Memoirs of the Beef Lady

A collection of recipes and remembrances of Helen McFarland, South Dakota's "Beef Lady"

[thebeeflady]

Rolled Lavash Sandwich

Ingredients:

Lavash Bread Squares (Joseph’s can be purchased at most grocery stores)

8 oz cream cheese

1 clove garlic - minced

1 tsp dill weed

1 tsp pepper

1 ½ Tbsp. mayo

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

4 large Roma tomatoes – thinly sliced

4 oz baby spinach

1 red onion – thinly sliced

1 lb. roast beef – thinly sliced

Instructions:

Combine cream cheese, garlic, dill, pepper, mayo, and Dijon using a mixer.

Spread mixture completely over one Lavash square. Leaving an area of approximately one inch, layer spinach, roast beef, tomato, and onion on top of the cream cheese spread.

The one inch space acts like glue to hold the sandwich together once you roll it. 

Roll the Lavash tightly and slice ½ inch sections to serve. A bread knife works best to slice the roll.

Repeat until you are out of cream cheese spread.

[thebeeflady]

Asparagus with Avocado Sauce

Sauce Ingredients:

1 large avocado, mashed

½ stick butter, melted

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Sauce Instructions:

Melt butter in a small sauce pan, add avocado, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Stir until blended.  

Asparagus:

Blanch or steam 1lb of asparagus and pour sauce over to serve.

[thebeeflady]

Mushroom Pâté

Ingredients:

1 medium leek, white part chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 sticks butter

1.5lbs sliced mushrooms

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1 tsp. thyme

½ cup dry white wine

2 Tbsp. dry sherry

¼ tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions:

In a large skillet, sauté leek and garlic in butter over medium heat until leek is tender (about 10 min.). Add mushrooms, parsley, and thyme. Sauté until mushrooms give off juices (about 10 min.).  Stir in wine, sherry, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and thickened (about 20 min.). 

Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl that will hold 3 cups (a tureen bowl works best). Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with toasted French baguette slices.  

[thebeeflady]

Perfect Thanksgiving Snack: Cranberry Salsa

Ingredients:

1 Bag of fresh cranberries

1 Granny Smith apple (cored and sliced)

1 red onion

½ cup of sugar

¼ cup cilantro

¼ cup pickled jalapeño (I add more until I get the desired spice level)

1 tsp lime zest 

Preparation:

Combine the above ingredients and spin in a food processor.

This salsa is best served with Tostitos Hint of Lime chips.

[thebeeflady]

Re-blogging this recipe so you are all prepared for thanksgiving!

[thebeeflady]

Pressure Cooker Borscht

Ingredients:

5 cups water

Beef bouillon for 2.5 cups of water

1# beef stew meat – cubed

2 ½ cups peeled and cubed beets

1 ½ cups chopped onion

½ cup chopped carrot

½ cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped cabbage

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Tbsp. wine vinegar

1 tsp. dill weed

¼ tsp. caraway seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Brown beef in oil.

Combine in all ingredients in a pressure cooker.

For a stove top pressure cooker, cook for 10 minutes at 15# pressure.

For a digital pressure cooker, cook for 20 minutes at high pressure.

Garnish with sour cream and dill.

Serves 4 – 6

[thebeeflady]

Dirt Sledding!

No snow? No Problem! Enjoy this shot of Helen enjoying a dirt hill using her floor mat as a sled!

[thebeeflady]

Goulash

Ingredients:

2# beef stew meat – cubed

2 large onions – chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can of water

¼ cup red wine

1 tsp. crushed basil

½ tsp. garlic salt (or fresh minced garlic)

½ tsp. paprika

Splash of white vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Sauté beef and onion in olive oil until onions are translucent.

Add remaining ingredients and let simmer 1 hour.

Serve over buttered noodles or rice.

Garnish with parsley flakes.

Serves 4 – 6

[thebeeflady]

Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2# beef stew meat

4 carrots – cut into 1 inch pieces or desired size

4 medium potatoes - cubed

1 cup celery – cut into ¾ inch pieces or desired size

1 medium onion – cubed

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. onion salt

½ tsp. garlic salt or fresh minced garlic

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. instant tapioca

2 cups tomato juice

1/8 tsp. ground pepper

1/8 tsp. all spice

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours.

 Add frozen peas at the end of cooking if desired.

 Garnish with sour cream and chopped parsley.  Serves 4 - 6.

