Archive for the ‘Beef’ Category

Printable Recipe

I wanted to share my lasagna recipe with you so this is what we had today for Sunday dinner. Please allow 3-4 hours preparation time as the meat sauce needs to simmer 2-3 hours. We all have our favorite meals that we make often and when I can’t get my creative juices flowing I fall back on lasagna!
I broke tradition today and did not have a tossed green salad with the lasagna – instead I made variation #2 of the Fruit Salad with Creamy Citrus Salad Dressing and it got rave reviews from the family!

This recipe has been in my family for 40+ years and is the only lasagna recipe I use. You know the saying   “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! ”

Ingredients:
Serves 10

• 1 lb. lasagna noodles
• 1 C small curd cottage cheese
• 2 C mozzarella grated cheese
• 1/2 C romano grated cheese
• meat sauce

Meat sauce:

• 3 lb. ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 3 cans tomato paste (small cans)
• 2 C water
• 2 tsp. dried or fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tsp oregano if desired
• salt/pepper

Do this:
In large pot saute onion and garlic in 2 T margarine until onions are clear then add the ground beef and brown. After meat is browned add the tomato paste, water and parsley, stir to blend all ingredients. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours allowing the meat sauce to evaporate some of the water.
Boil the lasagna with a one tablespoon of oil for 15 minutes and drain. Use a 11×17 greased baking dish and start with a layer of noodles, then half of the cottage cheese, half of the mozarella, half of the meat sauce and half of the romano cheese. Repeat layers. Bake in 375º oven for 1 hour or until bubbly and brown on top. Serve with a salad and garlic toast.

Cover and simmer meat sauce for 2-3 hours

Start with a layer of lasagna noodles and half of the cottage cheese

Sprinkle half of the mozzarella over the cottage cheese

Use a ladle to spread half of the meat sauce evenly over the mozzarella layer

Finally, sprinkle half of the romano cheese on the meat sauce layer and repeat layers one more time

Bake in 375º F oven for 1 hour

Printable Recipe

I know that meatloaf can be stuffed so I wanted to come up with a recipe that was uniquely my own. It did not turn out quite as expected as the top split open exposing the stuffing… so next time maybe it would be best to just leave the stuffing open and not cover with the meat. But it was still very very good!
We ate a bit late tonight as we drove to the airport late this afternoon to pickup  tickets for a weekend trip to New York City planned for the first part of June. The tickets were free travel vouchers from an airline error last year and only good for 1 year so we did not want them to go to waste  
Serves 6

Meatloaf:

• 2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion, finely minced
• 1 egg
• 1 C bread crumps
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 egg for eggwash

Potato Stuffing:

• 1 1/2 C mashed potatoes
• 1/2 C sauteed onions
• 1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoning salt
• 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 C frozen peas

Do this:
Add all ingredients for the meatloaf in a large bowl and work with hands until well mixed.
To warm mashed potatoes (or warmed leftover potatoes) add the stuffing ingredients and blend.
Shape the uncooked meat loaf in a large cake pan or casserole dish with your hands into a hollowed out “football stadium” shape. Fill with the potato mixture, bring up the sides of the meat and close the top seam and then the ends so the meat completely seals the stuffing – or leave open.
Bake 375º for 75 minutes or until browned and juices run clear.

Sauteed onions and seasoning salt

Peas and shredded cheese for stuffing

Hollow out meatloaf into a football stadium shape

Place potato stuffing in the meatloaf and seal

Brush meatloaf with beaten egg on top and sides

Bake meatloaf for 75 minutes at 375º

Fried apples with dark syrup and cinnamon

The meatloaf split while baking but was still mighty good!

This was our supper tonight and it was just full of flavor and the beef extremely tender. It had an extra kick with the addition of the crushed red pepper. If you would like it hotter – add 2 tsp. of crushed red pepper to the marinade - your choice.
Recipe adapted from Swedish food blog Kryddburken

Ingredients:
Serves 6

• 2 lb. Sirloin steak cut in thin strips
• Marinade
• 2 C water
• 1 zucchini cut in thins strips
• 2 carrots cut in thin strips
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1 can water chestnuts
• cooked rice (Jasmine)

Marinade:

• 3/8 C soy sauce
• 1 C water
• 1 T Teriyaki sauce
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 T Balsamic vinegar
• 2 T light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic (Spice World)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 T lime juice
• juice of 1/2 orange

Do this:
Place thin strips of sirloin in bowl with marinade and mix, cover and place in refrigerator overnight.
Cook meat and marinade in dutch oven on medium heat and reduce liquid to almost evaporated then add the water, onions, carrots and zucchini. Simmer for 20-25 minutes uncovered. Add sliced water chestnuts last few minutes. Serve with rice.
To make a nice presentation with the rice, fill a 1 cup custard cup or measuring cup with the cooked rice pressing it in gently and then flip it over onto plate.

Reduce the marinade to almost evaporated

Add the vegetables and simmer for 20-25 minutes