Macaroni Salad

This is just as good as you remember from your trips to the cafeteria.  Maybe even better.  It's a perfect addition to a picnic or barbecue dinner menu.

Macaroni Salad
This recipe makes a whopping 10 cups.  Adjust amounts downward for a family dinner-size portion.

1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked, drained and cooled
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup diced dill or sweet pickles, optional

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.  Stir in the macaroni and vegetables and mix well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Chill before serving.

Housemade Sweet-and-Sour Mix

If you follow this silly little blog, you know I believe in using quality ingredients in my cooking.  I believe the same thing about cocktails.  Not only good-quality spirits (which, by the way, doesn't always mean the most expensive) but fresh juices and herbs and mixes.  Here's a perfect example. 

Don't use that nasty neon green stuff that you can buy at stores that they call sweet and sour mix.  It's nastily sweet and reminds me of antifreeze.  Instead, mix up a batch of this and keep it in the fridge.  Your next margarita will thank me.

Housemade Sweet-and-Sour Mix
Makes 2 cups.

1/2 cup simple syrup
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients together and store in a jar or bottle in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

It's that beautiful perfect time of year when tomatoes are abundant and delicious. (I'm concentrating on that piece of summer so I don't obsess on the hellaciously hot temperatures we'll endure for at least the next six weeks.)

I've used tomatoes from the farmers market and from a work colleague's garden plot to make mozzarella and tomato salad, bacon and tomato sandwiches and a big batch of salsa (that recipe still to come).

Last night, I had an assortment of a few tomatoes of different sizes and shapes: a pear tomato or two, a few cherry tomatoes and a big beefsteak with a couple of bruises.  Used them to make this wonderfully tasty dinner.  Italian summer on a plate....

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
Makes 6 servings.

(The quantities here are really just guidelines.  You could use the same ratios to make smaller batches, or adjust things if you'd like a little more basil or a bit less garlic.  A pinch of red pepper flakes might also be just what the doctor ordered if you'd like a hint of heat.)

2 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound cooked spaghetti or angel hair
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Finely chop tomatoes, basil and garlic and mix with olive oil.  (You can also process everything in a food processor to a rough chop or finer puree if you'd like things easy.  That's what I did.)

Toss sauce with hot pasta.  Drizzle a little more olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Basil Pesto

Summer is about fresh.  Tomatoes.  Squash.  Peaches.  All prepared with a minimum of fuss and very little heat.  So while the rest of our yard withers, I take advantage of the big bushy basil plants and whip up a batch of this delicious pesto.  With a tomato and a hunk of mozzarella, dinner is served.

Basil Pesto
Makes 1 1/2 cups

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup pine nuts (or walnuts or even pecans)
Generous pinch of kosher salt
2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan (optional)

Prepare a saucepan of boiling water and an ice water bath.  Working in batches, blanch the basil leaves for 15 seconds and immediately plunge into the ice water.  Let cool, then drain thoroughly and pat dry to remove as much extra water as possible.

With the motor running, drop the garlic cloves into a food processor to mince.

Turn the processor off and add the walnuts and salt; pulse to coarsely chop the nuts.  Add the basil and process until finely chopped. 

With the machine running, drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube until pesto forms a puree.

If desired, add the Parmesan and process until pureed and incorporated fully.

(It's easy to freeze this in an ice cube tray and then dole out as necessary.  The blanching should keep the pesto a bright green.)

Banana Nut Bread

We have fleas.  There...I said it. And, not literally, "we," but our yard and our pets.  The mild winter has meant an explosion of all sort of bugs.  We've got most of them under control but are still battling the fleas.

We try to be organic as much as possible and read that fleas are repelled/killed by banana peels.  So we've thrown them around the yard and under the deck.  Left me with quite a few bananas.  Time for this classic.

Banana Nut Bread
Makes one loaf.

2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans if you prefer)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325°. Butter and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Whisk bananas and eggs in large bowl to blend. Add remaining ingredients and stir to blend well.

Transfer to pan. Bake until top is golden brown and tester comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs is good). This will take anywhere from 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then finish cooling on rack.

Sour Cream Ice Cream

The sour cream in this recipe gives the final product a really nice tang.  It's the perfect foil for a sweet summer cobbler or the blackberry skillet cake I posted yesterday.
Sour Cream Ice Cream
Makes 1 quart.
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar, divided
2 cups milk
Zest of one lemon (Big pieces, not grated.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sour cream

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the milk with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and the lemon zest.  Slowly, bring the mixture just to the boiling point.  (Use a thermometer and watch carefully or the mixture will curdle.)

Temper the egg mixture by adding 1/3 or so cup of the hot milk and then slowly add back into the milk. 

Return the saucepan to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture reaches 170° and is thickened.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl set over an ice bath.  When mixture is cooled, add the sour cream and whisk until combined.

Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Blackberry Skillet Cake

Berries are everywhere right now.  Whether on sale at the grocery store, or (even better) at the farmer's market, they are at their peak and ready for you to use in a delicious dessert like this one.  (You might hang on to this recipe for a day or two.  I'll be posting a tasty ice cream recipe that you could top the cake with very soon.)

Blackberry Skillet Cake
Makes 8 servings.
From Everyday Food magazine.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

1/3 cup dark-brown sugar

3 cups blackberries

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat 6 tablespoons butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and zest until combined. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with milk, and beat until combined.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Remove from heat and arrange blackberries evenly in skillet.

Pour batter over berries and smooth top. Bake until cake is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cake cool in skillet on a wire rack 5 minutes. Run a knife around edge and carefully invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mocktail of the Week: Angostura Bitters Restorer

Even the most dedicated cocktail drinkers among us take time off for our livers every now and then.  But we still  need something refreshing at the end of the day...here's the recipe that hits ths spot.

Angostura Bitters Restorer
Makes 1 drink.

2 ounces club soda
2 ounces tonic water
2 ounces Sprite or 7-Up
6 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon wedge




Combine in a highball glass and add ice.  Squeeze the lemon wedge into the glass and serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews

How about a quick and healthy stir-fry on a hot summer evening? Only takes one pan/wok and a cutting board.  And while you turn the stove on...it's just for a few minutes.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashews
Makes 4-6 servings.

Sesame (or olive) oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts
6 ounces broccoli florets, in bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablepoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
1/2 cup roasted cashews
Sliced scallons for garnish

Heat a wok until very hot.  Add one tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat wok.
Dip a quarter of the chicken pieces into the egg white and then cornstarch.  Add to the wok and stir-fry until golden-brown and cooked through.  Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining chicken, keeping wok hot and adding oil as necessary.  (If things get a little too brown, wipe the wok out and add fresh oil.)

Reheat the wok, add another tablespoon oil and stir-fry the onion, bell pepper, celery, water chestnuts and broccoli until the vegetables have softened a bit, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds. 

Increase the heat to high and add soy sauce, sherry, hoisin, and sambal oelek.  Toss the vegetables well to coat and bring to a boil. 

Return the chicken to the wok and toss over high heat for 1-2 minutes to heat the chicken. Toss the cashews into the mixture and serve immediately, garnished with scallions.

Easy Jerk Chicken

It seems to be written into the U.S. Constitution that we must grill more during the summer time.  Here in North Texas, that seems backwards to me...why go outside into the blasting heat only to blast your face and arms with more heat from a fiery grill.  However, I digress. Because being a good American family, we grill a lot all summer long.

And this just might be my new go-to recipe.  Easy to prep and packed with flavor, this is a jerk marinade that's great on chicken, but I'm betting that it would be just as yummy on pork tenderloin or chops or even shrimp.  Experiment and share your results with us here.

Jerk Chicken
From Everyday Food magazine.
Makes 4 servings.

1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, stemmed (Don't chicken out.  I only had a jalapeno on hand, and even with seeds included, there just wasn't enough heat for my tastes.)
1 bunch scallions, cut into pieces
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grill
3 and 1/2 - 4 lbs chicken pieces (I used boneless chicken thighs.)
salt and pepper

In a food processor, puree chile, scallions, garlic, thyme, brown sugar, allspice, soy sauce, lime juice, and oil. In a large zip-lock bag, toss chicken with sauce. Refrigerate at least one hour (or up to one day).

Heat up your grill and grill baby grill on medium-low heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; grill covered, until cooked through.  Cooking time will depend on what kind of chicken pieces you're using.  I'll trust you to know how to grill chicken...

Wine of the Week: Big Gulp Style...

Here in Big D today, it was 117. 

OK, I exaggerate, but it WAS hot.  Upper 90's with humidity seemingly in the 90's too.  Sticky.  Yuck.

Days like this...and there are plenty more ahead of us...call out for a light wine that packs flavor without overwhelming.  Nicely clean with just enough acidity to remind you of a refreshing glass of lemonade.

Oh, and if it is waaaay affordable, nothing wrong with that either.

So rush out and buy this completely quaffable Spanish white. Rene Barbier Mediterranean White. If you're lucky enough to have a Total Wine store nearby, it's going to set you back less than $5.00.

(No...that's not a typo.)

Cheers!

Perfectly Poached Eggs

A poached egg is a standard part of my weekend breakfast repertoire.  Sure, sometimes it's destined to be a part of Eggs Benedict or Eggs Florentine.  Even more often though, it's the headliner.  With a piece of toast or an English muffin on the side, it's a healthy way to start the day.

