Bistec Encebollado

Lately, I’ve become a little obsessed with learning how to cook authentic Mexican food. I have several recipes from the mother of the family I lived with while I was in Guadalajara, but oddly enough, they aren’t quite what I’m looking for right now. I want the everyday food. The meals people actually make on a regular Tuesday night. What’s on the table when nobody is trying to impress anybody? What do families in Mexico eat day after day?

Instagram has decided to help me answer that question because my feed is now packed with Mexican home cooking. And I am absolutely here for it.

This recipe for Bistec Encebollado popped up recently, and the ingredient list immediately caught my attention. One ingredient in particular: Goya Mojo. I had never heard of it, much less cooked with it. Naturally, I had to investigate. When I discovered my local grocery store actually carried it, well…that pretty much settled it. I was making this recipe.

But then I read that bistec encebollado is often served on bolillos, those wonderful little Mexican bread rolls. And suddenly this dinner became personal.

When I lived in Guadalajara, I absolutely fell in love with Mexican bakeries. A couple of times a week I was sent to the local panadería for fresh bread. And when I say I was "sent," I should clarify that I was more than happy to volunteer for the job. There is something about walking into a Mexican bakery and seeing all that freshly baked bread that makes it very difficult to leave with only what you went in for.

I’ve never really been able to find that same kind of bread here in Washington. Until now.

There’s a little family-owned panadería only about two miles from my house (Mariana's Panaderia & Bakery), and I decided to stop in just to see what they had. And there, sitting right on the counter, was a PILE of bolillos. A PILE.

And you know what I love about seeing fresh bread piled up on a counter with absolutely no covering? It tells me everything I need to know. Those bolillos are fresh, they're meant to be eaten, and they probably aren't going to make it to tomorrow.

I attempted to order in my very questionable Spanish. The young man behind the counter responded in perfect English, which I appreciated while also slightly defeating the purpose of my Spanish practice. He smiled, asked how many bolillos I wanted, and I happily placed my order.

Then I turned around and saw them. Conchas. Mexican sweet bread. Well, obviously I needed one of those too.

I left that bakery like I had just won the lottery. I was practically floating all the way home and spent the rest of the afternoon looking forward to dinner.

This dinner was AMAZING. The combination of the adobo seasoning, Sazón and Mojo was exactly what I was hoping for. The flavors were bold and familiar in a way that immediately transported me back to Guadalajara.

This is exactly the kind of Mexican cooking I’ve been searching for—the everyday, home-style food that feels completely different from what many of us think of when we hear "Mexican food" here in the U.S.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love Americanized Mexican food. I will happily eat tacos, burritos, enchiladas and all the rest of it. But discovering these everyday Mexican dishes has reminded me just how much more there is to Mexican cooking.

And finding a recipe that gave me even a little taste of my Guadalajara days? Yeah. That made my day.

Bistec Encebollado

Recipe from Latina Mom Meals

Serves 4

• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 8 - thin sliced tip steaks
• 1-2 tablespoons of adobo
• 2 tablespoons of Goya Sazon Complete
• 3 tablespoons of Sofrito
• ¼ cup of Goya mojo
• 2 yellow onions thinly sliced

In a large bowl, mix together everything except for the oil.

In a large pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add in two steaks and a quarter of the sliced onions. Cook steak 3-4 minutes per side. Adding in a tablespoon of extra mojo if dry. Stir onions as needed to caramelize them. Remove onions and steak from pan once steak arrives to desired level of done.

Repeat process with the remaining steak and onions.

Serve immediately.

Cowboy Stew

Photo from Averie Cooks

When I hear the words “Cowboy Stew,” my brain immediately creates a very specific scene: a bunch of rugged, dusty cowboys sitting around a campfire, wearing well-worn hats, drinking from metal cups and digging into something with a spoon. What exactly is in that bowl? Apparently, my imagination never gets that far. For some reason, I always picture biscuits and gravy.

Now that I’ve actually made Cowboy Stew, though, I can absolutely picture a modern-day cowboy sitting around the fire enjoying a bowl of this. And by modern-day cowboy, I mean one who has fully embraced the invention of canned food.

This stew reminds me quite a bit of Hunter’s Stew, another hearty meal built around canned ingredients. Hunter’s Stew earned its name because everything comes from cans, making it an easy meal for hunters to throw together without a lot of fuss.

The Pantry Goat was over for dinner tonight, and this meal is completely her kind of food. And yes, there are definitely leftovers. I thought the stew was hearty, flavorful and exactly the kind of stick-to-your-ribs dinner I was hoping for.

I also added a can of green beans. Why? Honestly, I have no idea. I somehow missed that they weren’t actually on the ingredient list until I was already committed. But it turned out to be a very good accidental decision, and I wouldn’t leave them out next time.

The recipe says it serves eight, but I think you could easily stretch that to 10 if you’re serving it with a salad. I served mine with a simple side salad and garlic bread, and it made for one seriously satisfying dinner.

Cowboy Stew

Recipe from Averie Cooks

Serves 8

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 6 slices bacon, stacked and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 12 ounce package Polish sausage or kielbasa, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small
• 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
• ¾ pound Yukon gold or red potatoes, diced into 1-inch pieces
• two 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• one 15-ounce can of corn, do not drain
• two 10.5-ounce cans Rotel
• 2 cups reduced sodium beef broth, or as needed
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
• Fresh cilantro, for garnishing

To a large Dutch oven, add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat. Stir and crumble the beef as it cooks to ensure even cooking and browning. After it's done, remove it with a slotted spoon, set it aside, and drain the grease.

Add the bacon to the Dutch oven, and cook until crisp. Stir and flip as it cooks to ensure even cooking and crisping. After it's done, remove it with a slotted spoon, set it on top of the beef; and do not drain the grease this time.

Add the sausage, onions, and cook them in the bacon grease until the sausage has browned and the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir and flip frequently.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir constantly.

