Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Souperburger Sandwiches

Campbell's version of sloppy joes, but I think better!  I never really cared for sloppy joes.  I don't know if it is the spices or what, but I love Campbell's version.

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (or onion soup mix)
1 can (10.75 oz.) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Celery Soup
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 round sandwich rolls or hamburger rolls, split and toasted

1.  In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef and onion until beef is browned, stirring to separate meat.  Pour off fat.
2.  Add soup, (soup mix), mustard and pepper.  Over low heat, heat through.  Divide meat mixture among 6 rolls.

6 sandwiches

The Cowboy Steak Show

From Rod Gray and the Sam's Fresh, Fast & Fabulous cookbook.  I made this this past weekend when I had family visiting and it was a hit!  The chimichurri sauce was awesome!

4 lbs. cowboy steaks (bone-in rib eye) about 1 1/2 inch thick
2 French baguettes, fresh, cut into 1/4" slices (my slices were larger)
1 head of garlic, cloves separated & peeled
1 c. extra virgin olive oil

Chimichurri-Style Sauce:
1/2 c. fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 c. cilantro, minced
1/4 c. oregano leaves, minced
3 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 c. extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Steak Baste:
2 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. hot water

1.  Lightly brush both sides of baguette with olive oil.  Grill over medium-high heat to toast.  Cut garlic cloves in half and rub cut edge of each side of warm toasted slices. 
2.  In a bowl, combine parsley, cilantro, oregano and minced garlic.  Slowly whisk in olive oil-sauce should be bright green and thick.  Add salt & pepper, to taste.  For best results, prepare a day ahead-can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
3.  Combine cayenne pepper, salt, garlic powder and water in a squirt bottle and shake to mix.  Place room temperature steaks directly on grill and baste with liquid as they cook.  For spicier steaks, baste more often.  Remove from the grill and slice off outer edges of steaks into strips as they reach desired doneness, returning the remaining steak to the grill to continue cooking.  Put a slice of steak on the toasted baguette slices and spoon sauce over the top.

8 servings

Quick Barbecued Beef Sandwiches

Another recipe from Campbell's that I've made a few times.  I always put in in my crock pot on low.  It really only needs a couple hours just to heat through.  After a couple hours, I usually turn my crock pot down to warm off of low.  The recipe calls fro cooking it in a Dutch oven-it's up to you.  I made a few changes-instead of cooking the onion in oil first I substitute a packet of onion soup mix; plus a I add a little barbecue sauce to add a little more zing.

1 tbsp. vegetable oil (or 1 pkt. Onion Soup Mix)
1 medium onion, chopped  (or 1/4 c. BBQ sauce)
1 can (26 oz.) Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1/4 c. water
2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 lbs. thinly sliced cooked roast beef (I used Hillshire Farms lunch meat)
12 round sandwich or hamburger rolls, split & toasted

1.  In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil.  Cook onion until tender.
2.  Add soup, water, sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire.  Heat to a boil.  Cook over low heat 5 minutes.  Add beef (I slice the beef the long way into strips).  Heat through.  Divide meat mixture among 12 rolls (add a slice of provolone or mozzarella, if desired).

Serves 12

Beef & Mushrooms Dijon

Another quick and easy meal from my Campbell's cookbook.  I don't care for mushrooms, so I made this just for Jarom & Mike one night when the girls weren't here.  They really enjoyed this meal and it will definitely be made again.

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, 3/4" thick
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can (10.75 oz.) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
4 c. hot cooked rice

1.  Slice beef into very thin strips.
2.  In skillet over medium0high heat, heat half the oil.  Cook beef in 2 batches until browned, stirring often.  Set beef aside.
3.  Add remaining oil.  Add mushrooms and onion.  Cook over medium heat until tender.
4.  Add soup, water, and mustard.  Heat to a boil.  Return beef to pan.  Heat through.  Serve over rice.

