Hamburger Gravy with Mashed Potatoes

Hamburger Gravy
1 pound of extra lean hamburger
1 chopped medium onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz chopped mushrooms
1 cup water
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Fry hamburger with onions, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Add soup, water and mushrooms.  Bring to boil then simmer 15 minutes.

Mashed Potatoes
4-5 medium peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream

Boil potatoes 15-20 minutes in pot of salted water.  Drain, add butter and sour cream, mash to desired consistency.  Some like it chunky, some like it smooth and creamy.  You can substitute milk for the sour cream if desired and you can use additional milk if potatoes are too dry ( usually just add a little more sour cream. 

For a quick easy meal you an add any vegetable to complete.  You can double the recipe and have left overs which are fantastic heated in the microwave.  Nothin' more home cookin' than mashed potatoes and gravy!

Good Eats!!

Bone-in Pork Chops with Stir-Fry Veges

Pork Chops:
4 cut pork chops with bone
3-4 medium potatoes sliced 1" thick with skin on
1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 medium onion sliced in rings


Dredge pork chops in a mixture of flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  In a heated skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil, sear chops on both sides.  Add soup, an additional can of water, potatoes and onions.  Liquid should cover most of ingredients (if not add a more soup and water).  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft (20 - 30 minutes).

Stir-Fry Vegetables:
Mini carrots
Broccoli heads
Pea pods
Mushrooms
Cherry tomatoes
Juice of a lemon

In a heated skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil start with carrots, broccoli, and pea pods, salt and pepper to taste and cook on medium heat until carrots soften.  Add mushrooms and cook until they reduce.  Add tomatoes, cook until they are warm.  Finish with the lemon juice and toss to coat the veges.

This simple recipe makes a very hearty meal.  As an option you can add the carrots to the chops, forgo the rest of the vegetables, and have it done in one pan. 

Good Eats!!

Chicken Soup & Cheesy Bread

Chicken Soup:
2 -3 large chick breasts
64 ounces chicken stock
32 ounces water
2 cups carrots
2 cups celery
1 large onion
1 package pasta
salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil

On medium-high heat sear chicken in olive oil, salt and pepper in a large pot.  When seared lower heat to low and add flour.  Coat chicken taking care not to burn.  Add liquid and remaining vegetables.  Mix soup thoroughly scrapping flour from the bottom of the pan in the beginning (it come off easily).   Simmer on low for 2 hours stirring occasionally.  Bring soup to rolling boil add pasta and cook per instructions.  Serve in bowl topped with parsley. 

Makes a nice thick, hearty soup.  Freeze extra for a quick meal!  To serve, place frozen soup in pan and re-heat slowly.

Cheesy Bread:
1 loaf french bread (cut in half longways)
butter
shredded cheddar cheese
garlic powder (optional)

Butter cut side of bread.  Sprinkle cheese on bread until covered.  Sprinkle garlic powder if desired.  Broil on high in oven on top rack 2-3 minutes or until golden brown watching not to burn. Slice bread and serve warm.


Good Eats!

Meatloaf and Baked Potatoes

Meatloaf:
2 lbs ground beef
1 medium onion
8 oz mushrooms (chopped)
1 package dry onion soup
salt and pepper
1 garlic clove (minced)
2 eggs
2 pieces of bread (cubed)
3 tablespoons ketchup

Combine all ingredients and form into loaf (I used a metal bread pan).  Spray pan with non-stick spray.  Put loaf in pan and pack it slightly.  Lattice top of loaf with ketchup.  Bake in oven at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.  Edges will brown and pull away from pan.  Use thermometer to check internal temperature.  It should be 165 -170 degrees.  Reduce cooking time if loaf is thinner.  Pull loaf out of pan and slice.

Baked Potatoes:
Wash potatoes thoroughly.  Rub with butter and wrap in foil. Bake in a 350 oven for 2 hours. 

Corn-on-the-cob:
Shuck the corn and boil in water. 
Bring pot to a rolling boil, add corn, when pot returns to boil corn is done (3-4 minutes).