Add all remaining ingredients (except the cilantro), and simmer uncovered for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and done. If the stew is still too brothy, simmer it for additional time so some liquid evaporates. If it's too thick, add additional beef broth, as desired.

Taste the soup and make any necessary flavor and seasoning adjustments. Seasoning Tips - If the soup tastes at all flat, dull, or boring, it likely needs salt, so add some, to taste. I also add about double the above listed quantities of chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin, and if you like bolder flavors, follow my lead. Cayenne is optional and doesn't make the soup overtly spicy but rather adds depth of flavor. With any spices, always add them to your personal taste preferences.

Garnish with fresh cilantro to really brighten up the flavor profile (or try a squirt of fresh lime juice), and serve immediately. Stew will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Beef Stew with Dumplings

Dumplings only make an appearance on one stew in my world: Hunter’s Stew. It’s a recipe my Dad created, and like so many of his recipes, it’s tied to some pretty strong childhood memories. And honestly, the dumplings were always my favorite part.

So when I came across this recipe, my first thought was, Why have I never thought to put dumplings on any other stew? It seemed like such an obvious idea. Dumplings + stew = clearly a winning combination.

In theory, this recipe had everything going for it. In practice… well, let’s just say my execution didn’t quite live up to the promise. The stew itself was delicious. The dumplings, however, were another story. And that’s without even getting into the cheese version—I stuck with the basic dumplings.

I have absolutely no idea what I did wrong, but those dumplings refused to puff up. Instead, they just sat on top of the stew looking like little blobs of dough. They weren’t actually hard or inedible; they simply never became the fluffy, pillowy dumplings I was expecting.

And now I’m wondering if maybe Dad had something to do with it. Perhaps somewhere, Dad was looking down and saying, “Excuse me? My dumplings go on Hunter’s Stew. That’s it.”

Maybe I’ve learned my lesson. Some things just shouldn’t be messed with. Apparently, dumplings may be exclusively reserved for Hunter’s Stew.

Beef Stew with Dumplings

Recipe from Averie Cooks

Serves 8

BEEF STEW

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds Chuck roast , cubed into bite-sized pieces (OR beef stew meat)
• 1 white or yellow onion, diced small
• 3 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch slices
• 3 medium to large Yukon gold potatoes, OR 1 pound baby Yukon gold OR baby red potatoes, peeled if desired and diced into 1-inch chunks
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 4 cups reduced sodium beef broth, plus more if desired
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons lite or reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried

BISQUICK DUMPLINGS

• 1 ½ cups Bisquick mix, or similar product (OR canned biscuit dough OR your favorite scratch dumplings/biscuit recipe)
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup whole or 2% milk

To a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the olive oil, beef, and cook over medium-high heat to sear and brown the beef. Stir and flip intermittently as the beef cooks to ensure even cooking. Cook for about 5 minutes. Beef does not need to be fully cooked through, just browned on the outside.

Add the onions, garlic, and cook for 2 minutes; stir nearly constantly.

Add the carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and stir or whisk to encourage the tomato paste to dissolve.

After it has dissolved, add all the remaining ingredients (in the stew portion of the recipe), and simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Stir only very occasionally.

If the stew is low on broth, add some now. Tips – After the dumplings are added and while they cook, they will thicken the stew, so add more broth now if you think it needs it. I also recommend reduced sodium beef broth so that as it evaporates and concentrates while it cooks, and naturally become saltier, that your finished stew isn’t too salty. You can always add more salt, but can’t take it out. Now is a good time to taste and check for seasoning balance and add more salt or pepper, if desired.

Dumplings – To a medium bowl, add the Bisquick mix, cheese, milk (OR bake Grands Biscuits or similar according to package directions to save time OR make scratch dumpling dough).

Drop the dumpling dough mixture by rounded tablespoons evenly over the top surface of the stew.

Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, or until dumplings are fully set. Use a toothpick or break one open to test for doneness. If you baked Grands biscuits separately, halve them and place on the top of each individual bowl of stew before serving. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprig before serving.

Stovetop Carne Asada

I got the grill fired up again tonight, because apparently I have a personal rule that steak-like things do not belong on the stovetop. This recipe calls for cooking it inside, but y’all know that wasn’t happening.  If I’m making steak, it’s going on the grill.

The real reason I picked this recipe was the marinade. I used to watch Simply Mama Cooks on YouTube, where she made all kinds of authentic Mexican dishes. For some reason, she eventually stopped making cooking videos, but I remembered seeing this recipe a while back and knew I wanted to give it a try. Carne Asada is one of my favorites, so it didn’t take much convincing.

I went with flank steak and let it hang out in the marinade for about 3 hours. There’s a whole lot of citrus going on here, so I didn’t want to push the marinating time too far. And I’m glad I didn’t—the steak had plenty of flavor.

This is a really good marinade and one I’d happily make again. Assuming, of course, I remember where I put the recipe.

Stovetop Carne Asada

Recipe from Simply Mama Cooks

Serves 4

• 1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 c fresh juice of orange
• 1/4 c fresh juice of lime
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 small onion, cut into rings
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 lb beef skirt steak or flank steak

In a bowl, combine soy sauce, orange, lime, all dried spices and sugar. Mix well to combine. 

In a large plastic bag, combine steak, onion rings and garlic with the marinade. 

Marinate in the fridge 2-3 hours. Remove the marinated meat and set on the counter 15 to 20 minutes before cooking to remove the chill. 

Preheat your pan on medium high heat until the pan is hot. Sear meat on each side for 2-3 minutes. cook time will vary depending on the desired doneness your prefer. 

Once meat is cooked, remove from the skillet and set aside (cover in foil). Rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Steak Kabobs

We had one of those beautiful Seattle days that practically begs you to get outside and fire up the grill. And if the grill is going, kebabs are always a good idea!

I happened to find some petite sirloin steaks on sale at the grocery store, so they were perfect for this recipe. The marinade is pretty straightforward—nothing fancy or complicated, just a handful of ingredients that work really well together.

