablespoon better than bouillon beef base
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
salt and pepper to taste

  • In a large skillet melt the butter for the gravy. Saute the onions until browned.
  • Add the bouillon base, cream sherry and hot water. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, add flour and continue cooking to desired consistency.

BEEF POT PIES

    6 cups shredded pot roast
    2 medium onions, chopped
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    3 celery stalks
    1 small bag baby carrots
    1 small bag frozen green beans or 1/2 pound fresh, cleaned and cut
    2 cups beef broth
    12 oz. evaporated milk
    1/3 cup butter
    1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Wondra flour
    3/4 teaspoon thyme
    1/4 cup cooking sherry
    1/8 cup parsley
    salt and pepper to taste

    • Separate beef from fat and bones and set aside. 
    • Heat oil in dutch oven. 
    • Saute’ onions, garlic and celery until just tender. 
    • Transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with shredded beef. 
    •  Mix together beef broth and milk and microwave until steamy, 2-3 minutes. 
    • In a large sauce pan melt butter. When foamy stir in flour, parsley and thyme until golden. 
    • Gradually whisk in the hot milk mixture. 
    • Bring to a simmer and cook until thick. 
    • Turn off heat and stir in sherry, salt and pepper to taste. 
    • Stir in beef mixture and vegetables. 
    • Divide into 6-8 small French white Pyrex round baking dishes. 
    • Cover with lids and freeze.
    • When ready to bake, thaw and bring to room temperature. 
    • Cover with pie crust** and bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 
    • With this recipe you don’t end up with a bottom crust, but just think of how many calories you’re saving.


    **Pillsbury pie crust from the dairy section will make 2 pot pies with left over pieces for decorative leaves. Unfold a sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out gently. Measure the diameter of the pot pie bowls, and cut out dough rounds that are slightly larger in diameter. Repeat until you have made all the necessary tops. Whisk an egg in a small bowl. Lay the dough rounds on top of the pot pies. Brush the dough lightly with the beaten egg. Bake the pies for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately.