Ketchup Soup (aka Grandma's Beef Soup)

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Bet ya thought I'd given up on the ol' cookin' blog didn't ya?  Nah...I was just taking a bit of a break...trying to get my life sorted back out again.  And well, trying to maintain a weeks worth of recipes was just getting to be a bit too much...so, from now on...it'll just be randomness.  (yeah, I like that)

So, to start us back off I'm pulling out an ancient recipe.  (shhh...don't tell my grandma I called it that!) Okay, so maybe its not exactly ancient, but this recipe is what memories are made of...you know, memories of being at your grandmas with this incredible smell coming from her cooktop.  And then, to find out that your mom can whip up a batch too!  
Here's the funny thing...when I was living with my grandma this past summer, we made this recipe...but it wasn't what I remembered my mom making.  So...I assumed it was something different (and devoured it anyway).  When my dad asked me the other day for the recipe for a soup my mom used to make him (my parents are long divorced), I was like...YES!  that soup that she made that we all loved!  Called up mom who said she was going to wait for my grandma to arrive from Ohio so she could get the recipe first hand.

So, there we are on the phone and Grandma is rattling off the recipe to mom who is in turn relaying it to me.  Okay, first off....Grandma doesn't measure...at all.  Me?  I'm obsessed with making things perfect so this eyeball stuff just doesn't fly with me.  I kept pestering for more accurate amounts...well, I didn't get it...and neither will you in this recipe...so there.  
With the recipe typed up (sort of), I still didn't think that it was the same mom used to make...but then, revelation....mom fessed up to deviating from Grandma's directions!!!!  (heaven forbid!)  See, when Grandma makes it, she takes all the veggies and meat out and lays them on a platter.  The broth remains in the pot and the noodles in a side bowl.  Then you kinda just build your bowl'o soup.  Well, mom just left it all in the pot, ladled it over noodles and served it up.  (Grandma is not happy about that...not one bit)  BUT!  that's how I remember it too....so, I'm sticking with my mom and that's how we dished it out in my family.  :)  (and devoured it as well)
Now for the name...Grandma of course never called it that.  Somewhere along the way a cousin of mine started referring to (and requesting often) Grandma's soup as Ketchup Soup.  (well obviously because of the ketchup in it) and the name just stuck.  No longer referred to as beef soup, stew, whatever....nope...its Ketchup Soup.  And every single grandkid knows it and begs for it.  We tease each other and post pix on Facebook if someone makes it and no one else is around to share.  (yeah, that's the kind of family we are...isn't it awesome??)  :D

This is a soup that you will make again and again and again...and you will have a hell of a time just eating one bowl.  (its super addicting...trust me)  And you'll look at the ingredient list and go...huh?  That's it?  Yep, that's it.  And it's perfect.  Our family loves the vinegar taste of the ketchup, but if you aren't a big fan...ease back.  Mom (and Grandma) always say to start with half the bottle and add as you need.  (not me, I dump the whole thing in...plus a little water rinse inside the bottle to get any remaining ketchup out)  This also makes ALOT of soup.  I forgot to ask mom if you can freeze it, I'm sure you can since Grandma freezes everything, but I usually just keep eating the leftovers for lunch...for about a week straight.  :)  I'm telling you....this is one of those soups that you put together on a cold fall/winter weekend and just let the smell fill your house...then fill your belly with yummy goodness.  Follow with a nice glass of wine and a fire and you're good to go!  :D  

And now...for the recipe.  
(again, this is as detailed as we could get out of Grandma)

1 boneless chuck roast 3-4lbs  (make sure its a roast and not a round cut)

1 onion 

1 head of celery with leafy tops

3-4 medium sized carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 head cabbage (or 1 small) sliced

3-4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (or 6-8 small whole-unpeeled baby reds)

1/2 bunch parsley chopped

1 bottle of ketchup (I like Trader Joes Organic brand)
1 box Beef stock or beef bouillon 