I let the beef marinate for my usual five hours, and that turned out to be plenty of time. One ingredient that stood out to me was the red wine vinegar. I don’t come across it in beef marinades all that often, but it adds a really nice tang and gives the marinade a little something different.

Steak Kabobs

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Serves 4

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Veggies: onion, mushrooms, zucchini, etc. You choose.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Place the steak in the bowl with the marinade or place both in a large Ziploc bag, making sure the meat is covered in the marinade. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour so the meat can tenderize, can marinate for up to 8 hours.

Carefully thread the marinated meat along with the veggies, alternating them on the skewer. Keep a little space between the pieces so they will cook evenly on the grill. Brush the meat and veggies with some of the remaining marinade. Discard the remaining marinade.

Grill the kabobs on high heat, for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on how you like your meat), turning the kabobs every couple of minutes.

Use tongs to remove the kabobs from the grill and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Ground Beef Burritos

I know everyone loves to call it “Taco Tuesday,” but around here, tacos don’t need a designated day. I could happily eat Mexican food seven days a week and never complain. Burritos, on the other hand, don’t make it onto my table ever. But really, when you think about it, a burrito is basically a taco that decided to wrap itself around some rice and beans.

Since I’m such a taco fan, I figured this would be a fun way to shake things up a little. And you know what? These were really good.

The biggest challenge with this recipe is getting all the different components finished at roughly the same time. The burrito gets a quick turn in a skillet at the end, but that little bit of time may not be enough to heat everything all the way through. So this is one of those recipes where a little planning goes a long way.

I started with the rice and let it cook for about 10 minutes before moving on to the meat and beans. The beans couldn't be easier—just get them into a pan and let them warm up. I used refried beans because that’s what I had on hand.

The meat takes the longest, needing around 15 minutes, give or take, to brown and cook through. If you time it right, the rice should be finishing up about the same time, while your beans have been ready and waiting for you.

Another tip: get your burrito assembly line set up before you start putting everything together. Have your tortilla ready to go. I gave mine about 10 seconds in the microwave, which made it much easier to fold without fighting with it. Have your cheese shredded, your onions chopped if you’re using them, and all your other toppings within reach. (I didn’t put onions in the meat, so mine went on during assembly.)

I had never tried putting a burrito in a skillet to “fry” it before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting myself into. If your skillet is still hot from cooking the meat, though, it really only takes about a minute per side. I used a spatula to press the burrito down as much as possible, hoping to get plenty of that golden-brown, crispy exterior.

And the verdict? Delicious—but I’m not convinced the final skillet step was necessary. Honestly, I don't think it added much to the finished burrito. Of course, I loaded mine up with Mexican crema and salsa afterward, so maybe those toppings covered up whatever difference the crispy exterior was supposed to make.

So, my final review: These were good, but I don’t think I need to make them again. When it comes right down to it, I’m a taco girl. I’ll be sticking with tacos.

Ground Beef Burritos

Recipe from Feel Good Foodie

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin

For assembly

• Cooking spray
• 6 large flour tortillas
• 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 ½ cups cooked rice
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained

Juicy Middle Eastern Sheet Pan Kebabs

I vividly remember the first shish kebab I ever had. It was at my uncle's house and consisted of beef, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms threaded onto a skewer. And just like that, kebab was defined for me. For basically my entire adult life, that's what a kebab was.

Then social media and recipe influencers came along and completely expanded my kebab education. Because apparently, there are MANY ways to kebab. Like this one! Suddenly I'm wondering if everything I thought I knew about kebabs was a lie.

Turns out, nope. Kebab is a pretty broad category, and they look different depending on where you are. Which, when you think about it, makes perfect sense. Five years ago, I would have never considered using ground beef to make a kebab. Now I'm wondering what other kebab revelations I've been missing. Google informed me there are literally hundreds of ethnic varieties of kebabs. Challenge accepted! 

I've been educated, and I'm grateful. Finally, something good came from social media.

First of all, my house smelled absolutely incredible while this was cooking. INCREDIBLE. You know a recipe is off to a good start when the aroma alone has everyone wondering when dinner will be ready.

I did manage to forget to score the beef before putting it in the oven. Oops. Thankfully, it didn't seem to matter much. When it was time to eat, I simply pulled pieces off the cooked mixture and carried on.

I did make one mistake, though, and this one was entirely my own fault. I overworked the meat while mixing everything together. I really don't like the texture ground meat gets when it's mixed too much, so I'm usually pretty careful about that. The problem was that I couldn't get the tomato paste incorporated evenly, and apparently my solution was to keep mixing. Rookie move.

But even with my overmixing incident, this was fantastic. I've also never cooked with sumac before, and now I'm wondering where it's been all my life. I love discovering a new seasoning to add to my arsenal.

Everything about this recipe just works. I didn't have lavash, I used a tortilla instead, and it did the job just fine. I'm sure lavash would have been even better, but when you're standing in your kitchen with a tortilla in hand, you improvise.

Kebab education: lesson learned. And apparently, I have a lot more to learn and cook.

Juicy Middle Eastern Sheet Pan Kebabs

Recipe from Kale Junkie

Serves 8+ (You know I cut this down to 1/4 of the recipe)

• 2 Pounds Ground Beef, I like 85/15 for juicer kebabs, but leaner works too!⁣
• ½ White Onion
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (I did not include these - blech)
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• ¼ Cup Parsley, chopped⁣
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 Teaspoons Cumin
• 2 Teaspoons Paprika⁣
• 2 Teaspoons Aleppo Pepper, optional but recommend⁣
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 1 ½ Teaspoons Kosher Salt

For the Salad:

• 2 Persian Cucumbers, chopped⁣
• ½ Red Onion, sliced⁣
• 2 Roma Tomatoes , chopped⁣
• 2 Tablespoons Sumac⁣
• 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

For the Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 Persian Cucumber, grated, liquid pressed out⁣
• ½ Lemon
• ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

For Serving:

• Lavash⁣ (I used a tortilla because I forgot to buy Lavash)

To make these Sheet Pan Middle Eastern Beef Kebabs, start by preheating your oven to 375 F. 

