Sunday Supper -- Meatloaf

I am a fan of Next Food Network Star and a few episodes ago when Mary Beth made meatloaf for the cast & crew of Cougar Town and it got rave reviews from Paula Dean, I knew that I just had to try it.

We had Mary Beth's meatloaf last Sunday and it was okay but not as good as what I was hoping it would be. I really am a fan of Paula Dean and have never been lead astray when she recommends a recipe but this one while it was good wasn't great. The glaze was sweet but there was no spice to it and it was a bit bland. We all agreed that we prefer our regualar meatloaf.


Knock-Your-Pants-Off Sweet & Spicy Glazed Buttermilk Meatloaf
By Mary Beth -- Next Food Network Star
Serves 6

Glaze:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup barbeque sauce
½ cup brown sugar

Meatloaf:
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup whole-fat buttermilk
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup small-diced onion
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 ½ lbs. ground beef (85% lean-15% fat)
½ lb. ground pork
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and place over low heat.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent (try not to brown). Add parsley, basil, and tomato paste and cook for about a minute. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine Panko and buttermilk and set aside for 5 minutes. Then in a large bowl, place beef, pork, cheese, salt and pepper, the onion mixture, and the panko mixture. Mix with your hands until just combined.

On a rimmed baking pan, form the mixture into a loaf shape sitting in the center of the pan, with all four sides exposed.* Brush sides and top with some glaze, then bake for about 50 minutes, removing the pan every 10 minutes or so to brush on more glaze.

(At the end of baking, you will not have used all of the glaze mixture – just keep it in the saucepan on low and stir it every few minutes.)

Cool for 5 minutes, slice, and serve hot with leftover glaze as sauce.

***I did add in a bit of green & red bell pepper and diced mushrooms that we had in the fridge***

Fast Friday -- Crab-Stuffed Filet

As part of E's birthday celebration, I made dinner at home for us. We had beef tenderloin filets stuff with a crab mixture, zucchini, baked sweet potatoes and for the birthday boy mushrooms. This was a quick steak dish and was really good. Just a few ingredients which was great.



Crab-Stuffed Filet
http://www.tasteofhome.com/
1/2 cup lump crabmeat, drained
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 teaspoon butter, melted
2 beef tenderloin steaks (6 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a small bowl, combine the crabmeat, cheese, onion and butter.


Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Cut a horizontal slit through each steak to within 1/2 in. of the opposite side, forming a pocket. Fill with 1/2 cup crab mixture. Secure with kitchen string if necessary.

Broil 4 in. from the heat for 7-9 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts: 1 stuffed filet equals 318 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 113 mg cholesterol, 506 mg sodium, trace carbohydrate, trace fiber, 45 g protein.

Peach-Glazed Beef Fillets

This is another new recipe that we just tried out from the December/January 2011 Taste of Home magazine. This gave us the opportunity to use a peach preserve that I purchased on my fall trip to Fredericksburg. It was a Peach Pecan Amaretto Preserves from Fredericksburg Farms.

Peach-Glazed Beef Fillets
Taste of Home Magazine
Dec/Jan 2011

2 Beef Tenderloin Fillets
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 t canola oil
1/4 c peach preserves
2 T chicken broth
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 t minced fresh cilantro
3/4 ground chili pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Sprinkle beef with salt & pepper.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
Grill steaks, brush with sauce as you flip them.

Our Thoughts:
The sauce had a great taste but didn't do a lot for the beef. Not a fave of this one but we do like the preserves from Fredericksburg Farms.

Linked up at:

Fast Friday -- Teriyaki Burgers

Teriyaki Burgers
Adapted from: Taste of Home Healthy Cooking
Dec/Jan 2011


Sauce:
1/4 c ketchup
2 T soy sauce (reduce sodium)
1 T brown sugar
2 T crushed pineapple
1 t ground ginger
1 T minced garlic
1/2 t sesame oil

Burgers:
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 c bread crumbs
3 green onions chopped
2 T crushed pineapple
3/4 lb beef
3/4 lb turkey
Pineapple Slices
Whole Wheat Buns
Lettuce/Tomatoes

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple, ginger, garlic and sesame oil; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the egg white, bread crumbs, onions, crushed pineapple and 3 tablespoons reserved ketchup mixture. Crumble beef and turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into six burgers.

Lightly coat the grill rack with oil. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear, brushing occasionally with remaining ketchup mixture.

Grill or broil pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes on each side or until heated through. Serve burgers and pineapple on buns with lettuce and tomato. Yield: 6 servings.


