by Paula Deen
Bourbon Beef Tenderloin
SERVES 8 TO 10
This recipe is for the grill. Beef can also be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Use a meat thermometer: rare—115 to 120 degrees; medium rare—130 to 135 degrees; medium—140 to 145 degrees. Buy a whole tenderloin, about 4½ to 5 pounds, and have the butcher remove the “silver” connective tissue.
1 cup bourbon
1 cup brown sugar
⅔ cup soy sauce
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
½ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce cups water
to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
1 beef tenderloin, silver connective tissue removed
Oil for grill
Prepare marinade by combining bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, cilantro, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, water, and thyme. Be sure tenderloin is completely trimmed of any fat and connective tissue. Fold the tail end of the beef back underneath itself so that it is of uniform thickness. Secure with butcher's string. Pour marinade over meat, cover, and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. Turn meat over several times during that time. Prepare grill for cooking (or preheat oven to 350 degrees). When fire is ready, place meat on oiled grill, reserving marinade. Cook over high heat with lid closed, turning often; occasionally baste. Cooks rare in about 30 or 45 minutes in the oven. Serve with Horseradish Cream on the side.
HORSERADISH CREAM
1 cup heavy cream ¼ cup horseradish, drained
Whip cream until stiff. Stir in horseradish, mixing well.
Old-Time Beef Stew
SERVES 6
2 pounds stew beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
Dash of ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, sliced
red potatoes, quartered
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1½ hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, potatoes, and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.
The Lady & Sons
Basic Meat Loaf
SERVES 4
1 pound ground beef
1¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped bell pepper 1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces canned diced tomatoes, with juice ½ cup quick-cooking oats
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all meat loaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.
TOPPING
⅓ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.
The Lady & Sons
Barbecue-Style Pork Chops
SERVES 6
6 center-cut pork chops, trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
One 14½-ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed ½ cup ketchup
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown pork chops in oil. Drain, then place in a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon over chops. Bake for 45 minutes. Great served with macaroni and cheese!
Pot Roast
SERVES 6
Put this on to cook in a Crock-Pot before leaving for work and come home in the evening to a mouthwatering dinner.
One 3-pound boneless chuck roast
1½ teaspoons House Seasoning (see page 160)
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 bay leaves 3 or 4 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
One 10¾-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
¼ to ½ cup Chardonnay wine
Sprinkle roast on all sides with House Seasoning; season well. In moderately hot skillet, brown roast on all sides in oil. Place roast in Crock-Pot. On top of the roast, layer onion, bay leaves, crushed beef bouillon cubes, crushed garlic, and cream of mushroom soup. Add Chardon-nay. Cover with just enough water to cover all the ingredients sufficiently. Cook on low setting approximately 8 hours.
Pepper Steak
SERVES 4
One l½-pound round steak
Sprinkle of paprika
2 tablespoons butter
Garlic salt to taste
One lO’A-ounce can beef broth 1 large onion
large bell pepper
tablespoons cornstarch¼ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce
Pound round steak and cut into ¼-inch strips; sprinkle with paprika. Brown meat in butter; add garlic salt and beef broth. Cover; simmer for 30 minutes. Cut onion and pepper into strips. Add to meat and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch, water, and soy sauce and add to meat mixture. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly. Serve over rice.
The Lady & Sons
Burgundy Beef Roast
YIELD DEPENDS ON SIZE OF ROAST (6 TO 8 OUNCES PER SERVING)
1 eye of round roast (be sure you know exact weight)
½cup red Burgundy wine ⅓cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
Place roast in glass container large enough to hold it comfortably. Make marinade of Burgundy wine, soy sauce, and pepper. Pour over meat and marinate overnight. Next day, place roast in shallow pan withjust a little of the marinade. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes per pound of meat. Turn off oven and cover roast with foil. Leave in oven for 40 minutes for medium-rare roast. Let cool and slice very thin.
