Grilled Flank Steak with House Marinade

Please any beef lover with this Grilled Flank Steak in our House Marinade!


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We can't get through summer without a good grilled steak and some wonderful sides.  Beef is my choice of meat when grilling but MGG really likes to keep it light with fish or chicken most often with the occasional beef dish thrown in.  But today is all about the beef!  

My favorite cut of beef is a filet mignon for it's tenderness but today we are going to play around with another favorite, the flank steak.  Flank steak is a long flat, tougher cut of meat that sits along the belly of a cow. It has tons of intense beefy flavor and it's the perfect cut for marinating and grilling which increases the tenderness.  The results? A juicy tender cut of meat!  

Eat it thinly sliced and cut against the grain for maximum tenderness.

Two tips for grilling flank steak:

• Best when cooked to medium rare or medium.  If you cook this any longer the meat will not be as tender.
• Tough fibers all run in a single direction so it is imperative that you cut "across the grain" to ensure you get tender slices of beef. This allows you to sever those fibers and  makes the meat easier to chew.

About Marinating

Flanks steaks take well to marinades and they can help to tenderize the meat. We have a standard marinade for most of our beef recipes that we call our "house marinade".  It is made up of delicious ingredients such as balsamic vinegar,  mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lots of garlic and herbs.  Yum!  This flavor bomb enhances the meat and gives you one heck of a tasty piece of steak!  Try it on other cuts of steaks too.

I find that the easiest way to marinade any piece of meat is to mix the marinade and put it in a ziploc bag along with the meat.  Seal it tight and slosh that marinade all over the meat making sure it's all coated.  Then pop it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours turning it over every so often so coat all sides with the deliciousness.  

How to cook flank steak

High heat and quick cooking is the best way to cook flank steak.  It can be grilled, seared, braised or stuffed.  Today we are going to grill it.  You can use an outdoor grill or inside on a grill pan.  It cooks fairly quickly and you don't want to cook this above medium or it will become tough.  Medium rare is best.  

What side dishes go with it?

Just about anything from potatoes to corn go with steak.  Here are some of my favorites:

Indian Summer Fresh Corn Salad

Orzo Black Bean Salad

Fresh Sweet Corn with Lime Butter

Cajun Roasted Potatoes

Grilled Greek Potato Salad

Dill Garden Salad

Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing over a Garden Salad with Avocado

More flank steak? 

Grilled Cuban Flank Steak

Jack Daniel's Whiskey Marinated FlankMo Steak

Cilantro Lime Flank Steak with an Avocado Poblano Salsa

Herb Rubbed Flank Steak

Balsamic Flank Steak Salad with Parmesan

Grilled Flank Steak with House Marinade

2-3 pound flank steak
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 T Dijon mustard
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup olive oil

Place the flank steak in a ziploc bag.  Mix the remainder of the ingredients in a measuring cup and mix well to blend.  Pour over the flank steak and seal the bag.  Rotate the bag so that the marinade covers all sides of the meat.  Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 3-4 hours turning over every so often.  Remove the bag from the refrigerator and set it on the counter allowing the meat to come to room temperature for about 1 hour.

Preheat an outdoor grill with cover down to high heat.  Alternatively, you can preheat an indoor grill pan over high heat.  Once heated reduce temperature to medium high. Oil the grill grates so the meat does not stick.  Remove steak from the marinade and place on the grill.  Cook on the first side for 6 minutes.  Turn and cook on the second side until the temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium rare.  Remove from the grill and tent with foil allowing to rest for 5 minutes.

Cut meat across the grain into thin strips.  Serve.

Island Mango Slaw

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I hope everyone has been doing well.  I've been missing in action for a couple of weeks as we just returned from a trip to Hawaii last night.

I'm a beach girl at heart and going on vacation anywhere tropical is my thing!  We had an excellent, adventure filled vacation over the past several weeks and I have to tell you we ate like kings.  We delved into the Polynesian flavors and ate everything from fish, sushi, tropical fruits and juices, to desserts!

Today we are missing those flavors and truth be told we are suffering from a little bit of jet lag.  Our food today needs to be easy and simple to put together, but we still want to taste those tropical flavors.  So some Hawaiian grilled chicken is in order along with a side dish that has tropical flair.

ISLAND MANGO SLAW

The cooling effects of mango and Greek yogurt meets spicy jalapeno in this island take on a slaw.  This is the perfect side dish to make this summer.  Summer's not over by a long shot.  We still have several months of warm weather to bear and this dish will be on the menu throughout the remainder.  It's perfect along grilled dishes such as chicken or fish.  We also like to serve it with sandwiches.  In fact I've also used this as a component in flatbread turkey sandwiches, so look for that recipe soon!

