CARNE’ ASADA

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 Garden Tomato Salsa.
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BEEF & BROCCOLI

BEEF & BROCCOLI
1 pound flank or round steak cut into thin strips
3 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup snap pea pieces
1 Jumbo egg, white only
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 small bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon Better than Beef Bouillon

  • Slice meat into thin strips.
  • Whisk together the egg white and cornstarch.
  • Pour over meat and toss to coat well.
  • Marinate in the refrigerator for an hour or so before preparing the meal.
  • Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok.
  • Saute’ broccoli pieces for several minutes until crisp, but tender and then add garlic and onion slices.
  • Remove with a slotted spoon and add more oil if necessary.
  • Stir fry meat pieces for several minutes until cooked through.
  • Whisk together the hot water, bouillon, soy sauce, sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes until well blended.
  • Add broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until glaze forms/
  • Add vegetables back in and heat through.



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CHEESEBURGER CUPS

CHEESEBURGER CUPS
1 pound ground beef
1 small bunch green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
12 ounce tube buttermilk biscuits
12 2×2 slices of sharp cheddar cheese

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a large skillet brown ground beef and green onions.
  • Drain off fat.
  • Stir in ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
  • Grease a each cup of a muffin tin.
  • Press a biscuit into each muffin hole and upp the sides.
  • Spoon beef mixture into each cup.
  • Top with a slice of cheese.
  • Bake 14-16 minutes or until golden brown and done.
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TWISTED PEPPER STEAK IN GRAVY

1-2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 pounds round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 3 inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic (jar)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can beef consomme or
a scant 2 cups hot water with 2 teaspoons beef granules
Roux

  • In a large skillet heat olive oil
  • When hot, brown the beef slices, drain and transfer to the slow cooker
  • In the same pan combine the consomme, onions, tomatoes and juice, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic and soy sauce.
  • Bring to a slow boil.
  • Pour over beef.
  • Cover and cook on high for 1 hour
  • Reduce the heat to low and cook 3-4 hours until beef is tender
  • Add the red pepper
  • Cook 1 more hour
  • Return heat to high
  • Using a large pasta claw remove the meat and peppers to serving bowl
  • Add Roux
  • Stir into the gravy and cook until desired thickness
  • Pour over meat in serving bowl and toss to coat
  • Serve over white rice or noodles



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MEATLOAF MUFFINS

1 pound lean hamburger
1 box onion and mushroom stove top
1 clove minced garlic
2 eggs
1 cup water

  • Mix all together and then divide amongst 12 muffin cups.
  • Bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes.

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Hamburger Steaks with Parmesan Potatoes and Onion Gravy



HAMBURGER STEAKS
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound hamburger
1 sleeve Keebler club crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 Jumbo eggs
1 tablespoon liquid Smoke – MYSTERY ingredient
PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES
6 medium red potatoes, washed and cut into pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup Buttermilk
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

  • Combine all the hamburger steak ingredients until well mixed. Form six steaks.
  • Bake 30 minutes in convection oven at 350 degrees.
  • 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.
  • Bring potatoes to a boil until tender. Drain.
  • Combine potato ingredients and beat until smooth.
  • Enjoy

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BACON CHEESEBURGER HAMBURGER HELPER NOT!!


BACON CHEESEBURGER HAMBURGER HELPER NOT!!
6 bacon strips cooked crisp and crumbled
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups green giant frozen corn, thawed
2 large Yukon potatoes, sliced
Land o’ Lakes American Cheese Slices

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Toss bacon and corn together.
  • Layer potatoes over top.
  • Generously salt and pepper the potatoes.
  • Place a thin layer of cheese slices over potatoes.
  • Brown hamburger and onions together. Salt and pepper well while meat is browning. Drain off fat.
  • Layer over the potatoes and top with another layer of potatoes.
  • Salt and pepper again and layer with another layer of cheese.
  • Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
  • Uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

**I like to make this and the ITALIAN SAUSAGE BAKE back to back (that way I also have 2 meals ready to go with half the mess) so the left over bits of browned sausage and caramelized onion add flavor to the hamburger.
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MEXICAN MEATLOAF

I’ve been trying to use up some ingredients here and this recipe was born out of that need. We really enjoyed it especially since it started as a serious guinea pig recipe.

MEXICAN MEATLOAF
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 small ripe avocados, mashed
1 small onion, chopped
1 can ROTEL tomatoes, drained well
1/2 can enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon chili pepper
1 egg
1 sleeve saltines, crushed
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated cheese

  • Combine all the ingredients except the cheese and enchilada sauce.
  • Form the meatloaf in a loaf pan.
  • Pour the enchilada sauce over top.
  • Bake for 1 hour.
  • Top with cheese and leave in oven only until cheese melts.
  • Let settle 5 minutes before serving.
  • Top with a dollop of sour cream.
hubby approved

CHILI HOMINY BAKE

Back when I was a latch key kid I was supposed to go home after school, lock the door, do my chores and homework and then start dinner. Dinners were mainly casseroles and a pre-planned set of recipes at that. One of those recipes was my great aunt Louise’s Chili Hominy Bake. I recently ran across that recipe and it drudged up memories – some good, some not so good. You see I can’t stand kidney beans or black olives and I hated hominy – or so I thought. I did love the overall flavor, but since I didn’t like the parts I decided to rework them to make a better whole!

