Basil Burgers

An easy variation on your basic home-grilled burger:

Season the hamburger (20% fat makes a juicy burger) with salt and pepper to taste.  Grill to desired done-ness.  Just before it's done, melt mozzarella cheese on top of your patty.  Layer on bun: burger with mozzarella, garden tomato slices, several whole leaves of basil.  Enjoy!  I liked mine with ketchup too.  So. . . delicious!

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy

We bought half a cow this year, and this is something new we tried with all that beef!  Everyone liked it and it was really easy.  

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
1 egg
1 can Condensed French Onion Soup
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (I used my 'old' bread reduced to crumbs in the magic bullet)
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 Tbsp. flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp mustard
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles or rice

In large bowl, beat egg.
Stir in 1/3 cup soup, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper.
Add beef and mix.
Shape into six patties.
Brown patties in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
Remove and set aside.  Discard drippings.
Combine flour and water until smooth.  add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and remaining soup.  Pour in skillet.  Bring to boil.  Cook and stir 2 minutes.
Return patties to skillet; cover and simmer 15 minutes, turning patties once.
Serve patties and gravy over noodles or rice.

Served with: fruit, steamed broccoli, and homemade bread.

Mini Meatloaves with Potatoes Au Gratin

Mini Meatloaves

1 egg

3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 t onion powder

1/8 t garlic powder

1/8 t pepper

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup ketchup
2 T packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch-baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and seasonings. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place in dish.

In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spoon over each meatloaf.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Potatoes Au Gratin

3 to 4 potatoes, sliced thinly

3/4 cup milk

salt

Italian seasoning

Onion powder

Pepper

Butter

1 c grated cheese

2 T parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Place potatoes inside in three layers. On top of each layer, sprinkle salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and pepper to taste. Pour milk over all.  Cover with foil and bake one hour. Uncover. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 10 more minutes.

Lasagna with Focaccia Bread

Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
salt and pepper
1 jar Ragu
2 cups mozzarella or Italian Cheese blend
16 oz cottage cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 T dried parsley
1 egg
lasagna noodles, uncooked

Brown hamburger. Drain as needed. Add one jar Ragu Spaghetti Sauce.

Mix 16 oz cottage cheese with one egg, Parmesan and parsley.

Layer in 9x13 pan:
Lasagna noodles (uncooked), 1/2 cottage cheese mixture, about 1/2 mozzarella, 1/2 meat sauce, repeat. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake covered at 350 about an hour. (Test noodles with butter knife for doneness.) Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.



 
Focaccia Bread

1 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1 pkg instant yeast
2 2/3-3 cups flour
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
extra olive oil

In large bowl, combine water, sugar, olive oil, and salt. Add 1 cup flour and mix well. Add another cup of flour with the yeast. Stir to combine. Continue adding flour as needed to form a soft dough.

Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (40 min to an hour.)

Punch down dough. Place dough in greased (or parchment papered) 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Pat dough flat and let stand 5 minutes. Press dough to edges of pan. Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.
 
Combine cheese, basil, garlic salt and garlic powder. Set aside. Heat oven to 450.

When dough has started to rise, dimple at 1-inch intervals (use end of a wooden spoon or your finger). Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning mixture.

Bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cut into squares. Serve warm.
Served with seasoned green peas.

Simple Sloppy Joes and Oven Fries

Simple Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 can Chicken Gumbo Soup
Ketchup
Mustard
Hamburger buns
Salt and Pepper

Brown hamburger and cook through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste (I really like Lawry's seasoned pepper.)  Add Chicken Gumbo Soup, a squirt of mustard and enough ketchup to flavor and color the sauce to your liking (about 1/4 cup.)  Simmer until ready to eat.  Serve on hamburger buns.

Oven Fries

3 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into wedges (about 12 per large potato)
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Soak potato wedges in hot tap water 10 minutes.  Drain and dry.  Toss with 1 T oil.

Meanwhile, cover rimmed cookie sheet with 3 T oil.  Sprinkle sheet with salt and pepper.

Lay potato wedges, cut side down, in single layer on baking sheet.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove foil.  Continue to bake 10 minutes.  Turn pan.  Continue cooking about 5 minutes, until golden and crisp on bottom side.  Turn wedges over so the other cut side is down.  Bake 10 more minutes, or until crisp on both sides.  Remove to paper towel covered plate.  Sprinkle with additional salt as desired.  Serve hot with desired condiments.

Served with green salad and fruit.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Easy--from the Ragu bottle

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg

Combine all ingredients.  Shape into 15 meatballs.  Brown in a little oil in a hot frying pan.

Meanwhile, heat 1 jar spaghetti sauce in a deep saucepan.  When boiling, add meatballs.  Simmer 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.  Serve over spaghetti noodles.  Pass Parmesan cheese and a pepper grinder.

Served with: Best Breadsticks (see Feb 22 post), green salad.

Taco Soup with Cornbread

I love Taco Soup, but my family isn't too fond of it, so I always serve it with something they love: cornbread.

Taco Soup

1 lb hamburger

1 onion,diced

1 pkg taco seasoning (I only use about half to tone it down for my family)

1 large can diced tomatoes (26 oz)

1 can corn (undrained)

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

White corn chips

Grated cheese

sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado, olives, cilantro, green onions, salsa, etc.

Brown hamburger with onion.  Season meat.
Combine with tomatoes, corn, beans, and tomato sauce in pot (or crock pot.)
Cook until heated through (or let sit on low in crock pot until dinnertime.)
Serve with (or over crushed) tortilla chips.
Top with cheese and desired garnishes.

Cornbread

2 cups bisquick (I use Jiffy)

1/2 c cornmeal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 c sugar

1 c milk

2 eggs

1 cube butter, melted

Stir all ingredients together, adding butter last. 

Pour into 8 or 9 inch square pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. 

Served with: Apple slices and Genene's Fruit Dip.

Easy Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Seasoned Green Beans

Easy Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
We often serve this on my teaching night since it's fast, easy, and everyone likes it.

Heat skillet to medium high.  Add 1 lb ground beef.  Do not stir, allowing beef to brown on one side.  After a bit crispy on that side, turn the beef over to brown the other side.  After crisply browned on both sides, break mead up into small pieces and cook over medium heat until fully browned and cooked through.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Pour one jar of spaghetti sauce (Family Favorite: Ragu Traditional) over the beef.  Rinse jar with about 1/4 cup water and pour rinsing water and remaining sauce into skillet.  Simmer 10 minutes, or until ready to eat.

Meanwhile, cook 1 lb spaghetti noodles according to package directions.

Serve meat sauce over noodles alongside a vegetable or green salad and french bread (see French Loaves in previous post.)

Seasoned Green Beans

Place desired amount of fresh, trimmed, green beans in sauce pan.  Fill with one inch of water.  Heat over medium high heat until boiling.  Cover and reduce heat to simmer about 5 minutes, or until beans are crisp-tender.  Remove from heat and carefully drain.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and lemon pepper to taste, and a dash of garlic powder.