Philly Cheese Steak Soup & Bread Bowl Recipe

“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Calphalon. I received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

With so many mouths to feed around here, there is quite a lot of cooking going on and I use kitchen knives on a daily basis -- sometimes for all three meals in a day. While not everyone in the house appreciates a 5-star masterpiece, I know that my husband and I enjoy putting in the extra time and energy required to send a meal a little closer in the direction of extraordinary, and that the right tools and skills have a lot to do with that. We both squealed (ok, maybe that was just me!) and felt like we'd hit the jackpot when we heard that we'd get to try out the new line of Calphalon Self-Sharpening Cutlery, since we already own Calphalon pots and pans, and were confident that its excellence would go across the board.

Now see, the reason we were so ecstatic about this cutlery set is that these are SELF-SHARPENING. The knives rest in built-in slots within the storage block that feature SharpIN Technology. Every time you insert and remove a knife, the blade glides across ceramic sharpeners that automatically sharpen, and at the correct angle too. I love not having to remember to sharpen my knives or mentally keep track of how long its been since the last sharpening, based on how often this or that knife is being used, since they get a tune-up every time they are taken out of the block.

This new line of Calphalon Self-Sharpening Cutlery comes in three different models: Classic, Contemporary, or Precision, and in sets from 6 to 20-piece sets and ranging from ARV $129.95 to $299.95. We received the Contemporary 15-piece set, made of premium German steel and it includes (from left to right) a 6" Utility knife, 8" Bread knife, 8" Chef's knife, Kitchen Shears, a 7" Santoku, and a 4 ½" Paring knife...

...as well as an 8-piece set of steak knives. Every knife in the set has a comfortably balanced, triple riveted handle that is comfortable to use and maneuver, whether on the cutting board or at your dinner plate. We had some fairly thick steaks last weekend, and these steak knives were perfect for the job. They can cut through thick meat with precision and ease.

But let's get started on this soup and bread recipe as I show you the rest of these knives! I picked this recipe because there are lots of things to chop and we've been missing the delicious Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches we often had back in Boston!

I'm guessing that if you're like me, probably over 75% of your chopping is done with a paring knife. For small jobs with small hands, this is my go-to, so I'm happy that this parer is a good one. I love knowing that my knives are at their peak performance on every job with this self-sharpening system!

For this recipe, start by chopping up 3-4 cups of mushrooms, one green pepper, and two medium onions. The Chef knife, and really all of the knives from this set, offers effortless slicing and is great on these mushrooms. All of the knives feature full tang construction, meaning that the knife/sword is made of one solid piece and that the handle pieces are attached on both sides of the blade, making it the strongest style of knife possible. No need to worry about kitchen injuries from blades coming off of handles with these.

In fact, here's a great video from Calphalon with tips on how to cut your mushrooms! They have knife skills videos for all sorts of foods!

The Calphalon Knife Skills Site is a great resource for cooks of all abilities! Check it out for some great tips to keep your culinary skills at the top of their game!

The Utility knife is another favorite. I used it to cut my steak into thin strips. Meat can be slippery with the varying textures of meat, fat, and bone, so the Utility knife is sturdy and long to handle it all.

Toss the meat in 3 T. of flour and cook it an oiled skillet for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip everything over to cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Set aside in a different bowl. In a wok or large skillet, soften your onions for a few minutes in oil and minced garlic. When soft, add your mushrooms and green pepper and stir constantly on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add your cooked meat to the wok and combine everything along with a healthy dose of sea salt and cracked black pepper and 4 cups of beef stock. In the meantime, you can work on those bread bowls!

After the dough has been made (recipe below) and had time to rise, spear an X into the top with your favorite Calphalon knife and brush with an egg white wash.

Oh, these come out so deliciously crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside! You see the writing on this bread knife? All of these knives are made from high-carbon, no stain forged stainless steel.

Bake the round dough balls at 400 degrees for a total of 20 minutes and let them cool before you cut out the top. Then just drop in a ladle full of soup!

Now we didn't forget the cheese! Top your bowl or bread bowl with a slice of Provolone and let it melt on top. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Bread Bowl Recipe

1 packet active dry yeast
1 ¼ cups hot water
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 egg white

1. Dissolve yeast in hot water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. In your mixer, combine the flour, salt, and sugar and slowly pour in the yeast mixture while the dough hook spins on low speed. Carefully pour in the olive oil until a good consistency is achieved. Cover and allow to rise for one hour.
2. Divide dough into three equally sized balls on a silicone baking mat. Shape into smooth rounds and cover with a clean towel in a warm place for an addition 30 minutes.
3. Make two slices on the top of the balls to make a shallow X with a paring knife. Brush the entire top and sides of each round with beaten egg white.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Brush with an additional coat of egg wash and bake for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove the center with a bread knife after it has cooled.

Philly Cheese Steak Soup Recipe

1.5 lbs. pan frying beef sirloin
3 T. flour
2 medium white onions
3-4 cups mushrooms
1 green pepper
3 T. olive oil
2 T. minced garlic
2 t. sea salt
2 t. cracked pepper
4 cups beef stock
Provolone cheese slices
fresh parsley

1. Slice the beef into thinly shaved strips and toss in 3 Tablespoons of flour.
2. Cook in an oiled skillet for 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip everything over to cook another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Set aside in a different bowl.
3. In a wok or large skillet, soften your onions for a few minutes in oil and minced garlic. When soft, add your mushrooms and green pepper and stir constantly on medium heat for 5 minutes.
4. Add your cooked meat to the wok and combine everything with a healthy dose of sea salt and cracked black pepper and 4 cups of beef stock. Heat until warm throughout, or transfer to a crock pot until time to serve.
5. When dished into bowls or bread bowls, top with a slice of Provolone cheese and garnish with fresh parsley.

These delicious recipes are made possible with the Calphalon Self-Sharpening Cutlery! They really make an ideal addition to any kitchen, no matter your cooking style or frequency. A good set of knives that never goes dull sounds like an investment well worth making. Just imagine the cuisine you could produce with this top notch cutlery set!