Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts

Friday, May 8, 2026

Lean Ground Beef With Potatoes Dinner + A Salmon recipe for Summer Fridays

Photos: Debra Turner (left) and Food & Wine (right)
I won't lie. My favorite dinner is beef and potatoes in all scrumptious forms. Steak and potatoes. Pot roast and potatoes. Beef stew with potatoes and vegetables. Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes, a burger and friessauerbraten and kartoffelklรถรŸe, etc, etc. I never ever get tired of beef and potatoes!

Still, we limit how often we eat red meat for a myriad of health and environmental reasons. Listening to the science is wise. Cutting back is not cutting out completely. 

Recently I had a pound of 93% lean ground beef I used to grill a one-skillet meal. Easy, fast, spicy, and with little cleanup. The recipe I created below is just a guide. The ground beef I bought was on sale the day I went to the supermarket. Use 80%, 85%, 90% ground beef as they all work. Also, you can toss in or omit vegetables and/or spices to satisfy your tastes. You don't have to make ground beef and potatoes exactly the same way every time.

Ground Beef and Potatoes Skillet Dinner

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
2 medium potatoes, diced small to cook faster
1 medium onion, diced small
2 celery ribs, sliced thin
2 mini bell peppers, diced small
2 large fresh mushrooms, cut up
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon mustard
4 tablespoons ketchup 
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried garlic (or chopped fresh garlic)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
a sprinkle of red pepper flakes
a good sprinkle of Worchestershire sauce
a good sprinkle of soy sauce
3 cut slices of extra sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite cheese

Directions:

1) I started by breaking up and grilling the ground beef over medium heat.

2) When about medium done, I tossed in the diced potatoes, celery and onion. Smaller diced potatoes and vegetables will tenderize faster than larger chunks.

3) I tossed in the bell peppers and mushrooms and let the ground beef, potatoes, and vegetables cook covered on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes longer.

4) Next, while the vegetables were still tenderizing, I added the water, mustard, ketchup, Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, and spices. At low-medium heat, simmer until the potatoes are soft. I may not always use mustard and ketchup as flavors, or next time I may toss in fresh spinach leaves, who knows?

5) Finally, I plated the dish and topped it with cheddar cheese, microwaving it for 1 minute to melt the cheese. Alternatively, you could sprinkle it with dried Parmesan cheese to avoid slicing cheese. Mozzarella cheese works. Chopped onions instead of cheese works. Hot sauce works. Leftovers can be eaten with different mixed vegetables to seem like a new entrรฉe instead of leftovers. You do you!

A fast, healthy, no-fuss meal. Bon Appรฉtit!

๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ๐Ÿ ๐ŸŸ

In the summer, I’ll make a salmon salad or sandwiches once a week. Cans of wild Alaskan salmon sold in the USA make a healthy, convenient dinner.

Salmon, Avocado and Chickpea - Dip, Salad, or Sandwich

Ingredients

1 15 oz can of salmon, remove skin and drain
1 avocado, mashed
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 small bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar of your choice
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Photo: Serious Eats
1) Mash the avocado and chickpeas. Leaving some chunks is
fine.

2) Mix in the salmon, diced vegetables, vinegar, olive oil, and spices.

Use the salmon mixture as a dip for crackers, on 2 slices of whole-grain bread, or mixed into a green salad.

This will make an easy summer dinner and a great alternative to making salmon patties, my usual salmon dinner. I like stocking my pantry with cans of wild Alaskan salmon to make a fast meal without having to run to the supermarket. On summer nights, you could start with a cheese platter as an appetiser, a glass of wine, and finish up with fresh fruit as dessert. There's very little cleanup.๐Ÿ“๐Ÿซ๐Ÿท๐Ÿ‡

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Friday, May 1, 2026

Spicy Shrimp With Artichoke

Our leftovers for dinner tonight. A light yet filling meal.
I made shrimp at home for the very first time. A one-skillet dinner, it was easy and delicious, so perhaps we’ll eat it again. I made up the recipe as I cooked it; therefore, I'm posting it below to remember how to make it again:

Spicy Shrimp with Artichoke

Ingredients

16 oz shrimp, frozen (Any size of shrimp works, but small is bite-sized without being too small.)
12 oz artichokes, frozen, quartered
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped (I eyeballed it.)
red bell pepper, about 1/2 cup, chopped
 1/2 cup carrots, sliced
A handful of nuts - I used almonds and walnuts, chopped
My homemade Hoisin Sauce --
4 tablespoons soy sauce 
2 tablespoons peanut butter
A squirt so about a tablespoon of honey
2 tablespoons organic cider vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon hot sauce
A sprinkle of cumin
A sprinkle of salt

Directions:

1) I defrosted the frozen shrimp by tossing it into a bowl with water, vinegar, and lemon juice a few hours before cooking it.

