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Category: Beef

Steak with crème fraîche and Peppercorn Sauce

Steak with crème fraîche and Peppercorn Sauce

Steak with crème fraîche and Peppercorn Sauce

 

7 ounces beef stock

3 1/2 ounces red wine

Salt

2 sirloin steaks (8 ounces each)

Pinch of steak seasoning

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. olive oil

2 T. crème fraîche

2 tsp. mixed peppercorns, coarsely crushed

Two large handfuls mixed greens

 

Pour the stock and wine into a small saucepan and boil rapidly for about 10 minutes to reduce it, then season with a pinch of salt. Season the steaks with a pinch of steak seasoning and allow to reach room temperature. Place a skillet over high heat and add the butter and oil. Add the steaks to the hot pan and, keeping the heat high, cook 3 minutes on one side for medium or 2 minutes for rare. Turn them over and give them another 2 minutes on the other side for medium or 1 minute for rare. Pour in the reduced stock, crème fraîche, and peppercorns. Stir well and cook for 1 minute more. Serve with mixed greens.

 

Yield: 2 servings

Calories: 510

Mouthwatering Marinated Steak

Mouthwatering Marinated Steak

Mouthwatering Marinated Steak

1/4 C. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 T. dry sherry
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. sesame oil
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 pounds flank or other lean steak (like top sirloin)

For the marinade, in a small bowl combine the first 7 ingredients (soy sauce through onion powder). Transfer it to a large zip-top bag, add the steak, seal it, and turn to coat the meat with the marinade. Let stand at room temperature, turning occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes. (Or refrigerate for up to 4 hours, and remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.) Preheat the grill to medium-high. Lightly oil the grill grate. Remove the steak from the marinade, shaking off excess. Grill the steak, with the lid closed, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the underside is browned. Turn steak and grill for 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. To serve, cut steak across the grain into thin slices. Serve the steak drizzled with the carving juices.

 

Yield: 6 servings

Calories: 190

Fat: 7g

Fiber: 0g

Blue Cheese Sirloin (Adult) & Sirloin Quesadilla (Children)

Blue Cheese Sirloin (Adult) & Sirloin Quesadilla (Children)

Blue Cheese Sirloin (Adult) & Sirloin Quesadilla (Children)3 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1 T. chopped fresh chives
1 tsp. steak seasoning (such as McCormick Montreal steak seasoning)
1 sirloin steak (about 2 pounds)
1/2 pound egg noodles
1 C. chopped fresh green beans
1 C. grape tomatoes, quartered
Iceberg lettuce, ¼ c. thawed frozen corn, 2 T. shredded Mexican blend cheese (per child)

Blend butter, blue cheese and chives in a small bowl until creamy. Place on plastic wrap, and shape into cylinder. Refrigerate until ready to use. Heat broiler. Sprinkle steak seasoning on both sides of sirloin. Coat broiler pan with nonstick spray. Broil sirloin about 6 minutes, turn and broil another 5 to 6 minutes or until it reaches 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.  Cook noodles and green beans in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and reserve. Remove steak to cutting board and cut in thin slices. Toss one-quarter of the blue-cheese butter with hot noodles, beans and chopped tomatoes. Cut slices of remaining blue-cheese butter onto each portion of steak.

For each child serving, heat a burrito sized flour tortilla wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 30 seconds. Layer 5-6 slices sirloin, lettuce, corn, and 1 T. cheese in the center. Top with a mild taco sauce if desired. Fold up, top with cheese and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Skillet Lasagna

Skillet Lasagna

Skillet LasagnaLasagna isn’t usually a dish you can throw together at the last minute. Even with no-boil noodles, it takes a good amount of time to get the components just right. Our goal was to transform traditional baked lasagna into a stovetop skillet dish without losing any of its flavor or appeal.

We built a hearty, flavorful meat sauce with onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, and meatloaf mix (a more flavorful alternative to plain ground beef). A large can of diced tomatoes along with tomato sauce provided juicy tomato flavor and a nicely chunky texture. We scattered regular curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into pieces, over the top of the sauce (smaller pieces are easier to eat and serve). We then diluted the sauce with a little water so that the noodles would cook through. After a 20-minute simmer with the lid on, the pasta was tender, the sauce was properly thickened, and it was time for the cheese. Stirring Parmesan into the dish worked well, but we discovered that the sweet creaminess of ricotta was lost unless we placed it in heaping T.fuls on top of the lasagna. Replacing the lid and letting the cheese warm through for several minutes was the final step for this super-easy one-pan dish.
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Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal, sold pre-packaged in many supermarkets. If it’s unavailable, use ground beef. Use a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
Water
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
Table salt
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 T.)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 pound meatloaf mix
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 additional T.
Ground black pepper
1 C. ricotta cheese
3 T. chopped fresh basil

Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 C. Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping T. ricotta, cover, and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 T. Parmesan. Serve.

