Mom's Goulash

I grew up eating Mom's Goulash. 

When I got old enough to know better I found that Mom's goulash wasn't "real" goulash.  You know, the kind from Hungary?

I tell ya, I'm still traumatized by this!

Goulash originally was a type of soup or stew made with beef and vegetables.  Upon migrating to North America it took on different appearances by adding ground beef for stew meat and the addition of pasta.  In the south, it became a slang for using leftovers with the addition of pasta.

That explains it!  Mom grew up eating Grandma's goulash, most likely leftovers.  Then mom just adapted this in to her amazing version.

This dish is all about the prominent flavor of garlic! (gah lick)

So if you like garlic, this dish will not disappoint!  A quick weeknight meal...try it, you'll like it!

Let's make it!

This is a throw together dish so I'll do my best to capture the ingredients in measurements.

You will need:  pasta, ground sirloin, garlic powder, a 14 ox can of diced tomatoes, one small can of tomato sauce and more garlic powder!

In a skillet brown about 1/2 lb of ground sirloin.  Sprinkle with a good dashing of garlic powder.  I would say about 2 tsp.  Break the meat up in to chunks as it cooks.  Not fine, kinda chunky.

In a large soup pot add about 1/2 lb . of pasta.  Mom always used small shells, but I used rotini since that's what I had.  Cook according to package direction at a boil for about 8-11 min.

Drain your pasta and return it to the pot.
Add 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes.
Add 1 small can of tomato sauce - You want just a coating of sauce, not soupy.
Add salt and pepper.
Add about 1 - 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.   
Add the meat. (sorry the shot below didn't have the meat in it yet!)

Mix everything together in the pot and cook on simmer for about 10 min until heated through.

Serve with some crusty bread and a salad....and taste the comfort food.

There's nothing like Mom's Goulash!  Want some?



Mom's Goulash

serves 4

1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/2 lb. pasta (small shells or rotini)
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce
3-4 tsp of garlic powder
salt and pepper

Brown the ground sirloin in a skillet, breaking meat in to chunky bites.  Sprinkle with 2 tsp of garlic powder.  You want the meat to taste garlicky.

Boil pasta in a pot according to package directions.  Drain and return to pot.  Add tomatoes and sauce.  Add meat and 1 - 2 tsp more of the garlic powder.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on simmer for about 10 min to heat through.  Enjoy!

Pork Chops in an Orange-Cumin Sauce

I needed a quick and easy meal to cook for dinner last Friday night cause I had a lot to do...laundry, yuk!  I have made this particular orange-cumin sauce for one of my grilled chicken dishes but didn't have time for grilling. 

So knowing that I had pork chops on hand, I adapted that yummy sauce to become a pan sauce for the chops.  My oh my, was this yummy!

It's an easy weeknight meal with great flavors, Latin flavors, like a mojo sauce.  It has just a few ingredients so you can whip it up in a flash!

Hope you enjoy this recipe....we sure did!

You will need:  pork chops, orange juice, cumin, 2 oranges for zest and the segments, and cilantro. That's it! 

Zest your orange.  Next peel the oranges, be sure to remove the white membrane. (This part is bitter!)  Cut segments from the orange by slicing in between the white membranes.  

Place a tablespoon of oil in a hot skillet.  Salt and pepper both sides of your pork chops.  I used boneless skinless thin chops, but you can certainly use bone-in if you prefer.  (Thick or thin!)

Place chops in the hot skillet, cooking on the 1st side for 3-4 minutes. (Increase cooking time if using thick or bone-in chops)

Turn over chops and cook an additional 3 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Remove chops to a platter and keep warm.

Add zest, orange juice, and cumin to the skillet.  Cook until slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add orange segments.

Spoon mixture over pork chops on the platter and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Super flavors!

Pork Chops in an Orange-Cumin Sauce

Serves 4

1 T oil

4 pork chops boneless or bone-in

Salt and pepper

1 ½ t. cumin

2 T orange zest

1/2 cup orange juice

2 oranges, peeled and cut into segments

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

           

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook until cooked through, 3-4 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Add orange zest, juice, and cumin to the skillet. Cook until slightly thickened, 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange segments. To serve, spoon orange mixture over pork chops and top with cilantro.

