Steak Marinade

Moving to the United States for university meant leaving behind many of my favorite foods - meat pies, real chips, pumpkin leaves,  tomato sauce flavored crisps, Crunchie bars, steak and kidney pie, nsima, chambo, Chombe tea, bakery fresh bread, sausage rolls  - a good mix of post colonial Southern African dishes (not to mention the Korean, Indian, Portuguese, and real Chinese food restaurants I had to leave behind). I was very, very excited when I went to Steak and Shake for the first time and saw steak burgers on the menu. I envisioned what I knew as a steak burger - toasted, buttered bread sandwiching a delicious, juicy steak topped with tomato and onion. Imagine my surprise when my order came and a hamburger was placed in front of me.

"Excuse me," I said, "I ordered a steak burger."

"That is a steak burger - it's made from steak," the waitress answered contemptuously.

"No. This is not a steak burger. This is a hamburger. I don't care what cut of beef you use, when you grind it up it becomes mince. When you make mince into a patty and grill it, you have a hamburger. This is not a steak burger!" my answer seemed to further confuse the waitress (probably because she had no idea what "mince" meant - I had not yet learned to use the American term "hamburger meat.")

I do not eat at Steak and Shake anymore.

If I want a steak burger, I make it myself. I was happy to learn recently that my favorite cut of beef - silverside - is known as bottom round in the US. It is not cut as thickly as I would like, but it will do. This morning, I had one for weekend brunch. I chose to forgo the tomato and onion because my pregnant stomach just wanted buttered toast and steak.

I marinated my steak in a concoction I got from Better Cookery entitled "Sir Edward's Vest British Steak Marinade Ever". It was quite good (although I will say, I do prefer my usual marinade of Worcestershire sauce, chili oil, salt, and pepper just because it is what I am used to. ) You may click on the Better Cookery Link to see the instructions. Here are the basic ingredients.

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 can diet or regular Coke
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 tbsp chives

Now, if I could just make a decent steak and kidney pie....

Drunken Swiss Steak

This recipe was adapted for the crock pot (and my need to cook with wine) from Everyday Family Suppers. Swimming all night and all day in white wine gave the onions a delicious, pickled flavor. (I put everything in the crock pot the night before and leave it in the fridge so that it is ready to start cooking in the morning when I leave for work).

Drunken Swiss Steak
2 lb round steaks
1 large onion, sliced
1, 15oz can diced tomatoes - undrained
1 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix onion, tomatoes, wine, salt, and pepper. Place steaks in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour tomato mixture over steaks. Cook on low 10-12 hours. (If it is the weekend, or you happen to be home, I am sure that it could cook on high in 4-5 hours.) Serve over egg noodles.

Beef and Cabbage Casserole - 5 points

This recipe - slightly adapted from Fix it and Forget it for Entertaining - is not one that I thought I would be sharing on my blog. I made it for two reasons - I needed to use a head of cabbage and I wanted to use my crock pot. I didn't have high expectations. Well - slap my face and call me Sally - this stuff is delicious. It is so delicious that I just got off the treadmill because I decided it was worth jogging to get to have a second helping. That's right. This is so good I will jog for it. Nuff said.

Beef and Cabbage Casserole
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 lb ground beef
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 small head cabbage, shredded
1 can condensed tomato soup

1. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in butter.
2. Add ground beef to onions and cook, stirring frequently, until beef is browned. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Layer half of cabbage in slow cooker, followed by half of meat mixture. Repeat layers.
4. Pour soup over top of cabbage and beef. Cover and cook on low for 4 - 6 hours.
5. Yields 8, 5 point servings

It seems forever ago that I picked a random song for you on a Friday night. Since I have been sharing the soundtrack of my life with you this week, it may seem superfluous to  have my DJ pick a random song from my Zen for you tonight. Yet, I love the idea of just finding something at random - just getting a bit of unexpected, unpredictable musical inspiration. Tonight I got a great song for you. I love the artist Beck  - one of his songs was playing in the background the first time I danced with my husband. Here is "Bottle of Blues".

Family Hamburger Soup - 6 points

Here is an easy soup recipe from Pillsbury. I love a good beef vegetable soup on a chilly day like the one we had today in Tennessee. This soup has the decency to work equally well by following the directions below or by slow cooking in a crock pot. I do appreciate versatility in a soup.

Family Hamburger Soup- adapted from Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2008

1 lb lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cups potatoes, diced or shredded

1 cup sliced celery

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

5 cubes chicken bouillon

5 cups water

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1. In a large saucepan, cook ground beef and onion over medium high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Yields 7, 6 point servings

Have you made your way over to Suzy Eats?  If you haven't, you really should. She has a great blog going, full of fabulous recipes. Suzy recently received a Stylish Blogger Award and was sweet enough to pass it on to me. The instructions require me to choose some bloggers to whom I pass on the award. Of course, I am going to cheat, since I am nothing if not rebellious to rules. 


