Steak in a Package

Chicken is on the menu for dinner.  Good choice.  Everyone happy.  I guess not because we ended up with a chuck steak that had been in the freezer, longer than I would have liked to be.  Hubby was getting me something from the freezer and he innocently, asked me, if I knew that there was a chuck steak, in the freezer.  Sure, I knew.  I am not a big beef eater and chuck steak just did not appeal to me.  I got my frozen peaches, which  is what I asked for with a small chuck steak, just enough for the two of us.

Bye bye chicken.  Hello chuck steak.  Hey, isn’t there a song like that?  Thinking………..Yes, there is……Everly Brothers, “Bye Bye Love”.  I wonder if that love ended up as good as my chuck steak did.  Now, I am going to be humming that all night.

I did not have my heart in this meal so I went through the motions.  In the end, I had salmon and hubby enjoyed this.  None is left, so it had to have been a success.

Steak in a Package  adapted from About.com – Southern Food  (I get lots of good recipes from this site and my guess is that this steak was really delicious, just not my choice.

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds chuck steak, about 1 inch thick
• 1 envelope onion soup mix  ( I rubbed it down with seasoning, lots of onion powder, some parsley and basil, from my garden, and a tiny bit of garlic plus the hot red pepper and coriander.
• 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut in quarters , thick sliced
• 2 ribs celery, cut in sticks
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and thick sliced                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 2 tablespoons butter margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon  hot paprika
• 2/4 teaspoon coriander

Method:

Tear off a 2 to 3-foot length of 18-inch wide heavy duty foil.

Place meat in the center, sprinkle with spices, then cover with vegetables.

 

Dot with margarine and sprinkle with salt and paprika.

 

 

 

Fold foil over and seal well to hold in juices.

 

Place in a shallow baking pan; bake at 400° for 1 to 11/2 hours, or until meat is tender.

submitted to Just Something I Whipped Up  

Need I Say More?

I have no idea if others have found this but, I only discovered it, today.  I must share, in case you are unaware of it.

BWD: Tender Shortcakes

There is a new baking group in Bloggerville.  It started, I believe in March with two lovely women Susie from Susie’s Kochen und Backen Adventures and Grapefruit from Needful Things.

I want to explain a bit about this group and their reason for starting.  As some of you may know, TWD, Tuesdays With Dorie, a most popular baking group, recently closed membership.  The group has rocketed in growth over the two years, it has been existence.  I joined, a few weeks before they made this decision and I feel blessed for that.  I love the group who are baking there.  They are supportive and friendly and share helpful hints so that everyone can be successful.

I am not writing this to make you feel badly, if you are not a member and would like to be.  You have another chance but this time, on the ground floor, at this new group BWD.  The members take turns selecting the item to be baked.  This is done twice a month which for many of you is workable.  We are using Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.  Dorie has all different kinds of recipes so there is something for everyone.  My first recipe is Tender Shortcakes on pages 423 – 424 and on Susie’s blog.  She has not posted it yet but tomorrow, I will add the exact URL.

If you go to her blog or to Grapefruit’s, you will find the information, you want to know about the group.  I am just giving you a taste of what it is all about.  All the recipes baked and to be baked are listed.  I would love to see you join us.  The more the merrier plays out, in such a case as this.

Are you wondering what I am doing, joining this group when I have a coveted spot int TWD?  Since, I started the group, so late, I missed most of the recipes, and I want to make them.  On my own, I am afraid, I will get caught up in too many other areas and not get to this.  The group will keep me focused and I can make many of the recipes, I missed.

This has not been my best week, cooking and baking, and I ran into a problem, with the last step in this recipe.  I am wondering if making it gluten free could have something to do with this, although I rarely run into that.  Anyway, at the end, when I was going to add the whipped cream and strawberries, the craggy tops cracked and basically fell apart.  I managed to save one for the picture.  The bottoms stood up admirably.  I am not smart enough to figure this one out.  I did think, I might have handled the dough to much but I was really careful about that.

