Beef Taco Hamburger Helper Hack

Okay okay, you should know by now that we don't do processed food here at the Chic-Peas. The most processed we get is canned pumpkin and pre-made tomato sauce for lazy days. Kelly is probably going to facepalm that I'm even writing this recipe. Buuuuuuut I'll admit I grew up on things like Hamburger Helper, and Old El Paso taco mixes, and frozen pizza. That's because as a high school student, it was MY job to get dinner on the table most nights, and poor mom had to settle for what I was capable of making unassisted. Since then, thankfully, my eating habits and cooking skills have improved dramatically.

I had a pound of ground beef in the freezer and I was craving something savory, but would pack well for lunches. I had already made stir fry and fried rice this week, so rice was out. And ground beef should be cooked with a sauce that helps you pick up the little bits. And so I thought of Hamburger Helper. I haven't had Hamburger Helper in about 15 years.  Buuuuuuuuuuut I wanted it with veggies. I wanted it to be just a tiny bit cheesy. And I sure as heck was not going to buy a box to help me out. So we're going to do this the right way!

Beef Taco Stove Top Pasta (Hamburger Helper Hack)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 small potatoes
1 small onion
1 small bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup pasta sauce or tomato puree
1 cup milk
3 dry cups pasta shells (get the quick cook variety if available)
4 oz mild cheddar cheese
Salt, paprika, cumin
Cilantro to top

1. Prep your veggies and cheese by cutting them into 1 cm dice.
2. Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Using non-stick is ideal for this as this recipe can get rather messy!
3. Brown the ground beef and the potatoes until 90% cooked and crumbled.
4. Add the onion and peppers. Saute for a few minutes.
5. Add the tomato puree and the milk. Bring to a simmer.
6. Add the dry pasta and lower the heat to medium low. Stir the pot to make sure the pasta is wet. If the mixture doesn't have enough free liquid, add half a cup of water. Cover and stir every 2-3 minutes for about 10 minutes.
7. Add the cheese, which should be roughly chopped or shredded. Mix into the liquid so it melts.
8. When the pasta is cooked through, serve in bowls topped with chopped cilantro.

Barbecued Steak

Ever get a craving for man food? I mean, I usually tend to stick to girly foods like yogurt, chicken, and salads, but every once in a while, I get a craving for a good steak - a real 'meat and potatoes' kind of meal. (That craving, funnily enough, usually coincides with a strong desire to use the awesome cast iron grill pan my mom gave me.) And so, tonight, I went to the grocery store for inspiration.

As I perused the produce, this beautiful, plump sweet potato leaped out of the bin and into my arms, simply begging me to take it home. Who am I to turn down such a tantalizing tuber? I added it to my basket and continued strolling down the aisle until I stumbled upon some baby spinach. Hmm, I thought to myself, I haven't had sauteed spinach in quite a while. I do love spinach. The next thing I knew, I had all the ingredients for a delectable meal.

I came home, cranked up the oven to about 400 degrees, washed the sweet potato, wrapped it in foil, and put it into the oven. Then, I made a scaled-down version of my quick and easy barbecue sauce to use as a marinade for the steak. I let the steak marinate for about forty-five minutes as I regretted buying such a large sweet potato. After the potato finished cooking, I took it out of the oven and switched on the broiler. Then I heated up my grill pan, seared my steak, and popped it into the oven to finish cooking while I sauteed the spinach. By the time the spinach was cooked, the steak was ready to come out of the oven. I unwrapped my potato, topped it with a little butter and brown sugar, and - voila! - dinner was served. I love it when a good meal just flows so naturally!


Orange and Garlic Sauteed Spinach

• 1 tbs. butter
• 1.5 tbs. minced garlic
• Baby spinach, about 3-4 handfuls
• Half of an orange
• A pinch of kosher salt

1. Melt butter in a large pan over low heat.
2. Add garlic and cook for a minute or two until very fragrant.
3. Add spinach, stirring a little bit until it's almost wilted.
4. Squeeze the orange over the spinach.
   
5. Add salt to taste. (You won't need very much.)

Cheatin' Barbecue Sauce

• 1.5 tbs. ketchup
• 1/4 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tbs. Coke (use more or less, depending upon your desired consistency)
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/8 tsp. paprika
• Cracked black pepper (a few grinds)

1. Combine ketchup, soy sauce, and Coke. (If you want a thick barbecue sauce, use less Coke; if you prefer a more watery sauce - which I do - use more.)
2. Add the rest of the seasonings, adjusting for your own personal tastes. (Be forewarned that while this sauce is sweet, it does have a bit of residual heat. If you're not okay with that, you should probably take it easy on the Cayenne and red pepper flakes.)
3. The more you let this sauce sit, the better. It'll keep for several weeks if you put it into an airtight container in the fridge.

Barbecued Steak

• Barbecue sauce (see recipe above)
• Steak (Flank or skirt work well. I used one that was a little smaller than an index card and about 3/4" thick.)

1. Brush barbecue sauce onto meat and seal into an airtight container to marinate for at least an hour, but up to overnight.
2. Turn on the broiler.
3. Preheat oven-safe grill pan until it's super hot.
4. Sear steak on both sides. *NOTE: Here's how to get those awesome cross-hatch grill marks: Place your steak on the hot grill. Do not jiggle it. And for goodness' sake, do NOT press on it! (You'll squeeze all the juices out of it, resulting in a tough, dry steak.) After a minute or two (depending on the thickness of your steak), use tongs (NOT A FORK - again, the juices!) to turn your steak 45 degrees. Let it cook for another minute or two before flipping the steak and repeating the process.*
5. If your steak is thick, you may want to finish cooking it by sticking the steak - grill pan and all - under the broiler. If it's thin, you may be able to simply cook it to your desired doneness in the pan. **ANOTHER NOTE: Do not use a thermometer - or worse, cut into your steak - to check how done it is. Yet again: you will cause all of the juices to leak out. Instead, use your palm and your fingertips as your guide to doneness. "What are you talking about?" you say. I'm so very glad you asked: Turn your hand so your palm faces upward. Now touch your index finger to your thumb. Seriously, do it. Now poke at that fatty part of your palm, right beneath your thumb. Do you feel that? That's what a rare steak feels like. Now try it with your middle finger and thumb - that's medium rare. Use your ring finger for medium and your pinky for well-done. (Although, if you like your steak well-done, I'd suggest you make chicken instead.) You're welcome.**
6. Once your steak is finished cooking, move it to a plate and let it rest for a few minutes. (Yes, you actually have to do this. It allows the juices to redistribute. If you skip this step and just cut into your hot steak, its juices will end up on the plate instead of your mouth and all of your work will have been for naught.)