Next, prepare the ground beef mixture. Add the white onion, red bell pepper, and garlic to a small food processor and blend until the mixture is liquidy. Transfer it to a bowl and use a paper towel to press out as much moisture as possible.

Add the ground beef to a large bowl, along with the onion, bell pepper, and garlic mixture, the chopped parsley, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, and kosher salt. Mix everything together very well until fully incorporated—I like to use my hands for this! Then, transfer the ground beef mixture to a greased quarter sheet pan and spread it into an even, flat layer.

Use a knife to score the beef horizontally and vertically, just like you would see at a restaurant — this will make it easy to cut into individual kebab pieces once they’re done. Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake at 375 F for 20 minutes. Then, switch the oven to broil and broil for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the tops are perfectly golden. 

Remove from the oven and cut the Sheet Pan Middle Eastern Beef Kebabs along the horizontal lines you previously scored.

While the kebabs are in the oven, prepare the sumac salad.
Chop the Persian cucumbers, red onion, and roma tomatoes and add them to a bowl. Toss with sumac, red wine vinegar, avocado oil, and kosher salt until well combined. Set aside.

Next, make the Greek yogurt sauce. Grate Persian cucumber and press out the liquid using a clean towel or paper towel. Add it to a bowl with Greek yogurt, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice from half a lemon, and kosher salt. Mix to fully combine and set it aside.

Finally, assemble your wraps! Lay out a piece of warm lavash and spread a generous layer of the Greek yogurt sauce down the center. Add 2-3 of the Sheet Pan Middle Eastern Beef Kebabs on top, followed by a scoop of the sumac salad. Fold it up, and enjoy!

Ribeye Steak Marinade

I was in the mood for steak this week, so naturally I started looking for a new marinade to try. I’d saved this recipe a few months ago, mostly because one ingredient had me scratching my head: butter. In a marinade. Instead of oil. Butter?! How exactly is that supposed to work?

After reading through the directions and realizing this involved an immersion blender and a little emulsifying magic, I figured, why not? I gave it a shot. And honestly? I’m still not convinced the butter did anything particularly spectacular for the steak. It certainly didn’t produce some kind of life-changing steak moment.

And before anyone asks, no, I did not use ribeye. Have you seen the price of ribeye lately? CACHING!  I used flank steak that I found on sale, because that is the only time flank steak makes it into my cart. If it isn’t on sale, I’m walking right past it.

As for the marinade, it was good. Just good. Nothing that made me stop mid-bite and declare, “OH MY GOD, THIS IS AMAZING!” It was a solid, dependable marinade and I’m glad I tried it, but I don’t think I’ll be dreaming about it anytime soon.

The recipe never actually tells you how to cook the steak, which I found a little odd. Not a problem, though—I fired up the grill because, well, steak belongs on the grill as far as I’m concerned.

I let the flank steak hang out in the marinade for about four hours, then tossed it on the grill and cooked it to perfection. In the end, it was a tasty steak, a successful dinner, and another recipe checked off the list. Sometimes that's enough.

Ribeye Steak Marinade

Recipe from Amanda's Cookin'

Serves 2

• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Franks red hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Add all marinade ingredients to an immersion blender and blend to combine well.

Add marinade to a large glass dish or a plastic gallon zipper bag. Add 2 ribeye steaks and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.

Remove meat from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Allow to sit at room temperature, covered loosely with foil or plastic wrap, for about 20-30 minutes before cooking.

Steak Foil Packets (Hobo Dinner)

Photo by The Food
Charlatan

Hobo packets immediately took me back to Girl Scout camp. I’m pretty sure just about every Girl Scout made these at some point—hamburger patties, potatoes, maybe a little corn, all wrapped up in foil and cooked over the fire. There was something about making your entire dinner yourself that felt pretty darn special. It was simple, but at the time it felt like we were quite the little survivalists.

Fast forward a few decades and I make my own dinner all the time. Somehow, though, the magic has worn off. So when I came across this recipe, the combination of easy and nostalgic was enough to get me in the kitchen.

The recipe calls for cooked rice but doesn't specify whether that means freshly cooked or leftover. I went with leftover rice because I almost always have some stashed in my freezer. I figured the steam and juices inside the packet would do the job of bringing the rice back to life—and they did.

For the protein, I used a NY strip because that’s what I had on hand. I added asparagus for a vegetable and layered everything together with the steak and rice.

The recipe called for cooking the packet for 60 minutes, so that’s what I did.

And, well...that was a mistake.

Over cooked asparagus (the worst) and over cooked NY strip (a sin). 

Steak Foil Packets (Hobo Dinner)

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 4

• 4 cups cooked rice
• 1 (1-oz) packet onion soup mix
• 1 pound steak, cube steak or top round steak
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk, divided
• carrots, zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, green beans, etc. , (optional)*
• heavy duty foil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (Or see notes for camp fire or grill instructions.)

Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy duty foil, about 10-12 inches across. Regular foil will work too, just be careful not to tear it. You can double wrap if you're worried about it.

Add 1 cup of cooked rice to the center of each sheet of foil.

Top rice with about 1-2 teaspoons of onion soup mix.

Use a sharp knife to slice the steak into 12 thin strips, about 1 inch across.

Place 3 strips of steak on top of each mound of rice.

Pour 2 tablespoons of evaporated milk over the top of each mound of steak and rice.

Sprinkle the remaining onion soup mix evenly over the rest of the steak in each packet.

For each sheet of foil, bring the short ends of the foil together over the rice and steak. Press together and fold down securely over the food. For each end, fold the corners in, and then continue folding until you have a nice secure packet. See photos!

Place the 4 packets on a large baking sheet .

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and carefully open each packet, being very careful not to burn yourself with the steam.

Serve hot!

