Swedish Meatballs ~ As Good As Ikea's?

These are a knock off of the famous Ikea Swedish Meatballs.  To be honest, I've never actually had the Ikea meatballs (getting food at a furnishings store just seems wrong to me), but I do like Swedish meatballs in general and have never found a recipe I was entirely thrilled with.  Until now.  These are very, very good.  In fact, this is a good reminder, as I need to make these again!

The only thing I would change in the future is that I would make more sauce.  The recipe only  accounts for sauce to be served over the meatballs, but I served ours with pasta noodles, so I will definitely double that for next time.

 


Swedish Meatballs ~ adapted from the Food Network magazine

For the meatballs:

1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup minced white onion (I used yellow)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground pork
2 large eggs, beaten
Olive oil, for brushing

For the gravy (I would double the below amounts if serving with noodles):

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional....didn't have this when I made it, but I so wish I did! I LOVE fresh parsley)
Lingonberry jam, for serving (optional.....um, yeah, a jar of this was around $9......not in my house!)

For the meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter and saute onion and garlic until softened. Stir in allspice, salt, and pepper. Add to bread crumb mixture along with milk and Worcestershire sauce and mix to combine. Add ground beef and pork and mix well--hands are a great tool!

Brush cookie sheet with coconut oil and roll meat in 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

For the gravy:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk to combine and let cook for a minute or two. Add in beef broth,Worcestershire sauce, and heavy cream and mix well to combine. Mixture will thicken as it heats through. Make sure to stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over meatballs (and noodles) and garnish with fresh parsley and Lingonberry jam, if desired.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Friday Potluck at EKat's Kitchen
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap at Premeditated Leftovers
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday  

Ready for the Next Year

We were able to go (finally) pick up our hog (about 100 pounds of meat!) and we got our beef just a few weeks ago (about 62 pounds!).  We are definitely ready for the next year. 

And most definitely blessed.  

 

Tried It & Loved It: Salisbury Steak

I've mentioned it before, but I am always on the look out for ground beef recipes.  I saw this one on an episode of Rachael Ray awhile back and I thought it sounded so good in addition to being another variation of ground beef.  Although it's been a LLLLLONG time since I've had a TV dinner, I always remember liking the Salisbury Steak variety.  This recipe is a good one and it comes together so easy--I'll definitely be making it again soon!

Salisbury Steak ~ from Rachael Ray

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
1 egg
1/2 cup Saltine cracker crumbs (I used rolled oats)
3 tablespoons grated onion and juice, grated directly over meat
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground or rubbed sage (half a palmful)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups beef stock
4 cups watercress, loosely packed (I didn't have it, so this was omitted)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together ground meat, 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, egg, saltines/rolled oats,  onion, salt and pepper.  Divide mixture evenly into four sections and shape into oval patties (Rachael says to do loaves.  I did patties--you know, TV dinner style).   Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bake for 20 minutes.

With the meat in the oven, in a skillet over medium heat, melt butter.  Add in onions and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 15 minutes and add in garlic and sage and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add in the flour and let cook for a minute or two.  Whisk in beef stock and remaining Worcestershire sauce and season with black pepper.  Cook for several minutes to thicken the sauce.

Serve steaks with onion sauce and watercress (if using) piled on top. 

Enjoy!

This recipe is linked to Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap. 

Marinated Flank Steak with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Flank steak is a rarity around here.  In fact, before we got our beef, I don't think I had purchased any since I quit work.  With our quarter beef we got, we were lucky enough to snag the flank steak--shows you how little I knew about beef cuts--a typical cow will only yield two flank steaks.  That's why they are so expensive, Jackie.  Duh.  

Anyhow, the marinade on this is amazing--it is so easy and so good.  I've even used it when making other steak cuts too--you really can't go wrong with it.  And the mushroom cream sauce--it's like gilding the lily.