1 bag of egg noodles

salt, pepper, garlic powder

1. Fill a large pot with water about 3/4 of the way and bring to a boil (make sure its boiling before you add the meat!!)  *note: don't add too much water...you can always add more if you need it, but you want to make sure you don't overflow when you add the veggies)

2. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

3. Add the meat, whole onion (peeled and halved), and 2-3 stalks of celery (whole with leafy tops)

4. Simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender (test with a fork, but don't break up the meat)

5. When meat is tender, take out onion and celery

6. Add carrots, cabbage, and 2-3 stalks more of celery with leafy tops....simmer for 1/2 hour.

7. Add potatoes and parsley and simmer until potatoes are pierced easily with a fork.

8. Next, add half the bottle of ketchup.  Stir and taste.  (we usually end up using the whole bottle, so add as much as you want to your taste) and gently simmer. (I also fill the bottle with a bit of water...shake it up to get the last bits of ketchup and dump that in too)  Add the beef stock or bouillon now too.

9. While soup is simmering, cook noodles according to package directions
10.  adjust seasonings as needed

And that's it!  Serve in bowls with noodles and scoops of soup....and then serve a second and third helping.  :)  Happy cooking!

Pesto Pasta with Mini Meatballs

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It's kind of funny...I couldn't wait to get to Italy and cook all these great dishes that I haven't been able to cook in Saudi, but I come to find that I can't get everything I want in Italy either!  I couldn't wait to eat kale...but couldn't find it anywhere, no matter how hard I searched.  Broccoli too...seems to have just disappeared from the Como area! 
And just a little note about Lake Como....I'm in love.  Just in love.  We stayed in a town called Menaggio...in my opinion, the best one on the lake...and it's just a short ferry ride to Bellagio and Varenna.  Menaggio (pronounced Men-A-jo) has a beautiful piazza and then you walk (uphill) all the way to our house.  We stayed where the old castle used to be in a 500 year old house.  It was so lovely and we made friends with the neighbors.  I was even lucky enough to be invited over for dinner!  It was great fun trying to talk Italian with them.  The food was wonderful.  (and yes, they even had the traditional Italian red and white table cloth)  :)

So, the next night I had to cook for myself and the girls.  No broccoli to be found, but at least they had cauliflower.  We'd already feasted on different tomato based sauces, so I wanted something different.  And keeping with the fact that I wanted to enjoy pork as much as possible, I figured some yummy meatballs would do the trick topped with a nice pesto sauce.  Had I been in my regular kitchen I would have made my own pesto, but with the serious lack of kitchen staples in my rented house, I went with the jarred kind.  Turned out wonderful and the girls really liked it as well.  Score one for mom!

Saudi Sliders: Hashi Burgers (Camel)

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Yep, you read that right.  Hashi burgers.  Hashi, the Arabic word for camel.  Okay, so you're cringing right now...yeah, I get it...I did too when I first thought of eating camel.  I mean, its like a horse, right??  Not to mention the first time I saw a camel head hanging at the butcher station in the grocery store I about lost it...  But, I decided to do a little research and here's what I found about camel meat:

• Camel meat is known for its large muscular fibers and high water content. It has a slightly sweet taste due to the presence of glycogen and is usually a deep red color.
• Camel meat has two qualities which distinguish it from beef and mutton: it has lower fat and higher moisture content. Fat in camel meat amounts to 1-2% whereas in beef that number is 4-8%.
• Camel meat has very high Iron content versus other kinds of meat.
• As part of a healthy diet, Camel meat can help reduce risks of cardiovascular disease through lower intake of saturated fats.

So, bottom line...it's wicked good for you.  The hubby and I decided to give it a try one night a few months back.  He bought a whole roast and smoked it on the Beast (his smoker).  While the meat actually tasted good, it was very tough to chew.  It probably could have used hours more to make it tender enough.  This time we decided to try it already ground up.  In Saudi, they sell Hashi burgers at the local fast food joints.  Never tried one, but figured we could have a go at making our own.  A google search did not provide me much to go on...so the hubby and I winged it.  The end result???  A damn good burger.  Both kids loved it as well...and we flat out told them it was camel.  We plan to make them again and play with different seasonings and toppings.  My advice?  If you ever get the opportunity to give this a try...live a little and go for it...you'll be surprised.

