Must Try Salisbury Steak!

                                                         photo by everything "p"

Oh my goodness!  This was dinner last

night...Salisbury Steak and roasted 

sweet potatoes--yum!  If the only 

Salisbury Steak you have ever had 

came frozen in an aluminum tray...

YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!  It is SO

GOOD!  Pretty simple to make!  The 

gravy...is absolutely fantastic!




Ree Drummond's Salisbury Steak


Ingredients

Meat Mixture:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons dry mustard

4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

1 cube beef bouillon, crumbled (or powdered beef base)

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil



Gravy:

1 whole onion, halved and thinly sliced (or diced if you prefer)

2 cups beef broth, more if needed for thinning

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon seasoning sauce, such as Kitchen Bouquet, optional

4 dashes Worcestershire

1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional

Salt and pepper


Directions

For the meat mixture: Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, ketchup, dry 

mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon and some salt and pepper. Knead until all 

combined. Form into 4 to 6 oval patties, and then make lines across the patties to 

give them a "steak" appearance.

Fry the patties in a skillet with the butter and oil over medium-high heat on both 

sides until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and pour off any 

excess grease.

For the gravy: Reduce the heat to medium and add in the sliced onions. Stir and 

cook until golden brown and somewhat soft, for several minutes. Add the beef 

stock, ketchup, seasoning sauce, if using, and the Worcestershire. Then combine 

the cornstarch with a little beef broth and add to the sauce if using. Stir and cook 

to reduce.

Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and more broth if needed for thinning. Then 

return the patties to the gravy. Spoon the gravy over the top and let them simmer 

and heat back up for a couple of minutes.

MY NOTES:  
I didn't use any seasoning sauce in the gravy.  
I did thicken with the cornstarch.
I used beef STOCK instead of beef broth.
I fried the patties (6) for 4 minutes per side, in two batches.
When I removed the patties from the skillet, I drained the excess grease but, left the browned bits.

Mac & Cheese all grown up!

I have been searching for a recipe to replace my old (processed Velveeta) Mac & Cheese recipe.  After 3 or 4 misses...This is it!

No powdered cheese, no processed cheese!  This definitely isn't your "out of a box" Mac & Cheese!

I wasn't sure about a Macaroni & Cheese recipe made without Cheddar or American Cheese because it seems like that's "just how it's made".  After trying this, those orange cheeses are a thing of the past!

If this comfort food is a favorite of yours, you HAVE to try this recipe!


Since this Mac & Cheese isn't baked, the sauce doesn't dry up, so it stays really creamy!  And, the topping is really crunchy!!

Creamy, crunchy, yummy!  It seriously is the best Mac & Cheese I have ever made!!


Macaroni & Cheese
(good enough to serve to company!!!  NO JOKE!)

Ingredients:

Mac & Cheese:
1 lb. of your favorite pasta (Shells, Elbows, Bow Ties, Orecchiette)
2 tbsp. butter  (or mild flavored Olive Oil)
2 tbsp. unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups half & half (or milk, your choice.  I used half & half)
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) Fontina Cheese, shredded
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) Gouda Cheese, shredded
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) Asiago Cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or more to your taste!)
Salt, to taste

Crunchy topping:
1/4 cup butter
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh parsley or chives, chopped fine
2 cups freshly made bread crumbs, toasted (recipe below)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:
Cook pasta to al dente, according to the directions on the package.

Make the bread crumb topping:
Chop bread into pieces then put into blender or food processor to make into course crumbs.  Toast in pre-heated 375 degree oven until lightly browned--about 8 minutes, stirring half way.

Melt butter in a large pan over medium low heat.  Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Be very careful not to burn the garlic!  Add the parsley (or chives), bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese.  Mix until everything is combined and crumbs are completely coated with the butter mixture.

Set aside.

Make the cheese sauce:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter (or use Olive Oil) and add flour.  Whisk constantly for 2 minutes.

Add milk and whisk to remove lumps.  Continue whisking until mixture thickens and begins to simmer.

Add cheeses and season to taste with salt & pepper.  (don't be stingy with the seasonings!!!)

Pour the cheese sauce over freshly cooked pasta and stir to combine.

Spoon Macaroni & Cheese into serving bowls and sprinkle with bread crumb topping.

Enjoy!!

p.s.  This is really filling.  A little goes a long way!  Small servings!!!

Perfectly Pink Cherry Almond Chip Cookies

Homemade PINK cookies-- just in time for Valentine's Day!!!

I LOVE the Maraschino Cherry and Almond flavors together in this delicious cookie!  

The chopped cherries, toasted almonds and white chocolate chips gives them a nice chunky texture!






Cherry Almond Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 tbsp. Maraschino Cherry liquid
1/2 tsp. Pure Almond Extract
2 1/2 cups Un-Bleached All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. salt
10 oz. jar (about 3/4 cup whole cherries) Maraschino Cherries, coarsely chopped 
1 cup White Baking Chips, divided
1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Strain the cherries (SAVING THE LIQUID!!) and coarsely chop.  (I put them into my mini food processor and pulsed a few times--worked perfectly!!)

In mixer bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid and almond extract until well blended.

Slowly add flour and salt, mixing until combined.

Add cherries, 1/2 cup white chips and the toasted almonds.

Use your small cookie scoop to get even portions (and great texture!) and place on an un-greased baking sheet at least 1 1/2" apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.  Remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

When cookies are cool, melt the remaining white chips in a small bowl in the microwave.  Use a fork to drizzle the chocolate lightly over the cookies.

I got about 28 cookies out of this recipe.  If you want more you can use your hands (instead of a scoop) to make smaller round balls of dough.  Just be sure to watch the bake time--might only need 8-10 minutes.

ENJOY!