Dorie has a chocolate version and I am game to take the challenge and make that one and see the results.  In the meanwhile, I will show you my partially craggy shortcake with delicious whipped cream and fresh strawberries.  So good.

Below are the tops that look fine.  I think they are supposed to have cracks.  Dorie has a good description in her book and she uses words like cracked, cratery and raggedy.  This fits the bill except that they fell apart.

See some of the crumbles. 

Submitted to Sunday Favorites and Friday Food Revolution

You Have it All, Baby

There is something nice about having a meal, made in one place, one pot, or one area.  When you are finished, you are really finished and you can hopefully, read while you wait for it to finish cooking.

I was thinking about making a sausage meal with vegetables.  I was fortunate enough to visit My Tasty Treasures and what was Donna blogging?  Pan Roasted Sausage, Peppers, Onions and Potatoes.

 

I am taking the liberty of posting her recipe and will add my changes to it.  When you have a winner, keep it that way unless you are cooking gluten free and kosher.   Then you change it.  The steps are different, the way I did it, but I think you should stick to Donna’s way.

Pan Roasted Sausage Peppers Onions and Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 8 red new potatoes, cut in wedges, the tiny ones
• Generous drizzle olive oil  (I used the spray olive oil)
• Montreal Steak seasoning
• 2 tablespoons fresh snipped rosemary (dried 1/2 teaspoon)
• or 2 teaspoons dried Paprika
• 2 turkey sausages (this is a change)
• 4 links Italian hot sausage
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 Cubanelle peppers, seeded and(plain orange bell peppers)
• sliced
• 2-3 red bell peppers, sliced seeded (sun dried tomatoes)
• 1 ½ medium onions, peeled, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, cut from skin
• A handful chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons hot cherry pepper juice from jar(more if u really like it HOT)

Method:

Preheat nonstick skillet over medium high heat. In a bowl toss the potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil to thinly coat wedges. Sprinkle with your Montreal seasoning, rosemary, and paprika. Toss to combine. Add potatoes to pan, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, set aside.

Cut sausages into large chunks.

Heat a LARGE deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the tablespoon of oil and brown the sausages on all sides and drain oil. Add your peppers, onions, and garlic. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes more. Mix a bit.

Uncover and toss in the parsley, cherry pepper juice, and hot cherry peppers. Add your cooked potatoes.

 Toss to combine all ingredients. Heat a minute or two. Serve right from pan or plate it. 

Submitted to Tasty Tuesdays and Gluten Free Wednesdays and Tuesday Tastes and Foodie Fridays

Your Chocolate Dream Dessert

I am doing it again.  I found a fabulous looking recipe ad cd Kitchen.  It is called Chocolate Mudslide Frozen Pie.  Doesn’t that sound naughty and delicious?  As I was about to start making this, I came up with an idea of turning this into a mousse.  I wasn’t quite sure how or what changes were needed.  I went forward making the two filling part of the pie.   I knew, I did not a crust, anymore. 

After I made the filling and topping, I sat and stared.  All, I could think of was what would they be like together so our two separates disappeared and I had this luscious chocolate_____________________????????? 

I could make it a pudding, a mousse, a pie filling, an icing, a filling.  It seems that this is the ultimate all purpose chocolate. 

Here is what I did and below is the original recipe so you can make the pie, if you choose. 

Ingredients:

1    cup semisweet chocolate chips                                                                                              
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon hot water
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa

Method:

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a the microwave. 

When you remove, the almost melted chocolate, stir.  

Stir until smooth.  

If it needs additional microwave time, put it back for only 5-10 seconds.  

Stir again.  Continue until smooth. 

Combine coffee granules and water in medium bowl. 

Add sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract; stir until sugar is dissolved. 

Stir in melted chocolate until smooth.

Beat cream, powdered sugar and cocoa in small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form.

Gently mix this into other chocolate mixture.

Refrigerate.  Yeah, you can taste first. 

