Cabbage Roll Casserole

           One of my favourite places to eat is Perth County Food Co, in Stratford Ontario. It is a gem of a deli that always has cabbage rolls available. Now that I don't live or work in Stratford it is increasingly difficult to get my hands on these delicious babies. Solution? Make them. Well, sorta.....
           Cabbage rolls are time-consuming, even though the result is totally worth it. But what to do when you want cabbage rolls but lack time? The lazy man version: cabbage roll casserole. Prep time is only about 15 minutes, and after an hour in the oven you have the deliciousness that is cabbage rolls without the effort. You are welcome :)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (or pork)
2 cloves garlic
1 large onion, diced
1 can tomato soup
1 (28oz) canned tomatoes, no salt added, including liquid
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
ground black pepper
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1 cup brown rice
4 cups shredded cabbage

Directions:
1. In a large frying pan over med-high heat, brown ground beef with onion and garlic.
2. Add tomato soup, canned tomatoes, salt, sugar, pepper, italian seasoning, wine, water and rice.
3. Combine well and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Grease a 3-qt casserole dish. Put 1/2 the cabbage in, and top with 1/2 the ground beef mixture. Add remaining cabbage then remaining beef. Make sure to get all the liquid.
5. Bake at 325F for 1 hour. Check after 35 minutes to see if there is enough (or too much) liquid for the rice. Add more water (1/4 cup at a time) or rice (1 tbsp at a time) accordingly.

Cashew Beef Stir-Fry

It's that time of the year when we are all trying to incorporate more veggies into our diet. I'm pretty good about eating salad, but like most people who live in Canada in the winter, its hard to get enough vegetables.
Problem solved - stir-fry! You can use fresh OR frozen veggies, and one meal easily has two servings of vegetables, if not more.  Plus, its delicious. And the husband loves it.
I always debate about what cut of beef to use for a stir-fry. I didn't have to think about it today, as I had four perfect-looking striploin steaks in the freezer. Its going to be WAY too cold to barbeque them for a while, so this is a good option. Plus - they have just enough fat to keep the beef from getting tough as it cooks.
Be careful not use steak that is too lean - it needs fat to keep it flavourful and juicy. If you are worried, marinate it longer - even overnight - to let the juices and flavour set.

Ingredients:
Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
juice from 1 orange (or 2 tbsp)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup veg oil

4 steaks
6 cups veggies (I used zucchini, carrot, broccoli, and pepper)
1/3 cup cashews
1 medium onion, chopped
rice or noodle of your choice, cooked

Directions:
1. Whisk marinade ingredients together.
2. Slice steak thinly. Spread in baking dish and pour marinade over-top. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
3. Heat oil in wok. Add onion, garlic and beef, including marinade sauce.  Stirfry until beef is browned, but do NOT overcook.
4. Remove beef and keep warm.
5. Add vegetables to pan (if needed, at a bit more liquid - see below) and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until cooked but still crisp.
6. Add beef back to vegetables and stir in cashews. Cook for about 2 minutes to ensure it is hot.
7. Serve over hot noodle of your choice.

Note - If you need more liquid for extra sauce, mix together and add to veggies:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp corn starch
dash of orange juice

Sweet Russian Cabbage Soup

           A few years ago, I went backpacking across Europe with my dear friend Hayley. One of our stops was Prague, where ALL meals contained either cabbage, potato, or beef. And often, a combination of all three. For one of our meals, I had a delicious cabbage & beef soup, that was tangy and sweet all at the time. It was absolutely marvelous and I vowed to learn how to make it once I got home.
          Well, that was two years ago. Better late then never? This cabbage soup recipe is very similar to the meal I had in Prague, and I'm sorry that I have forgotten about it until now. The best part? Its both simple and inexpensive to make, like many Eastern European foods are.

        Although the cooking time is about 1-2 hours, don't be scared - it requires very little actual cooking work, just a lot of simmering. And besides - the wait is definitely worth it - this is one of the best soups I have had in a long time.

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground lean beef
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3 cubes beef bouillon
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 quarts water, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head cabbage, cored and cut into wedges

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef and onion in a large pot. Add the diced tomatoes, beef bouillon cubes, carrots, vinegar, sugar and pepper. Pour in 1 quart of water, and bring to a boil. Stir to break up the beef while heating. Once the soup comes to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.
2. Pour in another quart of water, and return to a slow boil. Add garlic and cabbage. Simmer for 25 minutes, until cabbage is tender. Ladle into soup bowls to serve.

Serves 6-8 people.

Note: You can definitely play around with the vinegar/sugar content to suit your personal taste. If you would like the soup to be more sour or tangy, add vinegar, 1 tbsp at a time. If you would like it to be more sweet, add more sugar 1 tbsp at a time.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

           As most women out there, I am married to a total carnivore. The husband eats, breathes, and sleeps meat. I often try to get him to eat more vegetarian-based meals, but it doesn't usually end well. The conversation often goes something like this:

Husband: "Whats for dinner, the most amazing wife in the world?" (okay, that might be a tad exaggerated...")

Me: "Something new! I think you will love it!"

Husband: "Awesome. What is it?"

Me: "Homemade veggie burgers!!"

Husband: "Veggie burgers?!?! (loud groan, sad face).  "Honey, burgers are supposed to have MEAT. The grill would be embarrassed to have veggie burgers..." (said as though I've just told him we are eating dirt).

