Frontpage — Page 26

Southwestern Style Flank Steak

January 9, 2010 by Linda

Crumbled, cooked, spicy sausage and onions in a horizontally sliced steak, rolled, tied, browned, then salsa poured over, and finally it’s oven-cooked for about one and a half hours. . .what’s not to like?

2 pounds flank steak
1 large onion, peeled, diced
1 diced green pepper
1 pound spicy Italian sausage or chorizo
8-12 oz. jar salsa (your choice of mild or hot)
3 Tbs. or to taste of minced garlic

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan with at least 2 inch sides.

Slice the flank steak horizontally along the longest side, but leave about a 1-inch border at the end; open steak and lay flat in the pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, crumble the sausage, add onion and green pepper and cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Carefully spread the contents of pan onto one side of steak and fold the other side over to close. Alternately you can roll and tie it, but it may become so loose that everything falls out – do as you wish. Then pour and spread the salsa over and around steak. Cover with foil and place in oven for 50-60 minutes.

Filed Under: Beef, Frontpage Tagged With: flank, roll, salsa, steak

Best Baked Beans

January 5, 2010 by Linda

Because these are made with canned beans, they don’t bake in the oven for hours and hours. They really are one of the best baked beans.

1 pound uncooked bacon, sliced into thirds
2 onions, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic (jarred is fine)
3 28-oz. cans of baked beans
1 1/2 cups ketchup based chili sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup yellow ballpark mustard (not spicy)
3 tsp. dried basil OR oregano
1 tsp. red hot pepper flakes***optional but very good
2 tsp. ground cumin
A little less than 1/4 cup packed brown sugar – (preferably dark brown)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Saute the bacon for 10 minutes. Stir in the onions and keep cooking for 5 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook 3 minutes more. Scrape this into a large baking dish then add all the rest of the ingredients and gently mix/stir to blend together. Bake this uncovered until it’s bubbly and there’s a tad of brown crust on the edges – this takes about 45 minutes.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Vegetables Tagged With: bacon, beans

Hungarian Goulash

January 5, 2010 by Linda

Wow! This recipe is really tasty. The aroma floats all over the house and will have everyone asking, “When’s supper gonna be done?” Serve over egg noodles.

3 lbs. stewing beef cut into 1 inch chunks
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (not olive)
3 cups chopped yellow onion – 3 large onions
1 heaping Tbsp. minced garlic (from the jar)
3 cups water
1 can tomato paste
1 packet of G. Washington’s Rich Brown Seasoning OR
1 beef bouillon cube
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 bay leaf
Cooked egg noodles

Mix the salt & pepper together and rub in and all over the meat. Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the meat on medium-high and stir until brown on all sides. With a slotted spoon, transfer all the meat to a large bowl. Add the onions & garlic to the pan drippings and saute for about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, take the onions out as best you can and transfer them to the big bowl with the meat. Add the water, paste, seasoning packet, paprika and bay leaf to the pan and whisk/stir well. Put the meat & onions back into the pan and all their accumulated juices in the bottom of the pot and mix. Bring to a boil and cover partially. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours stirring occasionally. Serve over egg noodles.

If you need to thicken the goulash, do so by making the following:
2 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup water

Dissolve the flour in the 1/2 cup of water in a small bowl. Stir about 1 cup of the hot gravy into this then return to the pot stirring constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens.

Filed Under: Beef, Frontpage, Soups & Stews

Super Quick Pizza

December 8, 2009 by Linda

Truly simplistic and easy. Doubles beautifully. For the pictures I prepared one pepperoni and one with just cheese.

2 cans refrigerated pizza dough
1/2 a jar of pizza sauce
Sprinklings of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
Shredded mozzarella
1 6 oz. pkg. thick cut pepperoni
Plus, any additional toppings you want

Follow directions on pizza dough cans regarding oven preheating, and cooking times. Meanwhile, roll out the 2 doughs as neatly as you can on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spread the sauce on with the back of a large spoon, sprinkle cheeses on top of sauce, place pepperoni pieces on top of all. Bake, then eat!

Filed Under: Breads - Quick, Frontpage Tagged With: pizza, quick pizza, refrigerated piiza dough

Roasted Balsamic Potatoes

December 4, 2009 by Linda

Easy and delicious. If using the small red potatoes then you don’t even have to peel them.

