Super Sauce

Cooking Light has some phenomonal Asian inspired recipes.  I have blogged many of them before and even mentioned how perfectly matched their suggested ingredients are for these recipes.  I like "Chinese" food, but can honestly say we haven't ordered Chinese since we moved in this house about three years ago.  And I think that is because I have more fun making my own.  I have made Chinese food menu type dishes several times over the last few years.  After having a bunch of Cooking Light Asian recipes under my belt, I feel confident about two things: they are insanely delicious, but there is never enough sauce.  I know that Cooking Light has to stick to certain guidelines in order to be able to deem their recipes "light" and I am assuming they need to keep the Asian recipes under wraps when it comes to sodium content....hence, the reduced sauce volume.  So for this recipe below and most others, I just double the ingredients in the marinade/sauce portion of the recipe.  Totally cheating on sticking to the nutritional facts, but perfectly delicious!

 

Beef and Broccoli Bowl
Adapted from Cooking Light October 2012
 

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag brown rice 
• 1/2 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 (12-ounce) boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips 
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 cups broccoli florets 
• 1 cup vertically sliced red onion 
• 1 cup chopped carrot 
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions

 

Preparation

1. Cook rice according to the package directions.

2. Combine soy sauce, cornstarch, and hoisin in a medium bowl.



Add beef;



toss to coat. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Remove beef, reserving marinade. Add beef to pan;



cook 2 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove beef from pan. Add broccoli and next 4 ingredients (through sesame oil) to pan;



cook 8 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. (Place a lid on the pot and steam for about 2 of the 8 minutes if you desire softer broccoli).  Add reserved marinade to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute. Add beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve over rice.



  Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

What's at Steak ?

So I took a little blogging hiatus, hopefully you noticed ;-)  If you did, I hope you are glad that I am back!  Life has gotten in the way and unfortunately this blog here got the back burner.  I can remember a time when this little blog was always front and center.  It was a time in my life when I was newly married, living far away from family, itching to test my skills in the kitchen and impress my new husband.  I worked my day job, and then I came home to cook and then blog.  I spent hours researching recipes, photography tips and blogging how-tos.  I used to blog almost every night and it was most often the dish I had cooked only and few hours prior.  It was my biggest hobby and occupied a lot of my time when I first started. In fact, two days ago marked the five year anniversary of my blog Elizabeth's Edible Experience.  Amazing!  Five years of cooking, photographing, composing stories and blogging. April 15, 2008 was my first post and I had no idea what I was doing - both in the kitchen and on blogger. I can honestly say I never thought my blog would endure the way it has.  Even when I take a two month break like I just did, there are still visitors checking out my recipes while I am away and to this day that is still a very exciting feeling. 

Now my life is filled with so many other things that take precedent.  We are living back in my hometown with family where we always have so many things to do.  We built our first home and I am obsessed with decorating it and making it perfect.  I still work full time in a very fulfilling job.  And most importantly we have a precious little 2 1/2 year old son that occupies all of my time and energy.  And it is so worth it.  Life is super good right now!  But luckily, all of the hard work and time I put into my blog before those new developments afforded me a readership that makes coming back here worth it.  And the good news is, we always have to eat, so as long as I keep my camera close and find a few minutes to steal away to the computer to document it all I think Elizabeth's Edible Experience will remain. 

So how many of you have been around since the beginning?  Please let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from my oldest most loyal readers!

 

Hamburger Steak with Onion Gravy
Adapted from Cooking Light April 2013

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted beef stock
• Smoky Haricots Verts and Mushrooms

 

Preparation

1. Divide beef into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle patties evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

2.  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl to coat. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned; remove from pan.



3. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add vertically sliced onion; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned and tender.



Sprinkle onion with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add stock and remaining salt and pepper; bring to a boil.



4.  Return patties to pan; reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and cook 5 minutes or until gravy is slightly thickened.  Remove from pan and server or vegetables and mashed potatoes.  Top with gravy.



Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Across the Pond, and Back

I was fortunate to travel to the UK when I was fourteen and it happened to be the one and only time I had ever eaten Beef Stroganoff.  I actually remember it being a pretty pitiful experience.  I think I recall adjectives like gross, inedible and yucky.  As bad food experiences tend to do, it turned me off of the dish for the last 15 or so years.  I never desired to give Beef Stroganoff another try until I saw this recipe in the latest edition of my favorite magazine.  I considered that I was a picky 14 year old, it was a hotel banquet type dinner and I was in another country (one that isn't typically known for its cuisine).  And not to say that the dish wasn't actually bad, but all of these factors certainly could have contributed to my opinion at the time.  I love beef and mushrooms and sour cream, so I had high hopes that my first impression of this dish would be wrong.  And it was!  I really liked this; it was flavorful, hearty and comforting. 

Beef Stroganoff
Adapted from Cooking Light January 2013

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 cups water, divided
• 6 ounces uncooked egg noodles
• 1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1 (6-ounce) package presliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup lower-sodium beef broth, divided
• 5 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream 
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions 
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Preparation

1. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add noodles; cook 7 minutes or until al dente. Drain.

