I gotta tell you, when I first started cooking up the ground, I had to wonder – a pound of ground beef seemed a bit much for 8 biscuit sliders. Wrong – it was the perfect amount. These “bites” might seem small, but they are packed with flavor and super filling. Have you ever made a Taco Braid? These sliders are similar, only much easier to assemble.
Category: Ground Beef
Double Western Bacon Burger
There once was a time when Hubby, Kiddo and I would have dinner out once a month, at a different Hamburger Joint. The goal? To find that perfect, gotta have it burger.
Continue reading “Double Western Bacon Burger”Run for the Border Taco Burger
What’s that you say? A Taco Bell Burger? Believe it or not, from the mid-1960’s to the mid-1970’s Taco Bell had their own take on a burger. The Bell Burger aka Bell Beefer was nothing more than their Taco meat between two buns with a kiss of Taco Sauce. It was a sloppy Joe of sorts with grated cheese on top. Originally the Bell Beefer did not include taco lettuce. However; if you knew what to ask for, shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes could be part of the deal.
National Sloppy Joe Day and a Sizzling Salsa Sloppy Joe
What could be more American than a Sloppy Joe, right? Well, maybe. When we think of Sloppy Joes, we think of Joe as in a cup of Joe or GI-JOE. And of course; All-American average Joe – the guy on the street whose opinion of the world really mattered. The last thing we think of is Havana, Cuba.
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Spicy Taco-Stuffed Pasta Shells
Not that long ago, I cooked up a recipe using Ro-Tel Tomatoes. Oh my, I was hooked! These are the best canned tomatoes on the planet when cooking up anything with a south of the border influence. I find myself adapting recipes that call for canned tomatoes to utilize the Ro-Tel brand instead. So far, every recipe has been a hit with my guys.
Beefy Spanish Skillet Nachos
Not that long ago, I was cruising through a collection of Pillsbury recipes on line. For the most part, Pillsbury recipes are basic, not too complicated, with ingredients that are easy to recognize. My guys really enjoy simple, down home eating. I came across a recipe for Skillet Nachos. It was an interesting spin on the usual nachos. As a Pillsbury recipe, it called for “brand” ingredients, a certain kind of canned tomato, a particular taco seasoning and so forth. While I am sure those are all fine ingredients, it’s not what I happen to have in my pantry. If I can avoid shopping for special, brand-name ingredients, I do so.
Spicy Firehouse Sloppy Joes
The Monday after the Super Bowl, Kiddo was surprised to learn that I planned to actually cook a dinner. He though there was so much Super Bowl Munchies in the refrigerator, we would not be cooking for at least a week. Really?
Celebrate National Tater-Tot Day with a Savory Tater-Tot Casserole
I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes planning out meals for the week is hard. This is especially turn when I don’t feel like cooking anything. At least not at the moment. There are two times when planning can be dangerous. Moments like this, when I’d rather eat out (that gets expensive) and moments when I can feel those creative, gourmet juices flowing (even more expensive!). At times like this, I look to see what the National Calendar says we should be eating. Today is Ground Hog Day, Heavenly Hash Day and Tater-Tot Day. I could be wrong, but I don’t think you are allowed to eat ground hogs. I’m not even sure why anyone would if given choices.
Hash would have been nice, except my guys are working and breakfast on a work-day morning is very rare indeed. I am up early enough to make breakfast. On Saturdays when the guys are scheduled to work, they would rather sleep until the very last moment and then dash out the door. Can’t say as I blame them.
That leaves me with Tater-Tot Day. I had been wanting to try this recipe, so National Tater-Tot day was the perfect excuse.
Savory Tater-Tot Casserole
1 small Onion, chopped
8 oz Cremini Mushrooms
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 pound Ground Beef
2 tablespoons Butter
12 oz Green Giant Steamers Whole Green Beans
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Flour
2/3 Cup Beef Stock
1 cup Milk
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
1 package {32 ounces} Frozen Tater Tots
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, for garnish
1/4 Cup Italian Parsley, for garnish
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel and chop onion, set aside. Rinse and slice mushrooms, set aside
In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking meat into smaller pieces as it brown. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
While the meat is browning, poke holes in the Green Bean bag and steam in the microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and let cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces to add to onions once cooled
Add butter, onions and mushrooms to the now empty skillet. Saute over medium heat until tender and browned, about 3 minutes.
Add chopped green beans to the onion mixture. Stir to combine.
Add garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and flour to the skillet, stir to combine. Add chicken stock and milk, stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper about 1/2 teaspoon each, based on taste preference.
Turn heat off and add cooked ground beef. Stir to combine. Top the mixture with cheese. Arrange frozen tater tots on top.
Bake in heated oven for 30-35 minutes until tater tots are golden brown.
Remove from oven. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese and chopped parsley. Serve straight from the skillet.
