Ground Beef Stroganoff

Thank heavens for Pinterest!

The other day I had thawed a pound of ground sirloin with the intention of making a wonderful spaghetti sauce.  Then I found out that MGG had eaten spaghetti for lunch that day, so here I was with a pound of ground sirloin and no inspiration at all.  My plans were thwarted...and at this point I wanted to make something different than the usual burger, burrito, or taco.

Off to Pinterest I went in search for recipes using ground beef and came across a pin called, One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff from the blog, Taste and Tell.  This looked to be interesting enough to try.  I mean I love Beef Stroganoff that includes steak, but I've never tried it with ground beef. Would it be beefy enough?  

The other plus about this recipe is that it is all made in one pot.  Gotta love that, as clean up is a breeze.  Since this was a first for us I decided to make the recipe but cut it in half for the two of us and save some of the ground sirloin for tostadas another day.  Still, cutting it in half it made plenty of left overs for MGG to take to work the next day.

This was a quick, tasty, and comforting meal.  A perfect weeknight meal.  One that MGG really loved.  Another dinner saved by the fabulous pins on Pinterest!

Enjoy!


Ground Beef Stroganoff

Slightly adapted from:  Taste and Tell

serves 4


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups low sodium beef broth
4 oz farfalle pasta
1/4 cup sour cream
fresh parsley, for serving

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a pot or large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pot into a bowl and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoons of oil in the same pot. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and continue to cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon as it cooks, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Sprinkle the paprika over the top and stir to combine.

Pour in the beef broth and the pasta. Bring to a light boil then cover the pot. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 17-20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the mushrooms and sour cream.

Serve topped with fresh parsley.

A Wonderful Technique: Baked Bacon

Have you tried making your bacon in an oven yet?

So many people have picked up on this technique as it is the perfect way to make bacon for a crowd. Plus who wants to stand over a hot stove trying to dodge splattering bacon grease?  Not I.  Not anymore!

Crispy, smoky bacon it one of life's guilty pleasures.  I love it, MGG loves it...and I'm sure you do to. What ever you call this method, roasted bacon, oven bacon, baked bacon, or oven roasted bacon, this is a hassle free and hands free to cook that wonderful breakfast item.  

I was a skeptic at first but then I tried it.  It's wonderful for big batches, plus there's no flipping!  You could possibly cook 1 pound of bacon at a time using a large pan. Or just use two pans.  How great is that?  You can just lay the bacon on a baking sheet but for crispy bacon I suggest that you place a cooling rack on the sheet to elevate the bacon and this will create the crisp bacon we love.

Simple, easy, crispy, smokey bacon!

Enjoy!





Baked Bacon

serves 2

Ingredients:
6 slices of applewood smoked bacon (or your favorite)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay the bacon on a rack placed on a sheet pan.  Baked for 15 to 20 minutes until the bacon is crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Leftover Redo: Chicken Sloppy Joes

How do you feel about leftovers?  

Some people love them and some people don't care much about them.  I'm kind of in the 2nd category.  There are only some dishes that I like in their "original form" as leftovers, such as spaghetti or pasta dishes, Chinese food, and pizza, oh...and fried chicken.  The rest seem to lose some of their original texture to me. 

Such as a great chicken picatta.  You won't catch me eating it the next day (nope!) because the chicken always seems to get tougher the next day after being cold.  I don't know, maybe it's me...but that's my quirks on leftovers.  The good thing is that MGG will eat anything, leftover or not! Ha!

There are some items that are excellent for leftovers as "single ingredients", such as rice, beans, roasted vegetables, seasoned and cooked ground beef, chicken, or turkey.  And yes, chicken that has been roasted or poached and then shredded or cubed for different uses.   So while I won't eat a chicken pounded and cooked with a pan sauce in it's original form twice I will eat roasted or poached chicken and turn it into a completely different dish! (Weird huh?)

