Wine Braised Beef Tips with Cipollini Onions, Mushrooms and Carrots

I know I’m going to sound like a big fat blubbering baby when I say this. Especially to my friends who live in places where it actually gets COLD. But the last few days have been freaking freezing in “sunny” southern California.

It’s the kind of cold where all you want to do is sit by a blazing fire, wrapped up in an amazing blanket eating a hearty bowl of the most amazing braised beef ever.

At this moment, I’m not doing too bad. I’ve got the fire and the amazing blanket in the mix. The only thing missing is this dish.

On a cold day where all you want to do is snuggle on the couch, throw this bad boy in and after a few hours of cozy relaxation, you will be rewarded with something perfectly warming and bold.

You will need…

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs beef tips or short ribs

10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 roma tomatoes, diced

½ onion, diced

2 cups cipollini onions, peeled and whole (you can sub pearl onions if you can't find cipollini)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups crimini mushrooms

2 large carrots, sliced in ½ inch pieces

4 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons beef demi glace

2 cups red wine (something you don’t mind drinking)

1 sprig fresh oregano or marjoram

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large oven safe pot, heat the oil over medium high heat until it is hot. Pat down the meat with a paper towel so that it is very dry and season it well with salt and pepper.

Place the meat in the hot oil and sear on all sides until browned. About 8 minutes.

When the beef has been browned, remove it to a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil.

In the same pot, add in the diced onions. Swirl and scrape the onions around until it gets all the good beef drippings and leftovers off the pot. Cook the onions until they are soft and slightly browned. About 7 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and cook until the juices are starting to evaporate.

Add in the tomato paste, carrots, mushrooms and cipollini onions and stir until everything in the pot is lightly coated with the tomato paste.

Place the meat back in the pot in an even layer and pour in the chicken stock, wine and oregano.

Whisk in the beef demi glace and season the sauce well with salt and pepper.

Place in the oven and let braise, stirring every hour or so, for 4 to 5 hours.

When the meat is fall apart tender and the carrots are cooked through, serve hot over some tasty mashed potatoes or these roasted potatoes.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Wine Braised Beef Tips with Cipollini Onions, Mushrooms and Carrots

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs beef tips or short ribs

10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 roma tomatoes, diced

½ onion, diced

2 cups cipollini onions, peeled and whole

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups crimini mushrooms

2 large carrots, sliced in ½ inch pieces

4 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons beef demi glace

2 cups red wine (something you don’t mind drinking)

1 sprig fresh oregano or marjoram

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large oven safe pot, heat the oil over medium high heat until it is hot. Pat down the meat with a paper towel so that it is very dry and season it well with salt and pepper.

Place the meat in the hot oil and sear on all sides until browned. About 8 minutes.

When the beef has been browned, remove it to a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil.

In the same pot, add in the diced onions. Swirl and scrape the onions around until it gets all the good beef drippings and leftovers off the pot. Cook the onions until they are soft and slightly browned. About 7 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and cook until the juices are starting to evaporate.

Add in the tomato paste, carrots, mushrooms and cipollini onions and stir until everything in the pot is lightly coated with the tomato paste.

Place the meat back in the pot in an even layer and pour in the chicken stock, wine and oregano.

Whisk in the beef demi glace and season the sauce well with salt and pepper.

Place in the oven and let braise, stirring every hour or so, for 4 to 5 hours. When the meat is fall apart tender and the carrots are cooked through, serve hot over some tasty mashed potatoes or these roasted potatoes. 

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Rotini

Every October, when summer in southern California is winding own, I tell myself that next year I’m giving up teaching swim lessons.

Every autumn I tell myself that I’m too old to be doing swim lessons, and that I should just relax on the weekends.

But every June, I get back in the pool with the kiddos. I’m not sure what keeps me coming back, but it keeps me happy and in extra cash. A total win win.

It also keeps me in a batching suit. Which means I gotta keep my meals a little lighter. Still hearty and tasty, but lighter.

You will need…

¾ pound dried rotini

1 cup reserved pasta water

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup sun dried tomato halves, roughly chopped

3 tomatoes, diced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup basil, roughly chopped basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water boils, cook the pasta to the packing instructions. Make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat

When the oil is hot, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 2 minutes.

Add in the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for an additional minute.

While rapidly whisking the tomato mixture, add in the Greek yogurt. Whisk until completely incorporated. Slowly add in the reserved pasta water until the texture of the sauce is creamy.

Toss in the basil and simmer for an additional minute.

