Category: Ground Meat
Un-Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
This casserole is adapted from stuffed cabbage rolls that my Mom, Mary, always made when I was a kid
I would sit in the kitchen and watch as she stuffed each cabbage leaf with a delicious filling of ground beef and rice
Sometimes I helped and we would stuff & roll, stuff & roll, stuff & roll until the entire tray of cabbage was ready to be baked
Fast forward to my kitchen where I’ve taken out the laborious rolling part and made this into a less time consuming “un-stuffed” casserole
Same great taste as far as I’m concerned, just quicker to get into the oven and into our bellies!
Start by cutting the core from a head of cabbage. I use savoy cabbage because I find it to be more tender than regular cabbage and it has a milder taste
Peel off each cabbage leaf being careful to keep it whole
Slice out any remaining part of the core. The easiest way to do this is to simply slice a “v” on the bottom of each leaf
Submerge the cabbage leaves a few at a time in a large pot of boiling, salted water
Blanch until the leaves have softened slightly but the color remains vibrant; just about 2-3 minutes
Immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and remove to a tray lined with paper towels
Roll each leaf like a cigar and slice into strips
Set aside and let’s work on the filling
Dice one large red pepper and one large onion and finely dice three garlic cloves
Saute in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for about 5-6 minutes or until the veggies soften a bit
To the vegetables, add in 3 pounds of ground meat. You can use beef or turkey
Since this is a lot of meat, it will take about 10 to 12 minutes to brown
If using beef, drain the excess fat
To the meat mixture, add in 2 cups of cooked rice and 2 cups of tomato sauce
I’m using my recipe for Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce because it’s a little thinner than sauce cooked on the stove
Add in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Mix to combine
Add enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom of an oven safe casserole, about 1 cup
Add a layer of the sliced cabbage leaves
Top with a layer of the meat mixture
Repeat adding layers of cabbage and meat mixture, ending with the cabbage and topping with about a cup of tomato sauce
Spread the sauce out over the cabbage so it’s mostly covered
Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes
Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving
As promised, all the delicious flavors of stuffed cabbage without all of the work!
Enjoy!
Un-Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Ingredients
1 head of savoy cabbage
1 large red bell pepper
1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
3 pounds of ground beef or turkey
2 cups of cooked white rice
4 cups of tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Kosher Salt and black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice cubes and cold tap water
Cut the core from the head of cabbage and peel off each cabbage leaf being careful to keep it whole
Slice out any remaining part of the core by slicing a “v” on the bottom of each leaf
Submerge the cabbage leaves a few at a time in a large pot of boiling, salted water until the leave have softened slightly but the color remains vibrant; just about 2-3 minutes
Immediately plunge the cabbage leaves into and ice bath and carefully remove to a sheet pan lined with paper towels
Dice one large red pepper and one large onion and finely dice three garlic cloves; saute in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 5-6 minutes over medium heat or until the veggies soften a bit
To the vegetables, add in 3 pounds of ground meat. You can use beef or turkey
This will take about 10 to 12 minutes to brown ; if using beef, drain the excess fat
Add in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and kosher salt and black pepper to taste; mix to combine
Add enough tomato sauce to cover the bottom of an oven safe casserole, about 1 cup
Add a layer of the sliced cabbage leaves; top with a layer of the meat mixture
Repeat adding layers of cabbage and meat mixture, ending with the cabbage and topping with about a cup of tomato sauce
Spread the sauce out over the cabbage so it’s mostly covered
Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes; let sit 5-10 minutes before serving
Tools used to make this recipe
ZELITE INFINITY Chef Knife 8 inch
Simply Bamboo Maui Bamboo Cutting Board
Wilton Recipe Right Non-stick Cookie Sheet Set, 2-Piece
Royal Classique 10 Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set with Silicone Handles
Stainless Steel Spider Strainer
© Simply Sundays 2018
All rights reserved
Shepherd’s Pie
Let’s talk comfort food!
Savory beef, onions, carrots and mushrooms in a rich gravy topped with creamy and buttery mashed potatoes
There are many great examples of comfort food out there
I should definitely know as comfort foods are one of my biggest weaknesses
Like eggplant parm, beef stew, lasagna, mac and cheese… I could go on!
However one of my favorites has to be Shepherd’s Pie
I mean it is meaty and hearty and covered in mashed potatoes… can you even ask for more?
