Guinness Cheddar Dip - Corned Beef & Cabbage

 

I made this dip on St. Patrick's Day and it went FAST!!! It was super yummy and very easy to make. I also made corned beef & cabbage for the first time (I forgot to take a picture, though). I wanted to make sure I documented both recipes so I can make them again next year!

 

Guinness Cheddar Dip

Recipe from The Curvy Carrot

 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 and 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1/4 cup Guinness
2 or 3 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

 

 

1. In the bowl of your blender or food processor, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, mustard, and half-and-half.  Pulse until smooth.
2. With the food processor running, slowly pour the Guinness down the feeder and blend until combined.
3. Add the scallions, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper (to taste).  Blend until thoroughly mixed.
4. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill at least for one hour prior to serving.

Corned Beef & Cabbage
Recipe from AllRecipes

4 large carrots, peeled and chopped

10 baby red potatoes, quartered

1 onion, peeled and cut into bite-sized

pieces

4 cups water

1 (4 pound) corned beef brisket with

spice packet

6 ounces Guinness

1/2 head cabbage, coarsely chopped

 

Place the carrots, potatoes, and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker, pour in the water, and place the brisket on top of the vegetables. Pour the beer over the brisket. Sprinkle on the spices from the packet, cover, and set the cooker on low. Cook the brisket for about 8 hours. An hour before serving, stir in the cabbage and cook for 1 more hour.

Greek Beef Tacos

Holy moly these tacos were AMAZING! It is a great combination of flavors, loaded with veggies, and topped with one of my all time favorite foods - FETA! You can't go wrong with feta! :)

Make these ASAP... you won't be disappointed!

Greek Beef Tacos
Recipe from Cassie Craves

For the tacos:

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons Greek seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups fresh baby spinach
Splash of red wine vinegar
Whole wheat flour tortillas

For the sauce:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Half of a medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For topping:

Black olives
Feta cheese
Diced cucumber
Minced red onion

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, Greek seasoning, garlic and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Add spinach; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Add a splash of vinegar, if desired.

2. To make the sauce, squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumber as you can. Combine sour cream, cucumber, and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Spoon some of the beef mixture into each flour tortilla. Top with sauce and desired toppings.

Burger Potato Bites

Aren't these adorable? They are too cute and super yummy! I served them as an easy dinner with some watermelon slices but they would also be perfect as an appetizer for a party.

Enjoy!

Burger Potato Bites
Recipe slightly adapted from BHG

16 frozen waffle fries

1 lb ground beef

1 TBSP grill seasoning

4 slices cheddar cheese, cut into quarters

Cherry tomatoes, sliced

Cook fries according to package directions.

Mix ground beef and grill seasoning; form 16 small patties (about 1 TBSP per patty).

Cook patties in a skillet until done, about 5 minutes.

Place one patty on each waffle fry and top with a slice of cheese. Place in oven until cheese is melted. Top with cherry tomato slice.

 

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Almost 2 years ago I posted a spaghetti and meatball recipe that I regularly use. When I posted that recipe I had mentioned this stuffed meatball recipe and said that I would post it soon. I'm thinking 22 months later is not really SOON, but hey, better late than never!

These meatballs are amazing! I don't make them often enough but am always so glad when I finally do. They are great on top of spaghetti and they also make fantastic meatball hoagies!

Enjoy!

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork or mild Italian sausage
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
3 eggs
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 lb mozzarella, cut into cubes

Olive Oil
Marinara (jar or homemade)

In a large bowl mix beef through pepper. Form into 2" balls. Press a cheese cube in the middle and seal the meat around it.

Heat 1/2" olive oil in a large skillet. Brown meatballs and then set aside on plate.

Pour marinara sauce into pan; bring to a simmer. Add meatballs and simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Serve over spaghetti or on top of a hoagie.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Add this to the list of recipes that I am shocked I haven't posted yet. This has been my Spaghetti Bolognese recipe for over 6 years and yet it isn't on my blog. Not quite sure how that happened so here it is now!

I love the addition of red pepper flakes to the sauce. It gives a little kick without being too spicy.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Bolognese

2 tsp olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
14 oz tomato sauce
1/4 cup red wine (or beef broth)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want it)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 lb spaghetti, cooked
Parmesan for serving

Heat oil and saute garlic and onion until tender. Add beef and cook until browned. Stir in remaining ingredients (minus spaghetti) and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over cooked spaghetti.

