Ma What's For Dinner?

Some of you are new here so let me just get this out in the open…I am a Food Network freak.  All three of my kids grew up on it (ha, grew up like they’re 20 or something, Keegan is only 5) but they all love it too.  I think that Keegan’s first word was not mama, but Rachael.  It’s always on in the background and I’ve pretty much seen every episode they’ve produced in the last 5 years.  That’s honestly why I don’t watch as much anymore…there are only so many times you can watch Paula make shrimp and grits.

People always ask me where I get my recipes.  Many are dishes I’ve seen on the Food Network then put my own spin on.  You know me, I can’t follow a recipe to save  my life!  I get the general gist of how something is made then I’m off and running, experimenting, tinkering, and embellishing…it’s sort of like scrapbooking, with food!

Anyway I was always curious as to what those cedar planks were all about in the grocery store and then I saw Guy Fieri whip up a salmon dish with them.  This is my take on his Johnny Garlic’s cedar salmon.  It’s easy, delicious, and fast.  Make it for company, they’ll think you’re a 5 star chef.  It’s got a big, TA-DA factor!

2 T canola oil

2 jalapenos, sliced into rings

1 onion sliced thin

1 T garlic, minced

1/2 cup tequila

1/4 cup whole-grain mustard

1 cup apricot preserves

1 lime zested

1 large cedar plank

1 large salmon fillet

S&P

Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saute pan over medium heat, heat oil. When hot, add jalapenos and onions and saute until soft. Add garlic, and saute for an additional minute or so. Deglaze with tequila.  Next add mustard and apricot preserves and bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes and let completely cool.

Place parchment paper on plank, add salmon, season with S&P.  Heap cooled apricot mixture on top of salmon.  Place cedar plank on gas burner. When plank has begun to smoke, place into preheated oven.  Slide a baking sheet onto the rack below cedar plank in case the apricot mixture drips…it’s tough to clean off your oven!!

Cook salmon until medium-rare; remove from oven and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes until serving. Garnish with lime zest.

I apologize for the ugly pictures.  My camera is acting up and this is the only shot that came out.  Ugly plating and all…but it was still mighty tasty!

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Serves: a big ol’ crowd Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time:  1 hour 25 minutes

3 lbs ground beef

2 medium onions, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 beef bouillion cubes

1 cup hot beef broth

2 (28 oz) cans baked beans with molasses

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup prepared mustard

3 garlic cloves minced

S&P

1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 scallions diced

In a dutch oven over medium high heat cook your beef until browned.  Add in your onions and celery and cook until tender.  Drain off excess fat.  Dissolve your bouillon in warmed beef stock and add to meat mixture.  Stir in beans, ketchup, mustard, garlic, and S&P.  Mix well.  

Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 60-70 minutes.  Stir and top with bacon and scallions.  Serve alongside corn bread and honey butter.  Mmmm good.

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1 bone-in rib-eye steak (about 2-inches thick)

S&P

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1/2 cup English mustard

1 egg

1 T olive oil

Sauteed Wild Mushroom Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and preheat grill to medium.

Season beef with salt and pepper and set aside.

Unfold puff pastry and evenly brush 1 sheet with mustard, covering entire surface. Fold over and cut into 4 equal pieces. Press the pastry edges with tines of a fork to seal and cut 3 small slits halfway deep in the center of each pastry rectangle to allow steam to escape when it cooks. Set pastry rectangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment. In a small bowl whisk egg with 1 teaspoon water. Brush pastry rectangle with egg wash and bake 25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Brush beef with oil. Season with salt and pepper and grill until it’s nicely caramelized, turning only once, approximately 3 minutes each side. Transfer beef to a sheet pan and place in the preheated oven. Roast until medium-rare, another 10 minutes. Remove beef from the oven and place on a cutting board. Let meat rest 10 minutes before slicing. To serve, place a puff pastry rectangle on each serving plate. Drizzle with Sauteed Wild Mushroom Sauce and top with beef slices.

Sauteed Wild Mushroom Sauce:

2 T butter

2 T olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves chopped

1      1/2 pounds mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and sliced I used a combination of  shiitake, oyster, cremini and white button

S&P

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 t English mustard

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

Heat a saute pan to medium heat. Add butter and olive oil. Add garlic and thyme leaves and saute for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper, saute until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Add heavy cream and mustard and Worcestershire sauce and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on top of steak slices.  

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Serves: 6  Prep Time:  15 minutes  Cook time:  1 hour 10 minutes

For the meatloaf:

1 lb       ground beef

1/2 lb   ground veal

1/2  lb ground pork

2 T water

1                                    egg, bean

1 clove                                    garlic, chopped

½ c                                    bread crumbs

2 T                                    Worcestershire sauce

¾ c                                    chili sauce (you can use ketchup too)

½ c                                    onions, finely chopped

½ c                                    mushrooms, finely chopped

8 strips cooked bacon roughly chopped

6 oz cubed sharp cheddar cheese

½ c                                    canned fried onion strips

S&P

for the topping:

1/4 cup ketcup

2 T mustard

1 T mayonnaise

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Place all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a large mixing bowl.  Using your hands, mix the ingredients gently until well combined being sure not to overhandle it, you don’t want to end up with tough meatloaf!

Place the meat into a baking dish and shape into a loaf.  Some people place the meatloaf on top of sliced bread to catch all the grease but I look at that as a waste of bread!  I mean that’s a sandwich or two for the kids right?

In a small bowl mix the ketchup, mustard and mayo.  Spoon it out on top of the meatloaf.  This will create a yummy crust on top, and you like this on your bacon cheeseburger right?

Bake at 375 for an hour and 10 minutes then allow to rest on the counter for 10 minutes before serving.

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Serves 4  Prep Time: 5 minutes  Cook Time: 20 minutes

4 large bone in pork chops

1 T olive oil

S&P

1 1/2 t garlic powder

1 t paprika

1 cup good maple syrup

2 T spicy brown mustard

1 T ketchup

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a large cast iron skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Sprinkle S&P, garlic powder and paprika over the pork chops on both sides.  When pan is hot, add in your pork chops.  Allow first side to sear and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Once the first side is seared nice and brown flip the pork over to the other side and transfer pan to the oven.  Allow to cook on 375 for 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and replace on stove.  BE CAREFUL, the pan will be screaming hot so be sure to use your oven mitts (I am constantly burning myself when I pan roast this way.)  Return pan to medium high heat and pour in your syrup.  Allow syrup to cook for 2 minutes and get hot then stir in your ketchup and mustard.  Allow the sauce to bubble away for about 5 minutes being sure to coat the pork chops well.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.

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