Even in the last part of August, we are having some fall-ish weather. I’m not ready for that! But it has me thinking of soups and cold weather comfort food. Thanks to Sarah Shirk of Red Banks Beef Farm for these first two recipes. The generosity of this other Sarah is helping to keep this column afloat as my attention is quite divided during the tender years of motherhood. She posts amazing, yet practical recipes on the business Instagram @redbanksbeeffarmllc.
Zuppa Toscana (Non-traditional)
Sarah Shirk says: This twist to Zuppa Toscana is pretty tasty; plus, it’s a great way to help use up the abundance of kale that we seem to be getting overrun with! (Peep the adorable mouse butter dish that was hand painted and gifted to us at our wedding!)
1 lb. sausage
¼ lb. bacon
1 onion, chopped
3-4 minced garlic cloves or 1-2 t. garlic powder
4 c. beef bone broth
2 peeled and thinly sliced kohlrabi
4 small thinly sliced red potatoes
Few shakes of red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper
Several splashes of heavy cream
1½ c. frozen creamed sweet corn
Several handfuls of washed and chopped kale with the thicker main stem removed
Fry sausage and bacon until almost done. Add chopped onion and sauté; then add garlic and continue sautéing until done. Pour in bone broth, sliced potatoes, and kohlrabi and stir well. Cook on low heat until the kohlrabi and potatoes are tender. Next add seasonings, corn, heavy cream, and kale. Cover and heat until kale is tender. This should only take a few minutes. Enjoy!
Western Meatloaf
Sarah Shirk says, “I love how versatile ground beef is! There are so many yummy dishes it can easily be made into, and can even be fried from its frozen state when you’ve forgotten to take it out for supper prep! (Yes, been there, done that.) Lately, life seems to have amped up its activities, so I’ve been trying to prep some meals that can be used immediately or stuck in the freezer for a later date. This Western Meatloaf seems to be a win, paired with coleslaw, and green beans with bacon.
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1½ c. milk
1½ c. oatmeal
3 eggs
Several minced garlic cloves
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. chili powder
1 t. smoked paprika
Mix together and place in greased baking dish, shaping into a loaf.
Sauce Mixture:
2 c. ketchup (I prefer homemade ketchup for this recipe)
2 t. yellow mustard
Sprinkling of garlic powder
Several drops of liquid smoke
A splash or two of Worcestershire sauce
½ c. BBQ sauce, optional
Mix together and pour over loaf. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until internal temp reaches 160°F. Place meatloaf under broiler to caramelized the top!
Note: You could make two loaves with this or even turn it into meatballs instead of meatloaf.
Hamburger Stew
In the summer of 2005, I went to Virginia Tech for state 4-H presentation competition using this recipe. The staff within the culinary department were so encouraging and fun to be around. Didn’t know at the time that I was making such good memories.
1 lb. ground beef
2 c. tomato juice
½ c. chopped onion
1 c. diced potatoes
1 c. diced carrots
2 t. salt
1 c. black beans
Brown beef in a heavy skillet. Drain excess fat and add remaining ingredients, except beans. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add beans and white sauce. Blend and serve; increase liquid as needed.
White sauce:
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 c. milk
Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly until thickened and smooth. Mix into meat and vegetables.