Taco Mac

Okay, so I'm a little embarrassed to admit just how much I liked this meal. Let's be honest, there is nothing fancy about it (not that all food has to be fancy!). It really is a "take what I had in the pantry/fridge and create something edible" kind of meal. What I thought would just be "edible" turned out to be so amazing. I ate way too much of it and don't regret it at all. Man, this was good and super easy, too. Guess you can't ask for more from a meal!

Taco Mac

16 oz medium shell pasta
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can ( 4 oz) diced green chilies
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Sour Cream

Boil pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Brown ground beef. Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and green chilies. Mix in cheddar and cream cheese; heat until melted. Stir in noodles.

Top with sour cream if desired.

Pumpkin Chili & Pumpkin Cornbread

While I prefer to use pumpkin in sweet recipes, savory pumpkin dishes are also fantastic! I made this pumpkin chili and pumpkin cornbread the other night and it was an amazing dinner! The chili was easy since I cooked it in the crockpot and while the pumpkin was subtle the overall flavor was yummy! The cornbread was sweet and pumpkiny and SOOOOOO good! It was a great fall meal!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chili
Recipe from In Erika's Kitchen

3 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
4 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground chipotle powder (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp salt, or to taste

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until no pink remains, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and bell peppers and saute another 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir briefly.

Put the beef mixture into the slow cooker along with the pumpkin puree, tomato paste, beans, spices and salt; stir to combine. Cook on low 8 hours or on high 4 hours.

Pumpkin Cornbread
Recipe from Sugar Cooking

1 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup cornmeal
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin purée
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp honey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 8×8″ baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, brown sugar, and cornmeal.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, and then stir in the pumpkin, oil, milk and honey.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined, and then pour the batter into the pan, smoothing out the top as much as possible.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Taco Stuffed Shells

About 6 years ago I made a cookbook for family as a Christmas gift. It included recipes collected from members of the family and also a lot of recipes from me. Most of the recipes I included were favorites and regulars on our weekly menu. This was all before I started collecting recipes like they were gold so we often repeated meals throughout the month. These days we rarely eat the same thing twice in a month because I am constantly trying new things.

Last week I pulled out the old cookbook and started looking through it. I realized that there were quite a few old recipes that I have never posted on the blog. I decided to make my favorites and finally get them posted.

This recipe is one of those favorites. It isn't your ordinary stuffed shell recipe but man is it delicious. The meat is mixed with cream cheese, stuffed inside the shell, and topped with taco sauce and cheese. SOOOOO good!

Enjoy and be on the lookout for more "old" recipes! :)

Taco Stuffed Shells

1 lb ground beef
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
18 jumbo shells, cooked
2 TBSP butter, melted
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese

Brown beef in skillet. Add cream cheese, salt, and chili powder; simmer 5 minutes.

Toss cooked shells in butter and fill with beef mixture. Arrange shells in pan. Pour taco sauce over shells; cover with foil.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Uncover, top with cheeses. Bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly.

Beefy Tomato Soup

My husband says this soup reminds him of a stuffed bell pepper. Easy, hearty, and delicious! :)

Beefy Tomato Soup

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp salt (more or less depending on taste)

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon  oregano

3 cans tomato soup

2  cups water

2 cups  gemilli, cooked (could use rotini, small shells, or elbow)
Parmesan for serving

Cook the beef through oregano in a large soup pot until beef is cooked through. Mix in soup, water,

and gemelli. Cook until hot and bubbling. Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan.

Taco Braid and Homemade Guacamole

This meal was so easy and so delicious! My husband said it was like a fluffy chimichanga. I was scatterbrained when I made it and I closed it up without the cheddar. No worries, though... we just threw the cheese on top!

And the guacamole... well, let's just say there isn't any left! YUM!

Taco Braid

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything

1 recipe bread dough (can be homemade or frozen dough from the store)

Filling:

4 oz of Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup Salsa
1/2 lb ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning

1 can (15oz) of black beans (drained)

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
olive oil
garlic salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll dough into a 15-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Place on a greased cookie sheet. It's very important to place the dough on the cookie sheet before you fill it because once you fill it, it will be too heavy to move onto the cookie sheet. Mix salsa and cream cheese in a small bowl. Spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise down center third of rectangle, salsa, then seasoned meat and black beans. Sprinkle with cheese.

