Kiy's Recipe Box

Udon-Beef Noodle Bowl

Cooking Light, MAY 2002

This entrée falls somewhere between a soup and a noodle dish. You can eat it with chopsticks, but be sure to have spoons around to catch the broth.

8 ounces uncooked udon noodles (thick, round fresh Japanese wheat noodles) or spaghetti
1½ teaspoons bottled minced garlic
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (14¼ ounce) cans low-salt beef broth
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons sake (rice wine) or dry sherry
1 tablespoon honey
Cooking spray
2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 4 ounces)
½ cup thinly sliced carrot
8 ounces top round, thinly sliced
¾ cup diagonally cut green onions
1 (6-ounce) bag prewashed baby spinach

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.

Place garlic, pepper, and broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Combine soy sauce, sake, and honey in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and carrot; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vegetable mixture to broth mixture. Stir in beef; cook 2 minutes or until beef loses its pink color. Stir in noodles, green onions, and spinach. Serve immediately.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1½ cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 306 (16% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 1.8g, mono 2g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 22.4g; CARB 36.6g; FIBER 2.4g; CHOL 39mg; IRON 3.4mg; SODIUM 707mg; CALC 59mg;

Cooking Light, MAY 2002

This isn't quite Chili with a Kick, not too spicy... More like Chili with a Little Sass, just enough attitude without being too spicy. ~ Barbara @ Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers *and* Kitchen Comforts

Chili with a Little Sass

INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, diced
32 oz can of tomato sauce
32 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 15 oz cans of light red kidney beans
2 15 oz cans of dark red kidney beans
2 4 oz cans of diced green chilis

SEASONING:
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt

-OR-

2 packets of your favorite chili seasoning

TOPPINGS (all optional)
sour cream
shredded cheddar
tortilla chips
diced jalapenos

DIRECTIONS:

Brown the ground beef, strain the drippings

Keep the ground beef in the strainer while you sauté the diced onion

Once golden brown and slightly translucent, add ground beef back and rewarm

Mix together the seasoning (or use the packets)

Rinse the beans in the strainer

Add beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasonings to the ground beef mixture

Mix thoroughly, and simmer over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes

Serve with toppings

Cinnamon-Beef Noodles
Nina Simonds , Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001

Kiy Note: My friend Gina shared this recipe with me. Told me it's a family favorite so I knew I had to try it. I am excited as I have never thought to pair beef and cinnamon. I bet it's really tasty and different!

Kiy Update (02/2008): After making this now twice, I have come to realize ... it's a soup! Go figure, I thought I did something wrong the first time but nope, it came out exactly the same the second time. The flavor is simply amazing and honestly, it does not taste like cinnamon. I can't tell you what the cinnamon does but it definitely adds to the dish! YUM!!!


In this classic version of red-cooking, the meat is simmered in a soy sauce-based mixture for a long time until tender. Seasonings such as ginger, garlic, and cinnamon provide extra flavor. This method can be used to cook a variety of meats, including pork, lamb, chicken, and duck.

Ingredients:
5 cups water
1½ cups rice wine or sake
¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1½ inch cubes
8 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
4 cups hot cooked wide lo mein noodles or vermicelli (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)

Preparation:
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add half of the beef, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and beef. Return beef to pan; add water mixture, onions, garlic, cinnamon, and ginger. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard ginger slices and cinnamon. Stir in spinach; cook 3 minutes or until wilted. Serve over noodles.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup beef mixture and ½ cup noodles)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 403(14% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 2.3g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.3g); IRON 5.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 44mg; CALCIUM 80mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50.4g; SODIUM 1080mg; PROTEIN 30.5g; FIBER 2.9g

Polynesian Roast Beef

1 boneless beef top round roast (3¼ pounds)
2 tablespoons browning sauce, optional
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can (8 oz) unsweetened sliced pineapple
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ cup beef broth
¼ cup soy sauce
½ tsp minced garlic
1 medium green pepper, sliced (yuck, I sub with red pepper)

Cut roast in half; brush with browning sauce if desired. Combine the flour, salt and pepper; rub over meat. Place onion in a 3 qt slow cooker; top with roast.

