Elmer, I haven’t heard SOS mentioned in a long time. Wasn’t it made with creamed chipped beef?

I had it a several different ways. I'm not sure what exactly "chipped beef" is or was, maybe some form of thinly sliced jerky, but that sounds familiar. It was given to us sometimes with ground beef. Sometimes even with leftover roast beef that was cut into smaller pieces. The taste didn't vary much and one constant was that it was usually too salty.

I bought this pita bread at WF recently and it was soft and almost pillowy. (I’ll be honest, I had it with Barneys chocolate almond butter and it was so yummy.)

It's not even close to S on a shingle. It's hamburger meat and spinach? That stuff is made with chipped beef that's dried and has a white sauce, and it goes over toast. My mom's is a stuffed pita. Though, she called it "pocket bread". Other than a meat in a cream sauce with bread they're really nothing alike????

Creamed chipped beef on toast- SOS- makes me gag at the thought of it. Rob's recipe is nothing like that - well they both contain beef but hamburger is nothing like chipped beef.

SOS:

I realized after I answered, some people have no imagination. My mom did. It's like spinach dip with hamburger. I think it's cool that she put it into the pita rather than having pita chips to scoop out the spinach dip. And she did this back in the '70s. She was pretty visionary

SOS, if my family, was hamburger meat in a cream sauce over toast. I have not had it since I was a kid. It's pretty good if not great to look at.

No, check for trigger words.

We had dinner out with friends but could only get a very early table, so we decided to come back to the house, chill, and then end the night with drinks and dessert here. For dinner I had a beet, orange, arugula and stracciatella salad. Then branzino with Salmoriglio.

I was out shopping most of the day and decide to try using those mini phyllo shells for a quick riff on a recipe I have been making since college (thank you to whoever recc the shells here recently). The recipe is for strawberry tartlets from the old Frog Commissary in Phila.

The phyllo shells were new to me and surprisingly good. I gave them 3min in the oven to crisp up. Next, a dollop of melted semisweet chocolate. Then, whip up softened cream cheese with a little sugar, Grand Marnier and vanilla. I used a ziploc to pipe that over the shells. Lastly, toss slices strawberries in seedless preserves and place on top.

A big hit and not hard! I think I will make them for party next month. I might try to find small enough berries so that I can use halves, cut side down. Or maybe raspberries. And some mint on the plate too!

PS Just ate one for breakfast (only for scientific research purposes). I'm very impressed - the phyllo stayed crisp!

Son and DIL are coming over for an early dinner. We are having grilled pork chops, twice baked potatoes, and purple asparagus fresh from the garden (also grilled) and maybe a side salad.

Mtn, I usually keep a package of the phyllo shells in my freezer. That sounds delicious. I’m adding it to my recipe app!

@nicole, I cannot see your post.

The first time I ever had SOS, it was on a pancake. I think I was in middle school. I had spent the night with a classmate. For breakfast, her dad, a retired Navy man, served us creamed chipped beef on pancakes. I loved it. It was salty and creamy and the pancakes were slightly sweet. I asked Mom to make some for me. Daddy, who had also served in the Navy briefly during WWII, thought it was bizarre that I liked it.

I think Stouffers still make the chipped beef. I love the saltiness too, just like I love corned beef hash. A local diner adds sauerkraut to their homemade hash. I also like flannel hash with beets. But never ever ever in a zillon years -- canned. Shudder

What's kind of recipe app?

I just made these notes for myself because I modified the original recipe, which make much larger tarts. If it is helpful:

Heart Tarts II (5/4/25)

Makes 12 tarts

Frozen box of box of phyllo tartlet shells
6 ounces softened cream cheese (⅔ of a block)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

~2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
10-12 small strawberries
1T seedless raspberry jam

mint

1. Set out ⅔ of a block of cream cheese to soften
2. Crisp shells for 3 minutes in a 350 oven
3. Melt chocolate and place a small spoonful in the bottom of each shell
4. Place tart shells in a freezer to firm chocolate while you mix up the cream
5. Slice berries and toss with jam
6. Whip together cream cheese, sugar, GM and vanilla
7. Put mixture in a pastry bag and pipe into each shell
8. Arrange berries on top
9. Garnish plate with mint