2) Into a 12-inch skillet, I melted the butter and tossed in the diced onions, celery, carrot, and bell peppers. I let it cook covered on medium heat for about 8 minutes before tossing in the bag of frozen artichoke quarters to simmer for another 4 - 5 minutes. 

3) Chop and toss in the nuts. Lift the lid and stir occasionally.

4) Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for another 3 - 4 minutes. If the mixture gets dry, pour in 1/4 cup of water.

5) Next, I used the ingredients of my homemade Hoisin Sauce, tossing them into the pan: 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons organic cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce.

6) I added a dash of salt and cumin near the end, but before the dish finished cooking. Do so to taste.

Hours before cooking my shrimp dish, I separately tenderized 2 cups of dried brown rice in a rice cooker. It takes about 30 minutes but can sit for a while. Brown rice has slightly more fiber than white rice, yet I think people can eat the rice they prefer. I like the chewiness of brown.

We don’t have a Walmart in Manhattan, and I wish we did. Its house brand, Great Value, is excellent and lives up to its name!

On plates, spoon the spicy shrimp with artichoke and sauce over the brown rice. Bon Appรฉtite!๐Ÿค๐Ÿฆ

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Friday, June 27, 2025

Ground Beef and Cabbage


We’re all familiar with the dish stuffed cabbage, but the only person I know who makes it is my friend, Norma, who learned how from her grandmother. I’m too lazy of a cook to make it.

So when I stumbled across the following recipe from Zestplate, I, the Queen of one-pan dinners, said this dish is for me. A lazy cook need not be a bad or unhealthy cook! It means finding an easier way~

Cabbage and Ground Beef 

Ingredients 

ground beef, 1 lb
onions, 1 cup, chopped 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 large bouillon, any flavor
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
cabbage small head, chopped 
diced tomatoes, 15 oz can

I add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chopped red bell peppers, chopped celery, smoked paprika and substitute 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead of using cayenne pepper.

Directions: 

1) In a skillet brown the ground beef, onion and after a beat, garlic. Drain if needed.

2) Toss in chopped cabbage, any vegetables you’re adding, a can of diced tomatoes and spices. 

3) Simmer on your stove top, middle heat, for 15 - 20 minutes until the cabbage is tender and the liquid evaporates to the right amount. Eyeball it. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of flour to the liquid makes gravy if you wish to serve the dish over cooked noodles, rice or with a dollop of mashed potatoes. Delish!

You can make this one-pot meal your own by adding or subtracting vegetables and spices to your taste. Eat it spicy or not, plain or with a carbohydrate. When out of cabbage, I’ve used 
Brussels sprat and diced potatoes with 2 cans of diced tomatoes. 

All the goodness of stuffed cabbage without boiling, stuffing or rolling it. Bon Appetite!


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Friday, November 15, 2024

What Are the 11 Herbs and Spices In Kentucky Fried Chicken?

Photo: KFC and YUM

Today the famed 11 herbs and spices at KFC are a closely guarded secret by YUM, the corporation that owns the copywriter to KFC's chicken, but it wasn't always so. According to Colonel Sanders' nephew, the recipe created back in the day by the Colonel was posted in the entryway of the diner he opened. Several years ago the Chicago Tribute published a photograph of what the newspaper called the leaked recipe written in the Colonel's handwriting. In business, if the food is delicious people will come even if they can make it at home IMHO. Because. People do both.

It's more than likely the following is the recipe for Original Kentucky Fried Chicken:

Ingredients:

Photo: The Chicago Tribute
One chicken (or 8 pieces)
1 cup of buttermilk
2 eggs
2/3 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/3 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried mustard
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons white pepper

Directions:

1) Mix the buttermilk and eggs in one mixing bowl then soak the chicken pieces in the mixture for 30 minutes or more. Return the chicken to the refrigerator while soaking.

