New Recipes This Week III

I am so bad at taking photos of food even though it makes it more fun when sharing recipes. By the time I get dinner on the table, I don't think about it. I'll try to remember to take photos more often. Sorry!

Teriyaki Burger

 It is a new favorite at our house and I can't wait to eat it again. I didn't eat it with cheese, but those who did liked it.

1/3 lb. ground beef
1 hamburger bun with sesame seeds
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1 pineapple ring
2 cups teriyaki sauce (divided into 2 separate bowls)
2 slices tomatoes
1 slice cheddar cheese

Form round burger patty. Marinate burger patty in bowl #1 of teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes. Marinate pineapple ring in bowl #2 of teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes. Remove burger patty and grill on high heat to desired doneness. Melt Cheddar cheese on top of patty while still on grill pan by covering with lid. Grill pineapple ring on medium heat for 1 minute on each side. Spread mayo on both halves of the bun. On bottom bun, place tomato slices, followed by the broiled hamburger patty with cheese (tomato on the bottom). On top of burger patty, stack the pineapple ring and shredded lettuce, the top of bun.


Penne With Beef and Mushroom Ragout

This isn't really a new recipe since I've made it before, but I hadn't made it in a long time and had forgotten how much we liked it.

8 oz. penne pasta
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 T. flour
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 med. onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cans (14.5-oz.) beef broth
2 T. tomato paste
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. dried thyme
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile toss beef, flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl until evenly coated. Shake off excess. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon. Sauté onion until translucent and golden, about 5 minutes; add garlic during the last minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Pour in 1 c. broth and bring to a boil; scrape any browned bits off bottom of pan. Return meat to pan and allow broth to reduce until almost evaporated. Stir in remaining broth, tomato paste, vinegar and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender and sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes; adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over warm pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.



Chocolate Zucchini Cake



This cake is so good! I think that the frosting is essential to make it perfect. The butter from the frosting seeps into the cake and makes it more moist and delicious. I gave it to several other people and they all loved it. I will add more coconut and pecans to the frosting next time though since I love them.


1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. pure vanilla
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 c. shredded zucchini
FROSTING:
6 T. butter, softened
2/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. sweetened coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil and sugar, creaming until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Then, add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternately with buttermilk. Stir in shredded zucchini. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until it tests done with toothpick.


Allow cake to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Spread over warm cake. Broil in oven approximately 4-6 inches from the heat for about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake and be careful not to let it burn. Cool cake completely before serving.


Light Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
These didn't taste light to me. I usually don't like the texture of low-fat baked goods, but I couldn't even tell these were low-fat. I didn't have any mini-chips so I used regular chocolate chips and they worked fine. This is one of the few light dessert recipes I have that I would make and give to friends. It made 28 muffins for me.

4 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 (16-oz.) can pumpkin
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1 t. salt
12 oz. semisweet mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400°. Greas or line 24 muffin cups. Mix first 5 ingredients together until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients. Blend the two mixtures together; fold in chips. Generously fill muffin cups. Bake for 16-20 minutes.