Monday, November 27, 2006
Start with tenderized steaks
Tough meat may be inexpensive, but as its name suggests it doesn’t sound like an appealing steak. While cube steak usually comes from a tough cut of meat, the machine used to make the cube-shaped imprints tenderizes the meat. This steak can be cooked slowly to make a satisfying meal or quickly to make an easy entree.
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This main dish works equally well with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Swiss Steak
4 4-ounce beef cube steaks
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes, cut up
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
In a large nonstick skillet, brown cube steaks on both sides in oil over medium-high heat; remove and set aside. In the same skillet, sauté the onion, celery and garlic until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bouillon. Return steaks to the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours.
Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into tomato mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
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Easy Oven Cube Steaks
4 8-ounce cube steaks
1 10.5-ounce can condensed French onion soup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, briefly brown the cube steaks. Arrange meat in a single layer in a 13x9-inch baking dish and pour the soup over the top. Bake in preheated oven until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.
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Steak Parmesan
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds cube steak
1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
1 32-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Dredge the meat in the crumbs. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the breaded meat in the oil; sauté until well browned on both sides, about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain excess oil, and pour in the spaghetti sauce. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Cube steak should be cooked thoroughly, which usually takes about 5 to 8 minutes per side when pan-frying over medium to medium-high heat.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, November 20, 2006
Don’t waste a bit of turkey
Many people look forward to leftovers as much as they look forward to Thanksgiving dinner. Fortunately when it comes to the turkey, the leftovers are good to the bone.
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Turkey Noodle Soup
1 leftover turkey carcass
3-1/2 quarts water
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 large onion, halved
4 whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced, optional
1 cup uncooked egg noodles
In a large stockpot, combine carcass, water, bouillon, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Strain broth; discard onion, peppercorns and bay leaves. Remove carcass; allow to cool. Remove turkey from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; set aside. Add carrots, celery, potato, chopped onion and turnip if desired to broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add noodles and reserved turkey. Return to a boil; cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Makes 12 to 14 servings.
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Hearty Turkey Soup
1 leftover turkey carcass
12 cups water
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
5 carrots
1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 bay leaf
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 small rutabaga, cubed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 pounds cooked turkey, cubed
Combine turkey carcass, water, 1 cup celery, 2 carrots, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme, bouillon, and bay leaf in large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat; cover. Simmer 1-1/2 hours. Strain stock, and discard solids. Skim off fat using ladle or fat separator. Pick meat off bones when cooled. Reserve meat.
Combine 6 tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup milk in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake to combine. Pour stock into pot. Bring to simmering. Strain flour mixture through sieve into stock, stirring.
Slice remaining 3 carrots. Add rutabaga, ground pepper, remaining 1/2 cup celery, and sliced carrots. Simmer 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add turkey meat; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Put leftover turkey in the refrigerator within two hours of serving. Leftover turkey will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, November 13, 2006
Mash your Thanksgiving sides
We all have our favorite dishes for the holidays, and you might already have some for popular root vegetables. But these vegetables don’t have to be boring. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, try adding a few ingredients to those old favorites. With a few simple additions, these vegetables can go from being Thanksgiving extras to starring roles.
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Mashed Carrots and Turnips
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium turnips, peeled and diced
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Place carrots and turnips in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.
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Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced
1/8 cup milk
Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Add the apple slices, cover, and let simmer until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Mix the apple mixture into the drained sweet potatoes along with the milk. Mix well using an electric mixer or just a fork until potatoes are mashed. Makes 6 servings.
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When making this recipe, be sure the garlic gets mashed well along with the potatoes.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
15 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup whipping cream
Place potatoes, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes; drain. Transfer potatoes and garlic to a mixing bowl; mash. Add butter, cream and remaining salt; mix until smooth. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Warming liquid ingredients such as milk or cream before adding to root vegetables helps reduce lumps. This also keeps the vegetables from cooling down before serving them.
Cook vegetables only until they are fork-tender. Overcooked vegetables get soggy when mashed.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, November 06, 2006
For more flavor, wedge your potatoes
When it comes to potatoes, there are more choices than baked, mashed, or fried. For something different, try baking potato wedges. The seasonings cling to every bite of potato, making them a flavorful side dish that complements almost any meal.
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Garlic Potato Wedges
4 pounds small red potatoes, cut into wedges
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
16 unpeeled garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup white vinegar
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup chopped green onions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of oil, unpeeled garlic, rosemary, and salt. Pour into two 15x10-inch baking pans coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, sugar, pepper, and remaining oil until smooth. Carefully squeeze roasted garlic into vinegar mixture (discard skins). Pour over potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with onions. Makes 8 servings.
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Potato Wedges with Dip
2 large baking potatoes
Olive oil-flavored nonstick cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Bacon Horseradish Dip:
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pierce potatoes and place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 6 minutes or until still firm but almost tender. Carefully cut each potato into eight wedges; place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spritz wedges with olive oil-flavored spray; sprinkle with garlic salt and cayenne. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the dip ingredients. Serve with potato wedges. Makes 2 servings.
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Crispy Potato Wedges
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 large baking potatoes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine cheese, salt, garlic powder, oregano and paprika. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut each potato into eight wedges; place on foil. Coat wedges with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese mixture. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Makes 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
To make oven fries or potato wedges that rival fried potatoes, start with starchy potatoes like russets then cut them into wedges or sticks and don’t crowd them on the baking sheet.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com