Salisbury Steak with Porcini Mushrooms

 

My mother has been preparing the most kick-butt-awesome Salisbury Steak with an Italian twist for years . . . (translation:  lots of garlic!) and I just had to make it tonight.  Oh my goodness, this recipe just never fails to deliver a mouthful of flavors that you simply can't stop eating!    Porcini mushrooms in a savory, golden mushroom sauce poured over beef patties (and in this version of her recipe I also added ground turkey) filled with green peppers, onions, sauteed mushrooms and garlic:  Heavenly!

This time I made it with half ground turkey to try and make it healthier . . . you'd never know this was added!  I swear!  

I also added Porcini mushrooms along with already required baby portabello mushrooms.  Using the broth from reconsituting the dried Porcini mushrooms enhances this incredible flavor to another level!  SO GOOD!  

If it is still a typically cold or chilly March day where you live, you'll love what my husband describes as "perfect comfort food".

You won't be disappointed with this entree . . . pinkie promise!

 Salisbury Steak with Porcini Mushrooms

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

8 oz. porcini mushrooms, dried (you will reconstitute them in hot water)

2 small containers of fresh baby portabello mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, minced 
1/2 cup Italian parsley, minced

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 jumbo egg

1 jumbo egg white

3/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

4 cans (10-3/4 oz.) golden mushroom soup

1 package dry onion soup mix

1 can low-salt beef broth plus 1 Tbsp. beef bouillon ("Better Than Bouillon" paste in a jar)   

Garnish:  1/2 cup Italian parsley, minced

In hot water, place the dried porcini mushrooms to reconstitute.  Do NOT throw away the darkened water after they are soft . . . this is full of flavor stuff!

In a large skillet, cook the onion in olive oil until golden brown.  Set aside.

In the same large skillet, add a little bit of olive oil and about 4 - 6 Tbsp. of the porcini mushroom water.

Saute both the Porcini mushrooms and the baby portabello mushrooms for about 5 - 10 minutes until browned . . . adding more Porcini mushroom water as needed to keep them moist.

Add the Italian parsley to the mushrooms and saute for one more minute.

Add two cloves of minced garlic and saute for a few more minutes. 

Remove the cooked mushrooms, parsley and garlic from the skillet and place HALF of them on a cutting board.  Set aside the other half of mushroom mixture (for the sauce).

Chop up the one half of mushroom/parsley/garlic mixture.

In a large bowl mix the following: ground beef, ground turkey, egg, egg white, bread crumbs, half of the browned, chopped onions, chopped green pepper, and the mushroom mixture you just chopped up (leaving the other half for the sauce!)

Mix together very well.

Form large patties of this beef/turkey/mushroom mixture.

In a separate medium size bowl, mix the golden mushroom soup, beef broth mixed with the beef bouillon, one half of the sauteed onions and dried onion soup mix.  Blend well and set aside.

Place in the large skillet with the remaining unchopped mushroom mixture around the outsides of the skillet.

Place the meat patties in the center of the skillet to brown thoroughly on both sides on medium to low heat.

Remove the browned patties and the mushroom mixture; place in a large baking dish that will go to in the oven.

Pour the golden mushroom soup mixture all over the meat patties and the sauteed mushroom mixture.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

Garnish with chopped Italian parsley.

click below for the complete photo step-by-step instructions

Pin It

Home ~ Made Chicken Pasta Noodle Soup!

"Oh the weather outside is frightful"  . . . NOT!

It's 70 degrees here today on the 8th of December!

"and my dear, you're so delightful" . . . NOT!

My dear husband is sick with a horrible cold.  Yes, he's still as delightful as one can be when one is sick.

Singing the rest of this Christmas song might have brought a 'slight' smile to my congested and stuffy-headed husband, but for a little physical assistance, I knew that it would be better if I helped nurse his head and chest cold with some humble home-made chicken broth and wonderful pasta noodles that I brought home from Italy.

Plus, I don't have a great voice for singing!

As they say in the old wives's tale, eat chicken soup to help cure the common cold.

Whether there is any truth to that wisdom or not, I know that chicken soup certainly helps 'mentally' when a loved one is under the weather.

