• Balsamic Flank Steak

    Recipe from What Molly Made.

    Ingredients:

    • 1.5 lb. flank steak
    • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tsp. onion powder
    • 3 TBSP soy sauce
    • 3 TBSP olive oil
    • 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar plus more as needed
    • Salt and black pepper to taste

    Directions:

    1. Marinate: Add the Dijon, garlic, onion powder, soy sauce, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar together in a large plastic bag or shallow dish. Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper then add the steak to the marinade let it marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
    2. Cook: When you’re ready to grill, brush the grill grates with oil and heat the outdoor grill to high heat (450°F). Remove the flank steak from the marinade and shake off excess, but do not discard marinade. You need to cook down the glaze. Add the flank steak to the hot grill and close the lid. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side for medium-rare steak, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F, which allows for 5-10 degrees of carryover cooking while it rests.
    3. Remove the flank steak to a clean cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.
    4. Balsamic Glaze: While the flank steak is resting, make the balsamic glaze. Add the reserved marinade to a medium saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. This cooks off any bacteria from marinating to make it safe to eat. Make sure it’s a rolling boil of 165°F or higher. Reduce to a simmer and let it thicken into a glaze for 2-3 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Add a splash more balsamic vinegar as needed.
    5. Brush half of the balsamic glaze on top of the steak then cut it thinly against the grain, and then drizzle with remaining balsamic glaze, as desired.

    Balsamic Flank Steak:

  • Creamy Pesto Pasta

    Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb. orecchiette pasta, or pasta of your choice
    • 1 c. basil pesto
    • 1 c. cottage cheese, recommend 2% or 4%
    • 1/2 c. reserved pasta water
    • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
    • For garnish: crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese

    Directions:

    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 c. of the pasta water. Use a colander to drain the pasta. Return to pot or place in a large serving bowl.
    2. In a blender or food processor, combine the pesto, cottage cheese, and 1/2 c. of reserved pasta water. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
    3. Add the creamy pesto sauce to the pasta and stir until pasta is well coated. Can use additional reserved pasta water to thin sauce.
    4. Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

    Creamy Pesto Pasta:

  • Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls – Bun

    Ingredients:

    Chicken Marinade:

    • 1 lb. chicken breast
    • 1 TBSP ginger paste
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 TBSP lime juice
    • 2 TBSP fish sauce
    • 1 TBSP soy sauce
    • 2 TBSP brown sugar
    • 1 TBSP vegetable oil

    Fish Sauce/Nuoc Cham:

    • 4 oz. yellow rock sugar
    • 1 c. water
    • 5 cloves of garlic, smashed
    • 3/4 TBSP chili garlic sauce
    • 1/3 c. fish sauce (3 crabs brand)
    • Juice from 1 1/2 juicy limes and pulp

    Quick Pickled Vegetables:

    • 3/4 c. water
    • 1/2 c. carrots, julienned
    • 1/2 c. daikon radish, julienned
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 TBSP sugar
    • 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar
    • 1/2 c. white vinegar

    Vermicelli Bowls:

    • Rice noodles, cooked
    • 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
    • 1 bunch of mint, chopped
    • Iceberg lettuce, sliced
    • 2 Persian/small cucumbers, diced
    • Quick pickled vegetables
    • Grilled chicken
    • Roasted peanuts, chopped
    • Jalapenos, sliced
    • Nuoc Cham

    Directions:

    1. Marinate Chicken: In a Ziploc bag and chicken through vegetable oil. Place in refrigerator for 1 – 24 hours. When ready, remove chicken from marinade and grill or cook as desired.
    2. Nuoc Cham: Heat rock sugar and water in a medium to low heat until sugar is melted. In a small blender/food processor, add the lime juice, half of the sugar water, garlic, and chili garlic sauce and blend/blitz until desired texture (longer for smooth, less time for chunky). In a jar with lid, add the sauce along with the remaining sugar water and fish sauce. Set aside.
    3. Quick Pickled Vegetables: Add veggies and both vinegars to a jar with a lid. In a small saucepan add water, salt, and sugar and heat on medium low heat until salt and sugar melts; stir and then add to jar with veggies and let cool.
    4. Vermicelli Bowls Assembly: To your individual serving bowls, add desired rice noodles, cilantro, mint, lettuce, cucumbers, pickled vegetables, grilled chicken, peanuts, jalapeno slices, and nuoc cham.

    Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls – Bun:

  • Chai Spiced Granola

    Adapted from Minimalist Baker.

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 c. peanut butter
    • 1/4 c. maple syrup
    • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
    • 5 tsp. ground cinnamon
    • 2-3 tsp. ground ginger
    • 1 tsp. ground cardamom
    • 1 ½ c. rolled oats
    • 1/2 c. pecans, roughly chopped
    • 3/4 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
    • 1/4 c.  pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a standard-size baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom and whisk until smooth. Add the oats, walnuts or pecans, coconut, and pumpkin seeds. Mix well until evenly coated.
    3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, watching carefully toward the end as to not let it burn. You’ll know it’s done when the granola is fragrant and darkened in color.
    4. NOTE: If you don’t toss the granola while baking, it will stay extra chunky, but if you want a more crumbly granola, toss/stir a bit at the halfway point to break up the clumps.
    5. Once the granola is visibly browned, remove from the oven and toss gently to let the heat escape. Cool completely on the baking sheet or in a heat-safe bowl.
    6. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Chai Spiced Granola:

  • Jalapeno Lime Cranberry Sauce

    Ingredients:

    • 12 oz. fresh cranberries
    • 1 c. sugar
    • 1 c. water
    • 2 jalapenos, chopped (seeds optional)
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 2 limes, zested and juiced, to taste

    Directions:

    1. Add cranberries through salt to a saucepan, and bring to a boil; then lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
    2. After 10 minutes, remove from heat and stir in desired lime zest and lime juice.
    3. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

    Spicy Cranberry Sauce:

  • Ranch Burgers

    Adapted from Plain Chicken

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb. ground beef
    • 2 TBSP ranch seasoning mix
    • 1 TBSP Worcester sauce
    • 4 tsp. Dale’s steak seasoning
    • 1/2 c. French’s French Fried Onions, crushed
    • Cheese, optional
    • Buns, tomatoes, marinated onions, and mayonnaise or chipotle aioli

    Directions:

    1. Mix beef through crushed onions and form into 4 patties.
    2. Grill or cook in cast iron pan until desired doneness. Add cheese if desired.
    3. Place a burger on a bun, add tomatoes, marinated onions, and mayonnaise.

    Ranch Burgers:

  • Tunacado Sandwich

    Adapted from Diane Morrisey. Chipotle aioli can be stored in refrigerator for quite some time. Great on burgers, turkey sandwiches, and fish tacos.

    Ingredients:

    Tuna Salad:

    • 1 can of Albacore tuna, drained, rinsed and smashed with a fork
    • 1/2 ripe avocado, diced, optional
    • 1-2 TBSP Kewpie mayonnaise or mayo of choice
    • 2 TBSP diced red onion
    • 2 TBSP diced celery
    • 2 TBSP fresh dill, chopped
    • 1 1/2 tsp. chili crisp
    • Juice of 1/2 lemon
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • Bread
    • Prepared pesto
    • Sliced tomatoes
    • Sliced avocado
    • Chipotle aioli, below

    Chipotle Aioli (optional halved):

    • 3/4 c. (heaping 1/3 c.) mayonnaise
    • 1/4 c. (2 TBSP) sour cream
    • 1 (1/2) chipotle pepper in adobo
    • 2 TBSP (1 TBSP) chipotle adobo sauce
    • Zest and juice of 1 (1/2) lime
    • 1 TBSP (1 1/2 tsp.) honey
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1/2 (1/4 tsp.) tsp. pepper
    • 1/2 (1/4 tsp.) tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1/2 (1/4 tsp.) tsp. chili powder

    Directions:

    1. Aioli: Put all ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to use.
    2. Tuna salad: Combine tuna through salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
    3. Tunacado assembly: Toast bread, on both slices of the bread spread a layer of pesto, add tuna salad to one slice of bread and top with tomatoes, avocados, and chipotle aioli.

