Where's the Beef?

I wasn't always a vegetarian. Even after becoming a vegetarian, those in the house with me have enjoyed meat. Therefore, I've managed to collect (and invent) meat recipes over the years. Here are a few with beef in them, including Bean Burger and Oven Pot Roast.

Note: The first five recipes in today's post can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

BEEF STEW

One of my inventions; the recipes I had for stew seemed too bland.

2-3 lbs. stewing beef

3 T oil

2 C water

1 onion, chopped

8 oz. tomato sauce

1 C flour

1 T soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

4 carrots, cut up

1 large potato, peeled & cut up

6 oz tomato paste

4 T vinegar

3 T honey

salt & pepper

Cut beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat & dredge in flour & brown in oil. Add every-thing except carrots & potato. Cook 15 minutes. Add carrots & cook 15 more minutes. Add potato & cook 30 minutes. Add water as needed. Serve over noodles.

OVEN POT ROAST

This is from my Grandma Hallock. She added, "I sometimes add soy sauce to thicken & for color. This is an easy meal."

4 lbs. chuck beef (boneless)

1/3 C flour

1/4 C oil

2 C carrots, cut up

2 C onions, sliced

2 C celery, cut up

1 C tomatoes (opt.) or 1 small can tomato paste

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 can mushroom soup (optional)

Wash & flour meat. Brown in fat on stove top (all sides of meat). Put in large casserole or Dutch oven. Cook at 400 degrees for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Put vegetables around. Last 1/2 hour, add soup. Add 1 T cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 C water to thicken gravy (if necessary). Serves 6.

BEEF ROLLS

Another one of Grandma Hallock’s recipes. She wrote, "Made these a lot when we were young. Kids loved them. Used flank steak." She also sent a recipe for Baked Butter Carrots which, she also wrote, are "good with Beef Rolls."

1 1/2 lbs. flank steak, sliced thin

1 egg

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C boiling water

1/2 tsp. onion flakes

2 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 C bread crumbs

3/4 tsp. poultry seasoning

flour

1/8 tsp. pepper

butter for browning

Wash meat, trim fat. Cut into 6 slices, making them as square as possible. Beat egg. Add crumbs & seasonings. Place in center of pieces of meat, then pin 4 corners of meat with toothpick or tie with string. Flour them, then brown in butter. Add 2 T flour to thicken sauce around meat. Put in casserole. Pour boiling water over it. Cover & bake in oven at 275 degrees for 3 hours or 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 6.

BEAN BURGER

The kids had this one evening when I had a class to go to; they loved it.

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger

2 T mustard (or to taste)

2 cans baked beans

2 T brown sugar (or to taste)

Brown hamburger. Drain grease, then add beans, mustard & brown sugar. Heat thoroughly. May be eaten on hamburger buns, taco shells, or plain.

HAMBURGER SPECIAL

One of my variations of the good, ol’ hamburger. One-half diced yellow pepper may be added along with the red and green peppers, if desired.

2 lbs. hamburger

1 - 2 carrots, peeled & cut into rounds

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 package dry onion soup mix

Mix all ingredients together & form into 8 patties. Cook immediately or freeze separately. Serve on hamburger buns.

OLD-FASHIONED MEAT LOAF

A.K.A. ‘BASIC’ MEAT LOAF

This last recipe is from Paula Deen on The Food Network website.

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy


To view this online, click here.
Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.

Topping:

Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.