Tag Archives: beef

Reuben Soup

6 c chicken broth
¾ lb corned beef brisket, cooked and chopped
1 can sauerkraut, drained
1 large carrot, grated
½ c onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minted
½ t dried thyme
¼ t ground white pepper
¼ t dried tarragon
1 bay leaf
3 T cornstarch
1/3 c water
2 c shredded swiss cheese
1 c whipping cream
Rye bread cubes, toasted

Combine the first ten ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Combine cornstarch and water, stirring until smooth. Stir mixture into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Remove from heat. Add shredded cheese and cream, stirring until cheese melts. Top each serving with rye cubes. Yields 12 c.

Notes: Good winter supper served with rye bread.

Spaghetti Sauce Special

2 T oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground beef
¾ c green pepper, diced
1 T parsley
½ lb mushrooms
28 oz can crushed Italian tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
½ t pepper
1/8 t cayenne
½ t allspice (do not omit)
½ t oregano
1 t basil
¼ t fennel seed
1 t sugar
1 ½ c shredded cabbage
¼ t crushed chili pepper

Heat oil. Sautee onion and garlic one to two minutes in heavy kettle. Add meat and brown. Add mushrooms and green pepper and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining ingredients, cover and cook over low heat for 4+ hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti.

Notes: From the Patriot Ledger, 6.24.91. This can also be cooked in a crockpot for four hours instead of on the stove.

Classic Corned Beef Dinner

1 corned beef brisket or rump
1 small onion
1 bay leaf
½ t whole cloves
4 peppercorns
2 stalks celery, with leaves
6 large carrots, pared
6 potatoes, pared
1 medium head green cabbage, quartered

Place brisket in a deep kettle, add cold water just to cover. Add onions, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, and celery. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 4 hours or until almost tender. About 45 minutes before meat is done, remove and discard onion and celery. Skim excess fat from liquid. Add potatoes and carrots, simmer 15 minutes, add cabbage quarters and simmer an additional 30 minutes, until all vegetables are tender-crisp. Serves 6.

Puerto Rico Picadillo 1977-1979

One of Tom’s favorites.

Brown ground beef, green pepper, onion, and garlic in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, a can of tomatoes, 1 T vinegar, a chopped chili pepper, ¼ t cumin, pinch of ground cloves, and ½ c raisins (that have been soaked in ¼ c hot beef bouillon for 10 minutes). Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve on rice, topped by fried egg if desired.

Tom Harper’s Trailer Meal 1973

On June 13, 1973, I moved home to Mom and Dad’s with Allan and Shannon, and Tom moved to a trailer in “Whipple’s Mobile Home Estates” in Fairfax, Virginia, where he worked in a K-Mart all day and on his MBA at George Washington University at night. Following is the meal he ate almost every night for about five months.

2 hamburgers, fried
1 can Pringle Potato Chips, opened
2 beers, cold

Linda Harper’s Chili 1972

In 1972, Linda and Rick moved to Virginia. We often got together with them for evenings of “Chili and Bridge”, both in Virginia and later in Pittsburgh when we all lived there. This is also better the second day.

3 T butter
3 medium onions
1 ½ pound ground beef
1 large can tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
½ c beer
1 t salt
¼ t tobacco
2 T chili powder
1 large can kidney beans

Brown onions and beef in butter. Add all but beans. Simmer 45 minutes. Add beans. Simmer 15 minutes longer.

Quantico Teriyaki Steak 1968

Tom and I had this as newlyweds in our first apartment in Quantico.

Marinate flank steak in following mixture for six hours:
½ c soy sauce
¼ c wine vinegar
1 minced garlic clove
2 t ginger
¼ c salad oil
¼ c honey
1 T onion flakes

Cook on grill. Slice on diagonal into thin strips.

Moussaka a la Greque

Serves 8-10. May be done a day before and cooked, then reheated—improves flavor. May be frozen.

3 medium-sized eggplants
½ c butter
3 large onions, finely chopped
2 pounds ground beef or lamb
3 T tomato paste
½ c red wine
½ c chopped parsley
¼ t cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
6 T flour
1 quart milk
4 eggs, beaten
Nutmeg
2 c ricotta or cottage cheese
1 c fine bread crumbs
1 c parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Peel eggplants and slice ½” thick. Broil till brown on both sides; set aside. Brown meat and discard grease. Add onions and cook. Combine tomato paste, wine, parsley, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and stir into meat until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375. Make a white sauce by melting margarine and blending in flour. Bring milk to a boil and gradually add to butter and flour. Stir constantly. When thick and smooth, remove from heat. Cool and stir in eggs, nutmeg, and ricotta cheese. Grease an 11×16” pan or large casserole. Sprinkle bottom with bread crumbs. Arrange alternate layers of eggplant and meat sauce, sprinkling each with Parmesan and bread crumbs. Pour ricotta sauce over all and bake one hour. Cool 20-30 minutes before serving.

Korean Beef Strips

This is our effort at an ethnic dish for Jenny—who hates all those Oriental vegetables.

1 ½ lb chuck steak, sliced thinly. Marinate in refrigerator for 4-6 hours in a mixture of:
¼ c soy sauce
¼ c salad oil
¼ c minced green onions
2 cloves minced garlic
2 t sesame seeds
1 t sugar
1 t sesame oil (optional)
½ t finely minced fresh ginger

Broil and serve over steamed rice.

Easy Beef Stroganoff

2 ½ lbs chuck or round steak, cut in strips
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of onion soup
1 can condensed cream of celery soup

Blend together undiluted soups.  Pour over beef strips in baking pan.  Bake uncovered for 2 hours in 350°.  Serves 6.