___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________ 

Ingredients:
1 prepared 9-inch chocolate crumb crust
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon hot water
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips 

Directions:
Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a small, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat. When chocolate begins to melt, remove from heat; stir. Return to heat for a few seconds at a time, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes. Combine coffee granules and water in medium bowl. Add sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in melted chocolate until smooth. Spread into crust; chill. 

Beat cream, powdered sugar and cocoa in small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with mini chips. Freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm. 

Submitted to Simply Sweet Home and The Grocery Cart Challenge

CEiMB: Chocolate Egg Cream

First, I want to apologize for not getting this out, earlier in the day.  Today was a Jewish holiday, over an hour after sundown.  It is a two day holiday, when observant Jews do not go on the Internet, among other activities.

This week, I am hosting for Craving Ellie in My Belly, CEiMB.  Many of you are too young to remember the egg cream, a delicious, light chocolate drink.  I do remember it from youth.  When, I was able to choose a recipe, I actually had a few, I wanted to do but in my heart, I wanted to make this drink.  It is super-easy and super-good.  You will find it on pages 306-307 in The Food You Crave and the recipe is found here.

Chocolate Egg Cream

 

Serves: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 1/2 cup low fat milk, very cold
• 1 1/2 cups seltzer water (not club soda)

Method:

In a small cup, mix together the cocoa powder and sugar.

Add the water and stir well until a paste is formed. Set aside.

 

Put the milk into a tall fountain glass.

Slowly add the seltzer water.

Stir gently.

Drizzle the chocolate syrup in slowly, being careful to disturb the foam as little as possible.

Stir gently with a tall spoon.

Your drink should be 2-toned, chocolate-brown on the bottom with a white foam on top.

I made an error in the order of ingredients so I messed up the look of the drink but not the taste of the drink.  It tasted just like an egg cream.  You should try it for a nice summer drink, light and easy to go down.

Submitted to Cooking Thursday and Made From Scratch and Flashback Fridays

How Easy is This and How Good?

No words are need for this one.  This recipe is one of the easiest, I have and yet, so delicious.  Be a Food Renegader (is that a word?) at Fight Back Fridays.  Submitted to Vegetarian Fridays and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Simple Sweet Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash for two people

2 tablespoons brown sugar

a microwave

Method:

Put acorn squash in microwave for two minutes until it softens, ever so slightly.

Remove and cut in half.

Scoop out seeds and pulp.

Cook for another 7 or so minutes.

Put a tablespoon of brown sugar in each half.

Cook, in microwave for another minute.

Serve.

Quinoa with Vegetables and Pecans Done Twice (at My Sweet and Savory)

Note the Two for Tuesday Blog Carnival Badge to our left.  This is a brand new carnival, in its second week.  I have linked this up to another quinoa recipe where I used leftovers from the dish below to make a brand new dish with black beans and tomatoes - the other part of two for Tuesdays.

The first time, I made quinoa, I did not know, one had to rinse it thoroughly and the bitter taste shone through.  Since then, we have shied away from it.  One day, I decided not to let quinoa beat me. After all, everyone else was making it so I made a dish with quinoa, after rinsing it well and both hubby and I liked it.

Despite that, every time, I bring up quinoa, the man starts frowning.  There is only one way to beat that and that is just to make it and sink or swim.  Being very clever, I asked hubby to rinse the quinoa, to make double sure, it would be done right (yeah sure).  I must admit, he was fantastic.  Not only did he rinse it but he cooked it, also.  That gave me the space to stir fry the vegetable and roast the pecans.  I have the greatest husband.

This is a great recipe and I would guess, you can play around with it.  I picked the vegetables, I wanted but I could see cut up zucchini or eggplant, giving it a whole different taste.  Maybe tomatoes with the eggplant…..  It is all up to the imagination and creativity.  What about dried fruit, raisins, apricots, dried pineapple or real fruit?  I am having too much fun with this.