Original: https://athomebysteveposes.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/the-commissarys-strawberry-heart-tarts

I've also made them in mini cupcake liners with a graham cracker crust. I actually like them better in the phyllo, a bit too much going on with graham cracker crust and then also too much like cheesecake. These are actually fairly light becuase they are tiny and I do whip a fair amount of air into the mix

I use Pepperplate. It was free when I started using it, but I now pay $3/mo for it. I hate to pay, but I love the convenience of it being available across all my devices. DD has the sign in info, so if she wants one of my recipes, she can look it up without my having to copy it and send it to her.

Now, I’m off to amend my entry with actual amounts and instructions! Thanks!

ETA: Does it only make 12? I think the Athenos Phyllo shells are 15 or maybe 18 per box.

And here is what it looks like in the app (the entire recipe would not fit in one screenshot). Oh, just realized I need to change the title!

OMG, I am a published author!

The title on the original is "heart tarts," because they were originally made with rolled dough pressed into small heart-shaped gelatin molds. The strawbs were placed upside down like a mountain range. Much too large and who has heart-shaped gelatin molds?

They need a new name. Probably should have the word chocolate in the name too.

Good catch - just looked at the box in the trash; 15 is correct!

I have a file called "recipes"on Google docs, with subfolders. I put in the link and photos and original recipes, then i note my edits, include info on scaling up or down, etc.

I can access google docs from any device and the search power is amazing.

My parents used to order from the New Braunfel's Smokehouse, usually smoked turkeys and the like but often included an order for their chipped beef. My mom would make SOS and it was delicious.

Sounds like I need to learn to us Google Docs. I live in fear of Pepperplate shutting down and taking my recipes with them. I think I’d have much more control with Google Docs.

Google docs is very intuitive. I think you'd find it easy. Like most software, you can use it almost immediately and over time learn better/smarter ways to use it, if you want to.

How sweet of you, Donna! And what a good neighbor!

" those above who were able to help me know the flavors of what I've eaten. What nonsense that is."

And this would be different from what you're doing to those above? 🤣

I made parmesan crusted chicken, green beans with pine nuts, basmati rice, and a green salad.

The chicken was a NYT recipe I made before and forgot.

Really good.

Pound boneless skinless breasts (1lb) thin. Rub with mayo. Season. Dredge in a mixture of:

1 1/4c panko and 3/4c grated parmesan bound with a 2T EVOO.

Bake on parchment at 425 for 20 minutes, flipping half way thru.

This was so easy and so good. Roast onions, peppers, can of diced tomatoes and sausage. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar on top and mix in some cooked pasta.

Does anyone have a favorite Beef Stroganoff recipe? I have not made it in years.

Today was my go to lunch again, a Greek salad with no cheese, grilled chicken breast and plain balsamic vinegar as a dressing, plus four crackers.

“Does anyone have a favorite Beef Stroganoff recipe? I have not made it in years.”

Yes…making it tonight! Here are a couple recipes I like. For the first one I don’t usually add the tarragon, thyme or dill. I often DO use more than a cup of the beef broth. See what you think.

Beef Stroganoff (Serves 4)

6 T. butter
1 ½ lbs top sirloin, cut thin into 1-inch wide by 2-inch long strips
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp dry tarragon, thyme or dill (your preference)
About 1/2 to 1 cup cup sour cream, room temp
2 T. Dijon mustard OR 1 T. Dijon + 1 T. prepared horseradish
1 cup beef broth, or more, as needed

1- Melt 3 T. of butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Increase the heat to high/med-high and add the strips of beef. You want to cook the beef quickly, browning on each side, so the temp needs to be high enough to brown the beef, but not so high as to burn the butter. You may need to work in batches. While cooking the beef, sprinkle with some salt and pepper. When both sides are browned, remove the beef to a bowl and set aside.

2 - In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook the shallots for a minute or two, allowing them to soak up any meat drippings. Remove the shallots to the same bowl as the meat and set aside.

