Another Family Fave: Beef Stroganoff

Another family classic, and often requested for birthday dinners is Beef Stroganoff. I use beef tenderloin for mine, and it is meltingly tender and utterly decadent. You could substitute sirloin, but be sure to simmer it longer so it becomes tender before adding the sour cream.

OUR OWN BEEF STROGANOFF

This will serve 6. Make early in the day for best flavor, or make without the sour cream, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, warm the mixture slowly in a large skillet until it simmers, then add the the sour cream. Serve over noodles.

1 1/2 pounds of beef tenderloin, cut across the grain into 3 inch long strips that are 1/4 inch thick or so
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 smallish onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
6 tablespoons butter + an additional 2 tablespoons or so for browning the meat
3 cloves of garlic, smashed and mince

12 ounces beef consomme
2 to 3 tablespoons ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
1 or 2 bay leaves
1/4 cup or more of dry sherry

8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked al dente

Dredge the meat in the flour/salt mixture to coat well, then shake off the excess flour and place on waxed paper. Set aside.

In a large steep sided skillet, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter, then cook the onion for 10 minutes or until soft. Push to one side, and add the mushrooms and cook until they are browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 4 minutes. Remove the veggies with a slotted spoon to a bowl, and pour back any butter/juices back into the skillet.

Reheat the skillet and add another few tablespoons of butter to what is already in the pan, and over medium heat, add the dredged beef strips and cook in a single layer until all sides are browned. If it seems dry, add more butter so that all the beef browns evenly. Remove beef from pan.  To the pan drippings, add the beef consomme, stirring to incorporate all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the ketchup, salt and pepper to taste, and the bay leaves and sherry. Stir well, bring to a boil, then return the beef to the pan and simmer on low, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, remove from the heat and allow to stand at least an hour before resuming the recipe.

After resting (so the flavors will marry well), return the pan contents to simmer on a burner, and cook the egg noodles as it returns to simmer. Once the mixtures gently boils, reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream. Don't boil the mixture after this -- the sour cream will curdle. Just allow to simmer very gently.

Serve on a platter over egg noodles and garnish with fresh minced parsley if desired.

Mama Mia: It's Stuffed Shells!

Sometimes you just don't feel like cooking, but everyone still expects dinner on the table. The nerve, right? This is one of those recipes that you can make ahead and freeze, and then pull out just what you need.  I happily set aside a couple of hours to make a double batch: stuff the shells, and then freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Then I place meal-sized batches in plastic freezer bags and pop them back into the freezer for future use. Meal prep then consists of pulling them out of the freezer, letting them thaw for an hour or so, then placing them in a single layer in a greased baking dish with some tomato-based pasta sauce, slathering them with shredded parmesan cheese, and popping them into the oven. Add a salad and you're good to go. Dinner is done! You can also use a single entire recipe to feed a horde up to 6 on the day you make them, too. The choice is yours.

Cheese Stuffed Shells 
this recipe will serve 6; it's also a great recipe to double for a crowd, or made ahead and freeze into smaller batches for meals; I usually double this recipe just for this reason
 
16 to 20 pasta super shells
12 ounces or more whole milk ricotta cheese
4 ounces or more shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic 
2 teaspoons finely minced parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese + another 1/2 cup for the top
Marinara or other tomato-based pasta sauce -- about 36 oz.

Cook the shells in 6 quarts of boiling salted water for 12 minutes. Drain, then run cold water over them to stop cooking. Drain again, and place shells on paper towels to completely drain and cool.

Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, egg, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley and parmesan cheese until well combined. Stuff each shell with enough cheese mixture to fill it but not overfill it -- shell edges should be able to meet. 

At this point, you can freeze them on a cookie sheet for about 2 hours, or until solid. Then place enough shells for a meal (allowing 3 or 4 shells per person) in a freezer bag and freeze until needed. Or continue onward for immediate use:

If using all of the shells immediately, butter or oil a lasagna pan or 9 x 13 pan, then add 1 cup of pasta/marinara sauce to the bottom of the pan. Lay all the shells in a single layer on the sauce, then top with another two cups or so over the shells. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a preheated 350 degrees Farenheit oven for 35 minutes; uncover and top with the additional parmesan cheese and bake 10 minutes longer. 

Note: If you are making a smaller batch from your frozen stash, then use an appropriately sized baking dish for the amount of shells you are baking -- as well as a proportional amount of sauce and parmesan for the topping -- for the pan. I use a 8 x 8 inch baking dish when making 8 shells (enough for two hungry diners).

PSS: You can also add a bag/box of frozen spinach that's been of cooked and drained dry to the cheese filling for a Florentine version of Stuffed Shells.
 

