Old-fashioned Midwest Beef and Noodles

This is a Midwest Classic!

Like meatloaf, biscuits and sausage gravy, Johnny Marzetti, lemon meringue pie, jello salads, pot pies, hickory nut cake, creamy chicken casserole, tuna and noodles, nut bread, you get the picture: old-fashioned Midwest church basement supper fare!

Beef and noodles fits into this category perfectly…

Most beef works well; leftover is great, steak, chuck roast, or use deli beef.  Add mushrooms, if you like, add your favorite noodle, thick or thin, and season to your taste.

No matter where you live and how old-fashioned this dish is…

It’s winter here, it's cold and it's time for a hearty dish.

It’s easy, delicious, simple comfort food at its best!

I’m thinking you’ll like like this ~ 

So get your fork ready and make your tummy happy!

Old-fashioned Midwest Beef and Noodles

Ingredients:

1 (12 - 16 ounces) bag egg noodles
1 tablespoon cooking oil
8 ounces beef top sirloin, thinly sliced across the grain
1 onion, sliced thin
1 (14.5 ounces) can beef broth
Salt and pepper, to taste (I use Montreal Steak Seasoning)

Method:

Cook noodles according to package directions, set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add meat and onion, cook until meat is no longer pink.
Add cooked noodles, and broth, combining well.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve
4-6 servings
Printable recipe


Enjoy!

Ground Beef and Bell Peppers w/Egg Noodles

Everyday Midwestern home cooking means simple hearty dishes.  Beef is a major part of it, as well as noodles…

I don’t know what it is about egg noodles, but I think they’re great.  They’re flavorful ~ my favorite pasta.

This is a simple supper that’s substantial and full of good taste ~ perfect comfort food for the cold weather here now ~ which is all of 0 degrees now!

The good thing is that it can all be made on the stovetop, with it coming together quickly.  

You can probably have dinner on the table in 25 minutes, or maybe even before you can get the table set.  

Ground Beef and Bell Peppers w/Egg Noodles

Ingredients: 

1 pound 90% lean ground beef

1 Vidalia onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can sliced mushrooms
2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces uncooked extra-wide egg noodles
Parmesan cheese, optional

Method:

Cook noodles, al dente, according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium heat, brown beef, breaking it into bite-size chunks.
Add garlic and onions, cook until tender.
Stir in bell peppers and mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and seasonings, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Reduce heat, stir in noodles and heat thoroughly.
Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
4 servings

ENJOY!

Salmon Noodle Bake

You’re probably familiar with that quintessential 60’s classic, Tuna Noodle Casserole.  Now it has it has been upgraded with salmon.

This dish means easy preparation and taste appeal. It’s healthy too, with salmon being packed with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.

It does have that “cream of” soup though.  It adds a great creamy texture, but add more milk if you don’t want to use it.   Sometimes, I add a cup of thawed frozen peas.  Other times, I’ve added a touch of red peppers for a little heat.  It’s a flexible recipe…

We really enjoy it ~ hope you do too!

Salmon Noodle Bake

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce) can pink salmon, drained and flaked into large chunks

½ cup panko bread crumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

12-ounce package egg noodles

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 small white onion, chopped

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

½ teaspoon dried dill weed

1 can cream of celery soup

1½ cups low-fat milk

½ cup light sour cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.

Combine panko and Parmesan in a small bowl and set aside.

Cook noodles in boiling water for only 3 minutes, drain well.

In a large bowl, combine noodles with remaining ingredients.

If not slightly soupy, add a little more milk.

Add salmon and gently toss.

Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish.

Scatter Parmesan topping over all.

Bake until bubbly and topping turns golden brown, about 30-45 minutes.

Serve

ENJOY!

Pork Tenderloin Paprikash over Egg Noodles

We’re still having cool weather here ~ heavy thunderstorms last evening, so this dish was flat out delicious for the circumstances:  bites of tender pork topping egg noodles that soak up the rich-tasting tangy sauce!

Pork paprikash is native to Hungary, and a close cousin of goulash.  I make it using sweet paprika; you make it with hot paprika, if you like the heat.

Chunks of pork are browned, and then simmered, in a sauce of paprika, onions and bell peppers.  Sour cream richens the savory flavors of the dish.  Unfortunately, I don’t recall the source of the recipe.

We fall for this dish every time I make it ~ it’s comfort food of the highest order!

It’s definitely a delicious vivid colorful dish!

Pork Tenderloin Paprikash

Ingredients:

8 ounces egg noodles

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, timed and cut into 1-inch chunks

½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

5 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1½ cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1½ cups unsalted chicken stock

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

3 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

Method:

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain, set aside and keep warm.

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add 2 teaspoons oil.

Add pork, cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides.

