In honor of Serve It Sunday I thought I’d go with a savory twist on a sundae. Now, before you wrinkle your nose and think I’ve gone completely off my rocker, it’s just called that because it’s layered much like a dessert sundae would be. If you’re familiar with the KFC Chicken Bowls, then this recipe will remind you a lot of them, except this is kind of the hot beefcake cousin of that. *grin* This recipe has several names and variations in the Midwest and they’re even served at some fairs, so there’s a good chance that some of you will be familiar with these. The best part is that we found some shortcuts to make this meal super quick and easy, so we can have a hot meal even on my really bad days when it’s a struggle just to get out of bed. If you’re one of those people that likes to make everything from scratch, look away now. *laugh* This recipe is for those people that watch Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade. 😉
See, I told you it was savory
Are you still with me now that you’ve seen that it truly is a savory dish? *smile* You’re going to put a scoop or two of mashed potatoes in the bottom of the bowl, sprinkle some corn over that along with some shredded cheddar cheese, and pour some hot topping (gravy) with roast beef right over the top. Some people add a small cherry tomato on top to complete the whole sundae thing, but I prefer to not mess with this flavor combination. *laugh* We take several shortcuts with this meal. We make instant mashed potatoes to make this super quick, start with a packaged gravy mix, warm up a bag of freezer steamer corn, and even use thick cut lunch meat. You can make less dishes for yourself if you use packaged shredded cheddar instead of shredding it yourself, too.
So, start your gravy and your mashed potatoes. I’m not going to post any pictures of making the potatoes since there’s nothing interesting about that, other than for the two of us (one picky eater and one country boy) plus some leftovers we followed the 3-4 servings instructions. I am going to put a few of the gravy, though, since I found out that some people have never used a gravy mix before. We love McCormick’s Brown Gravy Mix so much that I buy it in bulk.
Start that Good Brown Gravy
Any country fans out there? Do you have “Good Brown Gravy” in your head now? lol Anyway…I wanted to make 3 cups of gravy, so I used 9 tablespoons of McCormick’s Brown Gravy Mix (if you’re using the packets I’d follow the instructions on there and make two packets worth), and added a tiny bit of water to the powdered mix. I whisked it until it created a paste and then slowly whisked in the remaining 2 1/4 cups of hot water. Creating the paste and then slowly whisking in the remaining water will ensure that you have a smooth gravy.
After whisking water into the paste
We then chopped up some leftover thick cut roast beef lunch meat, which was then added into the gravy, and simmered the combo to warm the meat up.
Chopped Roast Beef Lunch Meat
Add Meat to the Gravy
While the meat simmered in a delicious bath I steamed a frozen bag of super sweet corn and drained it. Once the corn and meat are warmed up, it’s time to build your beef sundae.
Pour the meat sauce over and dig in! I don’t add salt since the gravy mix has a sodium kick to it all ready, but the big guy likes to add salt and pepper to his. The last key tidbit I’ll give is that you have to try and get all of the layers in each bite for the best flavor profile.
Mmm Hot Beef Sundae
The cheese melts into that meat and gravy, then there’s the creamy mashed potato, and a bright pop of sweet corn…a delightful bite and a super easy meal! I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it. Although I’m obsessed with this flavor combo you can totally change this up so easily to fit the interests of your family. This is a great dish to sneak in a bit of veggies into, by the way. *grin* I wish you a wonderful week and happy pampering. 🙂
Beef Sundae Recipe
Makes about 3 not-overly-healthy sized portions 🙂
3-4 servings of instant mashed potatoes, prepared per package instructions (which calls for water, milk, margarine, and salt)
9 tbsp. McCormick Brown Gravy Mix
2 1/4 cups of hot water
Leftover roast beef lunch meat (I use about 3 cups worth)
One bag of frozen steamer super sweet corn, steamed and drained
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, to taste
Whisk a tiny bit of water into the gravy mix until it creates a thick paste. Whisk in remaining hot water and bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer about 3 minutes.
While gravy is simmering prepare the instant mashed potatoes per package instructions. Chop leftover roast beef lunch meat into bite sized pieces and add to the gravy after it has simmered. Continue to simmer the gravy combo until the meat is warmed through (about 3-5 minutes usually).
While gravy is finishing steam and drain the corn.
Once the hot ingredients are all heated through build each sundae in a heat resistant bowl, starting with a scoop (or three, per preference) of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheese and about a quarter cup of corn over the potatoes. Ladle the gravy and meat mixture over the top. Add salt and pepper to taste, optional. Enjoy!
Georgia's Pampering 