Comfort Meatballs

This is my take on a recipe from The Pioneer Woman. The meatballs taste like meat loaves, and I think this shape is more appealing to little people. I served ours with buttermilk mashed potatoes.
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or 1 lb ground beef and 1/2 lb Italian sausage)
3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp. finely minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Canola oil
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce

1. Combine ground beef and next 5 ingredients. Roll into balls. (I used a 1-Tbsp. cookie scoop.)
2. Heat canola oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet. Brown meatballs, in batches. Remove meatballs to a baking dish.
3. Combine ketchup and next 4 ingredients; pour over meatballs in baking dish.
4. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until done.

Stuffed Cabbage

This recipe is based on one from Barefoot Contessa at Home. Stuffed cabbage is a traditional Jewish recipe that uses ground beef and rice. Because I’m Southern and not Jewish, I added some Italian sausage to the beef mixture. Also, the original tomato sauce has raisins, but my take omits them. These are best for a weekend because, while easy, they take some time to put together. But the taste makes them worth the time. (The cabbage I used was pretty small, so this made 16 rolls. Bigger leaves will yield less.) Andy asked that we add it to our recipe repertoire!
1 head cabbage
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
Fresh thyme sprigs
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. or 1 link Italian sausage, casing removed
1/4 cup uncooked white rice
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg

1. Remove the core from the cabbage with a sharp knife. Fill a Dutch oven with water, and bring to a boil. Add in some salt. Drop in the cabbage, and cook for 5 minutes or until the leaves are pliable. Remove cabbage, and allow to cool. Empty water from Dutch oven, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, sauté onions in hot oil in a pan for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and season with salt and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in red wine vinegar, brown sugar, tomatoes, and 2 thyme sprigs. Simmer sauce for 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Combine ground beef, next 5 ingredients, and 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme.
4. Spoon 1/2 cup tomato sauce into bottom of Dutch oven.
5. Peel leaves from cabbage. Use a sharp knife to cut out hard rib from each leaf. Scoop out 2 Tbsp. of meat mixture, and place in center of cabbage leave. Roll up, tucking in the sides; place cabbage roll, seam side down, on top of tomato sauce mixture. Repeat procedure until the bottom of the Dutch oven is covered. Spoon more of sauce over top of rolls. Continue rolling and layering cabbage rolls and sauce in Dutch oven. Cover with lid.
6. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Sort-of Beef Daube

This recipe was inspired by one in my current favorite cookbook, Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan. In her recipe, Greenspan explains that her offering is not technically a French daube, and my version certainly isn’t either. But her recipe inspired me to come up with this version, which has a lot less alcohol than the original. The consistency of the sauce and beef is perfect, and the dish pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes.
4 bacon slices, chopped
Canola oil
3 1/2 lb. chuck or bottom round roast, trimmed and cut into chunks
Salt and pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
8 carrots, cut into chunks
4 celery stalks, cut into chunks
8 oz. sliced portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup red wine
1 (32-oz.) container beef broth
3 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, 2 bay leaves, tied together with kitchen twine

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until almost crisp; remove from pot with a slotted spoon. Add 2 Tbsp. oil to bacon drippings in pot, and cook beef, in batches, in hot oil mixture until browned on all sides. Remove beef to a plate, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Add 1 more Tbsp. oil to pot, and sauté onions and next 4 ingredients until vegetables begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in flour, and cook 1 minute. Stir in wine, and cook until liquid thickens. Stir in beef broth, beef, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Throw in herb bundle. Cover Dutch oven.
3. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Remove from oven, and stir. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Replace lid, and return to oven. Cook 2 more hours, stirring once more.

Chicken-Fried Steak

Serve with loaded mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts.

1 package cube steak
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. cornmeal
Canola oil

1. Sprinkle both sides of cube steak with salt and pepper. Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge cube steak in flour mixture.
2. Heat oil to cover bottom of a Dutch oven. Cook steaks, turning once, until done (about 8 minutes).

Enchilada Lasagna

This recipe is one of our favorite meals and served as my inspiration for dinner tonight. I had some tomatillo salsa, shredded chicken, and seasoned ground beef left over from our make-your-own quesadillas on Friday night and originally thought about making a variation of the enchiladas. However there were only three tortillas in the fridge, so lasagna it was. Andy was skeptical but ended up really liking the dish. He requested that I write down the recipe so we could have it again. Enjoy!