To cook all of the ingredients in one pan, a little attention to the ordering of the layers is necessary. It may not look like much as you begin the cooking process, but, after 20 minutes and an occasional stir, a layered lasagna appears almost as if by magic. Start by sautéing onion, garlic, and meat in the skillet. Scatter the broken lasagna noodles over the meat. Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the noodles. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add Parmesan, dot with ricotta, cover the skillet, and let cheese soften off heat.

Ultimate Steakhouse Burger

Ultimate Steakhouse Burger

Never EVER use frozen patties. Sure, bulk frozen patties have their place. Just not here.

Grind your own meat. I often use a combination of chuck and sirloin. I make sure the chuck has a nice portion of fat, nothing too lean. Fat is the secret ingredient to the magical concoction that is flavor. I’m (in that not at all sort of way) for being healthy, but a burger that is made of ground anything that is too lean is just not as juicy or flavorful as one that has a great speckling of fat mixed in.

If you are making big fat juicy burgers, don’t over pack your meat. Don’t use hard firm hands to mold your patties into dense hockey pucks, unless that is what you are going for. Use light fingers and a cupped palm for packing into a light and airy burger.

Pre-heat your grill, grill, skillet, broiler – whatever. Just pre-heat it. Do not plop cold burgers onto a cold cook surface and expect to get a beautiful work of art.

Some people may request well done. Ignore them.

Cheese is a must. It’s not really, but if you are coming to one of my barbecues, it is. I love a sharp cheddar and smooth mozzarella, but for a classic burger, I go all American.

Arrange for a toppings bar. I believe a good burger can be chewed on naked with nothing accompanying it, but a good rolls, fresh lettuce, onions, and slices of tomatoes can really take it up a notch.

For this particular burger, use 85 to 90% lean beef as you will be adding bacon fat into the mixture.

ultimate steakhouse burger

8 strips bacon
1-2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and discarded, cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
1/4 C. milk
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Reserve 3 T. of bacon fat and place n a small bowl in refrigerator. Soak bread in milk in a bowl until saturated, about 5 minutes. Mash with a fork to a smooth paste like mixture. Break up beef into a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add garlic, bread paste, and reserved bacon fat. Using your hands, gently knead meat mixture to incorporate ingredients. Divide meat into 4 equal portions and form into loose balls by passing back and forth between your hands. Then gently flatten into 3/4 inch thick patties. Open the bottom grill vents on a charcoal grill completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes. When coals are hot, spread them evenly over bottom of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover and heat frill until hot, about 5 minutes. Clean and oil cooking grate. Grill burgers, without pressing down on them, until well seared on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve, topped with bacon and other burger fixins if desired.

Grilled Sirloin Kabobs with Zesty Top City Sauce

Grilled Sirloin Kabobs with Zesty Top City Sauce

Grilled Sirloin Kabobs with Zesty Top City Sauce

 

2 pounds top sirloin steak

1 T. dried minced onion

2 tsp. dried chives

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 recipe Zesty Top City Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

Snipped fresh chives (optional)

 

Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl combine onion, dried chives, salt, parsley, paprika, and pepper. Toss meat with seasoning mixture to coat. Thread meat on eight 12-inch metal skewers, leaving 1/4-inch between pieces. Grill kabobs on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness, turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill: Preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place kabobs on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as directed.) Serve sirloin kabobs with Zesty Top City Dipping Sauce. If you like, garnish with fresh chives.

 

Sauce

 

⅓ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup oil packed diced tomatoes

3 T. sour cream

2 T. prepared horseradish

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

 

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, oil packed diced tomatoes, sour cream, prepared horseradish, dried parsley and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and chill.