Pan Con Bistec | Cuban Steak Sandwich

Photo from Latina
Mom Meals

Cuban food has always been a little bit of a mystery to me, but it's one I've been happy to explore whenever the opportunity comes along. My Aunt Julie is Cuban, and while I only had the chance to share a handful of meals with her and my uncle that really highlighted Cuban cooking, those meals stuck with me. I remember plenty of rice and beans, and one unforgettable chicken dish that was so tender it practically fell off the bone.

Beyond those memories, I haven't had much experience with Cuban cuisine, but every Cuban-inspired dish I've tried has been full of flavor and something I've genuinely enjoyed. So when I came across this recipe, it immediately went on my must-make list.

The first challenge was finding sour orange, or naranja agria, which is a key ingredient in traditional Cuban mojo. After checking everywhere I could think of without any luck, I ended up making my own mojo marinade using a recipe I found online. I've included that below as well.

I marinated the beef for about two hours, and if I make this again, I'll shorten that time. Surprisingly, the citrus became the dominant flavor. It wasn't unpleasant by any means, but it was much stronger than I expected. I think this dish is at its best when the citrus adds brightness in the background rather than taking center stage.

Even with that one adjustment, I enjoyed trying another Cuban-inspired recipe. It reminded me why I've always been drawn to the flavors of Cuban cooking—simple ingredients, bold flavors, and dishes that feel both comforting and memorable.

Pan Con Bistec | Cuban Steak Sandwich

Recipe from Latina Mom Meals

Serves 4

• 2.2 pounds of cube steak
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of garlic
• ½ teaspoon of cumin
• ½ teaspoon of ground oregano
• 1 packet of Sazon seasoning optional
• 1 large onion sliced
• 1- 1 ½ cups of naranja agria or mojo marinade
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 loaf of Cuban bread or French bread
• mayonnaise as desired

Classic Cuban Mojo Recipe

• ¾ cup bitter orange juice (or ½ cup fresh lime juice + ¼ cup sweet orange juice)
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8–10 cloves fresh garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup fresh mint or cilantro leaves, finely chopped (optional)

In a large bowl, season steak with salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano, and Sazon. Massage the steak with the seasonings. Add in onions and naranja agria. [Or if you can't find naranja agria make the mojo marinade by whisking everything togher.] Let it marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add in steak and onions. Cook steak for 4-6 minutes per side, or until desired level of done. May be done in batches. 

Leave the onions until as softened as desired. 

To assemble the sandwiches, cut steak one steak into 3-4 slices and place it on a cut 4 inch Cuban bread that has been smeared with mayonnaise. Top with onions and close the sandwich. Serve.

Crockpot Swiss Steaks

I have a vague memory of my Grandma making Swiss steak when I was a kid. I remember her telling me how fancy it was because it was “Swiss.” Now, having actually lived in Switzerland, I don’t recall ever seeing Swiss steak on a menu. So naturally, I had to know where it came from. Off to Google I went…

Photo from Spend
with Pennies

Turns out, Swiss steak is American and the “Swiss” part refers to the way the meat is tenderized. Basically, it’s the technique used to turn a tougher cut of beef into something resembling cube steak. So, not nearly as fancy as Grandma made it sound. 

Apparently, I’ve made Swiss steak a handful of times over the years, and my reviews of those recipes are all over the place. Some I’ve liked, some I haven’t. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the recipe matters.

Unfortunately, this particular recipe didn’t do it for me.

It felt like it was missing some depth. Now, I do realize the blog I found this on is Spend with Pennies, which is all about doing more with less, so perhaps I should have expected this to be a pretty basic recipe. And it was. Basic isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but in this case, I just felt like it needed…more. More flavor, more depth, something to make me want to go back for another bite.

What I did really like were the carrots. I absolutely love carrots that have been slowly stewed in a beefy broth for a couple of hours. Those were tender, flavorful, and probably my favorite part of the whole dish.

So, the verdict? I think I like Swiss steak. I just need to find the right recipe.

Crockpot Swiss Steaks

Recipe from Spend With Pennies

Serves 4

• 1 ½ pounds round steak or cube steaks or minute steaks
• 2 carrots sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 rib celery sliced into 1-inch pieces
• ½ yellow onion sliced ½-inch
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce each) can diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• salt and black pepper to taste
• cornstarch optional, for thickening

Add sliced carrots, celery, onion, & garlic to the bottom of a slow cooker.

Pound steaks with a meat tenderizer to ¼ inch thickness and season with salt and pepper (cube steaks do not need to be pounded). Put flour in a shallow dish or plate and dredge each steak in the flour mixture.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown steaks on both sides, about 2 minutes per side adding more oil if needed.

In the same pan, add wine and scrape up any brown bits. Add to the slow cooker with remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch.

Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high or until steaks are fork tender.

Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.

Grilled Steakhouse Kabobs

Photo from Creme
de la Crumb

Seattle has been serving up a couple of scorching hot days lately, and when it's that warm, the last thing I want to do is cook. I was busy those days anyway, so takeout and leftovers came to the rescue. But tonight the temperatures finally dropped, making it the perfect evening to fire up the grill.

As I was mixing up this marinade, it felt strangely familiar. Then it hit me—it reminded me of my all-time favorite "Better Than A-1" marinade that I first made way back in 2007. That recipe was in regular rotation for years before somehow slipping off my radar.

After comparing the two, I realized they're almost identical. The ingredient amounts vary just a bit, but the overall flavor is practically the same. It was like rediscovering an old favorite in a new recipe.

The kebabs turned out absolutely delicious. Even better, I managed not to overcook them for once! The steak stayed juicy and tender, the marinade added just the right balance of savory flavor, and dinner disappeared in no time. I'll definitely be adding this one back into my grilling rotation.

