Vegetable Beef Soup with Barley

Vegetable Beef Soup with Barley

1 lb lean beef, cut into small cubes

1 carton beef broth

2 tbsp soy sauce

Pepper

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 small can V8

1 tsp dried oregano

1 can dark red kidney beans

1 pkg frozen mixed vegetables

3/4 cup quick cooking pearl barley

Cook the beef, broth, soy sauce and pepper to taste in the crockpot on low for several hours, or until the beef is very tender. Strain and discard weird beefy bits. Return the broth and meat to a soup pot. Add the tomatoes, v8, oregano and kidney beans and bring to a boil. Cook about 10 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and barley and cook 10 more minutes or until the barley is done. 

Pretty, colorful and tasty.

Texas Style Chili

Texas Style Chili

2 ½ lbs round steak, trimmed, cut into ½-inch cubes

3 tbsp oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp oregano leaves

½ tsp paprika

¼ to ½ tsp cinnamon

16-oz can diced tomatoes

15-oz can tomato sauce

12-oz can beer or 1 ½ cups beef broth

2 jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped

In 5-qt Dutch oven, brown meat in oil with onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika and cinnamon.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 1 1/4 hours or until meat is tender. 

2 jalapenos make it pretty hot, but this is GOOD!  Serve with Corn Muffins and Sour Cream  1-4-99

Swiss Steak

2 lbs round steak

Salt & Pepper

Flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, halved and sliced

1 package brown gravy mix

1 cup water

14-oz can stewed tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 325^F.

Cut the steak into serving sized pieces and pound with a meat mallet to tenderize it.  Salt and pepper each piece and dredge in flour.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on both sides then remove them from the skillet and place in a large casserole dish or 9x13" pan.

Saute the onions in the same skillet you browned the beef in until they start to brown a bit.  Spoon them over the beef in the casserole dish.

Combine the gravy mix and water in the skillet and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until the gravy begins to thicken.  Stir in the stewed tomatoes (+ juice).  Pour the gravy over the beef and onions.

Seal the dish with foil and bake for 2-3 hours.

Serve with Mashed Potatoes and Buttered Corn.  Yum!!

Steak with Bleu Cheese Butter

Steak with Bleu Cheese Butter

2 New York Strip steaks, 1" thick

Olive Oil

Garlic Salt

Onion Powder

Smokehouse Pepper

2 tbsp butter, softened

3 tbsp crumbled bleu cheese

1 tsp. fresh chives, chopped

Combine the softened butter, bleu cheese and chives in a small bowl and set aside.

Rub the steaks with olive oil. Season with Garlic Salt, Onion Powder and Smokehouse Pepper to taste. Cook on a hot grill (or grill pan) 5-7 minutes per side (or until medium rare). Top with a dollop of the bleu cheese butter and serve immediately.

Steak Strips in Onion Gravy

Steak Strips in Onion Gravy

1.5 - 2 lbs beef sirloin steak, cut into strips

3 tbsp olive oil

Garlic Salt & Pepper

1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced

Pinch of rubbed sage

Splash of worcestershire sauce

1 packet McCormick's Au Jus mix

14 oz can beef broth

1 cup water

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet until hot. Add the steak strips, season with garlic salt and pepper and brown well on all sides. Add the onion slices and cook about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until the steak is very tender. Thicken the gravy with a little flour and water whisked together if you wish.

This was delicious served with Mashed Potatoes!

Steak Diane-ish

Steak Diane-ish

Steaks:

1 Tbsp butter

2 New York Strip Steaks, about 3/4-inch thick

Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauce:

1 Tbsp butter

1 shallot, finely minced

2 Tbsp cognac

2 Tbsp Marsala

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp A-1 steak sauce

1 tsp honey

1/2 cup low sodium beef broth

2 Tbsp half and half

Heat an iron skillet over medium high heat. Season steaks with garlic salt and pepper. Add the butter to the hot skillet. As soon as the foam subsides add the steaks. Cook 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned. 

Remove to a warm plate. 

Add the second tablespoon of butter and the shallots. Saute for 1 minutes. Carefully add the cognac and stir to deglaze the pan. You can flambe it if you want to...but personally I don't see the point in risking my kitchen to an open flame! Add the Marsala, mustard, A-1 sauce and honey. Cook for about 1 minute or until syrupy. Add the beef broth and boil for 1-2 minutes. Stir in half and half until incorporated. Add the steaks back to the pan and reheat for just 1 minute (steaks should be about medium by this point). 

Serve steaks with a bit of the sauce spooned over the top. 

Yummy. Adapted from a recipe found on-line called 21 Club's Steak Diane.

Slow Cooked Hungarian Beef & Noodles

Slow Cooked Hungarian Beef & Noodles

2 lb lean boneless beef, cut into cubes

2 cups baby carrots

1 onion, quartered and roughly chopped

1 bell pepper, cut into strips

1/3 cup flour

1 heaping tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp Mrs. Dash Tomato, Basil & Garlic flavored seasoning

1/2 bottle chili sauce

15-oz can stewed tomatoes

26 oz carton beef broth

Salt and Pepper to taste, if needed

16-oz hot cooked egg noodles

8-oz sour cream, if desired

Toss together the beef, carrots, onions, bell pepper, flour, paprika, and Mrs. Dash and place in the slow cooker. Add chili sauce, tomatoes and beef broth and cook on low all day. Serve with hot noodles and stir in sour cream if desired.

This smells wonderful and tastes great!