Recipe: Aunt Annie's Cubed Steak with peppers and onions

It's been almost 9 months since I blogged about a recipe so I thought what we were having for dinner would be a great post because it's deliciously good! Mike loves his Aunt Annie's cubed steak with peppers and onions so she was kind enough to email it to me and it's been a favorite of ours for the past 3 years. It is a little time consuming to prepare and cook so if you work during the day it may be a little hard to pull this one off so it may need to be saved for a weekend. However, this recipe is amazing so you need to try it at least once! I have never had this type of cubed steak before because my Mammaw made ours with a brown gravy but I must admit I prefer this recipe over hers *gasp*!


Ingredients:

1.5 lb of Cubed Steak - I buy the packs at Wal-Mart that have 3 steaks
1 small white onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper (not necessary)
1 can of Diced Tomatoes with green chilies
2 cans of Beef Broth
Red Wine of any kind (not necessary)
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
Vegetable Oil
Flour
Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350°
Pound your cubed steak with lots of flour using a tenderizer; the more flour the better. Heat your oil and chopped garlic in a skillet large enough to fit your floured meat pieces. Brown your steaks on both sides; this should only take 1-2 minutes per side. Once the steak is browned transfer to a large covered casserole dish. Add your can of diced tomatoes (juice too), chopped onion, chopped green and red bell pepper. If you like your dishes spicy you can add jalapenos or other peppers to your liking. Add enough beef broth to cover the steak and pepper mixture completely; this may not take both cans but reserve the leftover in case you need it later. I also add red wine to this dish and I never measure it out but I would say it's somewhere between a 1/4 - 1/2 cup. It doesn't have to be fancy red wine either, the cheapest works fine and you can omit the wine completely if you prefer. Also, add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook the dish until tender. This dish needs to cook for at least 3 hours but I typically leave mine in the oven for 4 - 4.5 hours; stirring 2-3x before the dish is done. Add the reserved broth if you see it's needed but you do not want this dish too "runny" so be careful not to add to much.

I serve this with rice but mashed potatoes would be perfect too as the "broth" makes an excellent gravy.

Enjoy!!

 

Comfort Food -- Blue Ribbon Chili

There is somthing about eating comfort food on chilly Sunday afternoons that soothes the soul (and your belly), I ran across a great recipe a year or so ago and it's a family favorite so I thought I would share it with you. It's super easy to make and it's ready within an hour....however, I let mine cook all day if I can.

INGREDIANTS
2 pounds of ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
2.5 cups of tomato sauce
1 - 8 ounce jar of salsa (hot or mild)
4 tablespoons of chili seasoning
1 - 15 ounce can of light red kidney beans
1 - 15 ounce can of dark red kidney beans

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and onions. Cook until meat is browned. Drain grease and place contents in crock pot.

2. In the crock pot add the black pepper, garlic salt, tomato sauce, salsa, chili seasoning and kidney beans. Mix well and cook on low for at least an hour!

For a great topping to the chili; mix sour cream and shredded cheese in a bowl and put a tablespoon on top of your chili. Enjoy!

Recipe Time! Chicken Casserole

It's always nice to have a warm casserole to serve for dinner during the cooler months as well as Holiday parties where you must carry a covered dish. My saving grace is a recipe my Mammaw used to make and then passed on to my Mom who then passed on the recipe to me. It's seriously delicious and so easy to make. I even make them for new neighbors or if someone is home bound; so here goes!

**This recipe was originally taken from the St. John's Luthern Church cookbook published in 1975**






Chicken Casserole Ingredients

1 package of Pepperidge Farm Stuffing
2 cups of Chicken (I cheat and buy the cooked chicken in the large can)
1 stick of margarine, melted
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom or cream of celery -- your personal choice

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Melt Margarine and mix with stuffing mix. Put 1/2 of stuffing mixture in a casserole dish, top with chicken. Blend both soups together with a 1/3 cup of water and mix well. Pour over chicken. Spread the other half of stuffing mix over top of casserole. Bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly and browned on top.

It's yummy!!!

Leslie's "Cream of Broccoli Soup", thanks to Aunt Judy

A couple of years ago we were hanging out with our Concord neighbors, Leslie and Richard and we experienced the most amazing Cream of Broccoli soup on a very cold evening. It was so good that I knew I had to get the recipe so I could repeat the recipe for my family during the cold winter months. It's so good that I want to share it with my Facebook/Blogger world friends! So here goes.

