Veal Parmigiana
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Marinara Sauce
1 Cup Plain Dried Bread Crumbs
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Large Egg
2 Tablespoons Water
6 Veal Cutlets (1 ½ Pounds)
3 Tablespoons Butter
¼ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded
Prepare Marinara Sauce. On waxed paper, combine bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. In a pie plate, beat egg and water. Dip cutlets in egg mixture, then in bread crumbs; repeat to coat each cutlet twice. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cutlets, a few at a time, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side, using tongs to transfer cutlets to platter as they are browned.
Return cutlets to skillet. Spoon sauce evenly over cutlets. Sprinkle with Parmesan and top with mozzarella. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook just until cheese has melted – about 5 minutes. Serve over your favorite pasta. Serves 6
Marinara Sauce
This sauce is very versatile!
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Chopped Small Onion
1 Finely Chopped Garlic Clove
1 Can (28 Ounces) Plum Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil (use dried if this is what you have)
½ Teaspoon Salt
In a medium sized saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook. Stir until onion is tender – for about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, basil and salt. Heat to boiling, break up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat and partially cover and simmer. Stir occasionally until sauce has thickened slightly – for about 20 minutes. Use to coat 1 pound of pasta for 4 main-dish servings. Makes 3 ½ cups.
Steak Fajitas
Steak fajitas came before any other type of fajita. Mexican laborers created this dish out of necessity while working along the Texas & Mexico border. Laborers were partially paid with the less desirable cuts of beef and eventually came up with a good way to use their “non-cash wages.”
Originally, and still today, the beef used for a fajita is usually, cut into strips and placed into a wrap with a selection of vegetables. Bell peppers and jalapeno are very popular. The secret to tender fajitas is marinating the meat, especially if you are using skirt steak. The meat should be no more than ¾ inch thick and should be cooked on a high heat for a short cooking time.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Pounds Flank or Sirloin Steak – Sliced Into Thin Strips
1 Sliced Red Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper – Sliced Into Strips
1 Red Bell Pepper – Sliced Into Strips
1 Yellow Bell Pepper – Sliced Into Strips
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Small Can Diced Green Chilies
½ Cup Chopped Cilantro
12 Flour Tortillas
Sour Cream
Guacamole or Sliced Avocado
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salsa
In a large skillet, sauté red, green & yellow bell peppers along with red onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until crisp and tender. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, sauté the steak, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in the remaining oil for 4 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness. Return the vegetable to the pan, add the diced green chiles and the cilantro and heat through.
Heat flour tortillas in a preheated oven (350° F) wrapped in foil for about 10 minutes. You can also heat in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, but I prefer heating in the oven. Remove tortillas from the oven and place in a tortilla warmer to keep them warm. If you don’t have a tortilla warmer then leave them in the foil to keep them warm. To assemble the tortillas spread some of the guacamole on a tortilla, top it with the steak and vegetable mixture and then top it with salsa, cheddar cheese and a little sour cream. Roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling and enjoy! Serves 12
Steak Fajita Marinade
1 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
½ Cup Tequila
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
5 Large Crushed Garlic Cloves
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
4 Fresh Jalapenos (Minced – Stems & Seeds Removed)
1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour marinade over meat in a shallow glass bowl or a large zip lock bag. I love marinating meats in these 1 gallon plastic zip lock bags! Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours. Makes enough to marinate 3 pounds of steak.
Veal Marsala
INGREDIENTS
½ Ounces Dried Porcini Mushrooms
½ Cup Boiling Water
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Pound Veal Scallops – Pounded to 1/8 Inch Thickness
3 Teaspoons Olive Oil
10 Ounces Sliced Mushrooms
1 Finely Chopped Shallot
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
½ Cup Dry Marsala Wine
¾ Cup Beef Broth
1 Tablespoon Butter
4 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and pour in the boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes until softened. Drain & chop.
Combine the flour, salt and pepper on a large plate. Dredge the veal in the flour mixture to coat. Shake off any excess flour. Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the veal and cook until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and add the sliced mushrooms and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add any leftover flour, the porcini mushrooms and the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until the garlic starts to brown. Pour in the marsala and broth. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened (2 to 3 minutes). Return the veal to the skillet and cook, turning once, until hot (1 to 2 minutes). Remove the skillet from the heat. Swirl in the butter until melted. Serve sprinkled with the parsley. Serves 4
Barbecue Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
For The Meatballs
3 Pounds Lean Ground Sirloin
1 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 Cup Quick Cook Oatmeal
1 Cup Fine Dry Bread Crumbs
2 Large Eggs
½ Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
1 ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 ½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
½ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
BBQ Sauce
2 Cups Ketchup
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce
½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Onion
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine meatball ingredients and shape into 1 inch balls.
Combine sauce ingredients and stir well. Place uncooked meatballs in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and bake for about 1 hour. Serve as an appetizer or dinner. Great for a game day snack. Makes about 6 dozen meatballs.
