Category Archives: Beef

Brussels Sprouts and Steak Stir Fry

Brussels Sprouts and Steak Stir Fry

Between my Indy Mini training (which is Saturday!!!) and Jon and I getting Ginger Kitchen Gourmet Ice Cream up and running, I’ve had little time to share our scrumptious recipes with you. This week’s recipe is simply too good to keep to ourselves. If you’re looking for a flavor-packed, nutritious, and easy-to-prepare meal, this one is for you. You can tone down the heat by omitting the Serrano peppers and scaling back the ginger. If you’re a paleo fan, you can omit the rice- the stir fry is substantial enough to stand alone. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
  • 8 ounces sirloin steak, thinly sliced against the grain
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 scallions, whites chopped, greens sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped peeled ginger
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced on a diagonal
  • 1 Fresno Serrano, sliced into rings
  • Steamed rice (for serving)

Preparation

Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; set sauce aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Cover and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate; wipe out skillet.

Season steak with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add steak in a single layer; cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until nearly cooked through, about 30 seconds. Add to Brussels sprouts. Drain skillet if necessary.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, adjusting heat as needed. Add carrots and Serrano pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until carrots are slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Return Brussels sprouts and steak to skillet and add reserved sauce. Cook, tossing occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with scallion greens.

 

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Gouda Bacon Burgers with Avocado

Jon doesn’t usually come up with recipes from scratch. Many of the dishes we enjoy are adaptations of other recipes he finds online. But today, this one is all his! And oh my it’s a good one. He said this recipe came to him while grocery shopping today. If my stomach had had more room, I would have devoured another one of these. The combination of the lean beef and the smoked bacon with the tangy dressing, crunchy onions and smooth avocado is simply heavenly. Stop whatever you are doing right now and make these…. okay, plan to make them this evening, or this weekend, whenever.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1/4 lb smoked bacon, diced
  • 1/4 red onion, diced
  • 2 tsp. Paprika Smoked Sweet
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • Sliced Gouda
  • Blue cheese dressing
  • French fried onions
  • Sliced avocado
  • Whole wheat buns

Preparation:

Combine ground beef, bacon, red onion, paprika, oregano and black pepper in a large bowl. Form patties. Grill to desired temperature (for us that’s medium rare), melt gouda on top, place on wheat bun, top with blue cheese dressing, french fried onions, and avocado. For extra taste, add more black pepper and a pinch of salt.

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One-hour Chili aka what I ate for a week

Last week, Jon traveled to Kentucky and left me at home to fend for myself. As I expressed on my personal blog, I was lost without him. It was Sunday afternoon before I realized I’d have to go to the store if I wanted to eat that evening… and for the rest of the week. So naturally, I made the biggest pot of chili EVER and ate it twice a day for an entire week. Fear not, it is rather tasty. Better yet, it’s super easy to make. Sorry, no photo. You will just have to trust me on this one.

 

One-hour Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef (97% fat free)
  • 1 can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can red beans in chili sauce
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha
  • 1 tbsp garlic
  • sour cream
  • cheddar cheese

Preparation

Brown the ground beef in the bottom of a large pot. Add stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, red beans, onion, Sriracha and garlic. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Top with sour cream and cheese. Enjoy!

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30 Minute Chili & Cornbread

Today has been a dreary day, so what better way to warm the soul than with a piping hot bowl of homemade chili? As most of you know, Jon does a majority of the cooking, so when I set up camp in the kitchen, I opt for quick and easy. That’s not to say the results aren’t tasty, they simply aren’t as complex. This chili is no exception. You can whip up this flavorful meal in less than 30 minutes- from prep to bowl.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can chili beans
  • 1 can stewed tomatoes, partially drained
  • 1 can diced spiced tomatoes, partially drained
  • 1 can green chilies, drained
  • Salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, celery salt, garlic powder and cumin to taste
  • Sour cream
  • Shredded cheddar


Preparation:
In a large pot, place the ground beef and chopped onion. Turn heat to medium high and cook meat, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, reduce head to medium, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Serve immediately with sour cream and shredded cheddar.


I tried something new with the cornbread. I used the Jiffy Cornbread mix and replaced the 1/3 cup of milk with 1/3 cup of creamed corned. The result was interesting- a crumblier bread, but oddly enough, it was packed with moisture.
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Recker-mendation: Buona Beef- “Real” Italian Beef

Since we moved to Fort Wayne, we have not been able to find “real” Italian beef. Yes, there are Italian beef sandwiches on some menus in town, but they are not, in my humble opinion, authentic. The spices are off, or the meat is too dry… and no one has the giardiniera (a sweet and hot pepper mix), which is so essential to the taste and texture. Thankfully, we still have ties to Chicago and can get Italian beef when family visits. This past weekend, Jon’s mom came to town with Buona Beef, juice, giardiniera and Italian bread in tow. Oddly enough, you cannot get “real” italian bread here, only French, which is decidely not the same. It doesn’t have the same texture, nor does it have the ability to soak up the juice to the appropriate level. What this town needs is some “real” Italian beef. That would make the Recker’s very happy, indeed.

You can also order Italian beef online from Buona or Portillo’s at the following links:

http://www.buona.com/buonaWp/shop-and-ship/

http://www.portillos.com/store/index.asp?DEPARTMENT_ID=25

Buona Beef on Urbanspoon

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