Beef Minestrone Soup-One Pot Recipe

For my birthday my mother got me a bunch of mini cookbooks.  One of them was full of one-pot recipes, so of course I had to find one and completely jack with the ingredients.  Here is the result of that fun, it turned out quite delicious. :)

Ingredients:
1 lb Hamburger
Seasoning (Basil, Oregano, Alpine Touch, Crushed Red Pepper)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
1 Carrot (Peeled & Sliced)
1 Zucchini (Peeled & Sliced)
2 Celery Ribs (Chopped)
10-12 Grape Tomatoes (Diced) *substitute a can of diced tomatoes if needed
3 Large Tomatoes (Crushed) *substitute can of crushed tomatoes if needed
5 Mushrooms (Chopped)
1/2 Can of Black Olives (Sliced)
2 1/2 Cup Beef Broth
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 Cups Bowtie Pasta
Shredded Cheese to taste

Directions:
Add the hamburger to a pot and cook on medium.  Once browned add the oil, garlic, carrot, zucchini and celery.  Cook for about 4 minutes.  Add in remaining ingredients except for the cheese and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes until pasta is al dente.  Stir occasionally and serve when done.  Stir in the cheese and top with basil and enjoy!

Brown the hamburger in the bottom of the pot

Add the oil, garlic, carrots, zucchini and celery

Add in the remaining ingredients and mix together

Mix in the shredded cheese and enjoy!

Chuck Steak with Wine Sauce

I was originally hoping to make this with a cognac based sauce, but a survey of my cupboards revealed  serious lack of alcohol in my house, so it turned into a wine based sauce instead.  I definitely wasn't disappointed by the change however, as it was delicious.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Butter
1/4 Cup Green Onions (chopped)
1 tsp Brown Sugar (packed)
1 Cup Beef Broth
1 1/2 Cup Red Wine (I used a Barbera)
1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Tbsp Butter
4 chuck steaks
Seasoning (Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt)

Directions:
Melt 1 Tbsp Butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the green onions and saute' for about 3 minutes.  Add brown sugar and stir for about 1 minute.  Add beef broth and the wine, simmer on low heat for 20 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce.  Whisk in the cream.
Add the butter to a skillet.  Season the steaks and add to the pan.  Cook on med-high heat for abotu 5 minutes per side (medium-rare) or longer.  Transfer steaks to a plate.  Add the sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits in the pan.  Season  a touch for flavoring.  Serve by cutting/scoring steaks and drizzling the wine sauce over top.  Enjoy!

Saute' the green onions

Add brown sugar, wine and beef broth

Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.  Cook the seasoned steaks for 5 minutes per side

Whisk in the cream

Add sauce to the skillet and season

Serve & Enjoy!