Would you believe me if I told you that I have never had a homemade beef stew? I probably had some version of it from the can, and it would have been a LONG time ago. And I’m pretty sure that it wasn’t very good. Because when Red kept on suggesting Beef Stew for our meal planning, I have never agreed to it, until recently, about two weeks ago. Just like this Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, which I ended up loving – and now shows up on a regular basis on our menu rotation. Seriously, the ONLY reason that I was willing to give this a go was because I got to use my slow-cooker. I think we all could use a new slow cooker recipe that works, right?
As a pessimist to the initial idea of Beef Stew (in a slow cooker nonetheless), I was pleasantly surprised at how scrumptious this stew turned out. I normally don’t like getting that bitter beer flavoring that sometimes comes through when you’re cooking with it. But I was very happy to say that I couldn’t taste any of the bitterness. The beef was fork-tender, the veggies were hearty (my first time trying and cooking with parsnips!), all coated in this rich broth that was complex in flavor (a slow cooker surprise!) and was just freaking delicious. This dish also made a big nice batch, that was even better as leftover. The complexity of the flavors continued to develop, while none of the components of the dish (veggies or the meat) disintegrated. I’m now a Beef Stew convert!
Ingredients
4 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped about 2 cups
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 cups Guinness Draught
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped (yes, chocolate!)
2 bay leaves
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1-1/2 lbs baby red potatoes (about 24), scrubbed
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
Directions
Pat dry the beef cubes with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Cook half of the beef until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker insert and repeat with an additional 2 tsp oil and the remaining beef.
Add the remaining 2 tsp oil, onions and 1/4 tsp salt to the skillet and cook until the onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, 1-1/4 cups of the beer, sugar, thyme, chocolate, and bay leaves and bring to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to the slow cooker insert.
Add the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender, about 9-10 hours (or cook on high for 6 to 7 hours, but I have only tried this recipe on low for 10-hrs). Set the slow cooker to high. Whisk the flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth, then stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cook, covered, until the sauce thickens about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Adapted from The Best of American Test Kitchen 2008
When I returned to work after my daughter was born last summer, I was in dire need of new crock-pot recipes to go into my weekly menu rotation. I had a couple recipes that I was able to rely on, but I really needed more variety to mix it up. This was a recipe that I wasn’t open to trying at first since I never considered making my own beef stroganoff at home. I really didn’t know whether it would be successful to be done at home, and in a crock-pot to say the least. I have to say that I am glad that my hubby continued to “encourage” me to try it. He even offered to eat this dish all himself I cook it and not end up liking it!
I was seriously impressed by how delicious this dish turned out; it is full of flavor and doesn’t represent the typical “crock-pot” dishes that are usually bland with timid flavors. The meat was fork-tender because it was simmered in crock-pot all day (a minimum of 9-hrs is a must!); side by side with sliced mushrooms and grated onion in delicious blend of broth, spices, and white wine. All I need then when I get home from work is boil some noodles (5 min!), wait for about 10-15 minutes and hot delicious dinner is served! They actually taste even better the second day after the flavors have fully developed, so I always make the full recipe and look forward to the leftovers for the next day or two. I love coming home to the wonderful aroma of this dish simmering in my crock pot. Give this one a try and let me know if you agree!
Adapted from The Best of American Test Kitchen 2008
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 onions, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 boneless beef chuck-eye roasts (5lbs), trimmed and cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks
10 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup minute Tapioca
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Directions
Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, tomato paste, and 1/4 tsp salt and cook until the onions are softened and lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer the onion mixture to a slow cooker insert and stir in the meat, white mushrooms, broth, soy sauce, tapioca, and porcini mushrooms until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender, 9 to 11 hours (or cook on high for 5-7 hours).
Gently tilt the slow cooker insert and de-grease as much fat as possible off the surface of the stew with a large flat spoon. Stir 1 cup of the stewing liquid into the sour cream to temper, then stir the sour cream mixture back into the stew. Stir in the mustard, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Grill It
We have had an unseasonably warm and sunny October. Since my appetite seems to follow the weather, I have been craving for delicious dishes off the grill. Whenever I mention this to Red, his first response is always: “What about some steaks then?” After five blissful years, I have finally learned the beauty of compromise and said “yes”. I figured I could use some variety from my go-to, turkey burgers. This steak reminds us of those delicious juicy, and boldly seasoned steaks that we enjoyed during our trip to Spain several years back. The seasoning is aggressive, so it’s not for the faint of heart. It is very flavorful and develops a nice thick crust. This steak definitely begs for a glass of Rioja. I used a flat-iron steak for ours since it was on sale 
, but you can easily substitute for other steaks such as those mentioned below. We paired this steak with Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts, but it would also pair well with pan-fried or roasted potatoes and a simple salad. Have a great weekend everyone!
Ingredients
3 tbsp Spanish paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp ground fennel seeds
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
4 (12-ounce) boneless rib-eye or New York strip steaks or fillets mignons
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Whisk together the paprika, cumin, mustard, fennel, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of pepper in a small bowl until combined.
Twenty minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit covered, at room temperature.
Heat your grill to high.
Brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Rub 1 side of each steak with about 1 tbsp of the spice mixture. Place the steaks on the grill, rub side down, and let cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue grilling for 5-6 minutes for medium rare.
Remove the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Yield: 4 servings
If you love and can appreciate a good piece of steak… MAKE THIS NOW!! I saw this recipe in one of my cooking magazines, and I had to make it right away. The sauce tasted so special. It makes you feel like you’re dining in one of those top notch restaurants where all of the side dishes are ala carte . I recently fell in love with this mustard-shallot sauce, but this sauce was even more special. I do want to caution you to whisk, whisk, and whisk the sauce. Watch the flame to make sure it doesn’t overheat and burn the shallots. I had to make the sauce twice, because I burnt the first one and had to start over. But Red and I really loved this sauce; so it was worth it. I personally may try to use different piece of meat next time, this one was too fatty for my liking. But I could easily just get a crusty baguette to soak up all of the sauces and be happy. Oh, don’t forget the big glass of bold red wine to go with it. Fantastic!
Adapted from Fine Cooking, July/August 2011
Ingredients
2 boneless beef strip steaks (about 1 lb. total)
Kosher salt
1-1/2 Tbs. black peppercorns, very coarsely crushed
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 cup Cognac
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season both sides lightly with salt. Coat both sides with the peppercorns, pressing so they adhere. Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the steaks and cook to your desired doneness (2 to 3 minutes per side for medium rare). Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent them with foil. Pour off and discard any fat left in the pan, but not the brown bits.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet. When melted, add the shallot and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully add the Cognac. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook, whisking, until the Cognac reduces to a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt.
Transfer the steaks to dinner plates and top with the sauce.
Yield: 2
First off, I wanted to apologize to my readers that somehow my commenting function was turned OFF. Not sure what happened, but when I switched to a self-hosted blog, I must have accidentally turned off the commenting section … duh! Which bloggers don’t love comments? So if you’re reading this post now and have had difficulty posting in the past, my apology. The function is back on–so please comment away. Food bloggers LOVE comments! EDIT: Looks like the issue is still here! Thanks for your patience IT IS FIXED NOW… WOHOOO!! 
:)
Now… onto this cheesy stuffed burger stuff. I must say that when I picked up My Father’s Daughter by Gwyneth Paltrow; I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. I knew of her macrobiotic diet, and wondered whether I would even have any ingredients in my pantry to try her recipes. But as I flipped through the book, it has some surprisingly basic recipes with accessible ingredients with a little twist, and some of them looked really good, like this turkey burger. I couldn’t help myself though, we had to add some bacon to ours since we love bacon in this house
In addition to some gorgeous looking main dishes, there were tons of other appealing salad, vinaigrette mixing, and side dishes that I plan on trying in the near future. I especially love the section where she had noted some of her experiences introducing some of healthier food options for her two kids, which scored extra for me. So far, one recipe down, and I am a pretty happy camper with this book. Stay tuned for future recipes from this book. If you have tried any of her recipes from this book, let me know which one; and what your verdict is.
Adapted from My Father’s Daughter by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup peeled and finely minced yellow onion
1 tablespoon very finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 lb ground turkey or ground beef chuck
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 fresh ground ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheese of your choice
4 sprouted grain or whole wheat burger buns
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add the onion and rosemary and cook for about 10 minutes, or until quiet soft and sweet. Let the onion mixture cool a bit and then put in a large mixing bowl with the turkey, salt, and pepper.
Mash the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or with your hands. Divide the mixture into quarters. Divide each quarter in half, and form into 2 patties. Place 2 tablespoons of cheese onto one pattie and sandwich with the other half, pinching the edges to close the gap. Repeat this process with the remaining turkey and cheese.
Preheat your grill or broiler to high.
Cook the burgers for 5 minutes on the first side, flip and cook for 4 more minutes, or until the burgers are browned and firm. Serve them on grilled buns with all of your favorite fixings.
Yield: 4 servings
I love using my grill to prepare most of our meals in the summer. Not only that it seems appropriate to give the air conditioner a little break by not turning up the oven unless I absolutely have to; the meal preparation is usually simple. I usually make burgers, and rotate the variety (using either beef, or turkey, and then chicken) from time to time, and add some fresh salad, and it’s done. After a successful introduction with flank steak making this Grilled Steak with Balsamic Teriyaki, I wanted to find a new recipe using flank steak. I really love simple recipes that have a little touch of something special like this one. The shallot-mustard sauce was easy to put together, yet so delicious, and have the “restaurant” quality that can make dinners at home feel a little bit more special. The steak can be grilled or cooked on the pan; and the sauce was definitely the key that made the difference here. I think I may consider using this sauce for other type of grilled steak in the future as well.