Joey’s Famous Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Ground Meat (Ground Sirloin Is Best or a Combo of Beef/Pork/Veal)
2 Eggs
A Little Less Than a box of California Raisins
6 Teaspoons Pinnoli Nuts (Pine Nuts)
4 Tablespoons Grated Romano Cheese
4 Chopped Garlic Cloves
Salt & Pepper To Taste
About a Quarter Loaf of Day Old Italian Bread
Put ground meat in a mixing bowl, add the eggs, the raisins, pinnoli nuts, romano cheese, garlic and salt & pepper. Next take about a quarter loaf of Italian bread which is a day or two old and slice off the crust leaving on the white of the inside of the bread. Soak the bread under a faucet with running cold water and then squeeze the water out of the bread. Pick off small pieces of the bread and toss them into the bowl – You Will Not Use All Of The Bread Just Some Of It According To your Taste. Mix all the ingredients together by hand and roll the meatballs. Don’t make them too large. Place them in a baking pan and place them into a preheated (350° F) oven and bake your meatballs until brown. They are great to eat just out of the oven or you can put them in a sauce and serve with pasta.
Sicilian Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
5 Slices of Torn Bread (soak in the milk)
¾ Cup Milk
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil (plus a little extra for drizzling)
2 Cans (28 ounces) Plum Tomatoes
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 Pounds Ground Sirloin
4 Cloves Chopped Garlic
½ Cup Chopped Parsley
1 Cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
1 Teaspoon Allspice
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
1/3 Cup Toasted & Chopped Pine Nuts
¼ Cup Currants
1 Egg
Grease a roasting pan with olive oil. Pour into the pan two cans of tomatoes and crush them with a potato masher. Season with Salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside while you prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin, garlic, parsley, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, allspice, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, currants, the egg and salt & pepper. After soaking the bread in milk, squeeze out the excess milk and add it to the meat mixture. The bread should be loose and in small pieces. Combine the bread with the meat mixture. Form meatballs that are about 2 ½ inches in diameter and place them on top of the mashed tomatoes in the roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until the meatballs are brown and cook through which should be about 30 minutes. Remove meatballs from the oven and serve. Serve 4
Shepherd’s Pie
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Pounds Ground Sirloin
1 Chopped Onion
2 Cups Mixed Vegetables (Chopped Carrots, Corn & Peas)
2 Pounds Potatoes
1 Stick Salted Butter
½ Cup Beef Broth
1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Peel and quarter potatoes. Boil in water until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, melt ½ stick of butter in a large frying pan. Saute the onions in butter until tender over medium heat for about 10 minutes. If you are adding vegetables, add them according to cooking time. Put any carrots in with the onions. Add corn or peas at the end of the cooking of the onions. Add ground sirloin and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Add half a cup of the beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add more beef broth as necessary to keep moist. Mash potatoes in a bowl with remainder of the butter. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Place beef and onions in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. Cook in a preheated 400° F oven about 30 minutes or until bubbling and brown. Broil for last new minutes if necessary to brown.
Serves 4
About Marinade
A marinade adds flavor and in some cases tenderizes. Marinades are commonly used for thin cuts of meat, such as steaks.
A flavoring marinade is used with tender beef cuts for a short time. From 15 minutes to 2 hours.
A tenderizing marinade is used with less tender beef cuts (usually from chuck, round, flank and skirt).
A Tenderizing marinade contains a food acid or a tenderizing enzyme.
Acidic ingredients include lemon or lime juice, vinegar, Italian dressing, salsa, yogurt and wine.
Tenderizing enzymes are present in fresh ginger, pineapple, papaya, kiwi and figs.
Less tender steaks should be marinated at least 6 hours, by no more than 24 hours. Longer than 24 hours will result in a mushy texture.
Tenderizing marinades penetrate about ¼ inch into the meat.
Marinate in a food safe plastic bag or a non-reactive glass or stainless steel container. I like to use the large zip lock bags.
Turn steaks or stir beef strips occasionally to allow even exposure to the marinade.
Allow ¼ to ½ cup of marinade for each 1 to 2 pounds of beef.
ALWAYS marinate in the refrigerator. Never marinate at room temperature.
If a marinade will be used later for basting, or served as a sauce, reserve a portion of it before adding the raw beef. Marinade that has been in contact with uncooked meat MUST be brought to a full rolling boil before it can be used as a sauce.
NEVER save and reuse a marinade.
Standing Rib Roast
Super easy to make and great for Sunday dinners or Christmas Dinner!
INGREDIENTS
7 Pound Rib Roast (Bone-in)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Crushed Cloves of Garlic
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
Place roast in a baking pan or broiling pan. Brush oil over roast; place garlic on roast; salt and pepper to taste and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Pre-heat oven to 450° F. Roast for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350° F and continue for 1 hour and 20 minutes for rare. Baste with drippings from time to time. Roast 15 minutes more if you want a medium roast and another 15 minutes for well done. Remove from oven when done and allow the roast to rest for a few minutes before carving. Transfer to a warmed serving platter.
Beef Stroganoff
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Thinly Sliced Beef Filet Tails
Salt & Pepper to Taste
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Cups Sour Cream
1 Large Chopped Red Onion
2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
½ Pound Sliced Mushrooms of Your Choice
Paprika
16 Ounce Package of Noodles of Your Choice
Cut the beef filet tails into strips. Add butter to a pre-heated sauté pan and then add the meat. Brown quickly on each side. Remove meat and keep warm. Add the onions to the pan and when the onions are golden add the mushrooms. Stir until mushrooms are “wilted.” Return the meat to the pan and season with salt & pepper. Reduce heat. Add 1 cup of the sour cream and stir. Mix the mustard with the other 1 cup of sour cream. Now add the mustard-sour cream mixture and stir until hot, but do not bring to boil. Serve hot over noodles and garnish with paprika.
