bouillon

Mushroom Beef Tips

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Take a Seat at the Table: Mushroom Beef Tips! The biggest challenge you’ll have today is deciding if you’re going to serve this over buttery egg noodles or garlic mashed potatoes! I know, right? Some days I take the way of least resistance and use a slow-cook method, but this recipe can certainly be pulled together in minutes as well. I really enjoy using my French Le Creuset cast-iron Dutch oven because it seals in the juices the way a crockpot enhances results. It just goes to show you how creative cooking can be. 

MUSHROOM BEEF TIPS

Ingredients:

1 pound sirloin steak, boneless, cut into 1-inch pieces 

10-ounce can beef consommé 

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup Lea and Perrins sauce

1 tablespoon French Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon tarragon 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

Place beef tips in a covered roaster. Add beef consommé, wine, Lea and Perrins sauce, mustard, tarragon, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place sliced mushrooms over all. Cover and bake at 275° for 6-8 hours. Then To mix water and flour in a small bowl, to thicken sauce, and stir into beef mixture. Cover and cook another half hour until thickened. Serve over noodles or potatoes. 

Xcellent Celery Soup

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Xcellent Celery Soup! The best intentions go out the window when you realize you have more celery in the refrigerator than you can possibly eat, even on a health-kick. Plus, I’m no longer feeding a family of four. The reality is, as I’ve aged, my appetite has waned and I no longer require three solid meals a day. Can anyone else relate? Thank goodness I like homemade soup, especially if it has potatoes in it. This slightly modified version adds celery to the pot. And since I make potato salad with celery, I didn’t think this was too much of a stretch. Perhaps you will agree.

XCELLENT CELERY SOUP

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups water

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 large russet potato, peeled and roughly chopped

3-4 celery ribs, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

2 tablespoons light cream

Garlic Croutons, for garnish

Celery Leaves, for garnish

Instructions:

In a 4-quart pan over medium-high heat, combine water, chicken bouillon, and butter. Add potato chunks, chopped celery, and yellow onion. Bring to a boil. Stir; reduce heat to low and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 20 minutes. Sprinkle in celery seed and light cream. Transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse to purée, leaving enough to make the soup chunky. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with garlic croutons and celery leaves.