Italian Braised Sirloin Steak
Ingredients
4 top sirloin or round steaks, about 1 lb and 1- inch thick, trimmed of visible fat
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
One 26-28 ounce container Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil
1 teaspoon snipped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Cut each steak in half horizontally into 8 steaks. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter and oil in a Dutch Oven or a deep skillet with a cover. Add half the beef pieces to the pan; brown both sides of each piece. Remove meat from skillet. Repeat the browning with the remaining beef.
Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Then, stir in the broth and undrained tomatoes, bay leaves, herbs, and red pepper. Add the meat to the skillet, spooning the vegetable mixture over the meat.
Cover and simmer about 2 -21/2 hours or until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally.
Transfer meat to a serving platter. Spoon vegetable mixture over meat and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Rice Saute
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
3 cups cooked rice or riced cauliflower (one 10 oz pkg frozen riced cauliflower, defrosted)
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Directions
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and sprinkle with a little sea salt and black pepper.
Continue sautéing until all the rice or cauliflower rice is hot. Add parsley and serve.
Garlic Spinach
Ingredients
2 pounds tender fresh spinach leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (6 cloves)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lemon
Directions
Rinse the spinach well in cold water to make sure it’s very clean. Spin it dry in a salad spinner and then chop into smaller pieces.
In a very large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute, but not until it’s browned.
Add all the spinach, the salt, and pepper to the pot, toss it with the garlic and oil, cover the pot, and cook it for 2 minutes.
Uncover the pot, turn the heat on high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, until all the spinach is wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated. Using a slotted spoon, lift the spinach into a serving bowl and top with a squeeze of lemon. Serve hot.
Italian Chicken Bake
Serve with Italian bread to dip into the sauce and a green salad.
Ingredients
Serves 4-5
5-6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin and fat removed
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb hot Italian sausage, cut into one-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, sliced thin
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
5 jarred pickled peppers, seeded and sliced thin (1/2 cup), plus 2 tablespoons brine from the jar
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or arrowroot powder
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pa the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet, skin side down, and cook without moving until well browned about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and continue to cook until browned on the second side, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add the sausage pieces to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are softened about 5 minutes. Add the pickled peppers, garlic, and oregano and cook, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds. Add broth and pepper brine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the sausage. Arrange the chicken pieces, skin side up, in a single layer in the skillet and add any accumulated juice from the plate. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the thighs register 175 degrees F, 20 to 25 minutes.
Carefully remove the skillet from the oven (handle will be very hot). Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve in individual bowls.
