Prime Rib with Sweet Potato Hash

When writing a blog, I learned recently how important SEO is.  That is "search engine optimization". In a nutshell, watch what choice of words you put in the title or repeat in the body of the post.  Mostly, it can work in favor of how many hits you get.  However, I experienced a flurry of activity (hits) when my blog was definitely confused with a site that has (rhymes with corn and starts with P) no interest in food, travel or recipes, if you will.  The title of my blog post just happened to be the title of this persons blog.  Oops!  So, with this "hash" title, who knows what kind of hits it will bring!!

I had a bit of prime rib left over from Christmas dinner.  Steak, lamp or pork could also be used.  Once again, my kitchen is like a "box of chocolates"  You don't really know what you'll get!  This was pretty good though, especially if you love sweet potatoes.

Prime Rib and Sweet Potato Hash

2-3 cups of cooked, cubed prime rib

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup of spinach

a handful of chopped fresh parsley

water or broth (if needed)

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or pot, on medium heat,  start to cook the potatoes in a bit of oil, stirring as you go for about 10-12 minutes.  Add the onions and cook until they are soft.  Then add the prime rib or any cooked meat.  Add a bit (maybe 1/3 cup) water or broth, spinach and parsley.  Simmer  uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the potatoes are done, adding extra liquid, if necessary.  Salt and pepper to taste.  This goes together very quickly, one of those mid-week meals.  Hearty, yet quick!

Beef With Orzo Soup

Are you ready for more Winter comfort food?    I don't usually eat an abundance of beef, but I wasn't going to let the leftovers go to waste, especially when it's prime rib!  After a day or so of prime rib sandwiches I decided to throw the rest of the meat into a hearty soup.  This beefy orzo soup will be made again and again, it was so good!

You can probably get away with a less expensive cut of roast meat.  I'll try it next time and let you know.

Serves 4

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, roughly diced

1 shallot, sliced

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

4 cups beef broth or stock (I used fat free, organic)

1 cup water

2 cups roast meat (mine was precooked)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup orzo (before cooking)

In a large pot, begin to heat the oil, throwing in the carrots, celery, shallots, thyme and bay leaf.  Cook for about 10 minutes.  Add the broth, water, meat, salt, bringing to a boil while stirring.  Cover, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes.  Turn the heat up again to almost boiling and add the orzo.  Cook together for another 10 minutes or until the orzo is done.



Just add broth, water and orzo to this. 

 You can serve immediately or refrigerate for later use and reheat.  Very comforting on a cold snowy day!  Now we just need some  snow!

NOTE:  No picture of the completed dish.  I guess we were hungry that night!  Also, the above picture was our only snow storm back on November 3rd.  We are overdue!

"Zola" Burgers

Now that the weather is cooperating, it's surely time to fire up the grill.  Once in a while hubby gets a craving for real beef.  It must be a man thing!  He likes a good burger and fries with that, too.  Over the years, I've quenched his cravings by frying up some potatoes alongside that mound of meat.  But, I'd like to keep him around for a long while so I've tried to come up with healthier alternatives...NO FRIES!

This "zola" burger gets most of its flavor from Gorgonzola cheese, thus the name.

1 lb lean hamburger

1/4 c Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp green onions, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp butter

3 bella mushrooms, diced

In a small skillet melt the butter and toss in the mushrooms.  Saute until soft.  In a mixing bowl place the remaining ingredients and the soft mushrooms.  Mix well and form into patties.  I did mine the size and shape of the bread. (That my streak of perfectionism showing.)  Serve with what ever condiments you like.  Who needs fries with all those carbs!

Delicious and Juicy

"Super" Gorgonzola Sliders

Hooray!  Football season is coming to a close.  As predicted the Packers won, for all the wrong reasons which were explained in a previous post.  Okay, I did sneak some peeks as the game was playing out, mostly to catch a glimpse of the commercials and halftime performance.  While the performance may have produced a spectacularly choreographed light show my overall opinion was lackluster.  Was it just me or did anyone else feel this way?  I guess I'm getting old or I would like to think I have better taste in music.  Enough said.

The highlight was the performance in the kitchen!  I produced some last minute Superbowl sliders with a touch of Gorgonzola.  I didn't write the measurements down (Remember, I don't usually measure ingredients when I create.)   I can give "guidelines" on this one so you can replicate or at least come close!  My only regret was not adding a little roasted red pepper for more flavor but they were good as they were.

Ingredients:  For 2 servings, 5-6 sliders

About 1/4 lb ground beef (You could make these from a ground vegan "meat product", too.)
1 T green onions, chopped
1 handful of chopped fresh spinach
1/4 c Gorgonzola or blue cheese

Mix all the ingredients and form into small burgers.  Cook in a skillet or grill pan, turn once and continue cooking until done.  Serve on a bed of lettuce or make into mini burgers with buns if you wish.