Ree Drummond's Salisbury Steak

Ree is kind of spicy for us, a good bit of the time but I love Salisbury Steak and this one has all of the right stuff with nothing exotic to trip us up. 

Ree Drummond's  Salisbury Steak
  
 
 
Yield:6 servings
Ingredients

*         Meat Mixture:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons dry mustard
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bouillon, crumbled (or powdered beef base)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

*         Gravy:
1 whole onion, halved and thinly sliced (or diced if you prefer)
2 cups beef broth, more if needed for thinning
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon seasoning sauce, such as Kitchen Bouquet, optional
4 dashes Worcestershire
1 teaspoon cornstarch, optional
Salt and pepper

*         Directions
For the meat mixture: Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, ketchup, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon and some salt and pepper. Knead until all combined. Form into 4 to 6 oval patties, and then make lines across the patties to give them a "steak" appearance.

Fry the patties in a skillet with the butter and oil over medium-high heat on both sides until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the skillet and pour off any excess grease.

For the gravy: Reduce the heat to medium and add in the sliced onions. Stir and cook until golden brown and somewhat soft, for several minutes. Add the beef stock, ketchup, seasoning sauce, if using, and the Worcestershire. Then combine the cornstarch with a little beef broth and add to the sauce if using. Stir and cook to reduce.

Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and more broth if needed for thinning. Then return the patties to the gravy. Spoon the gravy over the top and let them simmer and heat back up for a couple of minutes.

Ina Garten's Tri Berry Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup each raspberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 teaspoons for the dishes
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Maple syrup and confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Gently combine the berries and sugar in a small bowl and set aside while you make the pancakes. Place 4 (6- to 7-inch) individual gratin dishes on two sheet pans. Place 1 teaspoon of butter in each gratin dish and set aside.
Place the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixed. Add the milk and combine. Slowly add the flour, vanilla, orange zest, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and the salt and mix just until smooth. Whisk by hand if the mixture is lumpy.
Place the gratin dishes in the oven for 3 minutes, until the butter is hot and bubbly. Make sure the butter covers the bottom of each dish. Immediately divide the batter equally among the gratin dishes and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. Divide the berries among the dishes, drizzle with maple syrup, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve hot.

Ina Garten's Mustard Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes (or small Yukon Gold potatoes)
• 2 yellow onions
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the potatoes in halves or quarters, depending on their size, and place them on a sheet pan. Remove the ends of the onions, peel them, and cut them in half. Slice them crosswise in 1/4-inch-thick slices to make half-rounds. Toss the onions and potatoes together on the sheet pan. Add the olive oil, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper and toss them together. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the potatoes are lightly browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Toss the potatoes from time to time with a metal spatula so they brown evenly.

Serve hot sprinkled with chopped parsley and a little extra salt.

Ina Garten's Spring Greens Rosotto

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
• 1 cup chopped fennel
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 pound thin asparagus
• 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese

Ina Garten's Warm Mushroom Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound cremini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 bunches of fresh arugula, washed and spun dry
• 8 slices good Italian prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
• Chunk of Parmesan cheese
• 8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and julienned
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions

Clean the mushrooms by brushing the tops with a clean sponge. Don't wash them! Remove and discard the stems and slice the caps 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

In a large saute pan, heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until bubbly. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper to the pan, and saute for 3 minutes over medium heat, tossing frequently. Reduce the heat to low and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, arrange the arugula on 4 lunch plates (or on a platter) and cover each portion with 2 slices of prosciutto. When the mushrooms are cooked, add the sherry vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pan. Spoon the mushrooms and sauce on top of the prosciutto. With a vegetable peeler, make large shavings of Parmesan cheese and place on top of the hot mushrooms. Sprinkle with the sun-dried tomatoes, parsley leaves, salt, and pepper, and serve warm.

Ina Garten's Cauliflower Gratin

I have amended this slightly by adding 4 carrots trimmed, scrubbed and sliced at an angle and the white part of a leek thinly sliced.
  

Cauliflower Gratin

2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

30 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
• Kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups hot milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided (I use Swiss which is close as the Gruyere I haven't found at less than too expensive)

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the cauliflower florets  (carrot and leeks), in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature

Ina Garten's Cauliflower Gratin

I made this for Den and he loved it. I cut the recipe in half so I will just tell you the recipe as she posts it. Very good! I used Swiss for the cheese as well.

9x13 baking dish sprayed with PAM

350F 25-30 minutes

1 3# head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
You put this in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 5-6 minutes and then drain off.

In the mean time,

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat
As the butter melts add 3 Tbsp flour stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.

Heat 2 C. milk in the microwave, I used skim and it worked fine take the fat out if you can, right
Pour the hot milk into the butter/flour and stir until it comes to a boil. Whisking briskly for 1 minutes or until thickened (here is where the higher fat milk will shine, as it will thicken faster).

Off the heat add
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 C. grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese. (the Swiss is much less expensive than the Gruyere with a similar taste)
1/4 C grated Parmesan

Pour 1/3 or so of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan and then add the cook cauliflower.
Pour the balance of the sauce over all.

In a small bowl combine:
1/4 C bread crumbs
1/4 C. Gruyere or Swiss cheese and sprinkle over the top

Melt 2 Tbsp butter and drizzle over all.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste

Bake 350F for 25-30 minutes

This can be prepared ahead and baked off just before serving.