Bourbon Steak With Orzo Casserole & Buttered Carrots

By Sandra Berger

½ c Soy Sauce
½ c Bourbon
2 lbs Sirloin or Round Steak, 1 inch thick

Combine soy sauce and bourbon in a shallow dish or large zip-lock bag. Add steak, flip once. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, overnight is best.

1 c Orzo Pasta, Cooked
1 c Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
1 Red Pepper, Chopped
1/3 c Banana Peppers, Drained and Chopped
1 c Sour Cream
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese
2 T Butter

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 ½ quart souffle or casserole dish. Combine first 4 ingredients and put in prepared pan. Spread sour cream over the top, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and dot with butter. Bake until golden and puffed – about 15 minutes. (Remove from oven, set aside if broiling steak).

While the casserole is baking, steam carrots until fork tender – about 7 minutes – and prepare grill or broiler. Grill/broil steak about 5 minutes per side for medium rare.

Serves 4.

“The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”  ~ Frankl

Feta Stuffed Burgers

with Steamed Broccoli & Roasted Red Skins

1 lb Ground Turkey
1 Egg
2 T Chives
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
2 T Roasted Garlic, minced (can be found in a jar in produce section)
Salt & Pepper
4 oz Feta Cheese, crumbled

Combine all the ingredients except Feta in a bowl with your hands. Divide mixture into 8 patties, line them up in 2 rows of 4.

On 4 of the patties, equally divide the cheese. Press gently and top with the other patties.

SEAL THE EDGES very well. Set in refrigerator to set up while preparing remainder of meal.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with a sheet pan inside.

Cut 5 medium redskin potatoes in 8 pieces each, toss in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Remove pan from oven and dump potatoes on pan, spread evenly (this will allow for a crisper potato).

Bake for approximately 45 minutes, stirring at about 20 minutes.

With 20 minutes remaining, cut broccoli and bring to a boil until fork tender, about 10 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add patties. Cook for about 5 minutes per side.

Serves 4

“Never eat more than you can lift with one hand.”  – Miss Piggy

Greek Shrimp & Couscous

6 T oil
1 Onion, Chopped
1 ½ lbs Shrimp, Peeled
45 oz can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
2/3 cup White Wine
2 t Oregano
1 cup Feta, Crumbled

 

 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 8 minutes.

Add shrimp, cook on both sides until just pink, about 1 minute per side. Add tomatoes, wine, and oregano.

Simmer for 15 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally. At this time, prepare the couscous, set aside.

Serve shrimp mixture over the couscous and top with feta cheese.

Serves 4

Moo-Shu Meatloaf

Moo-Shu Meatloaf

Brown Rice

& Garlic Green Beans

2 T Oil
2 c Savory Cabbage, shredded (or bagged cole slaw)
3 T Onion, chopped
½ can Mushrooms, sliced
½ t Ground Ginger
1 T Garlic, minced
2 T Soy Sauce
2 T Sherry
½ c Stir Fry Sauce
1 c Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs
2 lbs Ground Pork

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over heat heat. Slowly add the cabbage, mushrooms, onion, ginger and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes until it appears wilted. Take off heat, stir in soy sauce, sherry and 2T stir fry sauce. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and eggs. Add the ground pork and vegetable mixture. Knead with your hands until well mixed. Transfer to a 9×5 loaf pan or form into a small loaf and place in a baking pan. Bake for 1 hour.

While meatloaf is baking, prepare rice according to package directions.

After removing meatloaf from oven, slice 2 garlic cloves and brown in 2 T olive oil over heat heat. Add green beans to garlic, cook until the beans blister (get black spots), then add a splash of soy sauce, and then remove from stove. Set aside.

While the meatloaf rests for 10 minutes, top with remaining stir fry sauce.

 

“I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I can learn how to do it.”   – Picasso

Beef Stew & Potato Rolls

Beef Stew & Potato Rolls

 

2T Flour

2T Butter

1 lb Beef Stew Meat

1 Can Tomato Soup

1 Soup Can Water

2 Onions, Quartered

1 lb bag Baby Carrots

3 Potatoes, Cubed

¼ t Thyme

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Dust the meat with the flour and brown on all sides in melted butter. Add the soup and water, stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for an additional hour or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover during the last 20 minutes for a thicker stew. Serves4

This can be made ahead of time. Just cover and refrigerate after stew has cooled.

“Teach us to delight in the simple things.”  – Kipling

Poulette Parisenne & Israeli Couscous

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Sandra Berger

Poulette Parisenne, Israeli Couscous

Ingredients:

2 lbs Chicken Pieces, skinned
2 T Oil
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
8oz Mushrooms, quartered
1/3 c Canned Tomatoes, Petite Diced
Dash Basil
15 oz Artichoke Hearts, Drained and Quartered

Directions:

In a large skillet or dutch oven, brown chicken in oil. Pour off excess oil and chicken grease. Add remaining ingredients, except artichokes. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 45 minutes, turning chicken and stirring sauce occasionally. When there is 30 minutes left on chicken, make couscous according to package directions. Right before serving, add the artichokes to chicken and heat through, about 3 minutes.

Serves 4

Let him who would move the world, first move himself.   – Socrates

Curried Black Beans & Rice with Smoked Sausage

By Sandra Berger

Ingredients:

2 T Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, sliced
2 T Curry Powder
1 lb Smoked Sausage, sliced
1 ½ cup Chicken Broth
32 oz Black Beans, drained
2 T White Whine Vinegar
3 cups Cooked Rice

Directions:

Prepare rice according to package directions. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook onions and curry powder until onions are tender. Stir in sausage and broth, stirring up any brown bits. Simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in beans an cook until hot. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Spoon over rice. Serves 4

“Successful Women Eat.” – Waterhouse

Sausage, Peppers, Onions & Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce

By Sandra Berger

Ingredients:

1 lb Italian Sausage Links (about 5)
28 oz Tomato Sauce
1 lg Sweet Pepper, sliced (red, yellow, or orange)
1 lg Onion, sliced
1 lb pasta

Directions:

In a large, deep skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add sausage and brown on all sides. Remove from pan, and set aside. In same pan, sautee peppers and onions until softening. Add sausage and tomato sauce to vegetable mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about ½ hour.

While sausages are simmering, get a pot large pot of heavily salted water to boil (the salt in the water adds more flavor to the pasta). Cook according to package directions. Drain, portion into large bowls. Top with a sausage and sauce. Parmesan cheese as desired. Serves 4.