I picked up this package of 'Spaghetti Tagliati' while on the Amalfi Coast this past October 

because I felt that this pasta shape closely represented the pasta shape for chicken soup  

that Americans are accustomed to purchasing in the market 

for 'package-ready-made' chicken soup (i.e:  Lipton's)

The recipe for homemade chicken broth follows, but in general,

fill up a HUGE pot of water and insert lots of fresh onions, carrots, celery, and 

Italian parsley . . . then add

a really good cut-up chicken (see recipe link below)

and beef (if you like) to the veggie-filled water

after several hours of cooking on low heat,

STRAIN all of the meat and veggies into a strainer 

and then filter several times through a light, paper-thin tea towel

to remove (what we call) the 'gunk' out of the broth

in order to make it clean, clear and pure broth!

Refrigerate the chicken broth overnight.

The fat will rise to the top and harden.

The next day, remove the hardened fat and discard.

this is the beautiful result that you will have!

This DOES NOT take a lot of work

and is so worth it!

While you're blogging, or reading a foodie magazine or watching a favorite foodie TV show,

get this broth going on the stove,

freeze it,

and have it on hand for whenever you might need it!

Home-made chicken broth TOTALLY outshines store-bought chicken broth!

And now here's the link to my post in 2009 for a complete step-by-step tutorial on making homemade "brodo di pollo" (chicken broth).  I hope you enjoy my family chicken broth recipe (click the link) that has been passed down through many generations!

Once you have made and/or frozen your chicken broth, 

either use the freshly made broth or heat up the frozen broth on the stove

add your favorite pasta or tortellini

cook until 'al dente' and no longer

while the pasta is cooking, 

grind some fresh Parmigiana-Regiano cheese 

to sprinkle on top of your soup!

Never use the pre-packaged, canned varieties of Parmesan sold in stores!

Freshly ground Parmigiana cheese makes such a noticeable difference!

Sprinkle the freshly grated Parmigiana on your hot chicken noodle/pasta soup!

and enjoy !!!!

Wishing you a healthy and Merry Christmas season!

And if any of your loved ones happen to catch a bad cold,

this delicious soup will help them so that they too can

 better enjoy the festivities of this wonderful holiday!!

.

Pin It

Italian Thanksgiving Traditions ~ ~ and a Guest Post

"over the river and through the woods, 

to grandmother's house we go"

(a view of the road to my acreage)

the fireplace mantel all decorated for autumn and Thanksgiving

the dining room centerpiece for autumn and Thanksgiving,

minus the place settings

Most Americans would be surprised to know that Italians also have a celebration in honor of giving thanksgiving as do Italian-Americans in the U.S.    The traditional 'La Festa del Ringraziamento' is well known as the 'festival of giving thanks' and similar to many other year-round holidays in Italy that have a religious foundation when Italians honor their patron saints. 

a festival in Praiano, Italy (for the Feast of St. Luke) during my trip in October

Truthfully, any time that Italians can get together to celebrate family, food and tradition is always a time of celebration and thanksgiving.  Italians love their new home country of 'America' and have happily included Thanksgiving in their favorite ways of getting together with family and expressing gratitude for this country.   Although we have the traditional turkey on the table, we always enhance the menu with Italian dishes from our heritage:  Antipasti, a first course (i Primi) of tortellini in brodo soup, Italian stuffing/dressing, mashed potatoes heavily flavored with garlic and herbs, and Italian sweets to finish the meal.  Many Italians, similar to Americans, enjoy their turkeys stuffed with dressing, but my family prefers to bake the stuffing on the side for a more crisp texture.

This week I have the opportunity for introducing another guest poster here on 'la bella vita':  Bridget Sandorford is a freelance writer and researcher for Culinaryschools.org, and is currently a researching culinary arts pastry chef.  Bridget asked me if she could write a post regarding Italian cuisine and I was delighted to oblige!  Below you will find her perfectly timed thoughts regarding how Italians have embraced the American holiday of Thanksgiving in their own unique and delicious way:


Thanksgiving is a quintessentially American holiday!

