Corned Beef and Cabbage (Pressure Cooker)

I know I did Corned beef and cabbage a few years ago, but that was in my slow cooker.  This year, I thought I would break tradition and try it in my electric pressure cooker.  I have an off-brand cooker so I tweeked it to work for mine (Geek Chef).

Ingredients
4 pounds corned beef (preferably flat-cut)
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 pound carrots
1 head cabbage

Peel and slice the onion. Put the onions and corned beef in the pot. Add the mixed pickling spices and bay leaves, followed by the 4 cups of water.

Lock the lid in place and turn the venting knob to "sealing." Choose the "meat" (or high) setting. Set the time to 1 hour and 25 minutes.

Scrub and peel the potatoes (or leave them unpeeled) and cut them into 1 1/2-inch to 2-inch pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into 3-inch lengths. If the carrots are quite thick, halve them horizontally. Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges.

When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully move the knob to "venting." Remove the meat to a cutting board and slice it thinly. Transfer the meat to a platter and cover it with foil to keep warm.

Place all of the vegetables in the pot with the liquid. Lock the lid in place and make sure the venting knob is set to "sealing." I am unable to cook under 10 minutes with anything but the "rice" setting so I chose that and set it for 3 minutes.

After the 3 minutes, quick release to stop the cooking.  Plate, and serve.4

*If you don't have mixed pickling spices, it's easy to make it at home. Combine 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds with 1 teaspoon of whole allspice berries, about 1/2 teaspoon of coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, and about 1 inch of a cinnamon stick.

** I didn't have any carrots because I forgot :/

Corned Beef and Cabbage

I realize this one is no one's idea of diet or healthy eating, but since yesterday was my hubby's birthday, I made an exception for his favorite meal.  I tried to purchase the smallest corned beef I could find, but it was still 5 lbs. The leftovers will be used for his lunch today as hash or a sandwich.  I haven't a clu where I got the recipe, This is just how I learned to make it:

1 Corned beef
4 medium potatoes
4 carrots, peeled
1/2 head of one cabbage

Scrub the potatoes and carrots and cut the potatoes into quarters and the carrots into 2 inch slices.  Place the potatoes and carrots on the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker.  At this time you can also take the outer leaves from the cabbage and place those in the slow cooker, or cook them separately. ( I usually cook them separately in a 2 quart, microwave safe casserole dish with about a 1/2 cup water for 10 minutes on high until the cabbage is still green but tender).
Remove the corned beef from wrapper and set aside the small baggie of spices.  Place the corned beef fat side up over the vegetables in the cooker.  Pour enough water into the cooker to cover the beef.  Sprinkle the spices over the top.  Place on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

OK, so I confess...I LOVE THIS MEAL!  Buttery cabbage and fatty corned beef is just delicious.  I shall continue to behave, but this was an awesome little splurge.  I now must ride by bike across the island to visit my folks instead of driving.  Must work this one off!
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German Beef Salad

This is actually a diet and microwave recipe.  This is from the Better Homes and Gardens Quick and Easy Diet Recipes circa 1989 page 116:

3/4 lb beef top round steak
1/2 C frozen, diced onion
2Tbl cooking oil
1 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl cornstarch
1 tsp instant beef bouillon granules
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/2 C water
1/4 C vinegar
1 16oz can sliced potatoes
6 oz fresh spinach

Trim fat from beef.  Thinly slice meat across the grain into bite-sized strips.  In a 2-quart microwave-safe casserole combine meat and frozen onion.  Microwave, covered, on 100% power for 3-5 minutes or until meat is done, stirring every 2 minutes.  Drain off liquid.  Set meat aside

For dressing, in the same dish stir together next 5 ingredients.  Then stir in water and vinegar.  Cook, uncovered, on 100% for 3-4 minutes until thickened and bubbly, stirring after every minute.

Drain potatoes.  Add potatoes and meat to dressing.  Then cook, covered, on high 1-2 minutes or until heated through.  Meanwhile, clean and tear spinachto make about 5 cups.  Place in a large salad bowl.

Add hot potato-meat mixture to spinach and toss lightly until coated.  Serve immediately, Serves 4.

I halved the recipe and instead of fresh spinach, I used the other half of the frozen spinach from last night. This was OK, but sort of bland.  I even used a little salt and pepper that wasn't in the recipe.  Like I said, this was OK but I probably won't be making it again.  I did like the fact it was prepared entirely with the microwave so I didn't have to heat up the house.