So go grab some ripe mangoes at the store and make this slaw right away.  Your taste buds will be singing with flavors of the tropics! 

Enjoy!

Island Mango Slaw

serves 6

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1/2 medium head Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced into strips (about 8 cups) 

1/2 small head red cabbage, thinly sliced into strips (about 6 cups) 

2 medium carrots, cut into julienne strips 

1 small sweet yellow pepper, cut into thin strips 

1 small sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips 

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced 

1/2 medium mango, peeled, cut into thin strips 

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped 

Dressing: 

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 

1/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate 

4 teaspoons lime juice 

1/2 teaspoon olive oil 

1/2 medium mango, peeled and coarsely chopped 

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients, from the cabbage to the jalapeno.  Add the dressing ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Toss dressing with slaw and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Creamy Coconut Fruit Dip

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Boy do I have something tasty for you today!

With an abundance of summer fruits we tend to eat more than our fair share.  I can say without a doubt that MGG could eat a whole personal watermelon by himself in one sitting!  That being said I am buying fruit by the bushels weekly to keep up with his insatiable appetite.

In addition to being good for you fruit is a great item to serve when entertaining.  We always set out a huge fruit bowl or platter at our parties or even for casual dinners with friends.  Over the 4th of July holiday we did just that.  I made a large platter of fruit and served it with a creamy 3-ingredient fruit dip that was to die for!  

Creamy Coconut Fruit Dip

With only 3 ingredients you can have a delicious creamy coconuty fruit dip that pairs with any fruit!  What better way to enjoy fruit than to dip it in something cool and creamy.  This dip brings a little taste of the tropics to your table and makes the fruit really fun to eat.  Just watch this dip disappear! 

All you need to make this dip are a few staples such as cream cheese and cool whip.  Then add in some cream of coconut (from the alcohol aisle, not coconut milk) and you are good to go.  This dip whips up literally in minutes.  It will last for a good week in the refrigerator so it is a good make ahead item as well.

This summer I've been keeping a serving tray filled with cut fruit in the refrigerator at all times.  I usually pick 1 or two melons, grapes, cherries, pineapple, and berries to have on hand for quick snacking.  The tray allows anyone in the family to grab a snack that's healthy instead of reaching for chips or other "not so healthy snacks"!  It's worked like a charm all summer long.  I bring this same tray out for casual dinner parties as well and we just use it like we would an appetizer platter.

Enjoy all your summer parties, get together, as well as family dinners with some fresh cut fruit and a Creamy Coconut Fruit Dip!







Creamy Coconut Fruit Dip
Yield 1 cup : 10 servings

1/2 (8oz) pkg Neufchatel cheese
1 cup cream of coconut from a 15 oz can found in the alcohol section (used to make pina coladas)
1/2 (8oz) tub Cool Whip

In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese with the cream of coconut until all lumps are gone.

Add the whipped topping and mix again.

Serve with fruit or graham crackers. Keep refrigerated.

adapted from: Dessert Now Dinner Later

Dill Garden Salad

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Summer is on a roll here and we're spending long hot days by the pool.  The last thing I want to do is cook elaborate meals during the summer.  Who wants to sit in a hot kitchen cooking up a main dish along with side dishes, and a dessert?  Not me!

During the summer months I change my cooking style completely so that I have more time to spend playing and relaxing with family and friends.  Quick meals that are super simple to prepare and that are minimally processed are the way we roll around here.  That means a lot of farm to table dishes such as cold salads, sandwiches, rice bowls and stir frys.  Quick, fast, and fresh.  That's my summer motto!

DILL GARDEN SALAD

So often we will just have burgers, or grilled chicken and I make a couple of easy side dishes to go along with them.  Ones we can eat on during the week as well.  This Dill Garden Salad is exactly that.  Simple to throw together and fresh as can be.  Using vibrant tomatoes from my garden, along with crisp cool cucumbers, some sweet peppers, and dousing all this freshness with a dill laced creamy dressing this side dish salad will be on your menu all summer long!

I LOVE anything with dill.  It's one of my favorite herbs and this salad showcases if perfectly.  If you don't like dill then you could substitute it for tarragon if you like, however, dill really brings out the flavors of the tomatoes and the cucumbers.  

So head over to the farmers market and pick up some fresh vegetables to make this salad.  It is so simple to make and it tastes fresh and light.  Just like summer!

