EASY ROAST BEEF ROLL-UPS

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup salsa

10 (8-in) flour tortillas (room temperature)

1 lb thinly sliced cooked roast beef

10 large lettuce leaves

Additional salsa for serving

Combine sour cream, mayonnaise and salsa in a small bowl and spread over the tortillas. Top with roast beef and lettuce. Roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks. Cut each in half and serve with salsa.

Yield: 10 servings

quick&easy recipe and photo

ALMOND RICE PILAF

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 tbsp butter

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups uncooked instant rice

In a saucepan, sauté onion and almonds in butter until onion is tender and almonds are lightly browned. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in onion and almonds. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand 5 to 8 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

Yield: 6 servings

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PERINI RANCH STEAKHOUSE RUB

This is the house rub at the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, Texas. This is not only used on steaks but on lamb chops and ribs.

1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp coarsely ground sea salt
4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
4 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp granulated beef stock base

Mix ingredients together; sprinkle or rub into meat.

Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 1/2 cup

 Grilled Lamb Chops with this rub from Perini Ranch Steakhouse.

PARMESAN NOODLES

8-oz pkg noodles

3 tbsp green onions

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Garlic salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Cook noodles according to the package directions. Drain in a colander. Return to pan or place in a mixing bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients.

Yield: 4 servings

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CHICKEN BITES AND MUSHROOMS with BROWN RICE

 1 lb boneless skinless ckicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tbsp olive or canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 to 12 tsp rd pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups cooked brown minute rice

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.  Lower heat to medium and cook garlic less than a minute.  Add the mushrooms, green onions, ginger, red pepper flakes, and half the salt and half the pepper; cook about 3 minutes, stirring often.  Add the chicken and sprinkle the remaining halves of the salt and pepper.  Cook chicken, while stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through.

Stir the soy sauce, vinegar, and cilantro into the chicken mixture.  Cook for a couple of minutes.  Serve with the brown rice.

file photo for reference only

CHEESEBURGER SOUP

This restaurant soup is easy to make at home.

1/2 lb ground beef

4 tbsp butter, divided

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

1 tsp basil

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 3/4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

3 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

1/4 cup flour

2 to 4 cups, to suit your cheesy liking, shredded Velveeta cheese

1 1/4 cups milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

thinly sliced green onions for garnish, optional

Fried onion rings for garnish, optional

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook the crumbled beef until no longer pink; drain and set aside.

In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Saute onion, carrots, celery with the basil and parsley until veggies are tender. Add the potatoes, meat and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt the remaining butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring 3 to 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook until the cheese melts. Remove from heat than blend in the sour cream.

Garnish with the green onions and/or onion rings, if desired.

Recipe is my version of a TOH recipe. TOH Photo

SPINACH AND POTATO BAKE WITH GROUND BEEF

1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pkg (10-oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 tsp grated fresh nutmeg
1 lb russet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup low-fat milk
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet with the onions and garlic; drain well.  Return to skillet and add mushrooms, cooking until tender.  Stir in the spinach and the nutmeg; cover skillet.  Heat mixture until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Combine the mashed potatoes, sour cream, and milk.  Add to the ground beef mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly puffed and the cheese is melted.

Yield: 6 servings

Note: This is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes.

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CHICKEN IN A HURRY

 I recently got this off facebook. Some in the comments said they had made it and it's good. If you follow my blogs, you know I don't eat chicken. I am posting this for those of you who love chicken recipes.

NO BAKE ORANGE GOODIES

 

1 lb powdered sugar

1 stick butter, melted
1 can (6-oz) frozen orange juice, thawed and undiluted
1 lb vanilla wafers, crushed into fine crumbs
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup grated coconut

Combine powdered sugar, butter, orange juice, vanilla wafer crumbs, and nuts together well. Shape mixture into balls. Roll balls in the coconut.

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RAISIN-ORANGE SCONES

1 pkg (2-crust size) piecrust mix

1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange peel
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1/2 cup chopped raisins

In a small mixing bowl combine the buttermilk and raisins.  Let stand for 5 minutes to plump raisins.

While the raisins soak in the buttermilk, stir together the piecrust mix, sugar, orange peel, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl.  Make a well in the center of this mixture.  Add the buttermilk and raisins to the well, all at once.  Using a fork, stir just until the dry mixture is moistened.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 12 strokes.  Roll dough out into an 8-inch circle; cut into  8 or 10 equal sized wedges.  Transfer the wedges onto lightly greased or sprayed baking sheet.  Bake uncovered, 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

*If you don't have buttermilk, you can make it by putting 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1/2 cup.  Let stand about 5 minutes before using.

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