[thebeeflady]

Stroganoff Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 loaf of French bread

1 Tbsp. Olive oil

1# ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. garlic salt

Salt and pepper to taste

2 sliced tomatoes

1 sliced green pepper

4 oz. grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Split loaf and remove some of center cake, then place both halves on a baking sheet.

Saute ground beef and onion in olive oil, once the ground beef is browned add sour cream, milk, Worcestershire, garlic salt and salt and pepper, and combine.

Simmer on low for 2-3 minutes.

Pour the mixture over the halved bread loaves and top with sliced tomatoes, green peppers and shredded cheese.

Place in the oven for 5 minutes at 375° F or until cheese is melted.

Slice and serve immediately.

[thebeeflady]

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

(Photo courtesy of Amy Salmela)

Ingredients:

1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix (with pudding in the mix)

4 cups fresh chopped rhubarb

2 cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups sugar 

½ pkg. strawberry jello

Instructions:

Prepare cake mix according to pkg. directions

Pour batter into 9 x 11 greased cake pan

Spread rhubarb over the cake batter

 ·      Stir together heavy cream, sugar, and strawberry Jello

 ·      Pour over rhubarb and cake batter

Bake according to cake pkg. directions (usually takes a little longer), or until a toothpick comes out clean

Note: this makes a big cake so place a cookie sheet under the pan in case it bubbles over

[thebeeflady]

Texas Caviar

1 large    jar of picante sauce

2 16oz    cans black eyed peas (drained)

1 16oz    can white hominy (drained)

1 cup      chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup      chopped tomato

1 cup      chopped white onion

½ cup     chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup     seeded and chopped jalapeno

1 cup      chopped green onion

1 tbsp     salt

1 tbsp     sugar

2 tbsp     coarse pepper

2 tbsp     cumin

Instructions:

Combine ingredients and refrigerate overnight

Serve with tortilla chips (Scoops work the best)

[thebeeflady]

Herb Angel Hair Pasta

Serves 6-8

Ingredients: 

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3 Tbsp. Butter

2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

1/2 Cup of any combination of the following fresh herbs (chopped): Parsley,   Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Fennel, Tarragon, Rosemary, and green onion tops

1# Angel Hair Pasta

1/4 Cup parmesan cheese (shredded) 

Instructions: 

Sauté in a fry pan over low heat: Olive oil, butter and garlic

Cook pasta per package instructions

Toss herbs, oil & butter mixture, pasta and cheese.

[thebeeflady]

Happy Birthday!

Today would have been Helen’s 79th birthday! 

We love and miss you, Mom (a/k/a The Beef Lady)!

[thebeeflady]

Pesto Meatloaf

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

2 lb. ground beef or turkey

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1 egg, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

1 cup pre-made pesto [click here for Helen’s Classic Basil Pesto]

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients and place in a loaf pan or dutch oven and bake at 400° F for 1 hour.

Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Please note: This recipe is great served with Mashed Potato Pie and is excellent cold in a sandwich.

[thebeeflady]

Mashed Potato Pie

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

1 lb. cottage cheese                          

3 cups pre-made mashed potato’s

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs - beaten

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 cup green onion OR 1/3 chives

1 clove garlic – minced

1/2 cup grated hard cheeses – Romano, Asiago, orParmesan (or mix)

Pie crust (homemade or store bought)

Instructions:

Combine:

cottage cheese                                      

mashed potatoes 

sour cream

Blend the above in a food processor.

Add:

eggs

salt

cayenne pepper

Fold in:

green onion OR chives

garlic

grated hard cheeses – Romano, Asiago, or Parmesan (or mix)

Save some cheese to sprinkle on top.

Place the mixture into an uncooked pie shell and bake at 400° F for 1 hour.

[thebeeflady]

I wuv Throwback Thursday beary much.

[thebeeflady]

Colcannon Style Potatoes

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Butter (sauté)

2 Tbsp. Butter (Mashing)

1 and 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup shredded cabbage

2 and 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut intochunks

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 and 1/4 tsp. salt (divided)

2/3-cup milk

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

1.  Sauté the cabbage, carrots, and onions in butter untilsoft.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine potatoes, garlic, and 1/2 tsp. salt; cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer until potatoes are done (~20 minutes).

3.  Mash potatoes, as desired, add milk, butter, 3/4 tsp. salt, and pepper.  Stir in the sautéed vegetables and serve immediately.