Beef – Page 2

Tequila lime braised short ribs.

February 19, 2013 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Gluten Free Leave a Comment

I love braising meat for dinner. It is the easiest & most flavorful way of cooking. It pretty much ranks up there with the slow cooker – just by means of your oven. Braising meat consists of browning it first on the stovetop and yielding a nice crust on the exterior. This process adds a wonderful depth of flavor and shouldn’t be rushed. The cooking for several hours in a liquid until the meat is falling off the bone. This process can be done with chicken, beef, lamb, pork… this time we opted for short ribs.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs of short ribs
1 tablespoon of salt
Cracked black pepper
1 tsp of smoked paprika
Olive oil
Tequilla – 3-4 cups
4 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 celery ribs, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
4 jalapeños, sliced down the center
Fresh thyme, 5 sprigs
8 cilantro sprigs
2 limes, squeezed for the juice (keep the remains and add them to the pot before cooking)
4 cups of beef broth

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

On the stove top, in a large Dutch oven, heat some olive oil (you will add more as needed while you cook the meat). While the oil is heating, salt and pepper each of your short ribs. Place a few in your pot at a time and work in batches. Avoid over-crowding. Cover and let brown on each side for about 4 minutes. Then remove and place on a plate until this process is completed. Then remove the last ribs and pour in your Tequila to deglaze the pan, scraping up the bits of meat stuck to the bottom of the pan. Then add the remaining ingredients.

Cover and place in your oven and cook for 3-4 hours. Occasionally, checking on the liquid level. Add additional broth if needed. Remove from the oven, leaving the pot covered and let it rest for 15 minutes prior to serving. I served over mashed sweet potatoes.

— Knead to Cook

Bolognese Sauce.

February 14, 2013 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Pasta, Sauces, Turkey 2 Comments

I remember traveling to Bologna, Italy with my husband. It was a very quaint, calm area after we had been to Florence, Rome and Venice. We enjoyed all of the wonderful culinary treats and especially their Bolognese sauce. From this, is my inspiration.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 pound pork, ground
1/4 pound pancetta, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of Italian Seasonings
1 bay leaf
1 cup of water
1 cup red wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano (grating)

Directions:

In your large Dutch oven (large pot), over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add your carrots, celery and onion. After about 4 minutes, when the onions are translucent, add the garlic. Cook for one minute then add the meat. Once no longer pink and properly cooked through, add the tomato paste. Then add the seasonings, water and wine and cover. Simmer over low heat. I simmer this for several hours to develop the flavors. Adjust the seasoning to your preference.

Typically people add ground lamb, I do not but that’s my taste. If you do, add 1 lb to the mixture. Serve this sauce over a substantial pasta that can hold up to this thicker sauce.

— Knead to Cook

Quinoa Turkey Meatloaf Muffins. Wheat-free.

February 12, 2013 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Chicken, Ground Turkey, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

I have a few recipes I still wanted to try and review for my dear friend Lauren. Her wheat-free cookbook is fabulous. Last night I tried the Quinoa Turkey Meatloaf and made it in a muffin pan for easy serving. Everyone loved it! It was so tasty and she was right… didn’t miss the breadcrumbs at all!

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
1⁄4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1⁄2 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (20-ounce) package ground chicken (or turkey or lean ground beef) -I used lean turkey
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, and 1 egg white
1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1 teaspoon ground basil
3⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (I used Feta)

Directions:

Bring the quinoa and broth to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15–20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
Inalargebowladdthechicken,cookedquinoa, onions, garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, egg and egg white, salt, pepper, seasonings, and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet. I scooped my mixture into muffin pans and baked it that way. I did spray the tins with olive oil.
Bake until no longer pink in the center, 50–60minutes (muffins took about 30 minutes). An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160°F. Let the meat loaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

— Knead to Cook

Guinness & Beef Stew in the Crock Pot.

January 17, 2013 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Crock Pot 4 Comments

There’s nothing quite like a beef stew on a cold winter day. This is a wonderfully easy crock pot recipe but it does require a little prep work. Well worth it once you taste this dish!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of flour
Salt
Pepper
2 lbs or so of lean stew meat
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 sweet potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 carrots, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 large onion, diced
2 bottles of Guinness Beer (or whatever dark beer you have on hand)
Salt/Pepper
Parsley, garnishing

Directions:

Into a large ziploc baggie, add the flour and some salt and pepper. Then add the rinsed off beef and seal the bag. Give a good shake until all of the beef is covered properly. In your Dutch oven, add the olive oil and let it get nice and hot. Cooking in batches to avoid overcrowding, add several pieces of the beef to brown on each side then promptly remove. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat. Once all of the meat is cooked, discard the bag and add the potatoes, carrots, garlic and onions and cook for about 4-6 minutes. Add additional oil if necessary. In the meantime, add the meat to your crock pot on the low setting (if cooking for 6+ hours) if less than that turn the heat to high. Once the veggies have softened a bit, remove them and top the beef in the crock pot. Turn your flame to medium and gently (very cautiously) add one bottle of beer and deglaze the pan (scraping up the bits of meat and veggies that have stuck to the bottom of the pan). Once this is complete, pour on top of the meat and veggies. Add the additional beer to the mixture. Cover and cook.

