Best Beef Stroganoff

 

I never get tired of this recipe!  ~Shelly

Ingredients

1.2 lb boneless rib eye or tenderloin
2 tbsp vegetable oil , divided
1 large onion (or 2 small onions), sliced
10 oz mushrooms , sliced (not too thin)
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour 
2 cups beef broth, preferably salt reduced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2/3 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper

Serving:

8 - 10 oz pasta or egg noodles of choice (Note 3)
Chopped chives , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Use your fist (or rolling pin or mallet) to flatten the steaks to about  1/3" thick. Slice into  1/5" strips (cut long ones in half), discarding excess fat.
• Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Scatter half the beef in the skillet, QUICKLY spread it with tongs. Leave untouched for 30 seconds until browned. Turn beef quickly (as best you can!). Leave untouched for 30 seconds to brown. Immediately remove onto a plate. Don't worry about pink bits and that it will be raw inside.
• Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and repeat with remaining beef.
• Turn heat down to medium high. Add butter, melt. Then add onions, cook for 1 minute, then add mushrooms.
• Cook mushrooms until golden. Scrape bottom of fry pan to get all the golden bits off (this is flavor!).
• Add flour, cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add half the broth while stirring. Once incorporated, add remaining broth.
• Stir, then add sour cream and mustard. Stir until incorporated (don't worry if it looks split, sour cream will "melt" as it heats).
• Bring to simmer ,then reduce heat to medium low. Once it thickens to the consistency of pouring cream (3 - 5 minutes), adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Add beef back in (including plate juices). Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from stove immediately. (Note 4)
• Serve over pasta or egg noodles, sprinkled with chives if desired.
  
  

Notes

1. Best cut of beef for stroganoff - use decent to good quality quick cooking cut of beef such as:

• boneless rib eye 
• beef tenderloin
• boneless sirloin, sirloin steak tips

I don't recommend: beef round steak (aka topside), skirt, flat iron, 

Pork can also be used - pork stroganoff is found in Russia too.

2. Flour - any is fine here, I use plain white flour (all purpose).  Or use 1 TBL. corn starch.

3. Serving - I like serving this with short pastas, rather than long pastas. Easier to eat. It's also great with mashed potato, rice, polenta - anything that's suitable to slop up all that gravy!

4. Sauce thickness: You can make sauce thinner with touch of water if you want, but DO NOT keep simmering to thicken once the beef is added, it will overcook the beef.

5. Storage - 3 to 4 days in the fridge, also freezes fine. Thaw fully then reheat carefully, being sure not to overcook the beef!
I found this recipe at;RecipeTinEats

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Cabernet Mushrooms

This recipe for Grilled Ribeye Steak with Cabernet Mushrooms is the last of the incredible grilled steak recipes Chef Brandon Douglas taught participants at the “Sizzling Summer Steaks” event that was part of the “Made from Scratch” cooking classes in 2013 at the Winrock Institute on Petit Jean Mt.

Chef Douglas says the ribeye is his favorite steak cut because of the wonderful marbling of fat this cut features compared to leaner cuts of beef steak. He says the fat adds to the sweet, rich flavor of this recipe. He combined sliced baked sweet potato wedges when he plated the finished steak and mushroom sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry cabernet sauvignon
• 2/3 cup green onion sliced in rounds
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
• 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped; plus sprigs for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup demi glaze or Beef stock
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Harter House Ribeye Steaks, 1-1/2 inches thick
• your favorite mushrooms, rough chopped or whole
• Baked Sweet Potato (Optional)

Directions

1. Make small cuts with knife into fat around the edge of steaks. Rub with your favorite seasoned salt steak rub and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Clean grill grate and preheat grill to high heat.
3. Place steaks on hot grill for three minutes on each side to sear. Reduce grill temperature to low and close the lid. Continue cooking steaks an additional five to 10 minutes for medium-rare, turning halfway through. Let steaks rest for five minutes before serving.
   OPTION - cook till Medium Rare on the grill.
4. As steaks cook, add olive oil to saute’ pan. Add mushrooms, garlic and saute’ until mushrooms become tender. Excluding green onions, add remaining ingredients and reduce until sauce forms. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Pour on top of finished steak. Garnish with green onions and remaining olive oil. Serve with baked sweet potato.

Rainy Day Blueberry Muffins

It's a very cloudy, damp morning and I'm wondering, what to do.
My first thought is baking.
I love the sound of the rain and I'm happy to stay in and cook today.
If you have blueberries, fresh or in the freezer, you probably have everything you need for some delicious blueberry muffins. (I always have yogurt in my fridge also.)





Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp flour (if using defrosted frozen berries)

Method

1 Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the grated lemon peel.

4 Beat in one half of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Fold in the berries. If you are using frozen berries, defrost them first, drain the excess liquid, and then coat them in a light dusting of flour.

5 Use standard 12-muffin muffin tins. Coat each muffin cup lightly with olive oil or grapeseed oil using a pastry brush, or with a little butter. Or use one of those convenient vegetable oil sprays. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick to make sure the centers of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and serve slightly warm.

Yield: Makes 12-16 muffins.

Slow Cooker Ham and Beans

Ingredients

1 pound dried Great Northern beans, sorted and rinsed

4 cups water

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks (bulb only), cut in half lengthwise

1 pound cooked ham, cut into bite-size pieces (OR a Ham Shank - This week $3.99 lb.)

5 slices bacon

4 cups chicken stock

1 pinch sea salt to taste

1 pinch fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain and rinse before using.
2. Combine the soaked beans, 4 cups of water, celery, onion, bay leaves, cumin, garlic powder, and parsley into a slow cooker.
3. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the leeks in the butter mixture until tender and the smaller pieces start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the leeks to the slow cooker. In the same pan, cook and stir the ham until the edges start to brown; stir into the soup. *** If using a ham shank, just put it in the soup.
4. Place the bacon into the hot skillet, and pan-fry until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Cut the bacon into bite-size pieces and stir into the soup. Pour the chicken stock into the hot skillet, and stir to dissolve any brown flavor bits from the skillet; pour the chicken stock into the soup. Season with sea salt and pepper.
5. Set the cooker to Low cook the soup until the beans are very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Roughly mash about half the beans with a potato masher to thicken the soup.

Bacon Wrapped Meat Loaf

 Do you have a favorite meatloaf recipe?

Growing up, my mom made meatloaf and sour cabbage.  I did NOT like it as a child.  Of course I do now.  But it was the only meatloaf I remember being introduced to when I was young.

So, when my mother-in-law served us meatloaf for dinner, it was instantly my favorite meatloaf.  My kids still ask for me, or Grandma, to make it for them.

I also published it in the first edition of the Harter House Cookbook,
Recipe by Barbara Kauffman.



This recipe makes two loafs.  Tomorrow I'll enjoy a meatloaf sandwich

2 lbs. Harter House lean Ground Chuck
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/4 C Dried Bread Crumbs
2/3 Cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup Ketchup
2 Tbl. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbl. Worchestershire
1 tsp. salt
1.4 tsp pepper
2 eggs
12 strips Harter House Double Smoked Bacon

Combine all ingredients except bacon.
Mix well.
Divide mixture in half.
Shape each in a roll.
Wrap in Bacon.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
Do Not overcook.
Allow to rest before slicing.

Slow Cooker Pepper Pork Chops

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it looks really good. 

The recipe calls for marinating overnight, so be sure to plan ahead!   ~Shelly

Prep - 20 Minutes

Marinate - 8 hours

Slow Cooker - 6 hr, 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, slightly crushed
1 pound ice
4 (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick) bone-in pork chops  
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 ounces dried apple slices (Opt. dried apricots or fresh apples)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, julienned
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

Combine the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup kosher salt, brown sugar and peppercorns in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook just until the salt and sugar dissolve, then remove from the heat and add the ice. Place the pork chops into a 2-gallon zip-top bag along with the mixture and seal. Place in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the chops from the brine, rinse, and pat dry. Season on both sides with the kosher salt and set aside

Place the apples in the slow cooker.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 12-inch stainless steel saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the pork chops on both sides until golden brown, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Once browned, place the pork chops into the slow cooker atop the apples.

Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan followed by the onions and saute until they begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the pan to deglaze. Add the black pepper and thyme and stir to combine. Transfer this to the slow cooker, set to high, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Decrease the heat to low and continue cooking for another 4 hours and 30 minutes or until the pork is tender and falling away from the bone.   

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

Pairs well with Pinot Noir.       

Recipe on The Food Network.com

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

 

This easy apple crisp is made the old fashioned way like Grandma used to make, and is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce!

Ingredients

6 golden delicious apples, peeled and chopped (other varieties can be used, can also be sliced)

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes

pinch of kosher salt

 

 

Instructions

1.             Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Butter an 8×8 baking dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

2.             In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon and lemon juice.  Stir to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.

3.             In a separate mixing bowl, add topping ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and diced cold butter).  Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the oat mixture, using a slight downward twisting motion, until mixture resembled pea-sized crumbs.  Alternatively, you can use two forks or even your hands to cut butter into the mixture.

