Cowboy Up

During the summer, we host several cookouts and attend even more. One of my go-to no-real-recipe dishes for sharing at these events is Cowboy Beans. Inevitably, someone asks for the recipe. But, there isn't a real recipe. I make it up as I go along, adjusting the ingredients to fit what I have on hand and the tastes of whoever will end up ladling them onto their plates.

However, last time I threw together a pot of these delicious beans, I did snap some step-by-step pics with my phone. I didn't record amounts; it will vary based on the quantity of beans that are prepared. But, hopefully, No Recipe Cowboy Beans gives you an idea of how to create your own summer side dish.

 First, start with some bacon, some ground beef or pork (this time, I used pork), some onion, and some garlic.

Dice the bacon and fry it until crispy.

Remove the bacon from the pan, and to the bacon grease, add the ground beef or pork. Crumble the ground meat, add diced onion, and fry until the meat is cooked through and the onion is translucent.

When the onion is translucent, add minced garlic. Saute only a minute or so. Garlic burns easily and can be bitter.

After the garlic is cooked, you must decide if you will drain the grease from the pan. If there isn't a lot, leaving it gives the finished beans a great deal of flavor. However, if the added calories/fat are a concern, drain.

It is time to add the beans. I use 1 or 2 cans of Bush's prepared baked beans (Bold & Spicy) and several other cans of beans. Usually, I add black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and or butter beans, but there is no hard and fast rule. Whatever I have on hand works. Drain and rinse all but one can of the plain beans.

I must stress that I believe Bold & Spicy are the only prepared beans to use for the best Cowboy Beans. Others work, but these have a great, not too sweet flavor and firm texture. In general, canned baked beans are often a can of mush, but not Bold & Spicy.

Stir the beans into the browned meat, onions, and garlic.

Now, it's time to start seasoning. I always add a little brown sugar (just a little, we don't like sweet beans), some molasses, and a good dose of cumin (for smoky depth of flavor).

Determine your favorite chili powder and add some. I throw in a few shakes of Ancho Chili Powder and a little Cayenne, but Chipotle Chili Powder is good, too (and even just plain old chili powder, if that is what you have).

Season with some freshly ground pepper, kosher salt, and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. 

Sometimes, I ease up with the kosher salt and add some celery salt or smoked salt.

At this point, I let everything simmer for a bit.

If after tasting, I think the beans are too sweet, I splash in some Apple Cider Vinegar to add a little sharpness and counter that excess sugar.

Adjustments for those who prefer truly spicy baked beans are to saute diced or sliced jalapeno with the onion and to shake in a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce.

And, that is, more or less, how I make No Recipe Cowboy Beans.
Cowboy up and fill up your plate.

Where's the Beef?

Where's the beef?

Saturday, October 18th, at 11am, the beef is going to be at the Sioux Falls Convention Center and the Etc. Expo for Her. With the South Dakota Cattlemen's Auxiliary, I will be presenting Spinach Meatballs in a food demonstration.

We will discuss some of the important nutritional benefits of beef and cover the nuances of creating a perfect meatball. (Here's a hint: we will be using ground beef.)

Currently, I am still nervous, that zit I told you about in my last blog post now has an ugly step-sister, and as I was packing up my gear for the demo, my husband asked that I not take my good knife with me just in case I panicked and ran away in the middle of my presentation. (He was kidding. I hope.)

Tomorrow is the day, but just in case you can't make it, here are the meatballs I will be sharing. I do have complete confidence in  the fact that they are absolutely delicious.

Spinach Meatballs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef

1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

3/4 teaspoon dry basil

1/4 teaspoon dry oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add onion and saute until tender.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ground beef, spinach, egg, breadcrumbs, and seasonings.
Mix all ingredients gently and form into small (walnut-sized) meatballs.
Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes.

What Men Want

In this age of technology, we have weather apps, financial apps, shopping, maps, email, instant messaging, Words with Friends, Draw Something, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Kindle, iTunes, and (of course) Angry Birds downloaded on our smartphones to inform and entertain us at any time, day or night. We are constantly connected. That little screen puts anything we want in the world in the palm of our hands.

Hubs has a poker game that he plays during his down time. However, when he registered, all of the user names that he usually prefers were taken. Tongue in cheek, he tried "Sissy Sue," the name of our little, female dachshund, and it was accepted. He went with it.

The other day while we camped out waiting for a very delayed doctor's appointment, Hubs pulled out his phone and started gambling. It was then that he confided that although it was a free online game, he had never had to jump through hoops to earn the fake cash to play. Men around the world gifted "Sissy Sue" with fake money presents all the time.