I believe that my readers/ followers are amazing people who share terrific recipes, good humor, excellent writing, and honesty. You have given me courage to share my thoughts and encouragement when I need it. I would very much like to give this award to all of you. Please feel free to post it on your blog; if you would like, please leave a link of a recent/favorite post on your blog in the comment section below. I would love to have a list of all the cool things you have been writing about. 

Root Beer Sloppy Joes - 4 Points

As you know, I have a bit of a fascination with cooking with soda. For example

Diet Soda Muffins

Lemon Pecan Butter Cake

And, of course, Diet Cola Brownies

So, when I saw a recipe for "Root Beer Sloppy Joes" in Parenting magazine, I felt that it was my destiny to give it a go. The results were...mixed. I liked it but I also could taste the root beer very plainly. I would take a bite and think, "Mmmm...sloppy joes....wait...root beer?" If you don't like root beer, these are not for you (try one of the confections above instead). If you do like root beer, and are up for something different, give it a go yourself. Let me know if your thoughts take the same train as mine.


Root Beer Sloppy Joes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb lean ground beef

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup diet root beer

2/3 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce

1/2 cup minced scallions (optional) - not in mine

3 tbsp diced green chilis (optional) - not in mine

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; spray with non-stick cooking spray or kitchen spritzer. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.

2. Add beef and saute five minutes, stirring to separate. Stir in chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Add root beer, tomato sauce, chilis, and Worchestershire sauce. Bring to a livily simmer; cook for 15 minutes.

3. Stir in the scallions. Serve on buns or rolls

4. Yields  4, 4 point servings

It is not Music Friday, but writing of my rambling thoughts means I have to ask...does anyone else hear this in their head when they use the words "train of thought"? No? Just me? Oh, well....

"My train of thought's runnin' right on time, but it's off the track and I'm losin' my mind."

Methodist Bean Casserole - 9 points

A teacher asks each of his students to bring in an object that represents his/her spiritual beliefs and present that object to the class. On the day of the presentation, the first boy arises and says, "I am a Catholic. This is my crucifix." The second boy arises and says, "I am a Baptist. This is my Bible." The third boy arises and says, "I am a Methodist. This is my casserole dish."

All jokes aside, we Methodists are quite serious about our covered dish dinners (also known as dinner on the grounds or potluck). These gatherings are a chance for the church members to show off their culinary skills. Most people tend to make the same dish over and over again, knowing that it is their best. You can always count on Mary Ellen's barbecue brisket or Joe's sweet potato pie. There is always an elite group of members who make the best of the best dishes; they are the royalty of the covered dish dinner.

I don't have one dish that I always take - I am still looking for that signature dish. For my first covered dish dinner in Tennessee, I committed a terrible faux pas. I took banana cream pudding. Ms. Ethel Lee, you see, always brings her world famous, slap your mama, banana cream pudding. Not only did I bring the same dish...even worse....mine was better! That is because my banana cream pudding kicks butt; it is the best ever. It is untouchable. It contains enough fat and sugar to give you an immediate cardiac arrest/diabetic coma. It might have been okay, except that one of the male members loudly announced to his table that "whoever brought that banana pudding...it's even better than Ms. Ethel Lee's." I was persona non grata.

It is my desire to never, ever repeat that experience again. So, I try to play it safe and take something that is not earth shatteringly good. This last week, though, I really wanted to make my beans. I was not sure whether to be chuffed or irritated when I heard people start asking about them. "Who made these beans, was it (Insert the name of one of the elite of the covered dish)? No? Well, then who brought them?" Hmmm... a compliment that they like them, but a bit of an insult that they went through a phone book of people before someone pointed out it was me.

A great many folks asked for the recipe. I am sharing it with you first!

Methodist Bean Casserole
1 lb lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 lb bacon, browned, drained, and chopped
2 cans pork and beans
2 cans lima beans
2 cans kidney beans
1/2 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup chopped onion

1. Combine all ingredients in a large casserole dish. Bake at 350F until bubbly.
2. 9 points per cup serving

They may not look pretty, but, believe me, they taste great. Just make sure someone else at the covered dish isn't famous for their baked beans. You wouldn't want to upstage them.

I failed to give you my menu plan last week in my tizzy of preparing for guests. Here is my plan for this week.

Sunday

pasta salad for church picnic

bread and butter pickles for church picnic

root beer sloppy joes

chocolate pie

Monday

hummus on toast

Tuesday

cheeseburger quiche

Wednesday

kailua monkey smoothie

zucchini muffins

French omelet

Thursday

minty yogurt chicken

Friday

night out

Saturday

stewed collard greens with white beans



Slow Cooked Beef with Beer - 5 points

I put this in the crock pot for Stone the day I had my root canal done. He insisted on saving some for me to try because it was, "One of the best things you've ever made!" I don't know how I feel about one of the best things I have ever made being three ingredients and ridiculously easy. Oh, well! It is a deeply satisfying dish.

