Salisbury Steak

When I was growing up, my mom would occasionally by the frozen Salisbury Steaks.  I absolutely loved them. I've gotten the frozen thing a few times since I've moved into my house, but I really wanted to try making it myself.  I have no clue where I got the recipe online, because I've had it for about a month or more.

The first time I made it, I misread the recipe and totally messed things up.  The flavor was fine, but the texture was absolutely awful.  I am very much a texture person and this was unacceptable.  It's finally been long enough that I don't completely remember the first experience, so I decided to make it again. I must say, this time was SOOO much better (and that is no hyperbole). The texture was much better and even the flavor was great. 

Salisbury Steak with Gravy

1 (10.5 oz) can French onion soup

1 ½ pounds ground beef

½ cup dry bread crumbs

1 egg

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1 Tbs. all-purpose flour

¼ cup ketchup

¼ cup water

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. mustard powder

In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and black pepper. Shape into 6 oval patties. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown both sides of patties. Pour off excess fat. In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Pour over meat in skillet. Cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

My advice to you? Don't over mix the meat and pay close attention between the words can and cup.  They're totally different words (just sayin'). If you like hamburger steak and french onion soup, then you're probably like this recipe.  I actually don't care for french onion soup, but I really liked this. I love using Worcestershire Sauce, though. I think it's a great flavor and I use it in a lot of sauces now.  I doctor up canned spaghetti and hamburger helper dishes (not the stroganoff, though). 

I paired this (as you can probably figure out from the pictures) with Velveeta Shells and Cheese.  Many people turn their nose up at boxed macaroni and cheese, but I haven't really had good experiences making it myself.  Besides, even I can't make everything from scratch all the time. I worked until 6:30 tonight...there was no way that I was going that far.  If you decide to try the Salisbury Steak, keep in mind that when you brown the patties, that's ALL you're doing (browning the outside).  It helps them stay together.  The inside will cook later in the gravy on low with the lid.  Make sure you drain off as much fat as you can after you brown the patties. You don't want the greasy layer on your gravy (I'll do this better next time...I didn't drain it as well as I should have).

From Beginning to Finish

Tonight, I'm having a few friends over.  Besides the salad that I mentioned earlier, I'm going to be making an appetizer and dessert. For a starter, I'm making Olive Garden's Bruschetta al Pomodoro and for dessert I'm making Martha Stewart's Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and homemade whipped cream on top. 

Bruschetta al Pomodoro
(from Olive Garden)

4 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 garlic clove, cut in half

Black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

10 medium fresh basil leaves, chopped

4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

8 slices crusty Italian bread (I purchased Garlic Parmesan Panetini from Costco)
Extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle)

Combine diced tomatoes and chopped garlic in a mixing bowl. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add half of chopped basil and 4 Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil. Drizzle both sides of bread slices with extra virgin olive oil. Grill bread lightly on both sides. Rub grilled bread with cut half of garlic clove to infuse with flavor. Top each slice with tomato mixture. Garnish with remaining chopped basil and serve immediately.

Angel Food Cake (Martha Stewart)
1 cup flour

1 ½ cups superfine sugar, divided
1 ¾ cups egg whites (13ish room temp.)
1 Tbs. warm water
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º with rack in center. Sift flour and ¾ cup sugar into bowl 4 times. In mixer with whisk beat egg whites and water on low until foamy. Add salt, cream of tartar and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, ~3 min. While beating add the remaining ¾ cup sugar, 1 Tbs. at a time. Beat on high speed until peaks are stiff and glossy, but not dry, ~2 min (do not over mix). Transfer mixture to a large bowl and sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture in six parts. Quickly, but gently fold it in with rubber spatula between each addition. Gently transfer batter to an ungreased 10” tube pan. Run a knife through the batter to release any air bubbles, and smooth with spatula. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched 35-40 minutes. Invert pan onto legs and cool 1 hour (completely). Carefully run large offset spatula around edges to loosen.

Topping:

I prefer fresh strawberries, of course, but I just happened to have some frozen strawberries left over from another recipe.  To economize, I decided to give them a shot.  Either way, the strawberries need to be cut and macerated. Macerating your berries is simply putting sugar on them to cause them to break down prematurely.  This not only makes them sweeter, but it causes the berries to release their natural juices.

While at Costco today, I saw a great deal on heavy whipping cream (1 quart for $1.50) and decided to make my own.  This way, they topping would be a little healthier and much fresher. No worries, it's really easy.  I just use Percy (my Persimmon colored Kitchen Aid mixer).

Vanilla Whipped Cream (Martha Stewart)
2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbs. confectioners' sugar

Chill bowl and cream in freezer for ten minutes. With mixer (and whisk attachment), whip the cream, vanilla and sugar until stiff peaks.  Can be covered, refrigerated and stored for up to two hours.

The finished product was a big hit.  Give it a shot! I cut two small slices of the cake with both angled in so the strawberries could be nestled in the center. I just put the finished whipped cream into a one-gallon zip-loc bag and cut the corner out.  I used the ziploc bag just like I would a pastry bag and piped the whipped cream onto the dessert.

The Perfect Salad

There is probably many differing opinions about what the perfect salad should consist of, but the only opinion that matters is yours.  I have several contradictions within myself, but I think there are three main concerns for any salad. 

The first would have to be the base, which is in most cases some form of greens. There are many different varieties.  I really like romaine hearts, which are very hearty and hold up to other ingredients and dressings. I love adding Arugula to my salads, because it has a bit of a bite.  It adds more flavor and allows you to use less dressing.  Lastly, I like Mesclun which is a mixture of young, wild greens.  I love getting the large mixture of lettuces/greens at Costco.  They have a wonderful buy on mixed greens that have all of these. 

The second and third are slightly broader, texture and flavor.  The remaining ingredients for your salad should be added based on these two main charactaristics. I like to have crunch in my salads. For this reason, I love cucumbers, sunflower seeds, nuts and occasionally crutons. I also like to use little dressing so I like to add ingredients that have flavor so that fattening salad dressings do dominate the flavors. I like tomatoes, onions, bacon and cheese. There is one, wonderful ingredient that I love adding to salads that fills both of these catergories:  diced apples.  Apples are great, they provide nutrition, crunch, flavor and the juices bring out the flavors in the greens.

There are countless other ingredients that can be added, boiled eggs, carrots, radishes, diced pears, manderin oranges, olives, peppers, etc.  The list goes on and on. The only advice I can give is to try new things and if you like it, put it in and try it.  I would just be careful about adding too many wet ingredients. You don't want your salad to wilt prematurely and find yourself with soup instead of salad.

The salad I made tonight is modeled after my friend, Nichelle's salads.  She makes a great salad.  I bought my mixed greens at Costco and used it to layer the other ingredients: bacon, onion, roma tomatos, cucumbers, parmesean cheese and an organic blend of greens from the Costco.  Let me know what other ingredients you put in your salad.  I hope you enjoy!!

Sicilian Chicken and Dill Green Beans

Tonight, I prepared Sicilian Chicken and Dill Green Beans.  One was much better than the other. I had such high hopes for the Dill Green Beans, but they were a disappointment for me.  That is probably because I did not follow the recipe.  I broke one of my rules and for that, I did not end up with the results that I wanted.  My mom always taught me that whenever you try a new recipe, you should follow the recipe exactly.  That way if you decide to change something later, you'll know that the difference is the result of your change.  For that reason, I will not be posting the bean recipe tonight.  I am going to start over, try them again and give an update on that result.

The Sicilian Chicken was delicious and full of flavor.  Whenever I first found this recipe online (I can't remember where at this point), I was unsure about cooking a dish with stewed tomatoes.  I am not a huge tomato fan to begin with, but stewed tomatoes sounded even worse.  THIS IS A LIE!!  In this dish, they are absolutely amazing!  The smells from preparing this very simple entree will confirm the flavor that you are sure to experience.  This is an easy recipe and you do not have to be a skilled chef to make it.

My preferences about this recipe:

Whenever I cook chicken, I always make sure that I dry it with a paper towel before I put it in the skillet. I am not sure why I do this or where I discovered it, but try it and let me know about your experience. I also used green olives instead of capers.  Being a dirty martini drinker, I have plenty of olives.  I decided not to spend money on capers when I have so many olives.

Sicilian Chicken Recipe

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

19 oz. canned stewed tomatoes

½ tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. capers, chopped or green olives

fresh parsley, chopped

Combine basil, oregano, salt and pepper; sprinkle half of the mixture over both sides of chicken. In a large nonstick skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; brown chicken on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate and set aside. In skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic and remaining basil mixture, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add tomatoes, breaking up with spoon, cinnamon, vinegar and capers; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Sprinkle with parsley

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.

My friend, Cyndi made Chicken Marsala this weekend.  I'm trying to get her recipe and some of her thoughts on the recipe so that I can share them.  I'm excited to try it!

Beef Stroganoff

Tonight, with the aid of 1 mojito (Smirnoff Mojito courtesy of Nicole and Jodi) and 1 dirty martini (with Three Olives Vodka and blue cheese olives), I made beef stroganoff.  I love this recipe.  My mom got this one from Rachael Ray. It's really easy and tastes much better than Hamburger Helper.  I occasionally still use HH stroganoff, but I always add Dijon mustard and onions to it to make it taste a little more authentic.  Tonight I decided to try something a little differently.  I used garlic salt instead of regular salt.  I must say it was the best so far.  The drinks might have helped a little.  Better food through alcohol is what I say.  I wish the sauce would get a little bit thicker.  I may try using corn starch next time to help it get a little thicker.  It might also help to drain the top sirloin before I add it back to the sauce mixture.

Beef Stroganoff

1 - 1.5 lbs. Beef Tenderloin or Sirloin Tip Roast

1 small onion thinly sliced

Real Butter
2 Tbs. flour
2 Cups Beef Consommé
2 spoonfuls Dijon Mustard
¼ Cup Sour Cream
Salt and Pepper
Old Fashioned Wide Egg Noodles
EV Olive Oil

Thinly slice beef (2” pieces –firm in freezer). Put EVOO & butter into preheated skillet then add meat. Allow meat to cook (almost completely) then salt. Add the onion to the skillet and then add salt & pepper to taste. Put mixture into serving bowl and set aside to make sauce. Put 2 Tbs. of butter into skillet then add flour. Cook together (adding salt & pepper) then add 2 cups of beef consommé. Stir in Dijon mustard and sour cream. Add beef mixture back into sauce and put on low heat.

Cook egg noodles according to package. Place cooked egg noodles in serving dish and pour beef mixture on top. Add flat leaf parsley if desired. Note: All measurements are approx. and may be adjusted for amount of meat or servings desired.

As usual, if you have any questions, let me know. I hope you enjoy your beef stroganoff!

Chicken Bryan and Radiatore Amatriciana

Tonight, I prepared my favorite dish from Carrabba's.  Zac officially announced that it's his favorite dish that I make.  After making it about five times, I think I've finally gotten these meals down.

Carrabba's Chicken Bryan

This recipe has two parts.  The sauce is the most important part. I have made it slightly differently each time. I have found that you have to tone down the lemon juice with just a little lime juice.I have made this with and without the basil.  I don't think it's really necessary. It has plenty of flavor. Also, I sift my cornstarch into the sauce.  It lumps really badly and can often be tough to break apart.  It often requires a whisk to incorporate it into the sauce.  Here's the recipe:

Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan

2 Tbs. minced Garlic

2 Tbs. minced yellow onion

4 Tbs. butter (1/2 Stick)

1 cup dry white wine

½ cup squeezed lemon lime (opt)

1 1/3 cup chicken broth

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. Cornstarch

2 ½ cups sundried tomatoes

¼ cup fresh chopped basil
1 salt white pepper
6 chicken breasts cut into halves
olive oil for brushing
balsamic vinegar for brushing
1 Salt Black Pepper to Season Chicken
12 oz. soft goat cheese at room temp

Sauté garlic and onion with butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in Wine, Lemon juice, increase heat to Medium high and simmer. Reduce heat to Low. Stir in Chicken broth. Add Balsamic vinegar and slowly stir in corn starch. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt and white pepper. Keep on low heat and cover. Brush chicken breast with oil, balsamic, and salt and pepper them. Fry chicken in Iron skillet until thoroughly cooked. Place in sauce to keep warm. When serving, place an even amount of goat cheese on each breast. Spoon Sundried tomato sauce over chicken and goat cheese.

