Baseball Beef Stew

1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch slices

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon browning sauce

Layer the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add stew meat; seal and toss to coat evenly. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil in batches. Place over vegetables.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, broth, mustard, salt, pepper, thyme and browning sauce. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on high for 1-1/2 hours. Reduce heat to low; cook 7-8 hours longer or until the meat and vegetables are tender.

Yield: 8 servings 

Feel free to add or substitute ingredients... I've found that the stew always tastes better when little hands help prepare it and I always pour in a glass of wine and extra beef broth.

   

Rockin' Rosemary Marinade

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced (about 1 T)

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in small bowl, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Makes enough for 2 pounds of flank steak. Tenderize steak and add to marinade. Refrigerate over-night or as long as possible. Grill. Enjoy.

From the Kitchen of: Cooks Illustrated

Beef Chimichangas

1 teaspoon salt

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons oregano, crushed

1/2 cup canned green chiles, chopped

1/2 cup taco sauce, La Victoria, red, mild

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 cup butter or margarine, melted

9 7 inch flour tortillas

Sprinkle salt in medium skillet. Place over medium heat. Add beef, garlic, and spices. Cook until meat loses pinkness. Stir in green chiles, taco sauce, sour cream and cider vinegar. 

In 8-inch skillet, melt butter or margarine. Dip both sides of 1 tortilla into butter; drain off excess. Mound 1/3 cup filling on center of tortilla. Fold tortilla in envelope fashion. Place seam side down in ungreased 11x7 baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Cook at 500 F until crispy (original recipe states for 15 minutes, mine have been done between 7-8 minutes). Sprinkle with cheese and return for a few seconds. Top with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and additional sour cream. 

From the Kitchen of: Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer, by Martinez, Howell, & Garcia

Marshall Flank Steak

1/2 cup salad oil

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1 onion, sliced

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

flank steak, tenderized

Mix ingredients together, add tenderized flank steak.  Refrigerate overnight.

Grill. Serve.

From the Kitchen of: Mary, Goodyear, AZ

Grilled Steaks with Mustard Herb Rub

A favorite from our brief stint (one week) as Atkins diet followers. Really, who can eat meat without potatoes?

2 tablespoons Country Dijon Style mustard

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 teaspoon rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon oregano

4 trimmed beef rib eye or boneless top loin steaks, 1" thick

salt

Combine mustard, garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano and pepper. Spread mixture on both sides of steaks.

Grill steaks over medium coals, turning occasionally, 11-14 minutes for medium-rare to medium (if using top loin steaks, grill a little longer), turnin halfway through cooking time. Season with salt to taste. 

From the Kitchen of: www.atkinscenter.com

Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Port-Cherry Reduction Sauce & Blue Cheese-Chive Butter

A complicated recipe, but completely worth the effort! Request this one for Mother's Day!

Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon

5 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked

5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

4 center-cut filet mignons, 1 1/2-2 inches thick, 7-8 oz. each, trimmed of fat and silver skin

Heat peppercorns and 4 T oil in small saucepan over low heat until faint bubbles appear. Continue to cook at bare simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until pepper is fragrant, 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. When mixture is room temperature, add salt and stir to combine. Rub steaks with pepper mixture, thoroughly coating top and bottom of each steak with peppercorns. Cover steaks with plastic wrap and press gently to make sure peppercorns adhere; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12" heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until faint smoke appears. Place steaks in skillet and cook, without moving steaks, until dark brown crust has formed, 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, turn steaks and cook until well browned on second side, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and transfer steaks to hot baking sheet. Roast 3-5 minutes for rare, 5-7 minutes for medium-rare to medium. Transfer steaks to wire cooling rack and let rest, loosely tented with foil, for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with Port-Cherry Reduction Sauce & Blue Cheese-Chive Butter.

Port-Cherry Reduction Sauce

1 1/2  cups port

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup dried tart cherries

1 large shallot, minced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

table salt

Combine first 5 ingredients in medium saucepan; simmer over medium-low heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 30 minutes. Set aside, covered.

While steaks are resting, reheat sauce. Off heat, remove thyme, then whisk in butter until melted. Season with salt to taste.

Blue Cheese-Chive Butter

3 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 oz. mild blue cheese , room temperature

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoon chives, minced

Combine butter, cheese, and salt in medium bowl and mix with stiff rubber spatula until smooth. Fold in chives. While steaks are resting, spoon 1-2 tablespoons butter on each one. 

From the Kitchen of: Cooks Illustrated, April 2006

Chili's Fajitas for Two

Marinade:

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 teaspoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring, Mesquite

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1 clove garlic, pressed

2 chicken breasts

Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Soak meat in marinade for at least 2 hours. If you are using sirloin, let marinate overnight.

Substitute chicken breasts with 1 lb top sirloin.

Fajitas:

1 onion spanish, sliced thin

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

dash salt

dash ground black pepper

tortillas

monterey jack cheese, shredded

mushrooms, sliced

bacon

When meat has marinated, preheat BBQ or stove top grill to high.

Preheat skillet over med/high heat. Saute onion slices in oil, 5 minutes. Combine soy sauce, water, and lime juice in small bowl and pour over onions. Add black pepper and continue to saute until onions are translucent and dark on the edges (4-5 min more). Salt to taste.

While onions are sauteing, grill meat for 4-5 minutes per side until done.

While meat and onions are cooking, heat up another skillet (cast iron) over high heat. This will be your sizzling serving pan.

When meat is done remove it from grill and slice it into thin strips.

Remove extra pan from heat and dump onions and any liquid onto it. If you've made it hot enough onions should sizzle. Add meat to pan and serve immediately with toppings. Steam tortillas in a moist towel in microwave for 30 seconds and serve on the size.

Toppings: cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa

For Monterey Jack Fajitas:

You need (shredded) monterey jack cheese, mushrooms (sliced), and bacon.

At the same time you are cooking onions, in separate skillets, saute mushrooms in oil until soft, and cook bacon until crisp/done. Chop up bacon. 

When chicken comes in off grill. Add chicken and onions to cast iron (sizzle skillet) and then top with the mushrooms, bacon, and lastly cheese. Place in a 300 degree oven until melted. Serve.

From the kitchen of: Chili's

My Favorite Meatloaf

also known as Martha Stewart's Mother's Meatloaf

4 slices white bread, torn into pieces

2 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 medium onion

2 garlic cloves

2 celery stalks

2 carrots

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves

1 large egg

1 cup ketchup

3 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon coarse salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Food process bread until crumbs, transfer to a bowl. Add beef. 

Food process onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and parsley until fine. Add to meat; mix with hands (well). 

Add egg, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, salt and pepper; use hands, mix thoroughly. Form into a loaf and place on a broiler pan.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, and brown sugar; mix, stir until smooth. Brush mixture over meat, place in oven. Cook until 160 degrees in center, about 90 minutes. If top gets too dark, cover with foil while baking.

From the Kitchen of: Mrs. Kostyra

Salisbury Steak Deluxe

Being a VERY picky eater as a child, this is one of the few "one dish" meals I remember liking.

1 lb. ground beef

1 egg

1/2 cup cracker crumbs

1 small onion, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 can  water

1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

2 teaspoon worchestershire sauce

1 tablespoon horseradish

Combine beef, egg, crumbs, onion, salt & pepper. Shape into 8 patties and brown in skillet. Pour off grease and place in a baking dish.

Combine soup, water, mustard, worchestershire, and horseradish. Pour over patties. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Turn patties and continue baking for 20 minutes more.

Serve gravy over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. 

From the kitchen of: Roberta, Sun City West, AZ