This is supposed to be an onion! Cheap and good-for-you!Some time ago, the thought occurred to me that there are probably young cooks who have never lived through difficult economic times. The idea came to me to post some menus that are true dollar stretchers! This past week I pulled out some very old recipes and got busy in my kitchen--what a walk down memory lane. My husband and I both vividly remember how much we liked the following recipes. When we were newlyweds (35 years ago this month!) he was a college student and worked part-time, I worked full-time and we were determined to eat well and still put money in savings. The "main" dinner and the "pasties" dinner are a bit more labor intensive and I remember doing these two dinners on Saturday night and Sunday night. Monday through Friday were the second "main" dinner, second and third "pasties" dinners, and two nights of the "french dip" dinner. A 4 pound beef roast lasted all week! And. . . we ate well!!
Roast Beef Dinner Menu:
Oregano Crusted Beef Round Eye Roast
Potatoes
Green Beans with Dill Weed
Carmelized Onion Bake
Carmelized Onion Bake
Tossed Green Salad
Popovers
Chocolate Upside Down Cake
Here's the special recipes:
Oregano Crusted Roast
4 lb Beef Round Eye Roast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 large russet potatoes
Mix all seasonings together. In a large dutch oven, heat 1/4 to 1/3 cup canola oil, add roast and sear on all sides. Pour 4 cups water into pan, coat top and as much of the sides of the roast that is
above the water line with the mixed seasonings. Cover pan and simmer 2 1/2 hrs, add water as needed. Peel and cut potatoes in half and place in the liquid and continue simmering for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
CARMELIZED ONION BAKE
½ cup butter
4 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced thin
3 eggs
1 cup Half and Half
1 ½ Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter, add onions. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are caramel color (about 30 to 40 minutes)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and half and half, whisk in the flour, baking powder and salt, stir in parmesan cheese. Pour onions into a generously buttered 2 ½ quart baking dish, pour egg mixture over onions, poke through the onions with a spoon to get the liquid to settle. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown.
½ cup butter
4 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced thin
3 eggs
1 cup Half and Half
1 ½ Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter, add onions. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are caramel color (about 30 to 40 minutes)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and half and half, whisk in the flour, baking powder and salt, stir in parmesan cheese. Pour onions into a generously buttered 2 ½ quart baking dish, pour egg mixture over onions, poke through the onions with a spoon to get the liquid to settle. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown.
POPOVERS
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add remaining ingredients and beat just until smooth. Do not overbeat. Fill generously greased muffin cups or popover pans half full. Bake for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Prick crust with tip of knife during last 5 minutes of baking to allow steam to escape. Serve hot.
Yields: 12 muffin-size or 6 to 8 large popover-size
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon butter
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add remaining ingredients and beat just until smooth. Do not overbeat. Fill generously greased muffin cups or popover pans half full. Bake for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Prick crust with tip of knife during last 5 minutes of baking to allow steam to escape. Serve hot.
Yields: 12 muffin-size or 6 to 8 large popover-size
CHOCOLATE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
1 pkg. Devil’s Food Cake Mix
½ C Butter or Margarine
¼ C Water
1 C Packed Brown Sugar
1 C Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
1 C Flaked Coconut
Whipped Cream (if desired)
Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a 13x9 pan. Add water; sprinkle brown sugar evenly in pan. Arrange nuts and coconut in sugar mixture.
Mix cake as directed on package. Pour batter over mixture in pan. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cake tests done with a toothpick. Let stand 5 minutes for topping to begin to set. Then turn upside down onto a large platter or a cookie sheet. Serve pieces of cake topped with whipped cream, if desired.
1 pkg. Devil’s Food Cake Mix
½ C Butter or Margarine
¼ C Water
1 C Packed Brown Sugar
1 C Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
1 C Flaked Coconut
Whipped Cream (if desired)
Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a 13x9 pan. Add water; sprinkle brown sugar evenly in pan. Arrange nuts and coconut in sugar mixture.
Mix cake as directed on package. Pour batter over mixture in pan. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes, or until cake tests done with a toothpick. Let stand 5 minutes for topping to begin to set. Then turn upside down onto a large platter or a cookie sheet. Serve pieces of cake topped with whipped cream, if desired.
Pasties Dinner Menu:
Pasties with Mushroom Sauce
Steamed Celery
Steamed and Butter Glazed Carrots
Carmelized Onion Bake (leftovers)
The special recipes:
BEEF PASTIES
2 cups finely cubed cooked beef
1 cup finely cubed uncooked potato
½ cup thinly sliced uncooked carrot
¼ cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground sage
Dash of black pepper
1 package pie crust mix OR homemade pie crust for 1 double crust pie
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine beef, potato, carrots, celery, onion, soup, salt, sage and pepper. Mix well; set aside. Prepare pie crust, divide dough into 6 equal portions. Roll out each portion on a floured surface to a 7 inch circle. Place a heaping half cup of meat mixture on each pastry circle. Moisten edges with water; fold in half. Seal edges and prick top with fork. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Eat from hand like a sandwich or serve with mushroom sauce or with favorite beef gravy.
Note: Can use cooked pork roast for Pork Pasties.
MUSHROOM SAUCE
¼ cup butter
1 ½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup water
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of Pepper
In saucepan, melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Combine water and cornstarch until smooth. Blend into hot mushrooms; cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add Worcestershire sauce and seasonings, stir until blended.
2 cups finely cubed cooked beef
1 cup finely cubed uncooked potato
½ cup thinly sliced uncooked carrot
¼ cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground sage
Dash of black pepper
1 package pie crust mix OR homemade pie crust for 1 double crust pie
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine beef, potato, carrots, celery, onion, soup, salt, sage and pepper. Mix well; set aside. Prepare pie crust, divide dough into 6 equal portions. Roll out each portion on a floured surface to a 7 inch circle. Place a heaping half cup of meat mixture on each pastry circle. Moisten edges with water; fold in half. Seal edges and prick top with fork. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Eat from hand like a sandwich or serve with mushroom sauce or with favorite beef gravy.
Note: Can use cooked pork roast for Pork Pasties.
MUSHROOM SAUCE
¼ cup butter
1 ½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup water
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of Pepper
In saucepan, melt butter. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Combine water and cornstarch until smooth. Blend into hot mushrooms; cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add Worcestershire sauce and seasonings, stir until blended.
French Dip Dinner Menu:
Roast Beef Sandwiches
French Onion soup
The special recipes:
For the Sandwiches, slice the leftover roast beef very thin. Slice french bread roll into hoagie-size and then slice lengthwise. Any kind of bread you like is good, I've used french bread, whole wheat, and sour dough. . . all are good. Toast bread and then spread with a thin layer of butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese (the good, deli kind. . . not the powdery stuff). After bread is prepared, place thin slice beef and make into sandwiches. For heating the leftover roast, put the thin slices in a microwaveable dish with lid, add a little bit of water and cook on high for 1 min or until hot--do not overcook! Yummy, dipping good!!
FRENCH ONION SOUP
2 large or 3 medium yellow onions, sliced
¼ cup butter
4 cups water
6 cubes or teaspoons beef bouillon
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash Pepper
Grated parmesan cheese
In large saucepan, cook onions in butter until golden. Add water, bouillon, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Simmer, covered 15 to 20 minutes to blend flavors. When serving, sprinkle each bowl of soup with grated parmesan cheese.
