Category Archives: Tips and Tricks

Beef, Classic Recipes, Tips and Tricks

Homestyle Southwest Skillet

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Great for camping and cooking around the campfire. This is a twenty minute excursion into a delicious pasta and ground beef medley.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 – 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 (5.8 ounce) package of PASTA RONI Creamy Garlic Flavor
1 cup thick and chunky salsa
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup (2-ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend

DIRECTIONS:
In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion and chili powder. Remove from pain to drain; set aside.

In same skillet, bring water, milk, margarine, pasta and Special Seasonings (from PASTA RONI package) to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gently boil uncovered 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Return Beef to skillet. Stir in salsa and corn; return to boil. Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until pasta is slightly firm. Combine cheese with Topping; sprinkle over top before serving hot.

Beef, Classic Recipes, Sauces and Marinades, Tips and Tricks

Filet Mignon with Roasted Red Chile Salsa

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Makes 4 steaks

It is difficult to describe how good these filets are. If you are a fan of this cut, you must try this method of cooking and then enjoy the insane melding of flavors it presents.

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium Filet Mignons
4 cloves garlic
1 chopped onion
5 small to medium tomatoes, charred in a hot broiler
Tbsp. chicken broth

3 dried red chillies, toasted (when they puff up they are done). You will know they are done when the smell of chocolate or coffee rises from them. Allow to cool before removing seeds

Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cilantro, chopped lightly
Queso Blanco, or any crumbly cheese from Mexico
4 Tbsp. Avocado relish

DIRECTIONS:

Add the broiled tomatoes and the onion into a blender or mixing bowl. Add chicken stock to baking pan to scrape up the flavor and the tomato bits. Add those scrapings and juice to the blender. Remove the seeds from the red chilies and add to the blender. Puree for 30 seconds until smooth yet still thick.

Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper all sides of each Filet Mignon. Heat a skillet until a drop of peanut oil can barely stay around without vaporizing. Add the steaks. Sear each on high flame or temperature until brown. About 2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet to plate.

In the now empty skillet, add the puree of tomatoes, onions and chilies. Lightly cook on medium heat. Add 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Add 2 Tbsp. brown sugar and 1 tsp. cilantro. Put the Filet mignons back into the skillet. Cover with sauce. Cook five more minutes on medium heat for medium rare, or less for rare.

Plate the steaks. Top with sauce from skillet. Add a dollop of Avocado relish to the center top of each steak. Grate or crumble Queso Blanco on and around. Serve immediately.

Inspired by: A hot summer weekend in Mason, Ohio

Beef, Classic Recipes, Tips and Tricks

From the Classic Recipe Box

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Onion Juice based Marinade
makes any Steak Tender and Sweet!

This recipe comes to us from a buddy in Japan. It is so crazy and so simple that you will not believe how good and tender any steak can be.

In Six easy steps you will have the tenderest steak you have ever cut into — if you even have to cut into it. You will probably be able to eat it with just a FORK!

  • 1-Steak.
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion
  • 1/8 Teaspoons Ground Pepper
  • 1/4 Teaspoons Salt

Step 1
Salt and pepper both sides of your steak. Press the salt and pepper hard into the surface of the meat.
Onion Juice Steak
Add salt and pepper – press down into meat.

Step 2
Quarter a half of a sweet large yellow onion.
Onion Juice Steak
Quarter the onion.

Step 3
Puree to a pulpy sauce in a food processor or mini-chopper.
Onion Juice Steak
Add onions to the mini-chopper.

Onion Juice Steak
Chop into pulp.

Onion Juice Steak
Puree into fine chunks, pulpy but not completely into juice.

Step 4
Toss the steak and onion juice and pulp in a plastic Zip-loc style bag.

Onion Juice Steak
Drop the steak into a Zip-loc style bag.

Onion Juice Steak
Add the pureed onions to the steak.

Onion Juice Steak
Press down and clear the bag of excess air.

Onion Juice Steak
Coat both sides of the steak with the onion juice.

Onion Juice Steak
Store the steak coated in the onion juice in the fridge.

Step 5
Marinate for less than 1 hour and grill as usual.

Step 6
Throw away your steak knife and cut it with just a fork. ENJOY!