Original Recipe: Dash of Savory
Rethinking the Taco Ring for the Big Game
Let me start by saying I am sorry I did not photograph the “process” as I should have for prosperity and this post. My family was waiting for supper, and had a movie on “hold” until I could join them, so I was in a bit of a rush. Besides, I wasn’t entirely certain that what I was attempting to do would come out beautifully or turn into a giant blob in the end. As it turns out, what I had imagined in my head actually translated nicely for the finished bake.
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Ground Steak Burgers Smothered in Brown Onion Gravy
Let’s start with one undeniable fact – you can’t have a Steak Burger without grinding up some steak. A steak that is well marbled. A steak that is easy to grind at home with the use of a food processor. While hunting through pictures of food for inspiration, I can across a recipe for Steak Burgers using ground beef. Ground Beef? Really?
Continue reading “Ground Steak Burgers Smothered in Brown Onion Gravy”Beef Enchilada Skillet
I love to collect recipes. I have hundreds of cookbooks (an ever-growing collection that hubby claims borders on obsession). I seek out cookbooks everywhere we go – flea markets, antique stores, used book stores – even the grocery store checkout lines. I read my cookbooks the same way some people read a novel – from cover to cover. Generally speaking; unless it’s a multi-step, complicated recipe with techniques I’ve never tried before; I tend to read through a new recipe and then tweak it a bit. Most of what I “create” are actually inspired by others, prodding me ever forward to create a rendition which reflects my unique style. Like most cooks in this modern age, my quest for new revelations in the kitchen is not limited to those bound in books – the internet is an ocean of tantalizing dishes just waiting to be discovered. My inspired creations are then added and saved to my online stockpile of cookbooks on yumprint.com (over 4,000 recipes thus far. It can be months or even years before a recipe is taken for a test drive). Most of my online collection is composed of recipes created by others that have inspired me to try new things, to reach new heights and learn through trial and error. That said, I invite – no make that encourage – you do the same with anything you like. In my humble opinion, recipes are designed to evolve with each individual, taking on new depth and flavors as they are joyfully passed along.
Recently I was inspired (by necessity mind you) to tweak a simple one-skillet dish I stumbled upon four years ago while perusing the recipe collection at 99cooking.com. The original recipe wasn’t complicated. I liked it just the way it was. Simple, straight forward, flavorful and perfect for a busy weeknight meal. So I added the dish to my weekly menu plan (one of the features I love so much in Yumprint – the ability to create menus and shopping lists from that).
In our house, we have our assigned “duties” when it comes to food preparation. Mine is to create and execute a weekly meal plan. This includes creating the shopping list for the week. My husband’s contribution to the “creative” process is to take that shopping list, rummage through the pantry; refrigerator and freezer, marking off the ingredients we have on-hand. That way we buy only what we need. I bring this up because the recipe I am about to share called for “Mexican Hot Chili” seasoning. I love my husband dearly, but he’s not necessarily the best person to check our spices. We had chili powder, so he marked it off the list, not realizing that there is a difference. When it came time to prepare dinner, I realized we didn’t have the correct chili seasoning, so I improvised. This improvisation resulted in an enchilada sauce that was HOT!!! So if you like it hot, use the notes at the bottom of the recipe. Or make up your own . . .
Skillet Beef Enchilada
Enchilada Meat
1 ¼ lb ground chuck
1 cup uncooked Minute Rice
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (more if you like)
Enchilada Sauce
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons Hot Mexican-Style Chili Powder (McCormick)
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon unsweetened coca powder
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1 can (8 oz) Hunts Tomato Sauce (plain)
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Beef Broth (from 32 oz container)
Brown the meat in a large skillet. Drain off any fat.
While the meat is browning, make the enchilada sauce. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients using a wire whisk to blend well. In a medium sauce pan, add 1/2 cup water and dry spices. Whisk until smooth. Add tomato sauce and remaining water and the broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes.
Add the rice and about half of the enchilada sauce to the cooked beef. Cook over medium heat until the rice is cooked, about 8 minutes. Add more enchilada sauce as needed to keep moist.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the mixture and lower the heat to prevent rice from burning. Cover and cook until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the chopped green onion and serve. If desired, top with a dollop of sour cream.
* NOTE: To replace 3 tablespoon Hot Mexican-Style Chili Powder, I used 1 tablespoon each: Chili Powder, Chipotle Powder & Cayenne Powder. Next time I’ll use a little less Cayenne Powder – this blend was SUPER hot! My guys loved it, but then they like to each roasted jalapeno peppers, so they aren’t exactly shy when it comes to spicy foods. I thought it was a little over the top in the heat department.
On a closing note, the enchilada sauce was super easy to make. I plan to play with it a bit – maybe use the sauce to create a chicken dish (similar to a Mole). Like I said in the beginning, recipes are a source of inspiration, meant to deviate from as one sees fit. When I do make my chicken dish, I’ll be sure to share.