Steak Kabobs with Caramelized Onion Relish

Steak Kabobs with Caramelized Onion Relish

Steak Kabobs with Caramelized Onion Relish

 

1-1/2 pounds beef Top Sirloin Steak Boneless cut 1-inch thick

1 tsp. garlic-pepper seasoning

Fresh basil leaves, optional

 

2 T. olive oil

1 large red onion, diced

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

 

To prepare Kabobs, preheat broiler. Soak twelve 6-inch bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes; drain. To prepare Caramelized Onion Relish, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onions; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates and onion mixture browns and thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper; keep warm. Cut beef Top Sirloin Steak into 1-1/4 inch pieces. Season meat with seasoning blend. Thread 3 beef pieces onto each skewer, leaving small spaces between pieces. Place kabobs on rack of broiler pan so surface of beef is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil 7 to 11 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once. Cook’s Tip: 1-1/2 pounds beef Ranch Steak cut 1-Inch thick may be substituted for beef Top Sirloin Steak Boneless. To grill, place kabobs on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 6 to 8 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 7 to 9 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Serve kabobs with relish. Garnish with basil leaves, as desired.

Lebanese Beef Fatayer

Lebanese Beef Fatayer

Lebanese Beef Fatayer

 

1 T. cooking oil

1 lb. of ground beef or lamb

1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 tsp. salt

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/3 cup of catsup

1/4 tsp. cayenne for heat (optional)

2 rolls of pre-made pizza dough from the refrigerated section

2 eggs

2 T. water

 

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat and cook onions for one minute. Add meat and salt and break up into small pieces. Continue to cook over medium heat uncovered until cooked through. Add garlic and spices, stir and cook for one more minute. Add catsup and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove pizza dough from packaging and roll out thinly on a floured surface. Use a small 6 inch bowl to make a template into the dough. Cut circles out with a sharp knife. Dust well with flour and stack in a pile for easier assembly. In a small bowl add egg and water and whisk with a fork until combined, set aside. In each circle add 2-3 Tbs of filling. Brush the edge of the dough with the egg wash and start the fold. Fold two sides about 1/3 of the way, pinching the sides closed as you go. Then take the middle of the remaining side and bring toward the pinched edge making two new seams. Pinch the two new seams closed. Place all on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Brush all over with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds (white or black). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the baking sheet around half way through cooking. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Içli Köfte (Turkish Stuffed Meatball)

Içli Köfte (Turkish Stuffed Meatball)

Içli Köfte (Turkish Stuffed Meatball)

 

1/4 pound ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup walnut halves, or shelled pistachios, ground

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

 

1/3 cup fine bulgur

1 T. ground beef

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup boiled mashed potato

1/2 large egg, beaten

1 small onion, grated

3 to 4 cups sunflower oil, or other light oil for frying

Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

 

In a small skillet, fry 1/4 pound ground beef until just cooked. Add the onion and continue to stir until the onion softens. Add the ground nuts, salt, black pepper, paprika, and hot red pepper flakes and continue to sauté. When all the flavors have combined, remove the pan from the heat and let it rest. Make the Case: In a large mixing bowl, combine the bulgur, ground beef, black pepper, salt, potato, egg, and onion. Knead together for several minutes to form a dough. Break off walnut-size pieces of the dough and roll them into balls. With your index finger, push some of the meat and nut filling into the center of the dough and close the end. Shape the meatballs to be narrower at the ends and thicker in the middle in a kind of spindle or football shape. In a large skillet, heat a generous amount of sunflower oil. Fry the meatballs evenly on all sides until dark golden-brown. Place on paper towels to drain. Serve piping hot. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley and serve with a dipping sauce of plain yogurt mixed with grated cucumber and fresh dill.

Beef & Onion Stir Fry

Beef & Onion Stir Fry

Beef & Onion Stir Fry

 

1 pound beef

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. oyster sauce

1 T. rice vinegar

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 T. cooking oil

1 medium onion

 

Slice beef and onions. Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a large bowl or zip lock bag. If you are about to cook it, let it marinade at the very least 15-30 minutes. If you are making this ahead, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking. In a large nonstick skillet, add 1 T. of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and stir fry until mostly browned, and then add the sliced onions. Stir fry for about 4 minutes or until onions soften.

Red-Braised Oxtail

Red-Braised Oxtail

Red-Braised Oxtail

 

3 lb. of oxtail (about 5 pieces, a mix of large and small)

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2-inch piece of ginger, sliced

6 star anise

3 dried red pepper

1 bay leaf

5 T. of soy sauce

1/2 C. of rice wine

1 T. of brown sugar

salt to taste

oil as needed

water as needed

1/2 turnip, cut into chunks

green onions for garnish

 

Heat oil up in a pan, and brown all sides of the oxtail for about 7 – 10 minutes; set aside. In the same pan, on medium-low heat, put in all of the dry ingredients: garlic, ginger, star anise, dried red pepper, and bay leaf; stir fry until fragrant. Then add the wet ingredients: soy sauce and rice wine; then add the sugar and salt to taste. After stirring the mixture a little, add the oxtails back into the pan and turn up the heat.