I love, love, love shredded chicken.  Did you know they sell just shredded chicken in the stores now?  Love that in a pinch, but I usually cook extra chicken just for leftovers, or what I consider "different meals" during the week.

Using my leftover shredded chicken today I made some wonderful sandwiches for our lunch. Using pantry items and wanting something comforting and hot I turned this shredded leftover chicken into the best Chicken Sloppy Joes.  Oh man! These were so good.  Of course sloppy joes are usually made with ground beef...but they are just awesome with any type of meat!  See for yourself!  Don't you want to just dig right in?

Saucy, spicy, and simply delicious!

These are simple to put together with pantry items.  I used my Old School Sloppy Joes sauce recipe and substituted the beef for my leftover chicken.  (Winner!) As long as your have fresh buns or sandwich rolls you are set.  You can even use a rotisserie chicken to make these on the fly if you don't have leftovers.  These are definitely something the kids and the whole family will love.

Enjoy!



Chicken Sloppy Joes

serves 4

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 - 1 can (13-15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 hamburger buns or soft kaiser rolls, split (toasted optional)

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft about 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken to skillet and heat through about 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic and stir 30 seconds.  Add salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Stir 3/4 can of tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce into beef mixture in skillet. Taste for flavoring. Add more tomato sauce or Worcestershire sauce to adjust flavor to your liking. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes.

Spoon onto toasted buns, and serve.

Weeknight wonder: Caribbean Pork Stir Fry

A couple of weeks ago we had 3 days of rain straight.  Boy did we ever need it!

I don't think I heard one person complain about the rain because of the dire need of water to ease the drought. Rain is a precious thing in Southern California.  All hail to the rain!

But with rain comes cold weather, dark evenings, and the need for comforting food. All on a weeknight.

My version of a Caribbean Pork Stir Fry will satisfy your comfort food craving along with being a quick weeknight dinner that you can make in 30 minutes or less. Guaranteed!

I had a few pork chops on hand so was ready to go when our hunger started to hit. It was raining outside and we were ready to eat and watch a movie.

This dish takes the flavors of the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, and throws them together in a stir fry.  You get spicy jerk flavored pork along with the depth of bell peppers and onions, and throw in some plum sauce for a little sweetness.  That hot and sweet thing is totally going on here and tastes amazing! 

Lots of compliments were flying, which is always nice to hear. Now you don't need rain or snow to crave comfort food.  This is good anytime!  Make it tonight and see them rave about your cooking.  
Enjoy!




Caribbean Pork Stir Fry

serves 4

3 Tablespoons canola oil, divided

4 1" thick boneless pork loin chops

2 tsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning

1/2 onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin  

1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin  

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin 

1/4 peanuts 

1/2 cup plum sauce

hot cooked rice

Remove all fat from the pork chops and slice into long thin strips.  

Heat 2 Tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add chicken and make sure they are in a single layer.  Sprinkle with jerk seasoning.  Stir meat, cooking until done about 5 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Add the additional 1 Tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the sliced onions and bell peppers.  Stir and allow to cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender.  Add peanuts and stir to roast, about 1 minute.  Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the skillet.  Add the plum sauce and stir to coat all the ingredients.

Serve over hot rice.  Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Citrus Shortbread Bites

Valentine's Day...the day of love!

Memories of being a kid and writing out those little Valentine's cards to pass out to everyone at school, run through my head.  Do you remember those?  I wonder if they still sell those cards...

I also love the little candy hearts with the remembrance sayings on them like "Hug Me"  "Be Mine" and "Love".  We would always get a little box of those and love looking at the sayings.  I've also used those recently to sprinkle on our dining table for a cute tablescape for Valentine's dinner.

I think that the colors of valentines are what really attract me. The reds, pinks, and whites for balloons, heart candies...and I can honestly say that a lot of my valentine's dresses over the years have been one or a combination of these colors.

These colors lead me to today's creation.  Dessert is always big on valentine's Day and I wanted to make something with a little cuteness to it.  Something with red, white, and pink sprinkles to remind me of my childhood.  