Men.
using a poker game phone application.
want.
my.
husband.

They like the idea of a delicate, little player at their table. They think he is cute.

I am sure they don't picture a stocky, 6'4", bearded farmer when they send Sissy Sue the cash to play another hand. That old cartoon with the overweight man in boxers sitting at a computer screen pretending to be a sexy, 20-something female is burned into my mind.

I don't know if I should be amused or scared.

 

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1/3 cup onion, chopped (divided)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground beef

olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered

1/3 cup dry red wine

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon flour

Combine 1/4 cup onion, pepper, salt, garlic, and beef.

Shape into 4 patties.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.

Add patties; browning on each side (about 3 minutes).

Remove and set aside tenting with foil to keep warm.

Melt butter in the pan.

Add mushrooms and saute until tender.

Stir in wine and remaining onion and cook a couple of minutes until onion is tender.

Combine broth and flour.

Add to pan and bring to a boil.

Cook until thickened.

Add patties to pan and simmer a few more minutes to heat beef through. (Serves 4)

You Need to Eat

Hubs was away most of the week. I have dined alone (except for the day that I ate my ham sandwich and clementine lunch with the 3rd grade). This means that my meals have mostly consisted of cereal, peanut butter and Nutella toast, Greek yogurt with fruit and homemade granola, hummus and flat bread, salads, veggies and dip, guacamole (unfortunately, with or without chips), grilled cheese, and canned soup. I am craving meat. Real food. Juicy, meaty, cheeseburgers. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Pork chops and gravy. Hearty comfort food. As Hubs would say, "You need to eat."

Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 pound ground beef

1-2 tablespoons flour

olive oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

1 1/2 teaspoons flour

1/4 cup dark beer (or beef broth, if you prefer)

8 sliced rye bread

4 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.
Divide ground beef into 4 equal portions and form thin patties (about 1/4 inch thick).
Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate.
Dredge thin patties in the flour mixture.
Meanwhile, heat enough oil to cover the bottom in a cast-iron skillet. 
When the oil is sizzling, but not quite smoking, add the patties to the pan.
Cook on each side for just a few minutes to sear the beef and create a browned crust on the burger. (We like our burgers medium-rare, and this doesn't take long.)
While the burgers are cooking, butter rye bread and toast in a non-stick skillet.
When the burgers are fried to your liking, remove from cast-iron skillet and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan (if necessary) and saute the onions and mushrooms.
Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle in flour and cook about 1 minute.
Stir in beer (or beef broth) and cook until gravy is thickened. 
Remove from heat and keep warm.
Place 4 bread slices on a baking sheet and arrange 1 beef patty on each.
Layer a slice of provolone on top of each patty. 
Heat in oven for 5-8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and gooey.
Divide mushroom mixture between sandwiches and top with remaining slices of bread. (Yield: 4 sandwiches)

¡Ay, caramba!

"Hay Grinder on fire. Got it out." That was the text message that Hubs sent to me this afternoon. ¡Ay, caramba! We have had a few awful hay fires in the past, and my mind immediately raced to the memories of those blazes. Tons and tons of hay were lost then. Thankfully, today's sparks caused minimal damage and hay loss. Hubs' quick action and the help of the fire department prevented a huge catastrophe. 

Tonight, as my exhausted Hubs naps in his chair in front of the TV, the only heat is my laptop charring my legs as I menu plan for the rest of the week. ¡Ay, caramba! Lately, I have gotten so lazy about planning our meals. Usually, I just open the fridge or freezer and hope that something jumps out at me. It is a hit or miss way to get a meal On My Plate, and I just hope that whatever jumps hasn't been in the fridge long enough to actually (and not pretend) be coming to life again and really jumping.

One recipe that a friend recently shared with me easily fits heated last minute planning. Taco Soup uses basic pantry items and can even be heated in the crockpot, if time is short. I adjusted the original recipe to suit what I have on hand most of the time, and you could alter it to suit your own tastes. Add a can of black beans to stretch the servings further; change out the diced tomatoes to plain or those with jalapenos; brown diced green peppers with the onions and ground beef. (My friend makes a veg version by using meat substitutes instead of the ground beef. She also recommended ground turkey as an alternative.) Serve it up as a soup, or use it as a topping for baked potatoes. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, black olives, even shredded lettuce, diced onion, and tomato. My choice was with Deluxe Corn Muffins (with a can of green chiles added to the mix) on the side and crushed corn chips, shredded cheese, and freshly chopped cilantro on top. It's not On My Plate, but rather, in my bowl, and nobody will be shouting "¡Ay, caramba!" when you ladle up Taco Soup.

