Cuisine: Beef

Risotto with Beef, Rosemary, Sage and Barolo Wine, Alba Style

Marcella Hazan's cookbooks are wonderful and are credited with introducing the traditional techniques of Italian Cooking to the US and the UK. I stumbled upon this recipe for Risotto with Beef, Rosemary, Sage and Barolo Wine, Alba Style. I love risotto and have made it over the years using the traditional endless stirring technique, the oven method, and actually in an Instant Pot. If you want to hang out in the kitchen while drinking wine and do it the traditional way (that is, when my husband does the stirring!), it can be quite cathartic. Typically, I make mushroom or butternut squash, but this risotto has a small amount of ground beef. It's really delicious. The red wine/beef combination marries surprisingly well with the creamy Arborio rice. The sage and rosemary really deliver on the flavor front and take the whole thing to a new level. Alba in Italy is known around the world for its Barolo and Barbaresco wines and is situated in the northern Piedmont region.

By Leslie Blythe

Picadillo

I made this last night for dinner and it was AWESOME. It looked like it was going to be awful, but I was wrong. You can use any kind of pepper. Put it in a flour tortilla. The next day you can use the leftovers, if there are any, for breakfast burritos or quesadillas. It's so good and easy! Picadillo is a popular dish in most South American countries. This Mexican Picadillo uses ground beef, tomatoes, potatoes, and some peppers.

By Leslie Blythe

Basil-Butter Steaks with Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe

My brother David sent us a fabulous box of Omaha Steaks, which are incredibly tender and delicious. We made Basil-Butter Steaks with Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe for dinner, which was easy and outstanding.

By Leslie Blythe

Bistro Pepper Steak

My husband has been watching Chef Stephane from The French Cooking Academy on YouTube. You can learn how to make a pan sauce for steak like the kind you get in a Parisian bistro. Oh, what I would do to be in any Parisian bistro right now!

Anyway, here is the recipe for Bistro Pepper Steak. The key is deglazing the pan. My husband threw in some mushrooms, which are not in the original recipe. You can watch Stephane make it in this video.

By Leslie Blythe

Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Barley

I made this Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Barley for my Dad the other day. You can make it in an Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker or, I have also included the stovetop instructions. There are a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme in this stew which makes it very flavorful. I love the addition of pearl barley, which is one of the oldest grains. It is chewy, nutty, hearty and acts as the perfect thickener for soups and stews.

By Leslie Blythe

Marinaded New York Strip Steaks

Marinaded New York Strip Steaks are great for the grill or even seared in a skillet. The Marinade helps to tenderize and infuse the steak with flavor. Similar to brining, marinating is an effective way to introduce extra moisture into meat that can get too dry when cooked, as well as making what you marinate more tender.

By admin

Dutch Meat Loaf from Pennsylvania

My daughter Zoe, who lives on the east coast called me the other day and said that her boyfriend Pierce's mom Lynda made the BEST meatloaf she had ever had. She said that Lynda's mother got a postcard from Hunt's tomato sauce in the mail circa 1948. The Hunts ad said that "Hunts Tomato Sauce only costs a few cents per can and folks rave about the delicious things it does for their low-cost recipes". So I decided to make it, even though I don't like meatloaf. Well, I am now a fan. The sauce seems very watery, but it ends up evaporating. It's so good and ridiculously simple.

Here is a note from Lynda-
My Mom’s Pennsylvania Dutch Meatloaf recipe came right from Hunt’s Tomato Sauce Co. She sent away for 9 regional recipes and this was on the recipe cards! It actually came from Hunt Foods Inc. Fullerton, CA.
My Mom’s meatloaf was by far her best Sunday dinner! It was savory, sweet, and delicious. She used fresh bread that sat out for half a day and tore it into pieces.
The recipe calls for ½ can (8 ounce) Hunt’s Tomato Sauce ...... personally the more sauce the better I quadruple the recipe for the sauce! We always had baked potatoes and some kind of veggie with the meatloaf. As Mom used to say enjoy!

By admin

Burrito Pie

Here's another socially distant dinner I made in my Instant Pot on my Dad's porch. You can also make this layered  Burrito Pie in the oven. It's everything in a burrito - meat, refried beans and cheese that are stacked up with tomatoes and baked.

By admin

Meatloaf Pie

We have been having socially distant dinners on my Dad's porch. I bring my Instant Pot and plug it in outside. The neighbors always come and ask what I'm making! After making Lasagna, which was a huge hit, I wanted to come up with more things I can make in my 6" removable bottom pan. I love the fact that you can easily slice it into pie shaped wedges. You can also make this in the oven with the same pan. The recipe has a topping, but my Dad just likes ketchup on the side. 

By admin

Aunt Bambi’s Chile Colorado

My friend Chris, whose family calls her “Aunt Bambi” (there must be an interesting story there!), had us for a socially distant dinner in her backyard and made this incredible Chile Colorado. By the way, Colorado has nothing to do with the state of Colorado. Colorado is of Spanish origin, meaning "colored red.” Chile Colorado (sometimes spelled Chili Colorado) is a Mexican dish featuring a red sauce and tender pieces of beef. There is a small amount of chocolate in it and is typically eaten with beans, rice, and tortillas.

By admin