Bob’s Swiss Steak Recipe

November 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

bob's swiss steak

One of the reasons why I started this food blog was to have favorite family recipes in one spot.  This is Swiss Steak Recipe is one such recipe.  Bob (a.k.a. “Dad” to me and “Pa” to my kids) has been making this recipe for quite some time.  It’s one of my husband’s favorites.  He brought out his recipe card yesterday and made it for a family gathering.  We serve it on top of homemade German Spaetzle Noodles.  Very easy, very yummy!

bob's swiss steak recipe

My husband’s handwriting is a little hard to read!

Frugal Tip:  Find recipes you love that use cheaper cuts of meat.  When you simmer and cook them slowly, they become tender and flavorful.  You could also speed up the process and make this in a pressure cooker.  A pressure cooker is great for tenderizing tough cuts of meat in a relatively short period of time.

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Bob’s Swiss Steak
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. tenderized steak
  • 2 cans whole stewed tomatoes
  • 2 celery stalks, cut ½”
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • seasoned flour (season with pepper, garlic powder)
Instructions
  1. Dredge steaks in seasoned flour and brown in a large skillet. Add tomatoes, celery, and onion. Simmer in the covered skillet approximately two hours until meat is tender. Sever over egg noodles.
Filed Under: Blog, Meat Tagged With:

Turkey Artichoke Panini

October 30, 2012 by 3 Comments

turkey artichoke panini panera bread

I admit it, I’m not much of a sandwich person.  The idea of white, fluffy bread and poor-quality fillings doesn’t satisfy my hunger or my palate.   Gourmet sandwiches are another story.   If a sandwich has a beyond-the-basic spread, quality ingredients, and artisan bread… I’m in!

panini press

George Foreman Grill = Panini Press

I first mentioned my Turkey Artichoke Panini on the Mommysavers Frugal Forums, and someone said it sounded just like a Panera Copycat.  I’ve never had their version, but this one is really good!  I created this recipe almost entirely by chance.  I had made a big batch of my spinach artichoke dip for a party, and had some left over.  The next day, I used the dip along with some smoked turkey on a sandwich; and it was fabulous!  Since then, I’ve discovered that caramelized onions and red peppers make it even better.

This time around, I used Sam’s Club Castle Wood lunch meat.  It’s Sam’s private label brand, and it comes in wide variety of flavors and combo pack options.  I also picked up some focaccia bread to give it a true gourmet flair.  Feel free to use artistic license when you make this.  I’ve got the basic recipe for you to print out below, but add your own personal touch!  Different types of meats and cheese are fun alternatives to make it even better-tasting to you, personally.  My husband didn’t want the red peppers on his, so I created sandwich with them, and one without.  Both fabulous!

To see more photos of the sandwich creation process, view my Google+ Photo Album:  Turkey Artichoke Panini

Frugal Tips:  Don’t have a panini press?  You can use your George Foreman grill!

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Castle Wood Turkey Artichoke Panini
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can artichokes, chopped
  • ¼ C. onion slices
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 oz. fresh spinach leaves
  • ⅓ C. cream cheese
  • ⅓ C. mayo
  • ½ C. Parmesan cheese
  • 1 round focaccia bread
  • Castle Wood turkey lunchmeat (at Sam’s Club)
  • Swiss cheese slices
  • Optional: roasted red peppers
Instructions
  1. In a skillet, heat onions in olive oil. Add garlic and spinach, toss until spinach is wilted. Add artichokes, cream cheese, mayo, and Parmesan cheese. Turn heat down to low and stir until ingredients are blended.
  2. Spread artichoke mixture on focaccia bread. Layer turkey lunchmeat and swiss cheese slices, and more spinach leaves and roasted red peppers if desired. Use a panini press or George Foreman grill to toast the bread.

 

sam's club castle wood lunch meat

turkey panini gourmet sandwich

turkey panini gourmet sandwich

turkey panini gourmet sandwich

turkey artichoke red pepper panini

Additional Resources:

Disclosure:  I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Sam’s Club Private Label #CBias #SocialFabric.  All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Blog, Breads Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Confession: I have a foodie crush on Tom Colicchio.