Enchilada Lasagna
This makes enough for 4 servings, but it’s easily expandable.
2 cups roasted tomatillo salsa
1 cup shredded chicken
3 flour tortillas
1 cup cooked and seasoned ground beef
Sour cream
Shredded colby-Jack cheese

1. Spread some of the salsa in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with shredded chicken; spread chicken with sour cream, and sprinkle with cheese. Top with 1 1/2 tortillas. Repeat layers, substituting beef for chicken. Combine some sour cream and remaining salsa; spread salsa mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese melts.

Baked Ziti With Spinach

I’m always looking for ways to get more veggies into our diet, and this dish is deceptively packed with them. The trick I use with most Italian-style recipes is to finely chop vegetables with my food processor and then sauté them with the meat. An almost effortless way to get in your five a day! To boost the nutritional value even more, I added fresh spinach. This dish isn’t low fat by any means, but it really is a good balance. Enjoy!

Baked Ziti With Spinach
1 onion, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery ribs, cut into chunks
1 zucchini, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 lb. fresh Italian sausage, casings removed
2 (15-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 (6-oz.) bag baby spinach
12 oz. ziti, cooked
1 (15-oz.) part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend

1. Sauté onion and next 4 ingredients in hot oil 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in ground beef and sausage. Cook, stirring often, until meat is cooked and crumbled. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach, and cook 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in ziti.
2. Pour half of meat mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Spread ricotta and 1/2 cup cheese over top of meat mixture. Pour the remaining meat mixture over ricotta mixture. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Cover with foil.
3. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Big-Batch Chili

Usually I make a several kinds of little food for our annual (almost) New Year’s Eve open house. This year I decided to make a big pot of chili to round out the selection of appetizers and desserts that our friends brought to share. Over the years, I have experimented with many different ways to make chili and this creation is no exception. It uses ground beef and a combo of black beans and garbanzo beans. The complexity of flavors from the spices works well. I pureed the veggies to add nutritional value while disguising their presence from picky vegetable-haters. Enjoy!

Big-Batch Chili
2 onions, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks
3 celery ribs, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
3 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. chile powder
2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
3 Tbsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 (28-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water (optional)

1. Place onion and next 3 ingredients in bowl of food processor, and pulse until slightly chunky. Cook vegetable mixture in hot oil in a large Dutch oven for 5 minutes or until vegetables began to become aromatic. Season with salt and pepper. Add in ground beef, and cook, stirring often, until meat is browned and crumbly. Stir in allspice and next 5 ingredients; stir in salt and pepper. Add in tomatoes, beans, and, if needed, water. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour or until ready to serve.

Beef-and-Barley Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 (8-oz.) package baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 lb. flank steak, cut into bite-size pieces (It’s easier to do this if the meat is slightly frozen.)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 cups beef broth
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup barley
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Sauté onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in a Dutch oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rosemary. Season steak with salt and pepper, and add to veggie mixture. Sauté steak for 15 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and next 3 ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Stir in barley, and cover and cook 20 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley just before serving.

Menu 34: Black Bean-and-Beef Chili

Because it feels like fall outside, I decided chili was in order for dinner. The inspiration for the recipe came from on-hand ingredients—several cans of black beans in the pantry and a flank steak in the freezer. To make it more kid-friendly (e.g. hide the good-for-you veggies), I pureed the onion, celery, and carrots before sautéing them with the meat. This is certainly an untraditional recipe, but the combination worked well. We had jalapeño corn muffins on the side. Enjoy!

Black Bean-and-Beef Chili
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
4 carrots, cut into chunks
Salt and black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lb. flank steak, cut into chunks
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (28-oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cup beef broth

1. Puree onion and next 2 ingredients in food processor. Cook in hot oil 5 minutes. Add in garlic and steak; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until steak is browned. Stir in chili powder and next 2 ingredients, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and broth; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 more minutes. Season to taste.