This holiday celebrates the harvest that the Pilgrims enjoyed with the Native Americans in the New World -- something that is unique to American history.  However, Italians have a tradition that celebrates the harvest, dating back to ancient times in which the gods of the harvest were honored. Remnants of that tradition persist, and some expatriates living in Italy have adapted current Thanksgiving traditions.

Between the two, many Italians celebrate this time of year with a feast as Americans do for Thanksgiving.  Of course, these celebrations are a bit different than the feasts we enjoy on a traditional American Thanksgiving.

Here's what you might expect to see for an Italian "Thanksgiving":

Antipasti ~ ~ Appetizers

While raw veggies and dip make the rounds at an American Thanksgiving, Italians love to enjoy sausage, cheeses, stuffed mushrooms, and assorted olives. Traditional antipasti dishes are on display, including stuffed peppers and artichokes, shrimp, and roasted vegetables in olive oil. Any traditional Italian appetizers can be served.

This year's antipasto platter(s) included:  Imported Italian Gorgonzola and Fontina cheeses, roasted red peppers in olive oil and red pepper flakes, Genoa salami chunks, sliced Prosciutto, and Soprosatta.

marinated fresh mozzarella is always enjoyed!

Garlic-stuffed green olives, pearl onions, pepperoncini, black olives, baby carrots, marinated beets, and baby pickles.

marinated olives are always expected on an antipasto platter

because my children have a bit of Swedish blood from their paternal lineage, 

we always include a huge bowl of extra yummy herring in onions!

artichokes, marinated beans, and prosciutto are mandatory in addition to the cheeses, olives, and red peppers!

figs are still in season, so Gorgonzola stuffed figs wrapped in prosciutto

are stars on an antipasto platter

fresh Italian bread brushed with garlic-butter and herbs 

are a MUST for antipasti to be placed on in order to enjoy 'small bites'

earlier in the day prior to the big dinner.

i Primi ~ ~ First Course

Traditionally, Italians include a soup before the main entree.  It would simply not be Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter without this northern Italian specialty:  Homemade Tortellini in homemade brodo (Tortellini in Broth).  This year my mother and I made 1000 of these little navel-shaped stuffed pastas.  That's nothing compared to our usual 3000 when we have all of the family over for a holiday dinner!

one test of how well the tortellini turn out is if to see if any of the little bundles break during and after cooking.  This year, literally none of our little tortellini broke!  The dough that my mother made was absolutely perfect in texture!

My mother and I always try to twist the tortellini as small as possible, as is the tradition in my family in Italy.  What you see sold in the markets is far too large for Italians, and would be known as 'tortelloni' instead.  With the small spoon as a reference above, you can see how tiny tortellini can be when twisted on your pinkie finger!

tortellini floating in the brodo let you know that they are just about finished cooking

but you must taste to know if they are 'al dente' or not; never overcook pasta!

Secondi ~ ~  Entrees

Some Italians may opt for the traditional turkey, infusing it with Italian seasons such as oregano and rosemary. Turkey sausage may be served as an Italian variation on this classic dish. A pomegranate sauce provides a nice twist on the classic cranberry.

Traditional Italian pasta dishes also take center stage, including ravioli and other stuffed pastas. Pumpkin stuffed ravioli or pastas with winter squash and lentils are perfect choices for a Thanksgiving (or harvest) feast.


Contorni ~ ~ Side Dishes

Of course, a hearty salad with greens, fresh vegetables, and oils makes for a hearty and healthy side. Sprinkle on peppers and Parmesan cheese to taste.

sometimes we prepare garlic mashed potatoes for our gravy lovers in the family,

but more often we'll prepare garlic and rosemary roasted potatoes.

these disappear faster than mashed potatoes every time!

Our traditional Italian-seasoned Prosciutto and Pepperoni Stuffing / Dressing

 infused with garlic, rosemary, Italian sausage, onions, 

and a variety of Italian cheeses.

