Cuban Inspired Chicken and Mojitos

I'm dying for summer. Borderline hysterical. I just feel like a better person with warm sunshine on my skin. Plus my Aerogarden is being totally overwhelmed by my mint. So I dubbed tonight mojito night and planned out a Cuban inspired chicken dish to complement. Not that I've been to Cuba, but I drove through Miami once and I read an enormous amount of food literature. Please don't flog me if this isn't Cuban at all. It just seemed to go with the mojito.

There's a link to the Orange Saltburst from Austin's own Spiceburst below. I found this company in a buy local project and loved them because I am always on the hunt for well thought gourmet food products. I highly recommend them!

It could have been spicier too. I'd definitely up the crushed red pepper next time, but if you don't like the heat, this will add the flavor without the pain.

3 split chicken breasts

juice of 3 lemons

juice of 2 mandarins

1 c. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1.5 tsp cumin

1.5 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp Orange Saltburst

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Place chicken breasts in a large ziploc bag. Add juices, oil, and spices, shake until mixed. Let marinate in fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425. Remove chicken from bag, letting any additional marinade drip into bag, then discard. Place chicken in a glass casserole and cook until it reaches an internal temp of 165. About 40 minutes.

Corned Beef Sandwiches

I've always wanted to make a fresh corned beef, but I've never seen one and didn't really know the process involved in the "corning". Lo in behold, at the almighty Costco, I found a fresh one a few weeks before St. Patrick's Day. I have no idea if I'll see one of these again, and if I do, it likely won't be until next March. After an inspection of the packaging, and a few googles, it seems you can corn your own brisket via a brine and pickling spice mixture. I may try that out as well.

The flavor was wonderful and the process extremely easy. Only exception being that I totally cut mine wrong. I *know* what cutting against the grain means, but somehow, my brain turned to a mush-like jelly substance and I just did it wrong. Oh well. So, I decided to settle for chopped corned beef sandwiches instead of my original idea.

Did you know sauerkraut used to be taken on sea voyages to prevent scurvy? Me neither. The brine keeps the Vitamin C from being oxidized during storage. It has multiple cancer-fighting compounds and other nutrients as well as being low calorie, albeit high-sodium. But variety's the key, right?

The beer's for tenderizing and flavor. If you can't get Shiner Bock, you should move. But preventing that, just use any kind of dark beer you want.

Fresh Corned Beef

Water

Shiner Bock Beer

Place corned beef plus accumulated juices in a stock pot, cover with water and add 1 Shiner Bock beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 3.5 -4 hours.

Slice Against the grain and serve.

Fillets of Sole with Mustard-Horseradish Sauce

This recipe came from a Williams-Sonoma Simple Classics Cookbook, which appallingly, Williams-Sonoma seems to no longer sell. I have cooked the bulk of recipes from this book, and with the exception of a disastrous Baked Sea Bass with Fennel many years ago, this book is chalk full of solid dishes. I've made this recipe more times than I can count, and even have had better than average results from non-seafood eaters. In fact, I think this recipe may have inspired my friend Angela to introduce seafood to her diet.



I make my breadcrumbs from the end pieces of Orowheat Oatnut bread. I've linked to their site before, but after just checking again, their products page STILL seems to be under construction, so I'm not going to bother again. When we finish a loaf I throw the two end pieces in the freezer, and when I have a bunch of them, I grind them up in the Cuisinart and freeze the breadcrumbs for later use. It was a handy tip I picked up from an Austin Mama that fits in well with my efforts to reduce our food waste.



I'm also a bit of a horseradish snob. Or maybe just picky. We like the kind of horseradish we call kick-your-dog-hot. Not because we would possibly ever kick an animal, but because once, when making homemade horseradish, my eyes were watering so badly I tripped over the dog, resulting in my husband asking if the finished product would be kick-your-dog-hot. It stuck, even though my attempts at making homemade freshly prepared horseradish have not. After all the pain of grating, mine just wasn't that hot. But, the Silver Springs Organic Brand Horseradish is the best I've found. Horseradish can be tricky to find in the grocery store, too. ALWAYS buy the refrigerated kind. It's usually on a high shelf somewhere near the dairy/biscuits/butter/eggs section.



