French onion burgers

Campbell’s

Serves: 4

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed French Onion Soup
• 4 slices cheese
• 4 Pepperidge Farm® Sandwich Buns with Sesame Seeds, split

Shape the beef into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) burgers.
Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until well browned on both sides. Remove the burgers from the skillet. Pour off any fat.
Stir the soup in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the burgers to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the burgers are cooked through. Top the burgers with the cheese and cook until the cheese is melted. Serve the burgers on the buns with the soup mixture for dipping.

*Chef’s note: This is one of Rex and I’s favorite go-to meals for when we don’t feel like cooking but want to feel like we’re cooking…. Super easy, super flavorful, and you can dress up the base however you’d like.

Shepherd’s pie

Food Network

Serves:6

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 rib celery, sliced
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup canned low sodium beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups Mashed Potatoes, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, optional
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, half the salt, and oregano. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until mushrooms are soft and tomato paste has turned brick red, about 8 minutes more. Stir in the beef, the broth, the remaining salt, the Worcestershire, and some pepper, breaking up any large clumps of meat, cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the meat and vegetables to a 2-quart oval casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes over the top, leaving a 1/4-inch boarder around the edge. Make a decorative pattern on the top of the potatoes, if desired. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake until potatoes brown and the juices bubble around the edge, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

MASHED POTATOES:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled quartered
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper

Put the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by about 1-inch and add the salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. At the same time, combine the milk and butter in a small saucepan and warm over low heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan. Toss the potatoes over medium heat until dry. Add the heated milk mixture and mash the potatoes until just slightly chunky, then stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

*Chef’s note: Such a delicious, comforting meal! I left out the celery (weird.) and used 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire (and may recommend even more!). I loved the Parmesan, a nice change from the sharp cheddar I normally use. Noms!

Sloppy Joes

Pioneer Woman

Serves: 8

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2-1/2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced
• 1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-1/2 cup Ketchup
• 1 cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
• Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)
• Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste)
• Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Kaiser Rolls
• Butter

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls, topping with a slice of cheese if it makes your skirt fly up. Serve hot with kettle cooked chips!

*Chef’s note: Can I first just say that I love the Pioneer Woman? She is so funny! I feel close to her, redhead-to-redhead, now that I know she likes kettle chips with her Sloppy Joes, too. Just the perfect vessel to scoop up that Joe that falls overboard! This homemade version was very tasty, and, to me, a lot different from the canned Manwich sauce I grew up on. It had a nice kick to is and was more sweet than anything else. I think I missed the extra tomato flavor; next time I might add some crushed tomatoes, a plain tomato sauce or the optional tomato paste (not more ketchup because I don’t want any more sweetness). I don’t think the recipe from her cookbook I was working off of listed the paste like this online version does. But I would still recommend the recipe as is! I didn’t butter my toasted hamburger buns, but I knowww it would add to this sammie. Butter always does. Please note that this serves 8!

Beef with peppers

Pioneer Woman

Serves: 8

• 1-1/2 pound Flank Steak, Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
• 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Sherry
• 2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Red Chile Paste (or A Few Dashes Red Chile Oil)
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 whole Medium Yellow Onion Sliced
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced Into Rings
• 1 Tablespoon Diced Fresh Jalapeno (or 1 Teaspoon Dice Hot Pepper)
• Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling
• Cilantro Leaves

Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil.) Place sliced beef in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers (and hot pepper/jalapeno if using.) Cook for a minute, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove to a plate.

Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add 1/3 of the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce (the sauce the meat marinated in*) and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat.

*Update/Note: you can also whip up an extra batch of liquid if you do not want to use the same liquid you use for the meat.

Turn off boiling water, then throw in noodles. Stir, then allow noodles to sit in hot water for 8 minutes or so (check package directions to be sure.) Drain, then add 1/2 the noodles to stir fry. Toss together, then add more noodles to taste. Add very hot water if needed to thin.

Top with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

*Chef’s note: NOMS. So flavorful and tender and scrumptious and yeah. Good stuff. I served this with brown rice and left out the noodles, and I always always always choose to forgo cilantro. (Ick.) I also left out the red chili paste and jalapenos. If you like the added heat, go ahead and add them, but if you’re just looking for flavor, this recipe stood alone fine without them.

Meatballs Bayonnaise with spicy tomato and pepper sauce

Family Circle

Serves: 6

Sauce:

• 1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Meatballs:

• 3/4 cup crumbled French or Italian bread
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1  1/2 teaspoons salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Sauce: Stir together tomato puree, peppers, onion, salt, red pepper and bay leaf. Pour half the sauce into a large slow cooker.

Meatballs: In a small bowl, soak bread in milk for a few minutes. Lightly squeeze bread and discard milk. Spread flour on a piece of wax paper.

In a large bowl, mix together soaked bread, ground beef, parsley, garlic, egg, cumin, marjoram, salt and pepper to taste. Moisten your hands and shape mixture into 2-inch balls. Lightly roll meatballs in flour.

Transfer meatballs to slow cooker and top with remaining sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or until meatballs are cooked through. Discard bay leaf and serve hot.

*Chef’s note: This was good at the time, but not memorable. Didn’t knock my socks off or taste unique; if something is going to take a lot of prep work, I want it to be well worth it!