I serve with pasta but you can with other noodles, quinoa etc. Season the gravy prior to serving.

— Knead to Cook

Organic Beef or Buffalo Chili.

January 14, 2013 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Gluten Free, Soups 2 Comments

Sunday’s are a perfect day for chili especially during football playoffs. This can be made ahead of time or earlier in the day and left simmering on the stovetop. I’ve used both organic lean beef and ground buffalo with this recipe and both work perfectly and are a bit healthier if you’re watching your weight.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of beef or buffalo (leaner the better)
Olive oil
1/2 of a large yellow onion, diced
1 large bell pepper (you choose the color)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans (16 oz) dark red kidney beans (I use reduced sodium)
1 (14 oz or smaller) can of diced tomatoes
1 – 6 oz can of tomato paste
3/4 cup of water
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 jalapeño, finely diced (remove the seeds if you want less heat/spice to your dish)
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

In a large deep stock pot or Dutch oven, add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of your pan. Turn the heat to medium. Once hot, add the meat and break it up and cook until no longer pink. Add the onions, peppers and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to very low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve. Right before serving, taste and adjust your spices.

Serve with cornbread muffins and top the chili with sour cream, Chobani plain yogurt, jalapeños, diced spring onions, cheddar cheese or whatever you like 🙂

— Knead to Cook

Drunken beef stew.

December 6, 2012 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Stews 6 Comments

Beef stew is one of those staples of cooler weather. I normally make this in the crock pot but in my cleaning frenzy today, I thought I would slow cook it in my Le Creuset Dutch Oven in the oven all afternoon. It’s just one of those things that makes you feel good. In the middle of holiday craziness, it is a welcoming aroma for sure.

Stews are typically cooked in the same manner. So once you get down the main components, you can customize it to what your family would like. One tip: Always remove the beef from the fridge and let it come to room temperature prior to cooking. Placing very cold beef in a hot pan with oil isn’t recommended.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of stew meat
Red wine (about 3 cups)
2 bay leaves
Salt
Peppers
All Purpose Flour (1/2 cup)
Olive oil
1 onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped (still remaining in large pieces)
5 carrots, cut into large pieces
2 sweet potatoes or white/red potatoes
1 tsp of whole peppercorns (white or black)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried Rosemary

Directions:

To start, place your beef in a gallon size Ziploc baggie and add the wine, salt/pepper, bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns. Seal the bag and give it a good massage. Place in your fridge from 2-24 hours. Once done, place a strainer over a bowl and drain the meat/wine. Reserve the wine.

In a separate Ziploc, add the flour and salt and pepper. Add the meat and coat well. In the meantime, in your Dutch oven, heat some olive oil over a medium flame. Once the oil is hot, work in batches, browning the meat for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a platter to rest. Once all the meat is browned, add the onions, and carrots. Add additional olive oil if needed. Let cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every so often. Then remove the veggies and place with the meat.

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Add the reserved wine marinade to the the Dutch oven and turn the heat all the way to high. Bring to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that remained from cooking the meat prior. This will add such great flavor to the wine for cooking. Once the bottom of the pan feels cleaned, add all of the meat and veggies back to the Dutch oven. Cover and place in the preheated oven.

Check on the liquid level about every hour and add additional wine or you can use beef broth as needed. I let this cook for about 4 to 6 hours. Remove your bay leaves before serving. Serve straight up or over noodles or rice. Enjoy!

— Knead to Cook

Italian Pot Roast.

October 28, 2012 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef 3 Comments

Today was the first day in several that I was able to cook in my kitchen. This renovation has taken over my life. After church, we rushed home to finish up some painting and cleaning that I’ve been neglecting and I popped this roast in the oven. My house smelled heavenly all day. This is the perfect Sunday dinner that you really need to try. Super easy and very tasty.

Ingredients:

4-5 lb chuck roast
Olive oil
2 cups of a good, dry red wine
1.5 cups of beef broth
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large Dutch oven, drizzle some olive oil and turn the heat to medium-high. While the oil heats up, pat the roast down with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the meat into the pan (be cautious and the oil will be quite hot and sizzling). Let the meat sear on one side for about 8 minutes or until browned. Then flip to the other side. Don’t rush this process as it creates a depth of flavor in the end result that is incredible. Once browned, remove and place on a plate. Add the onions and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Then add the wine and scrape up the bottom of the pan to remove the brown bits from the meat. Add in the broth and the meat. Bring to a boil. Then turn off. Cover with the lid and place in the oven. Cook for 4-6 hours. Check the liquid level periodically to ensure that there is enough for braising. If not, add broth or wine as needed.

Serve over mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, rice or egg noodles.

— Knead to Cook

Gambino family sauce & meatball recipe.

October 15, 2012 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Pasta, Sauces, Wheat Free 7 Comments

I grew up in the most basic, tiny (I mean seriously tiny) kitchen with two amazing cooks that shaped my life by turning out mouth-watering, delectable foods. I’ve taken those recipes and put my fingerprint on them and today, my family enjoys my grandmother & aunt’s food with a touch of me. Now, I don’t stick with one specific hardcore recipe. I morph recipes to suit my mood. This recipe represents me today.

Sauce and meatballs to an Italian, are staples, much like a chicken soup is when you’re sick. I strive to be healthy, working out and eating right but I will NEVER give up pasta. I can’t even fathom how to do that. With that, here is my recipe.

Meatballs:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of bread crumbs or panko (seasoned or plain)
1 egg
2 teaspoons of salt
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 of a yellow onion, finely diced
Pepper
Hot pepper flakes
1/2 lb of each – ground sirloin, ground pork and ground veal

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, add the bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, garlic, onion and hot pepper flakes. Once mixed, add the meat and blend well without over-mixing.

In a large skillet with about 1/2 cup of olive oil, heat over medium flame. Once hot, use a melon baller and scoop out the meatballs and place into the skillet cautiously (the oil may spray up). Cook until a nice crust is on each side (about 2-3 minutes). Then remove and place on a paper towel lined plate tto soak up the excess oil. Work in batches and avoid over-crowding. Once all of the meatballs are browned, gently place them in the sauce to finish cooking. Be cautious when stirring not to break them up.

Sauce:

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped into small pieces
2 cans of San Marzano crushed tomatoes (28 ounces each)
1 can of tomato paste
1/2 cup of water
1 cup of a better quality red wine
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
3 tablespoons of dried parsley or 1/4 cup of fresh
2 tablespoons of Italian Seasonings
Olive oil
Optional: grated parmesan (for garnishing)
Fresh basil (for garnishing)

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven (I used Le Creuset) over medium heat, pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of your pan. Add your onion, garlic, carrots and green peppers. Cook this down for about 6-8 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer and then turn down to the lowest setting. Cover and simmer for at least 3+ hours. I normally let this simmer for about 6 hours.

Cook your favorite pasta according to package instructions. Top with your sauce and enjoy! Grate parmesan atop if you prefer or add fresh basil.

— Knead to Cook

Crock Pot Beef Stew.

October 8, 2012 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Crock Pot Leave a Comment

I know it’s Meatless Monday but with all of the work and painting I’ve been doing in my house, I needed a good crock pot recipe for dinner that I could fix and forget about until I needed it. This is a wonderful recipe that you can prepare for a big crowd by adapting the ingredient amounts or for an intimate family dinner. Perfect fall, chill-in-the-air kind of meal that warms you right up.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of all purpose flour
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoon of olive oil
2.5 lbs of ground chuck (cut into chunks)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup of red wine
1 cup of beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions:

Place the flour, salt and pepper into a deep dish or ziploc baggie. Add the meat and toss to coat.

In a pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Once hot, add the meat and let brown on each side for about 5 minutes. Remove and place in your crock pot, turned to low. Then add your wine, broth and paste and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom bits. Boil this mixture for about 3 minutes then pour over your meat in the crock pot. Add your carrots, garlic and onions on top of the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6- 8 hours or high for 4 -6 hours. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

— Knead to Cook

Hamburger soup.

October 4, 2012 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beef, Soups 7 Comments

Today started out with a 5am run. Then the rain, once again, came back. Rainy, drizzly and just kinda yucky out. Weather like this… means one thing to a foodie like me. SOUP! Finally the rains have gone, the sun is out and I’m once again a bit more rejuvenated. Yay. It has also been a bit of a celebratory day for me. My little Facebook blog has officially grown up. It now has over 7k fans. My website has 91,801 hits in the past month. I’m in shock and love what I’m doing. I thank all of you guys who follow my crazy antics in the kitchen. I’m humbled by all of this…

Okay enough sappiness… time for the awesomeness of the hamburger soup recipe!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1.5-2 lbs of ground beef (I used local organic)
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into small, bite-sized pieces
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
Salt and Pepper
1 cup of baby spinach leaves
5 garlic cloves, smashed and given a rough chop
6 tomatoes cut into diced pieces or you can use a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
32 ounces of broth (I used Organic Pacific Chicken Broth) but beef broth would also work – I was out so I used chicken.
1 teaspoon of Italian Seasonings
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley or dried if you don’t have it
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
Cheddar cheese (garnish)
Chopped onions (garnish)

Directions:

In your dutch oven (I use my Le Creuset dutch oven), add a about a tablespoon of olive oil and adjust the flame to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the beef and cook until no longer pink. Add the carrots, onions and salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients. I cook this all afternoon on very low heat, covered. If you have less time, cook it over low-medium heat for at least one hour. Adjust the seasonings to your preference.

I like serving this in bread bowls (I purchased these from Panera today) but a regular old bowl will work too. I like bread bowl to serve as the bun, the meat is the hamburger, tomatoes/spinach as the toppings — you get the point.

Enjoy

— Knead to Cook