Nutrition Facts: 1 burger equals 386 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 79 mg cholesterol, 677 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch, 1/2 fruit.

Slow Cooker Sunday -- Italian Beef Sandwiches

Italian Beef Sandwiches
Adapted from: Eat at Home

1 large roast
1 package Italian dressing
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
2 cans chicken broth
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 package brown gravy mix (mixed with 1 cup chicken broth -- I would use 2 pkgs next time)
1 green pepper, sliced
1 medium jar pepperoccinis with juice

Put roast in slow cooker. Mix all the ingredients and pour over the meat. Let it marinade overnight or cook it right away on low for 8-10 hours.

Shred the meat and serve on hoagie buns with the peppers and sauce for dipping.

Lobster Stuffed Beef Tenderloin

The family that hosts Christmas is in charge of the meat dish for the holiday meal. Last year, we were at E's family and we had Prime Rib and this year E decided to do a stuffed tenderloin. So, he went in search of a good recipe for tenderloin (we had never atempted this before) and I wanted to make sure that we had a game plan since this is an expensive cut of meat.


E found recipes for lobster stuff tenderloin and we read several different recipes and decided on our own take and hoped it would come out perfectly or we would have pb&j sandwiches with our side dishes!



Steamed Lobster Tails

Beef Tenderloin that has been trimmed up

Butterfly the tenderloin and pound it flat and season with salt & pepper


Melted Butter with some lemon juice added


Panchetta, shallots & garlic

Lobster tail with butter sauce on one half and panchetta, garlic & shallots on the other


Roll tenderloin up


Secure with butcher twine


Rub with veg oil and season w/salt & pepper


Bake at 400 for approx 1 hour. We added the par-cooked strips of bacon about half way through.

Cut and ready to serve!

This was an extremly tender cut of beef. We did decide that it could use more seasoning but a great main dish for sure!

Linked up at:

Slow Cooker Sunday -- BBQ Short Ribs

A few weeks ago I ended up with a few packages of boneless short ribs that were on sale. I purchased them and had no clue what I was going to do with them! But after a bit of searching and chatting with MIL, I decided that I would pop them into the crock-pot. They turned out really good and the only thing that I would have done different was to have some extra BBQ sauce.


BBQ Short Ribs

3 lbs short ribs (I used boneless)
1 bottle of favortie BBQ sauce (I used Meyers, which is from Elgin TX)
1/2 cup honey
3 T mustard
Flour

Dust the short ribs with flour and place into the crock-pot. Mix bbq sauce, honey and mustard together and pour over short ribs.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

I served with pasta salad and baked beans.

Slow Cooker Sunday -- French Dip Sandwiches

Last week I met E for lunch at a new place in town and he had a French Dip Sandwich that was really great. So, I started hunting for a recipe for us to try and finally found one at Baking Bites. We gave it a try and it was good but needed something (not sure what though).


Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

approx 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
16-oz. beef broth (I used one can that was 14 oz)
1 10.5-oz. can condensed French onion soup
6-oz red wine (I used a small bottle that was 8 oz)
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4-6 French rolls
sliced provolone cheese, optional

Season the roast and put into the slow cooker. Pour the broth, soup and wine over the roast. Cook 8-10 hours. Shred beef; pile on rolls and add provolone cheese and onions.


I have linked this recipe to:

Goulash -- From Paula Dean

Over at Mommy's Kitchen she posted a receipe for goulash that is Paula Dean's son (Bobby) favorite. Tina's family loved it and so I put it in my file to try and we finally tried it last night. It was really good!!

I had cooked the ground beef w/onions & garlic last week to save myself some time and it was a fairly quick dish and so yummy! Even G liked it (except for the diced tomatoes). I paired it with homemade cornbread and it was delish. I made a half batch because I didn't want a bunch of leftovers and we have one bowl left for lunch this week.

**I didn't make Paula's seasoning. I just seasoned it with salt, pepper, etc.**

Bobby's Favorite Goulash
1/2 tablespoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
3 tablespoon soy sauce
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 cups water
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large onion, chopped
2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 tablespoon Paula Deen’s Seasoned Salt
2 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 - cup frozen mixed veggies or frozen corn
(If using canned, drain first)

In a Dutch oven or large pot, saute the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, along with the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, soy sauce, House Seasoning, and seasoned salt. Stir well. If adding mixed veggies or corn add them now. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and allow the mixture to sit about 15 minutes more before serving. Serve with garlic bread and a salad.



