Salisbury Steak

Beef patties--

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1 large egg

2 Tbls Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

pepper

1 Tbls olive oil (for frying)

Sauce--

1 large onion, sliced or chopped

7 ounces cremini (or white) mushrooms, sliced

4 Tbls butter

6 Tbls flour

4 cups beef broth

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

• Prep all ingredients prior to getting started.
• Add all the beef patty ingredients ( except the olive oil) to a fairly large prep bowl.  Using your hands, mix it together and then form 6 patties, aiming for the same thickness of about 1/2-3/4" per patty.
• Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Allow the skillet to heat up for a few minutes.
• Fry the beef patties for 5-6 minutes per side or until they're nicely browned.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• To the skillet (don't drain the fat), add the onion and mushrooms.  Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the water has cooked out and they're nicely seared (about 7-9 min).  Transfer to a plate (the same plate as the beef patties is fine).
• Turn the heat down to medium.  Add the butter to the skillet, and once it's melted, sprinkle in the flour.  Cook stirring often, for 1-2 minutes so the flour taste is cooked out.  
• Whisk in the beef broth slowly (ensure the flour has dissolved in the sauce).
• Whisk the Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder into the sauce.
• Add the onions and mushrooms and beef patties (and any juices from the plate) back into the skillet.  Cook for another 5-7 minutes or so until the beef patties are fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened up a bit.  If the gravy gets too thick, add a splash of water or more beef broth.  Serve immediately with extra salt and pepper if needed.

We like it over mashed potatoes, but would be good over noodles, too!

💗Salt and Lavender, revised 

Caramel French Toast

 1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 Tbls corn syrup

1 loaf French bread, cubed

6 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbls cinnamon

Cube French bread and leave out to dry overnight.

Blend together butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then remove from heat. Pour into 13X9 baking dish with lightly buttered sides.  Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Put dried bread cubes into a large bowl and pour egg mixture over the top.  Gently stir until all bread is covered and egg mixture is almost gone.  Bake, uncovered, at 300 degrees for one hour.  Sooooooo yummy!

*If you want it to be more caramelly, double butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup.

Chicken Bacon Gnocchi Soup

1 pkg bacon cut into small pieces

1/2 medium chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 dash Italian seasoning

1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi (I love Trader Joe's most)

2 cups cooked rotisserie chicken

2 cups packed fresh baby spinach

Salt & pepper to taste

• Cut bacon into small pieces and add it to a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Cook until crispy.
• Meanwhile, prep the other ingredients.
• Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate and leave about 2 Tbls bacon fat in pot.
• Add onion to the pot and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned
• Stir in garlic and coo for 30 seconds
• Add chicken broth, cream, Italian seasoning, gnocchi, and some of the bacon to the pot.  Give it a good stir and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of pot.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil
• Once boiling, reduce heat so it's gently simmering and cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.  Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every so often to ensure gnocchi isn't sticking.
• Once the soup is as thick as you want it, (it continues to thicken up the longer it's cooked), add the cooked chicken and the spinach.  Let it warm through for a few minutes.  Season with extra salt & pepper if needed.  Serve immediately.

💗Salt & Lavender

Tuna Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients--

2 small cans or 1 large can white tuna

3 cups uncooked egg noodles

1/2-2/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup green onions (opt)

2 tsp mustard

1/2 cup mayo

1 tsp dried thyme leaves (rubbed between hands to make finer)

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

1-2 zucchini, scrubbed and sliced

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions--

• Drain tuna and set aside.
• Cook noodles as directed and drain.
• Add sour cream, mustard, mayo, tuna, thyme, onions, and salt to noodles and combine.
• Spoon half of mixture into casserole dish.  Top with zucchini.  Repeat layers.
• Top with cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. 

Chicken Teriyaki Chow Mein

Ingredients--

1 lb chicken breasts, cubed

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, divided

4 Tbls cooking oil, divided

6 oz chow mein noodle, Hong Kong style pan fried noodles, par cooked according to package instructions

3/4 cup onion, sliced

1/2 cup carrot, julienned

1 cup broccoli floret

1 cup cabbage

sesame see, for garnish

Preparation--

• In a medium bowl, season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper.  Add 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce and mix until the chicken is well-coated.  Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• In a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 Tbls oil, then add the par-cooked noodles.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing the noodles to crisp, then flip and cook for another 102 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and set aside
• In same wok, heat 1 Tbls cooking oil, then add the chicken.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned on one side, then stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until fully cooked through.  Set the chicken aside
• In same wok, add 1 Tbls oil, the onion, and carrot.  Cook 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.  Add the broccoli and cabbage.  Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
• Add the cooked chicken and crispy noodles back to the wok, along with the remaining 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce.  Toss well and cook for 2-3 minutes, until everything is well-combined.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

💗Erin

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients--

1 lb spicy Italian sausage, crumbled

1/2 lb smoked bacon, chopped 

1 quart water

2-14.5 cans chicken broth

2 large russet potatoes, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups chopped kale or swiss chard

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions--

• In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry; drain, set aside.
• In skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
• Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
• Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Easy Thai Coconut Soup

Ingredients--

1 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 Tbls minced jalapeno pepper

*1 1/2 Tbls freshly minced ginger, or 1 1/2 tsp ground dried ginger

2-14.5 oz cans chicken broth

1-13.5 oz can light coconut milk (about 1 3/4 cups)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 packages ramen noodles (do not use seasoning packet)

3/4 cup sliced mushrooms, opt

1 1/2 Tbls fresh lime juice

1 cup diced or shredded cooked chicken

2 Tbls chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Sliced green onions and lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions--

• Heat medium-sized soup pot to medium-high heat on stove top.  Add oil, jalapeno and ginger (if using fresh ginger). Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until jalapeno and ginger are softened and fragrant.  If using ground ginger, add to softened jalapeno and stir.  Add chicken broth, coconut milk, and salt and increase heat to bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and add noodles.  Simmer 3-5 minutes, until noodles are softened.  If using mushrooms, add them in the final 2-3 minutes of cooking the noodles
• Add chicken and simmer about 30 seconds to heat through.  Remove pot from heat and sir in lime juice and cilantro.  Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with additional chopped cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges, if desired.  

* I use "Spice World" squeeze ginger in a small plastic bottle from Frys

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