Grilled Marinated Flank Steak

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I am pretty sure that if you are a red meat fan, then you have probably had flank steak on the grill during the summer season.  If you have not, well now is the time!

Flank steak, a cut from the lower abdomen of a cow, is a less expensive, leaner, thiner cut of meat than can serve a small group of people.  While it can be simply salt and peppered before grilling, I find that it holds up really well with a good marinade that keeps the meat moist and tender. One of the main ingredients to this marinade is soy sauce, so no extra salt is needed.  Having said that, I do also use low-sodium soy sauce so that it does not over power the meat flavor.  

This cut of meat grills up rather quickly, so you'll want to keep a close eye on it.  Within 10-14 minutes, you should have a perfect medium-rare cooked steak.  I like to double check that the internal temperature of the thickest part of the steak reaches 125°-130°F.  I let my meat rest on a cutting board with the juice groove to collect all of that tasty juice.  I slice the meat against the grain and then mix together the juice with scallion and parsley for a nice jus on the side.

Not that you'll have any, leftovers are wonderful is a sandwich or on top a bead of greens and veggies.  

Looking for another great way to enjoy flank steak on the grill? Take a lookout my Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri. Happy Grilling!

Baja Fish Taco Bowl

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Before I begin telling you about this must make meal,  I want to share with you that The Galley Gourmet is temporarily out-of-order for a very short time for two reasons.   The first reason I am out of order is with the recipe that I am sharing today.  I wanted to share two other seasonal recipes this week and the reason that I was unable to do so, leads me to out-of-order reason #2.  The LCD screen on my camera died and because of that, I cannot transfer the images from my camera to my flash drive. Ugh! Fortunately, I already had this photo and the recipe (I was going to publish it in a week or two) saved as a draft and I can share it with you until my new camera body arrives sometime on Sunday 🤞.

Now, on to my our new-favorite meal.  My husband has declared that he he loves this bowl better than eating a fish taco and I absolutely agree! Super crispy and lightly fried cod strips on a bed of cilantro-lime rice, served with thinly sliced red cabbage, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and a drizzle of a cilantro crema is fish taco bowl lovers dream! My jaws crack just thinking about it!

There are a few steps into creating this meal, but trust me, it's worth it and it really doesn't take that much time.  It's just prep work and dirty dishes.  I like to start by making the pico and slicing the cabbage. I like to make my homemade Pico de Gallo,  but of course, you can use store-bought and that will save some time and dishes😉.  Then I make the cilantro crema and keep it in the refrigerator  until I am ready to serve.  While the rice cooks,  I start working on the fish. It is dredge in seasoned flour, dip in eggs, then rolled in Panko also known as Japanese-style bread crumbs.  You won't believe how crispy the fish fries up. Thank you, Panko! As the fish rest, I dice the avocado and slice a lime into wedges and then it is load-up-the-taco-bowl time! I make this on weeknights, weekends and it even is perfect for entertaining. Taco bowl buffet anyone?!  Happy Cooking!

Sunday Dinner

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Papaya Pomegranate Guacamole

Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)

Mexican Red Rice

Refried Pinto Beans

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Pico de Gallo

Rumchata Cheesecake

My reason for tonight's Sunday dinner menu would be that I wanted some good eats that would transport my mind to somewhere South of the border because it has been cold! And not just cold, but also days of icy conditions on the roads and sidewalks.  Walking two dogs in such weather is not good.  But what is good, is this meal! Four pounds of pork butt simmered in a flavorful broth and then "pulled",  glazed and then broiled until crisped and caramelized. These carnitas or "little meats" are great for taco and burrito fillings, but they are wonderful when served on a dinner plate with all of these other good eats.  I am starting to feel better all ready. Happy Sunday!

Sunday Dinner eight years ago

Sunday Dinner nine years ago

Sunday Dinner ten years ago

Sunday Dinner eleven years ago

Portillo's Chopped Salad

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A little over four weeks ago, I dropped off my first born child, Jack, to The University of Missouri. Man, oh man, was that ever tough.  I told my husband that it was a good thing that he was there because I would've had to stay in a hotel in Columbia for a week just to compose myself before driving home.  I think I lost 5 pounds in tears alone😭.  But on the bright side, the move-in went well, he was happy and excited, and I was going to see him in three weeks!!