Grilled Steakhouse Kabobs

Recipe from Creme de la Crumb

Serves 4

• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ pounds beef sirloin tips - (or similar grilling steak), cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
• 1 large red onion - sliced into 1 ½ inch pieces

Whisk together Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, brown sugar, and pepper. Add to a bag along with beef. Seal and marinate for 20 minutes or up to 14 hours (the longer the better!)

When ready to prepare, grease and preheat the grill. Skewer the onions and beef and grill over medium heat 8-10 minutes, turning throughout, until just cooked through or desired doneness is achieved. Serve garnished with parsley or cilantro if desired and steak sauce for dipping.

Pro tip: add mushrooms to take these to the next level!

Flank Steak in Adobo

One thing I've learned after cooking hundreds of recipes is that I end up liking about 99% of them. The handful that don't make the cut are usually because I forgot an ingredient, made a substitution that didn't work, or somehow managed to outsmart the recipe.

So when I pulled out a recipe from Cook's Country, I was pretty confident this one was going to be a winner.

Unfortunately...it wasn't.

The hardest part is figuring out exactly why.

My biggest complaint was the sauce. The recipe starts by steeping dried chiles in hot water before blending them with the rest of the ingredients. Almost every other recipe I've made using dried chiles has one extra step: strain the blended chilis. That removes all the little bits of chile skin and leaves you with a silky, smooth sauce.

This recipe skipped that step, and I think it made a difference. The finished sauce was full of tiny pieces of dried chile, which gave it a gritty texture that just wasn't very appealing.

As for the flavor, it was...fine. It had the mild heat I expected and plenty of savory flavor, but nothing really stood out. It just never reached that "I can't wait to make this again" level.

One thing that did surprise me was the flank steak. I'd never used flank steak in a long, slow-cooked recipe before, but it actually held up well. It became tender and shredded easily, so I have no complaints there.

Not every recipe can be a home run, and this one just wasn't for me. I don't think it's a bad recipe—it simply didn't hit the mark for my taste buds.

Flank Steak in Adobo

Recipe from Cook's Country

Serves 4-6

• 1 ½ ounces dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 ounce dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
• ¾ c salsa verde
• ¾ c chicken broth
• ½ c orange juice
• ⅓ c packed brown sugar
• ¼ c lime juice (2 limes)
• 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 ½—3; pounds flank steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T ground cumin
• 12 (8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)
• ½ c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Cuban Picadillo

I've made quite a few picadillo recipes over the years, and while they all have their own little twists, they also have one thing in common—they're always delicious.

Before making this one, I got curious about what actually makes Cuban picadillo different from all the other versions I've tried. So, naturally, I asked AI. The biggest difference, apparently, is the balance of sweet and savory flavors, usually thanks to ingredients like raisins and green olives.

The funny thing is, when I searched my own blog for "picadillo," several of the recipes I'd already made were labeled as Cuban. Who knew? Now I'm intrigued. I think I need to go on a little picadillo tour and try versions from different countries to see how they all compare. Stay tuned—that sounds like a fun cooking project!

As for this recipe, it was exactly what I expect from a good picadillo. It was hearty, flavorful, and made for a comforting meal, but it didn't really do anything to set itself apart from the others I've made. There wasn't a big "wow" factor, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was still a solid, satisfying dinner and made plenty of leftovers—some for me and, of course, some for the Pantry Goat.

Cuban Picadillo

Recipe from Kevin's Cooking

Serves 8

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp chili seasoning
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 large white onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 16 oz tomato sauce
• 1 large carrot peeled and diced, about 1 cup
• 1 large White or Yukon Gold potato diced, about 1 cup
• 1/2 cup green olives drained
• 1/4 cup capers drained
• 1/4 cup raisins

Over medium high, heat the oil in a dutch oven or large stock pot and add the ground beef, kosher salt, chili powder and cumin. Cook until no longer pink, about 6-7 minutes.

Stir in onion, garlic and tomato paste. Cook for several minutes. Stir in tomato sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes covered.

Add diced carrot, potatoes, olives, capers and raisins. Stir and continue cooking for another 20 minutes covered. Stir occasionally and add some water if it gets too thick and does not scorch bottom of pot.

Braised Pot Roast with Vegetables

Photo from Melissa's
Southern Style Kitchen

My dad loved pot roast. In fact, it was his birthday dinner every single year. The funny part? He'd request it... and then he'd make it himself. Nobody complained because the man made one heck of a pot roast.

I've spent years trying to recreate it. I've made some really good roasts along the way, but they were never Dad's pot roast. There was always something missing.

Until tonight.

I found this recipe and made a couple of little tweaks—plus I accidentally left out two ingredients. Sometimes my cooking adventures are less "following a recipe" and more "let's see what happens."

My intentional change was adding baby potatoes. I know... cue the dramatic gasps. But I had a bag that needed to be used, and honestly, who makes pot roast without potatoes? They belong in the pot. End of discussion.

The unintentional change? I completely forgot to add the bay leaf and thyme. They were sitting on the counter the whole time, patiently waiting for their moment that never came. Oops.

You know what? I don't think it mattered one bit.

This roast was everything I want pot roast to be—fork tender, rich, comforting, and packed with flavor. It instantly brought back memories of Dad's birthday dinners. Is it exactly his recipe? Probably not. But it's the closest I've ever come, and that's a pretty big deal.

So, without any hesitation, this recipe is getting the coveted "Favorite" label. It'll be tucked safely into my "make again and again" file because this one is absolutely staying in the rotation.

Thanks, Dad, for setting the pot roast bar so incredibly high. It only took me years, but I think I finally found one that would have made you smile.

Braised Pot Roast with Vegetables

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

Serves 10

• 4 lb beef chuck roast
• 3 tablespoon seasoning i.e. Meat Magic or Montreal steak seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 lb carrots peeled and diced
• 3 ribs celery sliced
• 1 large Vidalia or sweet onion cut into thin wedges
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cup low sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning Sauce
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 water or milk

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Rinse and pat dry the chuck roast with paper towels. Season liberally on all sides with Meat magic seasoning or similar.