My version of this great dish is a mashup of all the different ones I have tried over the years and I know you will love it as much as we do!
This is also a great way of utilizing leftover mashed potatoes which is what we are going to do here
We are starting off with 2 pounds of ground beef
You can certainly use ground lamb which is more traditional or any type of ground meat you prefer
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat
Add in the ground beef and brown breaking it up as you go
Cook for 10-12 minutes
Drain the meat and remove from the pan
Next we will need 2 carrots, 1 onion, 10 ounces of baby bella mushrooms and 3 garlic cloves
Baby bella mushrooms are also known as cremini or crimini mushrooms and can be brown or white
They are just immature portabella mushrooms
Peel and dice the carrots and onion, chop the garlic
Wipe any dirt off of the mushrooms with a dry paper towel and slice
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan and add the carrots, onions and garlic
Saute for 3-4 minutes
Add in the mushrooms
Cook 2-4 minutes
Add the beef back in and stir to combine
Season with 1 tablespoon of The Spice Apothecary’s Everyday Seasoning
Next we will need 3/4 cup of dry red wine (like a Cabernet), 1 1/2 cups of beef stock, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce, 2 tablespoons of Gravy Master and 1/4 cup of flour
Click on our link to make Homemade Beef Stock
Add the wine in and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook 2 -3 minutes
Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture and stir to combine
Add in the beef stock
Worcestershire Sauce and Gravy Master
Allow to thicken for 2 minutes then remove from the heat
Next, we will need 1 cup of frozen peas
Mix the peas with the meat mixture
Preheat your oven to 350 F
As previously stated I’m going to save a step by using around 4 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
Click on our link to make Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish and scoop 2 cups of mashed potatoes on top
Spread the potatoes out evenly
At this point, you can continue to spread the potatoes until your desired thickness or you can add them to a baggie and pipe them on like little lovely potato pillows
Spray the potatoes with some cooking oil or a drizzle of butter
Sprinkle with a little paprika
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes
Switch to broil and brown the potatoes being sure to keep and eye on them
Remove and let rest for 10 minutes or so before serving
Serve and dig in!
Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
2 pounds of ground beef
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
2 carrots
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
10 ounces of baby bella mushrooms
1 tablespoon of The Spice Apothecary’s Everyday Seasoning
3/4 cup of dry red wine
1/4 cup of flour
1 1/2 cup of beef stock
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons of Gravy Master
1 cup of frozen peas
4 cups of premade mashed potatoes
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add in the ground beef and brown breaking it up as you go. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Drain the meat and remove from the pan
Peel and dice 2 carrots and 1 onion, chop 3 garlic cloves. Wipe any dirt off of ten ounces of mushrooms with a dry paper towel and slice. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan and add the carrots, onions and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and cook for 2-4 minutes more
Add the beef back in and stir to combine. Season with 1 tablespoon of The Spice Apothecary’s Everyday Seasoning
Add in 3/4 cup of dry red wine (like a Cabernet) and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 2 -3 minutes. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the meat mixture and stir to combine
Add in 1 1/2 cups of beef stock, 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce and 2 tablespoons of Gravy Master. Allow to thicken for 2 minutes then remove from the heat. Mix in 1 cup of frozen peas
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish and scoop 2 cups of premade mashed potatoes on top. Spread the potatoes out evenly. Pipe the rest of the potatoes onto the meat mixture. Spray the potatoes with some cooking oil or a drizzle of butter and sprinkle with some paprika
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Switch to broil and brown the potatoes being sure to keep and eye on them. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes or so before serving
Tools used to make this recipe
ZELITE INFINITY Chef Knife 8 inch
Architec Carving Board, Gripperwood
Pyrex Basics Clear Oblong Glass Baking Dishes
© Simply Sundays 2018
All rights reserved
Asian Meatballs
Asian meatballs did he say?
Well yeah, it’s got a story
My kids are absolutely crazy for Chinese food and are always looking for an excuse to get some
I was working late and was on my way home when my kids requested Chinese food for dinner
It was already to late to order and the restaurant was not exactly on my way home
So it was time to start thinking
I knew we had ground turkey (a staple in my house) and a slew of Asian ingredients so I decided I was making Asian meatballs
Let me tell you we are all a big fan now
Let’s start off with the ground turkey. Feel free to substitute ground beef, pork, chicken, etc.