So last weekend, my husband and I drove back down to Columbia to see our first SEC football game, Missouri Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks.  Woohoo! Actually, it was just an excuse to hug him one more time😉.  It was so much fun!!  Friday we took him out for Shakespeare's Pizza with his roommate and a friend. Their Panda Pepper pizza is the bomb!  Saturday we saw SEC Nation show live with Tim Tebow, then my husband and I headed over to Glenn's Café for some fried oysters and bloodies that were made with Absolut Peppar vodka. Yummy!  Then we walked and walked and walked some more.  Next, we met up with Jack again and my husband's cousin who was the former SID (sports information director) for the Gamecocks and then we might have had a few beers (Jack had a coke) while we were catching up on our lives.  Later that day we walked down Stadium Blvd. and watched South Carolina beat Mizzou 31-13.  Minus the score for the Mizzou fans, it was a beautiful day!  

But before we headed back down to Columbia, I asked Jack if there was anything he would like me to bring from home.  It was also his birthday weekend, so he most certainly asked for a batch of my cupcakes, but he also requested Italian beef and gravy from that quickly expanding American restaurant chain serving up Chicago-style foods, a.k.a Portillo's. You got it, babe! Since then, I have had Portillo's on my mind, but the weather has been unusually warm for me to sink my teeth into an Italian Beef. So I pulled out an old recipe for the Portillo's Chopped Salad to satisfy my craving.

This salad is a meal!  Pasta✓ Chicken✓ Bacon✓ Veggies✓ Greens✓ Cheese✓ Seriously, what more could you want?  Well, maybe a super yummy sweet Italian vinaigrette to bring it all together 😋.  Like most salads, it is also very versatile.  In my version, I marinate the chicken breast in some of the vinaigrette, then I grill the chicken for a nice charred flavor.  However,  you can simply sauté the chicken or you can leave it out all together and serve it as a side salad for a large crowd.  I also use Radicchio instead of red cabbage because I like the bitter taste of it with the sweet dressing.  You can also add as much or as little of the tomatoes and the pungent blue cheese to your liking.  Whatever your variation turns out to be, I guarantee it will be good.  This salad also keeps pretty well.  It was easy to pack for school/work lunches and it was very nice to come home to on my lunch break this week.

Back to the weekend...on Sunday, we took Jack out one more time for breakfast at The Broadway Diner.  I don't think it has ever taken me that long to eat breakfast.  I just didn't want the weekend to end and leave my baby.  He wanted to walk back to his dorm room, so we said good-bye in the parking lot and...yes, I cried again 😢.  But it wasn't as bad as the first time.  You see, I get to see him again in two and a half weeks!!  Doin' my happy dance! This is one of the few times I am more than happy to travel more than 8 hours for soccer games in Kansas City because we will drive right through Columbia and have dinner with our boy!

Quick Beef and Barley Soup

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My son and I were huddled up in my big comfy chair the other night watching Netflix when I  turned to him and asked the daily question..."Any dinner druthers for tomorrow night?"  Usually I get a smart response like--"Food" from him 🙄.  But this time he quickly responded, "Beef and Barley Soup would be nice."  Me--🤔

Normally, I would serve this soup in late October when the skies are grey and the air temperature is cool and crisp.  Well, guess what...the skies have been grey and the air temperature has been cool and crisp lately; not to mention the rain.  So it was the perfect time to pull out this recipe.  It's easy and I know everyone LOVES it!

The original recipe called for chicken broth--???, this is a beef soup, so I like to use a mixture of mainly beef broth and a little chicken broth.  I also add garlic because everything is better with garlic.  I use a slurry of a bit more chicken broth and cornstarch at the end of cooking to give the soup a little body.  Then I finish the soup with Worcestershire sauce for a deeper flavor, and red wine vinegar and fresh parsley to give it a bright and fresh taste.

  

Serve it with some warm baked Brown Soda Bread, and this is a soup you will enjoy all year long.

Barbecued Pulled Chicken

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Well, I found my blogging britches...sort of.  But they are in dire need of some cleaning and repairs.  Actually, I could use a fresh new pair for a new look, but I'll have to make do for now.  One would think with summer vacation underway, I would have more time to blog.  Not!  Twice this week I had intentions to write this post, but instead I was busy with, "Mom, what are we going to do today?" and "Mom, can we paint my room?" and "Mom, we need new clothes" and "Mom, can we brush the dogs' teeth?"(--say what? Yeah, we have two dogs).  Not to mention driving to and from friends' houses and soccer practice (yep, still going) around a town where it seems that every other street is either blocked or closed due to construction and a weekend festival going on (grrr--sorry for the venting)!  And it probably didn't help that any free time that I did have it was spent with my nose in a book-- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a twisted good read.