 You will need the following ingredients:

1 lb of Broccoli (I buy the 1 lb bag of frozen florets)
8 oz of Butter NOT margarine
1 cup of Flour
1 Qt of Chicken Stock
1 Qt of Half & Half
Salt, Pepper and Garlic powder

Now you are ready to make this tasty dish!

Steam the Broccoli in 1/2 cup of water until tender. Do not drain.
Melt butter in a pan over medium-low heat.
Add flour by the tablespoon to make a roux. Cook 2-4 minutes.
Add chicken stock while stirring with a whisk.
Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low.
Add Broccoli, Half & Half, salt, pepper and garlic powder (to your liking).
DO NOT BOIL.....stir often.

Once this is made in the pot on the stove I transferred the soup into a crockpot on low heat. That way it's available all day long!

This is a quick and easy soup....a must try!

Rosie's O-Mazing Pot Roast (Have to Share)

When my Pappaw passed away we were given loads of food from friends and family and there was one meal that my Dad and I could not get enough of....Rosie Culbreth's Pot Roast. It was the closest thing that I have eaten that compared to my Mammaw's Pot Roast so you know I *had* to have the recipe to cook for my family back in Georgia. My husband is a Pot Roast connoisseur so I will be anxious to see what he says about our meal tonight!!! So on to the recipe....make sure you have a crockpot (Yay, that makes this recipe even better -- easy cooking and easy clean up!!!).

(I used a 2.5lb Chuck Roast)

Season meat with Salt and Pepper and brown Roast on all sides with 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil on High Heat. Put Roast in Crockpot with Lipton Onion Soup (just the packet; no liquid). Add Worcestershire Sauce until the bottom of the Crock pot is covered. Cook on High for 6 hours. Peel 6-8 small/medium potatoes and place under roast. Add a bag of small baby carrots on top along with another packet of Lipton Onion Soup. Add enough water to cover the entire Roast. (I may try beef stock but her recipe called for water). After the ingredients are added cook for another 2 hour; voila' your meal is done!!

Thanks Rosie for the great recipe!! This is something that I will continue to cook for our family.

The "infamous" Chicken Salad Blurt

I have been meaning to add this recipe to my blog for weeks now but I'm always getting sidetracked! I get online to do it and venture the opposite direction only to sit here and wonder why I got online in the first place!

So, I stopped EVERYTHING to add this to my blog while it was fresh on my mind.

Below you will find the recipe for my infamous chicken salad that I serve for all social Southern gatherings. It's Victoria's favorite dish that I make and she now knows the recipe by heart....yay! for passing something down for generations to come. This recipe comes from my Momma and I am not sure who she borrowed it from but all I do know is that it's quick and easy so it's a keeper in my book!

Chicken Salad Recipe
- 1 can of 12.5 ounces of canned white meat chicken breast (I use Tyson or the Great Value Brand)
- 3 large tablespoons of Mayo (I prefer Dukes but you can use whatever your taste buds favor)
- 3 teaspoons of Dill Pickle relish
-1/4 teaspoon of homemade seasoning (recipe below)

Shred the chicken chunks with your fork if you are opposed to using the fingers God gave you and then mix all the ingredients together. Serve fresh or chill. This goes great on Plane Jane white bread or you can fancy it up and serve it in Puff Pastry cups. Yummy!

Homemade Seasoning - kindly borrowed from Paula Deen
1 cup of Kosher Salt
1/4 cup of Fresh Ground Pepper
1/4 cup of Garlic Powder

Mix all together and keep in an airtight container. Mason Jars work best. This seasoning salt is a staple in my pantry. I use it on EVERYTHING....I mean, everything! You will too once you make it.

Enjoy!!!

Sinful Shrimp

A few weeks ago my good friend, Kristen, invited us over for dinner and she made the most FABULOUS meal for us and I *had* to have the recipe because if Mike could have licked the bowls he would have (secretly, I could have too).

She served us a delightful Shrimp recipe with cheese grits and Spinach Salad; the meal was incredible and incredibly easy! I asked for the recipe and have made it twice already!

