How are you doing this morning.  It's finally the weekend and I am sure you are feeling as good as me.  I am dying to get out and walk in the woods somewhere.  Yes, as soon as we have had this visit I will scour the internet to find somewhere nice to take off on a day excursion tomorrow.  Guess what I have to make a neat sandwich?  Culmination of English and Indian you could say.  Kabab like patties.  I say that because I sneaked some 'Shan Kabab masala into the ground beef I had together with some more ingredients and popped in the oven.  Oh, boy! never did a spur of the moment idea turn out so well.  Tasted like kababs though the texture was not as good because I refused to grind the meat fine in my mixer.  However, if you do have a way of grinding fresh meat at home do that with the recipe that follows and you will be making some delicious kababs at home.

   It's tart and hot and will go into a wrap or sandwich bread and make a pretty good lunch.



Ingredients:

Ground Meat - 1/2 lb
Onions      - 1 small finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbspn
Salt        - 1/2 tspn
Lemon juice - a squeeze ( I am thinking about 1 tspn)  Please be careful how much you add because the quantity of meat is very little.  Also, if you are using ginger garlic paste its already salted and had a sour taste.
Mint Leaves - 3 sprigs (take out only the leaves and chop fine)
Green chilies - 3 finely chopped or 2 well ground
Shan kabab masala - 1 tspn 
paparika -  a dash
pepper   -  a dash



Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients together.  (Use a glove if you do not like to work with fresh meat)
2. Make small patties, as thin as you can with the palm of your hand and place it on an oven proof tray
4. Bake at 400 D for 20 minutes.  Turn the patties with a spatula after 10 minutes and brush the juices the meat express back on.

Enjoy it as is or sandwiched between bread or crumbled into a wrap with your favorite salad dressing.

Contributor: Sunitha

 If you are a lover of shepherd's pie, today's recipe will either disappoint or thrill you.  I changed the spices rosemary, thyme and basil to cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.  I used a little garam masala in short.  I even threw a sprig of curry leaves for experiment and what do you know, it did quite well.  The only step I regret is not having drained the fat after browning the meat.  Else, I am delighted the way it turned out.

  I quite like Shepherd's pie.  The first time I had it at a friend's place was  a long time ago.  In Kerala, I doubt we were getting minced meat at that time and therefore she cooked and then ground the meat for the pie.  It was good but the texture of the pie was like that of pulled pork in sauce.  However, when cooked  with fresh ground meat its plenty different and I like it better.  Thereafter, I have had shepherd's pie in quite a few places and mostly pleased with them all.  Especially good, I  remember, is the one served at '13th floor' a restaurant in Bangalore.  Now, did I get that restaurant name right? I am talking about the one on MG Road.  The pie that evening was made with lamb and it was delicious. That is probably the last time I had pie outside home.

  About three or four years back I started cooking it at home using a recipe from an Australian cook book.  It's an old book and I had a photocopy from a friend.  A darn good one I dare say but cannot remember the name.  Now that I have been cooking a while, I finally created my own version today.  I am rather glad the way it turned out like I mentioned earlier.  Moist and spicy it's a meal in itself and I can already think of  possibilities with the left overs.  Enjoy!      



Ingredients:

For the first layer:
1. Minced meat (I used beef) - 3/4 lb
2. Onions - 2 small size chopped fine
3. Ginger - 1 Tbspn
4. Garlic - 1 Tbspn
5. Green Chilies - 5 - 6 thai
7. Paparika - 1/2 tspn
9. Black pepper - sprinkle
10. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
11. Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn
12. Tomato - 2 medium size chopped fine

For the Topping
Potato - 2 russet potato
Butter - 2 Tbspn
Sour Cream - 3 Tbspn
Milk - 2 to 4 Tbspn (use it accordingly when creaming)
Parmesan cheese - to spinkle on top
Paparika - to spinkle



