Franks and Sauerkraut
2 servings
Ingredients
4
4 all-beef organic frankfurters, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
2 cups sauerkraut, drained
Directions
Heat a skillet with a cover on medium heat. Melt the butter, add the onion, garlic, and paprika, cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the franks and sauerkraut, simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
Serve with rye bread or mashed potatoes.
My Homemade Rye Bread recipe.
Cucumbers in Sour Cream
Makes About 2 Cups
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, sliced into 1/4″-thick half-moons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons green onion (scallions), minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
Directions
Place cucumber slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, vinegar, honey, and dill in a mixing bowl. Add cucumber slices and toss to coat. Let salad stand for at least 5 minutes before serving, or chill for up to one day.
Serve this dish with your favorite sides. I had leftover potato salad and greens beans so I used them as sides for the meatloaf.
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups plain panko breadcrumbs or 4 slices of bread crumbled
2 pounds ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, with a rack placed in the center.
In a large bowl, pour milk over breadcrumbs or bread; stir until combined and let soak, about 5 minutes. Add beef, pork, onion, garlic, chili sauce, parsley, Parmesan, eggs, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using your hands, mix until combined; do not overmix or the meatloaf will be dense.
Gently pat into a log and place it in a greased baking dish or large loaf pan.
Bake 60-75 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees.
Remove the pan from the oven; let rest 5 minutes and slice each into 3/4-inch-thick slices.
Texas Chili
We like chili without beans but if you like them add 2 cups cooked red or pinto beans.
Ingredients
2 pounds beef chuck roast or stew meat
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
4 fresh green jalapeños or 2 poblano peppers, diced
2 tablespoons ground chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 whole dried large Mexican chiles
Chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Cut beef into 1/2-inch cubes and sprinkle with salt.
In a large, heavy pot over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the meat cubes, turning occasionally. Adjust heat to prevent scorching. As it is cooked, remove the meat to a bowl. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Remove to the bowl with the beef cubes. Add more oil as needed for browning and do not clean out the pot when finished browning.
To the empty pot, add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, jalapeños or poblanos, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, 5 to 10 minutes. Add browned meat, beer, tomatoes, whole dried chiles, and 1-quart water. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer about 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and the liquid has reduced. Remove the dried chiles. Taste and add salt if necessary. Stir in cilantro to taste.
Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate. The chili tastes best one or two days after it is made.
To serve, sprinkle with chopped onion and shredded cheddar cheese. Cornbread is a great side.
Hot Dog Cornbread Casserole
4 servings
Ingredients
Casserole
2 cups leftover Creamy Southern Succotash (recipe)
6 organic all-beef hot dogs cut into half-inch slices
Cornbread Topping
Vegetable cooking oil spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch baking pan with cooking oil.
Combine the succotash and hot dogs. Spread mixture in the prepared pan
For the topping
Stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cheddar into a medium bowl.
In a smaller bowl, stir baking soda into buttermilk. Whisk in sugar, egg, and oil.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients; combine quickly, using as few strokes as possible. Pour batter over the hot dog mixture and bake 30 minutes.
Steak Quesadillas
2 servings
Ingredients
Four 8-inch tortillas
2 cups Leftover steak, peppers, and onion from \the Steak burrito recipe
2 cups Mexican Four Cheese Blend
Jalapeno slices
Avocado oil
Salsa for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the quesadillas.
Lightly spray a large cookie sheetcovered with parchment with cooking oil. Place 2 tortillas on the baking sheet. Spread ½ cup of the cheese over each tortilla and then divide the leftover beef and pepper mixture over the cheese. Top with jalapeno slices and sprinkle each with the remaining cheese. Place a tortilla on top of each quesadilla and brush with avocado oil.
Place the baking sheet in the oven for a couple of minutes and bake for a couple of minutes. Open up the oven and with a large spoon, press down on the quesadillas.
Pressing down on the tortillas will flatten them and help them stick to the cheese. Continue to bake until brown and crispy. Remove and slice into quarters Serve with salsa.
Burritos
Ingredients
Marinade
1 orange
1 lime
¼ cup avocado oil
2 – 3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound beef flank steak
Burrito
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Half a large sweet onion cut into thin rings and rings halved
2 medium sweet bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced into thin strips
6-8 inch flour tortillas, warmed
¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro
1 cup of salsa
Directions
Zest the lime and orange. Juice both the orange and lime. In a large resealable plastic bag combine 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 2 tablespoons lime juice, avocado oil, chipotle peppers, cumin, and the salt. Add steak. Seal bag; turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 12 hours.
Remove meat from the marinade. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade; discard any remaining marinade. Pat meat dry with paper towels. In a large grill pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add steak to the pan. Cook for 14 to 18 minutes or until steak reaches desired doneness, turning once halfway through cooking. (Or, for a gas or charcoal grill, grill the steak on a greased rack of a covered grill over medium heat for 17 to 21 minutes or until steak reaches desired doneness.)
Transfer meat to a cutting board. Cover and let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Heat the same grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and peppers to the drippings in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in the zucchini. Cook 1 minute more. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
Lay tortillas on a flat work surface. Arrange the meat on the bottom third of the tortillas. Top with cooked vegetables, and cilantro. Roll up tortillas tightly. Serve with salsa.
Tips
If using a gas or charcoal grill, use a large skillet to cook the vegetables. Use 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in place of the drippings.
Cheese Sauce
ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
Stir over medium-high heat until all cheese is melted.
Creamy Southern Succotash
Ingredients
1 recipe cooked southern field peas (see recipe), drained
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
Cheese sauce, recipe above
Directions
After the cheese sauce is complete, stir in the drained peas and corn. Add the chili powder and simmer over low heat until hot.
Serve with the burritos.
Surf and Turf
Steak Ingredients
Two 6 oz. fillet mignon steaks, flatten lightly until an even thickness
2 tablespoons steak seasoning
2 tablespoons garlic butter, recipe below
2 tablespoons olive oil
Lobster Tail Ingredients
Two 4 oz. lobster tails
4 tablespoons garlic butter, recipe below
1/2 lemon cut into wedges
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish
Air Fryer Directions ( You can use the same directions to cook the steak and lobster in the broiler.)
Sprinkle the steak seasoning on each side of the steaks. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Brush each side of both steaks with 1 tablespoon of olive oil each.
Butterfly lobster tails by using kitchen scissors to cut lengthwise through the center of the shells.
Carefully spread the shell open where you cut. Place your fingers under the meat in the shell and firmly, but gently, pull it out in one piece.
Close the shell so that the lobster meat rests on top of the shell.
Melt 4 tablespoons garlic butter sauce over medium heat in a small saucepan.
Transfer 2 tablespoons of the garlic butter sauce to a small bowl and brush the lobster tail meat with it. Season the lobster tails with salt and pepper to your preference.
Place the filets and lobster tails with the cut lobster meat facing up in the air fryer and cook for approximately 4 minutes at 390°F. Turn the fillets and cook them and the lobster for 4 minutes more.
Remove from the air fryer and top each filet with 1 tablespoon garlic butter.
Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
Squeeze 1/2 a lemon over the lobster tail. Serve the remaining garlic butter sauce in a small dish to use as a dipping sauce for the lobster and steak.
NOTE
If using thick steaks: If your steaks are on the thicker side, you may need to cook them for 1 minute longer on each side.
Garlic Butter
Ingredients
1 stick-8oz- butter, salted (at room temperature) diced
2 cloves garlic finely chopped or pressed
1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
Directions
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, mix all ingredients until well-combined.
Heat in the microwave on high until melted.
Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
2 medium red potatoes boiled or baked until tender.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the oil in a small skillet. Place the potatoes in the skillet and flatten them with a potato masher. Cook over medium heat until brown. Turn over and brown the second side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
Asparagus Parmesan
Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed and cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Stir fry the asparagus until tender about 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove to a serving plate, sprinkle the asparagus with Parmesan cheese, and serve.
Old-Fashioned Salisbury Steak
4 servings
for the patties
11/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/4 cup fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons flour
For the sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups sliced onions( one large)
1 tablespoon minced garlic( one huge clove)
8 0z sliced mushrooms
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Directions
Combine the beef, parsley, onion, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Divide the mixture evenly into 4 portions (about oz each) and shape each into thick oval patties. Place 2 tablespoons of flour in a shallow dish; dredge each patty in flour. Reserve the remaining flour.
Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. add patties and saute 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from the pan to a plate.
Add onions and mushrooms to pan; saute 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; saute 1 minute. Sprinkle the reserved flour over the mixture and stir; cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, the salt, and thyme. Return the patties to the pan and bring the sauce to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
Steak House Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
4 medium russet potatoes
Olive Oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
4 pats of butter
Directions
Wash and dry each potato. Make several slashes with a paring knife in each potato. Brush a layer of oil over the entire surface of each potato. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top portion of each potato. Place the potatoes on a baking pan covered with foil. Bake at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Split open and place a pat of butter in each potato and serve.
Sauteed spinach In Garlic
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
Two 10-ounce bags frozen spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Directions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
Add spinach and toss to coat. Cover and cook until defrosted, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add lemon juice, salt, and crushed red pepper. Toss to coat and serve immediately.
Here is an easy dinner for when you want something simple.
Grilled Ribeye With Grilled Onion
2 servings
Ingredients
2 petite ribeye steaks, 6-7 oz each, ½-inch thick
2 thick slices sweet onion, cut from the center of a large onion
Olive oil Cooking spray
Steak seasoning
Salt
Directions
Sprinkle the steaks with steak seasoning and salt. Coat the onion slices with cooking spray;
Preheat an outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan. Oil the grill grates or the grill pan.
For outdoor cooking
Turn one of the burners off for indirect heat on the outdoor grill.
Place the onion slices on the indirect heat and turn them over when you turn the steaks.
Grill steaks until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
For indoor cooking
Grill the steaks as directed above and place them on a serving platter. Add the onion slices to the pan can cook over low for 2-3 minutes just until they show a few grill marks.
Place the onion slices on top of the steaks and serve.
Wedge Salad
Ingredients
Salad
2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Ranch Dressing or Buttermilk Dressing, see below
Crumbled blue cheese to taste
1 small tomato, diced
¼ cup diced red onion
Dressing
Whisk together in a small bowl:
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk,
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar Salt and pepper to taste
Stin in 1/2 cup crumbled mild blue cheese
Directions
Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a screw top and shake well.
Cut 1 small head of iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges; place a wedge on two individual salad plates and spoon some of the dressing over the wedges.
Top each with bacon, diced red onion, diced tomato, and more crumbled blue cheese.
This dish is easy to prepare early in the day. It reheats beautifully.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup flour
2 pounds boneless round steak, sliced thin (I used a 2 lb round roast)
2 cups low sodium beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cut round steak into serving-size portions. Pound the flour into the steak pieces.
Reserve the remaining flour. Sprinkle the meat lightly with salt and pepper.
In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter. Brown half the steak thoroughly, turning to brown the other side. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining steak. Add more oil if needed.
Saute the onions and sliced mushrooms in the skillet for about 5 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir in the reserved flour.
Add the beef broth and stir until the flour is dissolved. Return the meat to the skillet, cover, and simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
Check for drying out and add a little water if needed. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve steak with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.
Serves 4 to 6.
All varieties of peppers are in season right now in my area and they are abundant. They must like the weather. Here is a good recipe that uses peppers. I served the dish with Jasmine rice.
This is an easy Asian dish to prepare. Once you assemble and prep the ingredients in advance, dinner comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
1 pound flank steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, or beef tenderloin, cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
1/4 cup soy sauce (divided)
5 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (divided)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken or beef broth
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups green bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch squares
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch squares
2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
4 tablespoons vegetable, peanut, or canola oil
Kosher salt to taste
Garnish with chopped scallions if desired
Jasmine rice
Directions
Combine beef, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine in a bowl and toss to coat. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature and up to 3 hours in the refrigerator.
Combine remaining soy sauce with cornstarch and stir with a fork to form a slurry. Add remaining Shaoxing wine, broth, sesame oil, sugar, and pepper. Set aside.
Combine peppers and onions in a bowl and set aside.
Combine garlic and ginger in a small bowl and set aside.
When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large deep skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the beef and cook until well seared but still pink in spots, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add 2 more tablespoons oil to the skillet, heat and add the peppers and onions. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir into the peppers and onions. Return the beef to the skillet and pour the prepared sauce over the mixture. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is glossy and thickened about 2-3 minutes more. Garnish with scallions if desired. Serve with rice.