Sausage-Rice Casserole
SERVES 4
One 6-ounce box Uncle Ben's
long-grain and wild rice
pound ground sausage
2 small onions, chopped One 4-ounce can mushroom pieces
One 10¾-ounce can condensed
cream of mushroom soup
4 tablepoons (½ stick) butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rice according to directions on box. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until thor oughly done, about 4 to 5 minutes; drain. Combine all ingredients except butter and pour into casserole dish. Dot top with butter. Bake until bubbly, about 25 minutes.
The Lady & Sons
Beef Stroganoff
SERVES 4 TO 6
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
⅔ cup water
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
2 pounds round steak
1 teaspoon House Seasoning (see page 160) One 10¾-ounce can condensed
cream of mushroom soup
One 10¾-ounce can condensed
French onion soup
1 cup sour cream
Mix flour and water and set aside. Heat butter in a large, heavy skillet. Season steak with House Seasoning and cook until brown on both sides. Remove from pan and cut into thin strips. Add to pan drippings cream of mushroom soup, French onion soup, 1 soup can water, and flour mixture. Simmer and stir constantly until thickened (if too thick, add a small amount of water). Add steak and simmer for 45 minutes. Add sour cream and heat until bubbling. Serve over cooked noodles.
The Lady & Sons
Cheeseburger Meat Loaf and Sauce
SERVES 6 TO 8
2 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoons House
Seasoning (see page 160)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
8 to 10 slices white bread
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients except bread slices well. Shape into loaf. Place loaf on 1-inch-deep jelly roll pan lined with white bread slices. Bake loaf for 45 to 60 minutes. The bread absorbs the grease and should be discarded after loaf is removed from oven.
SAUCE
One 10¾-ounce can condensed
cream of mushroom soup 1 soup-can measure of milk
1½ cups grated Cheddar cheese
Heat soup and milk over medium heat; add cheese. Pour over meat loaf or pass at the table.
The Lady & Sons
“Veal and Creamed Spinach
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 to 6 veal scallopini
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon House Seasoning
(see page 160) 1 sleeve from one 16-ounce box
Ritz crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup white wine
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh spinach, trimmed at
stems, soaked, and cleaned
thoroughly ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Between sheets of wax paper, pound veal into ¼-inch-thick slices. Beat egg with House Seasoning. Dip veal in egg, then dip into Ritz cracker crumbs. Sauté in heated oil for about 2 minutes on each side over medium heat. Pour wine into pan and cook for another minute or two. Remove veal. Add chopped onion and fresh spinach to pan and sauté until spinach is done, 2 to 3 minutes (don't overcook). Add cream and continue to sauté for 1 more minute or until hot. Season with salt and pepper. Pour onto platter. Place veal on top of spinach. Garnish as you wish and serve from the platter at the table. If you're looking to cut back on calories, don't add the cream.
Foolproof Standing Rib Roast
SERVES 6 TO 8
One 5-pound standing rib roast 1 tablespoon House Seasoning (see page 160)
Follow this method for a rib roast that is lusciously browned on the outside and rare on the inside—regardless of size. Allow roast to stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour. If roast is frozen, thaw completely; bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub roast with House Seasoning; place roast on rack in pan—rib side down, fatty side up. Roast for 1 hour. Turn off oven. Leave roast in oven but do not open oven door. Thirty to 40 minutes before serving time, turn oven to 375 degrees and reheat roast. Important: Do not remove roast or open oven door from time roast is put in until ready to serve.
The Lady & Sons
Swiss Steak
SERVES 4
1 round steak (approximately
1½ pounds) (see Note)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour for dusting
⅓ cup vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed
One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, cut into strips
1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips
Cut steak into serving-size pieces. Season to taste with garlic powder and salt and pepper. Dust meat with flour. In heavy skillet, brown both sides of meat in vegetable oil. Transfer to Dutch oven. Combine garlic, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and 1 tomato-can measure of water. Pour over steak and simmer until meat is tender. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Hint: This is good to cook in Crock-Pot on low for a most fabulous dinner.
NOTE: To ensure tenderness, it is necessary to have the butcher run the round steak through a cuber.