Paula's House Seasoning:

1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight
container for up to 6 months.


(Recipe Courtesy of: Paula Deen Online)

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Recently, I did a google search for crock pot receipes. I wanted something a bit different than our normal crock pot meals. I ran across a receipe for Beef Stroganoff and added it to our menu. I did tweak the receipe a bit from the original to suit our tastes and what I had in the pantry.

This is an easy receipe and really good! Both E and I really enjoyed it (G didn't have any).


Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

2 pounds cubed stew meat
2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
1 meduim onion diced
3 or 4 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef stock
8 oz of cream cheese
1 or 2 teaspoons of minced Garlic
couple dashes of Paprika
Salt & Pepper

Put the meat into the crockpot and season with salt, pepper & paprika. In a mixing bowl mix the soup, beef stock, garlic, onions and worcestershire sauce together. Pour over the meat and stir together.

Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles or mash potatoes.



**I linked this to Mommy's Kitchen Potluck Sunday and The Grocery Cart Challenge Receipe Swap**

Yummy Roast

Okay, so I have been roast challenged for many years. I have tried different recipes, differnt cuts of meat, etc and still we had tough horrible roast. Just money down the drain.

Recently, we did an Italian Beef and it took 24 hrs to cook in my crock-pot. It was crazy. Then a few days later we made a chicken dish in the crock-pot and it cooked fine but we tested the temp of the liquid in the crock-pot and it wasn't heating like it should. So, I had to go shopping for a new one a few weeks ago and today we tried it out with a roast. And it was amazing!!


I mixed a couple of recipes that I found online and it was a great recipe and the roast was so tender!!

Crock-Pot Roast

1 Chuck Roast (I used about a 3 lb roast)
1 large sweet onion
Carrots (I used baby carrots)
Garlic, 3-6 cloves
1 packet onion soup mix
32 oz Beef Stock
Salt & Pepper.

Spray crock-pot with cooking spray and turn on. Next heat up a skillet and get it hot, add a touch of olive oil. Cut onion into quarters and place into skillet, brown on all sides and then place in crock-pot. Next brown the carrots and put into a bowl, set aside.

Cut slits in the roast and place slivers of garlic in the slits then season with salt and fresh ground pepper on both sides. Add a touch more olive oil to skillet and place roast in pan. Brown on all sides and then add to crock pot. Place carrots around roast.

Take approx 1/2 of the beef stock and the packet of onion soup and add to the hot skillet, with a wisk, remove all of the browned bits that are stuck on the bottom of the pan. Add liquid to the crock pot and add in rest of beef stock.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve roast with the onions, carrots and mashed potatoes.











I have linked this recipe to:

Turkey/Hamburger Stroganoff

We are going to try this for dinner tonight, I will let you know how it goes.


Turkey/Hamburger Stroganoff
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup margarine/butter
1 pound ground turkey or beef
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 cup sour cream or buttermilk

Saute onion in margarine until golden, Stir in meat, garlic, flour, paprika, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes (I am guessing that the meat needs to be cooked before, normally takes longer than 5 mins to cook gound meat).
Add soup; simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve over rice, noodles or toast.

**We won't add the mushrooms, and will use less margarine - 1/4 cup seems like a lot of it. The sour cream is a low-fat organic brand.**

Meatballs

Awhile back I saw this Food Network recipe on another blog and filed it away. I have now made these a few times and keep some in the freezer. Easy and taste really good. I am posting the original recipe and then will post my changes to it as well.


Meatballs -- The Food Network
1 pound ground chuck
4 oz dried bread crumbs
4 large eggs
4 oz milk
6 oz grated Romano
3 oz grated onion
2 oz finely diced fresh garlic
2 oz finely chopped fresh italian parsley leaves
2 oz finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Prehead oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet w/olive oil spray.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture is a bit loose, add bread crumbs. Roll meatballs loosely about the size of a golf ball and place on baking sheet. Cook for about 35 minutes.


My Version
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground italian sausage
3/4 - 1 cup dried bread crumbs -- Italian seasoned
5 large eggs
6 oz milk
1 cup grated parm cheese
1/2 cup grated or finely diced onion
4 T diced garlic -- I use the kind in jar
3 T Italian Seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients in stand mixture, roll into golf ball size balls and place on baking sheet that has been sprayed w/cooking spray. Bake for 35 minutes. After completely cooled I store in freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months.

I put into pasta sauce, pasta bake, meatball subs, etc.