A truly quick meal for the mid-week rush.
Beef Stir-Fry
soup
beef broth
French onion soup
chicken broth
chicken with rice
vegetable broth
vegetable #1
fresh or frozen cut broccoli
sliced mushrooms
fresh asparagus tips
sliced celery
vegetable #2
1 8-ounce can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 cup snow peas
accompaniment
shredded lettuce
hot cooked rice
hot cooked noodles
chow mein noodles
1/2 pound boneless beef sirloin steak
1 10 3/4-ounce can condensed soup or broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup vegetable #1
vegetable #2
accompaniment
Freeze steak 1 hour to make slicing easier. Cut steak into very thin slices; set aside. In small bowl, combine soup, cornstarch and soy sauce; whisk to blend. Set aside. In 10-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat, place 2 tablespoons hot oil, and stir-fry beef strips and garlic until meat is browned; remove from skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add green onions and Vegetable #1; stir fry 1 minute. Add Vegetable #2; stir-fry 30 seconds more. Return beef to skillet. Stir soup mixture; stir into skillet. Heat to boiling; cook 1 minute more. Spoon over chosen accompaniment.
Serves 2
Stir-fry is a marvelous way to take care of a treasure of bits and pieces and that last portion of stock in the fridge. If you know there is a particularly mad crush coming up, prepare the meat and vegetables the day before and refrigerate separately in self-sealing bags.
making a soup stock,
opening cans,
washing produce,
preparing broccoli,
preparing mushrooms,
peeling celery,
slicing vegetables,
peeling tomatoes,
peeling celery,
dicing vegetables,
measuring dry ingredients,
slicing meats,
measuring liquid ingredients,
peeling garlic,
mincing vegetables,
peeling green onions,
cooking rice,
cooking pasta,
stir-fry,
Yogurt in the place of the traditional sour cream gives this stroganoff an extra dimension, not to mention cutting down the fat content of a classically rich dish. (dds)
Beef Stroganoff
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 pounds lean beef top of the round steak, cut into very thin strips
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plain yogurt
1 can condensed consommé
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
1/3 cup dry sherry
Brown mushrooms and onion in butter in a large skillet. Remove and set aside. Add beef to skillet; brown well. Combine flour and yogurt. Mix until smooth. Add to beef in skillet along with the undiluted consommé, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Heat and stir until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened. Stir in the mushroom-onion mixture, olives, and sherry. Heat briefly. Serve beef at once with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Serves 5-6
Reprinted with permission by Crown Publishers, from Creative Yogurt Cooking , by Ethel Lang Graham, ©1978
preparing mushrooms,
slicing vegetables,
peeling an onion,
measuring butter/margarine,
slicing meat,
measuring dry ingredients,
measuring liquid ingredients,
opening cans,
sautéing vegetables,
combining ingredients,
browning meat,
cooking rice,
cooking pasta,
These rich morsels rest well in a chafing dish on the buffet table. They are also versatile enough to stand in as a starter before a light meal or to lie beside noodles as the main dish. The nutmeg provides a delightful secret to the success of the flavor combination.
Hearth-and-Home Meatballs
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1 pound ground pork
3/4 cup bread crumbs
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, very thinly sliced
1 green pepper, cut in strips
1 red pepper, cut in strips
1 small tomato, skinned and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup chicken broth
salt
freshly ground white pepper
In a large bowl, combine the meats with the bread crumbs, 5 cloves of the garlic, the eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into meatballs about the size of a walnut. Dust with flour in another smaller bowl as you go. Place meatballs on a large platter, stacking them if you need to. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the meatballs for three minutes. Fill the skillet only about 3/4 full. When they are ready to be turned, crowd them to one side of the skillet so you can easily tell which ones you have already turned. Cook another 4 minutes after turning. When they are well browned on all sides. Add the onion, the remaining clove of garlic, and the peppers and cook until the onion is wilted. Add the tomato, wine, broth, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for about an hour.
Serves 6-8
You may prepare this dish a day or two before to allow flavors to settle in and converge.
making bread crumbs,
peeling garlic,
mincing vegetables,
cracking eggs,
beating eggs,
measuring dry ingredients,
grinding fresh pepper,
measuring liquid ingredients,
peeling an onion,
slicing vegetables,
coring and seeding peppers,
chopping vegetables,
salt and pepper to taste,
combining ingredients,
dusting meats,
browning meat,
setting the timer,
simmering ingredients,
This is one of the best ideas ever for keeping messes down and spirits up. Dainty eaters will probably want to watch the others try to get their hands and mouths around these deluxe creations.
