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Sunday, May 29, 2022

Grilled Top Sirloin with Blistered Green Beans, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Farro

Juicy top sirloin, grilled to perfection and served with blistered green beans, tomatoes, earthy mushrooms all on top of a bed of nutty farro.  It's the perfect low carb summer meal!





Grilled Top Sirloin with Blistered Green Beans, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Farro


This dish was inspired by my Tomato and Farro Salad.  I love the earthiness of farro and wanted to incorporate it in a hot side dish.  Adding seasonal green beans and grape tomatoes brought it up a notch, and then I decided to add earthy baby bella mushrooms.  Heaven!  Since mushrooms pair so well with steak I decided to go with a lean top sirloin cut that is also easy to grill on a weeknight.  A fabulous dinner was born.

The farro vegetable side dish was the perfect accompaniment to the tender and juicy sirloin steak.  Easy enough to make on a weeknight; beautiful enough to serve on the weekend for company.  This will be your new go to meal this summer!

Enjoy!




What Ingredients do I need?

  • top sirloin steak
  • pearled farro
  • sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • green beans
  • grape tomatoes
  • garlic
  • red wine vinegar
  • Montreal steak seasoning


Substitutions and Variations

  • Use whatever steak seasoning you enjoy, or just salt & pepper
  • Use frozen green beans in place of fresh
  • Don't like mushrooms, leave them out!
  • Use cherry tomatoes or chopped roma tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes
  • Use a different combination of vegetables - try zucchini, tomatoes, and yellow squash, bell pepper, onions, and zucchini.
  • Add some herbs to the farro mixture such as chopped basil or oregano



Kitchen Tips and Notes

  • Make sure to start the farro first, as it takes the longest to cook.
  • Make the veggies while the steak is resting.



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Grilled Top Sirloin with Blistered Green Beans, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Farro


serves 4


1 1/2 lb top sirloin steak
Montreal steak seasoning
1 cup pearled farro
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 pint sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz fresh green beans, end trimmed and cut in to 2" segments
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt & pepper


Preheat an indoor grill pan, or an outdoor grill to medium high.  Pat steak with a paper towel and then sprinkle on the Montreal steak seasoning on both sides, patting in to the steak like a rub.  

Add farro to a medium saucepan and add water until it is 2 inches above the farro.  Turn on burner and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Oil the grill grate, or indoor grill pan.  Place steak on the grill and allow to sear on the first side 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 5 to 7 minutes for medium (internal temperature 140 degrees F).  Remove from grill and allow to rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile add 1 tablespoon of butter to a large skillet over medium high heat.  Allow to melt and then add the mushrooms.  Cook until wilted 3-4 minutes (do not salt) then add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the green beans and tomatoes.  Allow to cook 4 minutes without stirring.  When vegetables are blistered on one side add in the chopped garlic, stir and allow to cook another 3-4 minutes without stirring.  Tomatoes should begin to wilt and pop, and green beans should be blistered in places.

Add vegetables to the bowl with the farro.  Stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with red wine vinegar and stir to combine.

Cut steak in to slices cutting across the grain.  Place sliced steak down the middle of a large platter and add the faro mixture around the steak.  Drizzle steak and farro with a little more red wine vinegar and serve immediately.














Saturday, May 21, 2022

Easy Buttermilk Biscuits

These Easy Buttermilk Biscuits are delectably soft, flakey, and buttery.  They are so simple to make you'll wonder why you hadn't made them before!



Easy Buttermilk Biscuits


Confession:  I'm a biscuit lover.  Always have been, always will be.  These are the Southern quintessential staple for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This recipe is so easy to make.  Virtually one bowl and a quick simple dough is made which turns in to the most heavenly, soft biscuits you will have ever had.  Now these biscuits are heavy on the butter, and will taste that way as well. Which, quite frankly, are a wonderful indulgence on occasion!  If you are watching your calories, these are not for you but you might enjoy some of my other biscuit recipes listed below.

Serve these up with butter and jelly for breakfast.  Serve alongside as a hot roll with dinner, or make a wonderful ham sandwich with them for lunch.  Anyway you slice them they are heavenly!





What Ingredients do I need?

  • self rising flour - White Lily, King Arthur, and Gold Medal are all good brands
  • baking powder - even though we are using self rising flour we are still adding baking powder
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • unsalted butter - I prefer unsalted butter so you can control the sodium content
  • 1 egg 
  • buttermilk


Substitutions and Variations

  • You can use regular all purpose flour but the rise will not be as high on the biscuits.
  • Use whole milk instead of buttermilk but they will not have the tang buttermilk gives.