Marinated Flank Steak with Mushroom Cream Sauce

For the marinade

1 flank steak
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Fresh ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Place all ingredients in a large zip top bag.  Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, and be sure to have the marinade coat the steak evenly.  Place in a bowl in the refrigerator and marinate for 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally to redistribute the marinade.

Grill steaks about 5-6 minutes per side for medium rare.  An inserted thermometer should register about 145 degrees.   Remove steak from grill and allow to sit for about ten minutes, covered.  This will allow the juices to redistribute.  Slice steak diagonally across the grain in thin strips.  Serve with mushroom cream sauce on top.

Mushroom Cream Sauce

1/2 pound mushrooms (I used button due to cost, however a variety like shiitakes would be even better)
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup beef stock
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup cream
Salt and Pepper

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat.  Add mushroom slices and saute for about five minutes.  Mix in stock and mustard, increasing heat to high and boil until liquid reduces by half.  Reduce heat, and stir in cream and simmer until the sauce coats a spoon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve over flank or other steak cut.

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  
Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday 
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday 
Paisley Passions Fun With Food Friday 

French Dip Brisket

Slow cooker recipes are so wonderful and easy.  I use my slow cooker several times a month for either for soups or Roasted Sticky Chicken (you can make your own "rotisserie" chicken right at home--much cheaper!) and I am always on the look out for new recipes.   Rachael Ray has even started doing more of these, which I love.   So many slow cooker recipes often times call for processed ingredients (like cans cream of XXX soup or envelopes of onion soup, and while that certainly makes a meal come together fast, those aren't the best for you and we all know I try to do whole foods whenever possible) so whenever Rachael Ray does a slow cooker recipe, I make sure to pay attention.

This one she did right before Christmas and I have been wanting to try it out.  We have a ton beef of in our freezer and it was a slow cooker recipe, so it provided another way to use up some of our beef.  I was excited to say the least.  I pared it with some homemade crusty french bread and it was very, very good!  Oh, and my cut of beef wasn't actually "brisket" and it still turned out great, so it's definitely worth trying even if the only cut you have in your freezer is roast or something of that nature.

French Dip Brisket ~ from Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 beef brisket (3 pounds) (I used a three pound chuck roast)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered (I used button mushrooms, and oops! I sliced my mushrooms rather than quarter them!)
2 cups beef stock or broth
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (mine was dried)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey

For serving:

1 loaf bread, cut into 4-inch sections, split and toasted
Sliced Swiss cheese (I used provolone)
Flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat drizzle with EVOO.  Add the bacon to the pan and cook until just starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Return the skillet to a medium-high heat leaving in the remaining bacon fat.  Season both sides of the beef with salt and pepper and sear on all sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.

While the meat is searing, add the reserved bacon and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Add in the seared meat to the pot and cover.  Set the timer/heat level of the slow cooker depending on the time at which you want your meal to be served, or cook until the meat is tender.

Thinly slice the beef.  To serve, place a layer of sliced beef, cooked veggies, Swiss cheese on top of a slice of the bread and broil until cheese starts to brown.  Top with chopped parsley and serve with a small bowl of juices to dip sandwich.



This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday 
Paisley Passions Fun With Food Friday 

Beef Kebabs

With all our beef, I am always on the look out for new and different recipes that use ground beef. This one did not disappoint and it is SO easy!  It's from the November (2010) issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray.

Beef Kebabs

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (I used regular paprika and it was fine)
Salt and Pepper

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.  Form into 1 1/4 balls and thread onto skewers.  Grill meatballs for about 8-10 minutes until cooked through, rotating half way through. 

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap 

Chipotle Beef Chili with Lime Crema

Outside our bedroom window it looks like this right now:

and from the looks of it, a good portion of the nation looks that way too--or at least the cold part.  Our expected high tomorrow is a whopping 18 15 degrees with a low of 1  -3 degrees (updated forecast!).  Yeah, soup sounds good right now. 