    Tunacado:



  • Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

    Recipe adapted from Caroline Chambers’ What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking,

    Ingredients:

    • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
    • 12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
    • 1 c. brown sugar
    • 1/3 c. granulated sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 1 TBSP vanilla extract
    • 2 c. flour
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
    • 1 1/2 tsp. flaky salt
    • Vanilla ice cream for serving

    Directions:

    1. Melt butter in a 10-12 inch oven proof skillet over medium low heat, swirling butter often, until the butter foams, then cook until the milk solids drop to the bottom and begin to brown, 5-8 minutes total. If butter starts to bubble and spit, reduce heat. Remove skillet from heat and allow butter to cool for 30 or so minutes.
    2. Once the butter cools, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the skillet and stir to combine. Stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
    3. Pile the flour, baking soda, and salt on top of the butter mixture. Use your fingers to sift the baking soda into the flour, then stir it into the butter mixture (it will seem like too much flour, but keep stirring until combined).
    4. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using your hands, press the dough to the edges of the skillet and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with flaky salt.
    5. Allow dough to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate before baking, if you can.
    6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325F, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the cookie is light golden but still very soft looking in the center. A 12 inch skillet will need less time while a 10 inch skillet will need more time.
    7. Top with ice cream and eat immediately or let cookie cool for about 20 minutes and scoop into bowls or slice into pieces.

    Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie:

  • Sesame Chile Fried Egg Rice Bowls

    Adapted rom Caroline Chambers’ What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 c. sushi rice, rinsed
    • 1 1/2 c – 2 c. water (I like 2 c.)
    • Kosher salt
    • 2 big handfuls of spinach
    • 2 TBSP + 1 tsp. sesame oil
    • 1/2 – 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
    • 2 tsp. sesame seeds
    • 4 eggs
    • 2 tsp. soy sauce

    Directions:

    1. Rice and Spinach: Combine rice, water, and a pinch of salt in a small pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, 12 – 15 minutes. Take the lid off, and add the spinach on top of the rice and drizzle with 1 tsp. sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Replace lid and steam until ready to eat.
    2. Eggs: Heat the remaining 2 TBSP sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet of medium-low heat. Make 4 egg-size circles in the oil using 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds and 4 slices (or more to taste) of jalapenos in each egg circle; then carefully and slowly crack the eggs directly over the tops of the sesame seeds and jalapeno circles. Seeds and jalapenos slide around a bit. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, then drizzle 1/2 tsp. soy sauce over each egg and cook (may replace cover, if desired) until the whites are cooked through but the yolks are still runny, about 1 minute.
    3. Assembly: Divide the rice into two bowls, top with spinach, top each with 2 fried eggs. Tip: cut up the eggs with a fork and knife to cut up the egg ad mix everything together.

    Sesame Chile Fried Egg Rice Bowls:

  • Charred Corn Salad

    Adapted from Caroline Chambers.

    Salad Ingredients:

    • 4 ears of corn, charred and chopped off cob (or 12 oz. frozen fire roasted corn prepared according to package)
    • Tajin, to taste
    • 1 – 2 red bell peppers, charred and chopped
    • Romaine lettuce
    • 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
    • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • Cooked chicken, sliced, optional
    • Pepitas, to taste
    • 1/2 c. cotija cheese, crumbled

    Verde Dressing Ingredients:

    • 1/2 c. mayonnaise
    • 1/4 c. Red Clay verde hot sauce or verda salsa of choice, more or less to taste

    Directions:

    1. Corn: Char corn and chop off cob or prepare frozen fire roasted corn according to package. While still hot, sprinkle with Tajin, to taste. Set aside to cool.
    2. Red Pepper: Char, seed and chop. Set aside to cool.
    3. Verde Dressing: Combine mayonnaise and hot sauce, taste and adjust seasoning.
    4. Salad: In a large salad serving bowl, fill bowl with lettuce; add the cilantro, beans, cooled corn, cooled red pepper, chicken (if using), pepitas, and cotija. Toss salad and then add the dressing and toss to combine.

    Charred Corn Salad: