Filed under: Slow Cook Recipes, italian food | Tags: braised steak, cooking, family, fettuccine, Food, italian food, Recipes, steak
Tender braised steak in a tomato, peppers and onion sauce with fettuccine in a simple garlic butter and sun dried tomato sauce and a vegetable medley of broccoli, carrot and cauliflower… Oh this is good! This is an all seasons recipe, Steak that melts in your mouth, noodles you just can’t seem to get enough of and vegetables steamed to al dente.
Braised Italian Steak Dinner
Ingredients: Braised Steak
1 1/2 to 2lbs. sirloin steak cut to 1/8in thick ( top or bottom round is ok )
1/2 onion ( sliced )
1/2 green pepper ( sliced )
1/2 red pepper ( sliced )
1 shallot ( sliced )
3 cloves garlic ( thin sliced or minced )
3/4 cup flour
1 teas. salt
1 1/2 teas. pepper
1 tbsp. + 1 teas. dry oregano
1 teas. dry parsley
3/4 teas. dry basil
1/2 teas. marjoram
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 12 to 14oz. can tomato sauce
3 tbsp. olive oil
Method: Braised Steak
Tenderize the steaks by pounding it lightly with a meat mallet or by stabbing it repeatedly with a fork on both sides. This is to break down the fibers in the meat to make it tender. Add flour, salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon oregano to a large plate and mix well. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet preheated to medium to medium high heat and dredge the meat in the flour one at a time and place in the skillet.
You will probably have to fry in a few batches, you don’t want to crowd the pan or you will steam the meat and it won’t cook right, about 3 steaks at a time. Brown on both sides ( about 3-5 minutes a side ) and remove to a plate. Add another tablespoon of olive oil after each batch. After all of the meat has been cooked and removed, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and saute the onion, peppers, shallot and garlic for about 8 minutes or until translucent ( that means they start to change color and start to soften ).
Add beef broth and “de-glaze” the pan by using a wood spatula to scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan, this will take only a minute then add the tomato sauce and the rest of the seasonings ( 1 teas. oregano, 1 teas. parsley, 3/4 teas basil, 1/2 teas. marjoram and 1/2 teas. pepper ). Reduce heat to low, add the steaks back and push them into the sauce to cover. Simmer covered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring and turning steaks 2 or 3 times during simmering. Remove from heat and serve.. Oh these are yummy!
Ingredients: Fettuccine with Garlic Butter and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
2 cubes butter or margarine
6-7 cloves garlic ( about 2 tbsp. minced )
4 tbsp. Italian style sun dried tomatoes ( chopped or small dice )
3/4 teas. dry oregano
1/2 teas. dry basil
1 1/2 teas. dry parsley
1lb. fettuccine noodles
Method: Fettuccine with Garlic Butter and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
Cook fettuccine noodles according to package instructions. While those are cooking, add the butter to a medium sized sauce pan and melt over low heat. Then add the garlic, oregano, basil and parsley and continue to cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, this will infuse the flavors into the butter. ( Note: this also makes a great garlic butter for bread when cooled. ) After about 10 minutes add the sun dried tomatoes and stir. About this time your noodles should be done. Add the butter mixture to the drained noodles and stir to coat all of the noodles. These are now ready to serve and can be done while the steaks are simmering in their beautiful sauce.
For the vegetable medley I just picked up a 12 ounce bag of frozen california style mixed vegetables which is a blend of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Steam them in a steamer or by adding about 1-2 inches of water to a sauce pan and bing to a boil. Add the vegetables to a metal colander and place on the sauce pan and steam that way, covered, for about 10 minutes or until soft.
This is a wonderful dish that I hope you will try. You can add a piece of garlic bread and a salad to round it out.
Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY COOKING!
David
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Filed under: Country, italian food | Tags: alfredo sauce, cheese, cooking, family, Food, lasagna, Recipes, turkey
This is a great alternative to the traditional tomato based lasagna. Loaded with flavor and good for you. Ground turkey, spinach, peppers, zucchini and more all smothered in a delicious alfredo sauce. Great for a beautiful Fall dinner. It takes a little time to prepare but it is well worth the effort. Serve it with a nice garden salad and garlic bread… wonderful!
Ingredients: Turkey Filling
2 1/2 to 3lbs. ground turkey
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh minced garlic ( about 5-6 cloves )
1/2 green pepper ( small dice )
1/2 red pepper ( small dice )
1 onion ( small dice )
1 tbsp. salt
2 teas. pepper
1 teas dry sage ( crushed )
1 tbsp. dry oregano ( crushed )
1/2 teas. dry thyme ( crushed )
1 1/4 tbsp. dry parsley
Method: Turkey Filling
Add ground turkey to a large stock pot or dutch oven and cook on medium heat to lightly brown, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Add all other ingredients and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are soft, stirring often. Remove from heat and cover. This is now ready and should look like this:
Ingredients: Cheese Filling
2lbs. ricotta cheese ( 32oz. )
4oz. sharp cheddar cheese ( shredded )
4oz. mozzarella cheese ( shredded ) Jack or provolone will work too.
10-12oz. low fat cottage cheese
1 zucchini ( 1/2in. dice ) about 2 cups
12oz. baby spinach ( cooked and chopped ) frozen is fine
1/2 teas. pepper
2 teas. dry basil ( crushed )
1 tbsp. dry oregano ( crushed )
1 teas. dry marjoram ( crushed )
2 eggs
Method: Cheese Filling
Combine everything into a large mixing bowl and mix well. It should look like this:
Ingredients: alfredo sauce
3/4 cube margarine
3/8 cup flour
5 1/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teas. salt
1 teas pepper
3/4 teas. onion powder
1/2 teas. garlic powder
3/4 teas. oregano ( dry )
3/4 teas. parsley ( dry )
5 oz. romano cheese ( freshly grated )
3 oz. parmesan cheese ( freshly grated )
Method: alfredo sauce
Melt your margarine in a 5 quart sauce pan then add your flour and cook for about 5 minutes over medium low heat to make a roux ( stir almost constantly ). Add the chicken stock a little at a time. Adding it a little at a time will ensure that your roux will not get lumpy ( adding a cold liquid to a hot roux is the best way to avoid lumps, or, a hot liquid to a cold roux ). Stir in the 1/2 and 1/2 ( you can substitute whole milk or a mix of lowfat milk and heavy cream ). Add all seasonings and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add your cheeses and simmer just long enough to melt the cheese and remove from heat.
Note: A traditional alfredo sauce is made with roux, whole milk and/or cream, with cheese. I just like to add a little more flavor to mine.
Other Ingredients:
2lbs. lasagna noodles ( 2 boxes )
8oz. sharp cheddar cheese ( shredded )
8oz. mozzarella cheese ( shredded )
olive oil
Method: Other ingredients
Combine the cheddar and mozzarella together and mix well, set aside as this will be your topping.
Cook lasagna noodles according to the package instructions.
Assembly: Lasagna
Coat the bottom and sides of your casserole dish with olive oil. You will need two regular sized casserole dishes or one hotel size ( 13in. X 20in. ). Add a layer of cooked lasagna noodles across the bottom of your casserole dish and follow by adding a layer of the cheese mixture ( about 1/3rd of the total mixture ), then about 1/4th of the turkey mixture and a layer of the sauce ( about 12oz. ). Repeat until you have 3 layers, ending with a layer of noodles. Add the remaining turkey mixture, followed by more sauce and sprinkle top with the shredded cheeses. If you are using 2 casserole dishes simply cut the portions in half.
Bake your lasagna for about 1 hour in a preheated 350 degree oven or until the top turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 15 minutes to set. If you slice into it right when it comes out of the oven it might fall apart and ooze out so give it a little bit of time. This is what it will look like:
The flavors you will taste are wonderful! You might not want the traditional lasagna after trying this one. I call it a “white” lasagna because of use of alfredo sauce. You can also substitute ground pork or chicken as well. This is also a great idea for using up that left over thanksgiving turkey:
Just shred about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of the left over turkey, saute your garlic, peppers and onions first and then add the turkey and other seasonings and cook to warm through. Then simply follow the other steps.
I hope you’ll give it a try, it will be well worth your time and effort. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look and if you have any questions or comments please send them my way.
Have a great day and HAPPY COOKING!
David,
Filed under: Country | Tags: asparagus, Au Gratin Potatoes, cooking, family, Food, pork, pork loin, Recipes, roast pork, stuffed pork loin, stuffing
This is a great holiday dish! Tender pork loin wrapped around a sweet cornbread stuffing, au gratin potatoes and roasted asparagus. This is a definite crowd pleaser. The secret to making your pork tender and juicy is in the brine which is a very simple step that most people either don’t know about or forget to do. I’m sure you will make this one at least once a year. Great for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Stuffed Pork Loin with Au Gratin Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients: Stuffed Pork Loin
PORK
2 1/2 to 3lb. pork loin
1/3 cup salt
1 1/2 to 2qts. water
STUFFING
1 onion ( sliced )
1 shallot ( sliced )
2 cloves garlic ( sliced )
6oz. crimini mushrooms ( sliced )
2 to 3 tbsp. Italian style sun dried tomatoes ( rough chopped )
1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. pepper
1/2 teas. dry thyme
1/2 teas. dry sage
3/4lb. sweet corn bread
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. olive oil
Method: Stuffed Pork Loin
PORK
Add salt and cold water to a large bowl ( about 5 quarts ) and stir to dissolve the salt. Place your pork loin into the “brine” and let soak for 2 1/2 hours, the brine should cover the pork. This will incorporate a nice flavor and keep the pork tender and juicy during roasting. Place in the refrigerator covered for now.
After 2 1/2 hours remove the pork from the brine and place on a cutting board. There should be a fat layer on the top of the loin, you want this on the side before slicing it. If you are right handed the fat layer should be on your left and just the opposite if you’re left handed. This should place the fat layer on top after it has been stuffed.
Using a sharp long thin knife, slice into the loin about 3/4 of an inch from the right hand side and down to 3/4 of an inch from the bottom. Leaving your knife in place, gently roll the loin a little to your left and turn the knife horizontal to your cutting board and slice to 3/4 of an inch from the side. You should notice it starting to “roll out”, Continue until your loin is flat, it should end up about 3/4 of an inch thick.
If you are left handed, cut in the opposite direction.
Stuffing
Heat an 8 to 9 inch size skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil, onion, shallot and mushrooms and saute for 5 to 8 minutes or until they “sweat”. Add the sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme and sage and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and turn heat down to low and simmer for another 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool.
Break up the cornbread into a mixing bowl. You want it to be chunky, not like breadcrumbs or your stuffing will be mushy. Add the cooled mixture and stir, being careful not to break down the corn bread.
Assembly
Place a long piece of plastic wrap under your sliced pork loin, about twice as long as the loin. Add about half of the stuffing in a line on the loin, leaving about 3/4 of an inch from the edge and gently wrap the loin around the stuffing. Wrap the loin in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to set up.
Remove the plastic wrap and place in a roasting pan with a rack. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove and let rest for about 10 minutes.
Slice into 1/2 to 1 inch slices.
Ingredients: Au Gratin Potatoes
4 russet potatoes ( about 2lbs. )
1 1/4lbs. Velveeta cheese ( 1/2in. cubed )
1/4 cube butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teas. pepper
2 to 3 cloves garlic ( minced )
1/2 teas. dry thyme
1/2 teas. dry marjoram
1/2 onion ( small dice )
8oz. sharp cheddar cheese ( grated )
olive oil
Method: Au Gratin Potatoes
Add Velveeta cheese, butter, milk, onion, thyme, marjoram, garlic and pepper to a medium sized sauce pan and simmer on low for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until cheese has melted into a sauce.