Anyway, here I am sharing a recipe because I need to, I want to, and because it is really darn good!  You know that I am a big fan of smoked meats.  But sometimes that whole process of smoking can be quite labor intensive (which is why I usually make it in large batches and freeze it).  However, this recipe is not.  Tender, dark chicken leg quarter meat is smoked with wood chunks instead of logs.  The whole cooking process takes about an hour, unlike the 9 to 11 hours that other smoked meats can take.  Bonus for a weeknight dinner or when you just want to enjoy all the outdoor weekend festivities.  Pile up the finished product on some good homemade or bakery buns and serve with some creamy coleslaw, a few chips or even some sweet summer corn-on-the-cob.  This is a meal fit for a king-- the king of the house for Father's Day that is!

Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Red Peppers and Red Onion

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Last week I was finally able to uncover my grill and prepare it for the grilling season!! The weather was positively pleasant, so I grilled out on two nights.  One night we enjoyed grilled strip steaks and the other night we enjoyed these kebabs.  

If you are a longtime reader you might recall that I have problem with cooking vegetables and meat together on one stick.  It seems that when the meat is done, the vegetables are still not cooked enough.  And to cook the vegetables further, you run the risk of over cooking the meat.  I am a big fan of just meat kebabs, like these Barbecue Chicken Kebabs with Bacon Rub (oh yum) or just vegetable kebabs.  Having said that, I have been converted with this recipe.  I think the keys to cooking the meat and vegetables properly are to have the pieces the same size and to skewer them the right way on the stick.  The onion in this recipe is skewered around the chicken so that it becomes soft and tender.  But what really makes this recipe stand out is the marinade for the chicken.  Yogurt is the primary ingredient in the marinade. It is joined by olive oil, garlic, and herbs.  I like to use 2% Greek yogurt, which provides its rich taste to the party of flavors.  Once grilled to perfection, the kebabs are brushed with a lemon-basil dressing which really adds a nice, fresh flavor to both the chicken and the veggies.

Sunday Dinner

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Asparagus and Goat Cheese Bites

Beef Daube with Mustard, Herbs, and White Wine

Parslied Potatoes

French Baguette

Chocolate Espresso Caramel Truffle Tart

I like to think of this dish as the Spring cousin to Beef Bourguignon.  It calls for white wine instead of red wine to braise the meat, making it a little lighter, but still full of rich flavor. Plenty of onions (never enough of those in my book), garlic and tomatoes help flavor the sauce along with a good Dijon mustard (by the way, I use Maille or Amora) and a few herbs.  I take it one step further by finishing the sauce with a little beurre manié which is a "kneaded" mixture of flour and butter.  It really makes the sauce velvety, smooth, and perfect for dragging through a crusty piece of bread.

One nice thing about this stew is that it is not as labor intensive as the Beef Bourguignon.  It's kind of a one pot meal which is perfect for me when there is a Sunday afternoon soccer game to attend. That's a score for me (and one for my little soccer player☺)!

Yikes! I need to clean my copper pot.

Sunday dinner one year ago

Sunday dinner two year ago

Sunday dinner three years ago

Easter Eats Round-up

Pin It I would imagine that most you have your Easter menus planned, so I will refrain from posting a new recipe today.  However, if you are still uncertain about the components to your meal or need some inspiration, I have included some recipes from the archives that would make everyone (ok-- almost everyone) rejoice at the table.  Have a wonderful weekend and Easter celebration!

For starters--

Asparagus and Prosciutto Crepes with a Creamy Lemon Dipping Sauce

Asparagus Gougères

Deviled Eggs

Homemade Light "Boursin" Garlic and Herb Cheese

Shiitake Frittata Squares with Prosciutto

Shrimp Stuffed Deviled Eggs

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Spring Vegetable and Goat Cheese Dip

For table side carb-action--

Butter Horn Rolls

Cloverleaf Rolls

Fluffy Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls

For mixed greens--

Mixed Green Salad with Beet Vinaigrette

Spring Garden Strawberry Salad

For the main event and sides--

Apricot, Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Ham

Roasted Asparagus with Shallots and Chives

Roasted Beets

Parslied Potatoes

Pommes Anna

Pommes de Terre Macaire (Skillet Potato Cake)

Potato Gratin with Tomatoes, Gruyère, and Thyme

Potato Stacks with Garlic and Fresh Thyme

And for a sweet finish--

Almond Coconut Mousse Cake

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Lamingtons

Meyer Lemon Molten Cakes with Raspberries and Cream

Raspberry-Swirl Angel Cake

Mini Raspberry Swirl Cheesecakes

Homemade Lofthouse Cookies

Coconut Cream Pie

Lemon Chess Pie

French Creams with Berries

Italian Almond Raspberry Tart

Lemon Cloud Tart with Rhubarb Compote

Strawberry and White Chocolate Mousse Tart

Braised Pork Hash

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Mother Nature really gave it to us this past week here north of Chicago (or should I say Chiberia).  First it was 48 hours of a non-stop snow storm that left us with almost 2 feet of snow.  Then came the wind, a slight thaw, ice, more snow and wind, and then... a huge plunge in temperature.  Let's just say that a -50ºF wind chill is pretty darn cold and the holiday break was extended for my children for a few more days.

