Cheeseburger Pie from Simply Suppers and Yes, A GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

Okay, to be honest when Kaitlin picked this one, let's just say, it's not one I would have picked but I had to humor the kid.  She saw something I didn't and I was very pleasantly surprised to say the least with this supper from Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler.  I did have to make a few "adjustments", just being me.
This is an amazing supper if you have to make dinner on the fly and not cheat your family out of flavor and nutrition and make sure you have plenty of leisure time afterward.

What you need:

1 unbaked pie crust (9-inch), homemade or store-bought
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound lean gorund beef
1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly fround black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup small curd cottage cheese (I substituted 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese)
2 medium tomatoes
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Before we start, I have to confess, I can't stand tomatoes unless they are cooked, roasted or in a sauce.  If they are raw, forget it. 

Slice the tomatoes, drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil, a little balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and two cloves of inced garlic.  Roast them in a 375 degree oven for about 40 to 45 minutes.  Set them aside and allow them to cool.

Ok even though I'm not a tomato fan, these make me drool...talk about make your house smell wonderful also!

Preheat the oven to 395 degrees.

Place pice crust in a deep-dish pie plate.  Flue the edges if you want.  Place the prepared pie crust in the fridge until you're ready to fill.  Margie, you probably need about eight of these .

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil and add the gound beef and onion.  Cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon until all of the meat is cooked through. 

Drain all excess fat, return the meat in the skillet to the stove and stir in the flour and Worchestershore sauce.  Spoon the mixture into the pie crust.



In a small bowl stir together the eggs and cottage cheese (I substituted ricotta cheese and a spinkle of salt and pepper).

Spoon the cheese mixture evenly over the beef.

Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese mixture.

Sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top.

Bake until set, about 30 minutes.

Serve and watch your family kiss the ground you walk on.

Leave a comment, and if you're a follower, leave two comments.  Okay, I'm a comment junkie...NOT!!!  If you're a Duck that's a pie fiend and talented writer leave three.  I have three, yep, count them three Simply Suppers cookbooks to give away.  Drawing is Tuesaday, April 12th, my oldest baby's 17 birthday!!!  The birthday girl will randomly pick the winner. Believe me, I don't look old enough to be the mother of a 17 year-old.

Asian Grilled Ribeye Steak

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! We had a wonderful time getting together with my brothers and their families. One of my brothers has a photography blog, My Viewfinder . He snapped lots of pictures and if I know him, he'll post lots photos this week.

Ribeyes are one of my favorite cuts of steaks. I love the marbling which equals taste and tenderness in my book. The marinade is simple and flavorful and the Asian inspiration just adds another dimension when combined with that outdoors flavors obtained from grilling. Try this marinade on pork chops or pork ribs! This is a keeper for summertime grilling.

Let's get started on the marinade -

In a large shallow dish, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of McCormick's Montreal Grill Seasoning.

Add in 1/4 cup of soy sauce. I used Tamari dark soy sauce but regular soy sauce will work fine too.

Now add in 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and a little drizzle of vegetable oil.

Mix in 2 cloves of minced garlic and 2 chopped scallions.

Place the ribeyes in the marinade and turn to coat. Let them marinate for approximate 10 minutes per side. Then place them on heated grill and discard the marinade.

Grill about 5 minutes per side for rare and about 8 minutes per side for medium rare.

Beef and Pepper Stir Fry

Yesterday afternoon I was trying to make a grocery list while trying to figure out what to cook this week. I really puzzled about what to cook Monday evening. I pulled out this really large file folder with recipes I have collected over the years and found a very tattered copy of a recipe my Mother had gotten from her cousin and copied for me years ago. I read the recipe and remembered how much liked this dish when my made it and hoped it would make my family just as happy. I know the oldest homgirl will complain about the green things but that's just a chance I'll have to take. So let's get out of the Monday funk and cook some Beef and Pepper Stir Fry!

Cook 1-1/2 cups of white rice (Try using Jasmine rice - it give this dish a little punch and smells like popcorn while it's cooking).

Pour 2 cups of beef broth in a small pot over low heat to warm the broth.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable or peanut oil to pan.

Add 1-1/2 lbs. beef sirloin trimmed of fat thinly sliced, stir-fry meat 3 minutes and remove from pan and set aside.

To the same pan, add 1 green bell pepper diced into 1-inch squares and 1 thinly sliced medium onion. Stir-fry veggies 2 minutes.

Add meat back to the pan. Add 1/2 cup dry sherry and stir fry until liquid almost evaporates about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to the pan.

In a small bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a ladle of warm beef broth with a whisk.

Add beef broth to the pan, then add cornstarch combined with broth, add 1 teaspoon of Chinese Five-Spice powder and black pepper to taste. Stir sauce until it thickens and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Remove wok or pan from heat. Fill bowls with stir-fry and top with a scoop of rice. Placing rice on top of stir-fry, rice will stay firm and not soak up too much sauce. Garnish with 3 chopped scallions and 1/2 cup toasted almond slivers.

Notes:

1. Place the meat in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to slicing, this will firm up the meat and make it easier to slice thin.

2. Try using Tamari instead of regular soy sauce. Tamari is an aged soy sauce with a rich flavor. You should be able to find it on the Asian aisle of your grocery store.

3. Toast almonds on the stove top on a medium low heat. Buy a small bag of slivered almonds on the baking aisle and heat them in a small pan on the stove, tossing them often so they do not burn. The toated tasted is fabulous!