2. Cut beef across the grain into 1/4-inch-wide strips; cut strips into 2-inch pieces.



3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until browned.



Remove beef from pan leaving juices in the pan. Add 1 cup onion, remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, paprika, and mushrooms to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat to medium.




4. Combine 1/4 cup beef broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture,



beef, remaining 3/4 cup broth, green onions and remaining 1/2 cup water to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.



Cover and cook 8 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and butter.



Serve beef mixture over egg noodles; sprinkle with parsley.


Click Here for My Printable Adapted Recipe.

Mastered Meat

Last week I worried that with our tantrum throwing toddler we would never have a nice meal again.  My outlook was grim and I didn't have high hopes about future dining options in our home.  But that was after a particularly trying night and things are always better in the morning.  In fact, this is the meal we made the day after I wrote this post and I couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome.  This recipe was the perfect one to get me back to a positive conquer-the-kitchen attitude.  It was easy, half accomplished by my husband on the grill (team work always helps!), and insanely delicious.  I never imagined that this recipe with an ingredient as unfamiliar to me as anchovy paste could have such and impact.  Forrest and I tag-teamed the recipe and were blown away by what we served just a mere 20 minutes after commencing.  The cheap cut of meat (I got two half-pound boneless sirloins for 5 dollars total) was grilled to perfection, the slicing suggestion and presentation were amazing and the anchovy/lemon butter was the most unimaginably perfect accompaniment.  No matter what your situation at home may be, this is a gourmet meal in both taste and appearance that you can serve in little to no time!

Grilled Sirloin with Anchovy Butter and Rapini
Adapted from Cooking Light March 2012

 

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) boneless sirloin steak
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 3/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup sliced onion (about a half of a small onion)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces broccoli rabe (rapini/brocollini), two inches of the bottom stems cut off

Preparation

1. Heat a grill  medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.



Add steak to grill; cook for 3 minutes on each side. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak across grain into thin slices.

2. Place butter in a bowl. Microwave at HIGH 15 seconds. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon rind, juice, and anchovy paste;



 stir until combined. Set aside.

3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper; sauté 30 seconds.



Stir in broth and rabe; bring to a boil.



Cover and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining rind and salt.

4. Place 3 ounces steak and 1/2 cup rabe on each of 4 plates. Top each steak with 1 1/2 teaspoons butter.


Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Sly - Der

When I think of Sliders my mind automatically relates them to American Cuisine. I envision them topped with American cheese, ketchup, mustard and a pickle served along side a nice heaping pile of crispy French fries. The main reason I loved this recipe from the get go was because I loved the twist on the traditional preparation of those bitty burgers. Slider buns are so easy to find these days in the bread section of any grocery store and they even readily offer 100% whole wheat options. I am not the biggest fan of Italian sausage, but found that my ingredient choice of using a mild version was the perfect compromise and ensured the slider wasn't overcome by an anise flavor.

Italian Meatball Sliders
Adapted from Cooking Light March 2012

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, finely diced
1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), toasted
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 ounces lean ground pork
2 (4-ounce) links Mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
12 wheat slider buns, toasted
12 basil leaves
12 small slices of fresh mozzarella

Preparation

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add garlic and shallots to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until shallots are softened, stirring frequently.

Combine shallot mixture, ricotta, and next 8 ingredients (through egg) in a medium bowl.

Shape mixture into 12 (1-inch) meatballs; flatten each meatball slightly.

2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add meatballs to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning once.

Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until meatballs are done. Top meatball slider with a slice of cheese and cover the skillet for 2 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

Top bottom half of each bun with 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce, 1 meatball slider, 1 basil leaf, and top half of bun.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Sloppy Seconds

I have never in my life (prior to Sunday night) eaten a Sloppy Joe. My mom didn't make them growing up and let's face it, they aren't the type of cuisine that often pops up on restaurant menus. I have never had the desire to whip them up in my own kitchen, because quite honestly they have never come to mind. As I flipped through this month's issue of Cooking Light I was intrigued by this version since it contained equal parts meat and mushrooms. I am a big time mushroom girl so I figured there was no time like the present. Not to mention, my husband was uber jazzed when I asked him if he would like Sloppy Joe's for dinner one night this week. Men are so easy to please in the cooking department!

Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes
Adapted from Cooking Light June 2011

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 2 (8-ounce) packages presliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup prechopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, toasted

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Salt and pepper the beef during browning.

2. While beef cooks, place mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped.

Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to pan;

cook for 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through salt)

to pan; cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates.