This is probably the next favorite recipe for Thanksgiving, after the tortellini!

another side dish for any holiday consists of fresh, sauteed vegetables, enhanced with roasted red peppers, garlic, and drizzled with olive oil and balsamico vinegar (never, ever cream of mushroom soup)

i Dolci ~ ~ Sweets

There's no dessert that seems out of place at Thanksgiving. Try classic cannoli or tiramisu as the perfect after-dinner treat. Classic Italian pastries and tarts are delicious after any meal.   If you miss your pumpkin pie, try a pumpkin-flavored cannoli or even a pumpkin-flavored custard or ice.

Beverages

There are delicious Italian wines that you can pair with any meal and any course. Select your favorites for both the main meal and your dessert. Try a dry Pinot Grigio with the main course and a hearty port wine for dessert.

While Thanksgiving may be an American holiday, Italians and others who love Italian food have found ways to adapt the tradition to their own culture. The resulting feast is a great way to celebrate the harvest or just good times with family and friends.

most Italians enjoy either a light after dinner wine or 

liqueur such as Amaretto Di Saronno or Limoncello

I hope that you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday in both America and Italy . . . and anywhere around the globe!




Pin It

Grilled Basil Buttered Chicken and California Culinary Memories

Once upon a time I lived in the beautiful state of California.

It was in the 80's, with no recession, and lots of good living in a wonderful year-round temperate climate (although very smog-filled) with endless, ENDLESS things to do.  Although we were living day-to-day financially struggling as a result of the sky-high, off-the-charts cost of real estate with an all-time high 18% interest rate on our home mortgage, I found myself immersed in an up-and-coming culinary mecca.  Luckily, my job had a lot of entertaining and dining perks which contributed to my culinary adventure on the west coast.  I'll share a few of those experiences here.

Now when thinking of California, you can't help but think Wolfgang Puck and Spago.  Or Alice Waters and her farm-to-table revolution and Chez Panisse.  Don't forget Mollie Katzen and Moosewood Restaurant.  And of course, think wine country and Napa Valley.  Think fresh food year round.



Even our beloved South Carolina son and celebrity chef, Tyler Florence, moved to California for a little more of that culinary action.

Hey Mr. Dreamy chef, come back to Carolina!


My son was also born in California, in Fullerton.  Located right next to Anaheim, I knew it was bed-time for the kids when I could hear the fireworks of Disneyland every evening at 9:00 PM on the dot!  My home wasn't air-conditioned so the windows were open a lot and I could hear those popping sounds of the fireworks easily.  I was even able to see part of the Olympic torch run by just one block . . . that's right . . . one block from my house!  With a toddler in hand and an infant in a stroller, the three of us waved our little American flags for that one moment in time.

9:00 PM sharp:  the sound of Disney fireworks every evening marked bed-time for my kids

actual photo of Olympic torch run by my house in Fullerton, California, 1984

(photo courtesy of Bosco Fullerton blog)

My love affair with all things culinary continued from it's beginnings in St. Louis after college and actually exploded in California.  I was even asked by Neiman-Marcus (my former employer) to manage the "Epicure" department in L.A. (I turned it down to stay home, raise my newborn son and toddler daughter, and run an in-home daycare business so I could be with my little ones).  I'd stand in line at Williams-Sonoma to acquire the infamous James Beard's signature on one of his cookbooks that I'd purchased.  I'd write to Bon Appetit magazine religiously to hopefully get my hands on the recipes of dishes served to me in California eateries.  I'd brave the southern California freeways with my kids in their car seats to take them to visit the famous open-air Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. and the age-old Mexican/Hispanic Olvera Street Market for true-to-the-core made-from-scratch tortillas and Mexican cuisine!  I'd gaze at the celebrities in superb restaurants . . . when Fred Astaire walked in while I took my first bite of rack of lamb with mint, I almost choked.

Grand Central Market, downtown Los Angeles

Historic Olvera Street Market

Breakfasting in Laguna Beach, dining in San Francisco, eating in Beverly Hills at my former employer's home . . . just down the street from O.J. Simpson (then a popular athlete) and the deceased Joan Crawford and Bette Davis.  Staying in my boss's private home next to John Houston's home in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where the house staff took us diving for fresh shrimp to indulge in ceviche (and when I passed out and saw death before me, it was at that moment that I realized my deathly allergy to shrimp and all things shellfish).  Sadly, I haven't touched shellfish since.