3 - In the same pan, melt another 3 T. of butter. Increase heat to medium high and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. While cooking, sprinkle the nutmeg and the tarragon on the mushrooms. As they approach done, you can use some of the beef broth to deglaze the pan from the saute work. Then, in a bowl, combine the remaining broth, sour cream, dijon/horseradish and mix well.
4 - Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream mixture to the mushrooms. You may want to add a tablespoon or two of broth to thin the sauce, if needed. Mix in the sour cream thoroughly. Do not let it come to a simmer or boil or the sour cream will curdle. Stir in the beef and shallots. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately over egg noodles.

This link is for the other version. Also good!

Beef Stroganoff

I haven't had beef stroganoff in a long time but somehow, I thought it has sherry in it. I recall that distinct flavor element, or maybe I'm mistaken.

Elmer, it can contain various liquids, including sherry, brandy, wine and/or broth. My mom’s stroganoff liquids were pretty much beef broth and Worcestershire. Lots of variations out there. She also made hers with beef chuck that obviously meant a longer cooking time. I do like the addition of Dijon and horseradish in one of the versions I posted. Stroganoff’s always been a favorite at our house.

It’s Cinco de Mayo and we always celebrate it a bit. It was just us two this evening and so I made a more simple celebratory dinner: Tacos, my homemade Posole, and Margaritas.

chloebud, I think my mother used to put a splash of sherry in it and I think back when I'd make it from time to time, I did too. I haven't made it in ages.

I remember when I was on active duty, the drill instructor said one evening as we were about to go into the mess hall that we were having "every soldier's favorite meal" for dinner but said nothing more. . Upon entering, there was a sign on the wall saying "SOS Tonight!". That build up got my attention and having gotten my dinner servings on the metal tray, I went to a table and sat down with great anticipation. I cut a bite, chewed it , and spit it out. My dinner that night was the vegetable that was served, an extra slice of bread and butter and a second glass of milk. Future evenings when SOS was on the menu (which was pretty often, maybe every 10 days) I declined having a portion put on the tray.

I wrote home to tell my parents of my experience with Every Soldier's Favorite Meal. My mother wrote back pretty quickly with a comment. (Both she and my father were military veterans from WW2)

She said something to the effect of "I hope you've never doubted it but the fact that I've never served that to the family is proof that your mother loves you. By the time the war was over and we were discharged, neither I nor Dad every wanted to see anything like that again"

She also wouldn't eat and never prepared Shephard's Pie, finding that the meat in mushroom or white sauce, whatever it is, was too close a flavor to SOS.

I'm thinking of making taquitos, or Mexican Street corn, or.... Something to celebrate their independence. 🇲🇽 Tomorrow. I'm so very tired right now. I'm thinking making margaritas, rimmed with tajin.mmmm

Had a different idea once I got to the grocery store. Chicken marsala with mushrooms, and crispy gold fingerling potatoes baked with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Can't decide if I'm having steamed broccoli or a salad.

One of my favorite things to eat is creamed chipped beef on toast, but I don't have it very often due to the sodium content.

Baked salmon, a sweet potato, rice and Asian cabbage salad for dinner tonight.

I had my version of a quesadilla tonight. Sometimes I put lots of stuff in/on them, but tonight it was just leftover chicken, leftover bacon, and the last of the cheddar cheese. It didn’t taste salty at the time, but I can tell now, it was.

I had a long hair appt this morning and golf this afternoon so we fended for ourselves all day. I have no idea what DH ate tiday, lol, but I had shaved tavern ham and Boursin on crostini with watermelon and blackberries for lunch, and lentil soup with crackers and an apple for dinner. Right before I left for golf I had an Aldi’s frozen cheesecake bite…..yummy!

Sweet potato AND rice in the same meal? How's your A1C?

My A1C is great, Elmer. I only responded to what I had for dinner, but thanks for asking.

This morning I am going to the gym with my mother and taking her to lunch afterwards, then playing golf this afternoon. For breakfast I am having yoghurt and a slice of toasted sunflower seed bread with peanut butter. For lunch I am having a romaine wedge salad, with no cheese, grilled chicken breast, and plain balsamic vinegar as a dressing. Much unsweetened iced tea with lemon! (Note: if we are rained out this afternoon our golf group may just sit in the clubhouse socializing and drinking wine — which means diet tonic water and lime for me!)