Backing up a few days to Sunday when we were busy shoveling and salting, I needed a Sunday dinner that basically cooked itself.  In comes this little beauty of a recipe.  Throw all the ingredients in a large pot, shove it in the oven, and let it cook low and slow for several hours until tender and falling off the bone.  

The original recipe called for cutting slits into the meat and stuffing them with slivers of garlic and thyme, but I find that really isn't necessary when the meat is braising for that amount of time.  The recipe also called for just two onions (?). Since we love our onions, I triple the amount so that each and every bite of pork is accompanied with a braised sliced of onion or two.  The braising liquid is thickened with a cooked butter and flour mixture (called a roux).  It becomes a velvety sauce to dress and serve with the meat and onions.  It is wonderful the day is is made, but it can be made up to two days in advance.  Any leftovers are excellent when cooked in a cast-iron skillet to achieve a crunchy carnita-like texture.

Fiesta Chicken and Rice

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The busy weeknight schedules are in full force.  If we can all sit down together at the table before 7:30 in the evening, that's a win.  And with limited time to prepare the meal once I get home, this recipe is also a win.  Like the Skillet Lasagna, this is a one pan meal that can come together in about a half an hour. To make it even easier, I make sure I have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time.  So when I walk in the door, I can get right to cooking without having to peel, chop, or drain.

I swapped out the green bell pepper for Poblano peppers and kicked up the spice and heat with some adobe sauce. (See my tip here for storing chipotle peppers and adobe sauce.)  Serve with lime wedges, sliced avocado, and a few tortillas for a winner-winner-chicken-dinner.

Stir-Fry Cashew Chicken

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As much as I love spending time in the kitchen on most weekends preparing for Sunday dinner, the weeknights don't allow me that luxury.  I am usually shuffling to or from soccer practice, basketball games, and bowling matches for my three children, so I have limited time to get dinner on the table. But rather than pick up some take-out on the way home, I pull out recipes like this one.  Fake-out take-out is what I call it.  It is quick, fairly easy, and very satisfying after a busy day for me and my family.

My oldest son Jack, can't handle the heat like the rest of us can, so rather than using red pepper flakes in the stir-fry, I like to serve it with Thai chili garlic paste on the side to taste. Not only does it add some kicked-up heat, it also elevates the flavor of the overall dish.  Serve as is or over steamed white rice.  This recipe will have you reconsidering that dialed-up take-out meal.

Sunday Dinner

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Beer Battered Corn Fritters

Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

Baked Cheese Grits

Fordhook Lima Beans

Peach and Blueberry Galette

Wow, do I have a busy week ahead of me!  School starts for my three kiddos, my youngest has a travel soccer tournament this weekend, and I am catering a large BBQ party.  I need to do some major advanced planning and cooking.  So a Sunday dinner that will help supply needed leftovers for dinner throughout the week is in order.

I've shared a meatloaf recipe before (and it's a good one☺), but this is my standard, go-to meatloaf recipe.  It is delicious warm from the oven, at room temperature, cold in a sandwich with a good slathering of mayo.

Printable Recipe

Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

serves 10-12

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

2 large yellow onions (about 3 cups), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

5 pounds ground turkey thigh

1 1/2 cups plain dried bread crumbs

3 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup ketchup

Preheat the oven to 325º F.

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, salt, pepper, and thyme and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned, about 15 minutes.  Add the Worcestershire, chicken stock and tomato paste, stirring until well combined.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor, add half of the ground turkey and half of the bread crumbs and process until well-combined, about 10 (1-second) pulses. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining turkey and bread crumbs.  Transfer meat mixture to the bowl.  Add the cooled onion mixture and eggs; mix with hands until thoroughly combined. Shape the meat mixture into a large rectangular loaf on an ungreased baking sheet.  Spread the ketchup evenly over the entire loaf.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160º F.  (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meat loaf pan will keep the top from cracking).  Serve hot, room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.