October 25, 2012 by 2 Comments

I admit it.  I have a foodie crush on Tom Colicchio.  Since my bad-boy foodie crush will always be filled by Anthony Bourdain, Tom plays the role of the nice guy counterpart.  This is something I really can’t explain, simply because he’s not the stereotypical hot guy.  He’s just magnetic.  And he can cook. What more do you want? I’m sure if I ever met him in person, I’d turn into a shy, 8th grade girl all over again.

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of his new online show, ”HOOKED UP” on the Reserve Channel.  Tom’s first guest is renegade chef and food personality Eddie Huang.  What’s cool about this new channel is there are fewer edits and more honesty. BRUTAL honesty. I love it!  

Note:  There are plenty of F-bombs on this video clip, so make sure the kids aren’t around when you watch it!  <blush>Yes Tom, I would get up at 5 a.m. to go shark fishing with you </blush>.

Please tell me I’m not the only one with a foodie crush.  Who is yours?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: ,

Having Fun in the ALDI Test Kitchen

October 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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Shopping at ALDI is one of my favorite ways to save money on groceries. Not familiar with ALDI? It’s a limited selection grocery store that carries about only about 1,400 products compared to the 40,000+ at most supermarkets. Because their square footage is smaller (about 15,000 sq. feet per store) and they turn over their inventory quickly, ALDI has much lower overhead costs. Luckily for savvy consumers, they are able pass on those savings to us.

Right now I’m at an ALDI holiday test kitchen event at their corporate headquarters in Batavia, IL. Last night we got to taste-test ALDI products against their name-brand competitors and as you can see from the photo above, had lots of fun! We sampled a variety of cheeses, wines and crackers and then had a delicious holiday dinner presented by food stylist Janice Stahl. ALDI aims to not only meet the standards of those name brands, but exceed them. That commitment to quality was evident in the tasting. I consider my palate to be somewhat refined for a frugal foodie, and in almost EVERY case I chose (somewhat surprisingly!) the ALDI product over the more expensive one.

Today, we’re heading to an ALDI store and back to their headquarters for more touring. I’ll be bringing you even more information and tons of photos after I get back. Tweet me with your ALDI questions @frugalbites or post your inquiries on the Frugal Bites Facebook Wall. Or, follow along on Instagram today by following me @kimdanger as well as the hashtag #intheALDIkitchen.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: , ,

Crock Pot Schweinbraten: German Pork Roast Recipe

September 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

crock pot schweinbraten german pork roast

How are YOU celebrating Oktoberfest this year?  How about an easy, one-pot German meal?  What’s great about this Crock Pot Schweinbraten recipe is you set it to go in the morning, and return home in the evening to your home smelling like an authentic German restaurant.  The only “work” involved is peeling and cutting the veggies (I used baby carrots to skip that step, making the prep work even easier).  Since all the veggies go in the crock pot along with the pork roast, it’s a true one-dish meal (but don’t forget the beer!).

Frugal Tips:  The pork is the most expensive part of this meal, but it doesn’t have to be.  Look for Manager’s Specials on pork roast when you shop.  At my store, they are indicated with a sticker on the package in the meat department.  Since pork roast freezes well, buy it when you see a great deal and cook it when it’s convenient for you.

Mommysavers members answer the question:  When someone mentions German food to YOU, what comes to mind?

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Crock Pot Schweinbraten: German Pork Roast
Serves: 6-8
 
Ingredients
  • One 3-4 lb. pork roast
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cracked pepper
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 6 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 3-4 peeled carrots, cut into 2″ chunks
  • ½ C. white wine or apple juice
  • 1 27-oz. can sauerkraut
Instructions
  1. Rub the pork roast with oil. Rub in the caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. Set aside. In the bottom of a 6-quart crock pot, place the garlic, potatoes, carrots. Pour the wine or apple juice over the vegetables. Place the roast on top, top with the sauerkraut and its liquid.
  2. Cook on low all day, 8-10 hours or until pork is done and vegetables are tender.

 

Filed Under: Blog, Crock Pot Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,
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