Remove pork from pan.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan.

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

Sauté 4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Add flour, tomato paste and paprika, combine well.

Add stock and vinegar, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Add pork, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until pork is tender.

Remove skillet from heat, stir in sour cream.

Adjust salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve over hot noodles.

Serves 4

ENJOY!

Cabbage and Noodles

  We like cabbage ~ we like noodles ~~~ so this dish was a hit for us!

I came across this recipe while reading Guideposts magazine.  As the writer states, “It doesn’t seem like a recipe…  Just seems like cabbage cooked with a few noodles.”

That’s exactly what it is ~ tastes good and it’s simple!

Cabbage and Noodles 
Adapted   

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 scallions, sliced, plus more for garnish
1 small head of cabbage, chopped
½ to 1cup water
8 ounces noodles

1 teaspoon fresh herbs
Salt and seasoned pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat oil in large skillet.

Add scallions and sauté for 1 minute.
Add cabbage and ½ cup water, cook until translucent, stirring frequently.
Add more water if cabbage sticks to skillet.
In the meantime, cook noodles according to package directions, until al dente.
Drain and add to cabbage.

Add herbs, if desired and season with salt and seasoned pepper.
Continue to cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring to blend well.
Garnish with scallions, if desired.
Serve 5-6

ENJOY!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes! 

German Breslauer Steaks with Egg Noodles and a Fine Midwest Cookbook

Oh my gosh!  We flipped over this dish, big time!
  
It was a beautiful cool fall day yesterday and Bill was busy working up an appetite burning brush in the back yard.   Much later, he was one happy man when I served him this incredibly delicious hearty dish for dinner. I was happy with it too!  Woo hoo! 

The other day, I had a great surprise when I read an email.  Travis, at The Harvard Common Press, had contacted me and asked if I would like a review copy of Prairie Home Cooking by Judith Fertig. 

He explained as a way of celebrating a growing focus on regional American cooking, The Harvard Common Press has re-jacketed its classic America Cooks series, including this cookbook by Fertig.

Travis further stated that Patricia Wells praised it as “pure inspiration.”  That really drew me in as I’m a huge fan of Wells and have a lot of her cookbooks.  

Here’s what Patricia went on to say about the cookbook:  “For those of us who grew up with cherry trees and fresh raspberries, corn and tomatoes fresh from the garden, bushels full of peaches and apricots from the farmers’ market, and all those homemade layer cakes, pies, and yeast rolls, Prairie Home Cooking is much more than a nostalgic journey.  It is pure inspiration, encouragement to head back into the kitchen and recreate the bliss of our childhood."

Prairie Home Cooking is truly a great collection of tasty American Midwest recipes and is no small book.  There is nothing fancy about it, no glossy food shots in color. 

But, it does contain a plethora of old-fashioned recipes and new ones too, informative cooking tips and heartwarming, charming stories about the people and places of the heartland; an area that has sadly been overlooked by both the east coast and west coast food writers.

Fertig’s cookbook is chock full of comfort food dishes; the ones just like my Grandma used to fill her table with.  

I’m a breakfast lover and by coincidence that is the section I first opened the cookbook to ~ St. Louis Gooey Butter Coffeecake.  That’s definitely a gooey St. Louis standard and one of my favorites to bake and enjoy.  

Move on to Old Country Sour Cream Breakfast Crêpes, or how about Amish Friendship Pancakes slathered with melted butter and maple syrup, or maybe a couple of spoonfuls of Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Herb Bread Pudding or a savory Ohio breakfast of Smoked Turkey Hash.

Dinner would be mouthwatering with Old-Fashioned Pan-Fried Chicken with Gravy or Prairie-Style Hay-Smoked Grilled Steak; even Fish Schnitzel or Bill’s favorite, Rich and Creamy Oyster Stew.  

And at last, on to dessert:  a couple of dainty Thumbprint Cookies, a slice of Lemon Verbena Pound Cake with Lemonade Glaze, Blitz Torte, Honey Custards with Warm Spiced Berries or one that sounds just like my favorite cake from childhood that Mom baked:  Black Walnut Applesauce Cake.  YUM!  The trick for me now is finding someone wanting to share a stash of black walnuts!

Judith Fertig

So, as you have probably surmised, this excellent cookbook of Ms. Fertig’s is just like the people of the Midwest ~ a melting pot; a beautiful mosaic of German, French, Polish, Dutch, Scandinavian, Italian, Czech, Russian, just to name a few heritages. 

Whether you are:   From a farming family which produces harvests of crops for the “breadbasket” section of the country, a gardener with a green thumb, someone who is fond of lake-caught delicacies, or maybe a Michigan cherry lover like me, or a Spam lover like Bill, or if you’re someone who is curious about Midwest cooking and traditions, or maybe you are just a person who likes to eat delicious robust and comforting food ~ this is the cookbook for you to peruse.  

