What's Cooking AUGUST 2022

bethk wrote:Supper was delicious.....


BUT THERE WERE TOO MANY MOVING PARTS ~~~  I guess that's why it's important to think, "Is it worth this much effort???"    

LOL

I have only myself to blame for being exhausted.....AND too full.  I should have had either soup OR flatbread.  IF I want soup AND flatbread.......ORDER IT AT SEASONS 52 !!!    Hahahahaha!

I mean, I started working on this meal at 9:30 this morning.  I wasn't working the entire day but I was putzing around with one thing or another most of the day.  I did have the bacon in the freezer.  When I made BLT's I had used the leftover slices to precook for this meal.....they were seasoned with a good sprinkle of the Cajun seasoning and cooked to just about half way, knowing the bacon would crisp up on the flatbreads when I got around to making them.

I will say the lavash flatbread I picked up in the deli at Publix was just the thickness & crispness I was looking for.  That was a lucky guess!  The flatbread got a brushing of olive oil then a sprinkle of microplaned parmesan cheese.  Then the char-grilled corn & onions got sprinkled on as well as a little bit of shredded mozzarella.  Then the sliced moz went on top and finally the precooked spicy bacon.  

It went into a 450° oven for under 10 minutes, just until everything was melted & crispy.  I baked it all on parchment so I could easily put it on the preheated roasting pan and pull it off to a cooling rack.

Wow! What a nice presentation.

bethk wrote:

Imelda HL wrote:

Beth, would you share a good Salisbury steak recipe? Thank you. I'm going to visit my family next month, and pretty soon I'll need to cook some meals for their dinner, now I have 6 lbs ground beef and 2 Jimmy Dean sausage in my freezer. Meatloaf, meatballs, lasagna, shepherd pie are already on the list, I'll get more meat later [/size]

Imelda ~ here's the basic recipe I use for both my meatloaf and Salisbury Steaks.....as usual, it's not so much a 'recipe' as a method for you to customize to your tastes.

Meat Loaf (and Salisbury Steak Patties)

1 ½ lb. Lean Ground Beef (85% lean)
1 lb. Bulk Breakfast Sausage (tube pkg such as Bob Evans or Jimmy Dean brand)
1 c. Dry Bread Crumbs – plain or seasoned
2 Eggs – beaten
1 – 8 oz. can Tomato Paste
½ c. Chopped Onion
½ c. Grated Carrot
½ c. Chopped Celery
1 ½ t. Salt
1 t. Pepper
1 t. Dried Thyme
1 t. Dried Marjoram

Saute onion, carrot & celery in evoo until tender ~ sometimes I need to add a bit of water & a lid to speed the process.  Cool.

Add all ingredients to large bowl.  Mix together until all incorporated.  (easiest if you use your hands – I wear food-grade disposable gloves).  Free form loaf on a foil or parchment lined rimmed baking pan or press into a 9 X 4 X 3 loaf pan.  Top with glaze if desired.  Bake @ 350* for 1 hour – 1 ¼ hour or until internal temperature reaches 165*.

Glaze:  Mix 3 Tbs. Brown Sugar, 1 t. Dry Mustard, 1 t. Dry Ginger, ¼ t. Ground Nutmeg.  Stir in ¼ c. Ketsup.  Spoon glaze over top of meat before baking.


Salisbury Steak with Gravy

Meat mixture can be formed into patties to make Salisbury Steak & Gravy.  I often mix up, form into patties and freeze on plastic lined sheet tray until frozen, then store in zip loc plastic bag and remove/thaw only what I need for a meal.

Dredge thawed patties in a bit of seasoned flour. Brown patties in hot evoo.  When browned (but not cooked through) remove from pan and brown some sliced mushrooms & a sliced onion, deglaze pan w/1/2 c. red wine.  Reduce for a few minutes and scrape bits from pan.  Add a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup and mix.  When combined and a disgusting pink color, add 1 c. beef stock (I use it from a box or a can of beef consommé thinned with 1 can water) and add the meat patties back to the pan.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.  Cook for approximately 30 minutes, turning patties over a couple times.  If gravy (after 30 minutes it turns a much more appealing dark brown) isn’t thick enough, remove the lid and continue over medium heat until reduced.  

Serve with mashed potatoes or hot buttered noodles or rice.

NormM wrote:Imelda, I came across this recipe for Salisbury steak recently, tried it and we both like it.  I have made it three or four more times and will probably make it again soon.

Sea's Salisbury Steak

2 cans French onion soup (condensed, 10 1/2 oz each)
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 lg egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 c ketchup
1/2 c water
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard powder

In a large bowl, mix together ground beef with 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper.

Shape into 6 oval patties. Brown both sides of patties in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour off excess fat.

In a bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard powder.

Pour over meat in skillet. Cover and cook for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The longer you let simmer, the thicker the gravy becomes.

JanaAZ wrote:I’m trying to clean out the fridge before we go away. I had some prosciutto and olives I had to use so he got a white pizza with prosciutto artichokes olives basil and 3 cheeses. I thought it could use something red but he wanted it this way.

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Had one hot dog on a hamburger bun. That held me over till I tasted the Minestra I had cooking on the stove. ( Escarole and beans ) actually with a little piece of diced pepperoni for flavor.
I had a little dish of that. Tina had cake with icing.

bethk wrote:A week ago my Breville toaster oven quit working.....I pushed the 'ON' button and....''POP" ~ Nothing!  

I told Dane and he said he'd take a look at it.  Meanwhile, I got on the internet and inquired about 'Breville Toaster Oven Suddenly Quits Working' and follow the suggestions to a link that stated it was most probably a thermal fuse and gave a link to ordering one on Amazon....for only about $15.

So, Dane dismantled the back of the machine.....there must have be 50 or 60 itty bitty screws....and did a check of the fuse....Yup! that was the problem.  It took 5 or 6 days for the part to arrive and he put it in yesterday.....IT WORKS!!!

So, he's a mechanical GENIUS!  And he just saved about $250 because I would have gone out and bought another one.  I use that toaster oven every day......just love it!

Horray for Dane!!!