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Skillet Beef and Potatoes

My Mother-in-law just sent me some new cookbooks!  Cookbooks are my own personal type of heroin.  I will never be able to have enough cookbooks :D  Thank you SO much, Paula!  So tonight's selection is from Taste of Home Simple and Delicious circa 2007, page39:


Ingredients
3 medium potatoes, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons garlic pepper blend
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Directions
Place potatoes, water and salt in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 6-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain.
Season beef with pepper blend. In a large skillet, stir-fry beef and onion in 2 tablespoons oil for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Meanwhile, in another skillet, stir-fry potatoes in remaining oil for 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in beef mixture. Sprinkle with rosemary. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1-1/2 cups equals 320 calories, 16 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 63 mg cholesterol, 487 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 23 g protein

Substitutions: We halved the recipe.  We only used a 4oz steak instead a half pound. Also, I wasn't sure what they meant by "Garlic Pepper Seasoning" so we used garlic powder and black pepper.  We went a little heavy with the pepper.  Looking back, I should have used Nature's Seasoning. Other than that, the meal was delicious!
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Onion-Stuffed Sirloin with Mushroom Saute

Yet again, the hubby decided to cook dinner for us.  Hmmm...maybe he should start writing the blog :D.  Anyhoo, this recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens: Great Cooking for Two (circa 1992  ) page # 10:

Ingredients

1/2  of a small  onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1  clove  garlic, minced
1  tablespoon  margarine or butter
1/8  teaspoon  lemon-pepper seasoning or pepper
1  8-ounce  boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1-1/2 inches thick
3/4  cup  sliced fresh shiitake or other mushrooms
1  tablespoon  margarine or butter
1  teaspoon  cornstarch
1  teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce
1/2  teaspoon  instant beef bouillon granules
1  tablespoon  dry red or white wine
Directions
1. For stuffing, in a small saucepan cook the onion and garlic in margarine or butter until onion is tender but not brown. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon-pepper seasoning or pepper. Set aside.

2. Make a pocket in the steak by cutting a deep horizontal slit. Spoon the stuffing into the pocket. If necessary, secure opening of the pocket with a wooden toothpick.

3. To grill, place steak on the rack of an uncovered grill. Grill directly over medium-hot coals to desired doneness, turning once. (Allow 14 to 18 minutes for rare, 18 to 22 minutes for medium, or 24 to 28 minutes for well-done).

4. Or, to broil, place steak on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat to desired doneness, turning once. (Allow 14 to 18 minutes for rare, 19 to 22 minutes for medium, or 23 to 28 minutes for well-done).

5. Meanwhile, for mushroom sauce, in a small saucepan cook the mushrooms in margarine or butter until tender. In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, and 1/2 cup water. Carefully add to the saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in wine. To serve, cut steak in half. Transfer steak halves to individual plates. Pour sauce over steak. Makes 2 servings.

Menu Suggestion: Grill new potatoes to round out the meal.

nutrition facts
Servings Per Recipe 2 servings Calories319, Total Fat (g)18, Saturated Fat (g)5, Cholesterol (mg)76, Sodium (mg)504, Carbohydrate (g)12, Protein (g)27, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

No substitutions per se, but the choices used were red wine, pepper instead of lemon pepper, and the mushrooms were morel mushrooms (my uncle grows them). Also, we used two 4 oz steaks instead of one 8 oz steak.  Wow.  My man keeps hitting it out of the park!  This honestly tasted like a restaurant meal.  This wasn't a special occasion, but you could easily use this for a romantic evening or any occasion.

*****

Individual Beef Wellingtons

OMG...I mean seriously OMG!!  I know it seems odd that I am posting anything on my wedding anniversary evening, but seriously, I just had to share how incredibly AWESOME this meal is.  Hubby decided a while ago to make our anniversary meal and this is the meal he picked.  Beef Wellington with green beans andgarlic and herb mashed potatoes. This is from the Light Cooking for Two book page 85:


Ingredients
Olive oil-flavored vegetable cooking spray
1  cup  sliced fresh mushrooms, minced
1 1/2  teaspoons  minced green onions
1/8  teaspoon  salt
2  (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
1/2  teaspoon  coarsely ground pepper
4  sheets frozen phyllo pastry, thawed
Preparation
Coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms, green onions, and salt; saute 8 minutes. Remove mushroom mixture from skillet, and set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of each steak with pepper. Coat skillet with cooking spray; place over high heat until hot. Add steaks, and cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove steaks from skillet; drain and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a damp towel (keeping remaining phyllo covered). Lightly coat phyllo with cooking spray. Top with another sheet of phyllo, and coat with cooking spray; fold in half crosswise, bringing short ends together. Place 1 steak 3 inches from one end of phyllo. Spoon half of mushroom mixture over steak. Fold short end of phyllo over mushroom mixture; fold lengthwise edges of phyllo over steak, and roll up, jellyroll fashion. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 sheets of phyllo, mushroom mixture, and steak.

Lightly coat phyllo packets with cooking spray; place, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories:306 (33% from fat)
Fat:11.2g (sat 3.5g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g)
Protein:27.2g
Carbohydrate:22.4g
Fiber:0.0g
Cholesterol:70mg
Iron:0.0mg
Sodium:388mg
Calcium:0.0mg

The only substitution was instead of phyllo, he used croissant roll dough. Hubby stated he had it in the oven for only about 10 minutes because of the different dough.  So, um...maybe a bit higher on the calorie scale.  Who cares?  This was a special occasion :D.  Definitely try this one, y'all!

