Tag Archives: Beef

Mushroom-Smothered Burgers

I’m not a big beef eater, but when I saw this recipe I had to try it! I found it at Campbell’s Kitchen, and it sounded good, quick, and easy. I love mushrooms and the words Mushroom-Smothered sure caught my attention! 🙂 When I do cook with beef, I like to use lean beef that is free of hormones and antibiotics. This recipe is all made in a skillet, so no baking is involved. With the creamy mushroom gravy, the taste of these burgers remind me of meatballs stroganoff.

You definitely need to use a large skillet, because these are big burgers! The recipe says to use a 10″ skillet, but if you have a 12″ size, I’d use that–my burgers were pretty crowded in the 10″ skillet (maybe it’s because I used very lean beef and they didn’t shrink as much when cooking). Also, be sure to use a non-stick skillet because, with the add-ins, the burgers will stick badly to a regular skillet (I learned this from experience! 🙂 ).

I added extra onion, used olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and used a little less water in the gravy mixture so my gravy would be a little thicker. It’s a good recipe to keep in mind when you need to make a simple, tasty dinner!

MUSHROOM-SMOTHERED BURGERS, adapted from Campbell’s Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, divided

1 pound ground beef (or substitute ground turkey)

1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

1/4 to 1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 large egg, beaten

Ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 to 4 Tablespoons water (use less water for a thicker gravy)

Thoroughly mix 1/4 cup of the soup, beef, bread crumbs, Italian Seasoning, onion, and egg in a large bowl. Season with black pepper. Shape the beef mixture firmly into 4 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until well-browned on both sides. Remove burgers from skillet.

Reduce heat to medium and heat the oil in the skillet. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir the remaining soup, Worcestershire sauce, and water in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the burgers to the skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until burgers are cooked through. Spoon mushroom mixture over burgers before serving.

Easy dinner recipes like this sure come in handy! What’s your favorite quick and easy way of serving beef?

Beef or Chicken Tex-Mex Soup (and a Meatless Version)

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I like eating soup in the cold winter months, and this is an easy soup recipe I came up with the other day. It’s a thick and chunky soup with ground beef, beans, and veggies in it, and you can make it without the beef, too, substituting chicken or more beans in place of the meat. Jalapenos give the soup a little spiciness, along with the taco seasoning you mix in. Make it in a big pot and you’ll have enough soup to serve 6 to 8 people. Serve it with some bread or rolls–it makes a nice hot lunch or dinner on a cold day!

BEEF OR CHICKEN TEX-MEX SOUP by NancyC

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes (regular or no salt)

1 (14.5-oz.) can beef, chicken, or vegetable broth

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning

1 lb. ground beef, cooked, crumbled, and drained of excess fat OR 1 lb. chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cut into chunks (you could use leftover rotisserie chicken in this, too); if you want to make this meatless, substitute an extra can of pinto or kidney beans for the meat

1 medium-size onion, diced

1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10 to 12-ounce) package frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup sliced jalapenos (from a can or jar, or fresh, with seeds removed)

sour cream for garnish (optional)

sliced green onion stems for garnish (optional)

In large stockpot, over medium heat, add diced tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, and taco seasoning, blending well. Add in cooked ground beef or chicken, diced onion, beans, corn, and jalapenos, stirring everything well. Turn heat high enough to heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately and garnish with sour cream and green onion slices if desired.

Do you have a favorite winter soup you like making?

Chili from The Pioneer Woman

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There’s nothing like a hot bowl of chili on a cold day! I recently made some, and I used the recipe from the cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks, which I had been wanting to try for some time. I really liked it! It’s a nice, thick chili, and the recipe says you can add some water if it gets too thick while it’s cooking; I decided to try using beef broth instead to keep the flavor nice and beefy. I also left out the optional seeded and diced jalapeno, but I may just try adding that in next time! If you’re a chili-lover you will need to try this!

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