Taco Soup 

1 pound ground beef 

1 cup chopped onion 

1  15 oz. can kidney beans, undrained

1  15 oz. can chili beans, undrained

1  15 oz. can fat-free refried beans

2 cups frozen corn

1  15 oz. can tomato sauce

1  15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 1/2 cup water (If you want it more like a chili consistency, reduce or leave out the water.)

1 package taco seasoning

1 package Hidden Valley dressing mix(not buttermilk)

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a soup pot.

Combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. (Serves 6-8)

Whatever Blows Your Skirt Up

Sometimes, we toss any pretense of healthy meal planning to the wind. This happened recently after viewing an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on the Food Network. We had already had dinner, but watching the burgers being served up on TV set off a craving. Hubby and I jumped in the car and without a grocery store in our small town, rushed down the road to grab ground beef, buns, and ice cream before the store in the next town closed its doors for the night. (Yes, ice cream, too; we had to have homemade chocolate malts, as well.)

Before I go on, I should tell you that I am not really a burger fan. Usually, I have to have my patties grilled up over the charcoal before I am willing to concede that they might be tasty. But, that night, Hubby and I combined the methods from a couple of different stops featured on DDD and fried our floured, super thin patties in a sizzling cast-iron skillet...with*gasp* a bit of oil. Truly, they were the most tender and flavorful burgers ever. The heat of the cast-iron sears the burger in seconds and traps all of the yummy juices inside. It doesn't take long to come away with a browned crust on the outside and a pink, medium-rare on the inside perfect burger.

However, we didn't stop there. One diner on the show had become famous for the "cheese skirts" on their burgers. Gooey cheeseburgers surrounded by a ring of crispy, fried cheese? We were all over that. We pulled the cooked burgers from the cast-iron skillet and slid them into a preheated non-stick skillet. (This is our contribution to the process, as I didn't really like the cheese fried in the oil of the first skillet.) There, we tossed a heaping handful of shredded cheese on top of the patty and made sure that it spilled over the edges before topping it all with the toasted top of the bun and covering the skillet with a tight-fitting lid. The overflowing cheese immediately crisps in the pan and forms a "skirt" around the burger while the lid holds in the heat to steam the cheese directly on the burger into melty goodness.



On the toasted bottom half of the bun, squirt a healthy dose of ketchup (Heinz only for me, please)...or not, if you aren't a fan of the red stuff...and slide that perfect burger surrounded by the crunchy cheese skirt into place. I bite directly into the almost cracker-like cheese skirt first, then chomp into the burger. Hubby, breaks off the cheese skirt and uses it to scoop up any drips of ketchup or burger crumbles that might hit his plate. Either way, crispy cheese is an amazing pairing with a juicy burger. I don't care if it is a heart-attack waiting to happen. Sometimes, I just crave DDD Burgers with Cheese Skirts On My Plate.

DDD Burgers with Cheese Skirts

1 lb. ground beef
flour
salt
pepper
cooking oil
finely shredded cheese, Cheddar is excellent, but the Mexican blend works, too
butter
hamburger buns
ketchup

Divide ground beef into 6 equal portions and form thin patties (about 1/4 inch thick).
Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate.
Dredge thin patties in the flour mixture.
Meanwhile, heat enough oil to cover the bottom in a cast-iron skillet. (The frying process can be messy, and since our first meal of these burgers, we have used the grill to heat the skillet...and keep the grease outdoors.)
When the oil is sizzling, but not quite smoking, add the patties to the pan.
Cook on each side for just a few minutes to sear the beef and create a browned crust on the burger. We like our burgers medium-rare, and this doesn't take long.
While the burgers are cooking, butter the hamburger buns and toast in a non-stick skillet.
When the burgers are fried to your liking, remove from cast-iron skillet and slide into a preheated non-stick skillet.
Top each burger with a large handful of shredded cheese and allow to topple over the edges.
Place a toasted top of a burger bun on top of the cheese on the burger and cover the skillet with a lid.
Watch closely as the cheese skirt crisps and the cheese topping melts.
Meanwhile, spread ketchup on the toasted bottom of the burger bun.
When the crunchy skirt has formed, use a spatula to place the cheesy burger on the bottom bun and serve. (Serves 6)

This is more of a method than a recipe, and don't be afraid to adjust it to your own preferences. Good food really is about whatever blows your skirt up.

Waffling

March 25 was International Waffle Day. Yep. That was yesterday. A good food blogger would have had a submission ready to post early in the day. A good food blogger might have tempted you with perfectly crispy or decadent fruit-topped waffles for breakfast, chocolate waffles for dessert, or savory waffles for dinner. The blogger might even have gotten creative and thrown in some Waffle Fries just to stir things up.