I've always loved shortbread and saw a post on Pinterest of some shortbread cut into little "bites".  I immediately thought Valentine's Days with pretty colored sprinkles.  Those would be so cute...and they are!

Aren't these just adorable??  I think they are too cute, and because they are so small you won't feel guilty eating 1 or 7!

Oh, and did I mention that these little bites have a hint of citrus?  They do, so they are lightly flavored with orange.  I used an orange extract, however, you can use orange zest and they will come out perfect!  That orange flavor just brightens these up just a bit and make you go Mmmmnn!

They are just perfect to share with the kids, neighbors, co-workers, or your loved ones.  These are wonderful cookies that are easy to make, and everyone is sure to love.  

Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!





Valentine's Day Citrus Shortbread Bites

makes 110 1/2" cookies


1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp orange extract or 1 tsp orange zest
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp valentine sprinkles (red, white, and pink), divided 

Place a sheet of parchment paper in a 8x8 inch square baking dish, allowing the ends to hang over by about 2 inches.  

In a medium bowl using an stand or hand held electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until well blended.  Add orange extract and mix to combine.  Slowly add the flour and mix until combined.  Fold in 1 Tablespoon of sprinkles.  

Dump the dough in the prepared pan and pat out to fill the entire pan.  Using the back of a measuring cup, press the dough so it smooths out the rough top and fills all the corners.  Add the other 1 Tablespoon of sprinkles on the top and press into dough.  Chill dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake 8 - 12 minutes. They are done when they are set but still soft and very lightly browned.  They will harden when they cool.  Cool for 15 minutes in the pan.  Lift dough out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.   Using a serrated knife cut into 1/2-inch strips down the length.  Then cut 1/2 inch strips the opposite way to make squares.  

Game Day Eats: Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Are you working on your Super bowl menu?  It's almost time for the big game!

We always make a spread which can include dip, chili, pizza, nachos, or loaded fries.  This is what I call pub food.  It's easy to grab and dig in and goes great with beer.  Haha!  Can't forget the libations!

I'm thinking that these Buffalo Chicken Sliders need to be on the menu this year. They are super easy to make and everyone loves them.  It's a riff off of the buffalo wings everyone loves and what's better than baby sandwiches? not much!

Using the slow cooker to make the chicken filling makes this dish easy and hands free!  Chicken breasts cook in a buffalo sauce mixture to create some succulent filing for your sandwiches. Use a good buffalo sauce (bottled) like Frank's Wing Sauce, (Buffalo) or Sweet Baby Ray's Buffalo Wing Sauce. 

The filling can also be used on lettuce cups, nachos, as a salad topping, or on large hamburger buns. 

But for today, we're using slider buns. I like my buns toasted to give it a little crunch, but you can leave them plain if you want.  Top the buffalo chicken filling with a little blue cheese dressing and you have one tasty meal.  Yum! 

I guarantee that everyone will love it!




Buffalo Chicken Sliders


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c Frank's Wing Sauce, Buffalo or Sweet Baby Ray's
12 slider buns, toasted
Blue Cheese Dressing

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.  Cover with the buffalo sauce. Place the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours.  

Remove chicken and shred with two forks.  Return to the slow cooker and stir to cover with the sauce.

Serve on toasted slider buns with blue cheese dressing.  

Bakery Style Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ah chocolate.....!

I've always loved chocolate and over the years my taste has changed to really favor dark chocolate.  The deep bittersweet taste just does it for me.

So what's better than chocolate?  Hot, melted, gooey chocolate!

I have a craving that needs fixing for melted, gooey chocolate.  So I grabbed my muffin pan and created a Bakery Style (big) Dark Chocolate Chip Muffin.  Oh my, these are soooo good!

Bursting with dark chocolate gooeyness, these moist and tender muffins are pure heaven!  Plus, they are big, bakery style muffins, so you really only need one.  Oh, go ahead and eat two if you can't help yourself.  

