Steak and shrimp with vegetable kabobs and slaw

Flatiron steak, salted and pepper with a little fresh rosemary, grilled,

Louisiana Killer Shrimp Nancy from MD cooking.com Feb 2011

Recipe from: Sherrybeth 

Servings: 4 to 6 

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon black pepper

5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 quarts chicken broth

3 ounces tomato paste

½ cup butter

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, tails on

1 loaf French bread, toasted

Crunch up the rosemary and thyme using fingers. Place all ingredients, except shrimp and french bread, in a large pot. Simmer this mixture for 2 ½ hours.

Five minutes before serving add shrimp and cook about 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp is done. Serve shrimp with broth and toasted French bread for sopping the broth.

And Kabobs. New potatoes and pearl onions boiled until done, skewered with red and green peppers, fresh cut pineapple, yellow squash, eggplant, mushrooms and probably something I am forgetting.

Aisan Slaw

1/4 C sliced almonds

2 Tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds

4 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

3 Tbsp splenda granular

3 C shredded green cabbage

4 1/2 C tri-color slaw mix 

1/2 C green onion, thinly sliced

1/2 block ramen noodles, crumbled (without seasoning) 

In non-stick pan, add almonds and sunflower seeds, stirring frequently over medium heat until toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar and splenda. 

In a large bowl, add cabbage, slaw mix, green onion, ramen noodles and almond mix. Pour soy sauce over cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Refrigerate 30 mins. to 6 hours before serving.

Makes 16 1/2-cup servings

Honey glazed chicken wings

with rice, kimchee and pineapple

Honey Roasted Chicken Wings

16-20 Chicken wing segments, halved

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup honey 

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

2 teaspoons oriental sesame oil

sesame seed

Marinate wings in sauce 3-4 hours or overnight.  Place wings on grill to obtain some grill marks, transfer to rack over shallow roasting pan and bake 10 minutes at 450.  Boil marinade 7-8 minutes and baste chicken with marinade,  Bake another 10 minutes at 300.  Baste again and roast another 7 minutes at 200.  Thicken sauce with cornstarch and water.  Remove chicken from oven and baste with thickened sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Babyback ribs in the smoker

Here are the baby back ribs after 3 hours on the smoker. Another hour in foil then uncover and move tot he hot coals where I will cook in some sauce for a couple minutes then they are done.  I will serve them with some spiced-up baked beans, some store bought potato salad and sent son to pick up a few servings of cole slaw from KFC





Here are the finished ribs


Ribs got an overnight rub, wrapped and refrigerated.

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

Jaques Pepin inspired chicken, salmon appetizer and yogurt dessert

http://www.kqed.org/w/morefastfoodmyway/episode204.html

 Roasted Split Chicken with Mustard Crust 

I often make this recipe at home when I am in a hurry, because splitting and flattening the chicken and cutting between the joints of the leg and the shoulder reduce the cooking time by half. I use kitchen shears to split the chicken pen at the back and to cut the cooked bird into serving pieces and a knife to cut between the joints. 

The mustard crust can be made ahead and even spread on the chicken a day ahead, if you like. I pour the cooked chicken juices into a fat separator with a spout and serve over Fluffy Mashed Potatoes, leaving the fat behind. 

4 Servings 

Mustard Crust 

2 tablespoons chopped garlic 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons dry white wine 

1 tablespoon soy sauce 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 teaspoon Tabasco hot pepper sauce 

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 chicken (about 31/2 pounds) 

Fluffy Mashed Potatoes 

For the crust: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut alongside the backbone of the chicken to split it open. Spread and press on the chicken with your hands to flatten it. Using a sharp paring knife, cut halfway through both sides of the joints connecting the thighs and drumsticks and cut through the joints of the shoulder under the wings as well. (This will help the heat penetrate these joints and accelerate the cooking process.) 

Put the chicken skin side down on a cutting board and spread it with about half the mustard mixture. Place the chicken flat in a large skillet, mustard side down. Spread the remaining mustard on the skin side of the chicken. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, then place the skillet in the oven and cook the chicken for about 30 minutes. It should be well browned and dark on top. 

Let the chicken rest in the skillet at room temperature for a few minutes, then cut it into 8 pieces with clean kitchen shears. Defat the cooking juices. If you like, mound some Fluffy Mashed Potatoes on each of four warm dinner plates and place 2 pieces of chicken on each plate. Pour some juice on the mashed potatoes and chicken and serve. 

deglaze the pan with a little red wine and chicken stock and serve on top of chicken and in pocket of the mashed potatoes.