Ingredients:

2lbs ground Hashi (camel) meat

2 Tbs Ras-El-Hanout (Moroccan spice blend)  *or make your own...see recipe below

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

optional: caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, cheese

*Ras-El-Hanout: (this makes 2 Tbs)

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sald
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
(mix all together with a whisk until well blended)

Directions:

Preheat your gas grill or get your charcoal grill ready.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently.  Form into patties (I made 5 slightly large ones) and gently press your thumb into the middle of each patty to make a small indention.  Place the patties in the fridge for 15 minutes.  *Note, the patties were still quite moist and fell apart a bit on the grill...but not too much)  Grill the patties on one side for about 10 minutes per side.  Top with your fave toppings and enjoy!

Read about my first time seeing camel in the store on my travel blog:

Takin A Magic Carpet Ride

Stuffed Cabbage...Arabian Style

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Going to attempt another Arabic dish tonight.  This is from the same website Ya Salam Cooking.  The Arabic name for this dish is Malfouf.  I grew up eating stuffed cabbage and though my grandmother's recipe (Grandma's Pigs in the Blanket) is different, there are still some similarities.  
The seasoning in this was amazing.  Loved the taste.  The original recipe called for less tomato sauce, but I like it a bit more saucy.  If you prefer less, just cut it back a bit.  :)
Great dish. 

Happy cooking!  !سعيد الطبخ

Mom's Sweet Chili Recipe

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I grew up loving chili.  But not all chili, just my mom's sweet chili.  As far as I'm concerned there is nothing better.  My husband is known for his spicy chili's, but for me, I love the sweet taste with the vinegar bite that reminds me of mom.  This is the kind of chili you can serve anyone.  Kids love it because of the lack of heat and grownups love the distinct taste.  Mom's chili gets its vinegar bite from the chili sauce, if you're not a big fan of that taste, scale back the chili sauce and add some ketchup.  (I, however, love that bite!)  :)

We also have another tradition that goes along with this chili....we serve it over white rice.  Yep, rice.  It wasn't until I met my husband that I found out most people don't eat their chili that way!  For me, it's the ONLY way to eat chili!  :)  Topped with some shredded cheddar cheese and I'm a very happy girl.

Thanks mom!  

What's your favorite chili recipe??  
Share and Add it to the comments box!!
(links welcome!)

Kale and Beef Stir-Fry

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Okay, so if you're paying any attention to the latest food trends you'd know that kale is one of the new "it" foods.  What is kale?
Kale is a leafy green.  There are three different kinds.  Russian Red, Dinosaur Kale (aka tuscan kale), and the most popular Curly Green Kale (this is the easiest to find).  
Kale is a great brain booster and is rich in B6 vitamins and alpha-linolenic acids (building blocks for creating new brain cells).  It is also a great fatigue fighter because it can absorb iron from chicken, fish or beef and help supply more oxygen to your muscles.
When preparing kale, make sure to cut out the inner membrane (the stiff piece that goes up the middle of the leaf) and discard the stems.  
There are tons of recipes out know for kale.  In my Smokey Minestrone Tortellini Soup I add it at the end for some extra veggie punch.  This stir-fry recipe turned out great.  It's super easy to make and you can tweak the recipe to what you have on hand.  Through it over some steamed white rice and you're good to go!  

Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs with Smokey Marinara

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I recently signed up for Pillsbury's daily newsletter.  I'm not a huge fan of their recipes mostly because they are not very healthy and they constantly use name brand items.  But, I did see this reicpe and thought it was a fun easy dish to make for me and my girls.
I wanted to add a bit more pizzazz, so I made my own smokey marinara (you can find the recipe here:  Smokey Marinara)  I really wanted to use bucatini noodles, but I couldn't find any at the store.  So, I settled for good ol' spaghetti.  I think next time I'll try a different cheese...the string cheese didn't melt very well.  But, all in all, it was a great dish.  :)

Bloody Mary Pot Roast with Fall Veggies

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I came upon this dish from an email.  I'd never heard of anything like it and I was intrigued.  Knowing I wouldn't be able to make this with the vodka while in Saudi, I wanted to make it before I left. 
Now, I have never cooked with a rutabaga before.  I had no idea what they even looked like.  I had to ask the grocer to show me where they were.  They are sphere shaped with a waxy film on the outside.  They felt slimy to me.  But, I was willing to give it a go.  When I got back to my grandma's I realized I had no idea what to do with it.  I had to google rutabaga and watch a video on prepping it!  LOL  
What you do is peel the thick skin from the outside.  Then you just cut it up into cubes.  I was curious as to how they would taste and let me tell you, I loved them!!  They absorbed all the delicious juices from the sauce and they were tender and so flavorful!  I can't wait to cook with them again.  I may end up using them often in place of potatoes, since the hubby isn't such a fan.
Great, fun fall dish that just slow cooks all day and makes your house smell heavenly!

slow-cooked and scrumptious!

Wednesday: Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Pin It Now! When I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner this week, my darling carnivore of course said "steak."  Luckily there were some nice top sirloins on sale at the grocery store.  One of his all time fave ways to eat steak is with a chimichurri sauce on top.  Chimichurri sauce is a salsa-like condiment which originated in Argentina and is used on beef. There are many different variations of this sauce, but he wanted to stick to the original (or as close as I could get)  He specified that it HAD to have cilantro in it.  I googled around and found this recipe and he gave the thumbs up.
For the steak, you just want to keep things simple and let the sauce take center stage.  You can use any kind of meat with this, so just go with what you have or what's on sale.  Happy cooking!  :)   

Grandma's Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (aka Pigs In the Blanket)

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A few weeks ago, I made a stuffed cabbage recipe.  It was really good, but I kept thinking...my grandma's is SO much better!  LOL  (of course the other recipe was way different than grandma's)  My hubby loves cabbage, so I figured why not give grandma's recipe a go!
My mom called her up on the phone to get the recipe to relay it to me.  (yes, I could have called too, but my mom wanted to chat with her anyway)  :)  Here's the thing, this is one of those good ol' family recipes that was never really written down.  It was just taught.  My grandmother is 87 years old and still lives in her own house.  She has so many wonderful recipes that we are trying to get written down so we can keep cooking them for years to come!
We did our best to come up with an ingredient list and good directions for you.  This is not a hard dish to make by any means, but it is time consuming.  It could seem daunting as you read through the directions, but keep in mind, we're adding extra info to help you make the dish easier.
Can't wait for my house to be filled with the smell of memories in my grandma's kitchen.  So lucky to still have her around to share her recipes with us!

Friday: Italian Beef Stew

Pin It Now! Okay, so while my in-laws were in town, my hubby fired up the smoker.  He was rummaging through the freezer to see if there was anything else he could toss on the grill.  We found that I still have an obscene amount of chuck roast left in there!  With the move getting closer and closer, I know I need to start using up what we've got on hand.
Surfing around some apps on my iPad, I found this recipe from Cooking Light.  I have most of the ingredients already, so it was a perfect choice to cook.  I left if for Friday so we would have leftovers for lunch over the weekend.  I know it's not exactly a summer weather dish, but I love it just the same!  :)

Simply wonderful.