2) In a 2nd bowl stir the 11 herbs, spices, and flour together and coat the chicken pieces by dipping and turning.

3) Instead of frying the coated chicken (which you are free to do in very hot vegetable oil) why not brush oil on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake the spread-out chicken pieces in a 400-degree F oven for about 25 minutes. Test the chicken at 20 minutes to see if it's done and add baking time as needed.

If the above ingredients aren't Colonel Sanders' original recipe, they are close enough. Making the chicken at home lets you adjust the salt to your tastes and needs. Plus you can bake instead of frying it if you wish. When you don't feel like cooking you can still buy a bucket of chicken at KFC.
In college near the end of the school year, one of our professors decided to teach our class outdoors on campus. During the class, I saw a limo pull up and out walked an elderly Colonel Sanders in his signature white suit. He entered our administration building a few yards away. Here's to the memory of the Colonel, who must have given money to our school.๐Ÿ”


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Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Homemade Chicken Fingers

Deceptive photo, they weren't burnt or dry.

My senior mom has become a very picky eater. The supermarkets where I shop don't carry Tyson's Chicken Tenders, meat in a form she'll eat, so I bought 2 huge chicken breasts (nearly 3 pounds at $1.99 per pound = $5.49), cut them into pieces with my trusty meat shears, and made homemade chicken fingers for the 1st time ever in my life. How hard could it be? Not hard at all as it turns out. So crispy, tender and delicious, I'll post my easy-breezy recipe below (so I too can make it again):

Debbie's Chicken Fingers

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts - I had 2.76 pounds.
For the crust:
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup dried parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon homemade saltless creole seasoning (I now made it without salt and add salt or bouillion cubes in recipes.)
1  1/2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt (It's what I had.)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried garlic
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1) Cut the chicken breasts into chunks or thick strips.
 
2) Into a food processor add the oatmeal flakes, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic, and creole seasoning. Pulse until finely ground and pour into a mixing bowl.

3) Spray an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray or grease lightly with butter.

4) Wet the chicken pieces with drops of milk and drop them into the dry oatmeal mixture. You need about 1/2 cup of milk to sprinkle on the chicken pieces.

5) Arrange the coated chicken fingers on a greased or sprayed baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven until brown. The chicken meat will turn from pink to white in about 20 minutes.

Chicken fingers (the whole breast) or tenders (the pectoralis minor part of the chicken) are about the only way my mom will eat chicken nowadays. She ate them, so tonight we got the job done.

Freeze the leftovers. 

A side dish: Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

3 potatoes, unpeeled and cubed
1 small onion, diced
olive oil
garlic powder
parsley 
tarragon
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun or steak mix seasoning
A few turns of the peppermill

Directions:

1) Wash, slice or cube unpeeled potatoes (any variety) and onions.  

2) Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the seasonings.

3) Transfer to an olive oiled, foil-lined baking tray.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

Another side: BBQ Beans

Bon Appรจtit!


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Friday, January 27, 2023

Ground Beef Stroganoff


Photo: Betty Crocker, the recipe is not Betty Croker.

I love one-skillet dinners. What's not to love? A mishmash of flavors and textures, and all your food groups tossed into one pan to cook a balanced meal. You can add a salad, grainy bread, and a glass of wine if you wish. After eating your meal, the breezy cleanup consists of a single pan and a few plates and utensils. Here is the recipe:

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk celery including leaves, diced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1 - 1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 cup wine - red or white
4 cups water
2 large any flavor bouillon cubes, or 4 small cubes
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon each of dried chives, garlic, and parsley
A dash of Worcestershire sauce
8 ounces of curly noodles
1 cup of sour cream (which I never have so use plain Greek yogurt.)

Directions:

1) Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a 12'' chef skillet or a dutch oven and bring to a simmer to tenderize and brown the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle in some salt. Set aside in a separate dish.

2) Use the same skillet to add another tablespoon of olive oil and tenderize the diced onion, garlic, celery, and red pepper (takes 3 - 5 minutes).

3) Toss in and brown the ground beef. A dash of salt and
pepper. It cooks for about 5 minutes.

4) Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour to coat the ground beef and cook for another 3 minutes so the flour won't taste raw.

5) Pour in the wine and 4 cups of water and dissolve the bouillon cubes. Use a wooden spoon to stir and mash up the bouillon into the liquid.

6) Add the dried spices and Worcestershire sauce.

7) Next toss the dried uncooked curly (egg or any) noodles into the dish and cook until al dente.

8) Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir. Turn off the heat.

9) Finish off with sour cream (or substitute Greek yogurt). If using Greek yogurt be mindful of curdling. Temper the yogurt with a small amount of stroganoff sauce before dumping it all into the dish.
A simple one-pan meal that sticks to your ribs. Delish!


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Friday, October 21, 2022

Beer Can Chicken

Photo - istock by Getty

I haven't thought of making Beer Can Chicken in years. My mother is European, and this is definitely Americana home cooking. What I like about this dish is its rub, a lot of it! A tasty and easy dinner to make over the weekend.

Beer Can Chicken

Ingredients For the Rub

2 tablespoons smoked paprika
Photo: allrecipes
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the Basting Spray

1/2 can of the beer
2 cups apple cider
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or whatever vinegar you have)

4 - 5 pound chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil (or butter)
remaining half of beer (and can)

Directions:

1) In a bowl, mix the dry herbs and spices to make the rub.

2) Rub the raw chicken with olive oil (or butter) and then rub the chicken inside and out with the dry spice mixture. Or you can wet the dry rub with beer and smear the mixture all over and inside the chicken as this works too.

3) Pour half the can of beer into a spray bottle with the apple cider and vinegar.

4) Leave about half the beer in the can and insert the can into the cavity of the chicken with the chicken resting on the can.

5) Suburbanites can cook the chicken for 2 hours over a medium hot grill (350 degrees) under a grill cover. City coop dwellers can bake it in the oven for 2 hours resting the can with chicken on a baking pan. The beer keeps the chicken moist, as well as, adds flavor. While cooking you can spritz the chicken with the basting sauce every half hour to give it additional flavor. The sauce adds a hint of sweetness without sugar.

6) The chicken is done when it's golden and crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Be careful removing it from the grill or oven and lifting the chicken off a very hot tin can onto a serving dish. Wait at least 10 minutes after removal from the heat before cutting.

Enjoy the weekend! Bon Appetit!


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Thursday, August 25, 2022

Skillet Bruschetta


Photo: Pinterest

Are you ready for a late summer tomato dish that's perfect for the time of year when fresh tomatoes are plentiful? What are you going to do with all those tomatoes? I found this recipe in a newsletter and, of course, tweaked it. The original recipe called for marinating the chicken overnight, which I never do as I believe it does nothing for the meat, such as tenderizing or flavoring it. The benefit of marinating meat is a myth! All I think it does is add more work. Flavoring the dish while it cooks and after it's cooked works. I do think making the bruschetta topping hours ahead of time adds flavor, so let's start with that! BTW I also like the crunch and taste of onions and celery in the dish, so have added both vegetables (omit if you prefer).

Skillet Bruschella (with or without pasta)

Ingredients:

1 cup Italian dressing, divided (or use homemade vinaigrette dressing. You can then toss in Italian seasonings from your spice rack.)
2 cups (16 ounces) tomatoes, chopped
1 tiny onion, diced
1 celery stalk with leaves, diced
tablespoons basil leaves, chopped
2 whole garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 - 2 t
ablespoons olive oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 large zucchini - cut into thin strips 

Optional: Al dente cooked angel hair pasta; #8; or #9 spaghetti -- they all work.

Directions for the Bruschetta Topping:

1) Into a bowl or Tupperware combine chopped tomatoes, onions, celery, basil, minced garlic, 1 cup of Italian dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate from 2 hours - overnight.

Directions For the Chicken:

2) In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, then add and cook the raw chicken for 15 minutes, turning it once. After the chicken is brown on the outside and white on the inside, remove it from the pan.

3) Add more olive oil if needed to the same skillet to grill the zucchini. 
The zucchini will tenderize in 6 -10 minutes. It will also cook down with the liquid evaporating. I scoop up some of the bruschetta topping (include some of the chopped onion, celery, and garlic) and toss it into the skillet to cook with the zucchini. Turn the heat off when everything is tender.