Method:
1. Brown the meat in a skillet or any cooking vessel. Here, we are only looking for change of color of the meat from pink to brown
2. Oil will clear at this time unless you are using 100% lean meat
3. Drain some or all the fat
3. Add chopped ginger, garlic, onions and green chilies and continue to cook. Wait for cooked garlic smell and onions to be translucent
4. Add curry leaves and stir
5. Add paparika and pepper if you want it to be spicier or you may not use them also
6. Add 1 1/2 tspn of all purpose flour and stir into the meat and cook for a couple of seconds
7. Add chopped tomato and cook
8. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring to boil
9. I take around 20 minutes for the whole process from the time I start browning the meat
10. You may use 1/2 cup of beef broth too if you like. I don't, I think water is just fine.
11. Set aside



Topping:
1. Dice the potato and cook in about 3/4 cup of water
2. Check with a fork to make sure potato is well done and drain off any excess water or cook it dry
3. Add the butter and sour cream and whip using a blender.
4. Add salt to taste and milk to soften if the potato is too pasty. You do not want it running and not too stiff either.

Layering:
1. Butter a oven safe dish
2. Add the cooked meat and then the potato over it. Sprinkle cheese and paparika and cook in a preheated oven at 400 D for 20 minutes.
3. The meat mixture will boil and bubble at the sides and this is okay.



Server it with rolls, steamed vegetables or even with rotis.
This will serve 4 people.

Contributor: Sunitha

Crock Pot - Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe

During the fall and winter months, I enjoy making hearty soups and stews in my crock pot for my family. I love the fact that I can spend a few minutes in the morning preparing it, put it into the slow cooker and walk away...a few hours later, our dinner is hot and ready to enjoy.

The following recipe was given to me by my 83 year old great aunt about 25 years ago. To this day, I still enjoy making it for my family. If you don't like okra, you can certainly omit it from the recipe. At times, I have actually substituted the okra with some fresh green beans or green peas, and the stew was just as delicious.

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe

2 lbs. beef cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup beef bouillon
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 carrots, peeled and sliced in 1" sections
1 cup celery, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
4 medium-sized turnips, peeled and quartered
4 1/2 cups water
1 cup partially cooked okra

In a large frying pan, heat up the vegetable oil over medium heat. Brown beef cubes on all sides.

In your crock pot combine the browned beef cubes, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, onion, bouillon, pepper, salt, granulated sugar and the vegetables listed in the recipe. Pour in 4 1/2 cups of water and stir so that everything is combined.

Cover and set the dial to high heat and slow cook for 6 hours. Remove lid and stir in flour if it is needed to thicken the soup. Replace lid and turn the dial to low heat and simmer for 1-2 additional hours.

This recipe will make 6 hearty servings.

This article is Copyright © 2009 by Shelly Hill, all rights reserved.

If you are looking for a moderate to spicy chili recipe, then you should try this one. If you like more heat in your chili, you can increase the chili powder and red cayenne pepper.

Classic Chili Recipe

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
dash of cloves
2 large cans kidney beans plus juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons basil
4 cups tomato juice
1 can crushed tomatoes

Note: If you like it really spicy, you can increase the chili powder to 4 tablespoons.

In a large skillet, brown your lean ground beef with minced garlic and finely chopped onions until ground beef is no longer pink. Drain grease from beef and set aside. In a large stock pot, combine all of the above ingredients including the spices. Stir in the browned ground beef. Turn heat to low and simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until its done.

If you enjoy eating meatloaf but looking for an old-fashioned twist to the traditional meatloaf recipe, I think you will enjoy this vintage 1935 recipe.

Potato Stuffed Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 tablespoon onion, minced
2 tablespoons horseradish sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a large bowl, combine all of the above ingredients together in the order that they are given. Place mixture in a 9" by 5" by 3" loaf pan and pat it down so that it measures approximately 1" thick in size.

Potato Stuffing Topping

4 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons pimento, minced
2 tablespoons green pepper, finely chopped
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup cold milk

In a large bowl, combine the above ingredients together in the order given. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan on top of the meat mixture. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven. Remove from oven and if desired, sprinkle your favorite cheese on top and place back into the oven for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Kelly, almost 4

I love to make this recipe for my family, especially during the fall and winter months but you can make it any time of the year.

Meatball Stew with Egg Dumplings

1 lb. ground beef
3 tbsp. sour cream
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of celery soup
3 tbsp. sour cream
1 (16 ounce) can peas
1 (16 ounce) can green beans
1 (16 ounce) can carrots
1 (15 ounce) can potatoes, drained and sliced
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
2 eggs
2 tbsp. milk

Mix ground beef with 3 tablespoons of sour cream, onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Shape into 1" sized balls. Brown meatballs on all sides over medium heat in a large frying pan. Mix soup, 3 tablespoons sour cream, peas (with pea liquid), green beans, carrots and potatoes, pour over meatballs. Heat to a boiling, stirring frequently. Transfer above mixture to a large stock pot if it won't fit into your frying pan.

Stir remaining ingredients together (Bisquick, eggs and milk) to make a soft dough. Drop dough by spoonfuls into hot mixture. Cook uncovered, over low heat for 15 minutes, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serves 4-6 people.

We seem to get an abundance of Zucchini in our garden every summer and one of the ways I like to use them up is with a casserole like this one. It makes a great family dinner.

Zucchini Casserole Recipe

2 medium Zucchini
1 lb. lean ground beef
4-5 slices of your favorite cheese (we like cheddar)
2-3 beaten eggs
1 large can tomato sauce
Parmesan Cheese

Peel and slice the zucchini into the bottom of a casserole dish. Brown the lean hamburger and drain the grease. Place hamburger in casserole dish to cover the sliced zucchini. Place cheese slices on top of burger. Pour beaten eggs over top and then pour tomato sauce on top of that. Finish up by sprinkling Parmesan Cheese on top. Place casserole in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

I was able to bake my casserole in the Tupperware Chef Series 3 quart casserole dish. You can find a lot of awesome Tupperware products on my website.

This casserole dish will bake up and be on the dinner table in less than 45 minutes.

Hungarian Goulash

1 cup onion, chopped
2 tbsp. shortening
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 (4 ounce) pkg. macaroni, cooked
1 can cream of tomato soup, diluted
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 (20 ounce) can kidney beans

Brown onions and then stir in meat and brown lightly. Add celery and simmer until tender. Cook and drain macaroni noodles. Add tomato soup (use 1 can of milk or water to dilute it). Add chilic sauce and hamburger mixture. Stir in the can of kidney beans. Place everything into a casserole dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.

We love mexican food here at our home and eat it a few times every week. We like to just throw together whatever we have on hand and make our own mexican-style creations. A few nights ago, this is what we came up with.

Mexican Style Soft Shell Taco Roll-ups

large floured tortillas
1 lb. lean hamburger
1 pkt. taco seasoning
chopped tomatoes
chopped green peppers
chopped lettuce
chopped onions
sour cream
cheddar cheese
taco cheese mix
1 can refried beans

Brown up your lean hamburger and then follow directions on the taco seasoning packet. Chop up your fresh veggies and place in a bowl. Microwave refried beans for 2 minutes or until hot. We microwaved our flour tortillas for 15 seconds on high power. We then loaded the tortilla up with all of our goodies.

yummy...I just love the summertime when I can hang out in the backyard and fire up the grill. One of my favorite things to make on our bbq grill is kabobs! Here is the recipe we use when we make beef and veggie kabobs.

12 (1-inch thick) cooked beef cubes
12 cherry tomatoes
12 medium mushroom caps
4 green peppers, quartered
12 broccoli florets
4 medium onions, quartered
6 slices of bacon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. butter

Alternate beef cubes with vegetables on 6 skewers with a bacon strip on each. Melt butter in a saucepan, add salt and pepper. Brush each kabob with butter mixture. Place your kabobs on a hot grill and grill for 8-10 minutes or until done. Makes 6 servings.

If you are looking for an easy to make crock pot recipe, then you have found it! You only need 4 ingredients including water.

Salisbury Steak

9-12 hamburger patties
2 envelopes of brown gravy mix
1 envelope mushroom gravy mix or onion soup mix
water

In a large frying pan, brown hamburger patties on both sides. Dissolve brown gravy mix and mushroom gravy mix in 2 cups of hot water. Add gravy mixture and hamburger patties to your crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours or until done.