Hamburger Steaks with Swiss Cheese, Mushrooms and Onions

 There's nothing more comforting than a good old fashioned hamburger steak for dinner. And I'm sure there are as many family recipes for them as there are people in this world. This is mine. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 slices bread ( I used sour dough)

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef 
1/2 small white onion. minced 
 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon course ground pepper

Topping:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced 

4 slices Swiss cheese 

 Directions:

Place bread slices into a food processor and pulse into breadcrumbs. Add breadcrumbs and all other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using clean or gloved hands or a wooden spoon, mix ingredients together until well combined and form into 4 equal size patties.

Place hamburger steaks in a non stick pan (or use cooking spray) over medium high heat. Cook on each side until done to your liking  Remove patties from pan. Add oil to the hot pan and add in mushrooms and onions. Sauté until tender. Place patties on plates, add cheese and top with hot mushrooms and onions. Add your favorite garnish. I love sliced jalapenos. Imagine that : ) Enjoy!

Chili Mac

Serves: 6
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 lb. ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoon flour 

1 tablespoon chili powder 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce 

2 cups beef broth 

1/2 pound dry macaroni 

4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

3 ounces Velveeta, cubed small

Directions:

In a large skillet,add olive oil and brown the ground beef over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until tender. Drain off the excess fat. When the garlic and onionn are tender, add the flour and cook for one minute, constantly stirring. Quickly add the chili powder, smoked paprika. oregano, tomato sauce, and broth, and continue to stir until incorporated.
Add the dry pasta, place a lid on top, and allow it to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is has absorbed all of the liquid and is done. Stir frequently to make sure it’s not sticking on the bottom of the skillet. If needed, add a a few tablespoons of water a little at a time until the pasta has finished cooking. When soft, the heat off and stir in the cheeses. Serve hot. A side salad is good with this dish.

King Ranch Chicken

If you've never had King Ranch Chicken Casserole, you've been missing out.  This is my absolute favorite casserole. Yum it up and give it a try for tonight's dinner.  You won't regret it.
Enjoy!


Ingredients:

4 to5 boneless skinless chicken breast, poached and chopped (RESERVE 1/2 CUP STOCK FOR CASSEROLE!)

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 8 ounce package fresh mushroom, sliced

2 garlic clove, minced

1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup

2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, (Rotel or any brand), (Do Not Drain)

½ teaspoon salt

½ to 1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Mexican-style chili powder

2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

18 to 20  6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Directions:In a Dutch oven or stock pot, bring chicken to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about an (1) hour or until chicken is no longer pink when split open and juices run clear. Remove chicken, cool and chop. Reserve about 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Save the remaining broth for other meals or soup and freeze.

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, celery, mushrooms and garlic and cook until tender, 5 to6 minutes. Stir in reserved 1/2 cup chicken stock, soups, diced tomatoes and chiles and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add in chopped chicken.

In a 9 X 13 casserole dish, Layer all ingredients, starting with soup/chicken mixture and alternating with tortilla strips and then cheese. Bake (covered for the first 50 minutes and then uncovered for the last ten minutes.)until bubbly at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes.

Serve hot with sliced avocados and sour cream.

Chicken Soup for the Soul and Every Meal

Ingredients:

3 to 4 quarts water (IMPORTANT! After the chicken cooks, you will need to replenish some of the water that has cooked out so you will have enough broth. Follow directions below.

2 pounds chicken quarters (I use chicken breast now)

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, sliced into crescents
2 large potatoes, cubed

4 carrots, sliced into coins

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons Greek seasoning (I use Cavenders Greek seasoning)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

12 to 16 ounce bag of egg noodles

2 cans evaporated milk or 4 cups half and half

1 nice handful fresh parsley, stems removed and chopped

Directions:

Boil chicken quarters in water until chicken runs clear about 1 hour. Remove chicken and cool. Put pot with chicken broth into the refrigerator and let set until you have removed meat from bones. When chicken is cool, remove skin and discard. Remove meat from bones and chop into bite sized pieces. Refrigerate until ready to return to pot. Take broth from the refrigerator. Once cold, any fat will have risen to the top and you can now easily ladle off any excess fat. Add 2 to 3 quarts of water to the broth in the pot to replace the liquid that has boiled out. You need to do this so you will have enough broth for the soup. Return pot to heat and boil broth. Add all vegetables along with garlic and seasonings. Turn burner down to medium high and cook vegetables until fork tender. Add noodles and cook until just done, usually 6 to 8 minutes. Add chicken to pot and turn heat down to medium low and add evaporated milk or half and half and chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning if necessary. You're done. Enjoy!

Cooks Notes: This is my old stand-by, go-to chicken soup from back when. Lots of noodles and lots of flavor. You can definitely lighten this soup up if this is an issue, by using chicken breast instead of dark meat and 2% milk in place of the cream. I find when I do use chicken breast, I need to add chicken base, bullion or low sodium broth. Chicken breast just don't render a lot of flavorful broth and it tends to need a little somethin-somethin. You can also go with yolk-less noodles, which are great. Whatever your preference, this is just delicious!

All I Can Say Is Yummy, Yummy Comfort Food!

Shepherd’s Loaf

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 6

Meat Loaf
½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground turkey
½ cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon ketchup
½ medium onion, minced
1 small carrot, shredded (I use my mini food processor)
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten

Potatoes

¼ cup heavy cream
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 pounds butter gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

(No one said this was diet food : ), but you can lighten the potatoes by using Heart Smart type butter, Neufchatel (cream cheese) and skim milk.)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350° degrees. Spray or grease a loaf pan.
Add cubed potatoes to a pot of boiling water and cook until tender. Meanwhile, add all meatloaf ingredients to a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. (Use clean or gloved hands if you need to). Pour meat mixture into the greased pan and press to fit pan.

When potatoes are fork tender, turn off burner, drain and return potatoes to stove. Mix in cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Add heavy cream and continue to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon potatoes over meat.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked. Drain excess fat and let cool slightly. Slice and serve with your favorite green vegetable or salad for an old fashioned family dinner.

Albondigas Soup

A girl that I play games with on facebook mentioned that she was sick and her husband had brought her albondigas soup? I'd never heard of it. And being an Angelino for most of my life, I thought it was odd I had never even heard the word before. I guess in life you're always missing something, because when I googled it, I found many versions of this wonderful soup. Albondigas simply means meatball, or meatball soup in Spanish. I have to tell you I went straight to work on a version of a recipe that I felt had all the ingredients my family would like. I think I did it. My family loves it! Albondigas soup is truly Mexican soul food. It is colorful, comforting and flavorful. I hope you like this soup as much as we did. It is what I believe, the best of several recipes, all authentic with a few twists and turns of my own. I made it for dinner tonight and it is delicious!

Albondigas Soup
Servings:
8 to 10
Ingredients:

Meatballs
½ pound lean ground beef
1 pound Mexican chorizo sausage *See instructions below to make your own.
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup rice, cooked
1 good handful of cilantro leaf, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Soup
8 cups chicken broth
½ cup onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cans (10 ounce) tomato & green chile mix, such as Rotel (Do not drain)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 handful cilantro, chopped
2 to 3 zucchinis (depending on size), cubed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make meatballs, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll into balls.
You should make around 25 to 30 meatballs. Place meatballs in a lightly sprayed baking dish and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Remove and let sit until soup is ready.

In a heavy bottom pot, saute onion until tender. Add broth, carrots, zucchini, celery and cook until soft. Add both cans of tomatoes and green chiles, cumin, oregano and cilantro leaves. Bring to boil and drop baked meatballs in the soup. Return to simmer and cook another 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

*For those of you that don’t care for packaged chorizo: To make your own, use 1 pound ground pork or turkey and add:
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

In a bowl, mix all ingredients well and let sit in refrigerator for 2 hours to let flavors to meld, then follow directions above.