In a 6 quart Dutch oven or oven safe heavy pot heat a few drizzles of olive oil with 2 Tbsp butter. Brown the roast for 2-3 minutes on every side. Remove to a platter.

Place the sliced carrots, celery and onion into the pan Season with 1 tsp garlic salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until they begin to soften and brown. Add the minced garlic, thyme and bay leaf.

Pour the beef broth over the vegetables and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any brown bits. Rest the roast on top and sprinkle with the Worcestershire sauce.

Cover the pot and place into the oven. Braise in the oven for 3 hours or until fork tender.

To thicken the braising liquid remove the roast and vegetables from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm.

Skim any visible fat from the top of the liquid then bring to a boil. Make a flour slurry by dissolving the flour in cold water or milk depending on your preference.

Add the Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce to the liquid and whisk in the flour slurry. Cook for 5 minutes until thickened. Drizzle over the roast just before serving.

Glazed Steak Bites & Garlic Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of those dishes that's either absolutely amazing or completely forgettable. It all depends on the restaurant. Some places serve fried rice that's packed with bold, savory flavor, while others leave you wondering where the seasoning went. I'll take the flavorful version every single time.

The good news is that great fried rice is surprisingly easy to make at home. The biggest secret is using cold, day-old rice. In my case, I always cook extra rice and stash the leftovers in the freezer specifically for recipes like this. It's one of my favorite meal prep tricks because I always have perfectly chilled rice ready to go. The key is remembering to get it out of the freezer.

At first glance, this recipe looks like it has a lot of moving parts, but don't let that scare you away. It actually comes together pretty quickly. I do recommend following the recipe in the order it's written, though. I thought I could streamline things my own way, and all I accomplished was creating extra dishes to wash. After making it once, I completely understood why the recipe was written the way it was.

If I could offer one tip, it would be to go a little lighter on the black pepper in the beef marinade, especially if you're using freshly ground pepper. It packs a lot more punch than the pre-ground pepper I usually cook with. I also have to admit that I eyeballed the measurement instead of actually measuring it, so that's on me. The beef ended up just a bit too peppery for my taste, but otherwise this recipe was a winner and one I'd happily make again.

Glazed Steak Bites & Garlic Fried Rice

Recipe from Moribyan

Serves 3

STEAK BITES

• 1 pound tenderloin steak, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, additional for pan
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons beef broth
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

GARLIC FRIED RICE

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day-old)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon gochujang
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 3 eggs

Green onions, sliced (for garnish)

GARLIC FRIED RICE

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Set aside. Heat a wok over medium heat. Add half of the butter and let it melt.

Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the cooked jasmine rice and break it up, tossing to coat in the garlic butter.

Add the soy sauce and gochujang. Toss until evenly combined.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Push the rice outward to create an empty space in the center of the wok. Add the remaining butter to the center.

Pour the whisked eggs into the center and let them set slightly, then gently scramble.

Once softly scrambled, mix the eggs into the rice.

Toss everything together for another 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.

Remove the fried rice from the wok and set aside.

GLAZED STEAK BITES

In a bowl, toss the cubed tenderloin with oil, paprika, salt, black pepper, and baking soda. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and black pepper.

Heat the wok over high heat until very hot. Add a light coating of neutral oil.

Add the steak in a single layer and sear without moving for 1 to 2 minutes.

Toss and continue cooking until browned on all sides and cooked to your preferred doneness, about 5 to 7 minutes total.

Reduce heat slightly and pour in the sauce. Toss continuously as it thickens and coats the steak, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove from heat once glossy and sticky.

ASSEMBLE

Spoon the garlic fried rice into a large serving bowl or divide onto plates.

Add the glazed steak bites right in the center.

Garnish generously with sliced green onions.

Nel's Smothered Meatloaf

Photo from 12 tomatoes

I have no idea who Nel is, but if this is her meatloaf recipe, she definitely knows what she's doing. This was off-the-chart delicious.

I haven't made a lot of meatloaf over the years. Meatballs? That's a completely different story. I make those all the time. Growing up, meatloaf wasn't a regular dinner at our house. Mom made it every once in a while, but it was never one of those meals that showed up often. Since I love meatballs so much, I've always thought of meatloaf as one giant meatball.

What makes this recipe stand out is that it skips the traditional ketchup glaze and instead smothers the meatloaf in a rich tomato gravy. The gravy keeps the meat incredibly tender and adds so much savory flavor. 

Would I make it again? I think so. The only thing I'd do differently is make individual mini meatloaves instead of one large loaf. They'd be perfect for freezing, which makes for an easy homemade dinner whenever the craving strikes.

Tomorrow I'm going to have my first meatloaf sandwich with the leftovers.

Nel's Smothered Meatloaf

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 4-6

• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 2-qt baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.

To a medium bowl, add the ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and mix until just combined, form mixture into a loaf shape and place in prepared pan.

In a small bowl, mix together remaining tomato sauce, water, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper, and pour over and around meatloaf.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, basting meatloaf every 15 minutes.

Let sit 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Carne Guisada

If you've been following my blog for any length of time, you already know I have a habit of making multiple versions of the same dish. I love comparing recipes to see which one truly deserves a permanent spot in my recipe collection. This Carne Guisada is exactly why I keep doing it.

I've made more Carne Guisada recipes than I can count over the years. Some have been good, some have been just okay, and one had held the title of my favorite... until now. This recipe earned its place right alongside it. That's right—I officially have two favorite Carne Guisada recipes.

What surprised me most was how differently this one came together. Compared to every other Carne Guisada recipe I've made, the method felt a little unconventional, even though it's essentially a rich, hearty beef stew.

I did make a couple of small adjustments along the way. The recipe called for making a paste with the Tex-Mex "holy trinity," but since I don't own a molcajete, I simply tossed the garlic, cumin, and black pepper into the blender with the chilies. I also skipped making the cornstarch slurry and just let the stew simmer gently on the stove for about an hour. It thickened beautifully on its own.