This is one of my husband's favorites.  In fact, it's one of my favorites too.  Now that we have a freezer full of beef, I can plan to make it a lot more.  It comes from that cookbook of the cooking classes my mom took years ago, but I have adapted it so much that I think I can safely call it my own--but the idea for it certainly didn't come from me!

The soup in of itself is really yummy, but I think the lime crema is what makes this.  And although we didn't have either when I made this last week, garnishing with avocados and cilantro is absolutely. wonderful. as well.

Chipotle Beef Chili

1 lb. beef stew meat
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. chili powder (or more)
28 oz. beef broth ~ about 8 cups
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp. minced canned chipotle chilies*
2 cans black beans, drained ~ about 3 cups (I used red beans this time and it was fine--didn't realize I was out of black)
Crushed tortilla chips

Mix everything in the slow cooker, except the tortilla chips.  Set temperature according to what time in needs to be ready--I mix ours up after breakfast and let cook until dinner time, which is usually around 6-8 hours.  Stir occasionally.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over crushed tortilla chips.  Top with lime crema and garnish with avocado and chopped cilantro, if desired.  

Lime Crema

1 1/2 cups sour cream
Zest and juice of one lime

Mix together completely.  I do this when I put the soup in the slow cooker, that way the flavors have melded when it comes time to serve.



*For the rest of of the can--I think they are usually sold in seven ounce cans--I throw the whole can in the food processor and puree it.  I portion out tablespoon amounts on wax paper on a cookie sheet, and freeze.  Once entirely frozen, I stick all the portions in a zip top bag and store in the freezer--no waste and they are pre-portioned the next time you need some. I have never used a whole can at once, but that's just me.

***************

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  
Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap

Stuffed Beef Loaf

Alternatively titled:  Not Your Mother's Meatloaf

So with all my ground beef sitting in the freezer, I have been looking for some new recipes to try.  You can only make so many tacos and burritos, right?  When looking for a new recipe, I usually look to online resources and I often forget about the cookbook I have from the cooking classes that my Mom and her best friend once attended together.  Every recipe in this book is amazing.  I've shared a couple here--like this and this, oh and then there are these.   There are so many good ones, I really should share some more!

I was flipping through the pages a few weeks ago and came across this one and as always, it did not disappoint.  I hesitated on sharing the picture as it doesn't do it justice.  However, everyone likes a picture don't they?  I know I do.  Please remember, that I am in no way a professional photographer and does meatloaf ever photograph well?  I am sure that it does, but I failed to capture it in all it's deliciousness.  Here it is anyhow...this is definitely a great twist on an old favorite. 

Stuffed Beef Loaf

Loaf

2 lb. ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4-1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire

Filling

1 10 oz. package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 green onions, sliced

Mix ingredients for loaf well--I use my hands.  Those are usually the best kitchen tools anyhow, don't you think?  I used my Silpat, but you can also use foil as well--tear of a large sheet of foil (about the length of a cookie sheet) and spread beef mixture into a rectangle shape onto foil or Silpat.

Mix filling evenly and layer on top of the beef mixture, leaving about a one inch allowance on each edge.  Roll using a jelly roll fashion, sealing edges.  Bake on a broiler pan (or a cookie sheet with a cooling rack on top, so juices can drain) at 350 degrees until thermometer registers 160 degrees (or until meat is cooked through in the center of the loaf).   This normally takes about 45 minutes to one hour. 



This recipe/kitchen tip is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  

Homemade Chinese Food

We don't eat out hardly at all any more.  (Except for the "occasional" limeade, of course.)  So I've taken to making my own Chinese food and although it's not quite the same as what comes in the lovely little white take out boxes, it is still very good.  (That's probably because there is no MSG--I suppose I could buy some and add it in to make it truly authentic.)

I use this recipe for the fried rice, with a few twists.  I use butter instead of oleo (?!?!!--apparently the "first generation" of margarine) and I also add pork to ours and then garnish with sliced green onions. 

