Pork Chops DianeThis is a pan sautéed dish with a wonderful sauce seasoned from the pan juices. It is normally made with beef. As near as I can tell, this recipe was invented in London in the 1930’s. The name “Diana” refers to the Roman goddess of the hunt. It is an easy recipe, and the sauce is delicious on the meat and other things you have with your meal.Beef StroganoffThis is a classic winter recipe. Stroganoff is a combination of indulgent tender beef with a creamy mushroom sauce that is typically served over butter noodles. If you use beef, it is highly recommended that it is a cut of top sirloin, boneless ribeye steak or filet mignon. The key is a tender meat that can also be substituted for another protein as you will see in the ingredients. My Example: January 2024 Newsletter will give you the story of Count Alexander Stroganoff from Russia for whom this dish was invented.Grilled Marinated Flank SteakThis is one of three recipes my mother used for making a special dinner when we were having company. I have already published Baked Rice with Beef Consommé. The other will be published in the future and it is an Asian mandarin orange salad. The combination of these three is perfect together. This recipe serves two. But it can easily be scaled up for more people.Secret Burger SauceAt many restaurants that serve hamburgers, they also have a secret sauce. The sauce seems to be like thousand island salad dressing. But I wondered what are the ingredients. I found a couple recipes and combined them, and this tastes just as good. It is not only great on hamburgers, but it is also wonderful with hot dogs or french fries.Veal with Mushrooms, Onions and Wine SauceThis is a tender meal with lots of flavor. It reminds me of a German Jagerschnitzel except the veal is not breaded but sautéed. It is covered with a wonderful sauce of mushrooms, onions, garlic and wine. I found this recipe on the internet at the “Taste of Home” web site. It appealed to me right away!Spanish Tapa Pork RollsIn 2008, Dave and I were watching a food and travel series on PBS. The show was called “Spain … on the road again.” It starred chef Mario Batali, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols. They traveled all over Spain cooking and learning about the Spanish culinary scene. On one episode, these Spanish Tapa Pork Rolls caught our eyes. So I downloaded the recipe and the rest is history. By the way, the Spanish call these “Flamenquines”, and they are typically served with french fries and asparagus. I love the crunch on the outside and the tenderness of the two meats on the inside. Buen Apetito!Mexican EnchiladasAuthentic Mexican enchiladas are the real deal. Corn tortillas are dipped in a chile sauce and then are filled with onions, cheese and peppers. For serving, traditionally you put shredded lettuce, sour cream and tomatoes on top. Also, the protein is usually placed on top as well. I like to serve enchiladas with salsa, refried or black beans and either sliced avocados or guacamole. Buen apetito!Honey Garlic Dijon Pork TenderloinI love a pork tenderloin as it’s lean and delicious. It is considered to be a humble cut of meat and it is juicy, soft, tender and full of flavor. This recipe for Honey Garlic Dijon Pork Tenderloin sets this cut of grilled meat over the top!Mini Bundt MeatloavesThere are times when having your oven on for a long period of time is not desirable and especially in the summer. The benefit of these Mini Bundt Meatloaves is that you can cook them in a shorter time than making one big meatloaf. These also can be frozen for a quick dinner idea later on. But I have been wondering, what is the history of meatloaf? Apparently, it goes all the way back to medieval Europe in the 5th century where scraps of food were combined for a meal. But meatloaf has been a traditional meal in Germany, Belgium and Scandinavia for a long time. Without a doubt, meatloaf is also very popular and a staple in the United States. Enjoy!Easter Ham Dinner on Two Sheet PansSmaller sheet pan meals, like this Easter Ham Dinner on Two Sheet Pans, have the same quality of taste even when there are only a few people at your table. The other blessing is that you don’t have to make the full-size recipes. I find the sheet pan concept to be easy. You make each dish on portions of the 2 sheet pans. For this recipe, the glazed carrots and roasted asparagus are done on one pan and the scalloped potatoes and roasted ham are prepared on the other pan. When I was testing this recipe, it included baking the biscuits on the second pan. But I found it easier to separate the biscuits out by making or buying them in advance. I recently made this recipe for Dave and I for Easter dinner as it was just the two of us. We were amazed that all 4 dishes tasted great and could be prepared in the same amount of time. I like this concept so much that I now plan make nice dinners for both of us that have several sides throughout the year!Beef RouladenBeef Rouladen are of German origin (called Rindsrouladen). They are typically thin slices of beef wrapped around a pickle, bacon, onion and mustard mixture. I remember my Aunt Phyl making these and they were so tender and delicious. The gravy is particularly flavorful with a hint of garlic and red wine. And I enjoy the gravy not only on the rouladen but also over some boiled potatoes or dumplings. Guten appetit!Sloppy Joe’s Stuffed TomatoesTraditionally, a sloppy joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef or pork, onions, tomato sauce (or ketchup) and other seasonings served on a hamburger bun. Heinz’s consumer test kitchen has stated that the sloppy joe was invented in the 1930’s & was named “loose meat sandwich” in Sioux City, Iowa. This sloppy joe’s stuffed tomatoes recipe is very easy to make and a lighter version as you skip the bun. My husband Dave was skeptical about a bun less sloppy joe, but said after he ate it, that “this is the best I have ever had”.Danish Veal PattiesThese Danish veal patties (called Frikadeller in Denmark) are pan fried meatballs. I learned how to make this from my Danish Aunt Karen while visiting her home outside of Copenhagen. These patties are a lighter version of Frickadellen, which are made in Germany, because the Danes use ground veal, oats and milk. Where the Germans use a combination of beef and pork with milk-soaked bread. The form of the veal patties resembles a small American football because they are shaped with two spoons. And I love how the patties are crunchy outside and moist inside. In any case, these veal patties are delicious and can be enjoyed all year around. Cheers or Skal!Wiener SchnitzelThis is probably the most famous schnitzel that originated out of Vienna (Wien), Austria. And it is a favorite in Germany as well. Typically, it is made from veal cutlet. Wiener schnitzel is served with pommes frites (french fries). But any type of potato or spätzle (small egg dumplings) works well and of course some beer. Prost!Shepard’s PieShepard’s pie originated in the United Kingdom as a means of using leftover roasted meat and then topped with mashed potatoes. Shepard’s pie is traditionally made with lamb while cottage pie is made with beef. I like to use some of my thanksgiving leftovers to make Shepard’s pie including, not only mashed potatoes… but carrots, onion and celery. This dish pairs very well with beer and makes 4 servings.
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