Perfect for a brunch, snack, or weekend breakfast.  These muffins will having you saying ahhhh!

Enjoy!




Bakery Style Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

serve 6

1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup canola Oil
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a 6 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk egg.  Add the milk, and canola oil to the egg and whisk to combine.  Add your flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in dark chocolate chips.  

Scoop batter into the muffin pan filling almost to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Serve.

Dad's Breakfast Potatoes

As you may or may not know, I'm a lover of breakfast.

I confess, grudgingly, that I tend to lean toward the sweets such as muffins, pancakes, waffles, quick breads, and such. BUT, I do love a hearty savory meal full of eggs, and toast, and potatoes.

Growing up with parents from Oklahoma, where the biscuits and gravy ran deep, we had many a meal of eggs, potatoes, toast or biscuits, and sausage (or bacon)!  Some of my memories of breakfast surround the family time spent together in the kitchen and at the table sharing this wonderful meal.

Today I want to talk about my dad.  Although he wasn't the cook in the family, that was my mom's forte, my dad was no slouch in the kitchen.  He knew he way around a skillet that's for sure!  Some of the dishes I still make today come from my dad, and his cooking 101 lessons he would give me growing up.

Breakfast Potatoes is one of my favorite things he's taught me.  He had this unique way of cutting the potatoes so they looked like half moons.  I always that that was so cool when I was young and loved the shape of them.  They felt special. Little did I know then that it was just small potatoes cut in half and then sliced.  Small enough to make half moon shapes! Oh well, I'll stick with my fantasy thoughts of dad's half moon slices.  I like the sentimental memories it brings.

These potatoes are quite simple to make, and have to be the best breakfast potatoes around!  You can serve them for breakfast lunch or dinner cause they go with everything. Everything is done in a nice cast iron skillet.  Nothing special, just good ingredients, a little patience, and a dish worth savoring!

I hope you enjoy my Dad's Breakfast Potatoes as much as I do.




Dad's Breakfast Potatoes


serves 4

3 Tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, diced
1 lb. red potatoes, cut into 1" pieces - skins left on
salt & pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp parsley

In a large cast iron skillet over medium low add canola oil to heat.  Add the diced onion and potatoes and cook covered for 20-25 minutes, or until tender on the inside but crispy on the outside, stirring occasionally.  

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the paprika and parsley, stirring to coat. Serve.  

Apple Crostata

Boy, do I have a dessert that is going to make you cheat on your diet!  I know, I know, most of us have a resolution that involves eating healthy, me included, but you will want to stray from the healthy bites for just a moment.

For New Year's Eve I made an Apple Crostata from the Ina Garten's cookbook "Barefoot Contessa Parties! and I noticed that I forgot to post it so that you can see for yourself how outstanding this dessert is.  It's heaven!

A crostata is a rustic pie.  It only has a bottom crust.  How easy is that?  Can't you just smell the scent of baked apples with gooey cinnamon?  Oh, it just fills your house with warm homey smells that remind me of my mom's baking.  I just love quick desserts that are easy to make.  This variation of a down home classic is a winner!

What drew me to this recipe was the method.  This is more of a "french crumble" apple pie.  Ina takes all the spices, flour, sugar, and butter and makes a crumb out of it, then just spreads it over the top of the apples.  So being completely different than most apple tarts, and pies, it was calling my name.   

Wow! Was this apple crostata good!  You just have to forgo the dieting and make this right now...I tell you it is worth cheating for.

Now, I did make a few adjustments from Ina's original recipe. Mainly the apples I used, which were Granny Smith.  I also left out the allspice (don't care too much for it) and I added just a touch of boiled apple cider.  This is completely optional, and it just provides you with a little more apple flavor, but you certainly don't have to have it.  Just so you know, you can purchase it here.

Take some time out to enjoy this scrumptious treat.  You can diet next week!



