Beef Risotto

As you can see from this blog, risotto is one of my favorite side dishes.  It tastes complicated, but it is easy if you have patience.  Tonight I am making beef risotto to go with my Garlic Roast Beef, along with my bacon green beans.  The beefy, cheesy goodness is the perfect pairing for the juicy roast beef.

Ingredients
32 oz. beef broth
3 tbsp butter
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 c arborio rice
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
Salt to taste

Directions
Bring beef broth to a boil in a sauce pan, then simmer on low.
Melt the butter in a separate pan over medium heat.  Add the minced garlic and sauté about one minute, stirring throughout.  Add the arborio rice and toast in the butter about 2 minutes, stirring constantly until it begins to become translucent.  Start adding broth to the rice mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it has been absorbed into the rice.

As it begins to look dry, stir in another 1/2 cup of broth.  Be patient!  I love to have my Nook there so I can read one-handed while I stir.  After you have added all of the beef broth, you should have a pan full of soft rice with a very slight bite to it.  Grate your cheese and stir it until it has melted throughout.  Season with salt to taste.  I let it rest for 10 minutes along with the roast beef, then served for a delicious meal.

Garlic Roast Beef

Roast beef is such a treat, and it's amazingly simple to make.  I love mine on the rare side, so feel free to cook it to a higher internal temperature if you want it cooked more thoroughly.  Tonight I served it over Beef Risotto and green beans with bacon.  

Ingredients

2-3 lbs top round roast

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp seasoning salt or other steak seasoning

2-3 cloves garlic, minced(I used roasted garlic)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  While the oven is heating, place your roast in your roasting pan and let it rest about 10-20 minutes.  Combine olive oil, seasoning salt, and garlic in a bowl and mix together.   Rub the mixture over all of the meat, covering all sides well, then place back in the roasting pan fat side up.  

Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, then reduce heat to 275 degrees, leaving the roast in the oven.  Bake for one hour, then take the internal temperature.  I took mine out when it reached 120 degrees, then let it rest for 15 minutes with foil wrapped around it to keep in the heat.  Slice, and enjoy.

Cheesy Chicken Stew with Broccoli

More soup!  Yes, I know, it was 90 degrees here today, but when you want soup, you want soup.  I was prepared not to like this recipe because of the broccoli, but the kids like the green stuff and I am trying to find ways to tolerate green foods, so here we are.  This was a fast, easy meal and we all loved it.  If you use a rotisserie chicken, you will be feeding the family in no time.

Ingredients

32oz chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
1 c milk (I used whole)
2 c shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie to save time)
3 tbsp butter
1 c chopped broccoli florets
1/2 c flour
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I used my fav, colby jack)
1 pie crust, thawed

Directions
Chop up the fresh broccoli into small pieces and boil in some chicken broth.   I didn't measure, but I would guess around a cup.  Sprinkle one tsp of salt over and boil for about 5 minutes.  In a separate pot, melt 3-4 tbsp butter, then add the broccoli / chicken broth mixture.  Let simmer over medium high heat for another 5 minutes, then add 1/2 cup flour and stir thoroughly.  This will be a paste-like consistency. Slowly stir in the cream, milk, and remaining chicken broth until you have a smooth soup with no lumps (besides the broccoli, of course).  Add in your shredded chicken and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and reduce heat to medium.

While the stew is simmering and thickening, roll out the pie crust onto a baking sheet and cut into long strips.  Bake for 8 minutes on 450.  Once this is done, break into small chunks to serve on top of the bowls of stew.  Serve with shredded cheese and pie crust pieces on top for a delicious meal.

Easy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Here's an easy dish I threw together tonight that was a big hit.  Simple and delicious!

Ingredients
4-6 chicken breasts
Olive oil
Salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced.  I used the roasted garlic I roasted last weekend and froze.
1 lemon
Any pasta as a side dish
Grated parmesan cheese


Directions
Heat up olive oil in a cast iron skillet and mix in the minced garlic.  Cut lemon in half and squeeze out the juice, setting aside.  Salt the chicken breasts, then sauté your chicken breasts over medium heat until there is no pink inside (165 degrees internally). Add lemon juice to the pan and ensure you get the juice on both sides of the chicken.  It forms a nice brown caramelized coating on the chicken and is delicious.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare your pasta.  I chose tri-color rotini and boiled mine in chicken broth to get even more flavor.  Drain the pasta and grate parmesan cheese over it, stirring the cheese throughout.

This is such an easy dish that makes it a good one for after work.  The whole family liked it and it is definitely going into the rotation.

Steak Pot Pie

Pot pie is delicious.  What's that you say?  You've only had frozen pot pies?  Well, you haven't lived until you've eaten this hot, savory beef slathered in sauce and golden crust.  Try it, you'll like it.  This delicious dish is something I adapted from Alton Brown, and it's worth the time involved.  This is what I call a "day off dish" because it takes time to prepare.  As always, feel free to add whatever you'd like to suit your tastes, as I am a picky eater.