@Elmer J Fudd, Shepherd's pie (more correctly Cottage pie) is nothing like beef in cream sauce. The sauce is a savoury gravy. Beef Stroganoff is closer to beef in cream sauce than Cottage pie is.

For the record, Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with the remains of a roasted joint of lamb, hogget or mutton.

I am going to try a new recipe for dinner, Gilgeori Toast, from the NY Times.

Seems a bit like a Monte Cristo with cabbage, if you can imagine that.

rob333 (zone 7b)

2 days agolast modified: 2 days ago

I'm thinking of making taquitos, or Mexican Street corn, or.... Something to celebrate their independence

Rob, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day, which is in September.

colleen, you'll understand if the few years that have passed since my childhood have blurred my memories somewhat. I'd love to be able to get a better explanation from my mother but alas, the opportunity to do so has passed.

You'll also accept that your living in a land having much more British cultural influences than here leads to different ways of preparing dishes that may have emerged from common origins.

I had to look up that word hogget, that's a new one for me. Having learned what it is, I probably can forget it now, I don't believe it's in use here.

I wanted to make banana chocolate chip muffins since the whole family will be staying over tonight and tomorrow and they are a fave. My bananas were not as ripe as I'd like.

I usually put them in a bag, sometimes with another fruit, and/or keep them somewhere warm.

Serious Eats had some unusual suggestions. Has anyone tried the egg method?

https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-ripen-bananas-fast-11680756

Thanks Patriot Gal! I've been misinformed. Got it now, thanks to you 😊

"Cinco de Mayo (Mexican Spanish: [ˈsiŋko ðe ˈmaʝo]; Spanish for 'Fifth of May') is an annual celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862,[1][2] led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, however, and a larger French force ultimately defeated the Mexican army at the Second Battle of Puebla and then occupied Mexico City"

Mushroom and pea risotto

https://www.loveandlemons.com/mushroom-risotto/#wprm-recipe-container-68443

Our son, daughter and her fiancé came over this morning to help DH make a Mother’s Day brunch for me/us. We had (my favorite) Eggs Benedict, Vanilla Almond Croissants, flavored Greek yogurts, coffee and Mimosas. Ahhhh!

rob, hopefully you learned from the investigation triggered by your being questioned that, as I've been informed, the holiday is more commonly commemorated ("celebrated" isn't really the right word) in the US than in Mexico. Not unlike St. Patrick's Day, a more common celebration in earlier years and to a greater extent in the US than in Ireland.

Dinner tonight is homemade pizza! i started the dough yesterday and it fermented all night in the fridge. I made a sauce of sundried and fresh tomatoes with evoo, garlic, thyme, oregano and marjoram. Parbaked the crust and then turned it over so the crispy side was on the bottom, dressed the pie with sauce, thinly sliced shallot, wilted spinach, a bit of bacon, uncured pepperoni, whole milk mozzarella and a dusting of parmesan. Here it is just out of the oven! I have had a long day and am ready for this treat!

So yummy! It’s almost cooled enough to cut.

Yesterday I made the best crustless quiche I've ever made. Broccoli/spinach/shallots/bacon with extra sharp cheddar. Previously I'd always layered veggies and cheese, and then poured over the egg and cream (1/2 cup heavy cream to 1 egg). This time all the above got mixed together before pouring into the pan and for the first time it was top to bottom filling, without stratification. As much as I like a good flaky crust, crustless (frittata?) is the way to go. No blind baking or underdone bottom crust. Leftovers tonight.

I agree Bunny. It is very difficult to get a good bottom crust on a quiche (and yes I know all the tricks) and honestly we just eat it wedges sans crust. YUM love your combo.

oh gosh-- everything sounds so good tonight and the pizza looks amazing!

I skipped out on work for 3 hr to get my hair done so I worked through dinner. Missed both lunch and dinner-- was fine all night but now I am hungry. Too late to eat so I am going to bed