Thursday: Lemon-Lime Soda Marinated Sirloin Kabobs

Pin It Now! I had steak in the freezer, its summer, the grill is just calling me.  Googled for some sirloin recipes and found this one.  I know, steak on a stick twice in one week.  Hey, if it ain't broke...and all that.  
*Note:  this is an overnight recipe...so plan ahead
The next best part is the grilled veggies...and pineapple.  There is something lovely about grilled pineapple...sweet and smokey at the same time.  
Another little tip...as much as I LOVE the look of the meat and veggies threaded together, I like to put them on separate skewers.  This way, I don't have to worry about veggies cooking faster than meat (or vice versa)  If you are planning this for a party and want to wow with the look, you could always re-skewer after the food is cooked.  We just tend to pile everything on a platter and eat it family style.  :)  

Friday: "Spaghetti" with Bolognese sauce

Pin It Now! Gazing into my freezer I noticed a bag of homemade marinara sauce and a pound of ground beef.  Perfect...pasta night!  Then I thought, maybe I can get more creative.  Instead of regular ol' noodles, I'll cook up some spaghetti squash instead.  Adding a power punch of veggie goodness.
If you've been following my blog, you'll see that I've cooked spaghetti squash quite a few times and I've never been disappointed.  (and my girls have never turned it down, though, they think it's just some kind of special noodle)  ;)  
This is a total "fly by the seat of my pants" recipe.  And totally off track from my usual "follow the recipe" method.  So, if you make this, I'd love to hear your thoughts and any tweaks you may have tried.  Happy cooking!  :)

Tuesday: Guberburgers (there's a secret ingredient!)

Pin It Now! It's Burger Week!  In the spirit of the summer season, let's get our burger on!  I found some great new burger recipes to try and I figured we'd have a burger marathon this week.
As I lovingly perused my Food Network magazine, I found this intriguing burger recipe.  The name itself caught my attention, but what really had me hooked was the secret ingredient...Peanut Butter!!  Now, if you've been keeping up with my blog, you know that I love adding peanut butter to different dishes...however; I never would have thought to put some on top my burger.
This recipe comes from the Wheel Inn Drive-In, located in Sedella, MO.  According to the article, the chef tells anyone that if they don't like the burger, she'll make them anything else on the menu...and she's never had to follow up on that.  Looking forward to my first Guberburger!  :)
For sides I'm dishing up some fresh corn on the cob and sweet potato fries.

Thursday: Sliders...White Castle Style

Pin It Now! Okay, so I think most of us have heard of the infamous White Castle Burgers.  (and many of you have seen Harold and Kumar's adventure there)  Well, Food Network published their sacred (okay maybe not sacred) recipe in their current magazine.  My girls love "baby burgers", so these went on the menu for the week.  


Such a simple dish to make and it's a fun family meal.  I'm going to throw some cheese on the girls burgers (shhh, don't tell White Castle!) since I know damn well they won't eat those onions.  Okay, yes, I will put some on there, but I'm not getting my hopes up.  Keeping things simple with some baked beans and some veggie (haven't decided on that yet.)


This recipe makes 36 sliders, so if that's a bit much for your family, just halve the recipe. 
Looking forward to making some killer smashburgers!  Happy cooking!

How do you Hot Dog?

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We're celebrating our nations independence...and when we think about good'ol American food...hot dogs surely come to mind.  I'm grabbing a few of these killer hot dog recipes from Food Network (the photos are theirs...I haven't made all these dogs yet!)  LOL  Wanted to give you some ideas for your upcoming BBQ.  Instead of the same'ol hot dogs with ketchup and mustard, why not try something with a little more flair?  Let me know which one is your fave!  Happy Cookin'!     

Share your fave Hot Dog recipe!  Go to the Share Your Recipe link and I'll post your fave!

                                              

Chicago Dog: 

Serve boiled hot dogs on poppy-seed buns with dill pickle and cucumber spears, sliced tomatoes, sweet pickle relish,pickled peppers, diced onion and yellow mustard.  Sprinkle with celery salt. 

California Dogs:

Serve boiled tofu dogs on whole-wheat buns with diced avocado and cucumber, sprouts and shredded carrot. Drizzle with green goddess salad dressing.

Po Boy Dogs:

Serve grilled hot dogs on grilled buns with remoulade sauce or Creole mustard, shredded romaine and pickled okra. Sprinkle with Creole seasoning.

Philly Dogs:

Serve grilled hot dogs on hoagie rolls with cheese sauce, sauteed peppers and onions, and a dash of hot sauce.