Simple perfect enchiladas

Pioneer Woman

Serves: 4

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro

FOR THE MEAT:

• 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

FOR THE TORTILLAS:

• 10 whole (to 14) Corn Tortillas
• 1/2 cup Canola Oil

TO ASSEMBLE:

• 3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup Chopped Black Olives
• 1 cup Chopped Green Onions
• 1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro

Step #1 – The Sauce
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.

Step #2 – The Meat
Brown the meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and seasoned salt. Set aside.

Step #3 – Tortillas
Heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas in oil until soft, not crisp – about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper—towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried.

Step #4 – Assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out. Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, a little black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

*Chef’s note:  I am crazy about this recipe. Overly delicious. I used parsley in place of cilantro (hello, do you know me by now? :D) I will admit, it’s a pain to make, but if you have the time it is more than worth it! A bit rich, but, hey. I still could have eaten more than my share.

Spinach salad on garlic croutons (+steak!)

Rachael Ray

Serves: 4-6

• 2 large eggs
• 12 slices crusty peasant bread
• 2 large cloves garlic, halved
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 pound thick cut pancetta, diced
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick or quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup Marsala or dry sherry
• 1/2 pound farm spinach – available bundled in produce department, washed, dried and chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 1 lemon
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the eggs in a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pan, turn off the heat and let stand 10 minutes. Run the eggs under cold water, crack and return to cold water for a few minutes to loosen shells. Chop the eggs and set aside.

Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven and rub with the garlic. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the cheese, then return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 1 to 2 minutes.

While bread toasts, heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, a couple of turns of the pan. Add the pancetta and crisp for about 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and deglaze the pan with Marsala or dry sherry.

While mushrooms cook, combine spinach with red onions and dress with juice of 1 lemon, a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and nutmeg.

Arrange the toasts on a platter and top with the mushrooms and spinach. Garnish with chopped eggs and serve.

*Chef’s note: This was the best salad everrrr. YUM. O. We topped this with grilled flank steak that had been marinated for a few hours in olive oil, garlic, honey, soy sauce and a dash of red wine vinegar. Perfect addition for a complete meal.

Baked corned beef brisket

Luby’s Cafeteria 

Serves: 10

• 4 pounds corned beef brisket
• 6 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard

Preheat the oven to 225. Wrap the corned beef in heavy-duty foil and seal the edges well. Place the brisket in a roasting pan and bake for 3.5 hours. Mix the sugar and mustard and set aside. Take the brisket out of the oven and increase the temperature to 350. Unwrap the brisket and spread the sweetened mustard all over. Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.

*Chef’s note: This was not very good. It was tough and chewy; I will stick to boiling my corned beef or using a slow cooker.

Lazy Bolognese-style lasagna

Rachael Ray

Serves: 4-6

• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound wavy lasagna noodles, broken into irregular pieces
• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 to 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
• 1 spring of rosemary, finely chopped
• A sprinkle ground cloves
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 rounded tablespoons flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.

In a Dutch oven, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown well. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, rosemary, cloves and lots of salt and pepper and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the wine for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and simmer for a few minutes longer.

Preheat the broiler and position a rack in the center of the oven. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the milk, and let thicken enough to coat a spoon; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Toss the pasta with the meat sauce and arrange in a casserole. Pour the béchamel sauce over the top in an even layer. Top with a layer of parmigiano-reggiano and broil in the oven to brown the top.

*Chef’s note: Definitely give this a try if you are looking to switch up your go-to lasagna recipe. Yummm. Carrots and nutmeg may seem weird to you, but this really is a tasty, tasty dish. If anything, I would use fewer noodles. As my mom pointed out, just because you don’t layer this dish does NOT make it lazy… But it’s still not tough. Give it a go! A little sloppy to eat, but cooking always feels fancier when  béchamel is involved….

Double-bacon burgers with maple-Worcestershire onions

Rachael Ray

Serves: 4

• 12 slices smoked bacon
• EVOO, for drizzling
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, chopped or thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
• 1/2 c cloudy apple cider
• 1/4 c dark amber maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1  1/2 lbs ground beef sirloin
• 2 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
• 8 large, thin slices gruyere or sharp cheddar
• 4 brioche buns, split

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange 8 slices bacon on a broiler pan and bake until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Finely chop the remaining bacon.

In a skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the butter to melt. Add the onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 15 minutes. Add the cider, maple syrup and Worcestershire and simmer at a rapid but controlled bubble, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the beef, chopped bacon, mustard and lots of pepper. Form into 4 patties thinner at the center than at the edges for even cooking. Drizzle with EVOO and season with salt. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 5 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the other side for medium doneness. In the last minute or so, top each burger with 2 slices of cheese to melt.

Serve the burgers on the buns, each topped with 2 slices of crisp bacon and some of the maple onions.

*Chef’s note: I may have said it before, but Ms. Ray seriously knows how to do burgers. This combo was DELICIOUS. I left the bacon out of the burger patty and used wheat buns; you don’t miss the alternative if you season the beef well. I also, once again, had no cider and improvised with apple juice and a Tbsp of apple cider vinegar. The onions really are not too sweet when paired with the salty bacon. YUM.