Bea's Brisket

This recipe is one that our mother has made since we were kids. We have tasted many, many briskets over the years, but this one is still our favorite. This is a basic recipe. The amount of the ingredients will vary according to the size of the meat and individual taste. Here's to you, Mom!

1 flat cut brisket (average size)
2-3 onions, sliced
paprika
black pepper
garlic powder
small can tomato sauce (increase for large cuts of meat)
water

Brown meat for a few minutes on all sides on the stove on a high heat. Do not add oil. Remove meat from heat. Lower heat. Add sliced onions to bottom of empty pan.
Generously sprinkle onions with paprika. Use a lot of paprika so that you can hardly see the onions! (Do not add any oil. The combination of the onions and paprika will make its own natural gravy.) Season meat with black pepper and garlic powder. Return meat to pan. Cover. Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes. Add can of tomato sauce and 1/2 can water. Put the cover back on. Cook for a few hours until meat is soft. The longer you cook it, the better it will be.

Optional: During the last hour of cooking, add potatoes, carrots and peas. We like it with mashed potaoes and the natural gravy poured on top.

Bobby Flay's Meatball & Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground veal
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped & sauteed
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
S&P
1 cup olive oil
2 T olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
56 oz. plum tomatoes & their juice, pureed in a blender
1 bay leaf
1 bunch parsley
1 pinch red pepper flakes
S&P
6 basil leaves, sliced into strips

Instructions:
1.  Combine all ingredients (except the oil) in a large bowl until well-combined.
     Roll into 1 1/2 " meatballs.
2.  Heat oil in a large sautee pan over medium heat and add the meatballs.
     Let them fry, cooking on each side until lightly browned, but not cooked all the way through.
     About 10-15 minutes.
3.  Add the meatballs to tomato sauce and let simmer for 45 minutes.

Homemade Sauce:
1.  In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on high.  Add the garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.
2.  Add the pureed tomatoes and juice, the bay leaf, parsley, red pepper flakes, S&P.
3.  Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat down to simmer, and add the meatballs.
   

Sponge Kisses with Meyer Lemon
(from Cristina Cooks on the Hallmark Channel)

Sponge Kisses Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup self-rising flour, sifted

Recipe:
1.  Preheat oven to 350.
2.  Place eggs, sugar, vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until thick, pale and tripled in volume.
3.  Gently fold through the flour.
4.  Spoon 2 spoonfuls of the mixture onto baking trays lined with parchment paper and bake for 5-7 minutes or until puffed and golden,
5.  Sandwich the sponge kisses together with cream (see recipe below) and dust with toasted hazelnuts (optional).


Meyer Lemon Cream Ingredients:
1 cup double whipped cream
1 tbsp confectioners sugar
2-3 tsps Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts (optional)

Recipe:
1.  Whip cream and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk until it forms soft peaks.
2.  Add lemon juice and continue to whisk until combined.
3.  Fold in toasted hazelnuts.

Kale Salad (from Eastern Shore, VA)


Ingredients:
1 bunch kale (stems removed)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Fresh orange pieces
1/4 cup cranberries or dates (cut small)
1 Honeycrisp apple (cut in slivers)
1/4 cup slivered almonds (lightly toasted)
1/4 cup finely grated white cheese of choice
Pepper (to taste)

Directions:
1.  Wash & destem kale, let dry.
2.  Whisk lemon juice, oil & salt in large bowl
3.  Add kale; coat & allow to stand in fridge for 20 minutes.
4.  Add cranberries or dates, oranges, apples & mix.
5.  Before serving, add almonds, cheese, pepper & more salt if needed.

Gingerbread Man Cookies

We've tried MANY different recipes for gingerbread men.  This one is simply from the McCormick spice company and in our opinion, the best.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup softened butter (1.5 sticks)
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

MIX first 6 ingredients.  Set aside.  Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add molasses, egg and vanilla, mix well.  Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.  Press dough into a disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

ROLL out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface.  Cut into gingerbread men with 5-inch cookie cutter.  Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 350 degree oven 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown.  Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes.  Remove to wire racks and cool completely.  Decorate cookies by piping designs with plain and Colorful Royal Icing (see mccormick.com for recipe).

Makes 2 dozen.

Recipe Video Link

Bea's Brisket

Ingredients:

flat cut brisket 

small can tomato sauce

1/2 can water

2 -3 onions

paprika

salt, pepper, garlic powder

optional:  peas. carrots, potatoes

Directions:

1. Brown meat in large quart pan on all sides without liquid

in pan. 

 2. Remove meat when brown on all sides.

3. Salt, pepper, & garlic meat on all sides.

4. Slice onions and completely cover bottom of pan with onions.

5.  Liberally sprinkle paprika on top of onions so you see mostly paprika.

6.  Place meat back on top of onion/paprika mix.

7.  Cover pan.

8.  Cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

9.  Add 1 can tomato sauce and 1/2 can water.

10.  Cover and cook on low heat for a few hours until brisket fork tender,

11.  An hour before ready, you can add potatoes, carrots, peas. etc.

*  The onion/paprika mixture with the tomato sauce makes a natural gravy so no other liquid is needed.

**  Goes great with mashed potatoes!!!

Grilled Peaches

Ingredients:

Peaches, halved with pit removed
Vanilla Greek yogurt or ice cream (optional)
Honey to drizzle
Mint leaves or brown sugar (optional)

Instructions:

Heat grill to about 350 degrees.
Place peaches on grill flesh side down for 4 to 5 minutes.
Flip for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove and serve warm with vanilla Greek yogurt or ice cream.
Drizzle with honey.
Garnish with mint leaves or brown sugar.