Apple Crostata (Serves 6)

slightly adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties! by Ina Garten,


1 pre-made pie crust
1 1/2 pounds Macintosh, Macoun, or Empire apples (3 large) (I used Granny Smith)
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 Tablespoon boiled cider
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.

For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples into eighths. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest and boiled cider. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.


source: Copyright 2001, Barefoot Contessa Parties! by Ina Garten

Winter Comfort Food: Chicken Noodle Casserole

Winter nights call for comfort food.

And comfort food reminds me of my mom's homemade egg noodles.  We had them every holiday and they really say "comfort".  Even better than this dish was her addition of leftover turkey to the noodles for an all in one comfort food meal.  It was sort of like a chicken pot pie filling without the veggies...noodles, turkey, and a thick chicken broth.  I can just see it, and my mouth is watering!

So I was digging through my mom's recipe box the other day and came across a scribbled recipe on an old card titled "Chicken Noodle Casserole".  I not sure where this came from but I definitely know why she kept it so long.  It's a reminder of our leftover turkey and noodles! A chicken version, and without all the work of making homemade egg noodles.

The memories came flooding back as I read the recipe and I knew this was next on my list of dishes to make.  It's simple to put together using leftover shredded chicken, or you can get a rotisserie chicken to help you out.  Then just buy a wide egg noodle that you like, to compliment the dish.  The rest are creamy ingredients such as sour cream, milk, cheese, butter.  Add a little aromatics and spices and you have one yummy casserole. (Need I say more?)

So I made this and I wasn't disappointed one bit!  It was everything I thought it would be.  Creamy, tasty, hot and comforting.  The noodles combined with the chicken and all the creaminess is a combo you can't beat.  It brought me back, and now we can have that comforting feeling anytime we want!

This is a dish the whole family will love.  Enjoy this on a cold winter night!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

serves 6

2 cups wide egg noodles, uncooked

2 Tbls oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 tsp powdered garlic
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbls flour
1 cup milk
3 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
salt & pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan cook noodles according to package directions. 

Meanwhile, In a medium sauce pan add oil and heat over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until softened.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes.  Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to cook the flour slightly.  Add milk and 2 cups of cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Season with salt & pepper.

Drain your noodles and place them in a bowl.  Add the chicken, sour cream to the noodles noodles.  Add the cheese mixture and stir to combine.  Pour into a 9x13 (sprayed with cooking spray) casserole dish.  Top with 1 cup of cheese. Bake 30 minutes.  Serve.

Date Night Continued: Risotto with Mushrooms and Sage

Yum

Every so often we need to put a little romance in the mix.

I thrive on the energy I get from going out, whether it may be a night out walking around the new 'Village' or trying a new restaurant, or listening to a live band.  I just love it!  MGG, not so much.  He doesn't get that same excitement level I get from a crowd.  

He likes to slow down, relax, and have a nice quiet, romantic evening in a quiet cafe or preferably at home.  This has led me to create some of our date nights, at home.  Setting the mood with candlelight, mood music, and a themed dinner helps create that intimate atmosphere.

Planning the menu if a fun part of the task in creating the event.  This night was a riff on an Italian theme that I deemed a "Night in Rome".  The menu consisted of a succulent Balsamic Steak, this decadent Risotto with Mushrooms and Sage, and some tender vegetables.  Round out the meal with a special wine we bought at a local vineyard, and some crusty bread, and you have one heck of a date night meal!  

Today, let explore the risotto.  I just love risotto.  MGG just loves risotto.  Although the steak was incredible, I will say that the star was the Risotto. Can you say comfort food? (as my Grandma would say, Oh. my. lands!)  It was creamy, earthy, and just so decadent.  We both wanted seconds...okay maybe thirds!

Now I know you are going to say risotto is involved.  It takes time, and yes, it does.  But it is so worth it.  So so worth it!   I was lucky enough to get a wonderful Breville Risotto Plus make for Christmas, which makes making risotto a snap.  So if you can splurge on this risotto/slow cookers (a multi tasking item) I would totally recommend it.  I love mine.  Just so you know, it sautes, is a rice cooker, a risotto maker, and a slow cooker all in one.  Love the double duty items!  So below I have my recipe, using my risotto maker, but I've included steps for making this on the stovetop as well.