In San Francisco, I ventured to the famous Fisherman's Wharf and endulged in authentic S.F. sour dough bread and rich chocolate freshly made from the Italian chocolatier, Ghiradelli's in Ghiradelli Square.

Sourdough bread from the streets of San Francisco

Ghiradelli's famous hot fudge sundae from the Chocolate Shop in San Francisco on Fisherman's Wharf

In California I discovered fresh strawberries the size of my palm, avocados as creamy as butter, fresh chunky guacamole, enormous chimichangas and REAL Mexican food (other than tacos) served in restaurants you'd normally think to avoid from the looks of the buildings' exterior.  At the exclusive "The Cellar" restaurant I discovered forward-thinking and creative ways to enjoy after-dinner coffee filled with unusual liquor combinations that I'd never heard of before (they kindly shared the recipe with me too).

The Cellar in Fullerton since 1970, is still extraordinary 52 years later.

Order their signature liquor-laced after-dinner coffee . . . you'll thank me.

I bit into my very first Veal Saltimbocca.  I embarked on the 'new' California pizzas.  The "golden state" is also where I first tasted "Mu Shu Pork" and authentic Chinese food made table-side in San Francisco's Chinatown instead of the old stand by of chop suey from a can.  I even dined in (what I miss terribly) old-fashioned steak houses where a REAL Caesar salad was made table-side while sitting in leather booths with velvet wall-papered walls in darkly lit, smokey rooms with old Italian crooner music being played from the piano bars (think Sinatra, etc).  Back then even I smoked and no one seemed to mind the aroma in restaurants . . . how far we've come!

The food just seemed to be incredible everywhere in California!

Mu Shu Pork with plum sauce and wraps from Chinatown, San Francisco

my favorite Chinese dish ever since my first bite!

You get the picture, I'm sure!

Yes, California was fun when it came to the foodie scene and played a big part of my cooking evolution.  But that life ended, I moved on to Scottsdale, Arizona and the California food memories are with me to this day.

Among those memories, are the cookbooks that I collected from California, many of them out of print and grabbing very expensive prices among collectors.  Take for example, Vincent Price's "A Treasury of Great Recipes" (you remember him, don't ya?  All of those cheap Edgar Allen Poe scary midnight movies and from Michael Jackson's "Thriller").  Yea, believe it or not, he was a highly respected culinary chef extraordinaire!  The cookbook cost $75 back in the 80's . . . who knows what it would go for today if you can get your hands on a copy.  Other cookbooks that I cherish today include:  "The L.A. Times California Cookbook", "The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook", "California Sizzles", "Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook", "Moosewood Cookbook", and "The California Heritage Cookbook".  And although she's not from California, it is where I bought and delved into my Julia Child and Company cookbooks to learn more about the art of French cooking techniques and at that time prepared my very first Steak Diane.  This recipe was one of the first that I taught my kids and that propelled them into their joyous love of cooking.

From those cookbooks I found inspiration for this incredible grilled chicken recipe.

It's so easy, it's stupid.

And it always leaves you happy, happy!


Grilled Basil Buttered Chicken 

Grilled Chicken

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup melted butter
2 - 3 Tbsp. garden-fresh basil, chopped
Sprinkle of my favorite go-to 'trinity' seasonings:  Mrs. Dash (for chicken), Nature's Seasons, and Accent

Basil-Butter Sauce

3/4 cup melted butter
2 Tbsp. garden-fresh basil, chopped
2 - 3 Tbsp. Parmigiano-Regiano, finely grated
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. freshly ground sea salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Sprinkle the chicken with your favorite chicken seasonings (mine is listed above:  my go-to 'trinity' for everything I grill).
Melt butter.
Blend in basil.
Brush the chicken breasts with basil-butter mixture.
Grill chicken breasts about 8 minutes on each side depending on how large they are (we select large sized chicken breasts) and how well-done you like your chicken (we like our moist and not dry).
Continually baste chicken with any remaining mixture while grilling to keep them ultra-moist and super flavorful.
Prepare Basil-Butter Sauce by combining all ingredients.
Serve grilled chicken breasts with the basil-butter sauce at the table for guests to top on their own.

