Meat

From The Garden Goulash
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From The Garden Goulash

I had a bowl full of cherry tomatoes, a yellow pepper and a pound of 90% burger from wholefoods and even though Lyn is not crazy about this dish I had a craving. So in this case the heck with her its all about me this time. I grew up calling a similar dish American Chop Suey so I based it a lot on my recipe but i’ve seen it been called Goulash so since this was different I ‘ll call it such.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 lbs of hamburger
  • Maybe 30 quartered cherry tomatoes
  • One yellow bell pepper cored and chops
  • 2 stalks of celery thinly sliced cross wise.
  • 1/2 cup of Lyn’s pasta sauce which included a splash of water maybe 1/4 cup worth
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon basil
  • A pinch or so of red pepper flakes, depending how spicy you like it

I tired something I read on browning the burger and I have to say I think it worked. I flatten the burger out and place on the preheated pan on high with a little oil and browned on that side for a few minutes over medium, turning down the heat to medium as soon as it hit the hot pan.

Flipped it and then started to break up into smaller chunks. this did as I read kept the meat moister. I used to immediately start to chop up the meat. I had already added the pepper and celery and by the time the meat had browned they were limp but still had a little bite to them. Mine was 90% lean so there was very little fat render if you used 80% or lower then drain the fat out.

I then added the spices , tomatoes and sauce  mixing well and brought to simmer then stirred occasionally. 

In the meantime I had a plan I was going to freeze a lot of the meat mixture for a quick easy future bachelor meal so instead of cooking the one pound of elbow pasta I only cooked up 1 cup.  and I only cook for 5 minutes.

When the pasta was done and bowled I scooped the meat mixture on top, mix to coat well it up and then being raised by my dad squirted some ketchup on it.  I know I know I know.

It was quick and easy but did create a bunch of pots and pans but well with. Lyn shook her head and had a salad for lunch.

 

 

 

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A taste of Passover. Since our regular Eastover crew was not available and Mike had been hinting about having a canied corn beef, I jump at the chance. We had bought 2 corned beefs on ST Patrick day weeince our regular Eastover crew was not available and Mike had been hinting about having a canied corn beef, I jump at the chance. We stated with Charoset and matzo sandwiches then went to matzo ball soup and then the candied brisket. I’ll put the recipes up later.

INGREDIENTS

    • 4 large eggs
    • 2 tablespoons chicken fat or vegetable oil
    • 1/4 cup seltzer, club soda, or chicken broth
    • 1 cup matzah meal
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
    • N/A freshly ground black pepper

How

    1. 1. Mix the eggs well with a fork. Add the chicken fat or oil, soda water or chicken broth, matzah meal, and salt and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
    2. 2. Dip your hands in cold water and make about 12 balls slightly smaller than Ping-Pong balls.
    3. 3. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and place the matzah balls in the water. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes until soft.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/4 cup kosher red wine (such as Manischewitz)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • kosher salt
  • 2 crisp apples (such as Gala or McIntosh), peeled and roughly chopped

I chopped and mixed everything I did not have Manischewitz so I had a open bottle of Sullivan cabernet which worked very nicely.

Candied Brisket

1 5 to 7 lbs cornedbeef

6 peppercorns

4 cloves

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup firmly pressed brown sugar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Cover the cornedbeef in water bring to a boil with without the spice package.

Drain water and cover agian add then peppercorns and cloves and the spices usually packaged with the cornedbeef. Simmer for about 4 hours or until fork tender.

While this is simmering combine the ketchup, vinegar, sugar and mustard and heat mediummhat until bubbly. I might also add a small amount of the pineapple juice.

Place in roasting pan and slather with the sauce, cover with either crushed or sliced pineapple. Roast about 30 minutes basting with left over sauce occasionally. I Like to finish off under broiler for a few minutes.

Matzo ball soup

I grew up with a very brothy soup with sliced carrots. I will use box of matzo ball mix but add about 1/3 cup of soda water for a light and fluffy texture. I used maybe 2 tablespoons of oil. Very similar to this

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Pan roasted organic chicken one with butter milk the other with yogart brine.

So whole foods had whole organic chicken on sales so we bought 2. I went to make a quick butter milk brine but the powered buttermilk can was empty. So I made a quick yogart brine put one chicken in the fefrig. While we were out later grabbed a new can of buttermilk came home and did the other in that. Now we have 1/2 of each for meals this week. Made this before https://stevesacooking.com/2017/11/07/buttermilk-marinated-roast-chicken-recipe/

There is just so much that can be done with left over roasted chicken always ending with a soup or freezer broth.

Instant Pot Steak Chili
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Instant Pot Steak Chili

Like most I cook pretty much the same things over and over with small changes here and there. I was in a rut, sort of and wanted something different. I had some wholefoods stew meat in the freezer and had recently cooked one of my instant pot favorites Thicker Instant Pot Chili so beef stew was not on my list. I remembered the Texas chili I made and said maybe I’ll make a variation of that. I looked at some recipes for ideas and went to work.