My sister found the most wonderful store for mushrooms in Dallas. Spiceman's FM 1410 is full of fresh from the farm produce and always has an incredible mushroom selection. Plus they are full of tips. And unusually nice. People can often be so snotty about food and cooking, this is the absolute opposite experience. I may just have to move across town so I can hit the store more often.



breadcrumbs


1/2 lb small fresh mushrooms


1/4 c. butter


1 large or 2 small shallots, chopped


juice from 1 1/2 lemons

3 tbsps dijon mustard


1 1/2 tbsps prepared horseradish


1/4 freshly grated Parmesan Cheese


1/2 c. sour cream


salt and freshly ground pepper


5 sole fillets



Position a rack in the lower part of an oven and preheat the oven to 425. Butter a flameproof baking dish that will accommodate the fish fillets in a single layer without crowding.

Clean the mushrooms by brushing them with a paper towel; do not wash. Slice thinly and set aside.



In a saute pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and saute, stirring, for 1 minute. Raise the heat to medium, add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring and tossing, until the mushrooms are just wilted, 2-3 minutes. Set aside.



In a bowl, stir together the lemon juice, mustard, horseradish, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream until well blended. Add to the mushrooms, return to the heat, and bring just to a simmer. Stir to blend and season to taste with salt and pepper.



Rinse the sole fillets and pat dry. Place in the prepared baking dish i a single layer ad spoon the sauce over the fillets. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top. Bake until the fish is opaque through-out when pierced with a sharp knife, 10-20 minutes, depending on thickness.



Serve at once.

Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

I'd kind of forgotten about stir-fry for some reason, probably in large part due to my ginormous wok currently being stored in my playroom cabinets. This is a quick meal, and has a very unusual (for me) advantage of nearly no dishes for cleanup at the end of assembly. The sauce was quite flavorful, but if you're trying to limit salt, definitely use a low-sodium soy sauce. You could also use almost any vegetables, fresh or frozen, this was just what was on hand in the fridge at dinner time.

Fish sauce is made from fermented fish, which at first hearing, sounds kind of gross. It is a staple ingredient in almost all Vietnamese and Thai cooking, and has historical use in China. I started using it in my Asian-inspired cooking, due to it's prevalence in recipes.

5 skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed, sliced into thin strips



soy sauce



fish sauce



juice of one lemon



cumin



onion powder



fresh ground pepper



frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted



1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and chopped in 1-inch pieces



1/2 white onion, sliced



hoisin sauce

Place chicken strips in a large bowl and cover with soy sauce, add 1 tbsp. fish sauce, lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp pepper, stir. Let sit for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat a wok on high heat, then add 2 tbsps canola oil. When oil is hot, add chicken to wok in a single layer, discarding any used marinade. Put lid on and cook until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally. Add onions and asparagus. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes, then add other drained vegetables. Add 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1.5 tbsps hoisin sauce and stir. Cover and cook additional 5 minutes. Serve over brown rice.

Salmon Croquettes

Canola oil has fallen victim to rampant internet rumors of toxicity. If you've been thinking it's bad for you, check here or here. I use olive oil for most everything, except frying. Canola oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil and is significantly lower in saturated fat than other frying oils like peanut oil. Grapeseed oil would also make a great choice, but it's quite a bit more expensive.

My family has been heavy users of Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt my whole life. It's a wonderful quick way to spice up food.

18 oz. wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon
olive oil
1/2 a white onion, chopped finely
1/2 a green bell pepper, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, minced
2 eggs
2 heaping tbsps panko
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt
cornmeal
Canola Oil
lemon wedges



Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with Jane's Salt, kosher salt, and pepper. Cook on a grill pan for 15 minutes, then let cool on grill pan.



Remove skin from salmon and add to a large bowl. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, eggs, panko, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper. Mix together and form croquette shape. Roll in cornmeal.



Add 1/2 inch of canola oil to a saute pan and heat to 375 degrees. Place croquettes in hot oil two at a time and turn to gently brown all edges.

Rotel makes Homemade Tacos Great!

Tonight's Recipe: Homemade Tacos

This homemade taco meat is very simple and can be the base of a multitude of meals. I think Rotel is available nearly everywhere these days, but if you can't find it in your grocery, let me know. I am pretty sure my sister told me it's hard to find in the Bay Area, but she might just mean at her local grocery. That led to her receiving a case of Rotel and a 3 pack of 2% milk Velveeta, the staples of the best queso. I don't think I could make it through football season without queso. Lack of access to Rotel may in fact cause, seasonal depression, headaches, cravings, road rage, insensitivity, hostility towards strangers, poor success in sporting events. Look into it and stock up. It's like skipping black-eyed peas on New Years Day, only Rotel must properly be consumed at least every 10 days to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

1.3 lb ground turkey

3/4 large white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

cumin

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Rotel

16 oz water

taco shells

tomatoes

corn

olives, sliced

grated cheese

Brown turkey in a saute pan on medium high heat. When browned, move turkey to one side of pan and add onions. Saute until soft, then stir turkey and onions. Add garlic, saute 2 minutes more. Shake ground cumin over surface turkey mixture until lightly covered. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Pour can of rotel and juices over turkey mixture and add water. Stir and simmer until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.