We used 3 pounds (With a 16 year old son who plays football, leftovers are essential)
When I think of Asian cuisine, I think of the freshness of flavor
We will need 3 scallions, 1 carrot, 3 garlic cloves, 3 eggs and some fresh ginger
Remove the very top part of the scallion as well as the bottom or root, discard and give the rest a chop
Peel the carrot and remove the top as well, then dice very finely
Peel and grate the ginger and garlic (you should end up with roughly a tablespoon of ginger, you can add or take away depending on your taste)
Whisk the eggs together
Add these ingredients to the meat
Now we are going to add more Asian flavors as well as bread crumbs to bind the mixture
We will need 1 cup of Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), 1 cup of plain bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce and 2 tablespoons of duck sauce (or plum sauce)
Add these ingredients to the meat mixture
Time to get dirty
Using your hands gently fold all the ingredients together until well combined
Preheat your oven to 350 F
I like to use a measuring cup to scoop out the meat balls (something I picked up from my Father in law)
Here I’m using a 1/3 cup measure which will make fairly large meatballs (you can drop to 1/4 cup or really get crazy and use 1/2 cup)
Lay some parchment paper in a sheet pan
Time to scoop away!
Don’t worry what they look like
We will come back and roll them up properly using our hands
Place them in the oven and bake around 20 minutes (obviously you can fry these if you want, or juggle them, not recommended)
Now these already have an Asian flair going on
Do you think that’s enough?
Nope
How about a glaze!
We will need 4 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of Sriracha sauce, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
Place all of these ingredients into a bowl
Whisk them together
At the 20 minute mark, remove the meatballs from the oven
Start brushing them with the glaze
Looking good!
Place them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes
We served this with some white rice and a scallion garnish!
Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Asian Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
3 pounds of ground turkey
3 scallions
1 carrot
3 garlic cloves
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger
1 cup of Panko (Japanese breadcrumb)
1 cup of plain bread crumb
1/4 cup of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons of duck sauce
For the glaze
4 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
4 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of sriracha sauce
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
Directions
For the meatballs
Add 3 pounds of ground turkey to a large bowl. Remove the very top part of 3 scallions as well as the bottom or root, discard and chop the rest. Peel 1 carrot and remove the top as well, then dice very finely. Peel and grate around 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger and 3 garlic cloves. Whisk the eggs together. Add to the ground meat
Next add into the bowl 1 cup of Panko (Japanese bread crumbs), 1 cup of plain bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce and 2 tablespoons of duck sauce (or plum sauce). Using your hands gently fold all the ingredients together until well combined
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop out the meatballs onto a sheet pan covered in parchment paper. Roll them up properly using your hands. Place them in the oven and bake around 20 minutes
At the 20 minute mark remove the meatballs from the oven. Start brushing them with the glaze. Place them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes
For the glaze
In a bowl whisk together 4 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of Sriracha sauce, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
Royal Classique Measuring Cups
Architec Gripperwood Cutting Board
Pyrex Prepware 4-Quart Rimmed Mixing Bowl, Clear
© Simply Sundays 2017
All rights reserved
Not your Mama’s Meatballs
Now I get it
Everybody has the best meatball recipe. Period
It’s your Grandma’s…..or your Mom’s, etc, and I would never challenge something like that
In fact we have our own favorite recipe
That being said, is exactly why we refer to these as “Not your Mama’s Meatballs’!
It was a weekend and time to make a “big dinner” but the ideas were few. We had some ground beef and hot Italian sausages
Easy path?
Sausage and meatballs over pasta?
Boring!
How about meatballs made with sausage and beef over pasta? Okay…Now we are starting to think
How about a sauce with some roasted peppers? That’s Simply Sunday’s thinking for sure!