On each long side, cut 1 inch wide strips about 2-1/2-inches into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling.

Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Guacamole

4 ripe avocados

1/2 cup red onion, diced finely

2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced finely

1/4 - 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped finely

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Cut avocados in half and remove pit. Scoop out flesh of avocado and coarsely chop it. Place in a large bowl and slightly mash with a fork. I like mine on the chunky side. Add the diced onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic and toss together with the avocados. Add the lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Homemade Beef Ravioli in Basil Cream Sauce

I love making homemade pasta. It is fun, easy, and tastes delicious! I especially enjoy making ravioli. They are little pockets of deliciousness! I have made cheese ravioli and asparagus ravioli but never a beef ravioli. To be honest, I am not sure if I have ever had a beef ravioli before.

I really loved these. The filling was delicious and the sauce was a winner. The sauce had a little heat to it from the diced tomatoes with green chilies. SO good. Nathan served himself seconds before I finished my plate and then he had thirds. That should tell you just how good this ravioli is! Enjoy!

Beef Ravioli in Basil Cream Sauce
Recipe adapted from A Blog About Food
FILLING:
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper

DOUGH:
1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 cup water

Blend together all dough ingredients in a food processor until mixture starts to form a ball. Knead dough on lightly floured surface, adding additional flour to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes). Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let stand for 1 hour.

Brown the beef in a skillet and drain all the fat. Mix in remaining filling ingredients; set aside.

Roll out ravioli dough by hand or using a pasta machine. Using a ravioli tray, add a little flour across the tray to keep them to sticking to the tray. Put the first piece of dough across and fill each ravioli with the mixture. Put the second piece of the dough on top of the tray. Use a rolling pin to seal the sides of the ravioli. Flip the tray upside down and the ravioli will fall out.

To cook, bring to a boil 4-6 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Boil for about 10 to 12 minutes. Toss ravioli in cream sauce (recipe below).

Basil Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 lb mushroom, sliced
3 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 (10 ounce) cans diced mild tomatoes and green chilies, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; saute over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in diced tomatoes and green chiles, basil, and cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese; add salt.

FFwD: Short Ribs in Red Wine and Port

PLEASE do not judge this recipe based on the picture. I made this for Valentine's dinner and we didn't eat until 8pm. That means absolutely NO natural light and also a rushed picture. I mean, it was a romantic dinner... no taking pictures for 10 minutes to make sure I got a good one.

But taste-wise??? Holy moly... so good! The ribs cook for 3 hours in a mixture of red wine and port. Then once they are done, they are broiled for a few minutes and then brushed with orange zest and cilantro. I don't think I've EVER had a better beef meal. It was that good!

Go buy Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan for the recipe. This book won't let you down!

FFwD: Hachis Parmentier

Hachis Parmentier (ah-she pahr-men-tee-ay) is basically a Shepherd's Pie. Well, a French Shepherd's Pie, so that means it is fancier. :) Shepherd's Pie is one of my favorite meals and I was excited to try out this version.

It starts with this lovely mixture of onions, carrots, celery, beef, and spices in a big pot and it cooks for 1 1/2 hours. Holy moly, it smelled AMAZING! After it has cooked, the meat is cut up small and put into a casserole dish. And if that isn't enough, you brown sausage and add it to the beef mixture. Then you top it with delicious, creamy mashed potatoes and grated gruyere cheese. Seriously??? Comfort food doesn't get any better than this!

Once it is baked, it has a nice golden brown top and, if you are anything like me, you will burn your tongue tasting it because you just can't wait to eat it!

It was amazing!!! I will definitely be making it over and over again. It is totally worth the time and effort! SOOOOOO GOOD!!!! Now go buy Around My French Table so you can serve Hachis Parmentier to your family. They will love you forever!

Cheeseburger Macaroni

I know this doesn't look like much but it tastes great so hear me out. :)

When Nathan is gone I like to find easier meals for me and the kids. It's not that they don't like "fancier" foods... It's actually quite the opposite. I like to think of them as my little foodies and they enjoy a variety of different foods. I would have to say they are less picky than I am! (Well, Anya definitely is... Eric and I probably have the same level of pickiness!)

