Beef with Mushrooms over Polenta

Ingredients:

1 pound beef stew meat, cut into large pieces
4 shallots, diced
1 package button mushrooms
1 cup red wine
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup polenta
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot, sear the beef on high heat on both sides. Set aside in a bowl.

2. In the same pot, saute the shallots and mushrooms together with some olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then, add the red wine and 1 cup chicken broth. Let the mixture reach a boil.

3. Add the beef to the pot and lower the heat. Let everything simmer together for about 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper.

4. In a small pot, bring 4 cups of chicken broth to a boil. Slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly to prevent lumps and lower the heat.

5. The polenta should cook very quickly and once it reaches the right consistency, turn off the heat. Stir in the butter and parmesan cheese and season to your liking.

6. Serve the beef stew on top of the polenta. Enjoy!

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef shoulder, cubed
10 shallots, cut in half
1 large onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 carrots, peeled and cubed
1 lb button mushrooms, cut in half
4 sprigs thyme
1 cup beef stock
2 cups red wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brown the beef and set aside. Saute shallots and garlic until soft. Add the beef to the pot and add wine and beef stock on medium heat.

2. Add carrots and mushrooms to the pot and cook for two hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve alongside rice or mashed potatoes.

Blue Cheese Burgers with Grilled Peppers & Onions

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat
1 package of blue cheese
2 yellow (or red or orange or combo) bell peppers
1 large red onion
1 large yellow onion
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Season the ground meat with salt and pepper and form into patties.

2. Prep and chop the onions and peppers and saute them on high heat in a pan until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Grill the burgers on a George Foreman grill or on a saute pan until cooked through.

4. Top with blue cheese, peppers, and onions. Enjoy!

Nannie's Traditional Brisket

Ingredients:

4-5 lb brisket
Tony's Creole Seasoning
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce
1 package of Lipton Onion Soup mix
2 large onions
2 beef boullion cubes
2 tbsp flour
1 cup water

Directions:

1. Buy a 4-5 pound flat brisket and trim all the fat off of both sides.

2. Place the brisket on a piece of extra heavy foil that is large enough to enclose the brisket and seal it to cook it.

3. Season both sides with Tony's Creole Seasoning or pepper.

4. Slice 2 large onions and put the rings on top of the brisket.

5. Mix 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup ketchup,1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce, and one package of Lipton Onion Soup mix and pour this evenly over the meat and onions. Bake open for one hour at 300 degrees.

6. Then close the foil and cook at 350 for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until very tender. Put meat on platter and cover with foil and pour the juices into a pot.

7. Add 2 beef boullion cubes that have been melted in a half of a cup of water in the microwave and pour into pot. Then take 2 large tablespoons of flour and mix with about a 1/3 cup of cold water and mix it until it is smooth. Add this to the juices in the pot. Heat this until it thickens and your gravy is ready.

8. Slice the meat on the diagonal after it has cooled a little while.

Safta's Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 medium sized cabbage
1 pound ground meat
1 cup rice (rinsed)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 tomatoes
2 tbs chopped parsley
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups boiling water
2 tbs chicken soup mix
2 tbsp onion soup mix
1 tbsp cumin

Directions:

1. In a large pot, boil the cabbage in water with 1 tsp salt for a few moments until the leaves can separate. Let it cool in a colander and then separate the leaves.

2. In another pot, boil the rice until cooked.

2. For the filling: saute the chopped onion until brown, add the garlic, tomatoes, parsley and then the ground meat. Mix well until the meat is browned. Mix in the rice and the spices.

3. Put about 1 (or 2, depending on the size of the leaf) scoops of the mixture in the middle of a cabbage leaf. Fold the two sides and then roll. Place in a large pot.

4. Roll all the cabbage leaves and arrange in the pot. Pour the sauce on top and cook for about an hour. (Check during cooking, you might need to add more water) and Enjoy!

Asian Beef with Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients:

1 portion of sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 onion, cup into strips
1 clove of garlic
1 cup mushrooms, cut into pieces
1 cup red peppers
soy sauce, to taste
teriyaki sauce, to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop onions and mushrooms and saute in a frying pan with garlic.

2. Add the beef, sugar snap peas, and red peppers to the onions and mushrooms.

3. Add the soy and teriyaki sauces and cook thoroughly.

4. Enjoy over white rice.

Steak in Red Wine and Wild Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, or button, trimmed and sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp spices, like Tony Chachere's
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 sirloin steak

Directions:

1. Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add drizzle of olive oil.

2. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes to soften.

3. Add the mushrooms and spices; season with salt and pepper.

4. Stir everything together for a few minutes. Add the red wine and chicken broth, then cook and stir to evaporate the alcohol.

5. In a separate skillet cook the steak until browned, about 2 minutes per side.

6. Pour the sauce on top of a piece of grilled steak and enjoy!

Mexican Fiesta Bowl

Ingredients:

1 can corn kernels
1 can black beans
1 lb ground meat
1 cup brown rice
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup chedder or monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
1 avocado, sliced
Chili powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Sauté ground meat, onions and garlic together in a skillet.

2. Add salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste

3. Boil brown rice in separate pot.

4. Add corn and beans to cooked rice and mix until warmed throughout.

5. Add ground meat mixture to rice and bean mixture.

5. Serve and garnish with cheese, chopped tomatoes, avocado, and sour cream.