Drain pineapple, reserving juice; refrigerate the pineapple. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and ginger; whisk in the broth, soy sauce, garlic and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Add pineapple and green pepper. Cook 1 hour longer or until meat and green pepper are tender. Yield: 10-11 servings.

Source: Simple & Delicious Nov/Dec 2007

Good Eats Meat Loaf
Alton Brown

6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
½ cup catsup
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45° angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

Kiy Note: I can't explain how much I detest meat loaf. One day, because Jeff loves it so, I decided to make it for him while I made myself something different (hahaha, like that happens anymore!). It smelled so amazing, I tried a tiny bite of his. Whoa, needless to say I now love meatloaf. THIS meatloaf. In fact, it does an injustice to this dish to call it that. It needs a new name!
Also: I double the glaze recipe - total yum!

Kicked Up Blue Cheese-stuffed Hamburgers
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Essence
12 ounces blue cheese
4 large whole wheat buns, split in half
Desired condiments, such as sliced tomatoes, romaine, sliced onions

• Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. (Alternately, cook the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• In a bowl, combine the beef, garlic, salt, pepper, and Essence, and mix gently but thoroughly. Divide into 8 equal patties.
• In a separate bowl, crumble the cheese and form into 4 equal patties. Place 1 cheese patty on each of 4 beef patties. Top with remaining 4 beef patties, pinching the edges under to seal the cheese completely.
• Place the stuffed patties on the grill and cook to desired temperature, about 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. (Alternately, cook the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat.) Place the buns on the grill, inside down, until just warmed through, about 30 seconds. Remove the patties and buns from the grill and place on serving plates.

*Note: I halve this recipe for Jeff and I. The first time I made this recipe, the burgers were HUGE!!!! Really, too big to eat … neither of us could finish one. Now, with halving this, they are perfectly sized. Also, for the Essence I use a variety of seasonings, depending on my mood: Caribbean Jerk, Worchester Sauce, Lawry’s Season Salt (omit the salt then, but then I already do), sometimes just a mix of rosemary and thyme.

8 oz steak strips
1 tsp dark sesame oil, divided
1 cup sliced green onions
2 cups prepackaged coleslaw
2 pkgs beef-flavor ramen noodle soup (2 – 3oz)
½ cups water (+ ½ tbsp as needed)
1 tbsp soy sauce

Heat ½ tbsp oil in large non-stick skillet (wok) over med-high heat. Add steak and onions, stir-fry 1 minute. Remove steak mixture from pan; keep warm. Heat ½ tsp oil until hot. Add slaw; stir-fry 30 seconds. Remove slaw from pan; keep warm.

Remove noodles from packages; reserve 1 seasoning packet for another use. Add the water and remaining seasoning packet to pan; bring to a boil. Break noodles in half; add to water mixture. Cook noodles 2 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in steak mixture, slaw and soy sauce, cook until heated through.

Serve.

Kiy Note: Honestly, it just doesn't get any easier than this recipe. I tend to use whatever meat I have in the freezer; chicken, beef, pork and then use the corresponding ramen noodle pack. Using prepackaged cole slaw makes this SO fast and easy. We love this dish!

*Kiy Note: This makes GREAT leftovers! Jeff loves to take this as an easy work lunch.

Shortcut Lasagna
From Cooking Light
This dish has all the flavor of lasagna, but takes a fraction of the time to prepare and serves up like a casserole.

8 ounces uncooked medium egg noodles
1¼ cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ground round (I also like to use ground turkey in this recipe)
2 cups tomato sauce
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cook noodles in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat.

While noodles are cooking, combine ricotta, 1 cup provolone cheese, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; set aside. Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato sauce; remove from heat.

Drain noodles. Combine noodles and meat mixture in large bowl. Place 3 cups noodle mixture in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread ricotta mixture over noodle mixture. Top with remaining noodle mixture; sprinkle with 1/2 cup provolone cheese. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Yield: 6 servings.

NUTRITION PER SERVING:
CALORIES 416(30% from fat); FAT 14g (sat 6.8g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 37g; CHOLESTEROL 107mg; CALCIUM 333mg; SODIUM 912mg; FIBER 2.3g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37.2g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2000