I was going to make Chow Mein, but I forgot to get bean sprouts this week and I've always liked the subgum at Chinese food restaurants, so I came up with this:

Pork Subgum


1 cup chopped onions
3 cups sliced celery
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup cooked, diced pork
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Soy sauce

Heat two tablespoons vegetable oil in frying pan and saute onions until softened.  Add celery and broccoli and cook until crisp tender.  Add pork and heat through.  Mix chicken stock and cornstarch and pour in pan and heat until thickened.  Add soy sauce to taste. Serve over Chinese Chow Mein noodles. I would have also added water chestnuts,  but I didn't have any.  I just love water chestnuts. 

Don't be afraid of making your own take out--it's pretty easy! (and probably much better for you!)

This recipe is linked to Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap. 

Red Beans and Rice with Ground Beef

In all my efforts to be creative (heh) in menu planning, I have forgotten about many of my stand-bys I used to make when coming home from a long day at the bank.  I've been making this since about the time we got married.  We really like it and I always have the ingredients on hand.  Plus, it is really versatile as substituting things out is easy.  I used to call it Poor Man's Jambalaya, but then I realized it's not really like jambalaya at all.  So Red Beans and Rice with Ground Beef it is.  :)

3/4-1 pound ground beef
2/3 c. diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced (or if your feeling super lazy like I was, use garlic salt and omit the salt below)

1 1/2 Tbs. chili powder
2 dashes cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 can kidney beans, drained (I've also used black or chili beans)

4 cups cooked rice

I have also put in cubed kielbasa sausage and a can of diced tomatoes, both of which are really good too.  I just didn't have either on hand tonight.

Add rice to rice cooker and prepare according to manufacturer directions.

Brown up the ground beef and diced onion.  Drain off the excess fat.

Add the minced garlic (or garlic salt) and other seasonings along with beans.  Once the rice is cooked, add to your beef and beans mixture.  (You would also add your kielbasa and/or tomatoes at the time as well.)  Mix thoroughly and heat through.  Serve with sliced green onions and Chipotle Tabasco, which is DH's absolute favorite.  (He parted ways with the original Tabasco long ago.)

Serve and enjoy!

Aqua Negra Marinade

This recipe comes from the Chevy's Restaurant Cookbook. It is so easy and tastes really good on both chicken and beef. I am sure it would good with pork as well. Just haven't tried that yet. We had a Mexican theme for the Peanut's birthday party and this was one of the recipes I used. Sorry, no picture...but let me assure you, it is always a hit.

Aqua Negra Marinade

1 cup soy sauce
2 cups pineapple juice (frugal tip: save your juice from your tidbits and rings and freeze until needed)
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Mix ingredients and marinate your cut of meat for several hours to overnight. Grill meat as desired. Enjoy!

This recipe is linked to:


Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap

Spaghetti Sauce with a Peanut

Due to the much needed rain, we had spaghetti tonight instead of hamburgers. Weather permitting, we will have the burgers tomorrow. I just thought I would share my spaghetti recipe, as my thoughts on homemade spaghetti sauce are the same as the pizza sauce. So here it is...



Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
1/2 - 1 lb. ground meat (I use beef, but you can use turkey, spicy sausage--whatever you prefer)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste (I usually use two cans tomato sauce, but this is what I had on hand)
1-2 cups of water (depends on how thick you like your sauce)
1 can mushrooms, stems and pieces
3 cloves minced garlic (no, we don't kiss in this household) :)
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat and break into pieces and add onions while browning meat. Drain off fat and add remaining ingredients, except for garlic. Note-depending on the intensity of the garlic flavor you prefer, add it at the beginning of your cooking if you want a milder flavor, or shortly before serving if you prefer a more intense flavor. Let simmer 10-15 minutes prior to adding in pasta that has been cooked al dente.

We served ours tonight with steamed broccoli and the Mediterranean Herbed Bread from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

As a side note, even the Peanut appreciates her broccoli...

...she even gave us several smiles through dinner...


...hopefully this attitude towards vegetables continues.