Mashed Potatoes

3C water

Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut up and boiled in the water with

1 clove garlic

Mash potatoes and garlic with 

dash of salt

1 T. butter

1  c. approx of milk

whisk to make fluffy

Salmon Pizza

store bought crust or tortilla brushed with butter and roasted until crisp

top with

1/2 C sour cream

2 T. horseradish

1 T. cracked black pepper

spread on top of crust,

sprinkle most of 1/2 red onion, finely sliced

smoked salmon

rest of red onion

1 T. capers

cilantro

slice and serve without any more baking

Dessert

2 C. greek yogurt

1/2 C. sour cream

mix together , top with 

honey

lemon zest

untoasted walnuts

mint chiffonade 

Kielbasa, kraut and potatoes with onions & mushrooms

Kielbasa

potatoes


Potatoes peeled and cut and sauteed in olive oil until crispy and done. In another skilled onions and mushrooms were cooked with butter until wilted then added to the potatoes and kept warm.

Kielbasa was browned in olive oil, then steamed with beer. When the beer had cooked off the kraut was added until it was heated through.

Not pictures is some canned applesauce I got at the farmer's market this morning

Pork Tenderloin and leftovers

Yesterday we had grilled flatiron steaks with baked potatoes, pearl onions and peas in a milk gravy made with corn starch, mac and cheese and dinner rolls.  I didn't take pictures yesterday.

Today I made a pork tenderloin roasted with pepper, maple syrup, apple vinegar and dijon mustard. It was cooked to 155º then pulled and rested to 167º. I peeled the left over baked potatoes and mashed them with milk, cream, butter and salt and pepper and fried them with butter and olive oil.  Reheated the last of the peas and onions and the leftover mac & cheese made from the blue box.

Grilled shrimp and vegetables

I marinated the shrimp in the Killer Louisiana broth, then skewered and grill them with eggplant, tomatoes, acorn squash, green peppers, pineapple and mushrooms. I tried to keep the shrimp on skewers with stuff that could get by without having to be cooked so that the shrimp were done and I didn't have to worry about over cooking them because of the other stuff on them. I brushed the stuff on the skewers with olive oil that had some plum sauce mixed in.

I also charred some poblanos, peeled them, mixed them with queso quesadilla cheese, onions and an egg and roasted it in the oven until the cheese was melted. It was good but not photogenic. I didn't take a picture of it.

Kalbi

Kalbi is marinated and grilled short ribs.  Here is the recipe we used today.  It was served with steamed rice from the rice cooker (medium grain rice) laver and kim chi from the Asian market. 

Charlie’s Kalbi

2 packeges 3 lbs 

Serving 4 strips/2 ounces

1/2 Cup. soy sauce

6 teaspoons sugar ( 3 oz)

5 teaspoons water

4 talebspoons Korean rice wine/sherry

3 tablespoons corn syrup

1 Tablespoons minced garlic /2 tbsp

1.2 teaspoonsgrated ginger

1/2 Cup sesame oil

1 cup Coca Cola

chopped green onions

pinch pepper

Cassie's Super bowl dinner

Cassie's dinner. chili rellenos, sopa, rotel dip with hamburger, refried beans with bacon, salsa, guacamole.

cuban steak dinner

Here is the menu for today. I changed some of them from the original to suit our tastes and or to down size them for three.

Cuban Style Beef Chuck Eye Steak

4 lbs chuck eye steak, 1-inch thick, beef (or enough for 3 servings)
2 tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil ( or mix some olive oil with garlic powder or fresh minced garlic) 
1/2 tablespoon cajun seasoning 
1/2 tablespoons adobo seasoning ( with or without pepper) 
1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

Preheat broiler (or grill). 
Place in oven safe baking dish (I have a special glass one). Pour garlic oil over top of steak, coating the top. Sprinkle on the spices, any order. 
Broil about 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steak. about 25 minutes.

Chimichurri Sauce yield: Makes about 1 cup
This garlicky sauce from Argentina is great spooned over beef or chicken.

1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree all ingredients in processor. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Salad dressing
2 T. fresh squeezed orange juice
4 T. fresh squeezed lime juice
5 T. C. olive oil
2T. C. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/3 C finely chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad
1 ears corn, or equal frozen, thawed
1 avocados peeled, pitted and dice large
4 or 5 cherry tomatoes
1/4 red onion, large dice
1/4 C. cooked, drained red beans and a handful of mixed herbs greens

Fried Sweet Potatoes. Preheat oven to 300º 

2 Large sweet potatoes
1/4 C. vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Before the steak goes in the oven, place the sweet potatoes in oven on baking sheet until they are easily pierced with a fork but still offer some resistance, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow them to cool. Just before steak is ready, cut lengthwise into quarters and heat oil in large fry pan until oil is very hot but not smoking. Fry until they are brown and crisp, about 3 minutes, remove to paper towels and salt and pepper.

Meatloaf dinner

Yesterday:  MEATLOAF made May 12, 2011 







Right out of the oven and-below- on a plate with an iceberg lettuce salad.
[
                                                                

    4 slices white bread, crusts removed 

    2-3 Tbs. milk

    2 tblsp. olive oil 

    1 large yellow onion, finely chopped 

    1 rib celery, finely chopped 

    2 cloves garlic, minced  (3 or 4 cloves)

    1/2 large red bell pepper,  finely chopped

    1 lb. ground sirlion 

    2 1/2 hot bratwurst, skinned

    2 large eggs 

    1/4 c. roughly chopped parsley 

    2 tblsp. Dijon mustard  ( honey dijon_

    1 tblsp. coarse salt & more to taste 

    1/2 tblsp. freshly ground pepper & more to taste

optional: add up to 1/4 C. dry bread crumbs as needed to make mixture dry enough to hold it's shape.