*****

Korean-Style Beef Bowl

Yummy-yummy!  On first glance, this looks good but kind of plain.  Not at all.  The recipe listed serves 4 so you'll need to half it. This is another one from Pampered Chef's 29 Minutes to Dinner page 93:


Ingredients

STEAK AND MARINADE
2 Green onions with tops, divided
1 lb (soo g) skirt steak
2 Garlic cloves, pressed
3 tbsp (4S mL) soy sauce
1 tbsp (lS mL) sesame oil
1 tsp (SmL) coarsely ground black
Pepper
1 tbsp (lS mL) sugar
1 tsp (SmL) vegetable oil

RICE AND VEGETABLES
1 cup (2S0 mL) uncooked jasmine rice
2 Medium carrots
2 cups (soo mL) bean sprouts

Preparation

1. For steak and marinade, thinly slice green onions using Santoku Knife, reserving 1 tbsp (lS mL)
of the tops for garnish; place remaining green onions into Classic Batter Bowl.

2. Cut steak crosswise into 2-in. (s-cm) pieces. Slice each piece into thin strips, cutting against the
grain (see Chef's Corner); add to batter bowl. Press garlic over beef. Add soy sauce, sesame oil,
black pepper and sugar; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Meanwhile, for vegetables, peel carrots; discard skin. Continue peeling carrots to make long
ribbons. Place ribbons into ice water until ready to serve.

5. To finish steak, add vegetable oil to (12-in./30-cm) Skillet; heat over medium-high heat
1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add beef to Skillet in a single layer and cook undisturbed
2 minutes or until beef is brown. Stir; cook an additional 3-4 minutes or until beef is no longer
pink. Remove from heat.

6. Remove rice from microwave and fluff with a fork. To serve, divide rice among serving bowls and
serve with beef, carrots and bean sprouts. Garnish with reserved green onion tops.


Nutrition Information
Calories: 410 ; Total Fat: 20 g ; Saturated Fat: 7 g ; Carbohydrates: 29 g ; Protein: 28 g ; Sodium: 790 mg ; Fiber: 2 g

Very little on the substitution front.  I didn't have any sesame oil so I just used regular veggie oil and I used brown rice instead of jasmine.  This was SO easy and delicious!
*****

Easy Bœuf Bourguignon/ Beef Burgundy

OK, so I had some beef cubes and my mom had some leftover red wine.  I never have alcohol in the house, so I have no recipes calling for wine. I looked everywhere for a decent beef burgundy recipe with serving sizes for two.  I had no luck at all.  I found this recipe on All-Recipes and changed the serving amount to two for the correct amounts.  What I liked about this recipe versus many others was it was a one pot dish and very easy.  I found this recipe actually serves more like 3 servings than two so you can adjust accordingly.  Here's the Campbell's recipe as written from AllRecipes.com :

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound beef sirloin steak or top round steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped onions
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen whole baby carrots
• 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons Swanson® Beef Broth (Regular, 50% Less Sodium or Certified Organic)
• 1/4 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
• Hot cooked orzo pasta

Directions

This recipe's Ingredients were scaled to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 4 servings.

1. Place the beef in a large bowl. Add the flour and toss to coat.
2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until it's well browned, stirring often. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Add the carrots, broth and wine to the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the beef is cooked through.
3. Serve the beef mixture over the orzo.

This was YUMMY!!  I didn't really have any substitutions.  I used beef stew meat and broth made from a bouillon cube.  Also, I did not have orzo so I used Acini de pepe. This may be a general theme here, but it needed salt, lol. Also, we both agreed it needed to simmer MUCH longer than the stated cooking time. The meat tasted delicious but it was too tough and the sauce was more soupy than stew.  I think both those problems could be solved if I had allowed it to simmer for an hour instead of the 20 minutes stated.  Like I said though, tasted VERY yummy and this would be a good rainy weather recipe!

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Beef Stroganoff

So I actually got worse over the last few days and the doctor called to confirm the new x-rays still show pneumonia, so I haven't actually been eating much lately.  Today was the first day I was feeling up to standing  for an 1/2 hour not to mention eating something :D.  We haven't had beef in the house for several years so I forgot how yummy it smells cooking.  Here's the recipe as it's written in Light Cooking for Two page 81:


Ingredients
6  ounces  lean, boneless beef sirloin steak
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2  cups  sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4  cup  sliced onion
1/2  teaspoon  minced garlic
1/4  cup  canned no-salt-added beef broth, undiluted
2  tablespoons  no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2  teaspoon  low-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/8  teaspoon  pepper
3  tablespoons  low-fat sour cream
1 1/2  cups  cooked medium egg noodles (cooked without salt or fat)
2  teaspoons  chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Partially freeze steak; trim fat from steak. Slice steak diagonally across grain into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add steak; cook 3 minutes or until steak strips are browned on both sides. Remove from skillet. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Wipe drippings from skillet with a paper towel.
Coat skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Return steak to skillet. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Add beef broth and next 4 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until meat is tender. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream. Spoon over noodles; sprinkle with parsley.

I didn't actually make any substitutions this time.  This recipe was very easy  though since it has to simmer for 45 minutes, not terribly quick.  It was incredibly filling but only 357 calories a serving. The hubby said the meat was very tender and in general it was delicious but needed more sour cream.  I agree. I would make this again, but this one probably won't become a staple in the kitchen.

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