Spoon mixture into prepared taco shells and top with corn, olives, cheese and tomatoes. Green onions, black beans, sour cream, and slivered lettuce make nice additional toppings.

Can Frozen Sockeye Salmon be any good?

I recently picked up a new item at Costco, Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, individually vacuum-packed, and once frozen. I went out on a limb because I also had some good luck with similar packaged frozen sole from the Whole Foods. I love fresh salmon, and the result of these frozen were decent, but I should have made a sauce. Perhaps a lemon-butter-caper sauce or even a chimichurri, but something. I'm recovering from strep throat, so I'm a little off my A-game.

Another thing I often find myself confused by is whether I prefer Alaskan Sockeye Salmon or Atlantic Salmon. I *think* my answer in general is, I prefer Atlantic Salmon for grilling or broiling, and sockeye for things like making salmon croquettes or salmon patties.

White pepper is just the seed from the ripened fruit of the flowering vine, Piperaceae. All of the fruit is removed during processing. Black Pepper comes from the fruit which was picked pre-ripening, then cooked and dried, during which the fruit shrivels resulting in the darkened surface. The flavors are similar, just a little different, bringing new components to your meal.

Sockeye Fillets

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Paprika

Fresh Ground White Pepper

Fresh Lemon

Preheat oven to 425. Rub fillets with olive oil on both sides, sprinkle with salt, paprika, and white pepper. Place on a grill pan. Cook in oven 10-12 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from oven, squirt with lemon slices. Salmon will easily remove from skin.

Lasagna love

Tonight's Recipe: Homemade Lasagna

Lasagna is another recipe that's great for sharing. Making 2 isn't really any more work than making one. Plus, you can pre-make it, then leave it in the fridge for up to 48 hours then cook or freeze it up to 2 months, then cook. It's comforting food that reminds you of friends and love. My friend, Marti, made me a lasagna once and I never gave her pan back. It's okay, cause she had another one and she said I could keep it, but really, up until that pan, I never made homemade lasagna, just the store bought kind. Sometimes all it takes is the right pan. Of course, now I make mine in glass because I like to see the sides during the cooking process. Umm, Marti? Do you want your pan back, it's only been 5 years? : )

We've nearly quit using ground beef and switched over to turkey. We started in the interest of forming lifetime healthy food habits. The reason I've gone with the change in traditional dishes like lasagna is that I think the quality of ground beef and ground chuck, have gone seriously downhill. I don't have an explanation, but the ground beef and chuck our groceries are carrying seems truly poor quality. Feel free to make this with ground beef or chuck, if you can find good quality!

2 lbs. ground turkey

3 28 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsps bacon grease

1 tsp sugar

2 tsps kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

5 cloves roasted garlic

Oven ready lasagna strips

3 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

16 oz. Ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 tsp dried oregano

3 tbsps fresh grated Parmesan, plus an additional 2 tbsps

Brown turkey in a saute pan over medium high heat. Drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, bacon grease, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook on lowest heat for an hour.

Meanwhile, heat an oven to 325. Place a whole garlic on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Roast in oven 45 minutes, until soft and squishy. Pull off five cloves, and remove papers. Crush to a paste in a bowl, then add to meat sauce.

Cook on low another 15 minutes.

Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass pan with a thin layer of meat sauce. Place 3 lasagna pieces cross wise. Coat in ricotta cheese mixture. Cover with another thin layer of meat sauce. Sprinkle the surface with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place 3 more lasagna pieces, then repeat. Repeat a third time but with no additional ricotta. Also sprinkle the top layer with more freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Either cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours, or bake in a 350 degree oven immediately. Cook 45 minutes, unless it's not bubbly, then continue cooking. Remove from oven, let stand 10 minutes and serve.

Shredded Beef Chimichangas

Tonight's Recipe: Shredded Beef Chimichangas



This chimichanga recipe came from my mother, inspired by their life in Arizona during my dad's PhD. I don't think I've really altered it over time, but feel free to comment, Mom, if you feel I missed your essence.