Menu 32: Roasted Tomato Sauce With Meatballs

Tonight some new friends came over for dinner. We had Roasted Tomato Sauce With Meatballs over egg noodles, roasted broccoli, and garlic bread. The tomato sauce cooks in the oven, so allow extra time. The great thing about this method is how it intensifies the tomato flavor. Our friends have children, so pasta seemed like a safe option. If you haven’t tried broccoli cooked this way, you must—it’s my new favorite way to eat it. Enjoy!

Menu 24: Steak Sauté

Our friend Jamie came to dinner tonight. I hadn't been to the grocery store, so our menu was comprised of what was on hand. Because it's Saturday, we had this week's installment of our farmers market basket, so we had yummy stuff to work with. For the main dish, I thawed two rib-eyes from the freezer and Jamie thinly sliced the meat. Then I sauté it with onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. We also had a fresh peach salsa to spoon over the top. Delicious! (We're going to eat the leftovers in tortillas.) On the side, we had mashed potatoes and Fried Okra. Enjoy!

Steak, Tomato, and Bell Pepper Sauté
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
2 rib-eye steaks, thinly sliced
Montreal steak seasoning
Chipotle chili powder
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
Splash of bourbon or beef broth
Peach Salsa

1. Sauté onion and bell pepper in hot oil for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper; sauté for 2 more minutes, and remove from pan. Add more oil, if necessary. Sprinkle steak with Montreal steak seasoning and chipotle chili powder; sauté in hot oil for 5 to 10 minutes or until steak is done. Add in bourbon or broth to deglaze the pan. Add in pepper mixture and tomatoes, and sauté for 5 more minutes. Season with additional salt to taste. Top with Peach Salsa.

Peach Salsa:
4 peaches, peeled and chopped
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red bell pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Zest and juice from 1 lime

Salt and pepper

1. Combine first 5 ingredients; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Menu 20: Beef Stroganoff

I invented this recipe for Grace’s Kitchen to serve in Cordova and it was a hit! Tonight I served it at a local mission, and all the men really liked it. I have no idea if this is like a traditional stroganoff recipe, but it made sense in my head. Beef stew meat is kind of tough, so it needs to be cooked for a while to become tender. If you prefer, you could cook the meat mixture in a slow-cooker and then combine it with the noodles and sour cream. Enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff
2 lb. beef stew meat
Montreal steak seasoning
2 onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 (8-oz.) package mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
1 cup beef broth
2 cups light sour cream
1 (16-oz.) bag egg noodles, cooked
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sprinkle steak seasoning generously over meat; toss. Place onions, celery, and, if desired, mushrooms in a baking pan, and top with meat. Pour in beef broth.
2. Bake at 400° for 2 hours or until tender. Remove from oven, and stir in sour cream and cooked noodles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return to oven, and bake 15 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

Chicken-Fried Steak

I’ve never made this dish before, but at the store I noticed how inexpensive cube steak is and decided it was time to try it. The dredge is very simple; rosemary makes a nice addition. Loaded mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli were tasty accompaniments. Enjoy!


Chicken-Fried Steak

1 lb. cube steak

Montreal steak seasoning
All-purpose flour
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary
Vegetable oil

1. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with seasoning. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Dredge steak in flour mixture. Cook steak, turning after 3 minutes, in hot oil for about 6 minutes or until done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Menu 2: Rib-eye Steak

Tonight we had Rib-eye Steaks, a quick stove-top version of Scalloped Tomatoes, and Creamed Spinach (really just spinach-artichoke dip eaten with a fork instead of bread). Enjoy!

Weeknight Bolognese

This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That?, but I made a couple of changes (surprise, surprise!). I added part of an onion and some bell pepper to the meat as it was sautéing. Traditional bolognese takes a long time to cook. This recipe is ready in about 30 minutes. It gets its rich flavor from red wine and tomato paste, which intensify the crushed tomatoes. My in-laws and Andy gave it two thumbs up. Enjoy!

Weeknight Bolognese
Half of a small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 lb. ground sirloin

Olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cup red wine
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup cream
3/4 lb. medium shell pasta, cooked

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook onion and next 2 ingredients in hot oil until meat is browned and crumbles. Add in garlic, oregano, and next 4 ingredients. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Add in nutmeg and next 2 ingredients. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and hot cooked pasta.