Kitchen Tips and Notes

  • No buttermilk?  Make sour milk by adding 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice to the milk
  • No self-rising flour.  Make you own: 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • For tall biscuits, press the biscuit cutter straight down and then back up without rotating the cutter around the biscuit.
  • Cut your butter in to small cubes. It will be easier to cut in to the flour.
  • Use two forks if you don't have a pastry cutter.



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Easy Buttermilk Biscuits


yield: 8 2" biscuits


2 cups self rising flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut in to chunks
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the butter and ust a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of small peas.

Combine egg and buttermilk and add to the flour mixture.  Stir with a spoon until combined and dough holds together when pressed.  Refrigerate the dough while you preheat the over to 400 degrees.

Turn dough out on to a floured board and press it into a round that is 1/2 thick.  Use your hands or a rolling pin.  Using a 2" biscuit cutter, but out biscuits, pressing down and up (don't turn the cutter as this reduces the height of the biscuit). Re-roll any dough scraps and cut out the remainder of the biscuits.

Arrange on a baking sheet.  Bake in the oven 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with butter and/or jelly.













Saturday, May 14, 2022

Tomato and Farro Salad

This healthy farro salad combines a high-fiber whole grain, sweet cherry tomatoes, and basil for an easy side dish.



Tomato and Farro Salad 


Spring and summer are for light and fresh dishes.  I love adding different whole grains to my salads and today we are talking farro.  Farro is an ancient grain with a nutty flavor.  You want to buy a pearled variety unless you have the time to cook the whole grain.  It has a wonderful chew and is perfect as a cold salad side dish or as a warm side dish in place of rice.

Today we are making a cold salad side dish and adding fresh cherry tomatoes and basil to the mix and then we are topping it off with some white wine vinegar for a spark of flavor.  Perfect for summer grilling season, picnics, or potlucks.   Bursting with flavor, this salad is a winner.

Enjoy!





What Ingredients do I need?

  • farro - for quick cooking choose a pearled variety
  • cherry tomatoes - I chose multi-colored tomatoes for more of a color pop
  • white wine vinegar
  • fresh basil


Substitutions and Variations

  • Add different herbs - mint or dill would be great
  • Add more vegetables - zucchini, cucumber, or yellow squash
  • Add some feta cheese
  • Serve warm with tomatoes and mushrooms, or green beans, onions, and tomatoes




Kitchen Tips and Notes

  • This is a very good farro.
  • This salad can be served cold or at room temperature.  
  • To cool salad faster rinse cooked farro in cold water, or plan to allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.


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Tomato and Farro Salad 


1 cup farro
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Place farro in a medium saucepan; add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes to the bowl along with the basil. Add salt and pepper.  Drizzle with the vinegar and stir to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.











Saturday, May 7, 2022

Raspberry Moscato Punch

An easy to make wine punch that combines sinfully delicious Moscato wine, tart raspberry lemonade, and fizzy sparkling water to create a celebratory drink for all occasions!




Raspberry Moscato Punch


With springtime upon I find that we are doing more brunches, outdoor get togethers and celebratory everts.  Light drinks are the perfect accompaniment to spring occasions, and my Raspbery Moscato Punch is simple, yet elegant.  

Made with Moscato wine, which is a sweeter wine with low acidity, convenient store bought raspberry lemonade, and topped off with a lime sparkling water for a little fizz.  Don't forget to garnish your drink with a few berries to make this visually pleasing.   Such a great drink for the spring and summer season, and perfect for holiday such as Easter or Mother's Day.

Enjoy!


Favorite Moscato wines:

Risata Moscato d'Asti
Vietti Moscato d'Asti Cascinetta Vietti
Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato
Stella Rosa Red Apple
Stella Rosa Moscato d'Asti



 


What Ingredients do I need?

  • Moscato wine - either regular or d'Asti
  • raspberry lemonade
  • sparkling water
  • raspberries
  • blueberries


Substitutions and Variations

  • A rose' wine would be nice but a little drier and not as sweet
  • Use strawberry lemonade instead of raspberry lemonade
  • Use a combination of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or kiwis for garnish




Kitchen Tips and Notes

  • Freeze your fruit garnish to keep the drink cold longer
  • Make sure to chill your wine well prior to serving
  • Increase the recipe as need, or make a picture with about 1/3 of the total picture for each ingredient



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Raspberry Moscato Punch


serves 1


1/2 cup of chilled Moscato Wine 
1/2 cup of refrigerated lite raspberry-flavored lemonade
Sparkling water, lime flavored
Garnishes:  Raspberries, Blueberries, Strawberries
In a glass add the wine, and lemonade, and then top with sparkling water.  Garnish with raspberries and blueberries.