Adapted from Fine Cooking
Ingredients
1 flank steak, about 1-1/2 lb.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. corn oil
6 Tbs. cold unsalted butter (4 Tbs. cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
3 Tbs. finely minced shallot
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup low-salt beef broth
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
Directions
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof 12-inch sauté pan over high heat until very hot. Add the oil to coat the pan and sear the steak on one side until well browned, about 1-1/2 minutes. Flip with tongs and cook until the second side is well browned, about another 2 minutes. Put the pan in the oven and roast until the steak is cooked to your liking, 5 to 7 minutes for medium rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest, lightly covered with foil, while you make the sauce.
Set the same skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbs. of the butter. When the butter melts, add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft and translucent but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium high, and boil until syrupy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the broth and thyme and boil until about 1/3 cup of liquid remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the mustard. (Don’t let the sauce boil after the mustard is added.) Stir in the 4 Tbs. butter cubes, a few at a time. Stir in half the tarragon and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
With a sharp knife, slice the steak thinly across the grain on the diagonal, drizzle with the sauce, and sprinkle with remaining tarragon.
Yield: 4-5 servings
My refrigerator holds probably 5-6 different types of hot sauces: one of them is Sriracha. I love Sriracha for random dipping condiment; but I don’t cook enough with it. I bookmarked this recipe as soon as I saw it on Oishii Food, and couldn’t wait to try it on the grill this summer. With all of the rainy summer days we’ve had, we finally had a couple of sunny days that granted enough time for us to grill on our new grill. This burger has all of my favorite toppings: ground beef mixed with soy sauce and sriracha sauce, bacon, slowly caramelized sweet onions (that I can easily eat by spoonful on its own), arugula, and juicy sweet slices of summer tomatoes. We loved the blue cheese dressing mixed in with sriracha sauce and used it as a dipping sauce with our oven baked fries. What an awesome recipe to heat up our summer menu. Thanks Brianna!
Adapted from The Sriracha Cookbook, as seen on Oishii Food
Directions
1-1/2 lbs. ground grass-fed chuck
2 tbsp soy sauce
5 tbsp Sriracha, divided
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 slices thick cut bacon
1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rings
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
4 brioche buns (I used regular hamburger buns)
4 thick slices Swiss cheese
1 tomato, sliced, for topping
Arugula, for topping
Direction
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, soy sauce, 2 1/2 tbsp of the Sriracha sauce, and pepper. Don’t overmix. Form the mixture into 4 patties, and set aside, on a parchment-lined plate, covered, in the refrigerator.
Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium high heat. In a medium frying pan over medium-low heat, cook the bacon, turning as necessary. While the bacon is cooking, peel and quarter the onions. Cut each section into 1/4-inch slices. Once the bacon is cooked through and slightly crispy, remove the slices from the pan, cut each in half crosswise, and drain onto paper towels, reserving the remaining bacon fat in the pan. Cook the sliced onions in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until they caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.
Grill the burgers, turning once, 4 to 41/2 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer registers 130° to 135°F for medium-rare. Melt a slice of cheese on top of each beef patties.
While the burgers are cooking, combine the blue cheese dressing with the remaining 2 1/2 tbsp Sriracha in a small bowl.
Lightly toast the buns on the grill during the last minute of cooking time.
Assemble the burger. Spread the blue cheese mixture on both halves of each hamburger bun. Stack a burger patty, two pieces of bacon, caramelized onions, a slice of tomato, and a small handful of arugula between each hamburger bun. Use the remaining sauce as dipping sauce.
Yield: 4 burgers
In celebration of Chinese New Year’s, I wanted to post this delicious spin of a favorite Chinese take out dish. It is even perfect for me because it combines two favorite ingredients at our house. I love broccoli in just about any forms (raw, steamed, sauteed, pureed in soups, etc) and Red loves beef dishes (he’d have them every night if he can!). I haven’t had a lot of luck finding a favorite dish from local Chinese restaurants, so I thought this was an appropriate dish that I should try to be making at home; especially since the ingredients are so accessible. I was pleasently surprised at how quickly this dish was to put together and how delicious! I do love sauce on my stir fry, so I think in the future, I would double the sauce to make sure that I have plenty leftover. Wishing you a very prosperous the Year of the Rabbit!
Adapted from Jaden Hair’s Steamy Kitchen Cookbook
Ingredients
1 lb top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced into 1/8-inch thick strips
1-1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
1 tbsp high-heat cooking oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
Beef Marinade
1-1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cooking oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to season the beef
Stir-Fry Sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
2 tsp Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
Directions
In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Beef Marinade. Add the beef and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.