Retro Comfort Food: Mac and Cheese

For decades, this has been a staple comfort dish on cold days and days when you just want something homey, delicious and satisfying. This serves a crowd, too, so it's a winner for a potluck or picnic.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit

butter a 2 qt. or larger casserole/baking dish WELL

INGREDIENTS:1 quart (32 ounces) milk
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
1 tsp.salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
16 ounces of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

 * * * * *
more butter for dotting the top  OR 2 slices of bread, toasted completely dry++ and crumbled into 3 tblsp. butter

++ bread slices can be dried in the oven on a middle rack  for 20 minutes or more; crush the bread into crumbs.


a couple of ounces of shredded extra sharp cheddar for the top

8 ounces of elbow macaroni, cooked very al dente, and drained (about 6 mins.)

* * * * *
DIRECTIONS

Cook the macaroni in several quarts of salted boiling water while making the sauce; then drain and place into the prepared casserole dish.

SAUCE:
Warm the milk in a pitcher or large quart size measuring cup in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes, until it simmers. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 2 quart or larger saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, and increase heat slightly and continuously whisk until the roue turns pale golden, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium, and add the milk slowly while whisking it in, and keep on whisking to incorporate, bringing the sauce to a simmer. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, dry mustard and worcestershire sauce, stirring. Gradually stir in the cheese and stir until all is melted and well blended together.

 ASSEMBLY
Immediately after the cheese is melted and mixed in well, pour over the cooked macaroni in the casserole/baking dish. Stir the sauce and macaroni gently together. Dot with butter, then sprinkle with some extra grated cheese OR the butter/crumb mixture. Bake, covered, in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove covering and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand a couple of minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings or more as a side; 6 as an entree.

A tribute to Mom: Sour Milk Biscuits

This recipe is a tribute to my Mom, who passed away on January 3. Chicken and biscuits were her favorite meal. I make Sour Milk Biscuits as my go-to biscuit. This is my standard biscuit base for that meal, and it also makes a wonderful breakfast biscuit slathered with butter and raspberry jam. Here's to you, Mom: may you have heavenly chicken and biscuits every day in the hereafter.


Sour Milk Biscuits

3 cups flour

½ cup shortening

pinch of baking soda

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups sour milk*

melted butter (optional)

*Make sour milk by mixing 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar OR fresh lemon juice with enough milk to measure 1 ½ cups at least 15 minutes before starting to make this recipe.

Sift all dry ingredients together. Cut in the shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in sour milk with a large spoon, by hand. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or so. Roll out at least ½" thick and cut with a biscuit cutter or the top of a small drinking glass. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with melted butter if desired. Bake at 450 degrees for 12 -15 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen small biscuits (2" diameter) or 15 large ones

Everything's Better With Bacon: Pear and Spinach Salad

We're just getting started on a long, hot summer, so here's another salad recipe that keeps the heat out of the kitchen during the hottest part of the day. Make-ahead salads are great when you've had all the energy sucked out of you by just such a hot day. Enjoy with a nice, long glass of iced tea, or some other icy beverage.

Pear and Spinach Salad

for the dressing:
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup (4 ounces) very fine olive oil

Whisk together the honey, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and mustard. In a thin stream, whisk in the olive oil until all of it is incorporated and the dressing emulsified. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover, and refrigerate. 

for the salad:
2 quarts fresh baby spinach
1 pound chilled Bartlett pears, pealed and sliced lengthwise -or- a chilled 16 ounce can of pear halves, sliced, drained
a chilled 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained
12 ounces of smoked bacon, fried crisp, drained, blotted with paper towels, and either chopped or broken into bits.

Arrange the spinach on a large platter. Top evenly with the fruit, then sprinkle all over with the bacon. Drizzle the dressing over all. 

Makes 8 to 10 side salad servings, or 4-5 entree servings.

Summer Meals: Tortellini Salad with Grilled Chicken

Sometimes it's just too hot. Salads of all kinds are the mainstay of a lot of my summer meals. Salads that are the meal.

Tortellini Salad with Grilled Chicken
this is a fine salad even without the grilled chicken, so don't hesitate to enjoy it that way

3 packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 zucchini, blanched, then plunged into ice water
1 yellow squash, blanched, then plunged into ice water
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 red bell peppers, cut into fine strips
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

2-3 cups  washed, dried, and chilled fresh baby spinach

1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup very fine olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

shredded parmesan cheese
pint package of fresh grape tomatos, washed, dried, and chilled

2 or 3 boneless chicken breast halves, washed and patted dry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


Cook the tortellini per package directions for aldente pasta. Drain, then rinse immediately under very cold running water. Drain very well, then place in a very large mixing bowl  (I use a stock pot). Remove the zucchini and yellow squash from the ice water and slice into very thin wheels. Cut the wheels in half, then add to the pasta. Add the red onion, red bell pepper, celery, and dill toss the mixture to blend well.

For the dressing, mix together the white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, and mustard in a deep bowl. Whisk in the olive oil very slowly in a thin stream until it is completely incorporated and emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.

