#7 Salisbury Steak

Does anyone else find it weird that I am nearly fifty years old, love to cook, and yet have never made such a traditional meal as Salisbury Steak? I love Salisbury Steak, but have never ever cooked it myself. I just think that's weird.  So, when my favorite tv cook, Food Network's Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond) made her version of the classic meal on her wonderful Saturday morning show I thought, "It's time to give it a try."

Once again, I am not going to post the recipe because the "All Rights Reserved" statement right at the top of the downloaded recipe scares me.  Maybe someone can tell me whether it is okay to include the actual recipe here, as long as I credit Mrs. Drummond.  In the meantime, simply go to the Food Network site, click on Pioneer Woman, and find the Salisbury Steak recipe. I did make one change to the recipe:  I added mushrooms.

By the way, my seven year old grandson, Austin, has decided that he is my official food critic.  After declaring one of my previous recipes as "the best thing he has ever eaten," he did offer one suggestion for my attempt at Salisbury Steak.  He thinks it could do without the onions.  But, he did eat a lot of the onions before realizing they were there and, "you know I don't like onions."  Overall, from all three grandkids, and my son:  four pretty empty plates, a "it was so good" from Connor, and no leftovers for my daughter-in-law when she got home from work.  So, all-in-all, I'd say my first attempt at the classic Salisbury Steak was a great big yummo!  Thank you Mrs. Pioneer Woman!

#6 Corn and Cheese Chowder

Do you know who Ree Drummond is? If you answered yes, then I know you are a "foody" like me, and are probably obsessed with The Food Network.  I absolutely love watching the various cooking shows on The Food Network, but my very favorite show is The Pioneer Woman.  That's where you will find Mrs. Ree Drummond and the rest of her cattle farming family.  Although I've watched the network for several years, this is the first show and host that has really captured my attention enough to plan my Saturday mornings around, when the weekly show is scheduled to air.  Ree is such a pleasure to watch, and I have several of her recipes printed and ready to try.

The first one I tried is called Corn and Cheese Chowder.  Oh my goodness is this soup/chowder delicious.  I can't put my finger on what I like the best about this soup--the hint of bacon, the combination of the veggies (corn, peppers and onions), the smooth creaminess, or my first time using pepper jack cheese.  Whatever it was, this warm comforting soup hit the spot following a few hours outdoors on a beautiful, but chilly Michigan afternoon.

Usually I end my posts with the recipe, but since I found this one at The Food Network site, and it does have "All Rights Reserved" right under the title, I didn't think I should take the chance of breaking any copyright laws.  So, if you are interested in trying this scrumptious chowder, and I think you should, simply go to foodnetwork.com and click on The Pioneer Woman.  All of Reed Drummond's recipes from the show are there.  My next one?  Her Salisbury Steak recipe!

Thank you Ree Drummond for sharing your family and your good, down-home cooking!