Inside-out Burgers
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup grated cheese
12 slices jalapeño
salt and pepper to taste
Divide beef into 8 equal balls. Handle as little as possible. Mash out patties as flat as you can get them without having them fall apart. In the center of 4 patties layer onion, cheese and jalapeños. Salt and pepper lightly. Use remaining 4 patties as lids. Pinch edges to hold in ingredients. Broil, pan fry or grill outside. Serve with large sesame seed buns, sliced tomatoes, pickles, spicy mustard, and mayonnaise.
Serves 4
Handling ground meat as little as possible will keep it tender. You can omit or substitute ingredients in the center, according to individual tastes. It's an easy way to keep everybody happy.
peeling an onion,
mincing vegetables,
grating cheese,
grilling,
Even though this appears here, you can skewer practically anything you want, throw it on the grill, and call it "kebab". Here are some fabulous ideas.
Kebabs
Equipment: Your butcher will probably give you free short wooden skewers wherever you buy your meat. Soak them in water for an hour so that they do not burn on the fire. You can also purchase metal skewers if this will be something you like to do from time to time. They come with a rack or some other apparatus to rest them on so that the meat does not stick to the grill. Always position the racks and skewers on the grill while it is cold to make sure it all fits and the lid of the pit will close. You can also prepare the grill with cooking spray while it is cold to prevent sticking.
Marinade: Since you will be putting the meat over fairly high heat, you want it as tender and moist as possible at the outset. Poultry should marinate overnight. Red meat, 2-4 hours. Fish and seafood, 1-2 hours. Vegetables do not need to marinate.
Threading the skewers: Grasp the food in one hand and pierce it with the skewer, being careful not to stab yourself. Slide the food all the way to the far end, leaving about 3 inches at either end of the skewer for handling. Do not crowd meats closely together. They need heat all around. However, tomatoes and soft foods can stand to be a little closer together since they cook so quickly. Try to vary the color, texture and flavor on each skewer.
Basting: You can baste the skewers as they cook to keep them moist. You can use the marinade for the first few minutes of cooking, but not after that. It has raw meat juices that you want to be sure are fully cooked. Some recipes call for basting with an herbed butter.
Cooking times: The redder the meat, the longer it should cook. Leave a piece of meat at the end of one of the skewers. This is your test piece to check for doneness about 10-12 minutes into the grilling.
Suggestions:
Cubed beef marinated in Marinade for Beef and Pork (page ), cherry tomatoes, whole mushrooms, squares of red and green peppers, wedges of red onion.
Cubed chicken marinated in marinade for Chicken Fajitas (page ), Anaheim and yellow pepper squares, yellow onion wedges, cherry tomatoes.
Shrimp marinated in equal parts lime juice and olive oil, onion wedges, and lime wedges.
Cubed ham marinated in equal parts wine vinegar and orange marmalade, fresh pineapple chunks, cherries, and mango slices.
Vegetable combinations basted with an herbed butter.
Fruit combinations basted with equal parts honey and water.
One of the true comfort foods. Let a gloop of mashed potatoes sidle up, roll a spoonful of fresh peas on the side and you have a blue plate special from the great American diners of the 50s.
Knock 'em Dead Meatloaf
1 pound lean ground round steak
4 slices raw bacon, finely shredded
1 medium onion, finely minced
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons catsup
2 tablespoons zesty mustard
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place the loaf in a lightly greased pan. Pour in 1/2 cup water around the loaf. Bake 45-55 minutes. Baste every 15 minutes with the pan juices. Let the loaf rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serves 4
peeling an onion,
mincing vegetables,
making bread crumbs,
cracking eggs,
separating eggs,
liquid ingredients,
washing produce,
chopping vegetables,
measuring dry ingredients,
calibrating the oven,
combing ingredients,
setting the timer,
My friend Elaine always makes everything look so effortless. She chooses dishes she can prepare in advance. She puts the final touches and composes everything with a minimum of bustle at the last minute. An elegant dish in a casual setting is one key to gracious entertaining.
Oceanside Grilled Pork
1/3 cup water
1 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pound boneless pork loin roast, thinly sliced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 pound fresh spinach
6 thin red onion slices, separated into rings
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 pound plums of varied colors, pitted and sliced
Marinate the meat: In a self-sealing plastic bag, mix together the water, sherry, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Reserve 2 tablespoons for the dressing. Place the sliced meat in the bag and seal. Turn the bag several times to coat the meat. Chill for 1-2 hours. Drain meat, discarding marinade.
Grill the meat until medium-rare to medium.