Slow Cooked Beef with Beer
2 lb lean steak
1 light beer
1 pkt onion soup mix

1. Place lean steak in crock pot. In a bowl, mix beer and soup mix. Pour beer mixture over steak.
2. Cook on low for 6 hrs.
3. Break up with spoon before serving over rice or pasta.
4. Yields 8, 5 point servings

I thought that I asked Stone - through my Vicodin haze - to take a picture of this dish. He didn't. So, here is a picture of the empty bottle of the beer I used.

I am looking for new books for my students. The girls have requested romance, so I have been looking through my collection for quality books involving love. I just read Those Summer Girls I Never Met by Richard Peck. Reading it was quite nostalgic; it is set in the 1980's, during the time of stone washed jeans and the USSR. It didn't make the cut for my class because there is not enough real romance, but it was fun to read it and remember all the fun I had taking "The Geography of the Soviet Union" in middle school!

I am linking this recipe to a great collection of dishes at Full Plate Thursday.

Toasted Bobotee Sandwich - 5 points

I used to love left over night as a kid! Actually, we called it "left open" night because someone had once misspoken it that way and we thought it was funny. If you have had something amazing to eat, and really enjoyed it, what's better than another go around? Since starting this blog, I usually take "left opens" for lunch now. Every once in awhile I like to repurpose them in a new, tasty form. This was my lunch today, made with a leftover bobotee muffin pulled from the fridge. It was yummy!

Toasted Bobotee Sandwich
1/2 large tomato, sliced
1 piece high fiber bread like WhiteWheat
1 serving bobotee, sliced
1 tbsp reduced fat feta

1. Place tomato slices in an oven proof skillet (spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray unless using cast iron). Place skillet under broiler on full broil until the tomatoes being  to brown, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove tomatoes from skillet. Place bread in skillet; top with a layer of roasted tomatoes. Cover with bobotee slices and top with cheese.
3. Place under broiler again until cheese begins to brown.
4. Yields 1, 5 point serving

Lebanese Beef Stew - 5 points

Years ago I purchased a fabulous cookbook called Step by Step Lebanese Cooking. It has very few recipes in it, but every single one that I have tried is outstanding. Probably my favorite is the beef and okra stew. Unfortunately, it is so full of meat and potatoes that it was going to break my Weight Watcher's points bank. So, I made some modifications. Now, do I miss the vast quantities of meat? Yes, because most days I could eat a small cow. However, this is still a very good stew that gives me a rich flavor without costing a fortune in points.

Beef and Okra Stew - 5 points
1 lb round steak, cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
1/3 cup red wine
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small head cauliflower, chopped
2 cubes beef bouillon
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 cups frozen okra
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cups water

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; spray with non-stick cooking spray. Saute onion until well browned.
2. Add meat, browning on all sides. Add wine, tomatoes, and cilantro. Cover and simmer 35 minutes.
3. Add cauliflower, bouillon cubes, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
4. Add parsely and okra; simmer 10 minutes, covered.
5. Yields 6, 5 point servings

Bobotee- 4 points

Bobotee is a traditional South African meatloaf. My mom got this recipe (well, the original, non-Weight Watchered version) from a South African woman who was Mom's pupil. I remember the first time Mom tried it; her excitement over the new recipe was matched by our enthusiasm consuming it!

Bobotee- 4 points
1 slice high fiber bread
1 cup low fat soy milk, plain
1 onion, chopped
1 apple, chopped
3 egg whites
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp Splenda

1. Soak the bread in milk for 1 hour, then squeeze out as much milk as possible (being sure to save the milk).
2. Spray a small skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Saute onion over medium heat until translucent.
3. Mix bread, milk, and onions with all remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
4. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes in a 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 450F for 20 minutes if in muffin tins.
5. Yields 12, 4 point servings

Note: Traditionally, 3 lemon leaves are rolled up and stuck into the meat before baking. This does add a wonderful flavor. However, I live too far North to have a lemon tree in my yard now, so I omitted this ingredient. Also, you can put 2 of the egg whites in the meat. Take the remaining egg white, beat it with 2 tbsp milk, and pour it over the meat after 45 minutes of cooking. Leave the bobotee in the oven long enough for the egg to set. Since I made my bobotee in my Pampered Chef Stonewear Muffin Pan, I did not attempt to pour the egg over the individual bobotees.

Hungarian Goulash - 7 Points

A cold wintry night means I want something hot, meaty, and rich. Assuming a suitable man is not available, I will settle for some goulash! I am so pleased with how easy it has been to make substitutions to my familiar recipes, leaving them a little bit more Weight Watchers friendly. This one turned out just as well with more veggies and fat free yogurt as it does with more meat and full fat sour cream.

Hungarian Goulash
1 lb round steak, cubed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 cup fat free yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix steak and flour until steak is coated.
2. Spray a large skilled using a kitchen spritzer or nonstick spray such as Pam. Saute beef, onion, and garlic until beef is browned.
3. Add remaining ingredients except sour cream. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until beef is tender.
4. Stir in sour cream and allow 2-3 minutes for goulash to reheat before serving.
5. Yields 4, 7 point servings