Enjoy!

Dill Garden Salad

serves 6

3 cups chopped English cucumbers
1 large tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped

In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, tomato, red pepper and onion. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, garlic powder and pepper until blended. Stir in dill. Spoon dressing over salad; toss to coat.  

Serve at room temperate or refrigerated.  Refrigerate any leftovers for 2 days.

adapted from: Taste of Home

Mojito Chicken Bowls

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It's summer and I'm in vacation mode.

I've been working on 2 major projects since January without a break and I just finished them.  They were like a freight train moving at breakneck speed and they finally ended! Yea!!!  It's time for a little R&R.  I'm ready for vacation and we are planning something tropical and beachy.  I can't wait.

To get us in the island rhythm  I'm cooking up some tropical dishes.  First up is a wonderful chicken bowl with the flavors of mint and lime and rum.  Sound familiar?  I'll take a mojito anytime!  

MOJITO CHICKEN BOWLS

This is a wonderful dish filled with juicy mojito marinated chicken, grilled pineapple and bok choy served over a mint, coconut and pineapple flavored rice.  This dish is hits all the flavor notes of a mojito and the tropics rolled into one.  Top it all off with some slice avocado and we have one heck of a bowl!  Take this dish to eat outside on a balmy evening and you'll feel like your in the tropics.

This dish was just perfect for a pre-vacation meal.  The chicken is grilled to juicy perfection and goes perfectly with the vegetables and pineapple.  What a great combination of food!  It's light yet filling.  Perfect for a summer lunch or dinner.  I'm dreaming of the tropics now...I don't want to wake up yet!

Enjoy!




Mojito Chicken Bowls

serves 2

Marinade:
2 large limes, juiced
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbsp white rum
1 Tbsp honey
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

For the rice:

1 cup basmati rice

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes 

For the Bowl:

4 Pineapple rings
1 head baby bok choy, halved
1 avocado, sliced
coconut flakes (garnish)

In a ziploc bag, combine the lime juice, mint, rum, honey and a pinch of salt. Add the chicken and seal the bag making sure to toss so the marinade covers the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat your grill for medium high heat. 

For the rice, rinse the rice well and cook according the to package directions using the suggested amount of water, and the pineapple juice.  (I cook mine in the Instant Pot).  Once that is complete, stir in the cilantro, mint, and coconut flakes.  Keep warm until serving.

Meanwhile, grill your chicken over medium heat until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.  Add the bok choy and pineapple rings cooking until they have a nice char, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove and cover the chicken with foil and set aside to let it rest 5 minutes. Slice the chicken into thin strips.  Slice the bok choy into long pieces.  

Divide the rice between two bowls and top with avocado, bok choy and pineapple, and a chicken breast.  Sprinkle coconut flakes over the top and serve.

Lighter Strawberry Crisp

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They've been saying that we've had so much rain here in Southern California that the strawberries have taken a hit this year, but I'm here to tell you "nuh uh!, this year's strawberries are super juicy and sweet!"

This leads me to pick up a pound of strawberries each time I go to the store, and I go to the store quite often, so the strawberries are starting to pile up!

Not to worry.  I have the perfect solution for that...

LIGHTER STRAWBERRY CRISP

Oh yes, please!  Let's make a Strawberry Crisp that is bursting with juicy strawberries topped with a light crunchy topping.  It all but screams summer!  This dish is one of my go to desserts.  It will feed a crowd or a family (depending on how much you eat!).  We actually served this at out 4th of July party and it was the first item go.

Fruit is a wonderful item to create dessert from.  I've made this a little healthier by keeping the sugar content down as well as the butter.  It still has that homey, comforting feeling but is a much lighter and lower carb/calorie version.  Desserts don't have to be laden with fats and empty calories to taste good.  Just try this version for yourself and you'll definitely want 2nds or 3rds.  Go ahead...I won't tell!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Crisp

serves 6

6 c (about 1-1/2 pounds) strawberries, hulled and quartered

1 Tbls fresh lemon juice

2 Tbls all-purpose flour

3 Tbls light brown sugar, divided

1/3 c all purpose flour

1/3 c rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

3 Tbls cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Vanilla Ice Cream (optional topping)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Lightly grease an oval baking dish with cooking spray.

Add the strawberries to the bottom of the dish and toss with lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1 Tbls of brown sugar and mix until combined. Add this to the strawberries and mix to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and remaining brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or by rubbing with your fingers until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture over the strawberries. 

Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream if desired. 

adapted from:  https://diethood.com/strawberry-crumble/