Back to the point of this post... While the kids enjoy eating meals that take me forever to make, they also enjoy meals that take me 5 minutes to make. Since time is precious when Nathan is away and I would much rather spend time playing with them, I tend to gravitate towards easier/quicker meals.

This meal is just that. Quick, easy, and the ingredients are what you would usually have in your pantry/fridge. The best part is that it is incredibly delicious! I loved it and the kids loved it and I will definitely be making it again!

Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Macaroni

2 cups elbow noodles
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 TBSP butter
4 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 TBSP ketchup
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated cheddar

Boil noodles; drain and set aside. Brown beef and onion in a skillet; set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and mix well. Add salt through worcestershire and mix. Add the milk and stir until thickened. Stir in cheese.

Mix beef and noodles into cheese sauce and serve.

Nathan's Burgers

I've said it a million times before but my husband knows his way around a grill. Chicken, ribs, pork chops, burgers... You name it and it is GOOD! These burgers are amazing and I stuffed myself silly trying to finish one. These burgers have sauteed onions, bacon, and melted muenster cheese. A-MAZ-ING!

Nathan's Burgers

Makes 4 1/4 lb burgers

1 lb ground beef

1 TBSP worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP water

1 egg

Flour mixed with chili powder, paprika, and pepper

Mix beef through egg together and form 4 patties. Coat patties with flour mixture. Set aside and make onion mixture.

Sauteed Onions

1 red onion, sliced into 1/4" rings

2 TBSP vegetable oil

3 TBSP butter

1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Pinch of thyme

Black pepper

2 cloves garlic

In a cast iron skillet on the grill, saute onion in vegetable oil for about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook until onions darken and are soft.

Remove majority of onions and set aside. Cook burgers in cast iron skillet (leave onion juices in pan) 5-8 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and cook on grill until done.

Add sliced cheese, bacon, and onions. Enjoy!

Southwest Steak and Pasta Salad

To me, this is a perfect summer meal. It has all the makings of a big heavy dinner, but it is light and yet still filling. Plus, there is minimal use of the stove. Nathan grilled up the steak outside while the kids were swimming in the pool and I boiled the noodles and cut up the veggies inside. Super simple, super delicious, and super summery! FYI... totally great as lunch leftovers the next day!

Enjoy!

Southwest Steak and Pasta Salad

Dressing:

2 TBSP mayonnaise

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 TBSP olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Steak:

1 lb flank steak

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp salt

Salad:

8 oz linguine, cooked and cooled

1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 cup corn kernels

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Salad greens

In a large bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients; set aside.

Season steak with chili powder and salt; grill until done. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Add linguine, tomatoes, onion, corn, and cilantro to dressing; mix well. Serve with sliced steak over salad greens.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs is such a classic dinner and there is a reason for that.... It is so good and comforting! I have two recipes that I go back and forth between. One uses a stuffed meatball (I really need to post that recipe) and this recipe which is packed with parmesan.

I love how full of flavor these meatballs are. They are the perfect topping to a bowl of spaghetti and they would also be great on a hoagie topped with cheese.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

1 lb ground beef

2/3 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 eggs

Mix beef through eggs in large bowl. Form into meatballs.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add meatballs in one layer. Cook, turning occasionally, until the meatballs are nicely browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon and transfer to plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

Serve with marinara and noodles or on a hoagie.... YUM!

Guest Blogger: Beefy Eggplant Parmigiana

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Monica for providing another recipe for me. This recipe looks and sounds fantastic!

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First, let me say, this is the first time I made this and I thought it was FANTASTIC!!! I really like eggplant and thought this was a delicious meal. However, trying to make this low calorie/low fat was harder than I thought it was going to be. First I sautéed the onion and celery WITH the hamburger and then drained so I didn’t have to use any extra oil. Then I tried to fry the eggplant with less oil and I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I had to keep adding oil b/c it really sucked up all the oil quickly. I also used quite a bit less cheese (I only did one layer of each kind) and I thought it still tasted great. Overall, it turned out great I would just love to learn a way to cook eggplant lower fat and still have it taste fabulous!

