Spicy Beef Nachos

When I was in my early 20’s, nachos from the local convenience store were a staple food in my bachelor's life. Little did I know how much more they could be, beyond stale tortilla chips and hot cheese sauce. Little did I know how much better they would taste if I made my own. Being older and wiser, I’ve learned how to make killer nachos. Tasty, spicy, cheesy beef nachos that won’t last long once you set them on the table. They’ll be gobbled up too fast for any left overs.

Make sure to use very lean ground beef in this recipe. There’s a lot of cheese, and lots of cheese means lots of grease, if you’re not careful. I think these nachos have just the right amount of kick for a family dinner or gathering, but you can certainly spice them up more, or serve hot sauce on the side, if you like.

Equipment needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Box grater
Measuring cups and spoons
Large skillet
Large spoon
9” x 12” baking dish, glass is preferred
Garlic press (optional)

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% or leaner, preferred)
8 ounces tortilla chips (2/3 of a large bag)
1 1/2 cup tomato salsa
1 cup sour cream
Cooking spray

Directions
Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat to 400 degree Fahrenheit.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the yellow onion and a dash of salt. Cook until softened, occasionally stirring, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, spices, and salt. Cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant.  Add the ground beef and green bell pepper. Cook, breaking the meat up with a  spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 – 7 minutes.

Spray a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread half the chips, evenly, over the bottom. Sprinkle half the beef mixture evenly over the chips, then sprinkle half the cheese over the beef. Repeat with remaining chips, beef mixture, and cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 9 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Dot with the sour cream and salsa. Sprinkle the sliced green onion over the top and serve warm.

Makes 6 servings

Weeknight Tacos

For quick and tasty tacos on a weeknight, don’t resort a store-bought kit. Stale spice packets laden with chemicals and excess sodium are aren’t welcome. A simple combination of herbs and spices, along with chopped onion and tomato, will give your family the taste they crave. And you’ll only spend about 30 minutes making dinner.

To save time and get everyone involved, have your kids prepare your family’s favorite taco toppings while you cook the meat. For us that means shredded cheese, lettuce and chopped tomatoes, salsa and sour cream. Feel free to add avocados, onions and minced peppers. Whatever you like!

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Garlic press (optional)
12-inch skillet
Large spoon

Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt as needed
1 pound ground beef (the leaner the better)
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
8 taco shells (homemade are best)

Directions
Peel and mince the onion into 1/8-inch pieces. Peel and mince the garlic.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet until shimmering. Add the onion, along with a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef cook until no-longer pink, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Drain the excess fat.

Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, 1 tsp salt and cayenne pepper. Stir in and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, vinegar and sugar. Stir and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the filling evenly among the taco shells and serve with desired toppings. Serve with a simple green salad for a complete meal.

Makes 4 servings.

How to make Beef Bourguignon

This celebrated dish from Burgundy, France, makes a rich, warming dinner for a winter weekend. Beef is simmered in a rich red wine sauce to make it tender and flavorful. The beef should be marinated for several hours, or overnight. This recipe specifies flank steak, but other nicely marbled cuts, or even "stew meat" can be used. As involved as this recipe is, though, you may not want to skimp on the ingredients.

Equipment needed
Mixing bowls

Measuring cups and spoons

Kitchen knife

Large oven-safe saucepan

Medium saucepanLarge skillet

Ingredients
1 medium Carrot, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium Celery Stalk
1 1⁄2 pounds Beef Flank Steak
1 medium Onion, peeled and chopped into 1/2-in. pieces
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Bouquet Garni, usually thyme, basil, and sage
1 2⁄3 cups Burgundy, I use a non-alcoholic variety.
Salt, as needed
Ground Black Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil, add more if needed
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon Flour
5 cups Veal Stock, or brown stock
Water, as needed
8 Baby Onions
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil
8 Fresh Button Mushrooms, trimmed and quartered.
3 slices Bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.
Dried Parsley Flakes, or fresh to garnish

Directions
Place the beef, onion, celery, carrots and garlic into a non-reactive mixing bowl. Add the bouguet garni and wine and gently toss together. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for half a day, or refrigerate overnight.

After marinating, place a large sieve into another mixing bowl. Pour in the marinated beef and vegetables to strain off the marinade. Remove the bouquet garni. Reserve the marinade and the bouquet garni, for later.

Dry the beef and cut into 2 inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, F.