             So when I woke up today thinking I might make a veggie stir-fry for dinner, the husband got the best of me and I decided to make beef stroganoff instead. I had three sirloin steaks I wanted to use up, and since that cut is a bit tough for the grill, a slow-cooked stroganoff would be perfect.
         Some of you may recall that a few months back, I posted a beef stroganoff recipe on here. That recipe is still my absolute favourite, but its very time-consuming. This recipe is almost as good, and takes  way less time.  My prep time in the morning was about 10 minutes, and then I just cooked the egg noodles after work and dinner was served :)

Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 lbs of beef, either a chuck, stewing beef or sirloin
flour for dusting (about 2 tbsp)
1 small cooking onion, chopped
1 can sodium-reduced cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup white wine (red would also work)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 package dry onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sour cream
egg noodles, cooked just prior to serving

Directions:
1. Cut beef into thin strips and lightly flour & sprinkle with pepper.
2. Combine beef, onion, mushroom soup, onion soup mix, wine and Worcestershire sauce and place into crockpot.
3. Cook on low heat for about 8 hours
4. 1-2 hours before serving, add fresh mushrooms and stir. Turn heat to high and continue cooking.
5. Just before serving, add sour cream & stir well. Serve on a bed of cooked egg noodles

Asian Beef Salad

           Last year, the husband and I ordered a full years worth of organic meat. It comes from a few farms near Barrie, and we have been really happy with the quality and taste of all the meat - except for one type. the sirloin tip steak. It is quite tough, largely because there isn't enough fat on the meat. Its too lean. So I have been trying to figure out ways to use the steak and get it tender enough to enjoy.
           The biggest trick to this meat (and any other cheap cut of beef) is to marinate it extensively. This steak I marinated for about 6 hours, although overnight would have been ideal.  I am happy to say though, that this steak turned out fabulous. And it was absolutely perfect for the Asian Beef Salad.

Steak Marinade/Dressing:
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup apple or orange juice
1 tsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, smashed


Steak:
1 lb sirloin tip steak


Salad:
6 cups leaf lettuce
1 small red pepper, thinly sliced
red onion
1/2 cup snow peas


Directions:

1. Whisk ingredients for marinade together. Pour half over sirloin steak and let marinade 6+ hours, or overnight. Refridgerate remaining dressing.
2. Pre-heat BBQ. Grill steak 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Do not overcook steak (nothing past medium). Let stand 3 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
3. Combine lettuce, red pepper & onion in a large bowl. Pour remaining dressing over and toss lightly to coat. Arrange on plates with steak on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion, if desired.

          

Sirloin Steak with Mushroom Baked Rice & Steamed Broccoli

Every once in a while, I feel like I should cook something nice for the darling husband. Don't get me wrong - I do ALL the cooking for safety's sake, but the meals are usually what I feel like having. I simply don't get the women who always say to their spouses: "Hunny, what would you like for dinner?" In our household, the non-cook (husband!) eats what he is served.

But, like I mentioned, I occasionally feel like doing something nice, by asking what DH would like. There are really only two answers he gives: steak or tacos. So tonight's dinner is a feast: sirloin steak served with mushroom baked rice & steamed broccoli. Enjoy!

Sirloin Steak:

Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup worchestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

dash of pepper

Directions: Whisk all ingredients and pour over steak. Let marinade 6 hours, or overnight. Remove from marinade and place on pre-heated grill. Barbeque for 6 minutes per side for medium-rare steaks or until preferred doneness is reached.

Mushroom Baked Rice:

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice

2 cups water

1 small can sliced mushrooms, lightly drained

1 large carrot, peeled & chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 package Lipton onion soup mix (dry)

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a lightly greased 3-qt casserole dish. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 1 hour, until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Steamed Broccoli:

1 head broccoli

1 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper

Directions: Place broccoli in saucepan steamer above 1 inch of water. Steam approximately 5 minutes, until broccoli is tender but still slightly crisp. Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper. Serve immediately.

Beef Kofta

I love to cook food that has a bit of spice to it, and am always trying to find 'new' things to cook. When I was in Europe, beef kofta was a staple, sold almost everywhere that had a Moroccan population. I decided to try it myself, and used a recipe from www.taste.com - the exact chef is unknown. I tweaked it a little bit for personal preference, and voila! Beef kofta. It can be served with rice, or pita bread, or really however you like it. I couldn't get the best photos of it, but i promise it is delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a food processor and blend well. Form into oval-shaped balls and place in fridge for 30 minutes to chill. Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers in water. Thread meat onto skewers and place onto lined baking sheet. Bake in oven at 350 F for 15 minutes. Drain any fat that has formed onto tray and bake another 5 minutes, until meat is thoroughly cooked. Serves 4.

Beef Stroganoff

This is one of my new favourite recipes - who knew Beef Stroganoff could be so good? Its inexpensive and fairly easy to make, it just takes a little extra time to simmer. Two things here are key: the white wine, and dijon mustard. Avoid substituting these key ingredients for optimal taste.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 pounds stew beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces butter
1 small onion, sliced

4 tablespoons corn starch
1 (10 ounce) can condensed beef broth
2 teaspoons prepared dijon mustard

1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup white wine
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Remove any fat and gristle from the beef and cut into strips 1/2 inch thick by 2 inches long. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of both salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and brown the beef strips quickly, then remove beef from pan. Add the onions and cook slowly for 3 to 5 minutes, then put aside with beef. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute for a few minutes, then add back the onions and beef. Pour in beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the corn starch mixed with a small amount of cold water. Lower the heat and stir in mustard and worchestershire sauce. Cover and simmer for 1- 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Five minutes before serving, stir in the sour cream and white wine. Heat briefly then salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked egg noodles.