Creamy Swiss Steak, Meatloaf, Tapenade and more recipes

Here's our "Top 10 List" of cooking secrets and restaurant hacks:

1 - Cooking sherry is our "secret" ingredient for soup, stew & spaghetti sauce.
2 - Select 'robust' cold-pressed olive oils to infuse stronger flavors to any dish.
3 - Choose 'wine' vinegars, using white for chicken and balsemic for red meat.
4 - Mix dried herbs and spices with melted butter and set aside before adding.
5 - Always sauté onions until translucent with teaspoon brown sugar or honey.
6 - Mix dry & wet ingredients in two bowls. If baking, fold to avoid over-mixing.
7 - Before you put any heat on the meat, always salt and pepper both sides.
8 - Allow completed dish to sit in a warm oven for at least 15 minutes to set-up.
9 - Drizzle balsamic 'glaze' atop for subconsciously better tasting presentation.
10 - Steak knives for every dish. Sad to see your meal mauled with a dull knife.

Additional recipes will follow, if we ever finish testing and refining them. 

Tapenade Spread for Muffuletta Sandwich
    food processor well chopped, not pureed
1+ cup pitted mixed olives (black and green)
1/3 cup fresh parsley with minimal stems
3 tablespoons robust olive oil
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
    add after about six pulses and pulse twice more
1/2 cup giardiniera pickled veg (if available)
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
    Muffuletta sandwich is tapenade on a roll with
salami, ham, mortadella, Swiss and provolone

Creamy Swiss Steak
    slow cooker or cast iron on cooktop
2 pound round steak
    tenderize with a mallet
    rub with olive oil & coat with
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper & garlic powder
    retain flour mixture for use later
    cut the following and set aside
3 carrots sliced into 1" pieces
2 stalks celery sliced 1" pieces
1 sweet onion sliced 1/2" squares
     mix the following in a bowl
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 tbsp tomato paste
3/4 cup cooking sherry - secret ingredient
1 cup beef or bone broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
    whisk into the sauce mixture
1/4 cup flour (retained) to thicken
    add the following and mix well
14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
    oil pan, high heat & sear both sides of steak
Cover bottom of pan with 1/2 sauce mixture
Add seared steak, cover with 1/2 sauce mixture
Bring to boil, reduce to simmer & add vegetables
Allow to simmer for 3+ hours until meat forks apart
Add 1+ tbsp white wine (or cooking sherry) if it thickens up
Add 1+ tbsp cornstarch whisked-in if it is too thin at the end

Cornbread - 9by12 glass pan
    mix well and set aside for one hour
2 cups fine cornmeal
1 can of creamed corn
    mix dry ingredients and set aside
2 cups all-purpose flour lightly sifted
1/2 cup loose brown sugar
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
    whisk the following separately
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup milk at room temperature
    fold the 3 bowls together until smooth
    do not use a mixer, do not over-stir
400 degrees for 25 minutes

Potato and bacon soup (with cornbread)
serve with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar atop
    saute the following in butter separately
6 cups peeled, cubed 3/8" potatoes until darken
1 sweet onion 1/4" chopped saute until clear
    add to a large pot and bring to boil
4 cups chicken broth or more
8 slices cooked crumbled bacon
2 carrots shredded fine
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or 1 tbsp flakes
1 teaspoon celery seed  
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
   reduce to simmer (low boil) for one hour
   whisk the following well, add and simmer one hour
2 cups room temperature milk
1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Pulled pork and/or sliced for sandwiches
10# pork shoulder - shallow cut 2" grid on fat side.
Olive oil all 4 sides then rub well with salt, pepper,
garlic and onion powder, ancho and chipotle chilies,
SMOKED paprika, mustard flour, and celery seeds.
Or use a mix like Pork Barrel BBQ All American Rub.
Cover TIGHTLY with tented foil and bake fat side up.
Bake 450 degrees for 1 hour then 225 for 7+ hours.
Basting is not as important as a TIGHT foil covering.
You want to steam the meat rather than basting it.
Let set in oven 1/2 hour and pull apart with 2 forks.

Coleslaw
1 thinly sliced cabbage (green or purple, or a mix)
3 carrots, grated on the large holes of a box grater
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
   for the dressing...
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar (* plus pineapple juice)
1 teaspoon Lowry salt
    we like to add...
* 1 can of pineapple chunks

Meatloaf in a 5x9x5 loaf pan
3 pounds Ground Beef (93% or leaner)
    loosen meat and fold into the following mixture:
5 slices of bread toasted and small cubed
2/3 cup milk poured atop bread cubes
2 cup Panko bread crumbs
     saute following and add to meatloaf mixture:
2 tablespoon butter or olive oil
2 tablespoon minced roasted garlic
1 cup finely diced sweet onion
     mix the following together separately
     and then lightly fold into the meatloaf
2 egg beaten
1 cup ketchup
2+ tablespoon Worcestershire
2+ teaspoon marjoram leaves
2+ teaspoon thyme ground
1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper to taste
    Spray oil on loaf pan and line with parchment paper
    Fold-in meatloaf and 'dimple' the top with fingertips
    This will allow more of the glaze to hold better

Glaze - retain half for use later on sliced meatloaf
4 cups ketchup
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1/4 cup Worcestershire
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar (or honey or agave)
1 tablespoon minced roasted garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper (to taste)

Bake 350 for 30+ minutes until starts to brown
Apply full glaze coat atop, filling the dimples
Bake 15 minutes and then recoat the glaze
Bake 15+ minutes until the glaze browns
Rest 15+ minutes inside closed oven

1-1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4+ cup white sugar - toss with berries
    microwave berry mixture for 5+ minutes high
    drain liquid, whip 3-4 tbsp cornstarch, toss all
Combine the following and mix well
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups instant oatmeal
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1+ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Cut butter in with pastry blender or fingers
1-1/4 cups cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup of chopped pecans add at the end
1/2 of cobbler in deep 9x13 pan, pat down
Bake at 375 convection for 20 minutes
    microwave berry mixture for 5 minutes & add
    1/2 of cobbler mixture atop berries and pat down
Bake at 375 convection for 20+minutes until brown
Allow to set-up in still-warm oven for up to 30 minutes