Heat cooking oil in a large, oven-safe saucepan over high heat. Add the marinated beef and saute briefly to brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the beef to a dish.

Put the marinated vegetables in the same saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium low and saute gently until the vegetables start to brown. Take care not to burn them.

Add the tomato paste and flour. Stir and cook briefly. Return the strained marinade to the pan. Turn the heat back to high and bring it to a boil.

Return the beef to the pan and add the stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Skim off foam. Add the bouquet garni, cover, and turn off the heat. Place the saucepan into the preheated oven and cook for 55 minutes. At this point, you can prep the remaining ingredients.

While the beef mixture is cooking, prepare the other ingredients.

Fill a clean saucepan with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Add the baby onions to the water and boil until soft. Remove and discard the water.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bacon until most of the fat melts and then add the mushrooms. Add the boiled baby onions. Cook until the mushrooms are done.

Remove the stewed beef and juices from the oven and skim off any fat. Add the cooked vegetables and stir together.

When serving, remove the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in individual serving bowls. Use a ladle to pour some of the sauce over each serving and garnish with parsley.

Serves 6.

Carbonada (Argentine Beef Stew)

A new year and a new site design deserves a special new recipe to kick things off. Why not a hot plate of Carbonada to keep you warm on a cold night?

Carbonada is a classic home-cooked beef stew from Argentina. Being one of the world's major beef suppliers, so it's no surprise the people of Argentina would develop some incredible beef recipes. Argentine cuisine has evolved distinctly from other Latin American countries due to the influence of Italian, Spanish, French and other European dishes.

With Carbonada, chunks of beef are slowly stewed with vegetables native to Argentina: tomatoes, potatoes and corn. Sometimes dried or fresh fruits, such as apricots or pears, are added, although in this recipe, I left them out.

I wanted to make this a cold weather recipe. While all of the ingredients can be found in our grocery stores during winter, not all of them are in season. I also wanted to make it easier to use ingredients normally found in long term food storage so, you'll see notes about using both fresh, and canned versions of some ingredients.

Equipment Needed
Large saucepan with lid
Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Can opener
Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients
1 pound beef *stew meat
1 1/2 yellow onion
6 oz. winter squash, such as butternut or banana squash (about 2 cups, cubed)
3 medium tomatoes or one 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
12 oz. fresh or frozen corn, or 1 15 oz. can corn, drained
1 medium sweet potato**
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
3 3/4 cups stock (beef or chicken)
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and ground black pepper as needed
Parsley to garnish

Directions
First, there's some prep work to be done. Rinse and dry the stew meat. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper and set aside.

Peel and finely chop the onion, and set aside.

Scoop out the seeds from the squash, along with any stringy bits, peel, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.

If using fresh tomatoes, remove the stems and roughly chop. You can remove the seeds if you like, but I don't. If using canned tomatoes, drain them and set aside.

Thoroughly wash the sweet potato and cut the pointy ends off (save them for making stock). Prick the potato all over with a fork and microwave on high for 1 minute to start the cooking process. (The other ingredients will cook faster than the potato will, so we cook the potato a bit, beforehand, to make sure the squash doesn't overcook before the potatoes are done.) Being careful not to get burned, cut the partially cooked potato crosswise into 1-inch thick rounds, leaving the peel on. Cut each round into quarters and set aside.

Now, let's get down to business. Heat the olive oil in the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown it completely. Transfer the beef to a dish and set aside.

In the same saucepan, add the onion, along with a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onion until soften and slightly browned. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and stock. Stir just until the tomato paste is dissolved. Add the bay leaves.

Turn the heat up to high, bringing to stock mixture to a boil. Return the beef to pan. Add the corn, squash and sweet potato. Stir a bit, and then cover the pan with a lid. Leave it on high heat. Once the broth comes back to a boil, remove the lid and skim off any foam from the top. Reduce the heat to medium-low, put the lid back on, and simmer for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

At this point, check the potatoes to see if they're done by sticking them with a fork or skewer. If the skewer goes through easily, they're done. If not, cook for an additional 5 minutes, and check again.

Season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

I like serving this with rice, but you don't have to. A hearty sourdough bread would be great, as well.


*Stew meat is cut and cubed from cheaper, tougher, cuts of beef. After long stewing times, though, it becomes quite tender.