Mole is a Mexican condiment or sauce base. People have unbelievably strong opinions on mole when you mention it. For most, mole = gross. That said, where I probably wouldn't order a mole recipe in a restaurant, it adds a lot of depth to this dish without overwhelming. In fact, no one has ever tasted these chimichangas and gone, "Oh mole, gee." Anyway, it can be tricky to find, though I never had any problem in Austin. If you live in Dallas, send me an email, I can tell you exactly which grocery's carry it. Or get it from amazon. Amazon is also the only place I can still find my favorite pickles. Well, the Piggly Wiggly probably still ships them, but half their case was broken every time I ordered. If you're on the fence, think about it like ordering in a Thai restaurant. Even though I cook tons, I still have a hard time imagining from an ingredient list what a Thai Dish is going to taste like. If you're interested in Thai, go to the master, my friend Jam in Austin.



4 lb. beef chuck roast

2 tbsps flour

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

paprika

2 tbsps. olive oil

2 tbsps. ground cumin

1 tsp onion powder

2 1/2 tbsps. mole

8 burrito size flour tortillas

1 egg, beaten

canola oil

tomatoes

shredded monterey jack

sour cream

Season chuck roast with salt, pepper, and paprika. Then coat with flour, and shake off excess. Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a 6 qt stock pot. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides. Cover with water, just to the top of roast then put on lid and continue to cook on medium high for 3.5 hours or move to a 350 degree oven.

Remove roast from pot to a separate bowl and shred meat, removing any remaining fat or gristly bits. Season with cumin and onion powder. Add two ladles of broth. In a cup, combine mole with another ladle of broth, stir til smooth then add to meat mixture and stir. Let sit at least 30 minutes, up to overnight in fridge.

Microwave tortillas on a plate covered with a damp towel or paper towel for 30-45 seconds to prevent tearing. Spoon meat mixture then place in center of tortilla. Fold sides over, then seal with egg to form a packet.

Heat 3/4 of an inch of oil in a saute pan, and place packets two at a time in oil, flipping once, to crisp and gently brown.

Serve with shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole if you have it.

Chicken Avgolemono

Tonight's Recipe: Chicken Avgolemono

Avgolemono is a Greek sauce comprising predominantly of chicken broth, lemon and egg. The thickened result is like a cream sauce, but much healthier and delicious.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken tenders

Kosher Salt

fresh-ground black pepper

1 3/4c. chicken stock

2 tbsp fresh dill

2 cups gemelli pasta

2 carrots, quartered and cut into 2-inch lengths

1 small crown of broccoli, chopped

3 eggs

3.5 tablespoons lemon juice

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with and add to the pan. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Turn the chicken brown 5 min; add the broth, dill, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover and simmer, 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and cover lightly with aluminum foil to keep warm.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the gemelli pasta for 2 minutes. Add the carrots and broccoli, continue cooking about 6 minutes longer. Drain. In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, beat the eggs, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper until frothy. Bring the chicken broth back to a simmer and add to the eggs in a thin stream, whisking. Pour the mixture back into the pan and whisk over the medium low heat for 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and cook another 4 minutes or until you feel/see a definite thickening. Do not let the sauce come to a boil, or it may curdle. Serve pasta and vegetables on plates and top with the chicken and sauce.

Beef is back

Tonight's Recipe: Boneless Ribeye Roast and Quinoa

Last night my husband said the words I've been wanting to hear for ages. "I'm kind of sick of chicken. And Turkey." For the last 4 years, he's been fairly anti-red meat, because apparently he has enough of it when he travels. Which leaves me totally toast, because of course I'm not going to fancy business dinners. So, meat week at my house. I couldn't hit the store fast enough to stock up on beef reserves.

Quinoa is one of the new grains taking the US by storm. It is high in protein and contains all of the essential amino acids, making it an excellent choice for vegetarians. It's also yummy and has a great mouthfeel, with a nice crunch. I personally much prefer it to rice. Look for it in the bulk foods section of your grocery. Make sure to rinse the quinoa thoroughly as it is coated in a natural pesticide which will leave a bitter flavor.