4.             Spread topping over apples in baking dish, and gently pat to even it out.  Bake 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

5.             Serve warm and enjoy!

 

Everyone Loves Smoked Pork Butt

This is my pork shoulder recipe from bringing home a pork shoulder, to preparing it with a rub, to smoking it up delicious. Of course, I always start with the very best meat I purchase from Harter House Supermarket.

The actual pork shoulder is very big and most of us usually only smoke a pork butt or a pork picnic roast which is the two parts of an actual pork shoulder.

I Prefer the bone in pork butt which normally runs about 8 pounds or so. They say the meat is sweeter when it cooks with the bone in and I happen to agree.

Apply the Rub with Mustard

I always rub the pork shoulder down with a light layer of French's yellow mustard to help the rub to stick better throughout the smoke and apply about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of my favorite rub to the outside of the meat being careful to massage it into every nick and cranny.

Note: the mustard will lose its flavor during the smoking and will only leave a nice brown crust so you need not worry that your pork will taste like mustard.. it won't.

Smoke the Pork Shoulder

Prepare the smoker as you normally would to maintain a 225 degree temperature and lay the pork shoulder right on the grate for the long smoke.

How Long Does it Take?

Pork shoulder cook time can be figured at approximately 1.5 hours per pound so a 8 pound shoulder will require at least 12 hours in the smoker.

The pork is probably cooked in a few hours, but it takes much more time to reach fall-apart tender. If you end up hovering around 225 or less, shoot for 20 to 24 hours.

I have a friend who only leaves the shoulder in the smoker until it reaches the 140 degree mark and then wraps it in heavy duty foil and finishes it off in the oven for convenience. And that is fine if you need the convenience.

In either case, for the final two hours, wrap the pork butt in aluminum foil. This will give the meat a last minute steam that'll make it a little more succulent.

Some options include injecting the pork with apple cider, but definitely I keep a pan of water and apple juice underneath the shoulder to keep the exterior of the meat as moist as possible during the long cook time. That might sound like a lot, but it really isn't. The hardest part of smoking could be getting up in the middle of the night to stoke the coals and add a little more wood (which you could do every three to five hours) or I will tend to the smoker just before bed and restart the coals in the morning. The Smoker should stay around 100 degrees overnight.

200 Degrees.. Not a Moment Sooner

When the pork shoulder reaches about 200 degrees, pull it from the smoker and bring it into the house for a resting period. I like to let it rest for 45 minutes or better before I pull it to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.

Pull the Pork

I then use two forks to pull the meat apart into chunks.. be sure and add in the brown bark for added flavor and it makes the finished product look really good.. I have to say that because I have seen folks discard the outside bark thinking it is burnt or something. It is the best part.

Check out this vibrant pink smoke ring!

The simple Recipe Ingredients
1 (5-pound) or larger bone-in pork butt
1/4 cup BBQ dry rub, homemade or store-bought
1 cup apple juice in spray bottle
Special equipment: Charcoal and hickory and apple wood chips soaked in water 1/2 hour prior to cooking

Directions

Season heavily with dry rub. Place in plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

Remove pork from refrigerator 2 hours prior to cooking to come to room temperature.

Prepare smoker to temperature of 210 to 220 degrees F and place 1 handful of hickory chips and 1 handful of apple chips on hot coals.

Place pork butt in smoker and smoke for 14 to 16 hours adding 1 handful of hickory and 1 handful of apple chips every 4 hours. After 5 hours in smoker, begin spraying generously with apple juice every 2 hours.

Pork will be done when the internal temperature reaches 185 to 200 degrees F. Pull or chop meat as desired and top with your favorite sauce!

*******************************

Choose a favorite store bought Rub and Sauce from Harter House Supermarket and Harter House World Flavors, or make your own special rub and sauce. Here are my favorite home made recipes.

Making the Spicy Rub
Ingredients:

1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar

1 cup Paprika

1/2 cup Celery Salt

2 Tbs. Granulated Garlic

1/2 Tbsp. Mustard Powder

1/2 Tbsp. White Pepper

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

2 tsp. Ground Thyme

1/2 tsp. Salt

Instructions:

Sift all ingredients into bowl. Mix well.

Smoky Barbecue Sauce1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup chipotle ketchup

3 Tbs. Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

2 Tbs. Yellow Mustard

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together and simmer for 10 minutes in a sauce pan.

Leftovers?

Pulled Pork Sandwich, pulled pork tacos, and Oh, I make an awesome pulled pork pizza.