Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Sauce:

2 large cans crushed tomatoes (I actually use the large cans of marinara sauce from Trader Joe's)

1 small can tomato paste

2 lbs. ground beef

1 Tablespoon oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 8 oz. container sliced crimini mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 Tablespoons Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. pasta

parmesan cheese for serving

In a large pot, pour in oil and heat on medium-high until shimmering. Add onions, bay leaf and parsley. Cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and italian seasoning. Cook until mushrooms are cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Add garlic and stir. Once garlic is mixed throughout, aadd the ground beef. Cook until beef is browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir. Pour in two cans of tomatoes (or marinara sauce) and stir. Salt and pepper sauce. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for the time it takes you to boil pasta.

Steak Chili

I know it's hot outside, but the reason I make chili in the Summer is because of the amazing homegrown tomatoes I need to use!

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds steak (london broil, boneless short ribs, chuck steak)- cut into 1 inch cubes

flour for dredging
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalepeno pepper

1 small can beef broth
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoons liquid smoke
6-8 seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes or 2 (29 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium high heat, heat oil. Dredge steak in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Saute in batches until browned on the outside, but not cooked through. After each batch, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. (You may need to add more oil to the pot at this point) Add the onions and saute for 15 minutes, or until the onions are caramelized. Add tomatoes, garlic, jalepeno, beef broth and steak to the pot. Bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, coveredfor about 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Each cut will take different times to become tender.
Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, liquid smoke and black beans. Remove cover and simmer for another 15-30 minutes, or until you've reached your desired thickness

Cowboy Wraps

2 Tb. red wine vinegar

1 Tb. dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup + 1 tsp. olive oil

1 lb. yukon gold potatoes

1/4 cup milk

2 Tb. butter softened

2 Tb. sour cream

2 Tb. green onions or chives

1 cup corn kernels

1 lb. london broil (or close to it)

1/3 cup bbq sauce

4 tortillas

Directions:

Combine vinegar, mustard, garlic & 1/4 cup olive oil in large bowl. Marinate london broil in this mixture for at least 30 minutes. Peel and boil potatoes in salted water. Drain potatoes and mash with milk, butter, sour cream, green onions and salt and pepper to taste. Broil meat for about 3-5 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness. Cut meat into small pieces Heat 1 tb. olive oil in skillet and saute corn for about 3 minutes. Add meat to skillet with corn. Add bbq sauce and stir. Spread potaatoes evenly on each tortilla. Top potatoes with corn/meat mixture and wrap. Serve immediately.

Soft Tacos

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tb. canola oil
1 Tb. garlic powder
1 Tb. chili powder
2 tsps. ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
flour tortillas

toppings: cheese, lettuce, sour cream, salsa etc.

Put oil in skillet and turn heat to medium. Add onions and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in crumbled beef and seasonings. Cook until no longer pink. Fill warmed tortillas. I'm such a minimalist when it comes to taco meat...

Soy Glazed Beef with Asian Vegetables

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice (I use the frozen brown rice from TJ's- it only takes 3 minutes to cook, and it's more healthy!)
8 ounces snow peas, trimmed
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 3-inch lengths
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
1/4 cup soy sauce
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 London Broil (1 to 1 1/4 pounds), halved crosswise
1/4 cup honey

Directions
Cook rice according to package instructions; cover, and set aside. Meanwhile, heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss snow peas, carrots, bell peppers, and scallions with oil and 2 tablespoons soy sauce; season with salt and pepper.
Place beef on top of vegetables, and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon honey. Broil until beef and vegetables begin to char, 6 to 8 minutes. Toss vegetables, and turn beef; drizzle beef with 1 tablespoon honey.
Continue to broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of beef registers 140 degrees and vegetables are charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes, tossing vegetables once more. Remove from broiler. Cover with aluminum foil, and let rest, 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, make sauce: Stir together remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and honey. Thinly slice beef, and serve with vegetables, rice, and sauce.

Helpful Hint
Instead of using a separate bowl to toss vegetables with seasoning, use the baking sheet they’ll be cooking on. You’ll save time and cut down on cleanup.

30 Minute Shepherd's Pie

This is a Rachel Ray recipe. Need I say more?

2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan

1 3/4 pounds ground beef or ground lamb

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup beef stock or broth

2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it

1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.
While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.
Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.