4) Plate your dish. Place cooked pasta on the bottom if eating it, chicken in the middle, and finish with the bruschetta topping. 

Adding al dente pasta to the dish gives you a one-pan meal ... protein, vegetables, and starch. Dinner is served. Tasty with fewer steps is THE SAVVY SHOPPER way! Enjoy.


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Friday, October 22, 2021

All Beef Salisbury Steak

Photo: Wikepedia

At the supermarket, I spotted the $6 Hunger Man frozen meals and got the idea to make Salisbury Steak for dinner. Thought I, ... why not buy $5 worth of ground beef instead of these $6 frozen dinners? As I put the ground beef into my basket my 2nd thought was I've never made Salisbury Steak, I wonder what all's in it? Well ... how hard could it be?

As it turns out Salisbury Steak is a version of Hamburg steak consisting of ground beef, breadcrumbs and seasonings with gravy. Oh, yeah, gravy! Definitely, we are heading in the right direction. German immigrants brought the stick-to-your-ribs dish over to the US during the 19th century. It was adapted by Dr. James Salisbury, an American physician, to put meat in the diets of Civil War soldiers to promote their health.

It's a one-pan easy recipe, fairly universal in ingredients checking with the various online cooks. The one optional ingredient I'm adding to the gravy is a big ole grilled onion. Moreover, I'm omitting ground pork .... why do we need both? We don't. Let's keep it simple like the Hamburg Steak (unless you happen to have ground pork and want to use it up). I'm familiar enough with German cooking to know Hamburg Steak would have been made both ways -- with or without the addition of pork depending upon what the family had in their panty on a given day. 

All Beef Salisbury Steak

Ingredients for the steak:
1 - 1.5 lbs of lean ground beef
1 large egg
1/4 cup quick or old-fashioned oatmeal (per pound of meat)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
4 sprinkles of Worchester sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
A sprinkle of dried garlic, onion powder, parsley
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I tossed in the entire package.)
1 onion, sliced

Directions for the steak:

1) Toss the ground beef, egg, oatmeal, ketchup, mustard, Worchester sauce, and seasonings into a mixing bowl and using your hands incorporate uniformly. (I don't use milk, but you can if you wish to moisten your bread crumbs.)

2) Shape into patties -- one pound makes 2; 1.5 pounds give you 3; 2 pounds make 4 servings, etc.

3) Grill in a frying pan. As the meat is cooking, you can toss in the mushrooms and onions to tenderize them for the gravy. After the ground beef patties are grilled, remove them from the pan and temporarily put aside. Be sure to save the brown meat bits, mushrooms, and onions for the gravy. 

Gravy Ingredients:

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced and at least partially cooked
1 onion, sliced and at least partially cooked
4 cups of water (More or less gravy is up to you. 2 - 4 cups)
1 beef (or chicken) bouillon cube
4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (1 tablespoon per cup of water, cooked for 5 minutes will it thickens your gravy.)
Salt, pepper, dried garlic powder to taste

Directions for the Gravy: 

1) Add the water, bouillon cube, and flour to the pan drippings, making sure to dissolve the flour and bouillon into the water. 

2) Bring to a boil, then cook until the gravy thickens. It thickens in about 5 minutes ... during which you return the Salisbury Steaks to the gravy for them to heat up, cook a bit more if needed, and absorb the gravy. 

3) Taste the gravy and adjust the spices to taste: a tad more salt or black pepper, a capful of cider vinegar for more flavor, etc. {(If I need to get rid of a ripe tomato lying in the refrigerator, I toss it diced into a gravy at the beginning to add more flavor. A capful of vinegar can also balance the sauce out resulting in a hodge-podge of deliciousness! So will red wine ... but I suggest you sip it instead while cooking.๐Ÿ˜}

Salisbury Steak is often served with mashed potatoes and peas as side dishes. Sometimes I simply microwave unpeeled potatoes, smash them with a fork, season them with Cajun salt, and top with the gravy.  Adding a California mix of cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots works too.

More than a hamburger, easier than a meatloaf. I also like how you can make as much as you need -- a dinner for one or more people. We love our stovetop, skillet meals. Guten Appetit!


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