To the surprise of, well, everybody in my life, I've become really interested in cooking. It was a standing joke with my family when I was growing up that I couldn't even make mac-n-cheese. Like the type you just heat up in the microwave. So Marshall had absolutely NO expectation of me being very handy in the kitchen going into our marriage. The only things I knew how to cook were Hamburger Helper and spaghetti. In fact, the majority of our fights arguments during the first year started something like this:
Marsh: What do you want to do for dinner?
Me: Let's just go pick something up.
Marsh: But we just went to the grocery store. And we really need to stop spending so much money on fast food. I'll make us some grilled cheese sandwiches.
Me: I don't want to wait that long to eat. Or have all those dishes to do. I want Wendy's.
Marsh: We had Wendy's last night. And McDonald's the night before. And Sonic the night before that.
You get the idea. Needless to say, he has been pleasantly surprised and a little confused with my new cooking obsession. I think it started when I was on maternity leave. I watched a lot of Food Network all day and wanted to cook everything I saw. Also, cooking has become one of those soothing activities that I've grown to love. It's very motherly and just feels right.
I've been on the hunt lately for good, easy dishes that will feed my growing family. Cooking for two seems pointless, but soon enough, I'm going to have a party of five at my dinner table nightly. I mean, I already do, but 2 of them just drink bottles and one of them eats like a bird because she's two-years-old. You know what I mean, though.
Here's something I recently saw on Food Network's "Down Home with the Neely's." Those two absolutely KILL ME, but everything they make looks absolutely delicious! I tried this and it was a big hit at our house. Marshall loved it and Laney even ate it. She kept saying, "More chicken!" Ha. I'll definitely be making this again. The only substitution I made was red wine instead of brandy in the gravy.
Chopped Steak & Mushroom Onion Gravy
Ingredients
Steak:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, cleaned well and quartered
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 2 cups low-sodium beef stock
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the ground beef, egg, Worcestershire, shallots, garlic, parsley, ground mustard, bread crumbs, flour, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into 6 equal-sized oval patties and set aside on a plate.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the canola oil and butter. When the butter foams add the patties and brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the patties to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Drain all of the fat from the pan but leave any browned bits.
Return the pan to medium heat and melt the butter for the gravy. Add the mushrooms, onion, and thyme and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring rarely, until the mushrooms are slightly browned and soft, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Stir occasionally, until the flour is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the brandy and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Slowly pour in the stock and stir until smooth. Let the mixture come to a boil and cook until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes.
Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Lots of pepper is good in this dish! Pour the sauce over the patties in the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until the meat is tender and slightly pink in the middle, about 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and serve.
