Savory Hamburger Steak with Mushroom-Onion Gravy

Ground beef in any form is my all-time favorite comfort food. I enjoy it as meat loaf, meatballs, hamburgers - but most of all, I love hamburger steak. As a child, it was a real treat for our poor family. Here is a simple hamburger steak recipe sure to please the entire family.


   Savory Hamburger Steak with Mushroom-Onion Gravy


2# ground beef, 80/20 or 90/10 is best
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbl spoon oil

Mix all ingredients thoroughly with ground beef. Form five (5) equal slightly oblong patties. heat skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and sauté patties ten minutes per side or until done inside. (165 degrees).
Remove from pan.

Mushroom-Onion Gravy

1 cup sliced white onion
1/2 cups sliced button or crimini mushrooms
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 Tbl spoons All Purpose flour
1 Tbl spoon vegetable oil
1 cup beef broth
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp ground sage

Keep temperature of skillet at medium-high. Add oil to drippings. Add onions and sauté until almost done (10 minutes). Add mushrooms and sauté another 5 minutes. Add flour and stir. Reduce heat and add beef broth. Add herbs and seasonings and allow to simmer until thickened.

Return hamburger steaks to mixture and heat.
Place steaks on plate. Spoon gravy over steaks. Serve with mashed potatoes or French fries.

This dish will bring back childhood memories.

Southwestern Tilapia with Blackbeans and Mango-Lime Salsa

Fish is good for the body and Tilapia an inexpensive and easy fish to prepare. Southwestern spices make this a savory dish.



          Southwestern Tilapia with Mango -Lime Salsa

4 Tilapia fillets
2 tbl spoon olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1.8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground sage

Mix spices, pat or sprinkle on fillets. Heat sauté pan on medium-high heat until oil is hot. Place fillets flat side down and sauté 2 minutes. Turn, reduce heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes or until flaky and done.


Black Beans

1 can black beans, or 2 cups soaked and cooked dry beans.
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
black pepper to taste
1 lime (Use 1/2 for beans)
1 tsp chopped cilantro

Using canned beans or freshly cooked beans, add 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Squeeze juice of half lime into beans. Reserve second half for salsa. Add the cilantro. Serve with Tilapia.


Mango-Lime Salsa

1 mango
1 lime
1/2 cup fine diced red onion
1 minced jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 tbl spoon chopped cilantro
2 tsps. olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

Peel and small dice mango. Add chopped onion, jalapeno, Add olive oil and squeeze second half of lime into mix. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and allow to sit 30 minutes for flavor to build. Spoon over cooked fish.

Southwest Hoppin' John

Prosperity in the new year requires some planning as well as luck. In the South, we eat Hoppin' John on New Year's Day for luck. I enjoy a Tucson Southwest version - a little more kick for the New Year. This recipe is quick and easy.



                                                Southwest Hoppin' John


1 ham hock (You can substitute 8 slices chopped bacon or 1 cup diced leftover ham from the holidays)
1 tbl spoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup red or green pepper
1 Serrano pepper, seeded, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1# black-eye peas, soaked for a few hours
1 qt. chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp dried thyme
2-3 shakes hot sauce
salt/black pepper to taste

3-4 cups white rice to serve it over.


Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Sear ham hock or diced ham on all sides. (If using bacon, don't add olive oil.) Add onion, celery, peppers, garlic and sauté 4 minutes. Add black-eye peas, bay leaves, Old Bay, thyme, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil: then reduce heat and simmer 45-50 minutes until peas are very done. Stir occasionally. Salt and black pepper to taste. Add hot sauce to taste.

Serve over warm white rice.

Happy New Year and good luck!

Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

Tired of turkey and ham? Burned out on dressing and sweet potatoes? Do you want something different over the holidays? Try this easy slow cooker recipe.



      Pork Roast with Kielbasa, Potatoes and Sauerkraut

2# boneless pork loin. Remove silver skin.
2 Tbl spoons olive oil
1# Kielbasa, sliced into 2-inch pieces
4# sauerkraut, drained.
2 large potatoes, thick sliced
1/2 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1/2 tsp fresh chopped dill
salt/pepper to taste


In a heavy saute pan, heat olive oil on med-high. Sear pork loin on all sides and remove.