For cooking on the BBQ, open the husks, remove the silk, close the husk and place directly on grill with indirect medium heat for about 10 minutes turning every 2 minutes.

Garnish baker with your favorite stuff and serve with fresh corn-on-the-cob for this good home cookin' meal.

Good Eats!  

Spaghetti with Parmesan Bread

Spaghetti Sauce:
1 medium onion
1lb lean ground pork
1/4 cup white wine
1 Kielbasa sausage
salt and pepper to taste
1 24oz jar or can of pasta sauce (I used Classico  Roasted Garlic)
1 tsp oregano (or to taste)
1 small 6 oz can tomato paste (optional)
1 can medium ripe olives
1 large tomato (chopped)

In a large pan fry onions, pork, Kielbasa, salt and pepper and wine on medium high. When cooked and reduced add pasta sauce, oregano, and tomato paste.  (Use the tomato paste if you like a thicker sauce. I did not use it in mime this time.  I usually do but I didn't have any.)  Let mixture come to simmer then add olives and tomatoes. Simmer covered on low for 15 minutes stirring often.

Prepare spaghetti as per the instructions on package.  Spoon sauce on pasta.

Note:  I added some barbequed chicken I had left over from another meal.  It was cooked so I added it with the sauce.  For additional crunch you can add a couple stalks of celery cut small to the pan when frying the meats and onions.  I've had spaghetti sauce with other vegetables as well such as squash.  Add whatever you like. Experiment and have fun!


Parmesan Bread:
1 loaf french bread (cut in half longways)
butter
parmesan cheese
garlic powder (optional)

Butter cut side of bread.  Sprinkle cheese on bread until covered.  Sprinkle garlic powder if desired.  Broil on high in oven on top rack 2-3 minutes or until golden brown watching not to burn. Slice bread and serve warm.

Good Eats!

Pork Tofu Stir-Fry & Ham Fried Rice

          








Pork Tofu Stir-Fry:
12 oz pork loin (thin sliced)
1/2 large Walla-Walla onion
2 medium zucchinis
1 large yellow crookneck squash                          
1 Anaheim pepper (seeds removed chopped fine)
8 oz chopped mushrooms
1 package firm tofu (cubed)                                                                        
1 package yakisoba stir-fry noodles
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Cut pork and chop vegetables into pieces. (I halved and sliced mine to cook on the griddle and cut after.)  Cook pork in olive oil with the garlic, Anaheim, salt and pepper on medium heat.  When pork is about half way cooked add the squash.  As the pork and vegetables finish add noodles, tofu, mushrooms, soy and sesame oil.  Gently stir mixture and cook until heated through. 

Note:  If you look carefully you won't see any tofu in the plated picture.  That's because it was still in the refrigerator when I finished the dish.  Oops!  I just grilled it and ate it separately from the stir-fry.  It is delicious just grilled!  Cooking is all about how YOU want it to be done.  It's fun to have the flexibility.

As a second note: I usually cook mushrooms separately in a tablespoon of butter.  I find it adds a nice flavor to all the vegetables plus the mushrooms turn our firmer and not overcooked.

Ham Fried Rice:
I substituted ham for the bacon on a previous post. I'll re-post it here:
3-4 cups cooked white rice
1/2 lb of bacon
1 medium onion
6 oz mushrooms
4 eggs
3-4 tablespoons soy sauce

All the fried rice ingredients are cooked individually then "assembled" at the end.
Cook bacon until crispy and set aside.
Cook onion in a tablespoon of olive oil or you can use some of the bacon grease for flavor and set aside.
Heat rice (medium low) until warm in a pan with a tablespoon of water if rice is cold.
While rice is warming cook mushrooms in a tablespoon of butter and set aside.
Scramble the eggs and when finished combine with rice in pan.  Add bacon, mushrooms and onions to the rice.  Add soy sauce to mixture (to taste and color).  Try to keep the soy sauce out of the bottom of the pan where it will burn.  Increase heat to medium and cook mixture for a couple of minutes.  Serve warm.

Good Eats!