AUNT LOUISE’S JIFFY CHILI HOMINY BAKE
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pound can chili with beans (2 cups)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can yellow hominy, drained (2 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup shredded American cheese

  • Cook ground beef and onion until browned.
  • Stir in other ingredients except cheese.
  • Put in casserole.
  • Cover and bake in medium oven for 25 minutes.
  • Sprinkle cheese over top, continue baking uncovered 5 minutes more.
  • Good re-heated.

MY CHILI HOMINY BAKE
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet Williams Chili seasoning
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained, but save the juice
1 can cream of celery soup
1 large can hominy, drained & chopped small
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste

  • Cook ground beef, garlic and onion until browned.
  • Add in the chili seasoning mix and tomato juice.
  • Cook until well blended and juice is absorbed.
  • Chop hominy smaller.
  • Stir together the soup, tomatoes and chiles, hominy until well blended.
  • Stir together the soup mixture and beef mixture until well blended.
  • Put in greased casserole.
  • Sprinkle cheese over top, continue baking uncovered 25-30 minutes more.
  • Good re-heated.



The key was taking out the kidney beans, black olives and chopping the hominy into better sized pieces. Now that might not be the key for you so add them back in! This is a very versatile recipe. I guarantee these changes will make this a great kid friendly casserole.

Taco Ring

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
taco seasoning
1 large onion, chopped small
4 oz. can chopped green chiles, not drained
1 package refrigerator crescent rolls 1
large tomato, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced

3 cups shredded lettuce
1 package Sargento Mexican blend fine shredded cheese

sour cream

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a skillet brown the ground beef and onion. Drain.
  • Add taco seasoning and green chiles.
  • Simmer 5-10 minutes. Drain again so there is no excess moisture.
  • I use my stoneware pizza stone. Lightly spray it with PURE.
  • Unroll the crescent rolls and separate them.
  • Arrange the rolls (wide edges inward with the thin corner edge slightly hanging off the pizza stone) in a circular pattern around the pizza stone with the corners slightly touching.
  • Arrange the meat mixture in a circular pattern covering the large end portion of the crescent rolls. Sprinkle 1/3 -1/2 of the cheese over the meat.
  • Pull the small pointed end up over the meat mixture and pinch into large portion creating a ring that resembles a wreath. You will have an open area with meat showing through.
  • Bake according to the biscuit directions and golden.
  • I also serve it on the stoneware. Arrange the shredded lettuce, green onions and tomatoes in the center and edges. For just us, I just put it directly on the plate.
  • Garnish with sour cream and remaining cheese.
  • Serve immediately.

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.

OLD FASHIONED ALL DAY MEATBALLS

In an effort to clean out my magazines and cookbooklets, I’ve decided to join Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice. What I really like is that she isn’t strict about when you post so I can publish these yummy results as I find them.

If you are anything like me, you have a drawer or a box full of recipes from newspapers, magazines, old maiden aunts, grandmothers, friends and every potluck you ever went to and said I have to have that recipe! Now while I usually keep the combination of spices and seasonings somewhat intact, I do make changes that make it more palatable to my family. So I always keep a list of likes, dislikes and allergies and am constantly altering recipes to fly by the seat of my pants.

These recipes have been floating around so long in the box that I have no idea where they actually originated, but one looks like a page from an old, and I mean OLD magazine and the other is handwritten. I have them stapled together with a note to combine them together. I’m like that – whatever works for my family. I had a girlfriend in college who loved fashion but was on such a strict budget there wasn’t room for the things she eyed. I remember Julie borrowing a fancy designer dress from a Joann, a girlfriend of ours for an event and then later that night she took it apart, made a pattern and made her own dress before putting Joanns dress back together. To my knowledge Joann never knew. Now I can’t do that with recipes literally, but I do do it in my mind as I’m eating a particularly tasty tidbit. Some days I feel like an archaeologist unearthing pieces to make a whole from.

OLD FASHIONED ALL DAY MEATBALLS
2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup garlic salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 small Vidalia onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup ketchup

  • In a large bowl combine the quick cooking oats, milk, eggs, onion, garlic and garlic salt.
  • Crumble the beef over top and then mix in well.
  • Shape into 1-2 inch balls.
  • Place in slow cooker.
  • Mix together the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire, raspberry jam and brown sugar.
  • Pour over meatballs.
  • Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until the meat is no longer pink.