Serves 4

Best Ever Meat Loaf

From my trusty Campbell's cookbook.  I love this recipe.  Since it takes two pounds of ground beef, if I have any elk or deer hamburger, I substitute one pound with it.  Because of the low fat content it doesn't usually stay in it's slices very well.  I could easily buy ground beef with higher fat content to help that but our house doesn't buy beef with more than 7% fat in it...I try to only buy 4% fat.  :o)

1 can (11 oz.) Campbell's condensed Italian Tomato Soup (regular works just as well, it's a matter of taste)
2 lb. ground beef
1 pouch Campbell's Dry Onion Soup & Recipe Mix
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1.4 c. water

1.  Mix 1/2 c. tomato soup, beef, soup mix, bread crumbs and egg thoroughly.  In a baking pan, shape firmly into 8x4 loaf.
2.  Bake at 350 degrees for an hour and 15 minutes or until meatloaf is done.
3.  In a saucepan, mix 2 tbsp. drippings, remaining soup and water.  Heat through.  Serve with meat loaf.

Serves: 8

Cashew Sticky Rice

I enjoyed this rice, although I couldn't get mine to be so sticky as much as it was a sweet rice.  However, it wasn't a real sweet sweet and it went well with the Basil & Apple Marinated Chicken I made.  I found this recipe on page 231 of Sheryl Crowe's If It Makes You Healthy cookbook.

1 1/2 c. medium-grain brown rice
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1 c. toasted, chopped cashews
1 bunch scallions, sliced, white & green parts

1.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil the foil.
2.  Wash the rice 2-3 times under cold water to remove excess starch.  Drain the rice and then transfer it to a medium-size saucepan and add 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce heat to low so that the rice simmers very slowly.  Cover the pan and cook for about 40 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Do no rush the cooking and adjust the heat up or down to maintain a very low simmer.  Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
3.  Pour the rice on to the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly over the pan so that the rice is 1/2 inch thick.
4.  In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and salt.  Sprinkle it over the rice and mix gently with a wooden spoon to ensure even distribution.  Add the cashews and scallions and gently incorporate them into the rice, taking care not to break any grains of rice.  Set aside to cool completely.

Serves: 4

Basil & Apple Marinated Chicken

This is another one of great recipes from Sheryl Crowe's If It Makes You Healthy cookbook.  It was featured on The Talk and that is what urged me to buy the cookbook in the first place.  There is a baked polenta recipe with it, too, but I didn't make that.  Instead, I made the Cashew Sticky Rice that I will post next.

1 1/2 c. apple juice
2 tbsp. basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
salt & pepper
4 good size boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1.  Marinate chicken in a large zipped plastic bag with the apple juice, pesto, salt, pepper and chicken.  Be sure to mix it all together and move around to coat the chicken with the marinade.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.  Turn the bag every 2 hours.
2.  Prepare gas or charcoal grill so that the heating elements or charcoal are medium-hot.  Rub grates with a little canola oil to prevent sticking.
3.  Lift chicken from marinade and let most of it drip off.  Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning at least once, until the chicken breasts are cooked through.  Let the chicken rest for a few minutes and then slice each breast into slices, about 1/2-inch thick.

Serves: 4

Baseball M&M's Cupcakes

This recipe is in my Sam's Club Fresh, Fast & Fabulous cookbook that I got for free!  You just had to give them your name and membership number or sign up for a membership and they gave you this wonderful cookbook!  I've tried a couple recipes already with a few more in July's menu plans.  I made these along with the Black Bottom Cupcakes and my chocolate chip cookies for the school carnival cake walk.  The best part about these cupcakes is that the kids can help put the M&M's on.


1 box (18.25 oz.) yellow or white cake mix
1 1/2 c. (12 oz.) whipped vanilla frosting
2 c. M&M's
24 cupcake liners

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Prepare cake mix according to pacakge directions.  Line muffin tins and fill each cup with 2/3 c. of batter.  Bake 20 minutes.
3.  Cool completely.  Spread on vanilla frosting and decorate as shown in picture to resemble baseball seams.  (Mine were a little different.  I layed the M&M's down flat, the Sam's photo has them standing up on the side with the frosting holding them up-this allows for more M&M's on the cupcake.)


