A Movie that speaks to my heart...

Well, yesterday my mom and I went to see Julie and Julia! We have been waiting for its release and we were NOT disappointed. I think I liked it even more than my mom did! It made me want to come home and start cooking and blogging immediately. I am not sure I have ever seen a movie that I can relate to so well. I LOVE to cook, and I LOVE to eat! I know it is silly, but I loved this movie. When I go into my kitchen it is sort of an escape from real life and it is a way for me to express myself. I love experimenting with new recipes and I rarely leave them as they are. I enjoy adding my own flare.

When I got home last night I decided to make one of my old favorite recipes - Homemade Salisbury Steak and mashed potatoes with brown gravy! It is one that always makes me think of my childhood and especially of my dad. It was his favorite meal. I had to add some mushrooms sauteed in garlic, butter, and soy sauce; some toasted bread to serve with the baked garlic I made to spread on it; and some white wine.

To finish off the evening, I decided to try something new...I made my 1st homemade peach pie with crumb topping, YUM! I will list the recipes for both below.

Salisbury Steak

1.25 lbs ground beef

2 slices white or wheat bread torn into little pieces

1 egg

1T. Worcestershire sauce

2T mince onion

season salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and form into 5 patties. Place patties into an electric skillet that has been preheated to 400 degrees. Brown for 1 minute and flip patties. Turn down heat to 250 degrees and cover with lid. Cook without turning for 45 minutes.

For gravy, whisk 2 cups water with McCormick brown gravy mix. Remove steaks from electric skillet and poor gravy mix into the skillet. Turn up the heat to 300 degrees and stir constantly until thickened. Turn down heat to warm. Return the steaks to the gravy.

Serve with mashed potatoes.

Peach Pie - preheat oven to 450

Filling

2 cans sliced peaches in juice (not syrup), drain all the juice from 1 can

1 cup sugar

1/2 teas. ground cinnamon

1/2 teas. ground nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

Crust

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 cup canola oil

2 T. milk

Mix all ingredients together and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 10" pie plate. Fill with peach pie filling.

Topping

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

6 T. cold butter cut into cubes

Mix all dry ingredients together and then use a pastry blender to cut in the butter. Sprinkle over the pie filling making sure to cover completely.

Bake at 450 for 45 minutes. Let cook for at least 30 minutes before serving.