Over the years, I thought I had learned all the tricks of the trade.  Room-temperature eggs. Slowly simmering water. A little vinegar in the poaching water.  And creating a little whirlpool for the eggs as I slip them in.

But thanks to Bon Appetit and superchef Thomas Keller, my poached eggs are better then ever.

One thing I learned was that FRESH eggs are critical.  The white deteriorates as the egg ages, leaving you with tendrils rather than a compact white.

The other shocker was to not just put vinegar in the water, but actually put the eggs in vinegar  for a few minutes before cooking.  It tightens the white and prevents it from spreading out from the beginning when you put it into the pan.

Here's the full recipe.

Perfectly Poached Eggs
Makes two.

1 cup distilled white vinegar

2 large eggs

Coarse sea salt (such as Maldon) and freshly ground black pepper

Pour 1/2 cup vinegar into each of 2 small bowls. Crack 1 egg into each bowl, taking care not to break yolk; let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat.

Using a whisk, vigorously swirl water until a vortex forms in the center. Slip 1 egg with vinegar into vortex and continue to swirl water with whisk around edges of pan until it returns to a boil. The egg white should wrap tightly around the yolk, forming an oval shape.

As soon as water returns to a boil, reduce heat to medium and gently simmer egg, frequently swirling water, for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift egg from water and use kitchen shears to trim any stray pieces of egg white. Place egg on paper towels and gently blot; transfer egg to a bowl or plate. Repeat with remaining egg. (If poaching more than 2 eggs, repeat using fresh water.)

Season with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Cover; chill. Rewarm in a saucepan of simmering water for 1 minute.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/04/the-perfect-poach#ixzz1w7RGd5ZW

Cocktail of the Week: Tangerine Mint Margarita

Not sure where you live, but here in Dallas it's already in the 90's and humid.  Summer is here.  Ugh.

So it's time for refreshing cocktails to get us through to October (seriously) when it will be comfortable again.  Here's a citrusy drink inspired by one from chefs Mary Sue Millken and Susan Feniger.










Tangerine Mint Margarita
Makes one cocktail.

2 ounces freshly-squeezed tangerine juice (orange juice also works fine)
1/2 teaspoon grated tangerine zest
1 ounce fresh lime juice
5 fresh mint leaves
2 ounces reposado tequila

In a cocktail shaker, combine juices, zest and mint leaves.  Muddle together.  Add tequila to the shaker and fill shaker with ice.  Shake thoroughly and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.  Garnish with a mint sprig and twist of tangerine peel.

Homemade Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The Other Half requested lettuce wraps the other night. Not from Pei Wei...but homemade.  They were simpler than I thought.  Grabbed one of my handy Asian cookbooks and modified the recipe slightly to end up with this...
(You'll notice that the photo is not a wrap but my lazy version when I fixed the leftovers.  Rather than wrapping in lettuce leaves, I chopped the lettuce topped it with the chicken.  Quite a tasty salad...)

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Makes 4 servings.

1 pound ground chicken (Buy it ground or chop chicken breasts and a thigh in your food processor.  Freeze for a few minutes beforehand and then cut into large chunks to make it easier to grind.)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 (4 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Iceberg lettuce leaves

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons orange zest (optional)
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Mix all ingredients until cornstarch is dissolved.

Mix the ground chicken, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame, olive or canola oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken mixture and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring to break up lumps.  Add the red pepper, water chestnuts, scallion and ginger to the wok and sauté, stirring frequently, for one minute. 

Add the sauce to the wok and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute, until slightly thickened.

Serve the chicken mixture in lettuce leaves.

Happy Memorial Day!

As you barbecue or pool party today, please take a moment to remember all who have given their lives for their country.

A Big Pot of Baked Beans

Thinking barbecue this week as we get closer to Memorial Day.  Not just all the great smoked meats, but all the great sides.  Cole slaw.  Deviled eggs.  Baked beans. 

My family has a standard recipe for baked beans.  It involves canned beans, ketchup and brown sugar, and a lot of bacon.  And it's delicious.

But I might just have a new favorite.  These are made with navy beans cooked low and slow and laced with molasses and bacon.  They are just as delicious as our family tradition with many of the same flavors.  See what you think.

Baked Beans
Makes 8 servings.

1 pound dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, ends trimmed, peeled, and left whole
4 whole cloves
8 ounces slab bacon or salt pork, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Soak the beans overnight. Drain the beans in a colander, and discard the cooking liquid.

Preheat oven to 250°. Stud the onion with the cloves and place in a Dutch oven along with the beans, bacon, maple syrup, molasses, dry mustard, and 3 cups boiling water; stir to combine. Cover pot with a lid, and place in the oven; cook, lifting the lid and stirring occasionally, for 3 hours. Stir in ketchup and vinegar. Cover with lid again, and return to the oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick glaze, about 3 hours more.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Encore: Homemade Barbecue Sauce

In honor of National Barbecue Month, here's a post from Memorial Day five years ago.  If you're planning a grillfest this weekend, take the time to make this sauce from scratch.  It's definitely worth the effort.
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I'm not opposed to bottled barbecue sauce. Especially a good one like Stubb's or even KC Masterpiece. They're convenience products that I use often--whether in the slow cooker with chicken or when I'm just throwing a couple of pork chops on the grill.

But it's Memorial Day weekend and the mega-smoker is out, so the occasion calls for something a little more special. This is a great barbecue sauce that's easy to make. If you're feeling generous, double the recipe and send your guests home with bottles of their own.

Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce
From Cooking Light magazine.
Makes 2 cups

1 1/2 cups no salt-added tomato sauce
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika (Use Spanish smoked paprika for even more smoky flavor.)
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons barbecue smoked seasoning (such as Hickory Liquid Smoke)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

Combine tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

We love cooking for our next door neighbor.  Widow of a veteran, cancer survivor and devout Catholic who is at 8:00 a.m. Mass down the street every morning.  Oh, and she puts our newspaper on the porch daily before we're even out of bed..

So, we take care of her with sliced tomatoes, French onion soup, squash casserole, banana nut bread and homemade jam.  It's become a bit of a contest.  How can we dazzle her with something that will yield and even sweeter, more effusive thank-you note when she returns the baking dish or Tupperware?

I just won.

This recipe was declared the best thing she's ever eaten.  Try it and see if you agree.

(If you can't find fresh rhubarb, you can always use readily-available frozen.)

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped  

1 pound strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced (about 4 cups)

12 ounces rhubarb (preferably bright red), ends trimmed, stalks cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces

Combine flour, 2/3 cup sugar, and salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter. Rub in with fingertips until mixture sticks together in clumps. Mix in oats and pecans.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 11 x 7 x 2- inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl.  Add strawberries and rhubarb to sugar in bowl; toss to coat well. Scrape fruit filling into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle oat topping evenly over filling.

Bake crumble until filling bubbles thickly and topping is crisp, about 45 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes. Spoon warm crumble into bowls. Serve with ice cream. (Blue Bell is preferable.)

Celebrate National Barbecue Month with Ribs

OK...the picture is not great.  But the grill ran out of gas and these ribs are so tender that they fall apart.  Stick with me and learn the secret. You'll be glad you did....

So I have a mega smoker.  Big enough to accomodate a big brisket, several slabs of ribs, a chicken or two and a pork loin or bologna for good measure.  Babied for 8 hours or so with periodic injections of hickory chunks and fresh charcoal, it produces a meat-fest with a smoke ring to die for and tenderness beyond compare.

But who wants to do that on a weeknight?  Especially if baby back ribs are on sale.  The other half has a technique that is simple, but that results in incomparably fall-apart and delicious barbecue.

Simple, but Amazing Ribs

Wrap baby back ribs in foil and place on rimmed baking sheet.  No water.  No rub.  No seasonings.

Place in 300° oven and cook without disturbing them for 2 hours.

Remove from oven, unwrap and let rest for 30 minutes.  Don't let them sit in any juices that have drained off. (Note: you can refrigerate them at this point and finish them off the next night.  Just let come to close to room temp before next step.)

Heat your gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat.  Throw (ok...not literally) the ribs on the grill and cook for three minutes or so on each side. Brush your favorite barbecue sauce on and grill for an additional three minutes or so to get a nice bit of crust.  (But don't let them burn.)

Put a bib on and enjoy.

Wine Pairing:  Red of course.  Try a spicy Zinfandel from California.  Matches perfectly.

Not Your Mama's TV Dinner: Salisbury Steak from Scratch

As I drove home the other night, I called to see what the other half wanted me to pick him up for dinner.  Instead of fast food, he asked me to go by the grocery store and buy him a TV dinner.  Specifially he requested salisbury steak.  I was appalled but agreed.  I was even more appalled when I discovered the price of this frozen delicacy.  One dollar.

One dollar.

A couple of weeks later, I decided that I would fix salisbury steak from scratch.  Yes, it would be a bit more expensive, but it would also be a heck of a lot better...and free of all the chemicals in that over-processed boxed stuff. 

I was right.  Fix it yourself and see if you don't agree.

Salisbury Steak
Makes four servings.

1/3 cup grated onion, divided (I pureed half an onion in the food processor.  Include the juice.)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground sirloin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup dry red wine

1 cup beef broth

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Combine 1/4 cup onion, Worcestershire, pepper, salt, garlic, and beef. Shape into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove and set aside.

Melt butter in pan. Add mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in wine and remaining onion; cook 2 minutes. Combine broth and flour; add to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until thick. Add patties and vinegar to pan; cook 2 minutes.