In another bowl, add the spinach and toss with a very small amount of the dressing, just enough to barely coat it. Sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of the shredded parmesan cheese. Arrange the spinach along the bottom and sides of a large shallow serving bowl/dish.

Set aside a 2-3 tablespoons of dressing. Toss the tortellini salad with the remaining dressing, adding an ounce or so of the shredded parmesan. Refrigerate, covered, for six hours or overnight.

Prepare the chicken: On a very hot grill, cook the chicken breasts that have been seasoned with salt and pepper for 8 to 10 minutes per side. Remove from grill to a dish, then sprinkle with the lemon juice and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes or so. Slice the chicken against the grain into thin slices.

To serve as an entree: Spoon entree-sized portions into individual serving bowls or plates and top the salad with the slices of the warm grilled chicken. Garnish  with some of the grape tomatoes,  drizzling with some of the reserved dressing. Garnish with more parmesan, and finely chopped dill,  if desired.

To serve as a side salad: Garnish the top of the salad with grape tomatoes, and a little finely chopped dill and parmesan, if desired. I usually do not add grilled chicken when I make this as a side. It's a great picnic salad for a crowd.


Serves 6 or so as an entree, or 12-15 as a side salad.

Notes from the Groaning Board: Chicken/Turkey and Dumplings

We're still recovering from another Thanksgiving dinner. You know the symptoms: glassy eyes, lethargy, the feeling that you'll never want another bite of food for the rest of your life. But it doesn't last as long as we think it lasts, and before you know it, we're sniffing around the kitchen again to appease the hunger gods.

Here's a recipe for that mother-of-all-leftovers, turkey (or in some cases, chicken). It's homey, good, and very satisfying on a cold late autumn day. The leftovers of this are wonderful rewarmed with a little additional sauce added to compensate for the sauce the dumplings soak up.

Turkey (or Chicken) and Dumplings
A good recipe for using up odds and ends of vegetables, if you have any: peas, carrots, mushrooms, leeks, summer squash, what-have-you. Saute them until soft before adding to the recipe.

A 4 or 5 qt. dutch oven with tight fitting lid
Oven 350 degrees

1/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter
1 small onion, roughly chopped

Saute the onion (and if you plan on using some oddball veggies, those, too) in the dutch oven in the butter.
Remove when soft, draining excess butter back into the pot.

1/2 cup flour
4 cups turkey or chicken stock, or a combination of stock and leftover gravy
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Add the flour to the remaining butter in the dutch oven; cook to make a roux over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the roux is pale golden. Add the stock 1/2 cup at  a time, whisking into the roux to prevent lumps. When all the stock/gravy is added, add seasonings. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, then add meat and vegetables.

Add:
4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
the sauted onion, and whatever other veggies you are adding

Bring the filling to a simmer, stirring gently, then add the dumplings to the top, and pop into a 350 degree oven for 1 1/4 hours.

Dumplings
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
a tablespoon of chopped chives (fresh or dried)
a tablespoon of chopped parsley (fresh or dried)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the herbs, if using. Cover and refrigerate at this point if you are not baking the dish immediately. Otherwise, soldier on.
Whisk the egg into the buttermilk, then add to the flour mixture until just blended together, no more. Don't overmix! It looks kind of wet and shaggy. Scoop large spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture over the hot filling to cover the top. Bake immediately as directed above.
NOTE: The steam from the sauce helps to keep the dumplings tender, so don't peek at them while they're baking.  Your patience will be rewarded with lighter, fluffier dumplings.

Makes 6 generous servings.

If you have leftovers, cover tightly and refrigerate up to three days. Add a bit more stock to the pot before reheating in the oven for 30 - 45 mins. at 350. Or you could do what we do in a pinch: Place serving size portions in soup plates and microwave them, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes each.

Simple Chicken Supper: Clara's Chicken

My knitting group had a lovely, lovely holiday-themed gathering last night at the beautiful home of Beedle Hinely (of biscotti fame!). As my contribution to the goodies, I made my favorite chicken dish that's super easy. If you have a houseful of guests or family,or need something to take to a potluck,  this recipe can be doubled or tripled without any problem ... or time!
It's delectable, super-simple, and has the taste of something you've slaved over all day to make. My kind of recipe!

CLARA'S CHICKEN
this recipe was given to me by my mother's late lifelong best friend and partner in decades of crime, Clara Albrecht. She was a treasure!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices Swiss cheese


Place boneless breasts in a well buttered 7 X 11 baking pan/casserole and top with the Swiss cheese slices.

1 cup sour cream
1/2 to 3/4 cup sherry wine
1 can cream of chicken soup

Whisk together the sour cream, wine and soup and pour over the breasts.

1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing crumbs
6 tblsp. butter, melted

Blend crumbs and butter well and sprinkle densely over the soup mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

That's it. Honest. This takes all of 10 minutes to prepare! You have plenty of time to whip up an impressive dessert, or make an elaborate salad and veggie dish.

Doubled, make in a 9 X 13 pan.