Braised Beef and Mushrooms

Braised Beef with Mushrooms

Serves 4 – 6

Estimated Calories per serving: 530

Fat grams: 10

Ingredients:

1 – 1 ½ pounds sirloin steak

Salt

Pepper

½ cup flour

1 Tablespoon canola oil

16 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup red wine

28 ounces chopped tomatoes

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Cut beef into 1 ½ inch steaks.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper then dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat oil and add steaks.  Cook until browned, 3 – 4 minutes on each side.  Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes.  Add onion and cook until soften, about 3 minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute then add wine, tomatoes, thyme and any additional salt and pepper for flavor.  Bring to a boil and then add steaks.
5. *Allow to simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes (see note below).  Stir in vinegar and serve

*Note: Simmering longer will make the beef tender.

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Italian Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

YouTube Video – https://youtu.be/Is5dU0bj75I

Serves: 8

Estimated Calories per serving: 143

Fat grams: 9

Preheat oven:  400^o OR heat grill

Ingredients:

4 ounces low fat/light cream cheese, softened

4 ounces reduced fat Italian blend grated cheese

6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

Handful fresh basil, chopped

8 large portobello mushrooms

2 Tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. To prepare mushrooms, wipe off any dirt with damp cloth and remove any stem.  Heat pan on medium heat.
2.  Combine olive oil, salt and pepper and, using a brush, coat the mushrooms with the olive oil mixture.  Heat sauté pan and spray with cooking spray.  Sauté mushrooms on each side for about 3 – 4 minutes, covered until most of the liquid is absorbed. TIP: you may have to work in batches, do not overcrowd the mushrooms.
3. Remove mushrooms and set aside.
4. To prepare filling: cook spinach in a microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 2 – 3 minutes.  Let cool then squeeze out any excess liquid.
5. Combine spinach with cream cheese, Italian blend grated cheese, and basil.
6. If baking, place mushrooms on a baking sheet, spoon cheese mixture on top of each and bake for 8 – 10 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
7. If grilling, place mushrooms on grill for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted and slight browned.
8. Serve warm

Correction: In the video I had called for ¼ cup olive oil but it should be 2 tablespoons.

Mixed Grill

This is such a great summer recipe and the best part is that you can get creative with it.  If you don’t like eating pork, simply substitute it with beef instead.  If you also don’t like some of the vegetable suggestions in the recipe, you can substitute others, some other suggestions might be escarole, eggplant,endive leaves or cauliflower .

The important thing is to have fun with it.

Enjoy…

Mixed Grill

Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Grill Time: 20 – 25 minutes

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 250                        Fat: 7 grams

Mixed Grill

Ingredients:

Seasoning:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon pepper

      Vegetables:

10 ounce package button mushrooms – cut in half

2 zucchini – cut into 1” pieces

2 red bell peppers – cut into large pieces

2 medium onions – quartered

2 large potatoes  – cut or sliced

      Meat:

1 pound boneless pork loin

1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Heat an outdoor or indoor grill to 400^o.
2. Combine all spices in a small bowl.
3. Season meats with half of the seasoning and set aside until ready to grill.
4. Combine the zucchini and mushrooms in a bowl, coat with cooking spray and fold in half of the remaining seasoning.
5. Combine peppers and onions in another bowl, coat with cooking spray and fold in the remaining seasoning.
6. If you are using an outdoor grill, coat a vegetable basket with cooking spray and add the zucchini and mushrooms to the basket.  Use an additional vegetable basket for the onions and peppers.  If you only have 1 vegetable basket, you can grill the vegetables in batches.
7. If the potatoes are large enough, add them directly on the grill (coating them with cooking spray first), if not, use a vegetable basket to grill them as well.
8. Grill the vegetables and potatoes for 10 – 15 minutes until browned and softened.
9. If you have a large grill, add the pork loin while the vegetables and potatoes are grilling.  Grill the pork for about 7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165^o.  Remove from the grill, cover and rest the pork until ready to carve.

10. Grill the chicken breasts for 5 – 7 minutes on each side.

11. Transfer the grilled vegetables to a large serving platter.  Carve the pork loin and transfer to the serving platter.  Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the grill and transfer to the serving platter.

12. Serve hot.

Beef Stew with Gnocchi

Beef Stew with Gnocchi

Serves 6

Slow Cooker or Crock Pot

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 ½ hours

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 300                      Fat = 5 grams                        Points: 5

Ingredients:

1 pound London broil – cut into 1 inch pieces

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 package (8 ounces) baby bella mushrooms – sliced

8 ounces baby cut carrots

2 cloves garlic – minced

1 package (9 ounces) frozen pearl onions in cream sauce

1 ½ cups beef broth

¾ cup red wine

1 package (16 ounces) frozen gnocchi

Directions:

1. Toss together steak, flour, salt, pepper and thyme in the slow cooker.  Add mushrooms, carrots, garlic, onions, broth and wine.  Set slow cooker on high and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove lid after 5 hours, stir stew and add gnocchi.  Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes.

Creamy Roast Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

My family was delighted at how delicious this was.  If you like creamy sauces and mushrooms, this is a must try.

My son hates mushrooms and even enjoyed it.  My husband dislikes cream sauces and enjoyed it too.  So it might be worth a try even if you don’t like creamy with mushrooms:)

Creamy Roast Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

Serves 4

Creamy Roast Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

Preheat oven 425^o

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1hour and 15 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 165                      Fat = 1 grams                        Points: 3

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds chicken breast on the bone – skinned

1 large onion – chopped

½ cup celery – chopped

2 cloves garlic – minced

4 ounces shitake mushrooms – diced

½ cup white wine

½ cup cream sherry

2 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

2/3 cup fat free sour cream

Directions:

1. Arrange chicken pieces on a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper.  Roast chicken for 45 minutes, cover, and set aside.
2. Heat  a large deep on medium heat and spray with cooking spray.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until browned.  Add mushrooms, raise the heat and cook for 3 minutes until lightly browned.  Add celery and cook another 3 minutes then add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Add wine and sherry and reduce until liquid is almost completely absorbed, scraping any pieces from the bottom of the skillet.
4. Add chicken broth and bay leaves and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add chicken to heat for about 5 minutes.
5. Remove chicken and place onto a serving platter.  Remove skillet form heat, add sour cream and stir until combined.  Heat for 2 minutes then pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Life is Good when the weather gets hot…

We had a beautiful day of fun, sun and BBQ eats.  Last night I marinated chicken and this morning assembled the skewers.  Here is Sweet and Spicy Marinated Chicken Skewers…

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Skewers

Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Estimated Values per serving:

Calories = 255                                              Fat = 2 grams

Ingredients:

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup honey

¼ cup chili sauce

1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce*

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 pounds skinless/boneless chicken breasts

12 skewers

2 red bell peppers – cut into 1 inch pieces

2 large sweet onions – cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium zucchini – cut into 1 inch pieces

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together ketchup, honey, chili sauce, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. 
2. Cut chicken into 2-inch pieces and add to marinade.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Skewer vegetables and chicken pieces, alternating between onions, zucchini and peppers on each skewer.
4. Heat grill and add chicken.  Grill for about 5 – 7 minutes on each side until chicken is cooked through and serve.

*Can be found in the Asian section of the grocery store.