Radiatore Amatriciana

This is my absolute favorite pasta side dish on the planet (hands down).  It is delicious!! Radiatore is the type of pasta.  I chose this pasta because I believed the diced tomatoes, onions and cheese would cling to it best. 

 

The Carrabba's recipe of this calls for Cavatappi pasta, but I cannot find it anywhere. If you have never had Amatriciana (Amatrichana), it's a pasta dish that has no real sauce.  The onions and tomatoes are infused with red pepper, garlic, white wine and the entire dish is tossed with pecorino romano which is made from sheep's milk. I have never tried it with the pancetta. I think it would be delicious, but that would make it more of an entree instead of side dish. If you decide to try it, I hope you like it as much as I do, but I should warn you.  It is not a quick fix. It takes close to 30 minutes,

Amatriciana (with Radiatore pasta)

12 ounces radiatore (or cavatappi) pasta

1 ½ cups onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup dry white wine
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice
salt and pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups freshly grated pecorino romano
pancetta (cured Italian bacon) (opt)

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Sauté onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes in olive oil over medium heat till onions are soft and translucent. Add white wine and cook till nearly evaporated. Stir in tomatoes with their juice till slightly thickened (3-5 minutes). Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Mix into cooked pasta. Toss with cheese. Add cooked pancetta (optional).

I hope you try it and if you do, let me know how it turns out.

Update: July 12, 2012 - I have now changed the way that I make the Chicken Bryan recipe.  I combined it with another recipe and have made it much simpler than the one you see above.  I hope to post the new recipe soon and hopefully you'll love it as much as I do.

Tate's Bar

Tonight, I went to Friday Night with Melinda (because Miriam was refusing to call it a Farewell Party). We went to Tate's Bar (tatesbar.com). I never actually made it into the bar, but the sidewalk was very charming.  I loved the sofas in the patio area/sidewalk.  It was very casual and comfortable.  Better yet, I didn't have to get up and go to the bar each time we wanted a drink or snack.  The menu wasn't full, mostly just tapas, but everything that my friends ate look very delicious.  I had a Belvedere Dirty Martini and it was one of the best.  No one can be Tommy's martinis at Village Tavern (Reynolda Village), but it was VERY close.

After Tate's Bar, Zac and I went to El Paisano for dinner.  El Paisano is the Mexican restaurant at Oliver's Crossing on Hwy 150. I ordered my favorite dish, Pollo Fundido (which isn't the same as most Mexican restaurants).

So tonight, I didn't cook anything, but I sampled the deliciousness of others' creations.

Skillet Menu

Since I moved into my house in August 2009, I have begun expanding my cooking skills beyond baking.  It all began with a set of cookware my mom and I purchased at Sam's Club.  We found a steal on a set of orange cookware.  If you're unaware, orange is my favorite color.  I can't remember when it started, but it has slowly become a small obsession.  This cookware set was from Rachael Ray and was priced at $80.00.  Amazing, right??  In most stores, it's over $200.00. 

I had never cooked on stainless steal cookware before and was a little nervous when I first started using it.  I thought that you had to have teflon or everything would stick.  Come to find out, that's a total lie.  My best friend, William, told me that as long as the skillet is the correct temperature before I put food in it, I won't have a problem. I have found this to be very true.  I rarely have any issues (even with eggs and pancakes). 

Anyhoo, I digress. Fast foward ten months and I cook almost every night.  It's become a way for me to handle stress or just simply calm myself from a busy day. Tonight, I made Honey Rosemary Chicken and Rice Pilaf.  It's one of my favorite dishes.  I've tried it several different ways now.  Each time I fix a dish, I learn a better way to prepare it.  In the beginning, it took me forever to set up each dish, but now, I have learned better to manage my time so that everything can finish together.

In the end, the dinner is delicious.  My tongue doesn't know if the chicken was done 10 minutes before the rice pilaf.  Luckily, tonight, it was only 2 minutes difference.  Cheers!

Welcome

Welcome to my blog, The Orange Skillet. I'm a music teacher as part of my continuing technical education, I took a class on blogging.  As a result, I started this blog about food and mostly the cooking I do in my own kitchen.  Ocassionally, I will share my thoughts on food I've enjoyed elsewhere.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you in this blog. Enjoy!!