Wait for the mixture to boil, then pour in more water to cover about halfway. At this point, turn the heat to low and simmer 2-3 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, add in the turnip. As the turnip cooks with the rest of the dish, you can uncover or cover the pan. If you cover it, you will have more sauce/soup and if you decide to uncover, the dish will taste more flavorful. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Stifatho (Greek Beef Stew)

Stifatho (Greek Beef Stew)

Stifatho (Greek Beef Stew)

 

3 T. olive oil
3 lbs. beef chuck, cut in 1 1/2″ cubes
1/2-1 c. flour
3 lbs. pearl onions (approx. 3 14-oz. packages frozen) or 3 large yellow onions, cut in 1/2″ dice
2 c. canned or roasted tomatoes
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. oregano
3 bay leaves
1 T. fish sauce
1 stick cinnamon (optional)
2 T. brown sugar or to taste
Salt and pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Put flour in a 1 gallon zip-lock bag with a generous amount of salt and pepper and shake to combine. Add 8-10 cubes meat to the bag and shake to cover them with flour, working in batches to do all of the meat. You only want a dusting on each piece, so shake them off to make sure they’re not clumped with flour. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. When oil is hot, add floured cubes to the pan, making sure not to crowd them. Brown them well on at least two sides. This will require several batches, so as they brown remove them to a plate or bowl. When all the cubes are browned, put them back in the Dutch oven and add onions, tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, oregano and bay leaves. Place in oven for 90 minutes. Remove from oven. At this point you can either serve it later or finish seasoning the stew. If you’re making it ahead you can cool it and either keep it in the refrigerator or transfer it to containers and freeze it. When you’re ready to heat it for serving, thaw it or pull it out of the refrigerator and remove the fat that has solidified and proceed as below. To finish the stew, stir in the fish sauce and cinnamon stick and heat on the stovetop. Taste, adding salt as needed, and when you can just detect the cinnamon flavor, remove the stick or it will dominate the stew. If it’s overly vinegary for you, start adding brown sugar a T. at a time, stirring it in and letting the stew sit for a few minutes before tasting again, since the vinegar flavor will get milder as it rests. The thing you want to avoid is a baked-bean sweetness, so add a splash of additional vinegar if that happens.

Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs and Tzatziki

Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs and Tzatziki

Sheet Pan Greek Meatballs and Tzatziki

 

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb, beef, or chicken

2 shallots, chopped

1/2 C. fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 C. fresh oregano, chopped

2 tsp. sweet or regular paprika

1 T. dijon mustard

kosher salt and black pepper

chili flakes

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into matchsticks

1-2 C. Tzatziki sauce

lettuce, tomato, avocado and pitas for serving

 

1/2 lemon, halved

4 cloves garlic cloves, smashed

1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. red wine vinegar

2 C. mixed fresh herbs, parsley, dill, and or mint, chopped

3/4 C. pitted Greek olives, torn

2 T. chopped pepperoncini

3/4 C. crumbled feta

 

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Combine the lamb, shallots, parsley, oregano, paprika, dijon, salt, pepper, and chili flakes in a bowl. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, and roll the meat into 3 T. size balls, placing them on the prepared baking sheet. Add the lemon wedges and garlic (for the dressing) to the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the meatballs are crisp and cooked through on the inside. During the same time, toss together the sweet potatoes with 2 T. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper on another baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes, until the potatoes are crispy. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, herbs, olives, and pepperoncini. Grab the meatballs from the oven, remove the lemons and garlic. Juice the lemons into the dressing. Chop the garlic and mix into the dressing. Add the feta. To assemble, add Tzakiki and lettuce to a bowl. Top with meatballs and spoon the dressing over the meatballs. Add the potatoes and any other desired toppings. Serve with additional Tzakiki (of course!).

All About Steaks

All About Steaks

All About Steaks

 

The Best Cuts

 

For grilling, broiling, and pan frying, the best cuts of meat are rib eye steaks, strip or shell steaks, and tsp. bone, which contains both the strip and tenderloin steaks. Sirloin and round steaks are generally going to be tough and dry. Flank steaks are good when quickly cooked and sliced across the grain, as described above.