So, I am going to share all three recipes with you because once you make it, you will continue making it. It would be perfect for entertaining guests or just used as a quick dinner for your family!

SHRIMP RECIPE
- 4 lbs of Shrimp (you can use the frozen kind in the bag, shell or no shell...I personally used the ones already shelled).
- 1.5 cups of butter
- 1/4 cup of Creole Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of pepper
- 1 tablespoon of crushed Rosemary
- 2.5 chopped Garlic Cloves
- 1.5 cups of Beer (I have used both light and dark)

Saute Shrimp in butter; a minute or so. Add all of the ingredients except the beer and cook for 3-4 minutes (until Shrimp curl up). Turn down burner and add beer...let simmer until desire doneness. I like my Shrimp "well-done" so I cook for another 8-10 minutes but you can cook them less than that.

CHEESE GRITS
I personally used the Quaker Oats Instant Grits (Cooks in 5 minutes). To make them extra creamy half whatever the recipe calls for and add 50/50 milk and water! I usually make the recipe for 4 and have plenty of grits; the recipe calls for 3 cups of water so I do 1.5 cups of Milk and 1.5 cups of Water. Add shredded cheese along with the grits to the boiling water, cover and let cook per the directions. When the grits are done I add about 3 tablespoons of butter....yummy!

BABY SPINACH SALAD
This is really up to you but I also stole Kristen's recipe for her salad mixture and it's served on a weekly basis in the Beemer House. I use Baby Spinach in the bag and add pesto & olive oil for the dressing. Stir in salad to coat the spinach well. Then I add sunflower or pumpkin seeds along with Craisens. Top with Parmesan cheese.

This meal is wonderful and I hope you get a chance to try it!

Mammaw's Chow Chow

A couple of nights ago my friend Laura gave me a jar of homemade hot Salsa to take home to my husband who LOVES hot peppers. Needless to say the jar and it's very hot contents are almost halfway gone and it's only been in the fridge for 4 days! I seriously think my husband has a stomach of steel because there is no way any human being should be able to eat as much hot sauce as he does. It's insane.

Long story short her and I were discussing hot peppers tonight and my Mammaw's recipe for hot "Chow-Chow" came up. Some of you that aren't from the South may call it pepper relish or you may have never even tasted the stuff but it's awesomely good! So here is the recipe...it's time consuming but well worth the time and effort!

Mammaws Hot Chow-Chow

4 cups of ground green tomatoes (approx 15)

6 cups of ground green peppers (approx 12)

6 cups of ground red peppers (approx 12)

8 cups of ground cabbage (1 large head)

4 cups of ground onions

4 hot peppers (you can choose the type of pepper you wish to use - jalapeno is good)

1/2 - 1 cup of salt (depending on your taste buds)

Mix and let stand overnight. Next day, drain.

Mix the following together with the above once the mixed vegetables sit overnight:

6 cups of sugar

1 - 1.5 tsp of turmeric

4 cups of vinegar

2 cups of water

Bring all contents to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Pour contents into Mason jars and seal. Let sit in a cool dark place (cabinet or pantry) for several days before eating. Refrigerate after opening the jar.

Enjoy! It's great served with almost every meal. Put a small amount on your plate at dinner time for a little spiciness!

Monday's "Concoction" - Seared Steak with Onions & Spinach

A month or so ago I had mentioned I was going to start blogging one recipe a week that our family has tried and we actually all thought was great! I had been salavating over a recipe I saw in my Woman's Day magazine and I finally got all of the ingediants to make it for dinner tonight and it was oooommmmaaazzzinnnngggg....greens and all! So here is the list of goodies you will need to prepare this bad boy:

Recipe Ingredients

• Olive Oil
• 2 12-oz sirloin or strip steaks (1 1/2 in. thick)
• Kosher salt, Garlic (Fresh, Jar or Powder) and pepper
• Steak Seasoning of your choice; I use Dale's Seasoning
• Package of Sliced mushrooms
• 1 Green Bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup of Beef Broth
• 1 red or White onion, sliced into rounds, rings separated
• 2 - 5 oz packages of spinach of your choice; I used a mixture of Baby Spinach and Mixed Baby Greens
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 oz blue cheese, broken into small pieces (optional)

