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Meals with Family and Friends, Part 2 – London Broil with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

This was actually a meal we made while my family was here visiting last week and it was the one I forgot to take a picture of. I wanted to make an easy dinner that could easily feed a crowd, and my brother generously offered up a couple of London broils he had in the freezer for us to use for dinner that night. I found this very easy recipe from Food Republic that is a very basic recipe with a nice marinade and it makes a great horseradish sauce to serve alongside the beef.

London Broil with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

For the London Broil:

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup red wine

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 to 2 1/2 pounds top round London broil or flank steak

For the Creamy Horseradish Sauce:

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup red wine

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives

To make the London broil, Mix together all of the ingredients except for the meat. Place the meat in a shallow dish and cover it with the marinade. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but no more than 24 hours.

Remove the meat from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before cooking. Preheat a grill to high, oil the grate, and set it 5 to 6 inches above the coals. If you are cooking the meat indoors, preheat the broiler to high and set a rack 5 to 6 inches below the heat source.

Remove the meat from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Grill (or broil on a broiler pan) on each side for 6 minutes for rare or 7 to 9 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the meat to a carving board and allow it to rest for 8 to 10 minutes. Slice the meat at a 45-degree angle across the grain and serve with the horseradish sauce.

For the horseradish sauce, Whisk all the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Place the sauce in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve in a ramekin beside the meat.

This is a very simple recipe that produces a great tasting steak. The marinade really helps to break down some of the toughness of the meat and gives it fantastic flavor. I also really liked the horseradish sauce as a side dish and it goes really well with any kind of steak or beef meal that you make. We served this with mashed potatoes and asparagus, but baked potatoes would go really well with this as well and any steamed vegetable would be an ideal side. I wish I had remembered to take a picture of this one as it was a good one that is easy to make for any night of the week.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I still have a simple pan seared rib eye steak with a nice red wine sauce, some fall vegetable risotto, and a simple sautéed spinach among other recipes to share. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on October 18, 2013 in Beef, Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Sauce

Tags: creamy horseradish sauce, Food Republic, grilled London broil, horseradish sauce, london broil, London broil with creamy horseradish sauce

Football Snack – Very Easy Basic Buffalo Wings

24 Sep

There are fewer snacks that are better for watching football games than Buffalo wings. Sure having chips and dip are great, but when you bring out the wings then you know it is football time. it’s so easy for most of us just to order wings from somewhere and pick them up or have them delivered or just buy the frozen packages of buffalo wings already. The problem is a lot of times the wings you order are overcooked and swimming in sauce and the frozen wings just don’t give you the crunch and flavor. Why not put in a few minutes of your time and make your own wings? This basic wing recipe is from Food Republic and doesn’t get much easier than this one.

Basic Buffalo Wings

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

20 chicken wings, tips removed and wings separated at the joint

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup hot sauce or wing sauce (your choice, whatever you like best)

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray the sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the flour, cayenne pepper and garlic powder in a medium bowl.Dip each wing piece into the mixture and coat completely. Place the wings on the baking sheet and repeat the process until all of the wings are coated. Cover the baking sheet with the wings in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk the melted butter and the hot sauce until blended. Dip the wings into the hot sauce mixture to coat the wings and place the wings back on the baking sheet. Bake the wings for 45 to 55 minutes, turning the wings once after 20 minutes of baking so that each side gets crispy. Remove from the oven and serve with bleu cheese dressing, ranch dressing, extra hot sauce and cut-up vegetables like celery and carrots.

