Tuscan Steak with Escarole and Beans

The winter months limit the use of one of my favorite cooking methods - grilling. I have been using my grill pan quite a lot lately, and I also roast steaks and fish at a high temperature in the oven. But neither method yields the same char and smokey flavor of my Weber grill. Oh how I long for the warm summer months when we eat dinner on the deck and grill coffee rubbed steaks, barbecued chicken, teriyaki salmon, and balsamic glazed vegetables.

After picking up a steak at the market this afternoon, I decided outdoor grilling in 21 degree weather was not an option. I instead roasted my Italian-seasoned flank steak in the oven. Tuscan Steak with Escarole and Beans was tonight's dinner and well received by all family members. I am assuming that it was well received because everyone ate some part of the meal and did not return to the kitchen to eat again for about two hours.

An ingredient in the marinade was tomato paste. This is the brand that I have been favoring lately. The tomato paste comes in a tube like toothpaste. I like this packaging better than those little 6 ounce cans of tomato paste readily available at the market. With my tube of tomato paste, I can use just a tablespoon, screw the top back on and store the remainder in the refrigerator until it is needed again. Look for it in the canned tomato aisle at your local grocery store.

I can't wait until the summer when I can repeat this recipe and use my grill instead of my oven.

Tuscan Steak with Escarole and Beans

serves 4 - 5

1 1/2 pounds of flank steak
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground sage
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

olive oil
1 head escarole, washed, drained and chopped in bite-sized pieces
1 cup kidney beans
1 cup pinto beans
salt
pepper
chopped parsley for garnish

In a small mixing bowl, combine olive oil, sherry vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, sage, oregano, salt and pepper. Place steak in a resealable bag and add marinade. Let marinate for about an hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove steak from marinade and place on a baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 8 - 9 minutes. Turn steak over and continue cooking for an additional 4 - 5 minutes. The internal temperature of the steak should be between 120 and 125 degrees. Remove steak from oven and cover with foil. Let steak rest for 10 - 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan to medium high and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the escarole and saute for about 4 - 5 minutes. Add the beans and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, thinly slice steak against the grain. Place escarole and beans on a platter and top with steak. Pour any accumulated pan juices over the top and sprinkle with parsley.

Grilled Balsamic Vegetable and Brie Sandwiches

Grilling vegetables is usually something I save for the summertime. With bushel upon bushel of fresh vegetables available at my local farmers' market and the ease of grilling in the summer months, it is a no-brainer when dinner time rolls around.

With temperatures hovering around 15 degrees, I enlisted my grill pan instead of my grill for dinner a couple nights ago. I made a trip to my favorite market that I previously posted about and picked up a shopping cart full of Japanese eggplants, zucchini, sweet peppers, vadalia onions, portebello mushrooms, fresh rolls, and brie cheese with plans to make Grilled Balsamic Vegetable and Brie Sandwiches. This sandwich was a popular item at the gourmet cafe where I used to work. I occasionally like to prepare some recipes from my days in the cafe's kitchen.

With a hot grill pan and a sturdy pair of tongs, I grilled up a tray of vegetables for our sandwiches. I also made a thick balsamic vinaigrette to accent the grilled vegetables flavor.
We are trying to add a vegetarian meal a week to our menu plan. The Grilled Balsamic Vegetable and Brie Sandwiches were packed with flavor and so satisfying that we did not even miss our usual chicken, beef or fish with our dinner.

Grill up a garden of vegetables to enjoy during the week. It will be a time saver and a nutritious addition to your diet.

Grilled Balsamic Vegetable and Brie Sandwiches

makes 4 sandwiches

3 Japanese eggplants or 1 eggplant, sliced thin lengthwise
2 medium zucchini, sliced thin lengthwise
3 portebello mushrooms
1 large vadalia onion, sliced in thin rings
2 yellow, orange or red peppers, cut in thin pieces
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
4 large sandwich rolls, sliced
about 12 - 16 slices of brie cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a grill pan to medium high heat. Toss vegetables in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill in batches until slightly charred and tender, turning once. Remove from pan and place on a tray. Slice the mushrooms in large pieces.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until vinaigrette is well combined.

To assemble sandwiches, place the bottom half of the rolls on a large baking tray and brush with the balsamic vinaigrette. Top with an assortment of the vegetables. Place the top half on the rolls on the baking tray, brush with the balsamic vinaigrette, and place 3 - 4 slices of the brie cheese on top. Place baking sheet in oven to crisp the rolls and melt the cheese. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and put the 2 halves of the sandwiches together. Cut each sandwich in half.

Rice Krispie Biscotti

The clock strikes 3:30 p.m. It is that time of day again. Those kids will be running through the door at any minute. And they will be starving. And they will ask,

"What's to eat?"

"What's to eat?"

Rice Krispie Biscotti!

In the time it takes to run a load of laundry, you can make these treats for your dear little ones. Don't forget to set a few aside for yourself.

Rice Krispie Biscotti

makes about 20 - 22

3 tablespoons butter
40 large marshmallows - 1 (10 ounce) bag
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
5 - 6 tablespoon half and half
sprinkles

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add marshmallows and stir to melt. Take pot off heat and stir in Rice Krispies. Let cool until it can be handled without burning your hands.

Scoop out about 1/3 cup of the Rice Krispie mixture and form into a biscotti shape - a thin log shape. Place on a piece of parchment paper to cool. Continue with the remaining Rice Krispie mixture until all biscotti are formed. Let cool completely.

Melt chocolate chips with the half and half in a heat proof bowl over simmering water and stirring occasionally. Dip half of each biscotti in melted chocolate and sprinkle with sprinkles. Place on parchment paper to harden. Store in airtight container.

Oven Fried Chicken

Oven Fried Chicken

I could eat fried chicken at least once a week. But if I did, I would feel my arteries clogging with each delicious bite. Alas, I have resorted to finding the best possible alternative to traditional fried chicken.

Tonight I made Oven Fried Chicken. I am always skeptical of anything called "oven fried" because it never really tastes "fried." A fellow personal chef recommended that I try this recipe, and it was very tasty. It is from an old issue of Bon Appetit (June 2000) and 89% of the people who tired the recipe said they would make it again. I like recipes posted on the Epicurious site because they always have many reviews, good and bad, and suggestions for improvements.

I made a couple changes to the original recipe. Our family likes breasts and drumsticks so these were the only types of pieces I made. My chicken marinated for about 6 hours. I also increased the amount of melted butter drizzled over the coated chicken just before baking (from 3 to 5 tablespoons). Since I wasn't frying my chicken, I figured a couple more tablespoons of butter were not out of line.

"I like the coating; it is really flavorful. And the chicken is very moist," commented The Husband.

"The kitchen smelled really good when I got home today," added My Oldest.

I would recommend this recipe for your next fried chicken craving. You won't get that CRUNCH of deep fried chicken, but the recipe does produce a good alternative. One the plus side, you'll have a lot less mess to clean up in the kitchen when you baking is done.

Oven Fried Chicken

adapted from Bon Appetit June, 2000
serves 4

1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 chicken pieces (breasts and drumsticks) with skin and bones

1 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 tablespoons butter, melted

Whisk buttermilk, oil, hot pepper sauce, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend well. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover; chill at least 3 hours or up to 1 day, turning chicken occasionally.

Place racks on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Whisk breadcrumbs, cheese, flour, thyme, paprika, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt in large baking dish to blend. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Add chicken to breadcrumb mixture and turn to coat completely. Arrange chicken, skin side up, on racks on baking sheets. Let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle butter over chicken. Bake until crisp, golden and cooked through, about 30 - 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Mashed Turnips with Parmesan

The turnips

There is a fantastic little market about a 10 minute drive from my town. It sells loads of different kinds of produce, has a fish market with a sushi chef, a deli with fresh prepared dishes, and lots of funky packaged products. I like to spend time just walking the aisles, usually I walk them more than once. The prices for the products are typically less than the local chain grocery store, and it is much more enjoyable to shop at this small market.

On a recent trip, I picked up the purple-hued turnips in the photo above. I wasn't sure how I was going to prepare my new produce purchase, but decided to buy them anyway. The turnips sat in my refrigerator for about a week and a half before my Turkey and Wild Mushroom Mini Meatloaf dinner a couple nights ago. My family loves Mashed Cauliflower, therefore I thought made my turnips would be good candidates for a mashed version of themselves.

Ooooooh! They did not disappoint. We liked them even better than the Mashed Cauliflower. Upon mashing, the turnips do not become completely smooth; the resulting dish is more on the chunky side. The addition of the Parmesan cheese is a pleasant contrast to the slightly sweet turnip flavor.

Break the mashed potato habit. Turnips are loaded with vitamin C, and Mashed Turnips with Parmesan are a welcome side dish to your winter dinner table.

Mashed Turnips with Parmesan

Mashed Turnips with Parmesan

serves 5

about 4 turnips, peeled and cut in large dice
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, with extra for sprinkling to top
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt to taste

Place the turnips in a large pot and and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a gentle boil. Cook turnips for about 20 - 30 minutes or until fork tender.

Drain well and return to pot. Mash turnips until they a slightly chunky. If necessary, turn the heat on medium and cook off any liquid that has accumulated. Add the Parmesan cheese and mayonnaise and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

The Ruby

The Ruby

If you are in the market for a new drink this winter season, The Ruby just might be one for you. It is made with pomegranate and orange juices which are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. There is also some vodka and triple sec in the drink just to make it interesting.

Shake up a few for your next happy hour. The sweet and tart cocktail not only offers vitamins A and C and antioxidants, you'll also be doing a few arm exercises while you shake up your drink. As long as you are having a drink, it might as well include some healthy benefits for you.

The Ruby

makes 1 cocktail

1 shot vodka
1 shot triple sec
2 shots pomegranate juice
1 shot orange juice
squeeze of lime juice
fancy sugar to rim glass

Fill a shaker with 4 - 5 ice cubes and add vodka, triple sec, pomegranate juice, and orange juice. Shake vigorously to combine. Rub the rim of a martini glass with a lime wedge and dip in sugar. Pour drink in glass and add a squeeze of lime juice.

Enjoy!!

Dinner #12 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas -- Turkey and Wild Mushroom Mini Meatloaves with Savory Mushroom Gravy

Whoo whoo whoo!! I am finally posting the last of my 12 Dinners of Christmas. Note to self - it will take you longer than you think to complete a project. Give yourself extra time around the holidays for any endeavour you undertake.

That being said, I present tonight's dinner -- Turkey and Wild Mushroom Mini Meatloaves with Savory Mushroom Gravy. This entree is everything one could want in a comfort food, but in a lightened up version. Traditional meatloaf is made with ground beef; this version is made with 93% fat free ground turkey. It is flavored with shiitake and portebello mushrooms, thyme, A-1 sauce, and Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Topped with a peppery mushroom gravy, this made for a delicious entree. I also served oven blasted green beans and mashed turnips with Parmesan cheese. I'll be posting the turnip recipe soon. If you liked my Mashed Garlic Cauliflower, you'll absolutely love mashed turnips!

With temperatures in the low teens tonight, The Husband said, "This is excellent comfort food, and it is even nutritious. The whole meal has lots of flavor."

My Oldest commented, "This meal has lots of color and vegetables, and it is still good."

Then enters No Thank You Boy. He says, "What's for dinner? Meatloaf? Mashed turnips? Green Beans? Didn't I already eat 4 green beans last week? Ummmmm..... How about a ham and cheese sandwich melted in the microwave?"

I am all for not preparing separte meals for different family memebers. But tonight I decided this was one battle not worth fighting. He did eat 4 sugar snap peas - not green beans - last week. Add even one carrot a couple days ago.

I was overly happy with the result of our dinner. I made the meatloaves, gravy, and mashed turnips earlier in day and just reheated at dinner time. While the other parts of the meal were reheating, I blasted the olive oil coated green beans in the oven at 425 degrees for 12 - 14 minutes. They were seasoned with salt and pepper and dinner was ready.

A truly comforting meal that doesn't go straight to your waist.

Turkey and Wild Mushroom Mini Meatloaves with Savory Mushroom Gravy

Adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe

6 servings

olive oil
1 large portebello mushroom, chopped
6 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper
1 1/3 pounds ground turkey, the average weight of 1 package
2 tablespoons A-1 Steak Sauce
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons butter
3 large button mushrooms, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup low fat milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of oil. Add chopped mushrooms and onions. Saute for 5 or 6 minutes until dark and tender. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Stir in thyme and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set pan aside.

Add turkey to the mushroom mixture. Add A-1 sauce, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix ingredients together. Divide meat loaf mixture into 6 equal parts and form 6 equal oval meatloaves. Heat the saute pan or a grill pan and coat with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and arrange meatloaves in the pan. Sear each side of the meatloaves for about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a baking sheet and finish baking in oven for about 13 - 15 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Return pan to heat and add butter and mushrooms. Saute for about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in stock and milk and season gravy with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer gravy until it reaches desired thickness, and pour over patties, reserving a little to pass at the table.

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Dinner #11 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas -- Mongolian Sirloin Steak

Sunday night dinner in some houses is a day long affair. From the shopping to the chopping to the cooking to the eating, Sunday dinner is an event and not just a meal. Once in a while I spend the day cooking for Sunday dinner. It is not that frequent in my kitchen because I usually find another activity like today's chore of finally putting away the last of the Christmas decorations. They actually only made it to my basement which now looks like a bomb went off at the Christmas Tree Shop. Out of sight out of mind. I'll save the organization for another day.

My February issue of Cuisine at Home arrived in my mailbox a week ago, and I bookmarked a stir fry recipe. I made a few changes and we dined on Mongolian Sirloin Steak tonight. This stir fry with thinly sliced sirloin steak, red peppers and edamame, includes extra sauce so diners can add more to their portion if they so desire. Just look how much the recipe made.
Make sure you use a large saute pan for cooking the beef and vegetables. This recipe makes enough for 6 servings plus some for tomorrow's lunch.


We ate in shifts tonight. Mongolian Sirloin Steak is a perfect dish to make ahead and let your family dish up their dinner on their own. I enjoyed it so much that I'm thinking about raiding the refrigerator now to have a little more. No. I'm going to have a couple servings of the rice pudding I made this afternoon. YUM!

Mongolian Sirloin Steak

serves about 6

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, cooked and kept warm
1 cup hoisin sauce
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 small can (6 ounces) pineapple juice
1/3 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger root, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds top sirloin, trimmed and sliced thin
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
dash of red pepper flakes
3 cups red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
3 scallions, large slice
sesame seeds

Combine hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, pineapple juice, honey, garlic, ginger, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to about half, about 20 - 30 minutes.

Toss sirloin with brown sugar, canola oil, and pepper flakes. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and brown beef for about 2 - 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and edamame, cover pan and cook for and additional 3 - 4 minutes. Add scallions and about 1/3 cup of the hoisin mixture. Toss to cook.

Serve with rice, additional hoisin mixture on the side, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

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Dinner #10 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas -- Rotini and Sauteed Chicken with Tomato Wine Sauce

My goal of posting 12 dinners for the busy Christmas season has taken me a little longer than I anticipated. I guess I was busier than I thought. Or maybe I just spent more time joining in all the holiday festivities and actually interacting with people instead of posting to my blog. Either way, I'll finish up the last few dinners this week -- hopefully.

In the winter, comfort food is what comes to mind when I think of what I would like for dinner. Soups, chowders, pastas, and stews are all options and satisfy a hungry family on a cold night.

"What's for dinner?" asked My Middle One.

"Pasta and chicken," I replied because I did not have a name yet for last night's dinner. Even with the less than descriptive name, she gave an enthusiastic "YUM! I love pasta!!" I wonder what kind of reaction she would have given if I told her we were having Rotini with Sauteed Chicken with Tomato Wine Sauce. No doubt she would prefer just pasta and chicken.

This simple, soul-satisfying dish is just what we needed on a cold night filled with freezing rain and snow. And No Thank You Boy ate 4 green beans without dying. Alert the media.

Rotini with Sauteed Chicken with Tomato Wine Sauce

serves 4 - 5

12 ounces of rotini, penne is also a good choice
2 cups green beans, cut in 2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
salt
pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, divided
1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, large dice, can sub 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
crumbled goat cheese or grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, but during the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the green beans. Drain and return to pot covered with a lid.

Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt, pepper, and about a 1/4 teaspoon of the dried oregano and dried basil. Saute in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until no longer pink, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add to pasta.

Add onion to saute pan and cook for 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook for an additional minute. Add wine, chicken stock, and remaining dried oregano and basil. Bring just to a boil and stir in butter. Pour sauce immediately over pasta and chicken mixture and toss.

To serve, spoon into serving dishes and sprinkle with goat cheese or Parmesan cheese.

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Dinner # 9 of the 12 Dinners of Christmas -- Maple Glazed Salmon with Roasted Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes

Have you ever bought something at the grocery store and end up throwing it out because it gets moldy and/or spoiled and/or slimy before you a chance to prepare it? I bought 5 pounds of sweet potatoes to make sometime the week before Christmas and ran out of time to prepare them before leaving on vacation for 9 days. Luckily potatoes last and last and last.

I picked up a side of salmon at Costco and decided to make a dish for dinner using half of my Christmas sweet potato stash. Maple Glazed Salmon with Roasted Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes appealed to both The Kids and The Parents. The Husband and I liked the combination of salmon and roasted sweet potatoes; it is a restaurant-quality union. Upon waking the morning after our salmon/sweet potato dinner, The Husband proclaimed, "I really, really, really liked last night's dinner." I guess he was dreaming about it. The Kids loved the maple glazed salmon and sweet potatoes with a touch of Asian flavor from the hoisin and soy sauces in the glaze.

Maple Glazed Salmon with Roasted Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes

I'll be adding Maple Glazed Salmon and Roasted Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes to the "Make Again" list. Any leftovers reheat nicely in the microwave on 70% power for about 1 - 2 minutes. If you have any leftovers that is.

Maple Glazed Salmon with Roasted Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes

serves 6

1 tablespoon butter
about 2 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/2" slices
olive oil
salt
pepper

3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
juice of 1/4 of a lemon

3 tablespoons brown sugar

6 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter a large baking dish and add sweet potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, sprinkle the potatoes with brown sugar and continue baking for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine maple syrup, apple juice, mustard, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Place salmon in a resealable bag and add half of the maple syrup mixture. Set other half of mixture aside. Allow salmon to marinate while the sweet potatoes bake.

After the sweet potatoes bake for 40 minutes, remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove salmon from marinade and place on top of sweet potatoes. Discard marinade. Pour the other half of the maple syrup mixture on top of salmon and return to oven. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the salmon is just cooked through.

Remove from oven and serve.