Crank Up the Grill

No one wants to heat up the house with cooking even if the air conditioning is at full blast. Here’s a menu geared for outdoor cooking. Hang onto it for those stormy fall and winter days because this meal also works great indoors.

Marinated Grilled Steaks
Baked Potatoes
Caesar Salad
Dry Red Wine – Cabernet Sauvignon

Marinated Grilled Steaks

Photo by franky242

1 small steak of your choice per person
1 sprig fresh basil or ¼ tsp. dried
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or ¼ tsp. dried
2 sprigs fresh parsley or ½ tsp. dried
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 or 2 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
Splash of dry red wine
Olive oil

Keep the steaks to the side for a few minutes. Lay the dry ingredients in a glass or ceramic dish or a plastic bag just large enough to hold the meat comfortably.

Sprinkle in the Worcestershire sauce and red wine. Gently stir. Add the meat.

Pour oil along the side of the dish until it reaches half way up the steaks. Turn meat to coat top and bottom. Set in the refrigerator for 2 – 4 hours. Remove the dish from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.

Heat your outdoor grill to medium. Sprinkle a few drops of Worcestershire sauce on each side of the steak and spread out with your fingers. Grind fresh pepper on one side. Grill for 3 minutes each side for rare, 4 for medium rare, 5 for well done. Turn only once.

Remove the steaks and tent with aluminum foil. Allow to sit on top of a warm stove for about five minutes. This will draw the juices back into the meat and will also cook the steak to perfection.

If you use the oven broiler, follow the same cooking times.

Baked Potatoes
1 baking potato per person
1 bay leaf for each potato
olive oil
Kosher or rock salt
butter
sour Cream
chives

Oven Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Wash the potatoes under cool running water. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub the skins with a small amount of olive oil. Slit across the top large enough and deep enough to fit in a bay leaf. Roll in the salt and wrap in aluminum foil.

Bake for about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick. If the potato is cooked enough the pick will slide in easily.

When done, set the potatoes on a warm stove or inside a 200°F oven until ready to serve.

Serve with butter, sour cream, and chives.

Outdoor Grill
Preheat on medium high. Prepare the potatoes in the same manner as above.

Lay potatoes on bottom grate. Every 15 minutes roll the potatoes to a new side to prevent burning. It will take about 45 minutes to cook through. Test by inserting a toothpick. If the potato is cooked enough the pick will slide in easily.

When done, set the potatoes on the upper rack until ready to serve.

Caesar Salad for Two

Photo by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

1 egg coddled
1 large glove garlic
½ tsp. anchovy paste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
½ tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ tbsp. lemon juice, preferably fresh
2 drops white vinegar or as close to as possible
¼ cup olive oil
Romaine lettuce, 3 leaves per person, washed and dried
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Croutons, optional

Remove egg from refrigerator while assembling all the ingredients on your counter.

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Coddle the egg by cooking it for 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water, crack shell and scoop the runny egg into a small bowl. Break up the solid white pieces and lightly mix. Later, you will add some of this to the salad dressing.

In a large glass or wooden bowl, mash the garlic with a spoon and fork into coarse pieces. Rub the sides of the bowl with the oil that has been released.

Add the anchovy, pepper, and mustard. Mix well. Pour in the lemon juice and vinegar. Mix well. Add in ½ – ¾ of the coddled egg. Mix well. Blend in the olive oil until the dressing is frothy.

Tear the lettuce into bit-size pieces over the salad bowl. Toss, then add ¼ cup or so of Parmesan. Toss again. Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
Add croutons and serve immediately.

For a larger salad, adjust proportionally, but do not exceed two eggs.

Enjoy!

~Sloane

It's Wednesday. So What's Cooking?

Skirt steak on the grill or on the stovetop. Either way this is a dinner you'll certainly enjoy.

This is not the tenderest cut of meat, but it certainly is tasty when prepared the right way. There are two cuts, inside and outside. The inside is the better of the two therefore a little more expensive. Be careful not to confuse skirt steak with flank steak. They are distinctly different cuts of meat from different areas of the cow. Skirt comes from the plate while flank is cut nearer the animal’s rear quarter.

