WEEK 8

• Roast Beef with Steamed Broccoli, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and Rolls
• Thin Cut Steak with Steamed Asparagus and Carrots
• Penne Pasta with Asparagus
• Steak Southwest Salad
• Pan-Fried Tilapia with Curry Roasted Cauliflower
• Hamburgers

ROAST BEEF DINNER

beef roast: I usually prepare by rubbing the roast generously with beef base, then maybe sprinkling with onion soup mix or brown gravy mix, or even coating with a can of cream of mushroom soup as is. Generously sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up. Roast at 300 or 325 until center reaches 155 degrees; I like my roast pink in the middle.

mashed potatoes: I like either regular baking potatoes or red potatoes. The former are fluffier, the latter are creamier. Peel, chunk and boil until just soft. Drain water. Put back on burner to evaporate any water still left on bottom of pan. For traditional, add 1/2 stick of butter, plenty of salt and pepper. When butter is melted, mash or whip. Add in enough milk to achieve desired consistency. For richer potatoes, melt same butter, salt and pepper, then add either sour cream or heavy cream to finish off.

rolls: ok, I've got 2 favorite recipes right now, and I just don't know which one I'll make until I'm making it, so here they are.

REFRIGERATOR DINNER ROLLS

1 cup warm water

2 pkg active dry yeast

1 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp salt

4-4 1/2 cups flour

Combine warm water and yeast in bowl, along with 4 tsp sugar. Let stand until foamy. Stir in butter, sugar, eggs and salt. Beat in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is too stiff to mix with a wooden spoon(I do it in the mixer on low, going for a soft dough). Cover and refrigerate 2 hours to 4 days. Grease a 9x13 pan. Turn out dough, divide into 24 pieces. Roll into balls, and place in even rows in pan. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 15-20 min, until golden brown. Brush warm rolls with butter.

MOTHER-IN-LAW ROLLS (thank you Jackie for this scrumptious recipe!!!)

2 pkgs yeast

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered milk

3 eggs

2 tsp salt

6-8 cups flour

Combine yeast, water and 4 tsp sugar. Let sit until foamy. Add in sugar, oil, butter, eggs. Mix. Add in powdered milk, salt and flour. Dough will be VERY VERY soft. Let rise until doubled. Divide into 3 parts. Press out each part onto a big pizza pan. With pizza cutter, cut into pizza-like slices, 16 each pan. Starting from the outside edge, roll each slice up into a crescent shape. Place on baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-15minutes, until golden.

STEAK WITH STEAMED CARROTS AND ASPARAGUS

thin cut sirloin steaks (I get mine from...Costco!)

fresh carrots and asparagus

steak seasoning

Preheat your grill for about 10 minutes. Turn down to lowest heat. Sprinkle steaks generously both sides with seasoning. Grill until desired doneness; I like mine pink, so I take em off when their between soft and firm when I press down on the middle. Steam the carrots and asparagus together, making sure they are cut into similar sized pieces.

PENNE PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS

1 box penne

fresh asparagus

olive oil

parmesan, shredded

Basically, you cook the pasta per directions. Cut up the asparagus into pieces about the same size as the pasta. Saute in some olive oil with some red pepper flakes and garlic. Drain the pasta and add to asparagus. Top with parmesan and plenty of salt and pepper. That's the basic dish, but if I have other things to throw in, I do; mushrooms, bacon, diced tomatoes, whatever sounds good. I add them to the saute pan with the asparagus.

STEAK SOUTHWEST SALAD

leftover steak, thinly sliced against the grain

lettuce

tomatoes

black beans

fried corn tortilla strips

shredded cheese

PAN-FRIED TILAPIA WITH CURRY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

tilapia fillets

cajun seasoning

olive oil

cauliflower, 1 large head

1 Tbs curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

For tilapia, season both sides with cajun spice. Pan fry until done on both sides. For cauliflower, preheat oven to 425. Place cauliflower florets in large bowl. Drizzle with 3 Tbs EVOO, sprinkle with curry and salt, toss together. Pour cauliflower and all oil onto roasting pan in a single layer. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to carmelize, about 30 min.

HAMBURGERS

Grilled, fresh or frozen, I'm sure you know the rest. Just be sure to season your patties with cajun seasoning. Also, brushing your buns with a little EVOO and grilling them or crisping them up in a frying pan is really good. Prefer my onions carmelized. A1 is great on them. Ok, I'll stop.

BANANA COCONUT CREAM CUSTARD

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 ripe banana

1 tsp vanilla

4 small ramekins

Preheat oven to 350. Spray ramekins. Place coconut milk, sugar, eggs, banana, and vanilla in blender. Puree for 30 seconds. Pour into ramekins. Place ramekins in 9x13 glass dish. Fill with water, about 1/3 way up sides. Place in oven. Bake about 45min, until set. Serve warm or cold.