Of course, you don’t have to coat all the wings in hot sauce if you prefer something else. You can always make a quick mix of your favorite barbecue sauce and some honey or just barbecue sauce, maybe some teriyaki sauce or just have them plain if that’s what you like. Personally I like the Buffalo wings and I really liked this recipe. The flour helped to give the wings a nice crunch when they were baked. Placing them in the refrigerator for an hour or so also helps them to dry out some and get rid of some of the moisture that can make them soggy. This is also a much better alternative to deep-frying, which is not the best for you where health is concerned with all that oil and it leaves quite a mess to clean up. I think this recipe is a great alternative and makes some great wings.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I have tried some soups this week, so I’ll be posting recipes for those as the week goes on. Check back and see what comes up next. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 24, 2013 in Appetizers, Cooking, Poultry, Snacks

Tags: baked Buffalo wings, basic Buffalo wings recipe, buffalo wings, Food Republic

10 Ideas For Dinner Tonight: Rice | Food Republic

19 Aug

10 Ideas For Dinner Tonight: Rice | Food Republic.

We make a lot of rice in our house so it is always good to try and come up with some new ideas of this to make that incorporate rice into the meal well. Here’s some great ideas from Food Republic with 10 different rice uses in your meal. You can always use some new ways to make rice. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on August 19, 2013 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Rice

Tags: 10 ideas for dinner tonight using rice, Food Republic, Food Republic 10 ideas for dinner tonight rice, rice with dinner

First Summer Barbecue, Part 1 – Easy Barbecue Chicken

08 Jul

Even though I am only allowed to have an electric grill here at our condo, I still try to do some grilling outdoors when I can. This past weekend was so hot I just couldn’t bring myself to turn the oven on and cook and this week does not promise to be much better. I want to try to grill at least twice a week during the summer to try some new grilling recipes out, and yesterday was the perfect day to start. I had picked up some chicken thighs and the store on Saturday and decided to barbecue them. I found this recipe from Williams-Sonoma that looked good, but I also wanted to try out a barbecue sauce recipe I had picked up from Food Republic, so I combined the two to make last night’s dinner.

Classic BBQ Chicken

For the basic poultry brine:

8 cups water

5 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon peppercorns

1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

2 bay leaves

1 chicken, about 4 pounds, neck and giblets removed, chicken cut into 4 pieces (or whatever assortment of chicken pieces you want to use totaling 4 pounds)

Freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling

Granulated garlic, for sprinkling

1 recipe Tennessee Whiskey Barbecue Sauce (recipe to follow)

To make the brine, in a large bowl, combine the water, salt, basil. coriander seeds, peppercorns, mustard seeds, garlic and bay leaves and stir until the salt dissolves. Use immediately.

Place the chicken pieces in a large sealable plastic bag and pour in the brine. Seal the bag closed, squish the brine around the chicken and refrigerate overnight.

At least 30 minutes before you plan to begin grilling, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and remove the pieces from the brine. Discard the brine. Rinse the chicken pieces briefly in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly sprinkle the chicken on all sides with pepper and garlic.

Prepare a grill for indirect grilling over medium heat; the internal grill temperature should be about 350 degrees. If you are using charcoal, bank the lit coals on either side of the grill bed, leaving a strip in the center without heat, and place a drip pan in the center. If you are using gas, preheat the burners, then turn off 1 or more burners to create a cooler zone. Brush and oil the grill grate.

Place the chicken pieces on the grill over the direct-heat area and sear, turning once, for 2 minutes per side. Move the chicken pieces to the indirect-heat area, cover the grill and cook for 30 minutes. Now, start brushing the chicken with the barbecue sauce, turning and brushing the pieces every 5 minutes, for about 15 minutes more. The chicken is ready when it is firm to the touch and the juices run clear when a thigh or breast is pierced with a knife tip. Transfer the chicken pieces to a platter and serve immediately with the remaining sauce on the side.

Of course, you don’t have to brine the chicken if you don’t have the time or don’t want to do that, but I think it makes a big difference in the flavor. The brine infuses the chicken with some extra flavor and plumps the chicken up, helping it to make it juicier. You do need to watch the chicken closely on the grill as the fat tends to cause flare-ups, which can cause you to burn the chicken before it is cooked all the way. Using the indirect heating method with a drip pan can really help you with this and the chicken in this recipe turned out perfectly.

The sauce was a great find and really added nicely to the chicken. I was intrigued as soon as I saw this recipe and knew I was going to make it.

Tennessee Whiskey Barbecue Sauce

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1/4 cup onion, finely minced

1/2 cup Jack Daniels or other whiskey

2/3 cup ketchup

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Tabasco or other hot sauce

A few drops of liquid smoke

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the whiskey, stirring to scrape off any bits from the bottom of the pot, then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat, allow it to come to room temperature and transfer it to a container with a tight lid. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

The combination of the whiskey, liquid smoke and hot sauce is perfect. It was not too thick or too sweet and had an awesome flavor. i could see using this on ribs, chicken or pork without any trouble at all. I served some on the side so people could extra to their meal if they wanted to.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time to see what recipes come up as I am trying out some new things this week. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 8, 2013 in Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Poultry, Sauce

Tags: barbecue chicken, barbecue sauce recipe, bbq chicke, classic bbq chicken, Food Republic, Tennessee whiskey barbecue sauce, Tennessee whiskey bbq sauce, williams-sonoma

Red and Blue: A Refreshing Drink and Blueberry Hand Pies

06 Jul

I had made a couple of quick and easy recipes a few days ago that lend themselves perfectly to the summer. Both use some great summer fruits and can be made in almost no time at all. The first was a simple drink of watermelon agua fresca, a very refreshing drink that you can make with this recipe that I got from Food Republic.

Watermelon Agua Fresca

16 cups cubed seedless red watermelon, about a 5-pound watermelon’s worth

2 cups water

2/3 cup sugar

1 bunch fresh mint

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Club soda

Lime slices, for garnish

Blueberries, for garnish

Combine the watermelon, water, sugar and mint in a blender and puree until smooth (You may have to do this in batches to accommodate all the watermelon). Pour through a coarse strainer into a large container.

Stir in the lime juice. Refrigerate until it is well chilled, about 4 hours or overnight. To serve, fill a highball glass with ice, fill the glass 2/3 full with the watermelon mixture, and top with club soda and garnish with a lime slice. You can also add several blueberries to float on the top if you wish.

It is a very easy drink to make and you can even jazz it up a bit with some alcohol if you wanted to go that route. I thought it was great and refreshing just as it is with a strong watermelon flavor mixed with the lime.

I also got a recipe from bon appetit magazine for some blueberry hand pies. I have long had a thing for Hostess and Drake’s fruit pies, and until they are back on the market (which should be in a week or so), this is a great substitute that you can make on your own. They are perfect for any type of barbecue or picnic since you can just pick one up and dig in.

Blueberry Hand Pies

1 homemade or store-bought pie crust

All-purpose flour (for dusting)

2 cups blueberries (about 10 ounces)

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg, whisked with 1 teaspoon water

1 tablespoon raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 6 rectangles.

Toss the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Brush the edges of the dough rectangles with water; mound some blueberries into the center of each rectangle. Fold the dough over, and press the edges to seal. Place the pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash, and sprinkle the tops with the raw sugar. Cut small slits on the top for steam to escape.

Bake the hand pies, rotating the baking sheet halfway through cooking, until the juices are bubbling and the pastry is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes (some juices will run out onto the parchment paper). Transfer the pies to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve the pies warm or at room temperature.

I loved these pies. The are the perfect serving size and portion and make a great dessert that you could easily double or triple the recipe for a bigger crowd. I did use a store-bought pie crust and they turned out just fine, but I can see where a homemade crust would be easier to deal with and roll to the right size without making the dough too thin. In either case, I think it is a great summer dessert that doesn’t take long to make.

That’s all I have for today. Check back again for more recipes in the coming days, including one for magic bars that we recently made for a dessert. I also have several other recipes I will be trying in the next few days to post, including one for barbecued chicken, some pulled pork sliders, Cobb salad style chicken salad and more. Check back and see what comes up next. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on July 6, 2013 in Beverages, Cooking, Dessert, Pie

Tags: Blueberry Hand Pies, bon appetit magazine, dessert, Food Republic, quick and easy recipes, Watermelon agua fresva

Getting Fancy with Scallops with Carrot Cream, Pickled Carrots and Herb Oil

22 May

I came across this recipe thanks to Food Republic, who had posted it on their site about a week ago. The pictures of it looked great and it sounded simple enough to try out myself so I thought I would give it a shot. It doesn’t take long to make at all, so you can even do it for a weeknight meal without any trouble.

Scallops with Carrot Cream, Pickled Carrots and Herb Oil

Carrot Cream

1/2 pound carrots, cut into a large dice (about 2 cups)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper

Pickled Carrots

1 large carrot, sliced into short ribbons using a vegetable peeler (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

Scallops

1 pound sea scallops

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Herb Oil

3/4 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the carrot cream : Add the carrots and salt to medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Drain the carrots and add them to a blender along with the cream and a pinch of pepper to taste. Blend until the mixture is a very smooth puree and set aside.

For the pickled carrots: In a medium bowl, toss the carrots with the rice wine vinegar. Marinate the carrots for at least 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the vinegar for another use, and set aside.

For the herb oil: In a blender, combine the parsley, marjoram, olive oil, vegetable oil and the salt. Blend until the oil turns a vibrant green color, about 3 minutes. You can strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer or leave it alone if you like it with some texture to it. Transfer the oil to a bowl or a squeeze bottle.

For the scallops: Dry the scallops thoroughly with paper towels. Place them on a plate and season them generously with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Add the vegetable oil and, when the skillet is very hot, carefully add the scallops to the pan, being careful not to splatter oil on yourself or crowd the pan with too many scallops. Cook the scallops for 2 minutes on one side without disturbing them, or until they are caramelized, then flip them over, cooking the other side for a minute or so more.

To assemble the dish: Gently re-heat the carrot cream, then spoon some on each plate for serving. Top each plate with several scallops. Drizzle some herb oil around the scallops and garnish with a sprinkling of pickled carrots and marjoram leaves.

This dish looked very nice and tasted fantastic. The scallops were cooked perfectly and I loved the combination of the carrot cream and the pickled carrots with the scallops themselves. The herb oil added a nice contrast to the dish with the parsley and marjoram. It seemed like a perfect combination. I also had plenty of oil left over to use for other dishes down the road. I served this with some white rice and broccoli to round out the meal.

That’s it for today. Tonight is our 20th anniversary and I have a nice dinner planned, so check back for the menu for that one later this week. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on May 22, 2013 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Sauce, Seafood, Vegetables

Tags: carrot cream, Food Republic, herb oil, pickled carrots, scallops with carrot cream

Spring Cleaning: 5 Outdated Kitchen Tools You Should Toss Right Now | Food Republic

18 Apr

Spring Cleaning: 5 Outdated Kitchen Tools You Should Toss Right Now | Food Republic.

I admit it – I have four out of the five tools they are talking about here and I never use them at all so I really should get rid of them. Check out this posting from Food Republic and you too can help to clear up some space in your utensil drawer or your counter when you realize how little you use or need these things.

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Posted by MikeG on April 18, 2013 in Cooking Websites, Equipment

Tags: 5 outdated kitchen tools you should toss, Food Republic, outdated kitchen tools

Grilled New York Strip Steaks and Sweet Pea Risotto

16 Apr

As promised, I did try a couple of new recipes last night for dinner. The first was from Williams – Sonoma and covered the main entrée for the evening, which was grilled steaks with cherry tomatoes and basil. It was pretty easy to make, although using the indoor grill pan always causes a problem around here with the smoke detector. After a few minutes of wrangling with this smoke detector, everything else was just fine.