Beefy Eggplant Parmigiana

1/3 cup chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2TBS vegetable oil
1 can (14 oz) Italian stewed tomatoes
¼ cup tomato paste
½ tsp dried oregano
1 ¼ tsp salt, divided
½ tsp pepper, divided
1 bay leaf
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/8 inch slices
Addition vegetable oil
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 ½ tsp minced fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, sauté onion, celery, parsley, and garlic powder in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1hour. Discard bay leaf.

In a shallow dish, combine flour and remaining salt and pepper. Place buttermilk in another shallow dish. Dip eggplant in buttermilk, then in flour mixture.

In a large skillet, cook eggplant in batches in 1 in. of hot oil until golden brown on each side; drain.

Place half of eggplant in a greased 13x9x2 in. baking dish. Top with half of Parmesan cheese, beef, tomato mixture, and mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining eggplant, parmesan cheese, beef and tomato mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

Grilled Ribeyes

You all might get tired of hearing me say this, but I LOVE that we are now able to grill at least once a week. Nathan is actually way more excited about this than I am (he spent 5 hours smoking ribs over the weekend - that post will come soon). I should start making him write up the posts for all the grilling recipes! ;)

This ribeye is probably one of the best steaks I have ever had. So juicy and delicious. We will definately be making this again and I can't wait!

Enjoy!

Worcesterishire Marinated and Glazed Rib Eye Steaks

Serious Barbecue by Adam Perry Lang (some items changed)

Marinade

1 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes

1 TBSP boiling water

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

20 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup worcestershire sauce

2 TBSP packed brown sugar

1 TBSP dried rosemary

1 TBSP dried thyme

Seasoning Blend

2 TBSP garlic salt

2 TBSP lemon pepper

2 TBSP black pepper

2 TBSP chili powder

Glaze

1/2 cup worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted

Compound Butter

1 lb butter, softened

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 TBSP chopped shallots

1 garlic clove, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp salt

8 rib eye steaks, about 14 oz each

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Mix all ingredients for compound butter; refrigerate until needed.

2. Place pepper flakes in small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes to rehydrate the flakes. Combine remaining marinade ingredients including pepper flakes and water. Place steaks in ziploc bag and cover with marinade. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, but preferably up to 24.

3. Combine all seasoning blend ingredients.

4. Combine glaze ingredients; pour into a large baking dish.

5. Remove steaks from bag and lightly pat dry. Generously season both sides of steak with seasoning blend. Using your hands or a brush, lightly coat steaks with vegetable oil.

6. Place steaks on grill, 2 minutes each side, until they have a light char. Brush steaks generously on both sides with compound butter.

7. During last 2-3 minutes of cooking, dip each steak in the glaze and return to grill to finish cooking.

8. Remove steaks from grill, brush with compound butter, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Mushroom Blue Cheese Tenderloin

Nathan loves blue cheese. I can't stand it. Nathan loves mushrooms. I will eat them, but could live without them as a main ingredient. I don't like to think of myself as a picky eater, but there are definately foods that I won't eat. But, I love my husband very much and I think he should get foods that he loves every once in a while.

This meal was good and Nathan loved it. I ate it without the blue cheese added in and liked it as well. The steak itself was incredibly flavorful, too.

I used flank steak instead of beef tenderloin strictly because of the price. A 3lb tenderloin was going to cost me $42 and I just wasn't willing to spend that on a Wednesday night dinner! It was wonderful with the flank steak but I for a special occasion, I'm sure the tenderloin would be worth the money.

Enjoy!
Mushroom Blue Cheese Tenderloin
Taste of Home Dec/Jan 09

1 1/2 cups soy sauce
3/4 cup worcestershire
1 beef tenderloin (3 1/2 - 4 lbs)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP pepper
1 can (10 1/2 oz) beef broth

Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 oz) crumbled blue cheese
1 TBSP worcestershire
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
4 green onions, chopped

In a large Ziploc bag, combine soy sauce and worcestershire. Add beef; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Drain and discard marinade. Rub the beef with garlic and pepper; place in roasting pan. Add broth to pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 for 45-55 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness. (145 for medium rare, 160 for medium, 170 for well done.)

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Add mushrooms and garlic; saute unitl tender. Add the cheese, worcestershire, and caraway seeds. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in onions; heat through. Serve sauce with beef.