Curry Dogs:

Cook 1/4 cup each lime juice, brown sugar and pitted dates, 1/4 teaspoon each cumin, chili powder and salt, and a splash of water until thick; puree. Brush chicken dogs with vegetable oil, sprinkle with curry powder and grill. Serve on soft buns with the puree, curry snack mix, onion and cilantro.

My Birthday Dinner

Pin It Now! You know you're loved when you have family who is totally excited to cook for you.  Even though I touted this week as Italian only, I had a craving for Asian for my birthday dinner.  With my mom in town, I wanted her to make something..(aside from her traditional birthday cake) and I wanted the hubby stationed on the grill.  So, this is what I asked for my birthday meal:


Dumpling Soup
Grilled Asian Flank Steak
Asian Cucumber Salad  


I'm already drooling.  So, I figure I'll just park my butt on the couch with my girls, pop in a movie, grab a glass of wine, and...vegg.  


(wanna know a secret though?  I really love cooking...and I'll kinda miss being in the kitchen tonight...well, just a little)  :)

Tuesday: Northern Italian Trattoria Burger

Pin It Now! Wanna impress some dinner guests?  Make these burgers.  They'll think you went out and bought $25 gourmet burgers.  They are that good.  Everything about these burgers just rock...from the crispy cheese on top to the crispy prosciutto on the bottom and the creamy herb butter (that would go good on almost anything).  Most important, don't skip out on the hot capicola...it makes the dish.  (you can find it at your butcher counter)  
If you don't like spicy food, just cut back on the amount, however, when it's cooked into the burger, it's no where near as spicy as it is by itself.  


It may seem like a lot of work, but it's really not.  Just a long list of ingredients.  I couldn't find smoked prosciutto, so I'm just using regular.  (but I'm going to find it somewhere!)
  

For a side dish, I'm going to make a lovely risotto.  Click here for the recipe:  Spring Green Risotto

Gourmet, melt in your mouth, ooh and ahh deliciousness....

Tuesday: Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

Pin It Now! We have an extremely busy day today, so the idea of throwing everything into a crock pot was very appealing. 
(girls morning dr. appointment, then they both have gymnastics in the morning, lunch, then swim lessons, then nap, then dress rehearsal for dance class...whew!)


Continuing with "Clean Out Freezer Week," I'm using up some beef chuck I have.  And a bonus I still have some barley leftover from another recipe.  Perfect.  
I read through the reviews of this recipe and I will be making a few adjustments to the original recipe.


First, I'm going to cut up the meat into cubes and brown before adding to the crock pot.
Second, I'm using beef broth instead of water and bouillon cubes.
Third, I'm adding all the ingredients EXCEPT the barley and bay leaf.  (that goes in for the last hour)
Adding half a cup of red wine and 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce.
Cook on low for 10 hours then add the barley and bay leaf.  Can't wait for dinner tonight!

Deep rich flavors...and chock full of veggies.  Delicious!

Monday: Beef Yakitori

Pin It Now! I love when you manage to score a good deal on something and it turns out just has wonderful as you hoped.  I received a ad in the mail to get a Food & Wine cookbook (plus a bonus cookbook) for the cost of shipping.  So, I figured, why not...I mean, I'm a book fanatic and another cookbook will look great on my shelf.  Funny thing is...I've been reading through it non-stop.  There are some really great recipes in it.  Now, can you find the same recipes online?  Sure.  But I just love curling up on the couch with a book in my hands.    So, this week's menu are all recipes from Food & Wine.  Should be a fab week of food!  :)


I made Chicken Yakitori a couple weeks ago and there weren't any leftovers.  So, why not try the beef version!  My girls tend to turn up their noses at mushrooms, but I still put them on their plates.  (they have to try at least one)  Maybe they'll like them one day...maybe not.  But, that doesn't keep me from making dishes with mushrooms!  :D  And I mean, who doesn't love meat on a stick!?  ;)  Going to serve this with some Udon noodles and stir fry veggies.