Wash the potatoes using a scrub brush to get rid of any dirt. Slice into 1/8 inch slices. Coat a medium size casserole dish with olive oil and line the bottom with 1 layer of potatoes followed with a layer of cheese sauce, about 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat until potatoes and sauce are gone. You should have 3 layers.
Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the top and cover with a foil tent that is not touching the cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown. Remove from oven and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Ingredients: Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus
salt and pepper
olive oil
parmesan cheese
Method: Asparagus
Wash the asparagus. Holding the top and bottom of 1 piece, bend it until it breaks. This will let you know where the woody part ends and the tender part begins. Use that to measure where to cut the rest of the asparagus.
Lay your asparagus out in 1 layer on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and roll them around to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with parmesan cheese immediately and serve.
Serves 6 to 8
This is definitely a great holiday dish the whole family will love. It does take some time to make but will be worth all of the effort. The flavors are outstanding and you will be loved by all!
I’d be glad to hear from you so please leave me your questions and comments below and as always… HAPPY COOKING!
Thanks for stopping by,
David
Filed under: italian food | Tags: breading, chicken, cooking, family, Food, italian food, marinara sauce, pepperoni, Recipes, spaghetti, stuffed chicken
If you like chicken parmesan you’ll love this! Tender chicken breast pounded thin and wrapped around slices of pepperoni with mozzarella cheese, then breaded and baked until golden brown. I’m serving it with spaghetti and marina sauce and garlic bread. This makes for a wonderful fall dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Pepperoni and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Ingredients: Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8oz. mozzarella cheese ( sliced or grated )
4oz. pepperoni ( sliced )
2 eggs
1 cup milk
8oz. italian breadcrumbs
1 teas. salt
1teas. pepper
2 teas. onion powder
1/2 teas. garlic powder
Method: Chicken Breasts
Wash and dry the chicken and place each breast on a separate piece of plastic wrap 2 to 3 times larger than the breast. Make sure to place the breast on one side of the plastic wrap so you can fold it over and pound it out flat. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet, pound the chicken to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Peel the top layer of plastic wrap off the chicken but leave the chicken on the wrap, you will be using it to wrap up your stuffed breasts in a few minutes. Repeat until all the breasts are pounded out.
Add salt pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to a small bowl and mix. Sprinkle the seasoning onto the breasts. then add sliced cheese, pepperoni and more cheese to one side of the breast and fold it over to cover the pepperoni and cheese making sure that the pepperoni and cheese are completely sealed in. Wrap with the plastic wrap. Here are some pictures to help you.
Place the wrapped chicken breasts into the refrigerator for 1 hour to set up or in the freezer for 30 minutes. If you use the freezer technique keep in mind you don’t want them frozen, just cold enough to where they will hold their shape.
After the chicken has set, add eggs and milk to a shallow bowl and mix well. Add breadcrumbs to another shallow bowl. Moving either right to left or left to right, unwrap the chicken and dip one at a time into the egg wash and then into the breadcrumbs coating the entire piece of chicken, place on a piece of foil. Repeat until all breasts are done. Dip them back into the egg wash and breadcrumbs a second time and back onto the foil. Double dipping will give you a nice crispy crust. be gentle with this step, you don’t want them to fall apart.
Place the chicken on a lined baking sheet and put in a 375 degree preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Carefully turn chicken over and bake another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes and there you have it.
I served mine with spaghetti with marinara sauce and garlic bread with a little salad on the side.
This recipe will take a little bit of skill but the rewards are definitely worth the trouble and people will think you’re a chef! The flavors are outstanding, I had to make more once I let my friends try it:-)
For a great marinara sauce, check out either my chicken parmesan or baked manicotti recipes.
If you have any questions or comments about this recipe let me know and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Filed under: Country | Tags: casserole, chicken, cooking, family, Food, Recipes
This is a great recipe when you don’t want to spend a lot of time prepping a bunch of stuff and still have a great tasting meal. Tender pieces of baked herb chicken with lots of vegetables in a creamy cheese sauce with a crunchy bread crumb topping. It’s hard to go wrong with this one. The prep time is about 1/2 an hour and bake time is an hour.