Ingredients
2 lbs Steak.  Use any kind.  I used 2 leftover filets from last night's dinner.
3-4 potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
1 cube beef bouillon
2 tbsp olive oil
1tsp balsamic vinegar
8 oz thinly sliced mushrooms
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 c beef stock
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 c Cabernet
4 slices of bacon, cut into small squares and fried crispy
1 thawed puff pastry sheet
1 egg white, beaten

Directions
Season the steak with your desired seasonings and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat, and sauté the steak until browned.  Remove steak from pot and set aside.   I cheated and used leftover steak grilled medium rare from last night's dinner, so I just took it from the fridge and cut it into bite-sized pieces, no need to brown.

So easy when you use leftovers!

Peel and diced 3-4 potatoes.  Put the potatoes into a separate pan and boil with 1 cube of beef bouillon.  When the potatoes are soft, drain and set aside.

Using the same pot as the steak, sauté the mushrooms, salt, and roasted garlic over medium heat, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar.  Add the beef stock and tomato paste, and stir until incorporated.  Add smoked paprika, oregano, and thyme and stir well.  Add steak and potatoes and reduce the heat to low.  Cover the pot and let simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you haven't already thawed your puff pastry sheet, this is the time to do it.  Preheat your oven to 375. Cut your bacon into small squares and fry it up.  Drain and set aside.

Combine the cabernet with your cornstarch, and be sure to get out all of the clumps.  Turn the heat up to medium-high, and pour in the cornstarch, stirring constantly.  Simmer until thickened, around 5-10 minutes.  Pour into a round glass baking dish.  Add bacon liberally across the top.

Place the puff pastry sheet across the top of the dish, and cut off the excess, crimping the top along the edges.  Brush the top with egg white and poke a few air holes in the top for the steam to escape as it is baking. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.

There you have it!  I had a bit of trouble getting it served out of the baking dish in one lovely piece, but it tasted so good.  I served it with roasted green beans and bacon and parmesan cheese, and it was a meal the entire family enjoyed.

Messy but delicious

Chicken a la King over Biscuits

Chicken a la King is such a comfort dish, and easy to make, too.  It is creamy and delicious, and can be served over a variety of things, so use what you have on hand or what is easiest.  You can use rice, noodles, or biscuits for this dish.  Tonight I used biscuits from a tube because I was short on time and had some in the fridge.  It's a quick dinner you can pull together with ease if you use a rotisserie chicken and other short cuts, or cook and cube the chicken and make the biscuits from scratch if you find yourself with time to burn.  This is a recipe I have been using for years, adapted from an old Taste of Home cookbook.

Ingredients

Biscuits, rice, or noodles.  Your choice.  Prepare as directed.

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp garlic powder 

32 oz. chicken stock

2 cups milk

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed.  A rotisserie chicken works perfect for this--just shred and go.

1 tbsp diced pimientos

Olive oil

Directions

Prepare your biscuits, rice or noodles according to the package directions.  Cube your chicken and cook thoroughly in a skillet, or better yet, shred your rotisserie chicken and set aside.  

Next, sauté the  mushrooms in olive oil until tender, sprinkling with salt and garlic to season.  Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in chicken stock and milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook it for about 2-3 minutes until it has thickened.

Add chicken and pimientos, and allow to simmer on low heat until it is heated through, stirring occasionally.  I allowed mine to simmer about 15 minutes and it came out perfect.

Serve the gravy over your biscuits, rice, or noodles.  So easy, and delicious.  Something even the picky eaters of the family will enjoy.  

Better On Day 2 Steakhouse Chili Soup

I love soup, as you've probably read on this blog.  Even in 106 degree heat here in Vegas today, I found myself craving chili.  My chili is very easy to make, not too spicy, and tastes even better on day 2.  I make it soupy because I love to add cheese, sour cream, and lots of crackers until it is practically a solid substance.  The extra liquid makes the crackers extra good.  Make any modifications you would like to suit your tastes and the ingredients you may have on hand.  The beauty of chili is you can make it a million ways and it is always delicious.

Ingredients

1 lb+ beef.  You can use ground beef, or cubed up steak.  Tonight I used 1 1/2 lbs of thinly cubed tri tip steak.

1 cup beef broth

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cans chili beans--16oz each.  I used Bush's Mild Chili Beans tonight.

1 can tomato sauce

46oz bottle V-8 Spicy Hot juice

1 tbsp masa or other thickener

Seasonings to your taste:

Seasoning Salt

Garlic Powder

Chili Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Served with:

Sour Cream

Shredded Colby Jack cheese

Saltines or Oyster crackers

Brown the beef in your soup pot to save cleanup time.  If you are using ground beef, be sure to drain after browning and return to the pan.  Season with seasoning salt and garlic powder to suit your taste.  I don't measure, I just eyeball it.  Add one cup beef broth and worcestershire sauce to browned beef and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.

Add both cans of chili beans, tomato sauce, V-8, Cayenne pepper and chili powder to beef over mid-high heat.  While it starts to bubble, take 1 tbsp of masa, flour, or cornstarch--whatever thickener you prefer and have on hand--and stir it into 1/4 cup of water and mix well.  Stir this slowly into your chili until it has been mixed in.  Reduce heat.  I allow my chili to simmer for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better with chili because the spices blend the longer you let it cook. Unfortunately at our house dinner tends to be a last minute thing, so we cook it for the minimum before digging in.  This is what makes it better on day 2 at our house, that is if you are lucky enough have leftovers for work tomorrow.

Serve in bowls with a spoonful of sour cream and shredded colby jack cheese and lots of crackers for a satisfying meal.