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with garlic, salt and pepper and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn the steak. 
2. Scatter the onion rings, green peppers, mushrooms around the steak, drizzle oil over vegetables and steak and cook for 3 minutes. Add desired amount of your choice of steak seasoning to mixture and transfer the skillet to the oven and cook 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare -- longer if you do not like a warm pink center.
(NOTE: If steaks are thicker you will need to cook about 8-12 minutes) 
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. After removing the steak from the skillet I place it (veggies, mushrooms and seasonings) back on the stove and heat over high until it thickens. You have to constantly stir this or it will burn quickly if you aren't paying attention.
3. Add the spinach/greens to a separate skillet/pan and add 1 cup of beef broth. Stir in salt, pepper and garlic to the greens and broth; mix well. Cook over Medium-High heat and cook to desired level of "doneness". I let our greens wilt completely but some may like them less done. This option is totally up to you!  After greens have cooked you can add balsamic vinegar and blue cheese chunks if desired (I do not add this because we aren't crazy about it). 

This recipe is fairly fast and easy! My only suggestions would be to make sure your meat is at room temperature when you start cooking it and the thickness is key when it comes to timing. If the meat is too thick your other side dishes will be done before your steak is ready to eat.....it happened to me tonight!!! 

I made fried potatoes with this dish tonight since our veggies were already covered. I will definitely make this again! It's also a fairly inexpensive meal when it comes to the ingredient's it calls for. It probably cost us a total of $20.00 on the ingredients and fed 3 of us with leftovers.  

Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Woman's Day 

02.08.11 - Recipe of the week - Chicken Taco Soup w/ Tortilla chips

I have had many inquiries of recipes that I have made or make so I thought why not post a recipe each week that our family enjoys! These are Beemer tested and family approved for your dining enjoyment! 


This recipe is a rendition of one that my friend Kristen made for us when we first moved to Albany. I took her recipe and changed it a little and it's still great. Very fast and easy! 


Chicken Taco Soup with Fried Tortilla chips

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, chopped

2 (10 oz)cans of Rotele, undrained

1 (15 oz)can of Whole Kernel Corn, drained

1 (15 oz)can of Chili Beans or Red Kidney Beans

1 (8 oz) can of Tomato Sauce

1 (15 oz)can of Chicken Broth

1 (1.25 oz) packet of Taco Seasoning

2 Large Cans of Chicken Breast, drained and shredded

Add Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Garlic & Chili Powder to suit your taste

Add all ingredients together in a crockpot and set on High for 5 hours. Can cook longer but I would suggest putting it on low if you are cooking this all day. You can top this soup with Sour Cream and Shredded Cheese if you want. 

For the "homemade" tortilla chips you will need to buy a bag of corn tortillas. I use half the bag for our family but it's up to you how many you want to fry. Using a pizza cutter cut the tortilla into 4-6 slices (as you would a pizza) and place in hot oil. Fry until brown on both sides. It will not take long once the oil is hot; depending on your stove 3-5 minutes max per batch. Sprinkle salt on the tortillas as you put them on a plate. These can be put in a ziplock bag and saved for several days if you have leftovers.  

Enjoy! 

Comfort Food

It's a gloomy and rainy day here in the Deep South so what better day to cook some food that is good for the soul? I am making a hefty amount of chili in the crockpot and since it's such a huge success in the Beemer house I thought I would share it with you! 

Ingredients

2 pounds of ground beef

1/2 White Onion - chopped

1 can of Pinto Beans - drained

1 can of Red or Kidney Beans - drained

1 can of Chickpeas - drained

1 can of Rotel - mild or hot

2 cans of Tomato Sauce (small 8 oz cans)

1 can of Diced Tomatoes - drained

1 cup of Salsa (I use Medium/Chunky)

1/4 cup of Beef Broth (reserve remainder of can for later use)

4 tbsp of Chili Seasoning

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder & Red Pepper Flakes to suit your taste

Brown ground beef and stir in all ingredients to your crockpot. Set crockpot on low for at least 4 hours; I usually cook mine for 6 hours. If you want a spicier chili you can add chili powder and jalapenos to the mixture. I always reserve the remainder of the beef broth in case the chili thickens too much while cooking and I add a little at a time throughout the day. When it's time to serve top with shredded cheese, sour cream and crackers if you wish. 

I hope that you and your family enjoys this simple and as Brody would say, "YuumMeee"  recipe!