What’s Cooking
One thing I do, and do well, is cook. Check out Studly’s waistline if you don’t believe me. Yet it has always frustrated me to read a delicious sounding recipe and then have to figure out what to serve with it. Beans or peas? Fried or boiled potatoes? To salad or not. You get the idea. We’re not talking rocket science, but a clue or two from those big-buck chefs, whose books I constantly buy, would sure help.
So today don your aprons and grab those skillets because we’re taking a giant step to ease the burden of the overworked woman.
Every month a new menu will be posted. Please feel free to email me your thoughts, suggestions, or your favorite recipes. We’re all in this cooking thing together and might as well help out each other.
Amazing Dawn Roberto, owner of Love Romances Café and frequent guest chef, has provided a superb meal that’s easy, quick and absolutely delicious. Studs is already licking his lips for the next time I make it.
March’s Choice
• Swiss Steak over Rice
• Tossed Salad
• Fresh Italian Bread
• Easy Apple-Berry Crisp
• Red Wine – Pinot Noir or Merlot
Swiss Steak
1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours
1 tbs. butter
1 tbs. flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 pound round steak (Sliced in bite size pieces-I used thin sliced round steak in meat section of grocery store)
1 green pepper sliced strips
1 red pepper sliced in strips
1 onion sliced in strips
1 can of either diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes
1) Melt margarine/butter over med heat. Mix flour and seasonings then dredge meat to cover. Place in skillet to brown on both sides.
2) Add 2-3 TBSP water (I added more-about a cup- to this part), reduce heat to low and simmer covered tightly for one hour, periodically checking to make sure enough liquid is in there.
3) Add peppers, onions and tomatoes to steak and simmer up to another 30-45 minutes longer. (I added a can of water as well to this stage).
4) Serve over rice with fresh bread/salad.
Tossed Salad
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces green leaf and head are excellent
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Green Onions sliced, be sure to include some of the green
Mushrooms sliced
Combine everything and toss with your favorite dressing, but be careful not to add too much. The lettuce will get soggy. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Easy Apple-Berry Crisp
1 can apple pie filling
1 can whole berry
1 can cranberry sauce or 1 can cherry pie filling
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ cups dry oatmeal
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. spray a 10 x 13 baking pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine fruit. In a separate bowl, mix together butter, sugar, and oatmeal (mixture will be crumbly). Spread fruit mixture evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle oatmeal topping evenly over fruit. Bake for 30 minutes of until lightly brown and crisp (do not over bake). Serve warm or cold. If desired, top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Dawn
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The other night we had dinner with Studs’ mom, and two of his eight siblings. Mary made her tasty salad dressing from scratch and it’s superb. Terry created spaghetti sauce like I’ve never had, but sure do hope he does it again, real soon. Hint-hint. Below are the easy recipes and a little dessert I like to serve after a spicy meal.
February’s Choice
• Spaghetti with Sauce
• Tossed Salad with Mar’s Yummy Dressing
• Fresh Italian Bread
• Chocolate Covered Pears with French Vanilla Ice Cream
• Red Wine – Chianti or Merlot
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
1 lb. dried spaghetti
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
¾ c. thinly sliced onion
2 large garlic gloves pressed
3 (14oz) cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 small green pepper sliced thin
1 c. sliced mushrooms, not too thin
Basil handful
Oregano handful
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Melt butter and oil in a large sauce pan. Add ground chuck and sausage, breaking up the chunks with a spatula. After meat is richly browned, add onions and sauté for 2 – 4 minutes. You want the onions soft but not brown, so if the cooking time is less that’s fine. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, paste, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about an hour without a lid to thicken the sauce.
Stir in mushrooms, green pepper, and ground pepper. Cover the pot and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Tossed Salad with Mary’s Yummy Dressing
6 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs. lemon juice
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces green leaf and head are excellent
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Basil to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese
Whisk olive oil and lemon juice until well mixed. Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Pour on a small amount of dressing and toss well until leaves lettuce glisten. Add more dressing as needed, but be careful not to add too much. The lettuce will get soggy. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Chocolate Covered Pears with French Vanilla Ice Cream
Canned pear halves in heavy syrup
¼ c. dark rum
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips
French vanilla ice cream
Drain pears over a small saucepan. Reduce the liquid over medium-high heat, about 13 minutes. Add chocolate chips to hot liquid. Sit until melted, then remove from heat.
Lay pear slices in pretty serving bowls. Add a scoop of ice cream. Top with a few tablespoons of sauce.
After all the holiday rush it’s a great time for easy. Below is a tasty menu that’s easy and won’t break the bank. It serves 8 so cut back the amounts accordingly when serving fewer people.
January’s Choice
• Beef Stroganoff over Egg Noodles
• Tossed Salad
• Fresh French Bread
• Red Wine – Pinot Noir
Egg Noodles
Fill a large pot with water and follow the package directions to cook. If the noodles are done before the Stroganoff, drain them in a colander and set the pot or lid on top of the noodles to keep them warm. REMEMBER: all noodles/pasta can easily be re-warmed by running hot water over them before serving.
Beef Stroganoff
1 8oz. carton sour cream – reduced fat works well, too
4 tbs. tomato paste
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ c. flour
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 pounds good steak like porterhouse, t-bone or sirloin, cut into narrow strips
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
¾ c. thinly sliced onion
15 ounces beef stock, maybe a bit more to achieve the consistency you prefer
2 c. sliced mushrooms, not too thin
1 pkg. egg noodles
Combine the sour cream, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl, then set aside while you prepare the remainder of the recipe.
Trim off the fat and cut the steak into strips. In a large paper or plastic bag, combine flour and pepper, add the steak and gently shake to coat the meat.
Melt butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes. You want the onions soft but not brown. Add the coated beef, turn up the heat to medium-high and sauté beef until browned, turning frequently. This takes 5-7 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock, scraping pan to combine browned bits into the mixture. Reduce heat to medium. Sit in mushrooms, cover and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and by heaping spoonfuls stir in sour cream mixture. If the sauce looks too thick, slowly add a bit more beef stock until you achieve the consistency you prefer. Cook uncovered 1-3 minutes or until hot. Do NOT let the pan come to a boil.
Scoop egg noodles into soup/salad bowls. Spoon hearty portions of Stroganoff over the noodles and serve.
Leftovers are excellent. To reheat pour the Stroganoff into a saucepan add a little beef stock to thin it and warm through.
Tossed Salad
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced
Green onion chopped include some of the green
Any and everything else in the fridge that appeals to you
Your favorite bottled dressing – oil and vinegar works great with this hearty meal
Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Pour on a small amount of dressing and toss. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
