Monday, February 1, 2010

Hamburger Steak in Pepper Gravy


Tonight was another of those 'before the big grocery' run nights. 
So, I decided to make use of the nearly month's worth of hamburgers left in the freezer. I generally buy a big box of the premade patties, just so we have quick dinners once in a while, and it's cheaper than buying the Tupperware stuff that makes and stores them, since I'd have to have like a kajillion of them! Anyway... digression again... seems to be something I do well


So, I took some frozen hamburger patties



I seasoned them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder -- generous on the pepper, but then, I like pepper!






And I cooked them until they were done... and then, I drained the grease. Meanwhile, I cheated... 

Somebody gave me this stuff, and I figured I didn't want it to go to waste... and honestly, it was worth it! this stuff was GOOD.... so I followed the directions on the package, which entails boiling 1 cup of water, adding the package of gravy mix to another cup of water, mixing well and then adding the mixture to the boiling water... twice, because I used two of these bad boys... 
Now, normally, the pepper gravy is made from scratch, with flour and pepper, and milk, lots of milk... but it's "between grocery store run's" time and we're using up what's in the cabinets, you know... 

So when this stuff is all nice and thick and bubbly... 






I add it to the pan the burgers are waiting in...


Yum...!


 Now, during the time I was making the burgers, and the gravy, I was also making four cups of rice.  Two 'hamburger steaks' some rice, this lovely gravy, and some corn... and you have dinner!


Enjoy!
Also...


I don't know what this cat wants...




But I'm pretty sure it's got to do with washing my dishes...




Or maybe, just maybe, he'll take out the trash...


And for one more quick update, my kitchen reno has begun... and while I'm not getting anything *new* I am rearranging things to suit how my kitchen flows and my new interest in photographing everything I cook! 
Watch my progress over at Mom Stuff!


From the kitchen of a mom, with lots of love!
Magimom

A little bit of Bar-B-Q!

Sorry that no photos will accompany this post... 1. my kitchen is in the middle of a massive remodel, and it's a feat to even find counter space for the crock pot right now. 2. this was not a meal  I expected to post, simple because it's a quick, easy, CHEAP meal used to fill in between grocery runs. 


So... as I have talked about before -- I have a penchant for giant pork roasts... I get 20 - 30 lbs of pork loin a month at my local grocery store for about 1.20 a lb. It's good, low fat meat, that can be cooked as many ways as chicken can, if you're willing to experiment. I purchased one of these earlier, and had only used two of the three roasts it made. Sooooo, feeling lazy yesterday, and out of milk for potato soup, I decided to put the roast in the crock pot. But I'm not necessarily fond of 'boiled' pork... nothing about cooking pork in the crock pot appeals to me for some odd reason. But the crock pot and pork roast were all I had...
So -- 3 lb pork roast, fat removed 
2 bottles honey bbq sauce (or some of my son Jon's incredible homemade sauce, which I used)
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. 
salt, pepper, and garlic powder 
1 tsp mustard
water to cover


With crock pot on high empty one bottle of barbecue sauce into the pot (don't throw it out yet!). Season your roast well, then add it to the crock pot, refill sauce bottle with water, shake well and add water to cover the roast. 


Cover and turn up on high. Cook 5 -6 hours until roast starts to separate. Separate roast with pair of forks until pork is shredded. If your sauce is very watery (like mine was) remove about 1/2 of the juice from the pot, and replace it with the other bottle of sauce. Cook for about 15-20 more minutes to thoroughly heat the sauce. 
Toast hamburger buns, or deli rolls in the oven, on about 350 for 10-12 minutes or until heated through and lightly toasted. 


Using a slotted spoon (important, your sauce will soak the bun if you don't use a slotted spoon) top the bun with pork, and add any condiment you choose -- some things I've seen used, or used myself? - Mayo, coleslaw, honey mustard, miracle whip, horseradish sauce  (my personal favorite -- gives it a super zing)!


This turned out so awesome I had to share -- sorry about the lack of photos, but soon my kitchen will be done, and my camera will have batteries (if I have to knock the SO out to get them out of the Xbox controller), and I will be more able to cook and photograph again! 


Have a wonderful, warm day, and enjoy some crock-pot barbecue.


From the kitchen of a mom, with lots of love!
Magimom