As I’ve said, “I have a weakness for cookbooks and read them like many women read a romance novel, always looking for new creations and interesting facts.”  Prairie Home Cooking is not only packed with delicious recipes that will excite your taste buds, it’s a good read!

There are so many outstanding recipes in Prairie Home Cooking that I will be trying, and posting for you in the future, with the following being the first one I made:  German Breslauer Steaks with Egg Noodles.  I’ll let Judith Fertig describe it for you:  “Brought by northern German immigrants to Iowa and Nebraska, this dish is a cousin of Swedish meatballs; in both dishes, nutmeg flavors the meat among other similarities.  Serve with a steamed green vegetable or a simple green salad, either of which will provide a break from the heaviness of this dish.”

Believe me ~ this dish is mouthwatering delicious to say the least and the cookbook is a wonderful thing.  I’m not saying this just because Travis kindly offered the cookbook to me:  anyone who knows me, knows I am not afraid to voice my opinion and my opinion is exactly what I think.  You should be adding Prairie Home Cooking to your collection soon!  For me, it’s like my new best friend!

Enough said for now!  Here’s the recipe:

German Breslauer Steaks with Egg Noodles

Ingredients:

1 recipe Homemade Egg Noodles (page 259), or 12 ounces packaged egg noodles

1 pound ground veal

1 pound ground pork

3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1/3 cup minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ pound mushrooms, sliced thin

¾ cup chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Method:

If you are using homemade noodles, prepare them up to the point at which they are ready to be cooked.

Mix together the veal, pork, chives, onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.

Shape the mixture into 4 large or 6 medium patties. 

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Pan-fry the patties for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through.  (cut to the center of a patty with a knife to see that there is no pinkness left in the meat).

Transfer the patties to a plate.

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings left in the pan.

Add the mushrooms, and sauté them until they begin to brown and give off their juices, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock and cream, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, transfer the steaks back to the pan and simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in a pot of boiling water, according either to the recipe for homemade noodles or to the package directions.

Drain them in a colander, run them under cold water for a few seconds, and transfer them to individual plates.

Top with the steaks, spoon the mushroom sauce over all, garnish with parsley and serve.

ENJOY!!!

Excellent explains it all!  Thank you again, Trevor and The Harvard Common Press and Judith Fertig for a fine cookbook!

Noodles with Snow Peas and Red Pepper Strips

Do you like egg noodles?  I always enjoy them with just a little butter, salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese.  Then, I cooked this version and it bowled me over. 

Egg noodles are not the stars of the pasta world.  They don’t have the flair of rigatoni, the temptation of spaghetti nor the figure of farfalle. They are just a plain, sturdy noodle to be doctored up in a casserole or jazzed up in a side dish like this, to become a trusty addition for completing a meal.

Isn’t it a colorful side dish also?  The snow peas with the red pepper make it a delicious, spicy side dish to about any meat.  This is a great dish that I think you would enjoy!

Noodles with Snow Peas and Red Pepper Strips

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked wide egg noodles

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup red bell pepper strips

1 cup julienne-cut snow peas

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Method:

Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet.

Add bell pepper strips and remaining ingredients.

Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add noodles to skillet and toss; heat thoroughly.

4 servings

ENJOY!!!

There’s still time to enter the $65 CSN giveaway I posted on Sept. 15^th!  It closes tonight at midnight, central time.  The drawing is tomorrow, Sept. 28^th.  Good luck!

Check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and the 4 cookbooks she's giving away!

Florentine Tuna Noodle Casserole

Growing up in the South, I had never had tuna noodle casserole but, after marrying a Midwest boy,  I learned to cook it; thanks to my mother-in-law.  It is another tasty dish that we crave occasionally and I’m sure there are many versions of it.  My recipe has a twist to it with the addition of flavorful spinach.  There’s nothing fancy about it, just a great dish for a chilly autumn night.  It’s a breeze to make and you can serve it with a tossed salad, giving you comfort food at its best!

 

Florentine Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

1-12 ounce package egg noodles

1-12 ounce can tuna

1-10 pkg. frozen spinach, cooked in micro and drained well

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 ½ cps. milk

1-8 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained well

¼ c. pimento, chopped, drained

2 cps. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

¼ t. pepper

¼ t. paprika

1 c. potato chips, crumbled

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook noodles al dente in boiling water, do not over-cook.

Mix remaining ingredients together, except for potato chip crumbs.

Add cooked noodles, stirring well.

Grease a 2 1/2 quart casserole, add tuna mixture, top with crumbled potato chips.

Bake, uncovered for 45 minutes or till top starts to brown. 

ENJOY!