Beef: Braised Sirloin Tips

Mushrooms Image by Getty Images via @daylife

From Denny:  Want a low maintenance meal to throw in the oven during the holiday season while you tend to other things?  A hearty casserole is always welcome when the weather turns chilly.  You might want relief from dining on turkey.  Why not try this easy braised sirloin tips recipe?

Besides, it has brain food:  mushrooms.  During the holiday season it's easy to get frazzled and it sure is fun to know that mushrooms are available to get our overloaded brains back on target. :)

This recipe was featured in our local newspaper last year where local great cooks often share recipes.  Try this easy recipe and maybe it will become a holiday favorite:

Dennys Food and Recipes: Thanksgiving: Bourbon Cornish Hens, Mushroom Stuffing

Image via Wikipedia

Dennys Food and Recipes: Thanksgiving: Bourbon Cornish Hens, Mushroom Stuffing: Here, in the South, bourbon is part of the holiday festivities. Why not try using it for the hens?

New Orleans Chef Sclafani Silver Medal Winner: Seared Scallops, Truffled Corn Pudding

Another scallop recipe by ulterior epicure via Flickr

From Denny: President Obama is a huge fan of scallops, often ordering them when he dines out.  Yeah, me too, as long as they are those huge honking ocean scallops!  The beauty of scallops is they cook up quickly and are a light food for the summer heat.

This is one of the winning recipes from last week's New Orleans Wine and Food Experience (NOWFE), one of the top food and wine shows in America. The five-day event entertained a hungry and discriminating crowd in the Crescent City.

Baton Rouge Ruffino's Italian Restaurant's new chef and co-owner, Peter Sclafani from New Orleans, won two Fleur de lis Culinary Awards Medals at the prestigious event: one gold and one silver for his tasty creations. He competed against dozens of great New Orleans chefs. He won the gold medal for his recipe of "48 Hour Pork Belly with Candied Bacon Jam and Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding."

While there still exists the friendly rivalry between New Orleans and Baton Rouge chefs, the two cities are beginning to blend more into one mega-city mindset. New Orleans has discovered there is cooking talent in Baton Rouge since so many moved here after Hurricane Katrina five years ago.

Recipe: Portobello Mushroom Sandwiches with Arugula and Balsamic Aïoli

Cover via Amazon

From Denny: Featured recently in our local newspaper was this recipe from the Weber's Grill cookbook. The heat is in triple digits across America and we could use some "brain food" as our brains feel cooked! And I sure love Portobello mushrooms - the texture is almost like a steak with a lot less calories! :) Enjoy!

And make sure you are drinking lots of water in this summer heat - even when you don't feel thirsty - if you wait until then you may suffer serious heat stroke.

From: “Weber’s Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling”

Serves: 6

Aïoli:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tbls. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. minced garlic

Marinade:

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbls. finely minced shallot

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

6 large portobello mushrooms, cleaned, stems and black gills removed

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 Kaiser rolls, cut in half

2 ozs. arugula, trimmed, rinsed and dried

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the aïoli ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the sandwiches.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients. Place the mushroom caps, gill sides down, in a large baking pan. Brush the mushroom caps generously with the marinade and turn the caps over. Spoon the rest of the marinade over the gill side. Allow the mushrooms to marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat.

4. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and reserve the marinade. Lightly season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the mushrooms, gill sides down, over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until they begin to soften, 4 to 6 minutes.

Brush the cap sides of the mushrooms with some of the remaining marinade from the pan. Turn the mushrooms over and then grill them until they are tender when pierced with a knife, 4 to 6 minutes.

5. Grill the rolls, cut sides down, over direct medium heat until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds.

6. Spread aïoli on the toasted buns and top each one with some arugula and a mushroom. Serve warm.

Way to grill portobello mushrooms: Cut away the stems and any curled edges around the rims. With a spoon, gently scrape away the dark gills that might be holding dirt. Use a vinaigrette to marinate and baste the mushrooms. Finish grilling the mushrooms with the stem sides facing up so that the juices are held inside the caps.

Recipe: Green Spinach Noodles - casserole

Green Spinach Noodles Casserole

Serves 6 to 8. From Betty Istre.

Here’s an easy fast dish to prepare on a cold winter’s night. Use some of that leftover ham, chicken or turkey from the holidays that was not enough to serve alone. Combined in this comfort pasta dish it’s a real winner!


Ingredients:

½ chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

1 stick butter

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 (8-oz.) can sliced mushrooms

Water

2 cups chopped cooked ham, chicken or turkey

1 (6-oz.) package spinach noodles, boiled until barely done, drained

1 cup diced cheese (Colby cheese is really good)

1 (8-oz.) carton sour cream

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Directions: Sauté onions and celery in butter until clear.

Add soups and mushrooms. Mix well and gradually add 1 soup can of water.

Stir in meat and noodles and season to your taste. Stir in diced cheese and sour cream. If not very soupy, add a little water.

Bake in a greased casserole dish at 350 degrees F. until bubbly (about 35 minutes).

Sprinkle with grated cheese on top and let sit 10 minutes in oven that has been turned off.