Make the dressing: In a small saucepan stir together reserved 2 tablespoons marinade, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, salad oil and vinegar. Heat to boiling and stir in sesame oil. Remove from heat. Thinly slice meat into bite-size strips. On individual salad plates compose the salad by layering spinach, meat, onion slices, and sesame seed. Pour hot dressing over all. Arrange cold plum slices around the salad. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
liquid ingredients,
peeling ginger,
mincing vegetables,
peeling garlic,
slicing meats,
measuring dry ingredients,
preparing fresh spinach,
peeling an onion,
slicing vegetables,
toasting nuts,
marinating meats,
grilling,
simmering ingredients,
composing salads,
The long, lazy simmer allows the flavors to come through and encourages appetites to mount.
Pepper Steak
1 1/2 pounds steak, thinly sliced in strips
1 teaspoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 slices fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup beef bouillon
2 green bell peppers, sliced in circles
1 red bell pepper, sliced in circles
Melt the butter in a pan and brown steak. Add garlic and ginger after about a minute. Add all the remaining ingredients except the peppers to the pot. Cover and simmer on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add green pepper and cook 20 more minutes. Add red pepper and cook 20 more minutes. Serve over hot rice.
Serves 4 to 6
Make double on Sunday and have scrumptious left-overs for microwave lunches.
slicing meats,
measuring butter/margarine,
peeling garlic,
mincing vegetables,
peeling ginger,
peeling an onion,
slicing vegetables,
measuring liquid ingredients,
measuring dry ingredients,
coring and seeding peppers,
browning meat,
simmering ingredients,
setting the timer,
Picadillo is a pleasant blend of meat, vegetables and mild spices with a piquant edge. Raisins and nuts usually puzzle those people unfamiliar with the dish. They can't quite identify the source, but love it all the same. The flexibility of this Mexican tradition allows you to serve it in a variety of ways.
Picadillo
1 pound ground round steak
1/2 pound hot bulk sausage
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup water
1 large potato, peeled and diced
3 green onions, diced (tops included)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
(can substitute 2 ounces jar chopped pimientos.)
2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 16-ounce can peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup golden raisins
2 ounces slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Blend meats well by hand. Crumble into a large skillet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cumin. Cover with water. Mix well. Simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and stir well. Cover and simmer an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serving suggestions:
Prepare the day before a party and serve in a chafing dish with tortilla chips.
Serve as a taco filling in crisp corn tortilla shells, topped with cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce.
Roll up in a large white flour tortilla and serve with a salad on the side.
Freeze 1/2 the recipe and pull it out for unexpected visitors or for a busy-night supper.
Makes about 1/2 gallon
measuring dry ingredients,
grinding fresh pepper,
salt and pepper to taste,
measuring liquid ingredients,
peeling potatoes and carrots,
dicing ingredients,
peeling a green onion,
coring and seeding peppers,
chopping vegetables,
opening cans,
peeling garlic,
mincing vegetables,
simmering ingredients,
setting the timer,
grating cheese,
A tantalizing mixture of sweet, sour and spice which is excellent served over fresh linguine.
Pitkin County Pork Chops
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6 pork chops, 1 1/2-inches thick
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup water
In small bowl, combine butter, onion, garlic, salt, mustard, cayenne pepper, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire to make a paste. Spread over pork chops. Place in large baking dish and broil close to heat for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. In small bowl, combine ketchup, chili sauce and water; blend well. Pour sauce over chops. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until pork is tender.
Serves 6
Reprinted with permission from the Junior League of Denver, Crème de Colorado Cookbook, ©1987
measuring butter/margarine,
peeling an onion,
chopping vegetables,
peeling garlic,
mincing vegetables,
measuring dry ingredients,
measuring liquid ingredients,
packing brown sugar,
broiling meats,
setting the timer,
calibrating the oven,
Serve this simple delicacy with vermicelli and green beans on a chilly autumn evening.
Tivoli Veal Tarragon
2 tablespoons dried tarragon
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt and ground white pepper to taste
4 veal steaks, 3/4-inch thick, pounded to 1/4-inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (optional)
1/4 cup chopped green onions, including tops
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
2 cups heavy cream
Combine tarragon and 3 tablespoons wine; set aside. Season flour with salt and white pepper. Lightly dust veal steaks with flour. In large skillet melt butter and brown steaks on both sides. Remove veal from skillet to warm platter. Brown shallots and green onions in 2 tablespoons butter. Add 1 cup wine and reduce by half. Add chicken granules, wine-soaked tarragon and cream. Heat to boiling; reduce slightly. Add juice from veal platter; mix well. Return veal to skillet and warm. Serve veal topped with tarragon sauce.
Serves 4
Reprinted with permission from the Junior League of Denver, Crème de Colorado Cookbook, ©1987
measuring dry ingredients,
measuring liquid ingredients,
salt and pepper to taste,
grinding fresh pepper,
pounding meat,
measuring butter/margarine,
peeling an onion,
chopping vegetables,
peeling a green onion,
dusting meat,
browning meat,
reducing ingredients,
warming plates,