The end result was absolutely fantastic. The long simmer gave all of the flavors time to come together into a rich, savory sauce that coated every bite of tender beef. It was hearty, comforting, and packed with deep, bold flavor. This is definitely a recipe I'll be making again, and it's officially earned a spot in my collection of all-time favorites.

Carne Guisada

Recipe from Kevin's Cooking

Serves 4

TEX MEX HOLY TRINITY

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons water

CHILI PUREE

• 3 guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
• 1 chile de árbol stem removed

GUISADA

• 1 pounds beef chuck stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• .5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 cup white onion chopped
• 1 cup tomato chopped
• ½ cup green bell pepper chopped
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

SLURRY

• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

TEX MEX HOLY TRINITY

In a molcajete, make a paste out of the garlic, cumin and black pepper adding a tablespoon or two of water to make a paste. Set aside.

CHILI PUREE

In a small saucepan, combine the chiles with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Puree the chiles and their liquid in a blender until smooth. Pour sauce through a strainer and discard any solids. Set aside.

BEEF

Season the beef with salt and black pepper. In a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat add the oil and brown the beef on all sides. Water will release from the beef and steam then subside and the oil will be left to brown, 10-15 minutes.

Once browned on all sides add enough water to cover the beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, covered.

Add the onion, tomato, bell pepper, tomato sauce, Holy Trinity and chili puree to beef. Simmer for another 30 minutes.

Whisk together the flour and water to make a slurry. Stir into the meat and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, or until the stew is thickened beef is tender.

Serve with rice and beans, or mashed potatoes, pan de campo (Cowboy Bread) or plenty of flour tortillas.

Portuguese Prego Sandwich

Photo from the Sandwich Tribunal

Portugal definitely left me with a new appreciation for sandwiches. During my trip, I was lucky enough to try several traditional Portuguese sandwiches, some made with pork and others with beef. Honestly, I couldn't pick a favorite—they were all delicious in their own way.

Since coming home, I've been recreating some of those flavors in my own kitchen. One of my favorites so far has been the Bifana, a classic pork sandwich served with an incredibly flavorful garlic-infused sauce that's almost like a light gravy. If you haven't tried one, you absolutely should.

This recipe, however, is something different. It's a beef sandwich with tender onions and plenty of savory flavor, but without the rich sauce that makes a Bifana so memorable. Different? Yes. Disappointing? Not even a little.

I tossed some mushrooms into the pan simply because I needed to use them before they went bad, and that turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. They soaked up all the delicious flavors and fit right in with the beef and onions.

My only misstep was the bread. I grabbed what I thought were sturdy hard rolls, but they were much thinner than I expected. There wasn't enough room to pile on as much of the beef and onion mixture as I wanted, so the bread-to-filling ratio was a little off. It certainly didn't stop me from devouring the sandwich, but next time I'll hunt down a heartier roll that can handle all that delicious filling.

Portuguese Prego Sandwich

Recipe from Portuguese Recipes

Serves 4

• 1/2 lb of sirloin steak, cut thinly
• 5 T butter
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (or to taste)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Portuguese style sandwich buns, toasted

Lay out the steaks on a cutting board or other flat surface. Lay slices of garlic on on side of the steaks.

Using a tenderizing mallet, “nail” the garlic to the steak by pounding the slices into the meat.

Repeat on the reverse side of the steaks.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Fry each steak in the butter for barely two to three minutes, turning once.

Transfer to a dish and cover.

Melt the rest of the butter in the same skillet.

Add the onions and sauté until they are golden.

Return the beef to the onions and sauce and heat through for about 30 seconds.

Serve on the toasted sandwich rolls, enjoy!

Oven Baked BBQ Meatballs

If you've been following along, you've probably noticed I'm in the middle of a full-blown meatball obsession. I just can't seem to get enough of them. 

Tonight's recipe was a simple one, but it introduced me to two ingredients I'd never used in meatballs before: crushed Saltines and evaporated milk.

The funny thing is, neither ingredient was actually new to me. My grandmother always used crushed Saltines and evaporated milk in her meatloaf. I never really thought much about it until I was older and helped her make it one day. Watching this recipe come together brought back that memory. These days, most meatball and meatloaf recipes call for breadcrumbs, so it was fun to revisit an old-school method that has clearly stood the test of time.

I did make one small change. The recipe called for making a barbecue sauce with ketchup, but I discovered I was running dangerously low. Rather than making an emergency grocery run, I reached for my trusty bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce and called it good. No regrets.

Since I'm only cooking for one, I cut the recipe in half and used just one pound of ground beef. That still yielded 16 generously sized meatballs—about the size of golf balls. I intentionally made them a little larger than I usually do because I recently bought a set of meatball scoops, and the smaller one made them look a bit too tiny for my liking.

These meatballs turned out great. They're tender, flavorful, and incredibly easy to throw together. I could easily see making them smaller for a party or potluck—they'd disappear in no time. This is definitely one of those dependable recipes that's worth keeping in the rotation.

Oven Baked BBQ Meatballs

Recipe from My Farmhouse Table

Serves 8

• 1 can (12 Oz. Size) Evaporated Milk
• 2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
• 2 cups Saltine Crackers, Finely Crushed
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Onion, Divided
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
• ½ teaspoons Pepper
• 2 cups Ketchup
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke (optional)

In a large bowl, pour evaporated milk and beaten eggs over the crushed crackers. Stir to combine. Add ground beef, 1/2 cup onion, salt, chili powder, and pepper. Mix to combine.

Form meat mixture into 1 1/2- to 2-inch balls. Place meatballs onto a large baking sheet. Bake meatballs at 375°F for 20–25 minutes until browned.

For the sauce, in a small saucepan combine ketchup, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 cup chopped onion, and liquid smoke. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Place meatballs in a baking pan and spoon sauce over. Place in preheated oven set at 350°F. Bake for 20–30 minutes or until meatballs are heated and sauce is thick and bubbling.