Innie or Outie

A basic meal for beef eaters, Papa’s Steak & Potato Dinner:

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Hubby pan fried the steak in olive oil – using the juices with garlic and Worcestershire sauce, whole grain mustard, and white pepper for the “gravy”. Accompanying the meat entrée are baked potato with sour cream and a salad consisting of iceberg lettuce, arugula, julienned yellow bell pepper, sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and chives drizzled with a white wine vinegar, whole grain mustard, and olive oil vinaigrette

Here is a simple dish I came up with to make use of some of that somen (noodles), Beef Curry Noodle Crunch:

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Per serving, 70 grams uncooked somen, 1 1/2 cup heated curry, 1 teaspoon sweet pickled daikon, 1 tablespoon zasai (pickled turnip). Prepare somen according to directions, rinse and strain, place on paper towels to remove excess liquid, divide into two piles per serving, deep fry, place on paper towels to remove excess oil, plate, ladle on curry, top with daikon, and place zasai on the side.

When hubby and I threw this meal together we didn’t consult as to what ingredients were being used in each other’s recipes. It seems we were both in the mood for some garlic and bell peppers to differing degrees. The result was a very flavorful outdoor meal, Grilled Steak and Mushrooms with Bell Peppers Dinner:

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Early in the day, at least three hours prior to serving, prepare the Summertime Penne Salad:

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The salad consisted of 2 tablespoons regular classic mustard, 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard, 1/4 cup dill pickle juice, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 finely diced hard-boiled eggs, 1 diced red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1 tablespoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic paste, 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes, and cooked penne thoroughly mixed then refrigerated.

Accompanying the pasta for the outdoor meal was Papa’s Grilled Foil-Wrapped Mushrooms and Bell Peppers:

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For the veggie packet, hubby used butter, fresh mushrooms, sliced bell peppers, minced garlic paste, minced ginger paste, soy sauce, chopped chives, white pepper, and sesame oil grilled on medium heat for 20 – 25 minutes.

Completing the meal was the meat entrée, Papa’s Basic Grilled Steak:

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This was a real “no frills” recipe with nothing added to the steak. Simply grill as is. When ready, mix a little soy sauce with the juices from the grilled mushrooms and bell peppers (above) and use as a dipping sauce.

Hubby decided to try his hand at a Tex-Mex flavor meal, Papa’s Salsa Sauce Dinner:

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This simple, but tasty, meal consisted of steak cubes sautéed in olive oil, boiled carrots and potaotes sautéed in olive oil, and blanched handama (Okinawan spinach). The items were plated and then smoothered in a salsa sauce recipe he found on this Japanese foodie site.

This is a meal hubby came up with making use of leftovers, Papa’s Sautéed Greens and Red Wine Meatball Rice :

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Hubby sautéed some leeks, bell peppers, and one of the local greens (komatsuna) in olive oil; crumbled in one of the red wine meatballs; and then stirred in some chicken bouillon, pepper, and minced garlic paste. Finally, he plated the mixture over some cooked rice and topped it all with crushed toasted sesame seeds.

Here is a midday snack I came up with that makes use of leftover meatballs, Red Wine Meatball with Blue Cheese and Basil Wrap:

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So, Hubby’s back in the kitchen. This time he decided to go a different direction and looked-up some recipes on a Japanese foodie site. This is what he came up with – Papa's European-Style Dinner:

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The meal consisted of hamburger steak (ball) with red wine sauce, sautéed mushroom-bacon potatoes, and carrots with creamy cheese dressing.

Here is another versatile option for a relaxing dinner for two:

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Tabletop Teriyaki Dinner

An electric skillet makes it easy to turn any tabletop into an instant mock izakaya. For our dinner we chose beef (marinated in teriyaki sauce), mushrooms, leek, veggies and cheese rolled in pork, cabbage, and greens accompanied by miso soup and rice topped with grated sesame seeds.

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This is a simple recipe that consists of ingredients found in almost every household.

Crockpot Chunky Beef Stew

2 lbs cubed stewing beef
2 ribs of celery (sliced)
2 medium carrots (sliced)
4 medium potatoes (halved and sliced)
2 medium onions (halved and sliced)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 small or 1 large can of sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic paste
Dried parsley

Brown beef in frying pan on medium heat in olive oil. Stir in pepper and garlic paste.
Place potatoes in bottom of crockpot and top with carrots and onions. Then place browned beef on top of vegetables. Add the mushrooms and finally add the cream of mushroom soup. Cover and cook on high for 8 to 10 hours. Sprinkle each serving with parsley.

This is another simple and quick recipe for those with busy schedules.

Basic Meat Sauce

1 pound hamburger
1/2 medium onion (diced)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic paste
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons white pepper
One 15 ounce can tomato sauce
One 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
One 4 and 1/2 ounce can mushrooms

Brown hamburger in a frying pan, then drain off excess grease. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, onion, oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, garlic, tomato paste, muchrooms, and white pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Store in refrigerator for at least 8 to 10 hours.

This basic recipe goes well with pasta, rice, or cornbread.