24 cupcakes

Monday, June 20, 2011

Betty Crocker's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a childhood favorite and the first recipe I ever made. They were always a hit with family and friends and as I've grown up and my tastes have changed I've added to the recipe and made one little change-instead of vanilla extract, I use French Vanilla Extract. The French Vanilla just gives them a little something different, something extra. Give it a try and see how you like it!

1 c. butter, soft but not melted
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. French Vanilla Extract
1 pkg. (12 oz.) chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter, sugars and egg together in a large bowl; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, mixing thoroughly.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden.

3 dozen cookies

NOTE: I'm asked all the time how I get my cookies fluffy-soft-a little crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle and not flat like lumpy tortillas. The key is all in the butter or margarine you use. When it says soft or softened, you don't want to melt it. It's best to take it out of the fridge for 30 minutes or so and just let get to about room temperature or close to it. If you are stretched for time, just put the cube in the microwave for about 15 seconds. A little bit of melting is okay, but you don't want most of it or all of it melted. The other things is after your dough is all done, walk about from it and let it rest 5-10 minutes. If I don't let my dough rest, they are flat, lumpy pancake cookies and the my second batch is always perfect, because that batch was allowed to sit and rest before going on the cookie sheet and into the oven.

Slow-Cooked Salsa Chicken Tacos

This fantastic recipe is from Sheryl Crowe's cookbook "If It Makes You Healthy". I love tacos and they are so quick and easy to make, but they can get boring sometimes, so I'm always looking for new ways to make them. The recipe calls for cooking it in a large saucepan for 2 hours, but I just put everything in a crock pot for 6-8 hours-set it and forget it.

1 1/2 c. chicken stock
1 (12 oz.) jar mild salsa
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I used 5 thawed flash frozen chicken breasts)

1. In a large saucepan, bring the stock and salsa to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, until the chicken is very tender, about 2 hours. (Or, do as I did and put it all in the crock pot and set it to cook 6-8 hours.)
2. Lift the chicken from the cooking liquid and let it cool for 30-40 minutes. Reserve cooking liquid. When the chicken is cool, shred meat.
3. Transfer shredded chicken to a bowl and drizzle the reserved liquid over top to keep it moist. (I put the chicken back int he crock pot and mixed all up and let it soak in all the goodness of the salsa and stock, then strain the chicken and salsa into a large serving bowl. I added some of the stock and salsa juices to the leftovers, however so they would stay moist.)
4. Fill the taco shells or tortilla with the chicken and garnish with the toppings of your choice.

Servings: 4
Servings (How I made them): 12 (two tacos per person)

Black Bottom Cupcakes

I've shared this recipe before, however, this last time I made a chocolate ganache for a topping instead of frosting and then added a little curly-cue to the top with white cream cheese frosting so they looked like little Hostess cupcakes. My mother-in-law was the first person to make these for me and then a few years later I found the recipe in my Hershey's Chocolate Lover's cookbook. They are always a real hit!



Cupcakes:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 c. water
1 tbsp. vinegar
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Filling:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Traditional Topping:(I have not used this topping)
Sugar
Chopped Almonds

1. Combine cream cheese, sugar, egg and salt in a small mixing bowl; blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
2. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add egg, water, vinegar, oil and vanilla; beat until well combined.
3. Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full with batter. Drop a heaping teaspoonful of filling in the center of each cupcake. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees fro 25 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate leftovers.

Chocolate Ganache:
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. heavy whipping cream

1. Bring whipping cream just to a boil. Remover from heat. Add chocolate chips and allow them to just sit in the hot cream for 5 minutes.
2. After 5 minutes, stir cream and chocolate until smooth.
3. Dip cooled cupcake tops in ganache. Allow to set and ad curly-cue with white frosting or cream cheese frosting.

Yields: 1 1/2 to 2 dozen cupcakes