Marinated Skirt Steak
1 – 1½ lb skirt steak
½ cup olive oil maybe a little more
1 lime or ½ lemon squeezed
2 gloves garlic pressed or chopped fine
1 shallot chopped
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a plastic bag. Set the bag in the refrigerator for 1 -3 hours.

Heat a grill pan to medium-high on your stovetop. You’ll know the temperature is right when water droplets sprinkled across the pan sizzle and evaporate instantly.*

Remove steak from the marinade and set on hot pan. Discard marinade. Grill meat 3 minutes per side. Longer cooking will create tough and chewy meat.

Transfer meat to a cutting board and drape with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.

To serve, either slice meat thin on the cross-grain or in larger portions.

*This recipe may also be cooked on an outdoor grill preheated to medium-high. Follow the cooking directions as listed above.

Have a great weekend. I'll be back Monday. Until then...

Happy Eating!

Sloane Taylor

It's Wednesday. So What's Cooking?

Beef Stroganoff over Egg Noodles and Tossed Salad

Now that it’s official winter, our Midwest weather is colder every day. Below is a tasty menu that’s easy and deliciously satisfying. It serves 8 so cut back the amounts accordingly when serving fewer people.

Beef Stroganoff over Egg Noodles
Tossed Salad
Fresh French Bread
Red Wine – Pinot Noir

Beef Stroganoff
1 8oz. carton sour cream – reduced fat works well, too
4 tbsp. tomato paste
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ c. flour
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 pounds good steak like porterhouse, t-bone or sirloin
2 tbsp. olive oil
¾ c. thinly sliced onion
15 ounces beef stock, maybe a bit more to achieve the consistency you prefer
2 c. sliced mushrooms, not too thin
1 pkg. egg noodles

Combine the sour cream, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl, then set aside while you prepare the remainder of the recipe.

Trim off the fat and cut the steak into strips. In a paper or plastic bag, combine flour and pepper, add the steak and gently shake to coat the meat.

Melt butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes. You want the onions soft but not brown. Add the coated beef, turn up the heat to medium-high and sauté beef until browned, turning frequently. This takes 5-7 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock, scraping pan to combine browned bits into the mixture. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in mushrooms, cover and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and by heaping spoonfuls stir in sour cream mixture. If the sauce looks too thick, slowly add a bit more beef stock until you achieve the consistency you prefer. Cook uncovered 1-3 minutes or until hot. Do NOT let the pan come to a boil.

Egg Noodles
Fill a large pot with water and follow the package directions to cook. If the noodles are done before the Stroganoff, drain them in a colander and set the pot or lid on top of the noodles to keep them warm.

REMEMBER: all noodles/pasta can easily be re-warmed by running hot water over them before serving.

To serve, scoop egg noodles into soup/salad bowls. Spoon hearty portions of Stroganoff over the noodles.

Leftovers are excellent. To reheat pour the Stroganoff into a saucepan add a little beef stock to thin it and warm through.

Tossed Salad
Lettuce from 2 different types torn into bite size pieces
Tomatoes sliced
Cucumber peeled and sliced thick
Green onion chopped include some of the green

Any and everything else in the fridge that appeals to you.

Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Your favorite bottled dressing or oil and vinegar work great with this hearty meal. Pour on a small amount of dressing and toss. Or, set a variety of bottled dressings on the table for everyone to help themselves.

I'll be back Monday. Until then...

Bon Appétit!

Sloane Taylor
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It's Wednesday. So, What's Cooking?

Grilled Steaks, Baked Potatoes, and Glazed Carrots.

Our weather has gone nuts in the Midwest with scalding temperatures that has everyone listless. No one wants to heat up the house with cooking, so this month we have a menu geared for outdoor cooking. Hang onto it for those stormy fall and winter days because it also works great indoors.

Glazed Carrots
Baked Potatoes
Grilled Steaks
Dry Red Wine – Cabernet Sauvignon

Baked Potatoes
1 baking potato per person
1 bay leaf for each potato
olive oil
Kosher or rock salt
butter
sour Cream
chives

Outdoor Grill
Preheat on medium high. Prepare the potatoes in the same manner as above.