Vegetable-Beef Stew

Tonight we took dinner to a sick friend and her family. They have received a lot of chicken dishes, so I decided to make beef stew because it was different. This isn’t a very spring-like meal, but the weather was cool and dreary all day. I’m always trying new ways to make old favorites and think the one I came up with today is a keeper. (Shh—the secret is bacon.) Enjoy!

Vegetable-Beef Stew
3 to 4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 lb. trimmed stew meat

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
Leaves from 3 fresh thyme sprigs
Leaves from 3 fresh rosemary sprigs, chopped
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (32-oz.) carton beef broth
1 cup water (optional)
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into cubes

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven for 10 minutes. Add in onion and next 2 ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally 10 more minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add in olive oil, if needed. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute.
2. Stir in stew meat, and cook until meat is browned on all sides. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and herbs; cook for 1 minute. Add in tomatoes, beef broth, and, if needed, water. Add in potatoes. Bring mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is done, potatoes are tender, and mixture is slightly thickened.

Steak Dinner

Andy is a Leap Year baby and his actual birth date only comes around once every four years. Typically we celebrate on the day after February 28, be it the 29th or March 1. However this year, we have plans tomorrow night, so I decided to make him his favorite meal tonight: Rib-Eye Steak with Blue Cheese Butter, baked sweet potatoes with Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Butter (just stir together these three ingredients—fancy!), Cornmeal-Crusted Onion Rings, and steamed broccoli (to balance out all the calories). Andy really liked his special meal. Enjoy!

Easy Beef Stew

Last week, I made this slow-cooker roast. After removing the roast from the pot, I pureed the vegetable-and-tomato mixture left in the pot and then froze it. This seemed like the perfect base for beef stew. It was so easy—I simply added chunks of potato, celery, and beef to the tomato mixture. Dinner was ready in about 30 minutes, but it tasted like it had cooked all day. The best thing: There is still one more bag of the tomato mixture in the freezer. Enjoy!

Easy Beef Stew
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
Olive oil

1 lb. boneless stew meat

2 potatoes, cut into cubes
1 bag tomato mixture (about 6 cups), thawed
Salt and pepper

1. Sauté onion and carrots in hot oil for 10 minutes or until slightly tender. Add in beef, and cook until browned on all sides. Stir in potatoes and tomato mixture. Bring mixture to a boil; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Company Pot Roast

Pot roast is not one of my favorite meals, so I never make it. However Andy really likes it and when I saw this recipe in Barefoot Contessa: Back to the Basics, I decided to try a variation of it. The original calls for the roast to cook in the oven, but I needed it to cook while I was away from home. Therefore this became a slow-cooker meal and you don’t get any easier than that! I reduced the amount of alcohol called for in the original. The depth of flavor is just right. After removing the roast from the slow cooker, I used my immersion blender to puree all the veggies left behind and plan to use the liquid as the base for a tomato-y beef stew. We enjoyed the roast over Cheese Grits made with gouda and Brussels Sprouts With Bacon. Enjoy!

Company Pot Roast
1 (4-lb.) boneless beef chuck roast
Montreal steak seasoning
Olive oil
4 carrots, cut into chunks
2 onions, cut into chunks
4 celery ribs, cut into chunks
3 leeks, cut in half and into chunks
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 (28-oz.) can whole plum tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3 fresh rosemary sprigs

1. Sprinkle roast on both sides with steak seasoning. Brown roast on all sides in hot oil in a large Dutch oven.
2. Place carrots and next 4 ingredients in bottom of slow cooker. Place roast on top of vegetables. Add in red wine and next 2 ingredients. Place herbs on top of roast.
3. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or until done. Remove roast to a serving platter; puree vegetable mixture, and freeze for another use.

Christmas Dinner Menu

Our menu this year encompassed old favorites and new tastes: Mustard-Crusted Prime Rib with Blue Cheese Sauce, Brussels Sprouts With Bacon, Butternut Squash Risotto (I roasted, peeled, and cubed a butternut squash and added it to the pot with the rice), and Cranberry-Pear Compote. Dessert, which featured my m-i-l's red velvet cake and b-i-l's chocolate pie, received rave reviews. Enjoy!