About 4-5 large russet potatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
A pinch of nutmeg
4+ cloves minced garlic (to taste)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Take out a large, rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Peel and cut potatoes into chunks and place on the sheet pan. Whisk together the oil, spices and garlic, drizzle over the potatoes and mix well.

Bake for 30 minutes, then drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and bake for 10 more minutes. Stir, add salt & pepper. Serve.

Filed Under: Frontpage, Vegetables Tagged With: balsamic, potatoes, roasted, vinegar

My Thanksgiving Meal – 2009

November 22, 2009 by Linda

Here’s what we’ll be having for our Thanksgiving meal. No soup this year, and the desserts will be simple. But what never changes is the turkey recipe, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving in the DVD player and the Christmas music – gotta have it. Good cheer to all!

Divorce Court Turkey – (See Poultry Category)
Gravy
Mashed potatoes- (See Vegetables Category)
All American Bread Stuffing – (See Holidays & Special Occasions Category)
Corn and broccoli
Cranberry Sauce – (See Sauce Category or use the canned)
Rolls – (Fresh from the bakery section of our local grocer)

Desserts
Taste of Heaven – (See Desserts Category)
Best Apple Pie – (See Pies Category)

Filed Under: A Few Tid Bits, Frontpage, Holidays & Special Occasions, Turkey Tagged With: autumn, fall, family, holidays, stuffing, thanksgiving, Turkey

Spicy Beef Satay

November 14, 2009 by Linda

Even on a rainy day you can make this curried beef dish on skewers, or just lay them on a rimmed baking sheet without the skewers. Just marinade a few hours ahead of time for the ultimate flavors.

1-2 lbs. thinly, sliced pepper steak strips
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (less cayenne = less “kick”)

Place the meat in a zip lock type resealable bag. In a small bowl, whisk all the other ingredients together then pour into the bag and turn to coat. Set on a plate in your fridge for a few hours.

Take out 2 large jelly roll type pans and grease them. Drain then toss out the rest of the marinade. Thread the beef onto metal skewers or make sure you soak the wooden ones. Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for about 4 minutes on each side, or until your desired doneness.

Tastes really good with a Thai peanut sauce served alongside for dipping.

Filed Under: Beef, Frontpage

Chipotle Chicken

October 25, 2009 by Linda

Spicy, smokey, chipotles mixed with tomato sauce then rubbed on chicken for your backyard grilling pleasure. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over them right before serving.

1 (approx. 7 oz.) can chipotles in adobo sauce
1/2 cup tomato sauce
8-12 pieces chicken (bone-in, skin-on)
2 lemons, quartered and seeded

Get out a large, glass pan and set rinsed/patted dry chicken pieces into it. Combine the chipotles and sauce then spread all over chicken pieces. Cover pan with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight is even better.

Prepare your grill and cook until done. Sprinkle the lemon juice over and serve. Don’t forget the napkins!

Filed Under: Chicken, Frontpage

Tangy Beef

September 27, 2009 by Linda

Use either stewing beef or beef ribs – either way you go it will turn out divine. Possible side dish would be some buttered egg noodles, or rice, or even mashed potatoes.

3 lbs. stewing beef OR 5-6 lbs. beef ribs
15 oz. can tomato sauce
6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

In a large pan or dutch oven, mix together the sauce and lemonade – heat till hot, then stir in all ingredients except beef. Mix well, add beef, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer then cover and simmer for 3 full hours. Stir occasionally.

Filed Under: Beef, Frontpage, Soups & Stews Tagged With: Beef, short ribs, tangy

Roasted Chicken with Veggies

September 23, 2009 by Linda

Delicious, easy, and you can use just about any vegetable you want.

8 pieces of chicken – bone in, skin on
1/2 bag of baby carrots
2 large potatoes, peeled and chunked
1/2 green, red, yellow or orange pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. tarragon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Heaping Tbsp. minced garlic
Sprinklings of hot pepper flakes – optional

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place all the ingredients, up to the oil into a roasting pan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, broth and spices; drizzle over the pan and with your hands mix well and place chicken skin side down.

Cook for 1 hour, or until chicken is done.