So let’s start with the sauce (which can be made ahead of time)
I’m placing 2 red bell peppers right on the grates of my stove in order to roast them and get some smoky flavor going on
Keep turning the peppers to ensure you roast all sides
Charring the skin is fine because we will peel it off anyway
Once completely charred remove from the heat and place in a bowl
Cover immediately with cling wrap
The heat from the peppers will get trapped and act like a steam bath allowing you to peel them very easily
Peel the peppers and then remove the seeds and stem
Place into a food processor, puree until smooth and set aside
This will essentially become a replacement for tomato paste in the sauce and will add a smoky and subtle sweetness
Lets continue with the sauce
We will need 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 4 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy saucepan
Add in the bay leaves and crushed red pepper
Cook 1-2 minutes until they are releasing some aromatics
Peel the onion and chop along with the celery
Peel the skin off the carrot, then peel the flesh and give it a chops as well
Add the garlic to a food processor and finely chop
Add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic and 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper to the pot
Cook 6-8 minutes or until the veggies start to soften and the onions start to become translucent
Next we will need three 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of dry red wine (like a Cabernet), the red bell pepper puree and 1 tablespoon of sugar
Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom
Cook for 4-5 minutes to burn off the alcohol from the wine
Next add in the red pepper puree
Stir to combine and cook another 2-3 minutes
Add in the crushed tomatoes and sugar
Bring to a low boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for around an hour while we work on the meatballs
Time to get the meatballs going
Preheat your oven to 350 F
Here I have 1 1/2 pounds of 80% ground beef and 1 pound of hot Italian sausages
Remove the sausage from its casing
I am running the sausage meat through a meat grinder
You can omit this step, just make sure you break the sausage up enough that you can fold it evenly throughout the beef
I like to grind it again because it makes the meat finer and it is easier to work with
I move the bowl around as I grind to evenly distribute the sausage
Next we will need 1 cup of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), 1 cup of grated romano cheese, 4 eggs, 5 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup of fresh parsley and 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
Add the panko and romano to the meat mixture along with the seasonings
Next finely chop the garlic and parsley
Add this to the meat mixture as well
Next whisk up the eggs
Add this to the meat
Using your hands gently fold all the ingredients together
If you need to, add a little more panko to help bind the mixture
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper
Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop out the meat onto the parchment then roll them up
Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned
Remove from the oven and stand guard because these are awesome as is!
Not pictured here are the ones we already ate
Gently place the meatballs into the sauce
Simmer in the sauce for around 30 minutes
Serve with your favorite side of pasta and some crusty bread!
Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Not your Mama's Meatballs
Ingredients
For the sauce
2 red bell peppers (roasted, peeled and pureed)
1 onion
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 cup of dry red wine (like a Cabernet)
3-28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of olive oil
For the meatballs
1.5 pounds of 80% ground beef
1 pound of hot Italian sausage
1 cup of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 cup of grated romano cheese
4 eggs
5 garlic cloves
1/2 cup of fresh parsley
1 teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
Directions
For the sauce
Place 2 red bell peppers right on the grates of your stove. Keep turning the peppers to ensure you roast all sides. Once completely charred remove from the heat and place in a bowl. Cover immediately with cling wrap. Peel the peppers and then remove the seeds and stem. Place into a food processor and puree until smooth and set aside
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in 2 bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 1-2 minutes until they are releasing some aromatics. Peel 1 onion and chop along with 1 celery stalk. Peel the skin off of 1 carrot, then peel the flesh and give it a chop as well. Add 4 cloves of garlic to a food processor and finely chop
Add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic and 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper to the pot. Cook 6-8 minutes or until the veggies start to soften and the onions start to become translucent
Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of dry red wine (like a Cabernet), scraping up any bits from the bottom. Cook for 4-5 minutes to burn off the alcohol from the wine. Next add in the red pepper puree. Stir to combine and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add in the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a low boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for around an hour while we work on the meatballs
For the meatballs
Add 1.5 pounds of 80% ground beef to a large bowl. Remove 1 pound of Italian sausages from their casings. Either run the sausage through a meat grinder or break into small pieces to ensure even distribution throughout the meatballs
Add 1 cup of panko and 1 cup of grated romano cheese to the meat mixture along with 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Next finely chop 5 garlic cloves and 1/2 cup of fresh parsley and add to the meat mixture
Whisk 4 eggs and add them to the meat. Using your hands gently fold all the ingredients together. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop out the meat onto the parchment then roll them up. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and gently place the meatballs into the sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes
Serve with a side of pasta and crusty bread
Tools used to make this recipe
Anchor Hocking 8 Cup Measuring Cup Glass Batter Bowl with Spout
Architec Gripperwood Cutting Board
Royal Classique 10 Piece Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
Pyrex Prepware 4-Quart Rimmed Mixing Bowl, Clear
KitchenAid 3-Speed Hand Blender
© Simply Sundays 2017
All rights reserved