Arrange kielbasa pieces in bottom of slow cooker. Next, layer potatoes. Place pork loin in center and sprinkle with thyme and salt and pepper. Surround and cover with sauerkraut. Sprinkle with dill.

Cover and cook on high 5 1/2 hours.

Delicious and savory one-pot meal. 

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast with Crouton Dressing

Bacon, Turkey. What's not to like? This easy turkey breast recipe is great for small gatherings or snacking.



                     Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast


3# turkey breast
8 strips thick-sliced bacon
2 Tbl spoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

Mix minced garlic, sage, and thyme with olive oil. Rub over turkey breast. Lay bacon over top of turkey, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle bacon with salt and pepper.

Lay carrots and celery stalks on sheet pan. rest turkey breast atop carrots and celery. Cover with aluminum foil tent and roast in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 1 hour. Uncover and cook 30 minutes or until bacon is slightly crispy. (Save drippings for gravy)

                            Crouton Dressing

2 packages seasoned croutons, crushed
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 cups chicken stock

Slightly smash croutons in package with mallet. Leave chunky. Add cranberries, seasoning and eggs. Mix thoroughly. Add 1 cup chicken stock. let sit 15-20 minutes until absorbed. Add more chicken stock until soft but not floating. (May not need all of second cup.) Place in greased or buttered casserole dish. Bake in 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

Serve with cranberry sauce or gravy.

Easy gravy

1/4 cup fat (Turkey juice, butter, etc.)
1/4 cup flour
3 Tbl spoons heavy cream
1 cup chicken or turkey stock
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Take juice from cooked turkey. Add enough butter to equal 1/4 cup. Melt in skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup A.P. flour (Use white rice flour for gluten free). Cook while stirring until beginning to change color. Add stock a little at a time while stirring. Cook 15-20 minutes until thickened. Add cream. Season with thyme, salt, black pepper. Serve over turkey or dressing.

Southwestern Turkey Chowder

Thanksgiving is over and you have leftovers. Here's a quick and easy recipe for a delicious chowder.



                                         Southwestern Turkey Chowder

1 1/2 cups shredded turkey
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 roasted Anaheim peppers, roasted,peeled, and chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 red onion, chopped  (Reserve 2 tablespoons and mince)
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped (reserve 1 Roma tomato and diced very small)
1 cup mashed potatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup corn (Can use frozen if no leftovers)
1/4 cup chopped carrots (If already cooked add later)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sage
1 tbl spoon lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 stick butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt/pepper to taste


In a large pot over medium heat, add turkey, peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, corn and carrots (If not cooked).  Bring to boil and cook for 20 minutes. Stir to incorporate mashed potatoes.

Reduce heat to low, add cumin, sage, salt and pepper. Add carrots if pre-cooked. Heat 10 minutes. Slowly stir in butter and cream.

Add cilantro to reserved minced onion and Roma tomato. Add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste

Top chowder with cilantro mixture when serving.

Butternut Squash Soup

I love soup. Soup is a hearty, one-dish meal suitable for any occasion, especially in colder weather. One of my wife's favorites is Butternut Squash Soup.


                           Butternut Squash Soup


5 butternut squash
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cartons chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbl. spoons butter
2 tsps. dried thyme
2 tsps. pumpkin spice
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. white pepper


To peel butternut squash, divide long top from rounded bottom. Peel like a cantaloupe, from top to bottom, with a paring knife. Slice bottom in half, remove seeds, and dice into smaller cubes. Dice upper portion the same way.

In a soup pot, melt butter on medium-high heat. Saute onions until soft. Add carrots and cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add squash and stock.

Cook 1 hour until squash is soft. Buzz soup with blender stick until creamy. (For really satiny soup, strain through a sieve to remove pulp). Add thyme, pumpkin spice, salt, and pepper. If too thick, add additional water or chicken stock. Cook twenty minutes on low heat.

When reheated, additional stock may be needed to thin out cold soup.

Top with maple cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

                                    
                                     Maple Cream

1 cup whipped cream (Bought or hand whipped)
2 tbl. spoon maple syrup

Mix thoroughly.