The end result?  this was the bomb!  It came out perfect with my risotto make, just like you stood there stirring all evening. And this was the perfect, comforting side dish that made our date night even better!

Enjoy your date night!







Risotto with Mushrooms and Sage

Serves: Yields 8 side dish servings


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium shallots, small diced
8 oz pound fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon ground sage
salt & pepper
½ cup dry white wine
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups Arborio rice
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

In a saute pan, or if you have a saute feature on your slow cooker, cook shallots along with olive oil and butter until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened slightly, about 3-5 minutes. Add sage and season with salt and pepper.

Add rice to toast, stirring frequently another 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook 2-3 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

For the Risotto maker: Switch your setting from Saute to Risotto. Stir in the broth and cover with a lid. Risotto will cook about 20-30 minutes and will automatically switch to the WARM setting when complete. Remove the lid and stir through the cheese. Test for seasonings and serve.

For Stove top directions: Reduce your heat to medium. Use a ladle to add a cup of hot broth to the rice. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over medium heat until broth is almost fully absorbed. Add the remaining stock a ladle at a time, stirring constantly and adding more broth only after the previous addition has been absorbed, until the rice begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 16 to 20 minutes.

The risotto is done when it is creamy and the grains are plump and tender with a slight resistance to the bite. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Date Night: Balsamic Steak

Yum

Sometimes you want to have a little fancy dinner at home.

Like a date night.  Or a holiday celebration.  Or a birthday.

To me, fancy usually includes an indulgence, and really says "beef" to me.

That's what I LOVE...Steak!  I usually favor Filet Mignon, but I also love Flank, New York, and Sirloin steaks.  All cuts are juicy, cook up easily and taste great.  When I want to serve fancy slices of steak instead of a whole piece I usually go for a flank or sirloin steak.  London broil is another option that slices up nicely but is a tougher cut of meat and takes a little more prep and cooking to get it really tender.

MGG and I wanted to have a quiet date night at home.  A little cocktail time followed by a delicious dinner and mood music.  Then on to a great movie.  Everyone needs a little down time after the holidays.  (I know I sure do!)  So, tonight I chose a wonderful sirloin steak which I marinaded with some garlic, fresh cracked multicolored peppercorns, and balsamic vinegar. This marinade is a fabulous way to give the steak a lot of flavor.  A slight Italian themed meal is on the horizon!

There is about a 30 minute marinade time which you can do ahead.  The actual cooking time is about 15 minutes depending on how you like your meat cooked.

Serve this with my Risotto with Mushrooms and Sage (recipe coming up next!) and a vegetable of your choice and you have an elegant dinner at home!

Now this is what I call a fancy "Date Night" dinner at home! Date night was a complete success and will certainly be repeated in the near future.

Enjoy!






Balsamic Steak

serves 2

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 large cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon cracked black or multi-colored peppercorns
½ cup balsamic vinegar, divided
1 - 1 ½ pounds sirloin steak
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine ¼ cup of olive oil, the garlic, cracked peppercorns, and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar in a ziploc bag. Add the steak and seal the bag, turning to coat the steak completely. Marinate on the counter for 30 minutes

Heat a grill pan (or use and outdoor grill) over medium heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and discard. Place the steak on the grill pan and cook 3 minutes, then rotate the steak 90 degrees to create cross hatch grill marks. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Brush the top of the steak generously with the balsamic vinegar then flip the steak. Brush the other side . Turn the steak over and brush the other side generously with balsamic vinegar. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, then rotate the steak 90 degrees. Cook and additional 3-4 minutes for medium temperature. Transfer to a platter and tent loosely with foil for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain in strips. Serve with a little extra balsamic vinegar drizzled if desired.