Farmer's Pork Chops
SERVES 8
8 medium potatoes
½ medium onion
Salt and pepper to taste
White sauce (see recipe below; you may also use your own)
1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons Lawry's Seasoned
Salt 8 center-cut pork chops, about
½ inch thick
⅓ cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes; slice ¼ inch thick and cover with cold water. Slice onion into very thin slices. Cut slices in half. Drain potatoes; layer half the potatoes in a well-greased 15 × 10-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter half of onion slices on top of potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes and onions. Cover potatoes with white sauce. Cover casserole dish with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes on high or bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Mix together flour and seasoned salt and dredge pork chops in flour mixture. Lightly brown chops in vegetable oil. Do not cook them completely. As chops are removed from frying pan, lay them on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. The juices from the pork chops will drip down into the potatoes. Delicious!
WHITE SAUCE
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
½ to ¾ teaspoon pepper 4 cups milk
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or
chives (optional)
Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour; add salt and pepper. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Add milk, 1 cup at a time. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, then let stand at least 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in parsley or chives, if desired.
Steak and Greens
SERVES 6
For the best flavor, you must use at least three types of greens—turnip, collard, mustard, and spinach are all good. When you brown the flour, you should stir it about five minutes. (I always keep a batch in the fridge.)
1½ pounds beef flank or round
steak, sliced thin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
12 to 15 cups greens, washed and chopped 6 cups beef stock
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour,
browned in hot, dry skillet
SEASONING MIX
tablespoon paprika
teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1½ teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme ¾ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Mix together seasoning mix. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons on sliced steak, tossing to insure the meat is covered. (Set aside remaining seasoning for later use.) Heat heavy 5-quart pot; add oil. Brown seasoned meat 2 or 3 minutes, turning once. Add onion, rest of seasoning mix, and ½ cup of each type of greens. Cook, scraping bottom of pot to clear all brown bits, for 5 to 10 minutes. Add 1 cup stock, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add browned flour and mix until completely absorbed and no longer visible. Add remaining stock and greens; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until greens and meat are tender, about 20 minutes. Serve over creamy grits, rice, or with boiled new potatoes. Additional broth would make it a great soup. However served, it needs a good, crusty bread. This is a sopping dish.
“The Lady's Oven-Roasted Ribs
SERVES 6
One 5-pound slab pork ribs
4 teaspoons liquid smoke
(available in a bottle at
grocery store) 2 teaspoons House Seasoning (see page 160)
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wash ribs and drain. Rub each side with liquid smoke, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. Refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours. Roast uncovered for 1½ hours.
The Lady & Sons
Sausage and Grits
SERVES 10
1 cup uncooked grits
1 pound ground sausage
1 onion, c
hopped
Two 4½-ounce cans green chilies, chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 2 eggs, beaten
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
10 dashes Tabasco
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cook grits in 4 cups salted water until thick. Sauté sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Sauté onion in sausage fat; drain. Add onion and chilies to sausage. Add butter, eggs, cheese, and Tabasco to grits. Combine grits mixture with sausage mixture. Pour into a 13 × 9-inch casserole dish and garnish with additional small amounts of cheese, chilies, paprika, and parsley. Bake for 1 hour. Can be refrigerated up to 2 days before baking. Freezes well.
Piggy Pudding
SERVES 4 TO 5
This is a great no-fuss recipe—wonderful for a brunch or Sunday-night supper.
16 link pork sausages
4 to 5 tart apples, peeled, cored,
and sliced One 7½-ounce package corn bread
mix (prepare batter according
to directions on package)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook sausages until done, piercing with fork to let out fat. Drain, then arrange in a 9-inch square baking dish. Layer sliced apples on top. Pour corn bread batter over all and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until corn bread is done. Serve with warm maple syrup.
Southern Fried Chicken
SERVES 4
My Grandmother Paul always said to season chicken and return it to the refrigerator and let it sit as long as time permits, at least 2 to 3 hours. At the restaurant, we season ours with House Seasoning and Lawry's Seasoned Salt. Always use small chickens. I find that a Dutch oven works best for frying chicken.