Lay potatoes on bottom grate. Every 15 minutes roll the potatoes to a new side to prevent burning. It will take about 45 minutes to cook through. Test by inserting a toothpick. If the potato is cooked enough the pick will slide in easily.

When done, set the potatoes on the upper rack until ready to serve.

Oven Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Wash the potatoes under cool running water. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub the skins with a small amount of olive oil. Slit across the top large enough and deep enough to fit in a bay leaf. Roll in the salt and wrap in aluminum foil.

Bake for about 45 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick. If the potato is cooked enough the pick will slide in easily.

When done, set the potatoes on a warm stove or inside a 200°F oven until ready to serve.

Serve with butter, sour cream, and chives.

Glazed Carrots
1lb. cello wrapped pre-cleaned carrots
1 stick butter
chicken stock canned or boxed
2 tbsp. sugar
freshly ground pepper
mint leaves if you like that flavor

In a Teflon type pan melt the butter and add the sugar. Add the carrots and enough chicken stock to come half way up the carrots. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Shake the pan periodically to move the carrots around. Cook uncovered until carrots are fork tender.

If the glaze hasn’t reduced enough, remove the carrots to a serving dish and drape with foil.

Bring the frying pan to a boil and cook until the glaze is reduced. Be careful here because the butter and sugar burn easily. If it does, it’s very bitter.

Add the glaze to the carrots. Grind pepper on top, then sprinkle with a few chopped mint leaves.

This dish freezes well for a future meal. If you freeze, do not add the mint leaves.

Grilled Steaks
1 steak of your choice per person
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce

Heat your outdoor grill to medium. Sprinkle a few drops of Worcestershire sauce on each side of the steak and spread out with your fingers. Grind fresh pepper on one side. Grill for 3 minutes each side for rare, 4 for medium rare, 5 for well done. Turn only once.

Remove the steaks and tent with aluminum foil. Allow to sit on top of a warm stove for about five minutes. This will draw the juices back into the meat and will also cook the steak to perfection.

If you use the oven broiler, follow the same cooking times.

I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...

Happy Eating!

Sloane Taylor

Great Food, Fun Atmosphere

Texas Roadhouse, with its cool western decor and music, has become a large chain restaurant, specializing in steaks. The man who started the popular company is Kent Taylor. The attentive manager told us, Mr. Taylor's goal was to create a restaurant serving top quality meats affordable to families. In our opinion, he more than achieved his goal.

Legally, I can't display an image of this award winning restaurant. Click here for the full effect along with locations and menus.

We've dined twice at Texas Roadhouse with our good friends Janine and Dennis, and support the restaurant's registered motto - Legendary Food, Legendary Service®. Mr. Taylor, along with his team, surpasses most family restaurants with their excellent made-from-scratch-for-each-order food.

I heartily recommend the fried pickles which are battered and deep fried pickle chips served with Ranch or Cajun Horseradish sauce for dipping. It's an unusual appetizer, but well-worth the experience.

The pork chops, rib-eye steaks, and prime rib are beyond belief for quality of meat and superb cooking. Prepared to perfection, the meats are solid and savory.

Our last visit was a disappointment as the service was less than stellar. Three female bartenders stood at the far side of the large horseshoe bar chatting away while a full contingent of customers signaled for refills on their adults beverages. The "Excuse me" and/or polite gestures did nothing to break up the ladies' important conversation or their laughter.

The kitchen runner brought out the food with no clue who got what and the order taker did not interrupt her chick chat to help him. After it was squared away, there we sat, yummy food waiting to tease our taste buds and not an eating utensil or napkin in sight.

I couldn't stand it any longer and finally waved until our bartender bothered to look in our direction. She acted surprised we'd want another drink or a fork to eat the now cold food.

Studs and I intend to go back to Texas Roadhouse in Dyer, Indiana, but we need a little time to forget this last experience.

I'll be back tomorrow with a Tuesday Teaser. Until then...

Happy Eating!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey...Hotter than Hell
www.sloanetaylor.com