Ingredients: Chicken and Noodles ( prep time 5 to 10 min. )
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 teas. salt
1 teas. pepper
1/2 teas. onion powder
1/4 teas. garlic powder
1/2 teas. dry sage
1 teas. dry oregano
1 teas. dry parsley
1/2 teas. dry thyme
1 to 2 tbsp. olive oil
12oz. bag egg noodles
water for noodles
Method: Chicken
Wash and dry your chicken and put a pan of water on the stove ( for noodles ) to boil and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Add all of your seasonings ( except the oil ) to a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken rub to coat ( this will help your seasoning to stick to the chicken ).
Sprinkle the seasoning on both sides of your chicken and rub it in. Transfer to a baking sheet and place in your preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let cool for slicing. When cooled slice into bite size pieces.
This also makes for a great herb chicken dish but thats another recipe.
While your chicken is cooking, boil the noodles according to package instructions.
Ingredients: Breadcrumb topping, Sauce and Vegetables ( prep time about 20 min. )
1 small can cream of celery soup
1 small can of cream of mushroom soup
1 small can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of water and a 1/4 cup
1 16oz. bag frozen california mix vegetables ( broccoli, cauliflower and carrots )
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. shredded monterey jack cheese
6 slices white bread
Method: Breadcrumbs
Here is a slick trick for your breadcrumbs. Take about 3 slices of bread and form into a ball, then run it through a cheese grater and whoa-la… instant bread crumbs! Continue until all of your bread is done. About 3-5 minutes.
Add 1/2 of each cheese to your breadcrumbs and mix well. This is your breadcrumb topping. Set it aside for now.
Now for the sauce and vegetables. Cut a small slit into the bag of california mix vegetables and microwave on high for 2-4 minutes, or until warm. Pour the mixed vegetables into a bowl and add the 1/4 cup of water, microwave on high for 1 minute, stir and microwave for another minute.
In a large bowl add your cream soups, can of water, cheese and vegetables and stir well. At about this time, your noodles should be done and the chicken should be coming out of the oven. Add them to the bowl and mix well.
Casserole Assembly:
You will need 2 casserole dishes. Add 1/2 of the mixture to each dish and smooth to a flat surface. Add 1/2 of the breadcrumb mixture to each dish and lightly press down. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. They should look like this.
You are know ready to cut and serve. Have it with a nice garden salad and a glass of wine, I’m sure you will enjoy it. Serves about 10.
You can refrigerate any leftovers for about 4 days to a week and it can be frozen for up to a month.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments, I’m always happy to hear from you.
Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY COOKING!
David
Filed under: Soups | Tags: barley, beef, cooking, family, Food, Recipes, soup
Here is a great winter soup that is very satisfying and filling. Tender pieces of beef with vegetables and a tasty broth. The barley, an under utilized grain really makes this a very hearty and delicious soup that is very easy to make.
Ingredients:
3qts. beef broth
1 to 1 1/2lbs. cooked roast beef ( 1/2 cubes )
3 1/2 cups cooked barley
1 small onion ( diced )
1/3 green pepper ( small dice )
1/4 yellow pepper ( small dice )
4 cloves garlic ( crushed )
2 stalks celery ( sliced on the diagonal )
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 teas. salt
2 teas. pepper
1 teas. dry oregano
Method:
Add everything to a large stock pot except the mixed vegetables and cooked barley and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes then reduce heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes stirring occasionally.
While your soup is simmering cook the barley according to the package instructions, it should take about 30 minutes.
After 45 minutes of simmering add your cooked barley and mixed vegetables and simmer another 30 minutes covered stirring occasionally. Thats it your ready to serve. Makes about a gallon of soup that can be refrigerated for about a week and frozen for up to 2 months.
This is a great idea for using up a leftover beef roast.
Thanks for stopping by and looking at this very simple but tasty soup. Please let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving your questions and comments below and as always… HAPPY COOKING!
David