    1/2 lb. thinly sliced smoked bacon 

    1 lb. of potatoes cut in 2-inch pieces, oiled, salted and peppered

    1/2 c. brown sugar, packed 

    1 tblsp. Coleman's yellow ground mustard 

    1 tsp. tomato paste  Or catsup, honey dijon mustard and brown sugar)

    Heat the oven to 375F. Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and place in a large 

    bowl. Pour milk over it & set aside for 5 minutes. 

    Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery & garlic; cook until 

    soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. 

    To bread mixture, add  meat, eggs, parsley, Dijon, salt, & pepper,onion mixture. Combine well. 

Spicy Korean Beef Soup

Janggukbal- spicy Beef Soup 4 servings.


12 oz beef brisket, fat trimmed
8 ounces Korean radish cut in 2-inch cubes
4 med. leeks
1/2 carrot, peeled, sliced
10 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
5 liters of water


Sauce
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp red pepper powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp grated fresh garlic
1 Tbsp Asian sesame oil.

Trim off and discard the green part of the leeks, cut into half then 6 pieces, each.
set aside with the radish (daikon), carrots and mushrooms and rest of sauce ingredients

Mix sauce and set aside

Boil the beef for 2 1/2 hours, remove from water, cut up and toss with sauce. Add vegetables to beef broth and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beef with sauce back and boil 1 more minute before serving.

Tilapia, with red cherry salsa, cucumber salad, rice and peas

Tilapia with cherry and onion salsa served over carrot and cucumber salad with steamed rice and peas. 

Frozen lemon tilapia bake according to package directions served with a cherry salsa made from the following recipe

GRILLED TILAPIA WITH CHERRY SALSA

1 T. olive oil + more for grates

1/2 lb. (2C.) bing cherries, pitted and coarsly chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/4C. Cilantro, chopped

1 Jalapeno Chili, ribs and seeds removed, minced

1 T. fresh lime juice

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp. ground corriander

4 Tilapia fillets ( 4 to 6 oz each)

Heat grill to high, lightly oil grate

combine cherries, onion, cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice. Salt and pepper, toss set aside

mix together coriander, 1 tsp salt,  and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Rub tilapia with oil, season with mixture

Grill tilapia until opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve topped with salsa.

Rice steamed in rice cooker served with peas nuked with salt and butter and cucumber and carrots sliced thin and dressed with salt, lime juice and olive oil.

grilled chicken brests

A friend sent me some brine he is marketing so I could try it and comment.   I asked my son to pick up a chicken. He came home with a bag of frozen boneless, skinless, thin sliced breasts. I marinated them in some of the brine overnight. I was afraid they might be too salty so I rinsed them off and dried them then grilled them for late lunch today.

They were plump, moist and tender but I should have left the brine on because it was flavored. The chicken was really good but needed some more seasoning so we added some Creole seasoning and Asian rooster sauce. It was delicious.

I served it on top of mixed greens tossed with jicama, cherry tomatoes, avocado, red bell pepper, black olives, carrots, orange sections (supremed) and some nuts and dried cranberries dressed with olive oil, fresh lime juice and salt.

Focaccia, salad and spaghetti

Cassie asked me to make some ciabatta bread so I did and some meat balls, spaghetti and a salad to go with it.

Focaccia Bread Italian cheese bread

"A wonderful, quick alternative to garlic bread. Lots of herbs and lots of flavor!"

INGREDIENTS:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 pinch ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

cheese

1 cup mozzarella

DIRECTIONS:

1.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.

2.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

3.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.

4.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com

Meatballs

1lb hamburger

1 lb mild italian sausage

1 egg

approx 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 C. spaghetti sauce

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Add enough olive oil to cover bottom of skillet, brown meatballs in skillet, bake 10 minutes @ 350,  meanwhile cook mushrooms in skillet with oil from meatballs. deglaze pan with vermouth and cook down to glaze, add meat balls back to skillet with spaghetti sauce and cooked spaghetti and toss until sauce is absorbed. 

Wedding cake made by Cassie

A few days ago Cassie started making a wedding cake for her friend whose mother is in the picture above. The wedding was dedicated to the bride's mom and dad, both of whom are deceased.  Here is the end result. It was Cassie's first attempt at a wedding cake. It turned out quite well, don't you think?

Pizza, May 1, 2011

Pictured is one of two.  Both crusts made with sourdough starter. One both topped with hamburger all over, one half of on has pepperoni and the other is half pepperoni and Canadian Bacon.  Both have a very thin layer of pizza sauce, then provolone, tomatos, mushrooms, green peppers, and onion, topped with cooked hamburger then topped as described above and finished with mozzarella cheese.