 

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/3 pounds stew meat, diced into ½ to 3/4-inch cubes – I had a little over 1 pound
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Big spoon full of sliced jalapeños for the jar, then minced
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • About a cup of Lyn’s pasta sauce – got to use what’s on hand. (subbed for tomato sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, for serving
  • Sour Cream, for serving
  • Chopped Avocado, for serving

 

DIRECTIONS:

  • Season stew meat with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Let sit for about 10-15 minute
  • Pat dry with paper towel
  • Heat olive oil In Instant pot on sauté
  • Add stew meat and sear until browned, about 2 -4 minutes. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno, and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, kidney beans and 1 to 1 ½ cups water.
  • Seal the instant pot and choose Chili button set for  30 minutes
  • Let natural release

Serve with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, a dollop of sour cream and avocado maybe corn bread or chips, if desired.

I only had some left over Garlic toast and you got to use what you have, Mike, my son came over to do his taxes and laundry he did not mind at all.

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It’s hard to say where the heat came from but I might try less chili powder or jalapeños next time. Mike likes it hot said it was really good. I would like to make it a little thicker just my tastes.

Really Good Garlic Bread.
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Really Good Garlic Bread.

Saw this on America’s Test Kitchen and tried once before but had a crustier bread, it was good. Trying again tonight with a lighter airier bread.

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INGREDIENTS

Print Shopping List

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4—5 garlic cloves, minced to paste (1 tablespoon)
  • 1 (1-pound) loaf soft Italian bread, halved horizontally

 

INSTRUCTIONS

SERVES 8

A 12 by 5-inch loaf of supermarket Italian bread, which has a soft, thin crust and fine crumb, works best here. Do not use a rustic or crusty artisan-style loaf. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. The amount of time needed to brown the bread after flipping it in step 3 depends on the color of your baking sheet. If using a dark-colored sheet, the browning time will be on the shorter end of the range.

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine garlic powder and water in medium bowl. Add 4 tablespoons butter, salt, and cayenne to bowl; set aside.
  2. Place remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small bowl and microwave, covered, until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in garlic and continue to microwave, covered, until mixture is bubbling around edges, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through microwaving. Transfer melted butter mixture to bowl with garlic powder–butter mixture and whisk until homogeneous loose paste forms. (If mixture melts, set aside and let solidify before using.)
  3. Spread cut sides of bread evenly with butter mixture. Transfer bread, cut sides up, to rimmed baking sheet. Bake until butter mixture has melted and seeped into bread, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove sheet from oven. Flip bread cut sides down, place second rimmed baking sheet on top, and gently press. Return sheet to oven, leaving second sheet on top of bread, and continue to bake until cut sides are golden brown and crisp, 4 to 12 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer bread to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut each half into 8 slices. Serve immediately.

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The lighter bread toasted a little quicker than I thought but was still good.  I guess I’ll just forget about my love handles and keep trying till I perfect this.

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The perfect turkey button Buttermilk brined Turkey Round 2

Organic turkey only 99 cents a pound Lyn said with glee. We had just cooked a 17 pounder for our annual trip to DC to see Misy, Mark, Maria and Clara B. This year it was topped off with Mike joining us for the ride both ways. 

So off the Wholefoods we went to get groceries after returning return to an empty frig. We return with a 17 pounder. Into some buttermilk brine over night and finally we got to try the perfect turkey button on our stove. Always said we would do it but never had. So I melted some butter added rosemary and live oil, let thicken slightly and then basted over the turkey which I had stuffed with oranges, lemon, garlic and onions.  Placed the prob in the thickest part of the thigh and plugged it I.  Pressed the perfect turkey button then the prob button and closed the oven. I basted a few times and at one point losely covered with tin foil to avoid burning. We went off to run a few errands and returned just as the oven had turn itself to keep warm. That meant it was done, perfect according to the oven genie. Left it sit and then carved, make room in the freezer her comes some turkey. Whipped up a  quick gravy for tonight . I made some bone broth with the carcus will freeze some for later. My tasting du4ing the carving agreed it was perfectly cooked and the skin was super crunchy and hit the spot. 

Thicker Instant Pot Chili
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Thicker Instant Pot Chili

Thicker Instant Pot Chili

I’ve been craving chili recently but did not want to take all day so I decided that I would do it in the instant pot. I’ve tried this before but they seem to come out soupy than what my mind’s eye wants.

I wanted something that was thick and full of flavor. I had a pound of hamburger in the freezer and my pantry was stock so what the hell.

 

Ingredients

  • lb ground meat
  • 16oz tomato sauce
  • Small to medium size onion roughly diced
  • Pinto Beans
  • Tablespoon chili powder
  • teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ heaping teaspoon cumin, I like this stuff
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • ½ Small Red pepper roughly chop or more your choice

Garnish

  • Freshly ground cheddar
  • Thinly slices scallion

Turn the instant pot to sauté and add maybe a teaspoon of oil. Add ground beef and brown. Depending on the % you may want to drain the pot after browning. My frozen was 90% sirloin so no draining was needed. Add the rest of the ingredient and mix thoroughly.

Put cover the cover on and turn to no venting then turn the instant pot to manual and 10 minutes. When it is done turn off and let naturally depressurize.  I then turned back to sauté add the red pepper, stirring constantly and when it came to a boil turn it off.  It is essentially done just taste for spices shovel out a serving and top with cheese and scallions.

Good for a bowl or a burrito or a taco.