 

For roasting, top sirloin, tenderloin, standing rib roasts, and top rump roast are good candidates.

 

For stir frying, flank, top round, and sirloin steak are good. These cuts are best cooked quickly, and since elastin is broken because the meat is cubed, they are more tender.

 

For kebabs, tenderloin is the best bet. This mild cut absorbs flavors easily and it is very tender.

 

For pot roasting and braising, chuck and rump are the best cuts. These cuts have more collagen and need long, slow cooking in a wet environment to reach their optimum tenderness. Chuck has the most flavor and is the most tender.

 

For ground beef, chuck is the way to go. It has optimal amounts of fat and is tenderized mechanically by the grinding action. Most lean ground beef is chuck, but if you’re not sure, ask!

 

How to Buy Steak

Before you begin cooking, pick the cut of meat that best suits your dinner plan. Tender, less lean cuts are perfect for the grill and are delicious plain or dressed up with sauces. Leaner, chewier cuts become more tender and delicious when marinated, thinly sliced, and grilled quickly or braised.

For any cut of steak, look for red meat with white fat that is marbled evenly across the grain.

Prime grade meat (the highest grade) is tender and highly marbled. Unfortunately, prime grade is expensive and difficult to find. The average supermarket carries choice grade meat as well as the less flavorful, and less tender, select grade. The best steak you can buy is dry-aged in special meat coolers to develop the flavor and tenderize the meat. Most beef, however, is wet-aged, if aged at all, in vacuum-packed bags for one to four weeks. This process improves the tenderness of the beef, but does not improve the flavor.

 

Testing for Doneness

The best way to tell if a steak is done is to (carefully!) touch or squeeze the meat itself.

Rare meat feels a bit like the texture of the flesh between your thumb and index finger; medium meat has a slight spring to it; well-done meat is firm.

You also can check by cutting a small slice into your meat with a thin knife.

If you have an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature for rare steak is 125 to 130 degrees, medium-rare is 130 to 140 degrees, medium is 140 to 150 degrees, and well done is 165 degrees.

One Pan Lasagna

One Pan Lasagna

One Pan Lasagna

 

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound lean ground grass-fed beef

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

4 baby carrots, scrubbed

1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 C. organic chicken stock

1/2 C. part-skim ricotta cheese

3 ounces fresh spinach leaves, stems removed and coarsely chopped

4 lasagna noodles, broken into 1/2-inch pieces

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spatula, until the meat has browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic in a food processor and chop until coarsely ground but not completely smooth. When the meat is browned, pour off any accumulated fat. Add the tomato mixture, stock, ricotta, and spinach and combine thoroughly. Bury the lasagna noodles in the sauce, and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over all. Bake the lasagna uncovered until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Mini Lulu Kebabs on Lemongrass Sticks

Mini Lulu Kebabs on Lemongrass Sticks

Mini Lulu Kebabs on Lemongrass Sticks

 

1 ½ pound ground beef

1 T. minced garlic

¼ C. minced fresh cilantro

2 T. grated peeled ginger

2 T. soy sauce

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 stalks lemongrass, cut into twelve 4-inch sticks

 

Preheat the broiler. Lightly mix the ground beef, garlic, cilantro, ginger, and soy sauce in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dampen your hands. Form the meat into 12 balls. Thread a piece of lemongrass halfway through each ball; press the meat mixture down the stalk to form a sausage-like shape, leaving some of the stalk uncovered for the handle. Put the pops on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Picadillo with Bell Pepper Noodles

Picadillo with Bell Pepper Noodles

Picadillo with Bell Pepper Noodles

 

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 bell peppers (Spiralized with Blade A)

3/4 pound ground beef lean

1/2 cup chopped white onions

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 cup canned tomato sauce

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

3 T. golden raisins

1/4 cup quartered pitted green olives

 

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. Once heated, add the bell peppers and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until al dente (cook longer if you want them softer.) Remove the peppers from the skillet with tongs and transfer to a bowl and set aside. Immediately place in the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes or until onions soften. Add in the ground beef and cook for 10 minutes or until it browns, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon. Add in the tomato sauce, cinnamon, cumin, and oregano, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Lower the heat, cover and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Uncover the pan and fold in the raisins and olives, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Divide the bell pepper noodles into bowls and top with picadillo.