Beef – Page 11 – Fun Foodie Family

Persian Meat and Rice- Kubideh and Lemon Dill Rice

Beef, Dips, Dressings, and Spreads, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains

My family has a favorite Middle Eastern place we go to. You can’t really call it “Greek.” The family is actually Persian. They pretty much know out order- The girls get spaghetti and meatballs or a cheeseburger and my husband usually gets a combo meat plate (chicken-souvlaki, lamb, beef-kubideh). As for me, they don’t know. I always choose something different. I think I have had almost everything in some form on their menu. Moussaka, fish, lamb, chicken, beef, roasted veggies, falafel, spanakopita, soup, etc.But that is just me…I rarely ever get the same thing twice. There is this one dish, though. It is the best version of a meatloaf that I have ever tasted. It is called Kubideh, and it is mouthwatering. Seriously, ya’ll. Try this. It can never compare to their family recipe, but it is pretty darn close. I also made some yummy lemon dill rice and roasted Naan.

Kubideh

Ingredients- Mix together and let set from 2 hours to overnight

1 pound ground beef
1 onion grated and strained- seriously, lots of excess water here
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon turmeric
salt and pepper to taste- Please be heavy handed, ok, ya’ll?

Take the meat and form into patties. It is not pretty. Looks inappropriate, if you know what I mean. Not really photogenic, so sorry for the following photos. Grill on all sides. Depending on your grill’s heat, should take about 5 minutes or so per side.

Rice with Dill and Lemon

Ingredients

3 cups rice
4 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup dill
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot, minced
1 lemon- juice and zest
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot- Heat olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pot, slowly cook shallots on med heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, lemon juice and zest, and dill. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add in rice. Stir frequently and toast for about 5 minutes.
Heat chicken stock in another pot. Add in a few ladles at a time. Babysit your rice. Sip a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail. You could cook your rice like the package, but you would end up with burnt rice and gross tasting dill. Don’t follow the directions on the package. Follow mine and have your drink, too. Win, win.

Cucumber Mint Yogurt Sauce- mix the following together- you can mix them in a processor for a finer texture.
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded (cut in half and take the seed out with a spoon)
1 1/2 cups plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (from my garden…SQUEEEEE!!!)
2 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste.

Meatball Subs

Beef, Crockpot /Make Ahead Meals, Sandwiches

I am always looking for ways to cook make ahead meals. This sandwich is a great idea for just that. I did all the cooking last night(meatballs and sauce- total time just under 2 hours), but when I got home tonight dinner came together in a snap. After dinner last night (fish, couscous, and broccoli) I went ahead and prepped dinner for tonight. Tonight, I prepped dinner for tomorrow night (chicken pot pie). Saves me the stress of the dreaded, “What is for dinner? When are we eating?” I can answer those questions pretty fast most nights thanks to make ahead meals.

-Meatball Sauce-

Ingredients
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
3 squirts of tomato paste (or 3 tablespoons if you have a can).
fresh herbs chopped- oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme
1/2 chopped onion
1 container of mushrooms,sliced
1 can of black olives
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed and diced
2 tablespoons or so of Worcestershire
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar.
salt and pepper to taste
meatballs- from ground beef- directions below

Directions

Take all your chopped veggies and cook them down about 8 minutes on med.heat.
Add your garlic and tomato paste and cook for 4 more minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Cook for 30-45 minutes on low heat. The consistency should be on the thick side since it is going to be part of a sandwich.
Add in your meatballs. Cover and cook on low for another 45 minutes. Here is how I made mine…

I used 1 pound of beef, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon of onion and garlic powder, chopped parsley, oregano, and basil. Mix it all up and make some meatballs.

For the sandwich- Split open a hoagie roll and add in lots of meatballs and sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 until bread is crispy and cheese is melted. Top with basil.

Pimento Cheese Sloppy Joes

Beef, Sandwiches

SAY WHAT???
Yes!!! Finally I have done it!!! I have made my daughters’ beloved hohum sloppy joes that they love so much actually taste AMAZING!!! Sloppy Joes are not a pretty dish. There are tons of recipes out there that look great. I wanted to try more, but my girls stand by the recipe their daddy first made.

My husband remembers having this as a child. The only sloppy joes I had were in the school cafeteria and avoided at all cost. Maybe it was Manwich… Not sure, but I don’t ever remember my mom making a Sloppy Joe. And I thank her for that.

I had to figure out a way to make me like them more without adding cooks onions, peppers, or tomatoes that may give it away. I found a solution; tomato paste, barbecue sauce, onion and garlic powder and pimento cheese. The kids didn’t eat it with pimento cheese, but I will be happy to hog all the cheese for the time being. For real…TRY THIS COMBO!

Sloppy Joes- all my ingredients are now eyeballed and to taste, but these are pretty much the right portions- taste everything and add if needed.

Ingredients-
1 pound ground beef
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
a generous shake of liquid smoke… Once I ran out and used worcestershire sauce and no one noticed.
a few shakes of onion and garlic powder- the real thing would be better, but I am easing them in to the idea of a different sauce…
pimento cheese- I used 2 tablespoons of Palmetto’s Bacon Cheese. I have made plenty of pimento cheese. Homemade pimento cheese is easy and delicious, bit this is a great premade brand.

Directions- Brown your ground beef. Drain any grease leftover. Add all your ingredients. Warm on low. I toasted MY bun, but the girls like theirs untoasted. I also made some Annie’s Mac and Cheese and canned baked beans.

The Girls’ Plates

My Plate
<

Hook your Mate Meal

Beef, Date Night, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains

Hello lovers! I know there are lots of you out there who are in love and happy as a clam. I know some of you who are pretty sure you met your match, but there is no ring or serious commitment quite yet. There are some who even have their sights set on a guy or girl who they want to hook permanently or even just want to hook-up with. Never fear! Food is here! Cook for your main squeeze and you are sure to win their hearts! A nice bottle of wine or a few bottles of your favorite beer couldn’t hurt either!

Now, I know this is a no brainer, but most guys and many girls I know, myself included, love a nice steakhouse meal. I am no stranger on this blog to cooking lots of different cuts of steak. Just last week I made it. Tonight I made it again. We all went to the store today, and Publix had Ribeye on sale. Duh! Of course we bought some. My hubby had a hockey game this afternoon, so I knew it we would have a late dinner. I made med. rare ribeyes, creamed spinach, and au gratin potatoes. I have made variations of all of these on this blog. Here are my pics tonight and how I made them tonight.

Steak- Depends on your cut of steak and how you like them cooked. I like mine just past mooing, so if you like it more done, just cook it longer! =) Just a couple of examples…
https://funfoodiefamily.com/2013/08/24/life-cycle-of-a-steak/
https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/01/19/porterhouse-steak-slow-cooked-mushrooms-and-onions-and-steak-butter-mashed-potatoes/

Au Gratin Potatoes- serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large russet potatoes, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 cup grated cheese- I used a combo of colby jack, mild cheddar, and gruyere. What an amazing combo!

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Heat cream, butter, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, layer a greased 8″ × 12″ baking dish or med. sized cast iron skillet alternately with potatoes and ¾ cup of the cheese.

3. Carefully strain heated cream over assembled potatoes, then sprinkle potatoes with remaining ¼ cup of cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until potatoes are tender and gratin is golden and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Allow gratin to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
1 tablespoon of bacon grease/butter/veg.oil
1/4 onion chopped
3 cloves crushed and chopped garlic
1 large container or bunch of fresh spinach (I used a large container of baby spinach)-
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large skillet, heat your pan on med.low heat with bacon grease/butter/veg.oil. Add your onion and garlic to the pan and cook down for about 5 minutes. Add your spinach and cook down about half way. Add your cream cheese. Melt down and add your cream. Mix well and take off heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir and let sit about 5 minutes or so.

Steak with Onion and Mushroom Blue Cheese Sauce, Creamy Spaghetti Pesto, and Roasted Asparagus

Beef, Date Night, Dips, Dressings, and Spreads, Girls' Night Out/In, Pasta, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains

Skip the steak house and cook your family a nice steak dinner at home! My whole family LOVES steak, so when we see them on sale at the store, we always buy them. This time Publix had Porterhouse steaks on sale, so we just had to get them! I have blogged a few times on making steaks, but here are the directions I use for making mine. Of course, it depends on the cut and size of your steak, so if the steak is thinner you want to go less time, etc. I always cook them in my cast iron pan or cast iron grill pan. We like ours med. rare, so if you like it cooked more, obviously add time. You could also finish it off in an oven on 350 for a little extra cooking time.

Steak

The main star was the Porterhouse. For the perfect med.rare you need to follow these instructions. Get your cast iron pan to screaming hot smokiness. Then salt and pepper your steak on both sides. Cook until the first side is nice and crusty, about 6 minutes. Then turn and cook about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and tent in aluminum foil for at least 10 minutes. YUM!

Onion and Mushroom Blue Cheese Sauce

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 onion chopped (or shallot)
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 container of mushrooms, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 container or package of crumbled blue cheese
salt and pepper

Directions
Cook onions and garlic in butter/oil on med. high heat for 5 minutes. Add your mushrooms and cook for 10 more minutes. Reduce heat to low heat and add your cream. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until it reduces to about half. Stir in blue cheese and melt. Serve with steak (or pork)

Roasted Asparagus

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Snap the tough ends off of the asparagus. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roast the asparagus for 25 minutes, until tender but still crisp. One of my favorite vegetables!

Creamy Spaghetti Pesto

Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup pine nuts
4 cups greens- I used a mix of parsley and basil
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cook your pasta in boiling salted water. Stir Occasionally.
When Al dente, drain, but keep about 2 cups of pasta water.

While your pasta is cooking, pulse your pine nuts and garlic in the food processor until smooth. Add your greens, oil, and Parmesan Cheese. Process until smooth. Season with your salt and pepper.

Add your pesto to your pasta. Stream in your heavy cream a little at a time. Add any starch pasta water as needed. Mix well. Enjoy!