How to Save a Hamburger...

We had burgers and oven fries for supper last night and ended up with 4 left-over burgers. I can't stand to throw food out so I refrigerated them with intentions of re-heating them the next day. If you save grilled hamburgers, I have a tip for you....
Do NOT re-heat them in the microwave. They will taste terrible. Blech! Really, they do.

Instead, do this....
Put a little olive oil or veg oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Allow it to heat up a little and then add your left-over burgers.
Put a lid on top to capture more heat. After just a few minutes, flip over and heat the other side, being careful not to burn or char your burger.
Add a piece of cheese to melt over top and serve on a bun, the way you like it. It tastes just like a fresh-grilled hamburger.

Ta Dah! You've done it! You have just saved a hamburger from the dog dish or the trash. (I'm so proud of you!) Yes, this can be done with other grilled meats as well.

And now....
A little clip from a movie I watched recently, The Pink Panther starring Steve Martin. In this clip, Steve is learning to speak clear English before flying from France to NYC so as not to be conspicuous while on his secret mission.

Browned Beef Stock

I like to make homemade soups and since the folks I live with have been feeling a bit "under the weather," I decided it was time to make a Beef Stock. This recipe is one I've used for years and it comes from the cookbook, Hearth and Home by Karey Swan. I do believe this book is now OOP (out of print) but if you find a copy, grab it. It's one of those family-style cookbooks with lots of "good for you" recipes and additional personal notes that give us a glimpse of the Swan family. Without further ado, I give you Karey's beef stock recipe to try at your house.



Browned Beef Stock


In a large stockpot place:

6 pounds of beef soup bones (neck, shin, shank, or marrow bones)
1 large onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, cut up

Place these in a 450* oven and let brown evenly for about 30 minutes or till well-browned, turning occasionally with tongs. (I put a little olive oil in the pot first to prevent sticking)

Now on stovetop burner add:

3 stalks celery with leaves, cut up
1 large tomato, cut up (opt)
8 whole black peppercorns
4 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 T. salt
12 c. cold water

Bring it all to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-5 hours. Remove beef bones/meat and strain stock.

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Tonight for supper.........

I took half of my beef stock (and froze the other half) added in the beef, some extra onion, garlic, dried basil, a quart of home-canned tomatoes (canned is fine too), and brought this to a boil. Then I added a pound of Trader Joe's dried mini-ravioli (cheese) and cooked it in the broth according to the package directions. Lastly, I added a can of white beans, S&P to taste, and some parsley before serving. At the table we passed mozerella cheese to sprinkle on top of each bowl of soup. This was cheered by all and deemed a "Do Again."
(I love it when this happens)


P.S. We do not have a Trader Joe's around here, but I brought a few things back home with me from Arizona. I LOVE that store! Also, if you don't have time to make homemade beef stock, you could make this soup with canned stock and still have a wonderful soup. It can be changed up in a number of ways according to your tastes and preferences. This is how I cook -- use what you have and experiment.