5lb boneless ribeye roast

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

paprika

6-7 cloves garlic

Remove roast from fridge approx 2 hours before cooking to let meat come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 500. Sprinkle roast with seasonings. Cut slits in the fat side of the roast at even intervals, stuff the slits with the garlic cloves. Place roast fat side up in a saute pan and place in oven. Cook at 500 for 30 minutes, then reduce oven temp to 325. After 30 minutes raise heat to 425, then cook until roast reaches an internal temperature of 140.

2 1/2 c. chicken broth

1 1/4 c. quinoa, thoroughly rinsed

1/4 of a white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

generous pinch of dried rosemary, crushed

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

4 bay leaves

1 tsp murray river salt

fresh ground pepper

In a medium sauce pan, bring 1/2 c. of chicken broth to a boil, add onion, spices and garlic, cover and cook 5 minutes. Add remaining chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 18 minutes.

Enjoy!

When the Whole is Better than the Sum of its Parts

Tonight's Recipe: Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Everybody has days like today. I slept poorly, kids kept loosing their pacis and waking me up all night, I had 10 million things to do, and the kids resemble zombies from Shaun of the Dead only mutantly crossed with extremely noisy screaming banshees. Or maybe those lemurs at the zoo, they get really obnoxiously loud sometimes. And somehow, I keep rolling through the day under the assumption that at any moment, they'll realize "Holy Hell! This is the best day ever! Why on earth would I ever want to end this by crying and throwing a fit?" But alas, that's not how it works.

So yes, that is a 16oz. Bud Light in the photo with my sandwich. Sometimes both food and life call for an extra tall beer. And my husband generously chopped the onions, so they're a little thicker than the paper-thin I usually roll with, but, hey? I remind myself not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

This is a super cheap and yummy meal. Saves well, transports well, often confused for restaurant pick-up. The thing is, there is nothing to it. Like literally, nothing. So thank God I threw this on this morning or who knows we might have had to settle for eating our own feet tonight.

The recipe came from one of those small paperback cookbooks at the end of the grocery checkout aisle. It was called something like Slow-Cooker Favorites. And to be honest, the only thing in the book worth possibly preparing, let alone mentioning. There are only 3 ingredients. I serve it on Oroweat Oatnut bread. Husband likes it toasted, I don't care one way or the other.

I am borderline horrified to admit that I cook this, and that everyone loves it. I've thought about re-engineering the Kraft so I didn't have to admit to using a bottled dressing but it's just good this way and one of the few super easy recipes in my rotation. P.S. the longer you cook it, the better your color.

4lb center cut pork loin roast

12 oz. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

3/4 c. brown sugar

Place roast in crock pot. Sprinkle brown sugar then cover with dressing. Cook on low for 8 hours or so. Shred meat with forks and serve with red onions for sandwiches.

Tonight's Recipe: Turkey Soup

Spring is around the corner, and I couldn't be more ready. Current forecasts include an 86 degree high for Thursday. Thank goodness. In addition to being tired of my plates, I am also tired of my winter clothes. Well, technically, I don't really have a winter wardrobe, but am seriously ready for sundresses and tank tops. But for one of our *hopefully* last cold days of the year, I did another steamy soup. The amount of crushed red pepper I added brings almost negligible heat, IMO, feel free to add a bunch more. Also, when storing your leftovers, make sure not to store the pasta in the soup, cause it will greedily eat up all of your brothy goodness. Cheers!


Broth:
Turkey Carcass, cut up to fit in stock pot


Turkey Neck, chopped into 2 inch segments


2 carrots, peeled and chopped


3 celery stalks, chopped


1 white onion, sliced


kosher salt


fresh ground pepper


olive oil


Soup:
Shredded Turkey reserved from carcass


6 carrots, peeled and chopped


7 celery stalks, chopped


1 white onion, sliced


kosher salt


fresh ground pepper


crushed red pepper


radiatori pasta, cooked

Add 2 tbsps of olive oil to a saute pan, bring to medium high heat and add turkey neck, carrots, celery and onions. Saute until slightly browned and soft, add to 6qt stock pot with turkey carcass. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Season with 2 tsps. salt and 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper. Simmer for 3-4 hours.

Remove carcass, meat, veggies, bones to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Everything should be falling to pieces. It's a bit messy, but the taste is worth it. Separate turkey meat, shred and reserve. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to saute pan, saute carrots, celery and onion. When starting to soften, add to reserved broth. Add reserved shredded turkey. Simmer 15 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper, add 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper.

Serve over cooked pasta with a side of bread for dipping.

Sauce is Boss, Marinade is Toss

Tonight's Recipe: London Broil with Herb Marinade

Since this is the real world, sometimes things don't work out like I plan. I usually make a flank steak with the herb sauce below. I was *trying* to be budget conscious and purchase a top round London broil instead. I can't really remember the pricing off hand, but if I had to guess, I think flank steak runs around $10.99 +/- a pound. Central Market had the top round for $6.99 a pound. I was disappointed. Even with the overnight marinade, the meat was just kind of, eh. Flavorful, yes, but kind of tough and just.... So unless you burn for top round or are bound to your budget, get the flank steak, skip the marinade, rub with olive oil, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Then continue as below.

I went wrong in a couple of ways tonight. In retrospect, the presentation would have been much nicer on a bed of couscous instead of next to the also very green looking salad. And, perhaps a less busy plate. I've had these plates for 7 years now. Unfortunately, I'm tired of them. Luckily, I have a couple of sets of plates so I can rotate, but I wonder, will I ever love them again? Or should I bribe a toddler to start breaking them? Actually, my aunt once told me she saw a demonstration of these plates at The Great Indoors where they were letting you chunk plates at the wall. She had four boys, and bought them on spot.

London Broil with Herb Marinade

3 large basil leaves, chopped

4 twigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh mint, stems removed, chopped

2 handfuls fresh parsley leaves, chopped

juice of 2 small lemons

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

3/4 c. olive oil

4 tbsp sherry vinegar

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp Worcestershire

3 large pinches kosher salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1.5 lb top round London broil



Combine ingredients in a bowl, add meat to a Ziploc and pour marinade over. Marinate meat in a Ziploc overnight.

Preheat a grill pan on high heat. Put meat on grill, turning after 5 minutes, then turning again to ensure a criss cross grill mark pattern. When meat reaches an internal temp of 135, pull from grill pan to a cutting board. Let rest for at least 10 minutes for proper redistribution of juices, then cut against the grain into thin slices.



Herb Sauce
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 a bunch flat leaf parsley, stems trimmed, finely chopped

7 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves removed, chopped

3 tbsps. capers

15-20 pitted Nicoise or Kalamata olives, chopped

olive oil

In a small bowl, combine garlic and salt. Mash with a fork to make a paste. Add parsley, mint, capers and olives. Cover with olive oil and stir. Let stand at least 30 minutes for flavors to combine. Serve on top round or flank steak.


Perhaps you're wondering what my deal is with fresh herbs. Well, I come from a family of gardeners. I had a lovely herb and flower garden at one point, but when we sold that house,
there was no way to transplant my beds. I've never replanted yet. The garden was born in a time of great pain for me and I've never been able to get back to wanting to do it again. I think my family might be concerned that I'm incomplete without growing something, so for Christmas, my sister gave me this. It's a fascinating little machine, and provides fresh herbs for me with practically no effort. I'm not sure there's actually a cost savings if it weren't a gift, but there's the convenience and the whole idea that you grew it yourself. So anyway, I'm using my herbs, but limited a tiny bit by what I have growing at the time. This week I'll need to harvest my dill, so get ready for a Chicken Avgolemono. Aeroponic technology is cool.

Comfort Breakfast

This Morning's Recipe: Biscuits and Bacon Gravy

I'm not really a morning person. The stories from growing up are legendary. I can go back to sleep anywhere, any time. These days I have coffee, which helps a little but really I'm not too available in the morning. Plus as a general rule, I hate breakfast food.

My husband loves biscuits and gravy. He adores it. So I learned to make it. He doesn't generally get biscuits from scratch as well, see above - not a morning person. Learning to cook something you don't eat is a new adventure. Especially when you can't understand what it's supposed to taste like. Traditionally, this is made with sausage, but my kids don't really like sausage and I definitely don't, so 50% of the time I make it with bacon. It's not as flavorful but it works.

1 lb. bacon

4 tbsp flour

24 oz. 2% milk

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

can of biscuits - follow directions

Fry your bacon in a skillet, I use cast-iron. Turn off heat. Remove and reserve all grease but 4 tbsps. In a shaker combine flour and milk. Pour into bacon drippings and stir like crazy. Put heat on medium. Continue to stir, being certain to scrape the full bottom of the pan. Gravy will begin to thicken after about 5-10 minutes. It is vital to keep stirring to prevent lumps. When thick, season with salt and pepper. Add more milk if gravy needs thinning.

Serve over split biscuits.

Refrigerate any reserved grease for later use. Delicious on cabbage.