Beef Recipes

Old-Fashioned Beef Barley Soup {& Growing Up 1970s}

Picture 2

Growing up in the 70s in Michigan was a blast!

My sisters and I practically lived outside.

But on occasion, like when 12 feet of blowing snow leaned against the front door of our brick ranch home, we relied on board games like Clue and Trouble to entertain us for hours on end.

And then there were those days when Mom and Dad left us home for a bit and we had the house all to ourselves.

Those were the times when we would make the best stuff up.  

Like this one crazy game of hide-and-seek mixed with tag.

It made us famous in our neighborhood. Continue reading →

All-American Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches

Picture 2

Barbecue beef sandwiches are a favorite with everyone in our home because they’re convenient to make and incredibly good tasting. Cooking the roast slowly in a crock-pot is an easy way to prepare dinner of course, and the beef turns out tender, succulent and juicy.

Picture 3

Once the roast is cooked, it takes just a few minutes to shred the beef and add the sauce. Pile beef high on a soft, freshly baked bun, and try it topped with a heaping mound of Old-Fashioned Coleslaw for a cool, creamy crunch.

All-American Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches


1 – 2 lb boneless beef chuck roast
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper seeds
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
dash of kosher salt
1/2 cup water
1- 18 oz bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce
8 fresh baked sandwich buns

1. Place beef roast in slow cooker then add peppers, onions, crushed red pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and water.
2. Cover and cook on high for about 5 hours, or on low for about 8 hours, or until meat is tender. Remove meat; cool slightly and remove fat from the beef and skim from cooking liquid.
3. Shred beef with two forks and return to slow cooker.  Mix with cooked vegetables and add a liberal amount of barbecue sauce to cover the beef and combine well. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until hot. Serve on bun with coleslaw, peppers or pickles if desired.

Lisa

Meatballs With Fresh Spinach and Basil Marinara {Beef or Venison}

image

To keep this recipe simple and a tad healthier, I left Italian Sausage out and sauteed the meatballs and marinara sauce in one pan.  They are delicious made with ground beef or venison.

Serve with fresh Italian bread, pasta, or hoagie style on a bun loaded with parmesan cheese — the more cheese the better! They’re so good!

Simple Meatballs with Fresh Spinach and Basil


1 lb. ground chuck beef or venison
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Italian spices
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper seeds
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 handfuls of fresh spinach, about two cups
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Olive Oil
Simple Garlicky Tomato Marinara Sauce (recipe below) or 1-24 oz jar
 Ragu brand Roasted Garlic Sauce

1. In large bowl mix ground meat, egg, Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs by hand, then add in next 5 ingredients and mix well.
2. Add olive oil to large skillet. Roll meat mix into 1-1/2 inch round balls and place inside. Repeat until all meatballs have been rolled.
3. Bring pan up to high heat and sauté meatballs turning every few minutes until all sides are brown.
4. Turn heat to medium-high, cover pan with lid and allow to cook through another 10-15 minutes, turning once. Use cooking thermometer to test meat; they are done at 160 degrees, or test one meatball by removing from pan and cut through to the center to check.
5. Place meatballs on plate and set aside. Wipe away any grease from pan and make marinara sauce recipe below, or jar sauce listed above.
6. Saute fresh basil, spinach and a light dusting of garlic powder and pinch of salt in olive oil until wilted. Add marinara sauce and meatballs. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes.  Dust with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

Simple Garlicky Tomato Marinara Sauce
4 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt

In large skillet or saucepan cook garlic and crushed red pepper in hot oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. (Do not allow garlic to burn which gives bitterness.) Stir in tomatoes and salt. Bring sauce to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. For smoother sauce, use hand-blender to pulsate marinara right inside the pan. Makes 3 cups.

 

Asian Red Pepper Beef & Mushrooms

20140328-184616.jpg

This Asian Beef dish is delicious and one of my favorites to make because it’s easy and tastes like I just picked it up from our favorite Chinese restaurant. You only need 30 minutes to prepare it. Slicing the meat and peppers thin is key to cooking and getting it on the table quickly.  If you choose to grill the meat, slice it thin just before adding to the cooked vegetables. Another option is to wrap a small portion of the beef mixture in a warm tortilla to eat fajita-style. I warm tortilla’s individually in the microwave for 12-15 seconds at the same time I call family to the dinner table.

Asian Red Pepper Beef & Mushrooms


Soy sauce mix
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons red cooking wine
3 tablespoons of sugar
4 teaspoons of rice vinegar
1/2 – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to your taste)
1 teaspoon corn starch

Beef & Vegetables
1 tablespoon plus one tsp of vegetable oil
3/4 pound boneless New York Strip steak, thinly sliced (optional: use a tenderizer mallot before slicing)
1 large (or 2 small) red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
cooked rice for serving
thinly sliced scallions or green onions for serving (optional)

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, sugar, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and cornstarch. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. In two batches, cook meat, undisturbed, until browned on one side, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Add 1 teaspoon oil and mushrooms to skillet and cook 2 minutes. Add bell peppers to mushrooms, stirring until peppers are crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Whisk soy sauce mixture and add to skillet along with steak. Cook, stirring until sauce thickents, 1 minute.  To serve, spoon beef mixture over rice and top with scallions or green onions if desired.

Lisa

Blog at WordPress.com.
%d bloggers like this: