A Little Skirt Steak!

I am always looking for new and yummy things to do with skirt steak and was happy to find a yummy recipe in the October 2012 edition of Food Network Magazine.  The Almost-Famous Steak Taco Salad is a slimmed down remake of a taco salad from Moe's Southwest Grill which is a franchise primarily found on the East Coast with a few locations West of the Mississippi.  I just realized as I was researching that there is a Moe's location not far from my house! I'll have to check it out!

Almost-Famous Steak Taco Salad:
For the Tortilla Bowls:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 10-12 inch flour tortillas
kosher salt

For the Steak:
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic or garlic flakes - I used fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dried minced onion or onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
3 scallions, finely chopped
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound sirloin steak (about 1 inch think)
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

For the Salad:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup buttermilk - I would HIGHLY suggest using 1/3 cup unless you like runny dressing.
1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
2 romaine lettuce hearts, roughly chopped
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 2/25-ounce cans sliced black olives, drained
2 ounces cheddar or monterey jack cheese, shredded
Fresh salsa, for topping

To make the tortilla bowls, position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450F.  Put 4 empty cans (labels removed) or 4 small oveproof bowls upside down on the baking sheet.  Drape a square of foil over each can and coat with cooking spray.

Fill a shallow bowl with 1/2 inch warm water; whisk in the olive oil.  Soak each tortilla in the water until soft, about 5 seconds, then drape over the prepared cans, pleating as needed.  Bake until golden, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and invert the tortilla bowls onto the baking sheet; remove the cans and foil.  Spray the inside of the tortilla bowls with cooking spray, season with salt and continue baking until crisp, 4 to 5 more minutes; let cool.

Meanwhile, make the steak by whisking the dried garlic, onion and oregano, cumin, chile powder, scallions, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.  Put the steak in a shallow dish and run with 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture (reserve the rest for the dressing). Add the bell pepper and sliced onion and toss.  Add the bell pepper and sliced onion and toss.  cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Heat a large cast-iron skilled over high heat.  Add the steak and scatter the bell pepper and onion around it.  Sear the steak about 5 minutes on each side, then transfer to a cutting board.  Continue cooking the pepper and onion until just tender, about 3 more minutes.  Thinly slice the steak against the grain, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

Wish the mayonnaise, buttermilk and the reserved spice mixture in a large bowl until smooth.  Add cucumber, lettuce, beans and olives and toss.  Divide the salad among the tortilla bowls.  Top with the steak, bell pepper, onion, cheese and salsa.

I didn't make the tortilla shells...even though they sound SUPER yummy!  I have to admit, I was surprised by the lack of taste in the salad dressing since it got the lion's share of the seasoning mix.  I wanted to LOVE this meal, but it was O.K.  Now that I know there are Moe's Southwestern Grill's near my home, I am going to try it out there and see what is missing from this recipe!

Chicken, Peas and Pesto...OH MY!

We visited my husband's sister recently who is gluten-intolerant and I scored an AMAZING recipe from her.  Well, not a recipe as much as an idea.  I've been trying to eat less bread/carbs an increase the amount of veggies I get in my diet.  Because how can you encourage your child to eat their veggies when you aren't serving them!  My sister-in-law threw together a quick meal of leftover chicken, pesto and peas to make a quick salad.  My carb loving gut instinct was to turn my nose up, but I felt obligated because I was her guest. :)  SO GLAD I FELT OBLIGATED!!!!  I've been thinking about that salad for three weeks and decided to finally make it myself.  Only requirement...MAKE OR PURCHASE AWESOME PESTO!!!

Chicken, Peas and Pesto:
1 breast of chicken cooked and cut into bite sized cubes
1/4 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
1 cup frozen peas

Combine everything into a skillet and cook until peas are warmed through on medium heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Salmon Salad with Balsamic Reduction as a dressing

Several months back I took my daughter to the Children's Museum in Pueblo, Colorado.  Pueblo is a pretty small town so you wouldn't imagine they'd have a cool Children's Museum let alone a SWEET cafeteria that serves gourmet meals.  I ordered at a window that reminded me of Mel's Diner from the t.v. show Alice and quite honestly didn't expect much from the salmon salad I ordered.  I was happily surprised when my salad arrived.  It was loaded with lettuce, salmon, tomatoes, carrots and...a balsamic reduction salad dressing that was TO DIE FOR!!!!!  Why don't I come up with idea's like this when I'm cooking?!

The dressing was sharp, but full of HUGE amounts of flavor.  It wasn't think like a buttermilk based dressing or runny like a vinaigrette, it was...PERFECT!  I have made this recipe a couple of times and it really doesn't do justice to the reduction at the Children's Museum.  In the meantime, I'll take it!

Balsamic Reduction:
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed

Pour balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan, and add the crushed garlic; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vinegar has reduced to 1/4 cup. Set aside, and cool to room temperature.

Light but SPICY!

After a week of Mexican food, I opted for something light tonight. When I want something light but with tons of flavor, I turn to Ellie Krieger. That chick know how to stay skinny and still eat food that tastes good. I bought her 'The Food You Crave' book off The Good Cook.com. Bare with me while I plug this web site. I don't remember how I heard about this site, but I scored 3 FREE cookbooks when I signed up and I was only obligated to buy two others at 'club' price. I know...businesses like this are shifty...they mail you books when y0u forget to mail in those silly cards. But The Good Cook allows you to decline online. They also hook you up with 50% off books all the time too. O.K., I'm done plugging...but check it out.

I loved this book so much, I bought one for my mother and mother-in-law for Mother's Day last year. What is the best way to show the mother's in your life that you love them? Give them books that will keep them healthy so they stick around for a long time.

Enough with the book already! Tonight I made Ellie's recipe for Savory Chinese Chicken Salad. This is the BEST and I mean ABSOLUTE BEST asian chicken salad I have ever eaten. The dressing makes the whole thing!

Adapted from Ellie Krieger's

Savory Chinese Chicken Salad:

1/4 cup sliced almonds

For the chicken:

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

For the salad:

1 bag shredded cabbage

1 bag romaine lettuce

3 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced

1-11 oz can mandarin oranges

For the dressing:

1/3 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons chili sauce, such as Sriracha

1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ginger...I didn't have fresh ginger so I used powdered.

Alex and I put the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil in a plastic bag with the chicken and let it marinade for about 10 minutes. Alex grilled it up...it was VERY proud of the grill marks he achieved.While the chicken was cooking up I mixed up the dressing. Throw all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until the brown sugar is completely dissolved. The dressing is runny like a vinaigrette...which is one of the things I love about this dressing...it isn't sticky sweet like some of the dressing you get in restaurants. This recipe meets ALL my needs. Because of the Sriracha it gives a nice KICK of spicy heat to the dish. How many dressing do you know that are spicy?! I love it!Mix up the amount of greens you want in a salad bowl and top with the cooked chopped up chicken, mandarin oranges, scallions and almonds. The last time Alex and I made this recipe we didn't have almonds and substituted cashews...anything you like. The sky is the limit!

I hope you love this recipe as much as Alex and I do!

Good Ol' Days...Southwestern Cobb Salad

I whipped out the first cookbook I ever bought and made one of my favorite recipes. Martha Stewart...yeah, baby! Back before Martha did time and her magazine was still cool, I used to have a monthly subscription to Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Each year Martha came out with an annual cookbook with all the recipes from the magazine for the year. This gem comes from Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes.

Southwestern Cobb Salad:

1/4 freshly squeezed lime juice, plus juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

4 large eggs

8 ounces thickly sliced bacon

1 yellow pepper

1 poblano chile (I used a serrano for more heat)

1 tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted black olives

1 sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ripe but firm Hass avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)

1 fifteen-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 small head romaine, torn in 1-inch pieces

Green Goddess Dressing

Combine 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup oil, the soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and the red-pepper flakes in a small bowl. Place the chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Lift the chicken from the bag allowing the excess marinade to drain off. Place on the grill, and cook until grill marks appear and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Cool the chicken completely, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.

Place the eggs in a saucepan with cold water cover the pan and bring to a boil. (Note the bit about putting the eggs in COLD water and THEN bring to a boil. Alex pointed this out to me when I started out too and I shrugged him off...FYI, put the eggs in cold water and THEN bring to a boil)Remove from the heat. Let sit about 11 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold running water until cooled. Peel and coarsely chop the eggs; set aside.

Instead of cooking the bacon in a frying pan. I stole this idea from Ina Garten. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until the bacon begins to brown. Remove the pan carefully from the oven; there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and serve warm. This method is the ONLY way I am EVER going to cook bacon ever again!

The recipe calls to roast the peppers, which I didn't do...too much effort. I am glad now I didn't roast the peppers. It would have made the salad to mushy in consistency.

In a bowl, combine the yellow pepper, tomato, olives, half the onion. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the poblano (serrano) with the avocados, 1/4 cup cilantro, remaining juice of 2 limes, cayenne pepper (if using), and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Combine the black beans with the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and onion. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

Arrange the romaine on a platter and serve with additional ingredients. Drizzle with dressing.

Green Goddess Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 sour cream ( I used a 1/3 cup of each mayonnaise, sour cream and plain yogurt - it is what I always do to cut back on calories)

2 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)

2 scallions, white and green parts coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon sugar - I would omit this next time

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.

I would love to say that this is is a healthy salad recipe...but you can tell from the bacon, eggs mayo, sour cream...But hello yummy!!! And at least you get your serving of veggies!