**Some recipes call for regular white potatoes or a combination of sweet potatoes and white potatoes. I prefer this dish with sweet potatoes, alone.

Thai Meatballs and Noodles

It's not just the German's and Italians that like to marry meatballs with sauce and noodles. The people of Thailand enjoy it, too.

I've been getting into Thai cooking more and more, of late. Having a good Thai restaurant just a few minutes away to inspire me doesn't hurt, either. Not living in Thailand, or a large city, it's hard to find the ingredients in the original Thai recipes I'm using as a base, or at least ingredients that don't cost and arm and a leg. I've modified the original recipe to make it easier to make with ingredients that are readily available at my local grocery store.

Equipment needed
Large skillet or wok
Kitchen knife
Large pot or Dutch oven
Colander

Ingredients
12 oz. dried, wide egg noodles
6 cups water
1 tablespoon salt

For the meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground pork or beef
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons fish sauce or low sodium soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon feel seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cooking oil (peanut or canola)

For the sauce
1 pound bok choy (about 1 medium-sized bunch)
Small piece of fresh ginger (about 1 inch) or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 medium carrot
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce or low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried mint

Directions:
Make the meatballs, first. Combine the meat, basil, mint, ginger fish sauce, garlic, cinnamon, fennel and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well blended. Shape the meat mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. You should be able to make around 30 of them.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely brown all over and no pink is left in he middle. You'll need to do this in batches.

Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain the excess oil. The meatballs may be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days, longer if you freeze them. Just make sure to thaw them before using.

Now you can start cooking the noodles. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the noodles and salt. Cook until al dente, and drain in a colander.

While the noodles are cooking, you can start on the sauce. Cut off the root end of the bok choy with a kitchen knife. Separate the stalks, rinse well under running water to remove any dirt or debris, and drain. Starting at the root end, cut the stalks and leaves into 1/2-inch slices and set aside.

Peel the fresh ginger piece, if using, and cut into julienne strips. Cut the carrot into 2-inch lengths, and cut into julienne strips, or half-moon slices. Set aside.

Heat the same skillet or wok you cooked the meat in (if you didn't prepare the meatballs in advance) over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, brown sugar, fish sauce, ginger and mint. Heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add the cooked (and thawed if frozen) meatballs and carrots to the stock mixture. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the meatballs are heated through. Add the bok choy and simmer 4 or 5 minutes longer, until the stalks are crisp tender.

Once the noodles are done, drain and transfer them to a large serving dish and pour the meatball mixture on top. Garnish garnish as desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Chinese New Year – Ginger Beef Stir Fry

Monday, January 23rd marks Chinese New Year for 2009. This is the Year of the Ox. What better way to celebrate than by eating a Beef Stir Fry?

Stir frying cooks nicely chopped vegetables and meats very quickly in a small amount of oil over high heat. This makes stir frying one of the fastest and healthiest ways of cooking. This classic combination of beef and ginger is an aromatic and delicious way of celebrating Chinese New Year.

Ginger Beef Stir Fry

Making good stir fry starts with cutting the ingredients. Slice them fine, no more than 1/4 inch thick and about 2 inches long. The beed should be sliced thinly, against the grain, and at a bias. The idea is to maximize the surface area so that everything cooks quickly and evenly. If you don't have a wok, a deep non-stick frying pan will do nicely. Don't let the pan get more than about 1/3 full, until the end. Every piece of food needs to have room to touch the sides and bottom of the pan.

Ingredients

8 oz. Chinese egg noodles or Ramen
3 Tablespoons peanut oil
6 green onions, sliced on a bias into 2 inch lengths
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks, OR 2 teaspoons crushed ginger
4 medium carrots, julienned
1/2 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly on a bias
3/4 pound top round or flank steak, pounded and sliced into thin, strips
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
4 tablespoons soy sauce

Prepare all the ingredients before hand and put them in separate bowls. I clean and save used cottage cheese and sour cream containers just for this. This is quick cooking. You won't have time in between steps to get things ready. You want to be able to just grab and go.

Bring plenty of hot water to a boil in a large pot and remove from heat. Drop the noodles into the water to soak them while you continue with the recipe.

Place a wok or deep non-stick frying pan over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until very hot. Add a drop of oil. If it sizzles a bit when it hits the bottom, you're ready.

Add the remaining oil and swirl to coat the sides. Reduce the heat to medium high and heat the oil just until it starts to smoke. Watch carefully because this happens pretty fast.

