This stew is delicious and so economical. The rosemary red wine combo is such a a complimentary flavour that adds depth to this simple comfort food. This has become my go to beef stew recipe inspired by Dave Lieberman of the Food Network.

Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans

Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman

Making an amazing stew is a whole lot simpler than most people figure. After you brown up your beef, all you basically have to do is throw a bunch of tasty ingredients in a pot and let it do its thing. Adding green beans at the end of cooking freshens up the stew and their snap is cool. You can make it completely in advance, as far as 2 days ahead of time. Just refrigerate it right in the pot and reheat it over low heat. You?ll have to stir in a cup or so of water because the stew will have thickened up. (Do the water thing if you?re reheating leftover stew too.) I use butter to brown the beef because it adds richness to the stew and makes for a creamier gravy. But you can substitute any type of oil for the butter if you want. Pretty much any decent red wine will do for stew; I like using Burgundy or Cabernet Sauvignon but the basic rule is that as long as you?d be happy drinking what you?re cooking with you?re in good shape.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 medium carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 small onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans reduced-sodium beef or chicken broth
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 handfuls green beans, ends trimmed

Directions

Season the beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy 6-quart pot over medium heat. As soon as the butter starts to turn brown, add half the beef and raise the heat to high. At first, the beef will give off some liquid, but once that evaporates, the beef will start to brown. Cook, turning the beef cubes on all sides until the pieces are as evenly browned as possible, about 5 or 6 minutes after the water has boiled off. If the pan starts to get too brown at any point, just turn down the heat a little. Scoop the beef into a bowl and brown the rest of the beef the same way using the remaining butter.

Scoop out the second batch of beef, then add the carrots and onions and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour until it has been worked into the veggies and you can’t see it any more. Pour in the chicken broth, wine, and crushed tomatoes, and toss in the rosemary. Slide the beef back into the pot and bring the liquid to a boil.

Turn down the heat so the liquid is just breaking a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook 50 minutes. Stir the stew several times while simmering so it cooks evenly and nothing sticks to the bottom.

Stir the potatoes into the stew, cover the pot completely, and cook until the potatoes and beef are tender, stirring occasionally, about another 45 minutes. Add the beans and cook for another 5 minutes until the green beans turn bright green and are cooked through but still have a nice snap to them.

Santa Maria Smoked Tri-Tip

This was nothing short of remarkable. The salsa was decent but really wasn't needed. The meat was so flavorful and smokey just by itself. We will definitely make this again but without the salsa.

Santa Maria Smoked Tri-Tip


Flavorful tri-tip steak is a cut of beef also known as bottom sirloin or sirloin tip. Compared to other styles of barbecue, this recipe comes together quickly, making it ideal for a weeknight, as well as special dinners.


3 cups hickory wood chips
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (2 1/4-pound) tri-tip steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 cups Santa Maria Salsa
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Soak wood chips in water 1 hour; drain well.

Combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder; sprinkle evenly over steak. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Remove grill rack; set aside. Prepare grill, heating one side to high and one side to medium. Place wood chips on hot coals on medium-heat side of grill; heat wood chips 10 minutes. Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place on grill.

Lightly coat steak with cooking spray. Place steak on grill rack over high-heat side of grill; grill 6 minutes, turning 3 times. Place steak on grill rack over medium-heat side of grill; grill 40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 140° (medium-rare) or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from grill; let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with Santa Maria Salsa; garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Wine note: Tri-tip from California's Santa Ynez Valley goes naturally with a full-throttle merlot from the same region. Gainey Merlot 2004 (Santa Ynez Valley, California), $26, is plush and plummy, with enough structure to stand up to the steak, the char-smokiness of the wood chips, and the pungency of the salsa. --Karen MacNeil

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1/4 cup salsa)

CALORIES 259 (46% from fat); FAT 13.1g (sat 4.8g,mono 6.9g,poly 0.5g); IRON 3.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 26mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.6g; SODIUM 544mg; PROTEIN 30.9g; FIBER 0.7g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

Curried Beef and Onions

This is another long time favorite of ours. It's cheap, simple to make, and can be made year round. It also smells delicious while it's cooking.

Curried Beef and Onions


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1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 cups hot cooked basmati rice
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak, and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeño; sauté 1 minute. Add onion, curry, and coriander; sauté 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, and simmer 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates.

Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Stir in yogurt. Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup steak mixture and 1/2 cup rice)

CALORIES 408 (30% from fat); FAT 13.6g (sat 5.2g,mono 5.1g,poly 1.7g); IRON 5.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 116mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.2g; SODIUM 418mg; PROTEIN 27.5g; FIBER 3g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003

Plan #3 - You Can Flank Me Later

Plan #3 is dedicated to Costco's Flank Steak. If you know how to prepare it, this underrecognized cut can be a great source of red meat for those on a budget. It's not the tenderest cut out there and so can usually get an excellent price per pound. The trick with Flank Steak is to cook with strong, bold flavours, and to slice thinly against the grain into small pieces when serving, otherwise it can seem a little tough. And try as we might not to be food wasters, Don and I have found that we just do not enjoy reheated steaks of any kind. So pay attention to how many people you are serving, portion off the meat and only prepare what you plan to eat that night. I've found from experience, that Costco's Flank Steak packages usually come with two very large cuts per package. One large costco cut can typically feed up to six people. For just Don and I, I cut each steak in half and freeze the four sections separately. Each half a steak contains more than enough meat for a dinner for two in our household.

Below are a couple of recipes for flank steak. As I mentioned above, start by dividing the meat into the right proportions for your family size. The Soy-Balsamic Marinade can be prepared ahead of time and frozen with the meat in an airtight ziploc bag, then grilled or broiled for an easy weaknight meal. Serve the marinated grilled steak as is with some roasted potatoes and veggies, or try it with the Chimichurri Sauce shown below for some additional flavor. The Curried Beef and Onions is an easy weeknight meal which makes use of lots of typical pantry items and spices. If you decide to make ahead and freeze, only complete the directions up through the tomatoes. Then on the night you are ready to serve, cook up some fresh rice and stir in the yogurt right before serving. Be warned though that this recipe is not one for those who cannot handle the heat. It's a spicy one but very tasty!

Soy-Balsamic Marinade


Notes: This marinade imparts a rich mahogany sheen and spicy bite to red meats and salmon. The recipe can be multiplied for larger batches; cover and chill up to 2 weeks.

This recipe goes with Grilled Marinated Meat

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

In a small container, mix soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, chili flakes, and garlic.

Yield: Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds meat, poultry, or fish

Sunset, JULY 2002

Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce


Chimichurri is a traditional tangy herb sauce from Argentina that's usually paired with grilled meat. Set aside half of the flank steak for Steak Panzanella another night.


1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
4 servings Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak

1. Place first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely minced. With processor on, slowly pour oil and 1 tablespoon water through food chute; process until well blended. Serve sauce with Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1 tablespoon sauce)

CALORIES 221 (50% from fat); FAT 12.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 7.1g,poly 1g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 33mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.2g; SODIUM 349mg; PROTEIN 24.2g; FIBER 0.5g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2008


Curried Beef and Onions




1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 cups hot cooked basmati rice
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak, and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeño; sauté 1 minute. Add onion, curry, and coriander; sauté 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, and simmer 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates.

Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Stir in yogurt. Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup steak mixture and 1/2 cup rice)

CALORIES 408 (30% from fat); FAT 13.6g (sat 5.2g,mono 5.1g,poly 1.7g); IRON 5.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 116mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.2g; SODIUM 418mg; PROTEIN 27.5g; FIBER 3g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003

Featured Ingredient: Hoisin Sauce

Don and I are both big fans of Hoisin Sauce. During my pantry cleanout, I went looking for a new recipe that could incorporate this wonderful ingredient that has now become a staple in our pantry and we found this winner below. Garlicky Hoisin Beef, is packed with all the flavours you could ask for - salty, sweet, and mildly spicy. In fact, it's so flavourful that it's a good way to use up the old meat in your ice box. No freezer burn detected here! Don and I used some old strip steaks, but you really could substitute any meat and it would work just as well (chicken, pork, or even shrimp). The sauce alone might even make a nice glaze for a Grilled Salmon Fillet. Another thing to mention is not to be scared away by the entire full teaspoon of red pepper flakes that the recipe calls for. The spice level is still only moderate, enough to detect the heat but not feel the burn. You can definitely control the level of spice by decreasing or increasing the amount of red pepper flakes you add. Even for weak-spice folks, I would go no less than 1/4 teaspoon since it is an important component of the flavor. I think next time Don and I make this we might try 1 1/2 teaspoons and see how it comes out.

Along with the sauce, the featured recipe incorporates a nice array of vegetables that you don't get in your every day cooking including snow peas and sweet potatoes. I don't think I've ever heard of putting sweet potatoes in a stir fry before but it really works here. The trick is to steam them in a little bit of water first to soften them up before adding the other vegetables as it says in the recipe. Don and I both enjoyed this recipe quite a bit as is, but our thoughts for next time we make this will be to increase the amount of scallions and also to add some sliced mushrooms as well. We served over Brown Rice which not only is healthier but I think really works with the recipe. It stands up to the strong flavors better and compliments the dish well. Other than that, I don't have any further recomendations except to TRY THIS ONE! You will not be disappointed. Additionally, this recipe comes from Real Simple Magazine which I know Camille will love!

Garlicky Hoisin Beef


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2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound flank or boneless sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup water
1/3 pound (1 1/2 cups) snow or sugar snap peas
3 scallions (green parts only), cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
1 recipe Garlicky Hoisin Sauce
Cooked rice

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high, add the remaining oil, and heat for 30 seconds. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 seconds. Add the sweet potato and water. Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. Add the peas and scallions and cook for 1 minute. Add the Garlicky Hoisin Sauce and increase heat to high. When it starts to bubble, add the steak. Stir-fry until warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately over the rice.

Tip: Pork or turkey cutlets can stand in for the beef, and green beans for the sugar snaps.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 463.88 (42% from fat); FAT 22.13g (sat 4.94g); CHOLESTEROL 46mg; CALCIUM 76.25mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.15g; SODIUM 1213.56mg; PROTEIN 27.25mg; FIBER 4.34g; IRON 3.59mg

Real Simple, OCTOBER 2005

Garlicky Hoisin Sauce


This recipe goes with Garlicky Hoisin Beef

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced scallion (white parts only)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup hoisin sauce (available in the Asian-food aisle of most supermarkets)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes, if using, and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into a bowl.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 180.38 (33% from fat); FAT 6.73g (sat 0.96g); CHOLESTEROL 1.44mg; CALCIUM 27.88mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.97g; SODIUM 1153.88mg; PROTEIN 2.65mg; FIBER 1.61g; IRON 0.82mg

Real Simple, OCTOBER 2005

Cooking Light Night #14

Flipping through recipes, this is not something that would ever stand out to me or that I would be drawn to. The title is long and confusing and I'm not sure what chimchurri sauce even is. But for this one, I went purely off of other people's ratings on the website who gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Flank steak is a great meat to cook with if you are on a budget because it's inexpensive and can go a long way. But it can be tough and tasteless. The Chimchurri Sauce though is AMAZING and really makes this deal a delight. This is my new favorite way to prepare Flank Steak and we will definitely be making again and often. Loved it! If you're interested in cooking more and exploring new recipes but aren't sure what you like, try visiting a website and reading other people's reviews. Not only will it give you a good idea of the quality of the recipe, but often times you can get good tips from other people on preparation methods, variations, and great sides suggestions. Here were some of the reader reviews for this recipe:

cooker - Five Stars
WOW!!!! this was awesome. I was a little worried that not marinating the flank steak would make it tough, but not the case at all. The sauce definitely made this dish, sooooo good! very very easy to make. 08/16/08

Monique - Five Stars
Wow...so delish...and so easy to prepare! I'll be making this dish again, and again, and again... 08/10/08


velveetahead - Four Stars
While I think I would recommend a higher cut of meat then flank steak since it was kinda chewier than I would have liked. The sauce was excellent. I recommend the sauce highly. 08/07/08

My Review - Five Stars
This is a great and inexpensive way to dress up boring Flank Steak. It was so simple and easy to prepare. The added lime juice gives this a sweet refreshing flavor that makes this much more exciting than your basic pesto. Try serving with fresh spring greens and strawberry salad. Delish!

Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce


Chimichurri is a traditional tangy herb sauce from Argentina that's usually paired with grilled meat. Set aside half of the flank steak for Steak Panzanella another night.


1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
4 servings Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak

1. Place first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely minced. With processor on, slowly pour oil and 1 tablespoon water through food chute; process until well blended. Serve sauce with Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1 tablespoon sauce)

CALORIES 221 (50% from fat); FAT 12.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 7.1g,poly 1g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 33mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.2g; SODIUM 349mg; PROTEIN 24.2g; FIBER 0.5g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2008

Cooking Light Night #13

Here's a well balanced meal like my mother used to make - Chile-Spiced Tenderloin Steaks with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Garlicky Green Beans. Of all the nutrition advice out there - food pyramids, low carb, low calorie, this, that, and the other - when it comes to creating a balanced meal, I think we were better off when we just had the four food groups. Every night for dinner growing up, my mom always did her best to make sure that the four food groups were well represented. Although I'm not sure my mom would have picked out these exact recipes, tonights Cooking Light Dinner #13 is still a tribute to her.

This is a very easy weeknight meal for four. I had a fun time putting the rub together and brushing it on the steaks. We did decide though that while not offensive, the lime juice was a little too acidic for the ideal flavouring of this tender beefy cut. I would like to try this rub again with just an olive oil base or something else in place of the lime. Also, it's getting dark out earlier now so it becomes more difficult to grill this time of year. Instead of grilling, I cooked the steaks in a hot cast iron skillet, four minutes on each side for a nice sear. Then, since a couple of the steaks were almost two inches thick in the middle, I also baked them for an additional 4 to 6 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees to get the middle cooked through to a nice medium /medium-rare. One way to know if a steak is done on a thick cut like this is to press into the steak with your finger, if the indentation stays, you need to cook it longer. If it bounces back up firmly then you are good to go. Other modifications to the recipes included leaving the skins on the Yukon Gold Potatoes for a little extra rustic texture (great idea Katy!) , and adding a splash of lemon juice to the Garlicky Green Beans to brighten up the flavor. Serve this with a tall glass of cold milk to complete your four food groups!

Chile-Spiced Tenderloin Steaks
Fire up the grill for juicy, flavor-packed steaks coated in a quick and easy marinade. Serve with baked fries and sliced ripe tomatoes for a complete meal. Time: 35 minutes.

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray

Prepare grill.
Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl, and rub marinade mixture evenly over both sides of steaks. Let steaks stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Remove steaks from marinade, and discard remaining marinade. Place steaks on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from grill, and let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak)CALORIES 173 (35% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2g; SODIUM 424mg; PROTEIN 24.5g; FIBER 0.4g Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Horseradish adds a peppery kick, but the potatoes are also good without it. Or add the horseradish last, just to the portion of potatoes reserved for the adults.

2 1/4 pounds cubed peeled Yukon gold potato
2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk, warmed
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan. Add milk and remaining ingredients; mash to desired consistency. Cook over low heat until warm.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)CALORIES 174 (28% from fat); FAT 5.5g (sat 3.4g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 15mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.6g; SODIUM 315mg; PROTEIN 3.2g; FIBER 1.9g Cooking Light, JANUARY 2004

Garlicky Green Beans
If you can find them, use haricots verts, thin and tender green beans. Because this recipe is so simple, coarse freshly ground sea salt and black peppercorns really count.

2 cups green beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon butter
Cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Cook beans in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into ice water; drain.
Melt butter in a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add beans, salt, pepper, and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until heated.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 cup)CALORIES 54 (35% from fat); FAT 2.1g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.1g); IRON 1.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 45mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.4g; SODIUM 170mg; PROTEIN 2.1g; FIBER 3.8g Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003

Cooking Light Night #8

Don prepared this dinner tonight and it was heavenly. Despite my adventurous spirit in the kitchen, I think this is the first time I've ever had shitake mushrooms. Me likey very much! The depth of flavor was both meaty and earthy and with a nice sweet caramelization. We served this with one of our new favorite side dishes - Spicy Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus (see post Cooking Light #1). Give this one a try. I'm sure you will like it as much as we did!

Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce


The steaks are sautéed in cooking spray to create a crust, while the mushrooms are sauteed in butter for flavor. Since the mushrooms release liquid as they cook, the butter is less likely to burn. Shiitake mushrooms create a sublime sauce with deep, earthy flavor, but you can substitute any other mushroom variety. Serve with mashed potatoes and Broccolini.


4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (1 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1. Sprinkle steaks with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer steaks to a serving platter.

2. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add butter to pan, swirling to coat; cook 15 seconds or until foam subsides. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, and soy sauce; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Spoon mushroom mixture over steaks. Sprinkle with thyme leaves.

Wine note: Merlot can be as serious as many cabernets. It's also a natural with both red meat and mushrooms, making it a good partner for this dish. California's Paso Creek Merlot 2005 ($20) has flavors of dark cherry and smoke with a savory edge that will highlight the thyme, while firm, drying tannins balance the steak and buttery mushrooms. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak, 1/4 cup mushroom mixture, and 3/4 teaspoon thyme leaves)

CALORIES 326 (31% from fat); FAT 11.2g (sat 4.7g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.5g); IRON 2.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 95mg; CALCIUM 34mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.9g; SODIUM 428mg; PROTEIN 34.9g; FIBER 3.2g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2008

Cooking Light Night

Trying to eat better. Planned a bunch of evening meals from Cooking Light and I'll be reviewing them here. Don cooked this one up to perfection. It's hard to believe it's a light recipe it was so good. We ommitted the frozen mashed potatoes and substituded the roasted potato recipe below. The mushroom sauce on the steak was incredible. Even so, it was the chile, garlic, and parmesan flavoring of the potatoes that really stole the spotlight. Be sure to give enough roasting time to let the potatoes get nice and crispy and make sure you don't add the asparagus too soon or it will get mushy. Serve with a tall glass of ice cold milk.



Sirloin Steaks with Mushroom Sauce and Chive-Garlic Potatoes


Serve with sautéed haricots verts.


4 (4-ounce) boneless sirloin steaks, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
3/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 (24-ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Sprinkle steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add steaks to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep warm.

2. Add mushrooms to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown, stirring frequently. Combine wine, 1/2 cup water, flour, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir well with a whisk. Add wine mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until thick; stir constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Prepare potatoes according to package directions. Stir in chives and garlic powder. Place 3/4 cup potatoes on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1 steak and about 1/4 cup mushroom sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 326 (29% from fat); FAT 10.4g (sat 3.4g,mono 4.9g,poly 0.7g); IRON 4.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 46mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.8g; SODIUM 682mg; PROTEIN 28.4g; FIBER 3.6g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008

Spicy Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus


Move the potatoes to one side of the dish before you add the asparagus so the spears can cook in a single, even layer.


2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 small red potatoes (about 3/4 pound), quartered
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided
1/2 pound asparagus spears

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, thyme, peppers, and potatoes in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450º for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese and 1/2 teaspoon garlic.

Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic, and asparagus. Add asparagus mixture to dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender.

Yield: 2 servings

CALORIES 223 (27% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.6g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 136mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.2g; SODIUM 419mg; PROTEIN 9.1g; FIBER 4.6g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003

A Simple Reminder

Tonight we had Jeremy and Katy over for dinner and games and I decided to serve this simple yet savory stir-fry. Yes, I have made it before. But this time, as we all sat down together, the steam still rising from the fresh cooked meal on our plates and started to dig in, all I could think about was how much better this was than any ready made convenience meal we could have picked up tonight. Everyone has those times when we get too busy, too lazy, too impatient, or just too impulsive to bother with cooking. It can be so much easier to give into the temptation of fast food or a ready made meal from the supermarket deli. But it's recipes like these -- listening to the fresh locally grown vegetables sizzle in the pan; the aromas of garlic, ginger, and toasted sesame wafting through your house; perfect meat marinade carefully adjusted to your own personal preferences -- which make me remember why I love cooking even if it seems like a lot of work sometimes. Despite the extra time in planning and preparation that cooking requires, there still is nothing that tastes better than a meal that you put together and brought to life yourself. And of course that feeling is always magnified when you can share it with friends whether it be an actual dish in person or over the internet in a blog like this.

This meal is not difficult to prepare at all but the cooking times are very fast so make sure you have everything prepped, peeled and chopped, before you start any of the cooking process. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a nice tall glass of cold milk.

Sesame Beef and Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1/4 cup Chinese black (Chinkiang) vinegar or rice vinegar, divided
4 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
3/4 pound top round, cut into1/4-inch strips
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted and divided
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups red bell pepper strips
1 1/2 cups frozen blanched shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed
1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1 (15-ounce) can whole baby corn, drained
1/2 cup diagonally cut green onions
3 cups cooked jasmine rice

Preparation

Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar, sesame oil, and five-spice powder in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add beef; toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove beef from bowl; discard marinade.

Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar, water, and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk.

Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; stir-fry 1 minute. Remove beef from pan. Add 1 teaspoon peanut oil, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, ginger, and garlic to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add bell pepper, edamame, mushrooms, and corn; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add beef and cornstarch mixture; stir-fry 3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and onions. Serve over rice.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 cup stir-fry and 1/2 cup rice)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 434(30% from fat); FAT 14.4g (sat 3.3g,mono 4.8g,poly 3.5g); PROTEIN 21.7g; CHOLESTEROL 36mg; CALCIUM 62mg; SODIUM 318mg; FIBER 6.3g; IRON 3.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.9g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003

Oh My Omaha

Some people like to give out baked treats around the holidays. Don's grandparents give out steaks. Now that's what I'm talking about! So last week we received a shipment from Omaha Steak company labeled "Extremely Perishable Goods." Inside was an assortment of neatly packaged various frozen meats and goods including steaks, chicken, pork chops, stuffed potatoes and even some dog treats all being cooled by a block of dry ice (which I didn't realize was dry ice until I tried to pick it up and burnt my fingers.)

So now I have an exciting freezer full of treats and a new source of inspiration to come up with exciting recipes on how to prepare them. Yesterday I set the sirloin steaks in the fridge to thaw and decided this time that I would search the Food Network Website for ideas. It was getting late in the afternoon and I was feeling a bit lazy so I didn't want anything too involved or that was going to take too long to prepare. Enter Rachael Ray to the rescue! I printed out the following recipe for Pepper Crusted Tenderloin with Mushroom Cream and Roast Asparagus and was off to the grocery store. This is another recipe where all of the ingredients can be purchased at your local Trader Joes - unless you are not from California, then you may have to go to the liquor store to pick up your cognac or Brandy.

Even though we just used sirloin steaks instead of tenderloin the recipe was still fabulous. The mushrooms soaked the concentrated flavor of the brandy and the subtle cream sauce was not so overpowering that it didn't allow you to still taste the great natural flavors of the meat. And considering that this meal took only 15 minutes to prepare start to finish, this one is definitely a keeper! I can't wait to try this again with some filet mignon.


Pepper Crusted Tenderloin with Mushroom Cream and Roast Asparagus

3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed at stem (fat stems should be peeled down a bit as well)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling plus 2 tablespoons
Salt
4 (1-inch thick, 3 to 4-inch round) beef tenderloin steaks, about 1 pound total
4 teaspoons coarse black pepper, a rounded palm full
2 tablespoons butter
6 white mushroom caps, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup cognac or brandy, eyeball it
3/4 cup cream, eyeball it
Chopped parsley leaves or chives, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread asparagus on small baking sheet and dress with a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt. Roast the spears in a hot oven until tender and ends are crisp and slightly brown at edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Asparagus should remain bright green.

Take the chill off the meat then pour the black pepper onto a small plate. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high to high heat. When oil smokes, press each steak into pepper to coat then place peppered side down in the skillet. Sear and caramelize the meat 3 to 4 minutes, turn and cook 2 minutes more for rare, 3 minutes for pink.

While the meat cooks, heat a small skillet over medium flame and melt then butter. Add mushrooms and lightly saute them for 4 to 5 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and add cognac or brandy to the pan. Be careful of flare ups. You may want to add the liquor off the stove top then return the skillet to the heat. Reduce the liquid by half, cooking off the alcohol and concentrating the flavor, then stir in the cream and warm it through. Reduce heat a bit and let sauce thicken 2 to 3 minutes.

Spoon sauce over meat and serve with asparagus alongside.

Sunday Stew

By Sunday afternoon the Thanksgiving leftovers were gone and it was time to start thinking about what to make for dinner. As always, I spent a good portion of my "vacation" doing household chores and errands in my lifelong quest to getting organized. Part of that included some fun time spent hunting for new and interesting recipes and making a meal plan for the week. Actually I got a little ambitious and sketched out a rough plan for the rest of the month! But we'll see how closely I stick to it.

The recipe I decided to try last night was this Autumn Cranberry Beef Stew from Cooking Light. The recipe was really tasty but I think the title is a little misleading. I don't know if maybe I simmered it too high but all the broth cooked out of mine and in the end it was more like a shredded beef served over noodles than a stew. But that's o.k. since as the broth evaporated it left behind all of it's intense flavoring which the meat soaked right up. It made for a nice hearty Sunday evening meal and will be nice leftovers for lunch the next couple of days. Though it is super easy to make, it does have a long cooking time so this is best made on a weekend. I give the recipe four out of five stars and it's going in my make again cookbook. This recipe stands well on it's own but if you want to round it out a little, it would be really good served with steamed broccoli on the side.

Autumn Cranberry Beef Stew

Ingredients

1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 (12-ounce) Guinness Stout
1 (10-ounce) package frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 (8-ounce) package button mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
8 cups cooked egg noodles (about 1 pound)
Chopped fresh thyme (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle over beef. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add chopped onion, broth, bay leaves, and stout; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pearl onions and mushrooms; cook, covered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine 1/4 cup water and flour in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and cranberry sauce to pan. Cook 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve with noodles. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Yield

10 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup stew and 3/4 cup noodles)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 479(27% from fat); FAT 14.6g (sat 4.8g,mono 6.3g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 39.5g; CHOLESTEROL 138mg; CALCIUM 35mg; SODIUM 239mg; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 6.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.7g

Christina Wilson, Lansdowne, Pennsylvania , Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007