Serve with fresh, thickly-cut Italian bread to dip into the basil-butter sauce and/or mop up what is on the plate.

lather the first basil-butter sauce on the chicken breasts, using the pool of sauce left over to continually baste during the grilling process to keep the chicken moist and flavorful

prepare the second velvety butter sauce with basil, garlic, and parmigiano cheese.  
drizzle this sauce on top of the grilled chicken and pass around to your guests
also great for dipping some fresh, thick-cut Italian bread

after a bite the juices of this super-moist grilled chicken drip onto the plate

Mangia!

Pin It

Avocado with Cilantro Jalepeno Turkey Sammie & Green Smoothie!

Losing weight is hell (at least for most people).  That food we put in our mouthes had better be yummy and filling or it's all over.  I'm an honest person and I'm not going to lie!  It is is overwhelming how much research is out there now on how there's certain genetic predispositions, hormonal changes, metabolism changes, etc. etc. ad nauseum that sabotage our healthy weight.  But it still all boils down to one simple notion that we all excuse away:  getting rid of the crap that we've put in our bodies and putting in the good stuff instead!  That and changing bad physical habits into positive habits such as getting off the damn couch and logging off (dare I say) the computer!

We've all heard the mantras:

Eat more fruits and veggies!

Eat more lean meats and (as Dr. Oz recommends) only one meat a week from a 4-legged animal . . . Mr. M. and P. has to suffer without his red meat.  I'll suffer more without my pork!  So it's hello to more chicken, turkey, fish, and vegetarian recipes.

Eliminate as much processed food as possible (no problem there)!

No fast food!  Doable!

And more!  I can't and do not want to list all of the proven strategies for improving our nutrition.  I'll leave that to the tons of healthy nutrition lists on-line and in the plethora of nutrition and health books on the market!

But I did think that I'd share just a few things that I did this week to drop 2 pounds:

First of all, I don't have enough of the precious resource of time in my life, so the most important element of preparing something in my insanely busy life (and I'm working on that issue too), is that the healthier food and recipes must be SIMPLE!!!

Nothing could be simpler than the green de-tox smoothie and a wonderful sammie that I had over the weekend.  The next post will be a wonderful tilapia recipe that I haven't uploaded the photos yet . . . you know, it's the time thing!

Turkey, Avocado and Tomato Sandwich with Jalepeno Cilantro Hummus

2 slices whole wheat bread

2 Tbsp. Jalapeno Cilantro Hummus (available at Whole Foods)

4 - 6 oz. sliced smoked turkey breast

lettuce or spinach leaves (your choice)

1/2 an avocado, sliced

2 - 3 tomato slices

a few shakes of Mrs. Dash Spicy Southwestern Spices no-salt blend

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toast bread

Spread the hummus on both slices of bread.

Layer each ingredient.

Sprinkle on Mrs. Dash and salt and pepper to taste!

Make any changes that you like!

Enjoy!  This is very good, very filling, and has quite a nice kick to it!

There is no cheese in this sandwich (which causes me to frown) and there is no mayonnaise.  The flavorful hummus and creamy avocado made up the difference very well!

And here's the very first green smoothie concoction that I have ever made.  This was for a different lunch this past weekend and it is surprisingly delicious and filling!  Again, I cannot tell a lie!  Very easy, and quite fun to make as well.

Green De-Tox Weight-Loss Smoothie

(from 'nutrition to invigorate mind body and spirit)

1 - 2 bananas

1/2 cup frozen peaches

1/2 cup frozen mango

a couple handfuls of spinach

1/4 cup of water

ice (if desired)

Add more water if necessary 

Since I don't have a juicer (on the wish list), I used a mini food processor and followed up with my trusty boat motor immersion blender to chop up the spinach leaves more.  The results were just fine.

Again, this is a very good smoothie.  I gulped it down instantly.

But of course . . . I was hungry!

I loved the addition of the mango to this smoothie!

I'd like to try pineapple as well.

Pin It