Finn's "Can we pleeeeeease have shepherd's pie for dinner?" Shepherd's Pie

Since Finn is my son and all, I never dated him but you might consider him the culmination of all the dating I did do. And Finn is an all meat and potatoes kind of guy. So I am posting his very favorite meal and putting his name in the title. And this isn't your grandma's shepherd's pie with green beans and canned tomato soup. Every time I make this I think, "I should take a picture of this so I can post it." But then by the time I actually get it on the table, I forget. So hopefully you can imagine flavorful ground beef mixed with vegetables, smothered in a light gravy and topped with lightly toasted, fluffy mashed potatoes.
Finn's "Can we pleeeeeease have shepherd's pie for dinner?" Shepherd's Pie.
5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp sour cream
1 large egg yolk
1/2 c cream or milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1 onion chopped
1/2 c frozen peas
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 c beef stock
2 tsp A-1 sauce
1 tsp sweet paprika
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and add sour cream , egg yolk and cream. Mash potatoes until smooth. While potatoes are boiling, preheat skilet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and then add ground beef. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3-4 minutes. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and then add flour. Cook together for 2 minutes. Whisk in beef broth and A-1 sauce. Thicken gravy for 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables, then add frozen peas. Preheat broiler to high. Put meat mixture in a smaller casserole dish. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned.
Also we like ours with a little ketchup on top.

Italian Meatball Subs

*Makes 25-30 meatballs/about 7-9 sandwiches

Meatballs:
1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs or crushed saltines
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan or mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey

In a large bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients together EXCEPT the meat. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so the breadcrumbs/crackers can soak up the liquid a little bit. Add the meat and mix well with your hands until all the ingredients are combined.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease the foil. Form golf ball-sized meatballs and dredge them in the flour until lightly coated. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet about one inch apart. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until the meatballs are completely cooked through.
When the meatballs come out of the oven, let them sit for about 15 minutes. Gently scrape off any fat and place the meatballs in a 9X13-inch baking dish (or similar size). Pour the hot tomato sauce over the meatballs.

For the sandwiches:
1 recipe French Bread Rolls, shaped into sub rolls and baked according to the recipe
Sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese

To assemble the sandwiches, slice the buns in half. (If desired, lay the buns flat open on a baking sheet and top one side with cheese - toast in the oven for 4-5 minutes at 400 degrees until the buns are toasted and cheese is melted.) Place 3-4 meatballs on each bun and top with desired amount of sauce. Serve immediately with lots of napkins.

Sauce:
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar (this helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on low. Keep warm until the meatballs are finished baking.
From www.melskitchencafe.com

Pasta al Forno

500 g Penne Pasta
Ragu Sauce
Bechamel Sauce
Mozzerela Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Dry Basil

Ragu Sauce:
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot finely chopped
1/4 onion finely chopped
1 bouillon cube
1 lb. lean ground meet
2 cans of tomato sauce (15oz. each)
salt and pepper
1 pinch of sugar
Saute the carrot and onion in the oil in a medium size sauce pan. Add the bouillon cube and ground beef. Stir well until beef is brown. Add the tomato sauce & 1/2 can of water (approx 1 c). Add salt, pepper, and sugar. Continue to cook on low heat for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.

Bechamel Sauce:
1/2 C. butter
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 pinch black pepper
1/2 C. of white flour
1 qt. milk (4 c.)
Place butter, nutmeg, & black pper in sauce pan and melt on low heat. Mix 1/2 of the milk with the flour in a blender and add it to the butter together with the rest of the milk. Stir continually on low-med heat until sauce thickens.

Cook and drain penne pasta, mix with ragu sauce and place in a 9x13 pyrex pan. Pour the bechamel sauce on the pasta. Generously sprinkle parmesan and mozzeralla cheese and add a touch of dry basil for color and taste. Cover with foil and place in a fridge or freezer until ready to eat. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees, remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer to melt cheese.

Stuffed Green Peppers

This recipe isn't for everyone, especially picky kids who don't like anything green (like mine!), but adults seem to really enjoy it.

8 green peppers
1 lb. hamburger
6 italian sweet sausage
1 lg. onion
1 can beef broth (13 1/4 oz.)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing
2 Tbsp. butter
Italian cheeses
Parmesan cheese

Wash peppers, cut tops, remove seeds. Precook peppers in pan of boiling water for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Saute onion in 1 pan. Saute hamburger and sausages in another pan until pink is gone. Mix onion and meat together. Heat beef broth and butter until hot, then mix into meat mixture with stuffing, set aside. Mix some italian cheeses into the mixture.

Stuff cooled peppers with meat mixture. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 325 degrees in casserole for 40 minutes uncovered.

Favorite Crock Pot Roast Beef and Gravy

1 boneless beef roast (3 lbs. rump, pot roast, whatever)
2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/3 c. beef broth
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix

Lightly salt and pepper the roast. Brown roast in a little bit of oil in skillet on all sides. Place in crock pot. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours or until meat is tender.

I usually add cut up potatoes, carrots and onions to the crock pot which means I don't have to think of any side dishes other than warm rolls with butter and jam, of course!

French Dip Sandwiches

French Dip

Rump, Round or chuck roast
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
3 whole black peppercorns/ or lots of crushed pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 cloves garlic

I threw the roast into the crock pot completely frozen. Then mix all other ingredients except garlic cloves. Pour over the top of the roast and then fill the crock pot with water to cover roast. Cut cloves of garlic in half and toss into the pot. Cook for 8-10 hours on low.

When meat is falling apart, shred and put on hoagie rolls or whatever bread you want. Cover each sandwich with a slice of swiss, provolone or monterey jack cheese and broil for 2 min. Serve with Au Jus.

Beef Stroganoff

I love this recipe for Beef Stroganoff. Its quite easy and tastes gourmet.

Beef Stroganoff

2 lb. beef cut into strips (I like chuck roast)
½ t. salt
½ t. pepper
½ c. butter
4 green onions, sliced (white parts only)
4 T. flour
1 can beef broth
1 t. prepared mustard
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/3 c. sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Season meat with salt and pepper and any other seasoning you like on beef. Melt butter in large skillet and brown beef strips quickly. Remove beef from pan and cook onions in beef juices for about 3-5 min. Remove. Stir flour into juices and add beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and stir in mustard. Add beef and onions and cover and simmer for 1 hour until meat is tender. 5 minutes before serving stir in mushrooms and sour cream. Serve over bowtie.

Meat Loaf

For Halloween shape the meatloaf into a dead body. Serve with blood squirting from the neck. Gross, but Fun!!
2 lb Hamburger
2 t. onion
1 ½ C. Bread crumbs
½ t. salt
1 egg
3 T. Ketchup
1 t. dried mustard
½ c. milk
Mix in mixer till no chunks then press into 9x13 pan.
Bake 350 for 1 hour
Glaze
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. ketchup
1 T. mustard
Bake again for 15 min.

Bonzai Burgers

Bonzai Burgers
Marinade
1/3 c. water
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. brown sugar
1 T. dehydrated onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
Marinate burgers and pineapple for 1+ hour.
Grill both burgers and pineapple.

In order
Bun
Mayo
Burger
Melted cheddar
2 pineapple rings
Tomato
Lettuce
Mayo Bun