Grilled Steaks with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
2 New York strip steaks, each about 1 1/4 pound and 1 1/2 inches thick
8 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Brush a cast-iron grill pan with the oil and heat over medium high heat until hot. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, the 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the 2 teaspoons of salt. Rub the spice mixture evenly onto both sides of the steaks. In another bowl, combine that tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the steaks on the grill pan and cook, turning once, until nicely grill marked, approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare, or a grill in till they are done to your specific liking. Add the tomato mixture to the pan during the last two minutes of cooking. Transfer the steaks to a carving board and let rest for five minutes. Transfer of the tomatoes to what warmed platter. Cut the steak crosswise into 1/4 inch strips and arrange on the platter with that tomatoes.

This would be a good meal for you to cook on your outdoor grill as well. If you have the proper tools to cook that tomatoes right on the grill you can do them outside as well. I cooked the steaks to him about medium, which is the way we prefer to have it. These spice rub that is applied to the steaks adds great flavor and seems to go very well with the tomatoes and basil.

As a side dish, I decided I wanted to make some risotto. I looked around for a few different recipes, and I wanted to try to find one that would make good use of some of the spring vegetables that are around right now. The best one I found came from Marcus Samuelsson on his website at Food Republic. It was for a spring peak risotto and sounded really good.

Spring Pea Risotto

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
5 to 6 cups chicken stock
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 bunch asparagus stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh peas, shelled
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small sauce pan, heat the chicken stock to a warmed simmer. In a large stock pot, or any heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter and olive oil over medium low heat. Add the minced shallots and a pinch of salt, and sauté until the shallots are translucent. Add the rice, stir for about one minute until the grains begin to become translucent around the edges.

Pour in the wine and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add one ladle of stock at a time, stirring frequently until all the liquid is absorbed. Add another ladle of stock, and stir frequently until liquid is absorbed again. Repeat this process until almost all the stock has been used in the rice is cooked but still al–dente. The entire process should take about twenty minutes.

About five minutes before the rice is done cooking, stir in the asparagus and the peas. Add more chicken stock as necessary to continue cooking the rice. Once the rice has achieved the desired texture, stir in the Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and fresh mint. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Admittedly, making risotto is a lot of work. It requires constant attention and stirring on the stove. While it can be taxing, it is certainly worth the work that you put into it. I especially liked this recipe because of the fresh peas and asparagus that are used. It is the perfect time of year to try to incorporate some of the your spring vegetables into a dish like this and they tasted great. I would certainly make this dish again.

Those of the recipes for today. Tonight, I do plan to make some type of chicken and I have a couple of different recipes to choose from. Check back tomorrow and see which one I have decided to go with and see if you like the recipe yourself. I do have a couple of recipes for later on in the week that I plan to make. One is for another chicken dish, the other is for a strawberry rhubarb pie. I think both will be pretty good. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on April 16, 2013 in Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Grilling, Rice, Vegetables

Tags: Food Republic, Marcus Samuelsson, risotto

Storing Your Fresh Fruit « Chef Marcus Samuelsson

14 Apr

Storing Your Fresh Fruit « Chef Marcus Samuelsson.

Since it is getting to the time of year where more of us invest time and money into fresh fruit and vegetables, this posting from Marcus Samuelsson seems to be a good one to pass on today. It gives you some great tips on the best way for you to treat and store your fresh fruit that you bring home this time of year so it lasts longer, stays fresher and tastes better. Check it out.

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Posted by MikeG on April 14, 2013 in Cooking Tips, Cooking Websites, Fruit, Produce

Tags: Food Republic, how to store fresh fruit, Marcus Samuelsson, storing your fresh fruit

Weekend Project: Make Your Own Damn Snacks | Food Republic

09 Mar

Weekend Project: Make Your Own Damn Snacks | Food Republic.

I’ve neen a bad blogger lately and have not taken the time to post anything on my blogs. I hope to try and get back to normal this week with some recipes I have made recently, but until then here is a great post from Food Republic about how you can easily make some of your own snack foods this weekend. Any of these homemade are so much better than anything you can get from a store that it is worth the effort you put in to make them. Check it out!