Obviously, I am not a good food blogger. There are many AMAZING food bloggers out there, and I can while away an entire day reading their recipes, soaking in their tips, knowledge, and humor, and drooling over their food porn photos. Their skills (in the kitchen, with words, and behind the camera) entrance me. What I do here is just share what's On My Plate. As the heading says, this is just my menu with a little life thrown in.

As for my life and my menu on March 25...friends can tell you that I love a good holiday celebration. So of course, waffles had to be the main attraction on International Waffle Day. The evening before, I had mentioned the possibility of banana waffles to Hubby, and while he didn't verbally protest, I did get "the look." I wasn't willing to give up, though. Hitting my online recipe sources, I was actually searching for a bacon waffle recipe (because everything is better with pork fat, right?) when I stumbled upon a Mexican Cornmeal Waffle recipe that had caught my eye some time ago.

What better way to celebrate Waffle Day than with dense, cornmeal waffles as a base for a cumin and green chile spiced ground beef and kidney bean mixture, shredded lettuce and cheese, dollops of sour cream, and a drizzle of hot sauce? I gave my nod to International Waffle Day with a taco salad on a cornbread waffle On My Plate.

Mexican Cornmeal Waffles

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cups canned tomatoes with green chiles
1 can red kidney bean
shredded lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
taco sauce

Mix flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Beat the egg yolks, add the milk, and combine well with the cornmeal mixture.
Beat the cornmeal mixture until smooth.
Add the melted butter to batter and mix well.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.
Bake in a hot waffle iron until golden brown.
Meanwhile, brown the ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic.
Add all other seasonings (may adjust to taste), tomatoes and beans; simmer uncovered at least 20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and flavors have blended.
To serve, layer waffle topped with meat mixture, shredded lettuce and cheese, sour cream, and drizzle with taco sauce.(Serves 6)

Napoleon Can Keep His Tots

Hubby and I love Napoleon Dynamite. We think that it is an odd, quirky, and hysterically funny movie. Napoleon is dynamite, and we would absolutely "Vote for Pedro." However, I don't share Napoleon's love of tater tots. There is something about the texture of those little potato nuggets that just doesn't do it for me. Usually when Hubby gets a craving for tater tot casserole, I make it and just count that as a diet night for me as I pick at the meal on my plate. Tonight, I think I found a flippin' sweet solution to my tater tot aversion.

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole starts with the same ground beef and canned soup base as a tater tot casserole, but skips the green beans in favor of a cheesy layer and ends with French Fries on top. It won't win any awards as a culinary work of art, nutritional masterpiece, or gourmet food find, but served with some steamed green beans and a salad, it is a solid meal for a busy week night (and picky people who don't like tots). Gosh!

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
½ (10.5 ounce) can cheddar cheese soup
1 pound frozen French fries

Brown the ground beef with the onion, garlic powder, pepper and salt.
Mix in the cream of mushroom soup.
Place meat mixture in a casserole dish.
Top with half of the can of cheddar cheese soup (may use more, if desired).
Top with French fries.
Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes or until the french fries are golden brown and the casserole is heated through.
Great served with ketchup and mustard drizzled on top. (Serves 6)

Tied Up Thai-Style

I have been tied up with subbing at the school all week. Today, I am tied up with neglected work at the office. I decided to continue the theme and go with Thai-Style Ground Beef for dinner tonight. It will be a Tied Up Thai-Style Day.

Thai-Style Ground Beef is a recipe that I discovered from Cooking Light. It was promoted as a jazzed up version of sloppy joes that was quick, easy and nutritious for families on the go. We serve it on a bed of steamed rice with a simple salad of romaine tossed with cilantro and green onions and dressed with lime juice, but it could just as easily be sandwiched in a toasted bun just like regular sloppy joes. The magazine article also suggested that romaine or butter lettuce leaves could serve as a "wrap" for this flavorful meat mix.

This recipe was one of our first experiments using curry and coconut milk. It was well received by Hubby and given the blessing to be repeated. Like a traditional sloppy joe, this dish is a bit sweet with spices punching it up. We enjoy it and have included it in our regular recipe rotation because of its perfect combination of ease and great taste. We like to be Tied Up Thai-Style.

Thai-Style Ground Beef

1 cup thinly sliced leeks
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon red curry paste
1 cup tomato sauce
½ cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon grated lime zest
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
3 cups hot cooked white rice

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add leek; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beef; cook 7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring to crumble.
Stir in curry paste and tomato sauce; cook until half of liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).
Add milk and next 4 ingredients (through fish sauce); cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve with the rice. (Serves 4)