Nancie's Speedy Italian Goulash

Speedy Goulash with Pasta

1 LB of pasta ( I used penne,(or fusilli) and for the
recipe, I actually cooked 2 lbs. and there was enough
liquid)
Oil (olive is best, but you can use vegetable)
1 Large onion
1 1/2 lbs. of stewing beef (I used sirloin steak, but
stew beef is cheaper, maybe not as tender as steak)
Flour
1 Green pepper
2 15oz cans of diced tomatoes (the smaller cans)(I
usually buy Del Monte Diced tomatoes with spices -
like garlic and basil)Maybe buy extra cans if you need
more liquid.
Paprika
Light Sour Cream

Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large pot and simmer
thin wedges of onion until golden brown. Meanwhile,
cut beef into bite -size cubes, put into a plastic
bag, with a couple tablespoons of flour and shake to
coat. Shake off excess flour and add meat to the pot
with some more oil. Cook until the meat is brown -
stir constantly because the flour will tend to stick
to the pot. You can always add a little mor oil. Add
chopped green pepper, a teaspoon or 2 of paprika and
the canned tomatoes when the meat is all browned.
Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce and simmer
on low for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and
pepper and more paprika if you want a bit of a kick.
Cook Pasta in boiling water, drain. Spoon goulash on
top of cooked pasta and top with a spoonful of sour
cream.

If you need more liquid, you can add another can
of tomatoes - but this amount seemed just enough for
the 2 boxes of pasta I made. This made about 5
servings and I don't think I used as much meat- maybe
about a pound. Just experiment - you know what you like.
Bon appetit!

Nancie's Pineapple Gem Muffins

1/2 cup butter or margarine (soft)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bakinf soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (you don't really need this if don't have it)
1 cup canned crushed pineapple with the juice
coconut - about 1/2 cup
chocolate chips

-Cream butter, sugar and egg until light
-Separately mix dry ingredients together
-Add to creamed mixture alternately with pineapple
- With all thes ingredients mixe, then add coconut and chips

Preheat oven to 350 F
Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on size - makes about 12-14 large muffins

Nancie's Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 bananas
3 Tablespoons sour cream OR soured milk (add teaspoon of vinegar to sour the milk)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
chocolate chips

-Beat sugar and oil with electric mixer
-Add eggs then bananas - beat thoroughly
-Dissolve soda in sour cream (or milk)
-Slowly add soda mixture to banana mixture and continue mixing
-Add flour a bit add a time while continue to mix gently
-Add chocolate chips - as many as desired


Pre-heat oven to 400 F. This makes about 15 muffins. I usually do a dozen large and a dozen mini. You might be able to get 18 smaller muffins. I like to buy those paper muffin cups to put inside the tin - makes it nice and clean to remove and they are a little smaller.
Bake about 20-25 minutes depending on the size of muffin you do.
When tops are going brown and start to split - check with knife.

Authentic Pad Thai (Ketchup-less!)

Begin by Preparing the Sauce:
There are four ingredients in the Pad Thai sauce, Tamarind pulp (for the sour flavor), Fish Sauce (for the salty part), Palm Sugar (for a slight sweetness), and Paprika or Thai chilli powder (for the spice). Two cups of sauce will make about 6-8 portions of Pad Thai.

To make about two cups of sauce, you should begin with about ½ cup each of Tamarind (either use the pre-made stuff, or the block stuff - which you need to soak in four cups of hot water and blend), Fish Sauce, and Palm Sugar. If you substitute white and/or brown sugar for the Palm Sugar, you should use only about 1/3 cup. Melt all these together in a small pot over a low flame. Taste and adjust the flavor balance until it suits you. Then add the chilli powder, begin with a teaspoon or two, depending on your taste, and keep adding until it tastes the way you like it. By the time you're done flavoring the pot should be simmering happily. Turn off the heat and let the sauce rest while you get to the other ingredients.

Now you are ready to make a Pad Thai.
Follow these steps carefully and the best Pad Thai you've ever had will be the one you've just made! Keep the sauce pot warm on another burner next to your wok. Keep a bowl of water handy too, if things get to hot in the wok you can sprinkle the water on it to slow it down.

1.) Heat a large wok over high heat until very hot.

2.) Add a splash of oil, about 3-4 tablespoons. Don't be shy, this ain't no diet food.

3.) If you are making chicken Pad Thai, add the chicken first, cook, stirring vigorously, until it's half way done, about 1-2 minutes, then add the tofu, a tablespoon or two of the sauce to flavor the chicken, and a pinch of garlic if you're using it. If you are making tofu or shrimp and tofu Pad Thai, then only add the tofu (and garlic) for now. Cook for another minute until the tofu is crisp and slightly brown at the edges.

4.) Add the noodle, about 2 loosely packed cups for one portion is my standard, and then a ladle (about ¼ cup) of warm sauce. Stir rigorously, keep everything moving in the wok, and cook the noodle until soft. Remember to break up the noodle and don't let it lump together. If the sauce evaporates too quickly and your noodle isn't quite ready, sprinkle a bit of water and keep stirring. Add a bit of oil if the noodle still stubbornly sticks together. As I said, this ain't no diet food.

5.)When the noodle is ready (taste it to be sure), push it up to one side of the wok and crack an egg into the middle. Let it set for 10-15 seconds and toss everything all together.

6.) Add the shrimp meat, pickled turnips, ground peanuts, ground dried shrimp, beansprouts. Keep things moving. Add more sauce if it looks a little pale.
When the shrimps are done, shouldn't take more than a minute, add a handful of Garlic Chives. Turn the heat off, and quickly give the wok a good stirring to mix everything together.

7.) Add the finished Pad Thai to a plate and serve to your first lucky dinner guest.

Bistec de Palomilla

Bistec de Palomilla -- Cuban Fried Steak
Ingredients
beef round - wafer thin 3 lbs
garlic clove - 2 lbs (diced)
lime - 2 (juiced)
salt - 1 Tbsp (to taste)
black pepper - 1 tsp (to taste)
olive oil - 1/4 cup
onion - 1 sliced thinly
parsley - 3 Tbsps (chopped)
Directions
In a plastic bag combine the beef round, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry. Make sure there are no bits of garlic left on the meat.

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.

Fry the beef for 2 to 3 minutes on each side and remove.

Add the remaining marinade and onions to the sauté pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour the onion mixture over the steaks and garnish with the parsley. Serve.

Lasagna

INGREDIENTS
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Bolognese sauce

INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound pork sausage
2 ounces sliced pepperoni sausage
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
3 cubes beef bouillon cube
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup beef brothDIRECTIONS
In a large stockpot cook the ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain into a large colander to drain grease.

To the large saucepot, add the mushrooms, tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon cubes, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, black pepper, sugar, and beef broth and stir well. Pour the meat mixture into the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 2 hours.