Add in the pasta, toss to coat and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Rotini

¾ pound dried rotini

1 cup reserved pasta water

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup sun dried tomato halves, roughly chopped

3 tomatoes, diced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup basil, roughly chopped basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water boils, cook the pasta to the packing instructions. Make sure to reserve a cup of pasta water.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat

When the oil is hot, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and sun dried tomatoes. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 2 minutes.

Add in the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for an additional minute.

While rapidly whisking the tomato mixture, add in the Greek yogurt. Whisk until completely incorporated. Slowly add in the reserved pasta water until the texture of the sauce is creamy.

Toss in the basil and simmer for an additional minute.

Add in the pasta, toss to coat and serve hot. 

Veal and Chicken Sausage Lasagna

This may come as a shocker, but until yesterday I had never made lasagna.

Yeah, I know. That one almost knocked me out of my chair.

Truthfully, I’ve just never been a big fan of lasagna.

Stop, you do not need to throw things at me or chase me with a pitchfork.

Because after yesterday, I take it back. I eat my words. Pun intended.

Lasagna is freaking tasty.

Especially when you do it my way.

You will need…

¼ cup olive oil

½ lb ground beef

½ lb ground veal

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 large cans (28 ounces) Italian peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped and juices reserved

28 ounce can tomato puree

2 cups chicken stock

2 bay leaves

6 thyme sprigs tied together

1 tablespoon sugar

1 ½ lb chicken sausage (whatever your favorite may be), finely chopped or ground in a food processor

3 cups mushrooms, finely chopped

2 lbs ricotta cheese

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

¼ cup basil, finely chopped

½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated

1 lb mozzarella, grated

1 large egg, beaten

12 flat pasta sheets, cooked per package instructions

Salt and pepper to taste.

Start by heating the oil until shimmering in a large enameled cast-iron casserole.

Add in the veal and ground beef and cook over medium high heat, breaking up the meat into large chunks as it cooks. Cook until no pink remains. About 7 minutes.

Add in the garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste and stir until the meat is coated.

Add in the tomatoes and their juices as well as the tomato puree, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme and sugar. Season well with salt and pepper and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 8 cups. About 1 ½ hours. When the sauce has reduced remove the bay leaves and the thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat and mushrooms and cook until the sausage has browned and the mushrooms are tender. About 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with the parsley, basil and ½ of the Parmesan. Add in 2/3rds of the shredded mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Beat in the egg.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread about 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.

Top the sauce with a layer of 3 pasta sheets.

Then top the pasta sheets with half the ricotta mixture.

Over the ricotta, layer half of the sausage.

Top the sausage with half the remaining sauce.

Repeat with another layer of pasta, then ricotta, followed by sausage and topped with sauce.

Place the final layer of pasta and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Just until the top is browned and the filling is bubbling.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Slice and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Veal and Chicken Sausage Lasagna

¼ cup olive oil

½ lb ground beef

½ lb ground veal

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 large cans (28 ounces) Italian peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped and juices reserved

28 ounce can tomato puree

2 cups chicken stock

2 bay leaves

6 thyme sprigs tied together

1 tablespoon sugar

1 ½ lb chicken sausage (whatever your favorite may be), finely chopped or ground in a food processor

3 cups mushrooms, finely chopped

2 lbs ricotta cheese

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

¼ cup basil, finely chopped

½ cup Parmesan, freshly grated

1 lb mozzarella, grated

1 large egg, beaten

12 flat pasta sheets, cooked per package instructions

Salt and pepper to taste.

Start by heating the oil until shimmering in a large enameled cast-iron casserole.

Add in the veal and ground beef and cook over medium high heat, breaking up the meat into large chunks as it cooks. Cook until no pink remains. About 7 minutes.

Add in the garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant. About 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste and stir until the meat is coated.

Add in the tomatoes and their juices as well as the tomato puree, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme and sugar. Season well with salt and pepper and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 8 cups. About 1 ½ hours. When the sauce has reduced remove the bay leaves and the thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat and mushrooms and cook until the sausage has browned and the mushrooms are tender. About 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with the parsley, basil and ½ of the Parmesan. Add in 2/3rds of the shredded mozzarella and season with salt and pepper. Beat in the egg.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread about 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.

Top the sauce with a layer of 3 pasta sheets.

Then top the pasta sheets with half the ricotta mixture.

Over the ricotta, layer half of the sausage.

Top the sausage with half the remaining sauce.

Repeat with another layer of pasta, then ricotta, followed by sausage and topped with sauce.

Place the final layer of pasta and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Just until the top is browned and the filling is bubbling.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Slice and serve hot.