Stir in pepper and hot sauce. Spoon about 1 cup beef mixture on bottom half of each bun; top with top halves of buns.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

Priceless Patron

Shortly after Forrest and I moved back home to New Orleans, my youngest brother Kent also moved back after an 8 year stint in Alabama. His move home completed the circle and now my entire immediate family resides back in or around New Orleans, a fact that elated both of my parents beyond belief. Since my baby bro settled back in I have made it a habit of cooking dinner for him fairly frequently. There are a multitude of reasons for hosting him for dinner, some of which include:

1. He is a very adventurous eater and will try anything I make.
2. He is young and single and sometimes has free evenings to spend with us.
3. He is just starting out in a new job, with a new apartment and a new car and my feeding him helps him save money.
4. He and Forrest are really good buddies, despite the fact that they have hardly anything in common, and having him over gives Forrest the opportunity to ask him to do things like throw the football, shoot the bb gun, and insulate the pipes - all to which Kent constantly declines, but Forrest never stops asking.
5. He loves food as much as I do and is always enthusiastic and appreciative of my meals.
6. I want him to feel included and happy in his hometown and hope everyday that he feels he made the right choice to return.
7. He is the baby of the family, and isn't that what you do to the baby? Spoil them!
8. He lives really close to our house, so even if it isn't planned any more than a couple minutes in advance it is still a possibility for him to hop on over.
9. He says annoying baby brother things while I am cooking like, "isn't that just a fancy way of doing it", or "there must be an easier way", and "where did you learn that?" or my all time favorite, "Mom doesn't do it like that, does she?"
10. He is one of the more quiet members of my family and it gives me the opportunity to visit with him sans some of the louder participants and hear what he has to say for a change.

But the number one reason there will always be a place at my dinner table for my now grown up baby brother is......Sometimes when I am in the kitchen chopping, measuring, and sauteing all while taking pictures for this crazy blog, I look up and see this:

Thank God for open floor plans! My baby brother and my baby, Priceless!

The recipe below is one of Kent's favorite things I have cooked for him over the last few months. He talks about it all the time. And trust me, it is well deserved. Although this is an all day recipe (one I made while still on maternity leave and had the whole day to man the stove), it is worth the effort. This is so rich and succulent that it is impossible to forget!

Boeuf Bourguignon Soup
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living December 2010

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in short ribs (2 inches thick, 2 pounds total)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
• 3 carrots, 2 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 shallots, minced
• 3 strips bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Burgundy
• 8 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium beef stock
• 2 cups water
• No Yolk Egg Noodles, for serving

Directions

Season ribs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Trim white fat. Coat with cornstarch. Heat oil in a large heavy pot (preferably enameled cast iron) over medium-high heat. Lightly brown ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes.

Transfer to a plate.

Add mushrooms to pot.

Cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; add cubed carrot.

Add shallots, bacon, and chopped carrots to pot.

Cook until caramelized, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.

Return ribs with plate juices to pot. Add thyme and bay leaf. Raise heat to high. Add wine.

Cook, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove ribs. Separate meat from bones; discard bones and any pieces of fat left on the beef. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; return to pot. Add reserved mushroom-carrot mixture.

Bring to a simmer; cook until cubed carrots are tender. Skim any remaining fat off the top of the soup. Season with salt. Ladle soup over bowls of egg noodles and serve.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe

15 Things to Make Before You Die - Installment # 3

The culprit on the list of things to make before I die that I was most excited about was the Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin Steaks. I love steak, but we don't eat it very often because we don't have a backyard or a grill. I was excited to try out a different method for preparing the steaks. I couldn't find filets that had that typical round steak house appearance, but the supermarket labeled these as beef tenderloin filets and they were all I could find so I figured they would do. They were a little thinner than I had desired which in the end probably made cooking them to the perfect temperature easier.

I assumed this method of cooking the steaks wouldn't be very difficult, so I picked a recipe that had an accompanying sauce in order to make it more worth while. According to the original article, "Knowing how to cook a great steak will always get you rave reviews in the kitchen." They were absolutely right, this recipe was minimal effort with a huge payoff. Forrest and I both loved the filets and the pan sauce was the perfect pairing. I see no reason why I haven't tried this out sooner and I know it will be something I am excited to repeat in the kitchen.

View my progress on the list below:

1. Yeast Bread - Check.
2. Beef Tenderloin Steaks - Check.
3. Cream Pie
4. Creme Brulee
5. Fudge
6. Cream Puffs
7. Crown Roast
8. Fried Chicken
9. Roux - Check.
10. Pasta and Cream Sauce - Check.
11. Roasted Turkey and Gravy - Check.
12. Chocolate Pudding - Check.
13. Layer Cake - Check.
14. Souffle
15. Chicken Stock - Check.

8 down, 7 to go!

Filet of Beef au Poivre
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients nocoupons

• 6 filet mignon, cut 1 1/4 inches thick
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped shallots (3 to 4 shallots)
• 1 cup canned beef broth
• 1/2 cup good Cognac
  

Directions

Place the filets on a board and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the filets with salt and then press the black pepper evenly on both sides. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the butter almost smokes. Place the steaks in the pan and lower the heat to medium.

Saute the steaks for 4 minutes on 1 side and then for 3 minutes on the other side, for medium rare and 6 minutes on each side for medium.

Remove the steaks to a serving platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, pour all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the saute pan. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add the beef broth

and cook over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until reduced by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Cognac and cook for 2 more minutes.

Off the heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Serve the steaks hot with the sauce poured on top or in a metal ramekin along side the steak.

Click Here for My Adapted Printable Recipe