Chicken with Lemon Sauce

When I was visiting Mom a few weeks back we had so much fun cooking together.  Making old family favorites, and some new ones too.

One dish my mom always likes to make is Chicken with Lemon Sauce.  She absolutely LOVES LOVES LOVES lemon anything, but especially lemon chicken, be it stir fry or Italian style...anything lemon goes! 

This is a simple take on a chicken scaloppini, similar in technique and flavor.  


This can be made as a quick weeknight meal or served as an elegant dinner for guests.  Serve it with pasta or rice as we did, and change up your vegetables to fit your mood.

Hope you enjoy this as much as my mom does.  It's super easy to make.

Here we go...

You will need:  chicken breasts, flour, butter, chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest and parsley.

Butterfly your chicken breasts, not cutting all the way through so you have a large piece.  Place the breasts in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound the breast out thin.  Go ahead pound that baby!

Salt and pepper your chicken.  Then put some flour in a pan and dredge your chicken breasts on both sides in the flour.

Heat up a skillet and put a pad of butter in it to melt.  Once heated add your chicken breasts and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Turn your chicken over.  See how nice and golden!

Add your chicken broth, lemon juice and zest.  Cook chicken for another 3-4 min until done.  You can baste the chicken with the juices at this time to give it flavor.

Remove the chicken to a pan and keep warm.  Turn up your fire and cook the sauce until it thickens about 2 min.  Sauce should be boiling to reduce and thicken.

Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle parsley on top and serve.  Oops! I forgot the parsley on ours...oh well, use your imagination!

Yummy!




Chicken with Lemon Sauce

Serves: 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper
3 T. flour
2 T. butter
1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest

3 T. fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Butterfly your chicken breasts, but don't cut all the way through.  Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper to season. Place flour in a pan and dredge chicken in flour.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and cook 3 minutes. Turn chicken over. Add broth, juice, and zest.  Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 3 minutes, basting chicken occasionally with sauce.  Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Bring sauce to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Serve over chicken.  Sprinkle with parsley!

Mom's Beef Stew

Anyone like comfort food?  Anyone having cold weather?

I've got a great solution for both.....Mom's Beef Stew!

This dish is hearty, warming, and brings such a sense of satisfaction!  It's been a family favorite for generations.  It's now a favorite of MGG's as well.  As a matter of fact, it was the first meal I ever made for him.  Such good memories!

Now, this stew takes several hours to cook.  Kinda low a slow, to really create the flavors.  So take some time on the weekend, during these cold winter days, and warm yourself up...make Mom's Beef Stew!

Here's what you need:  stew meat, onion, water, carrots, celery, a can of diced tomatoes, several potatoes, and some salt and pepper.

Cut the stew meat in to bite size pieces.

Cut an onion in to slices.

Add both onion and stew meat to a soup pot or dutch oven, adding water 3/4 of the way to the top.  Add salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down and simmer 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

This is going to make a great broth.  If you loose too much water, just add more, but remember to season the broth again.

Meanwhile, cut the celery and carrots in to small slices.

Add to the pot.  Cook 1 hour.

Add tomatoes and more salt and pepper.  Cook 30 minutes to develop the flavors.

Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut in to bite sized chunks.

Add potatoes and let them cook another hour.  Taste for seasoning.

Serve and enjoy the warmth and deliciousness!

Mom's Beef Stew

½  lb of stew meat, cut in to bit sized pieces

1 medium onion, sliced

water

3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2-3 stalks of celery, sliced

1  14oz can diced tomatoes

3-4 medium sized russet potatoes, cut in to medium chunks

Salt and pepper

In a 5qt stock pot add meat, onion, and enough water to cover 2-3 inches above the meat.  Heat over high heat to boiling and then reduce to simmer.  Add salt and pepper. (you will need to layer your seasonings)  Cook at a simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hrs.  This is going to make your broth.  If you loose too much water, turn your temp down, and add some water.

Add carrots and celery.  Cook 1 hour.

Add tomatoes, more salt and pepper.  Cook 30 min to develop the flavors.

Add potatoes.  Cook 1 hour.  Taste and season as necessary.

Serves 6.

Herb Rubbed Flank Steak

Growing up a meat and potatoes girl, I LOVE steak. 

This is a dandy recipe for flank steak that you mix up a pretty herb rub and roast it in the oven.
How easy is that?

Here's how to make it: 

(Sorry about the lack of pics on this one...I got so excited over the food I forgot to take the different steps, but you'll see...it's easy I promise!)

You'll need a flank steak, beef broth, red wine, herbs such as oregano, thyme, parsley, garlic powder, olive oil and lemon zest.  Oh, and a heavy cast iron (or any oven safe) skillet.

Mix oregano, thyme, parsley, garlic powder, olive oil, and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside. (I used fresh minced garlic in this one, cause that's what I had..)  (either is fine)

Season your steak with salt and pepper.  Add steak to a hot skillet on the stove over medium high heat and sear for about 2 min on each side.  Add the wine and beef broth and cook for about 1 min.

Using a brush, rub the herb mixture over the top of the steak.  Smother it will all of the mixture.

Put it in the oven, preheated to 400 degrees for about 10-15 min for rate to medium rare.  Take it out and let it rest. 

You want to cut this steak against the grain like this.

Serve with the pan sauce if you would like!!!  So Yummy!

Herb Rubbed Flank Steak



Serves:  4 - 6

Ingredients:

1 t dried thyme
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried parsley
¼ t lemon zest
1 t garlic powder or 1 clove of fresh minced garlic.
2 t olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste
1.5 lb flank steak
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup beef broth

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix thyme, oregano, parsley, zest, garlic powder, and olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over steak. Add steak to a large heavy ovenproof skillet. Cook 2 minutes on each side until browned. Add wine and broth; cook 1 minute. Spread herb mixture over steak with a brush.

Place in oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with pan sauce.

Christmas Pasta

So what to eat on Christmas Eve?  With all that is going on and rushing here and there to be ready for the big day my family has always turned to pasta on Christmas Eve. 



I like pasta...no I LOVE pasta.  I think pasta is a quick and easy solution to a yummy hearty meal.  Now we usually just make spaghetti with our family sauce recipe. (Which is completely awesome, I must say.  I'll post this another time.)  But this time I wanted to try a richer, little more naughty pasta.

Here's this years version of Christmas Pasta.



You'll want to roast up some chicken.  I used chicken tenders this time, cause that's what I had. You can use boneless skinless, or bone in breasts...anything will do.  Lay your chicken on a sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle some olive oil over the pieces.  This makes it juicy and yummy tasting.

Once the chicken was golden I let it cool a bit and shredded it with a fork.

If you feel you have too much chicken feel free to save some for another use.  I love to cook once and get to different uses out of  my items!

Now cook your pasta in a large salted pot of water that is boiling.

Meantime, make the sauce.

In a saucepan combine your butter and half and half...use heavy cream if you dare!

Warm over medium heat until combined.  Season with salt and pepper...I like a lot of pepper so I add a little more.

Then you add the grated Parmesan cheese...real tastes best!

Stir until melted.  What can be easier than this?

Drain your pasta.  Reserve a little of the pasta water just in case.  Return pasta to the pot.  Add the chicken and the sauce.  Stir to combine.  Use a little pasta water to thin the sauce if you think it is too thick. 

Serve and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley, cause it's "purty" ...and "Christmasy"!!

Hope you try this!

Christmas Pasta

Serves 6

Prep 15 min.
Cook Time:  30 min.



Ingredients



1 lb Chicken tenders
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 stick butter, unsalted
1 cup Half and Half
1 cup Parmesan,  fresh grated
1 lb Penne pasta



Directions



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken tenders on a sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.  Roast chicken for 30 minutes until golden brown. 

While the chicken is roasting, cook pasta in a large pot according to package directions.
 

For the sauce:  In a saucepan combine butter, half and half and warm until combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. 

Take out chicken and allow to cool enough to handle and then shred chicken with a fork. 
 

Drain your pasta reserving just a little pasta water in another small bowl, then return the pasta to the pot.  Add the shredded chicken and the sauce.  Toss to coat the pasta, using a little pasta water if needed to thin the sauce to the consistency you like.



Serve and sprinkle with a little parsley.



Enjoy!