Stuffing-Stuffed Meatloaf
Happy Turkey Day everyone! Is it too soon to talk about left-overs? We all know there’s going to be a boat-load of left-overs, even after all the guests leave with doggie-bags.
Every year, I make a big, huge batch of my stuffing (once upon a time, it REALLY was stuffing, as in stuffed into the bird, but now a days, that’s a big no-no, so technically I’m making dressing). There’s always stuffing left over. Most of the time, the stuffing ends up warmed in the microwave, along with some left over sliced turkey and whatever else – Thanksgiving Supper, round 2. Sometimes the turkey is turned into a wonderful soup or baked into a yummy casserole that might call for chicken. Inevitably, there’s some stuffing left all on its own, just sitting there in a Tupperware container, slowly pushed toward the back of the fridge. So sad, so forgotten.
A few years back, I had what I consider to be a brilliant idea – stuff the stuffing inside a meatloaf. Ever since, I look forward to this once-a-year supper. And it’s really so simple to make. Just be sure to have enough “stuffing” left over after your awesome Thanksgiving Feast. That’s easy enough to do, just set some aside in an airtight container, tucked away in the back of the fridge and hope those seeking a midnight snack don’t find it. (I suppose this recipe could be made using a boxed stuffing such as Stove Top, although I’ve never tried that).
The meatloaf recipe is my standard, go-to recipe for a basic meatloaf, with one small change – omitting the bread. The “stuffing” replaces the bread to help bind the loaf together. The gravy is made using pan drippings and chicken broth. Why chicken broth and not beef broth for a beef-based recipe? The chicken broth produces a lighter, less robust gravy that doesn’t compete with the flavor of the meat. More importantly, it doesn’t drown out the wonderful, savory “stuffing”. This gravy has flavor in its own right, with a hint of beefy goodness without overpowering everything else that is going on.
One final tip before cooking – line your baking pan with foil. It will make cleanup a snap, and you can lift up the foil to add the meat drippings to the gravy.
Stuffing-Stuffed Meatloaf with Gravy
Ingredients – Meatloaf
1 Envelope Dried Onion Soup Mix
1 Lb Ground Beef
1 Lb Ground Pork Sausage – Breakfast style such as Jimmy Dean
¾ cup Water
1/3 Cup Ketchup
2 Eggs
Salt and Pepper to taste
Left Over Thanksgiving Stuffing
Preheat oven to 350-Degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.
Divide meat loaf mixture in half. On a rimmed baking sheet, form half of the meat mixture into a large loaf, about 1/2 inch thick. Spoon stuffing on top of loaf, leaving about 1/4 inch-edge around loaf.
Top stuffing with remaining meat loaf mixture. Smooth outer edge to seal.
Place in a loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until done.
Remove from oven, tent to keep warm while making Roux-Based Gravy. Slice meat loaf, drizzle slices with gravy and serve.
Ingredients – Roux Based Gravy
4 Tablespoons Butter, divided
2 Tablespoons Flour
Meat Loaf Drippings
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Package Beef Flavor Booster
Salt & Pepper to taste
In a skillet, place 2 tablespoons of butter with flour. Stir to mix as butter melts to create a nice paste. Add meat loaf drippings, stir to combine. Slowly add chicken stock, stirring constantly.
Off heat, add flavor booster. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve: Slice meatloaf, serve gravy on the side. This goes well with buttery corn or green beans for a basic, gimme comfort supper that the whole family will be sure to enjoy.
Happy Turkey-Day Leftovers everyone!
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Smashburgers with Dill Smashburger Sauce
In 2007, restaurant veterans Rick Schaden and Tom Ryan founded Smashburger in Denver, Colorado. What set their burgers apart was the way the burgers were formed on a hot, flattop grill over high heat, and smashed into shape under weights. This technique sears the burgers and give them better flavor. Smashing the burgers goes against everything we have been told about frying up a burger, yet it works. Today Smashburgers are served in 37 states and 9 countries.
Beefy-Corn Rice-A-Roni Taco Style
It’s amazing what one simple, little change can make.. For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you might recognize the recipe for Beefy Corn Rice-A-Roni – When “Quick” is All That Matters. It’s a simple family favorite for those nights when time is of the essences. Recently, I whipped up the Rice-A-Roni based dish as I always do, with one tiny change.
Mexican Style Picadillo over Mexican Tomato Rice
Those of you who have been following along for a while know that I am recovering from quadruple bypass surgery. Life goes on, and so does the need to prepare simple yet filling meals for my guys. While I’m still limited in my kitchen duties, with a little help from the men in my life, I can still manage to whip up something yummy. I manage just fine with the prep work (providing no lifting is involved) and my guys do just fine putting everything together. Meal time has become a regular family affair, and I’m loving every minute of it.
Continue reading “Mexican Style Picadillo over Mexican Tomato Rice”
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 