Albondigas

This is a Mexican meatball soup that my dad always made when I got sick.  Much better than boring old chicken soup.  It makes a ton, so freeze half of it in individual servings.

Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
5 medium carrots, diced
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
Flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Mix beef through rice together with hands.  Make 1 inch meatballs
2. Boil water, approx. 6 cups.  Put meatballs in boiling water with bay leaves and cumin.
3. Simmer 1/2 hour, then skim fat.
4. Add tomato sauce and carrots 
5. Season broth with salt, pepper and garlic powder
6. Simmer 10 more minutes
7. Serve with tortillas.
   

Machaca

Another of dad's recipes.  I first learned of Machaca when we would go on to Rosarito, Mexico for thanksgiving.  Half way between Rosarito and Ensenada, there was a restaurant that we called "The Half-way house".  I don't know if that's the real name of the restaurant, or if we just called it that because of it's location, but my dad and I would go there at least once during each Mexico trip.  My dad made this the last time he came up to visit me and I had leftovers for an entire week.  But it's so good that you never get tired of eating it.

Ingredients
2 pounds Flank Steak or Lean Beef Brisket
1/4 cup Canola or vegetable oil.
2 large bell peppers, green and red
2 medium size Spanish/yellow onions
3 Roma tomatoes
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300*.
2. Place Steak in roasting pan and cook in oven for approx. 2 hours, or until steak is cooked well done like a pot roast
3. Remove steak from oven, let cool, then hand shred beef and set aside (can be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator)
4. Remove core and seeds from bell peppers and cut into 1/4 inch strips
5. Cut onions into 1/4 inch strips.
6. Coarsely chop tomatoes.  
7. Scramble eggs with salt, pepper, and garlic powder; set aside.
8. Add the shredded beef and mix well with the peppers and onions over low heat, until meat is thoroughly heated.
9. Add eggs and tomatoes; mix well.
10. Cook all ingredients together over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the eggs are fully cooked.
11. Serve with flour tortillas, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, pinto beans, or Spanish rice (recipe in another blog post)
12. In a large non-stick skillet or frying pan, saute the peppers and onions in oil until tender but firm 

Beef Stroganoff

Mom's family recipe.

Ingredients
1 pound top sirloin steak, cut into strips
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup
4 oz. sour cream
Beef Bullion
Fresh mushrooms
Spinach/Egg Noodles or Rice
Le Seur Peas (in a silver can...soooooo much better than regular peas)

Preparation

1. Brown onion in butter, remove from pan
2. Saute meat strips slowly (until tender, still red), salt and pepper meat, remove from pan
3. Saute mushrooms in pan juices - remove from pan.
4. On low heat, stir soup, bullion, sour cream (heat slowly so it won't curdle or take pan off heat to add sour cream).
5. Add onions, meat, mushrooms, sprinkle in dill seed (I don't add the dill seeds)
6. Cook slowly so flavors mix together, until meat is completely cooked and tender
7. Boil noodles
8. Serve beef mixture over noodles, with Le Seur peas.

Newcastle Pot Roast

Pot Roast
Ingredients
2  tablespoons  butter
12  cups  sliced onion (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1  (4-pound) beef rump roast, trimmed
1 1/2  teaspoons  kosher salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1  tablespoon  fresh thyme leaves
1  (12-ounce) bottle dark beer (such as Newcastle)
3  tablespoons  cornstarch
Potatoes:
4  cups  fat-free milk
4  pounds  baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1  teaspoon  poppy seeds
3/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. To prepare pot roast, melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 12 minutes or until almost tender. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 40 minutes or until onions are caramelized, stirring frequently. Transfer onions to a bowl.
3. Place pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle roast evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add roast to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. 
4. Add onion mixture, broth, thyme, and beer to pan; bring to a simmer. 
5. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 hours or until tender, turning over halfway during cooking time.
6. Remove roast from pan. Cover and keep warm. 
7. Place pan over medium-high heat. Add cornstarch to pan, stirring with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Potatoes 
Ingredients
4  cups  fat-free milk
4  pounds  baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1  teaspoon  poppy seeds
3/4  teaspoon  kosher salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place fat-free milk and potatoes in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. 
2. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. 
3. Mash potatoes; stir in poppy seeds, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
4. Serve Roast with potatoes and sauce. 

Chili Con Carne

When I was in my first or second year of law school, my aunt was having a dinner party.  Her guests were friends from Norway and friends she was going to go on a walking pilgrimage through Norway with.  To show them a true American meal, she decided to serve a variety of chilies.  One was a traditional turkey chili with red beans, one was a vegetarian chili, and the last was this Chili Con Carne.  Tastes like no other chili and is perfect for a cold winter evening.

Ingredients

1 small can of chipotle chilies
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces pork, finely chopped (chops or loin)
2 pounds of beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 large white onions, chopped (approx. 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregeno
1 bay leaf
 Salt
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
2 bottles beer (Newcastle is my favorite)
1 tablespoon distilled vinegar

Optional Toppings: sour cream, avocado, cheddar cheese, green onions, tortilla chips

Preparation

1. Remove seeds from 3 or 4 individual chipotle chiles.  Set aside 
2. In a blender, puree 3 to 4 chiles, 1/2 cup of water, and canned sauce (approx. 3 tablespoons, vary for desired level of spice)
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add pork; cook until browned (approx. 3 min per side). Transfer to plate.
4. Working in batches, cook beef until browned, 3 minutes per side.  adding more oil as needed and transferring browned meat to the plate.
5. Reduce heat to medium low.  Add onion and garlic; cook until softened (approx. 6-8 minutes), stirring often.
6. Stir in cumin, oregeno, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons reserved chile seeds (add more for heat, if desired).  Cook 1 minute.  Add chile puree.  Raise heat to medium high; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
7. Return meat to pot.  Add 2 tablespoons salt, canned tomatoes, and beer.  Bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium high.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour, 15min.  
9. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer, stirring occassionally, until meat is tender and sauce is thick, about 30 more minutes.
10. Discard bay leaf.  Stir in vinegar.
11. Serve (very filling, so start with small portions); add toppings as desired.

Beef Burgundy Stew

Best stew recipe I have found.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds lean boneless round steak, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes (I usually just get the beef that is already cut into chunks at the grocery store)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 cups Burgundy or other dry red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
 2 bay leaves
1/2 cup water
2 cans (10.5 oz. each) beef broth
10 small red potatoes, quartered (1.5 lbs)
6 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 1 pound)
2 small onions, quartered (1/2 pound)
1/2 pound mushrooms, halved
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add steak, and cook 8 minutes on all sides or until browned.  Add garlic and saute 1 minute.  Add wine, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves; bring mixture to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes.
2. Add 1/2 cup water and next 4 ingredients (through onions); bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes.
3. Stir in mushrooms; cover and cook 50 minutes or until steak is tender.  Discard bay leaves.
4. Combine 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch in a small bowl; add to pan.  Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.  Stir in salt and pepper.  Ladle stew into bowls, sprinkle with parsley.