In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the Stir-Fry sauce.
In a wok or large saute pain, add 1-inch of water, and bring to boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender, and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain.
Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping then in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.
Pour in the Stir-Fry sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.
Yield: 4 servings
I was a big fan of Jaden Hair’s Steamy Kitchen Blog long before she published her book. Her blog is just full of simple unpretentious Asian recipes with ingredients that can be found in regular groceries. I was so excited when I saw her book in my local library, because this way I can really check out the book before purchasing it. I had so many recipes tagged from her book that I am going to purchase my own copy.
This recipe really caught my eye right away. I was never really a big beef eater until I met Red. But now, I really enjoy cooking beef like this recipe. Obviously, I didn’t grill this outdoor (with a single digit temperature outside), but it turned out fabulous on the pan as well. I think this sauce would be delicious with chicken: it is a bit tangy, sweet, with just enough saltiness. Red and I enjoyed ours with regular *ehm* American salad with croutons and all. But I know it will pair up well with steamed rice or mashed potatoes. I am definitely glad that I tried this recipe.
This recipe is a keeper that I am sure that I will be making again before the summer arrives… **groan** That’s probably another four months for us in the Midwest. Happy cooking and eating!
Adapted from Jaden Hair’s Steamy Kitchen Cookbook
Ingredients
1 lb of skirt steak (or other steak of your choice)
2 tablespoons high heat cooking oil (if cooking in frying pan)
For Sauce
1-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 ts sugar
1/4 cup store bought or homemade beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tbsp of mirin (sweet rice wine)
Directions
To make the Balsamic Teriyaki Sauce, add the butter to a saucepot and set over medium-low heat. When the butter just starts to bubble, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until aromatic are soft. Watch to make sure that you don’t burn the shallots or garlic.
Pour the balsamic vinegar in and bring to a boil. When boiling, immediately turn the heat to medium low and simmer; uncovered for 15 minutes or until reduced by half. The balsamic should be thick, glossy, and coat the back of a spoon. Add the sugar, stock, soy sauce, and mirin. Stir well and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, immediately turn the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool and reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce for marinating and remaining 1/4 cup for serving.
If you are marinating the steak before grilling it, place the steak and just 1/2 cup of sauce in a large sealable plastic bag. Marinate 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Thirty minutes prior to grilling, remove steaks from refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature. Discard the marinade and pat the steak very dry.
Grilling Outdoors. If you are grilling outdoors on your barbeque grill (preferred method), preheat the grill for direct grilling over high heat.
Grilling in Pan or Stovetop. If you are cooking the steak on the stovetop, set a large frying pan or griddle over high heat. When a bead of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact, add the oil and swirl to coat.
Add the steak to the hot grill or pan in one layer. The pieces should not be touching. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Skirt steak varies in thickness so you might want to add the thicker pieces to the grill or pan first and give them an extra minute of head start.
Let the grilled steak rest for 5 minutes then cut ACROSS the grain for ultimate tenderness. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of the Balsamic Teriyaki Sauce over the meat.
Yield: 4 servings
Nobody, I mean nobody, has ever convinced me to cook steak at home. I can count with one hand how many times I have ordered, cooked, or eaten steaks. (Now it looks like it would be up to two hands!) My dad is a meat and potato kind of guy, but I have always relied on chicken, fish, and maybe pork to provide me with my protein requirement. And maybe tofu, because I love tofu. And if I have access to tempeh, I would have them every day as well, with tofu (they are like Jack ‘n Jill, always together, in my opinion)….
BUT after I watched Barefoot Contessa’s show where she made this gorgeous meat, I actually stopped at the meat counter during our grocery run, and asked for two filet mignon. Red’s eyes were wide open, jaws dropped, but quickly recovered – maybe because he didn’t want me to change my mind.
The reviews on Food Network basically said that this dish was pretty salty, and we agreed. But take a look at what she used instead of the regular Kosher Salt, Ina used Fleur del Sel, which I believe has slightly more subtle flavor. So in the future, if we ever make this again, we’ll lighten up on the salt. (I apologize for the quality of the pic, I was in hurry to dig my fork into this handsome steak!).
Ingredients
- 2 (10-ounce) filet mignon
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon fleur de sel
- 1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, optional
- Roquefort Chive Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and brush them lightly with vegetable oil. Combine the fleur de sel and cracked pepper on a plate and roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing lightly to evenly coat all sides.
When the skillet is ready, add the steaks and sear them evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, for a total of 10 minutes.
Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, if using, and place the skillet in the oven. Cook the steaks until they reach 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you’re actually testing the middle of the steak.)
Remove the steaks to a serving platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