Quinoa with Vegetables and Pecans

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil 

3 baby carrots, chopped fine in food processor

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped 

2 cups cooked quinoa  (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water or Mark Bittman up to 2 1/4 cups, if necessary)

1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans or walnuts or cashews  (I used pecans)

1/2 teaspoon dried mint

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil.

Add the carrot, bell peppers, and celery.

Saute until tender.

Add the quinoa and dried mint to the vegetables. 

Add salt and pepper.  Mix well.

If everything is hot, then mix it all together.

Top it off with your roasted nuts.

I am serving it with a veal loaf with a light barbecue sauce on top.  The veal loaf is also filled with vegetables.

Add a green salad and you have a nice dinner.    

                                                                                                                                                             

Submitted to Foodie Fridays by Gollum and Food Revolution

****** Shared with my buddy Amy from  Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Pennywise Platter Thursdays

Cinnamon Sour Cream Streusel Loaf

One of my favorite blogs to visit is Moogie and Pap.  When, I leave there, I usually have a recipe to make, with me, but as life has it,  there is little time, to make each dish, I like.  A few days ago, I saw this streusel loaf and thought to myself, “This is exactly what hubby likes.”  I looked at her cake and wanted to take a bite.  This is a cake, both of us favor, so it could be a winner, in our home and it is.

What is interesting, when I took photos, I thought to myself, “Why can’t I get my photos to look like Moogie’s?  Check her out.  She has some beautiful displays of good eating.  Sure enough, I looked at my pictures of this cake and thought, how second rate they looked.  That is, until I went over to Moogie and Pap, this morning to get the URL for their blog and saw my photo there but it was not my photo.  It was Moogie’s and it did not look that different.  Yeah, me!

 Moogie’s Cinnamon-Sour Cream Streusel Loaf (adapted)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/4 cups gluten free rice mix flour  (for every two cups brown rice, I add 2/3 potato starch and 1/3 tapioca flour and take out the amount I need for the specific recipe.)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

Combine oil and 1 cup sugar, beating well.  (I did this by hand,)

 

Add egg, beating until blended.

 Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

 

Add to egg mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

 

Mix well  just until blended.

 

Stir in vanilla.

Combine walnut and remaining 3 ingredients.

 

Pour half of batter into a greased and floured 8-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ x 3″ loaf pan.

 

Sprinkle with half of walnut mixture.

Pour remaining batter into pan; top with remaining nut mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (cover with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning, if necessary.)

 

Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely.

 

We both enjoyed this very much.  Thank you, Moogie.

 

Submitted to Just Something I Whipped Up and Tasty Tuesdays

The Color Is Lentils

Red lentils are more like a peach color or tangerine but for me, and they are pretty.  Everything in this recipe, except the onions is a shade of orange, carrots, butternut squash, tumeric and cumin. 

I was in the store, and saw a bag of red lentils, which I have never had.  Since, these are the days of Food Exploration, not only Food Revolution, I decided to buy a bag and worry what to do with them, at home.   I started looking up recipes and all I saw were soups and I did not want a soup.  Finally, I found some recipes that were purely vegetables.

I discovered a valuable site, Vegan Food and I also found lots of recipes, I would like to eventually make.  This one had the red lentils but what sold me was the butternut squash, which I also purchased, the other day.

Spiced Red Lentil Stew

INGREDIENTS: 

•  
  • 1 cup red lentils, picked over
  • 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/2 t ground cumin
•               1/2 t turmeric 
•               1 t chopped parsley or cilantro

METHOD:

Cover the lentils with water in a bowl and stir. Drain, rinse and repeat the process until the water is clear. Drain.

Place the lentils in a pot with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that develops on top.

Reduce the heat and add the carrot, onion, squash, salt, cumin, garlic and turmeric.

          

Partially cover and cook over low heat until the stew is thick and the lentils are soft, 45 to 60 minutes.

Submitted to Sunday Favorites.

  This is one of my Sides for Reeni of Side Dish Showdown.  Go on over and add your favorite recent side dish.