Drop the green onion and ginger into the hot oil. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or cooking chopsticks for about 1 minute, coating them with the oil.

Push the green onions and ginger to the cooler side of the wok, or remove them completely from the pan. Add the carrots, peppers, and celery and cook in the same way, stir-frying for about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan.

Add the sliced beef to the pan and cook on each side briefly, just to get some color. Return the cooked vegetables to the pan and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Push the other ingredients to the side and pour in the cooking sherry directly onto a hot section of the pan. Let it simmer briefly to burn off the alcohol. Add the soy sauce and stir into the beef and vegetables.

Drain the noodles and add to the pan. Toss to combine with the other ingredients. Taste, adding more soy sauce if you like. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish, if you like.

Serves 4.

Picture by Thier Aquino.

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How to Grill a Bacon Double Cheeseburger

Now that we've dealt with the wonders of grilled sausages, it's time to tackle another great staple of the American grilling experience, hamburgers.

Even though I try and eat a variety of more healthy foods, every so often I just feel the need for a good burger. My favorite is the bacon double-cheeseburger. This may be a heart-attack on a bun , but what a way to go.

NOTE: You really don't have to use cheese or bacon with this burger mixture. You could also just put one on a bun, instead of two, and you'll still enjoy it, just fine. It's a great recipe, if I do say so myself. Even my neighbor, who is a much better grillmaster than me, likes these burgers.

Grilling up pre-made hamburger patties from your grocers freezer is fine, when you're in a hurry. But, I'm coming to the belief that grilling should never be done in hurry. Really good barbecue is done slow. Why treat grilling hamburgers any differently?

Well, there are few reasons to do it a bit faster, actually, but all in all, I'm not going to fire up my grill unless I've got some time to really play with it.

Having cooked up dozens of hamburgers in my time, I've learned a few things. First, I don't like just throwing together a patty of pure ground beef. Sure that's good for fast food, but I like adding a few things to the meat, first. If your on a tight budget, it can also help stretch the meat a little farther. I suspect that's why people started doing this in the first place. I'm not talking meatloaf, here. (I've got some ideas for grilled meatloaf, though, so stay tuned.) We're just going to add a few more ingredients to enhance the ground beef, and keep it moist and tender throughout the process.

While your grill is heating up, you can cook up the bacon. One pound should do very nicely. As far as I know, you can't really direct grill bacon. You'll have to fry it a pan. If you have a small cast iron skillet, I suppose you could do this on the grill, but I used my stovetop. Cook on medium heat, turning occasionally, until nice and crispy.

Next, slice up some of your favorite firm cheese, like a sharp cheddar or colby. Colby-Jack, a mixture of Monterey Jack and colby cheese, is a favorite at my house. You'll need one slice for each patty. For this recipe, that's about eight slices.

Now it's time to mix up the hamburger patties.

Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons horseradish mustard (or other favorite dark mustard)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (you can use minced garlic, but for some reason the powder works better in hamburgers)
2 pounds of ground beef (you could use other ground meats, if you prefer)

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl and then add everything except the meat. Mix thoroughly. Add the ground beef and mix well. You could try using a large spoon, but it's best to get primitive here. Use your hands. Just make sure you wash them first.

Shape the meat into eight patties, about 3/4 inch thick.

When the coals are fully lit and ashing over, spread them out in an even, single layer on the bottom of your grill. Put in the top grill grate and cover, heating it for about 15 minutes. Clean the grill and apply vegetable oil to it with tongs and a folded paper towel, dipped in the oil. Make sure you oil it well.

You want the coals to be “medium” temperature. I always wondered how in the world you were supposed to figure this out. It turns out that “medium” means I can put your hand over the grill (not actually touching the surface ... duh) for about 4 seconds before your hand starts to cook.

Direct grill the hamburgers patties for about 6 to 7 minutes per side for a medium done burger, 8 or 9 minutes for a well done burger.

During the last minute or two of cooking, put a slice of the cheese over the burger, and then top the cheese with a couple of slices of the cooked bacon. Cover the grill and finish cooking. This will help melt the cheese and reheat the bacon.

Stack two patties on a toasted bun with more mustard, catsup, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, onions (grilled tomatoes and onions), or whatever else you like on your burger, and enjoy. Just remember to exercise a little longer the next day to make yourself feel better.

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