In This Menu:

• Warm Spinach Salad
• T-Bone Steaks with Chimichurri
• Blueberry Crumble

To continue our culinary journey this week, I thought we would visit the Pampas of Argentina. Argentina is a place that produces some of the best beef cattle in the world and is renowned for their steaks. The Chimichurri sauce for the steaks is a very common and popular condiment for meat. The sauce really gets its flavor from the parsley. To that end, it is important to use the flat leaf or Italian parsley as it has a much better and more pronounced flavor than the curly parsley. Since I have personally been trying to eat healthier and avoid processed foods, I will try to give those of you also trying to eat better some healthful hints within these blog posts. Fortunately, we have just hired a registered nutritionist to be part of our team and she is assisting me in my effort to eat better as well as passing along good information to you, our customers.

In looking at this menu I realized that the salad, corn, and steak go right along with my plan. No changes. Instead of frying the fries, you could bake them, remove the skin, and mash them with some salt, pepper, and creamy goat cheese; these are wonderful and the goat cheese is very good for you as are the potatoes. As far as the dessert goes, try using unbleached flour instead of all purpose and substituting Stevia (a natural sweetener) and/or honey for the white sugar since fat is not the enemy, processed foods are (at least in my program). Use regular sour cream, not the “light brand”.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. baby spinach
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

PREPARATION

Cut Romas in half vertically and run your paring knife round the seeds inside the tomato. Now remove the seeds and run under cold water to remove any seeds that remain. Peel the onion, cut in quarters, then into thin slices. Cut mozzarella into ¼” cubes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spinach. Stir spinach constantly until it just begins to wilt. Remove spinach from pan, season with salt and pepper, and place in a large salad bowl. Put pan back on stove, turn heat to high and add other tablespoon of oil. When pan is hot, add the tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms to the pan along with a light dusting of salt and pepper. Sauté quickly, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. You don’t want the vegetables to overcook. Pour vegetables over spinach and top with mozzarella. Drizzle vinegar over salad and toss to combine.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1½ tablespoons of salt
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian (sometimes called flat leaf) parsley
• ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For Sweet Potato Fries and Steaks:

• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 2 to 3 cups canola oil

For Steaks:

• 3 T-bone steaks, 1 inch thick or as desired

PREPARATION

For Chimichurri:

Place the vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, jalapeños, and salt in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the parsley and oregano, and pulse until well blended. Keep machine running and slowly drizzle in oil. Remove from food processor, cover tightly and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400° F and prepare the grill (or, alternatively, the steaks can be broiled).

For Fries:

Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, bake in the oven for 20 minutes, and let cool. Neatly cut the potatoes, still with their skins on, into thin sticks. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 350° F and fry the potatoes for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and keep warm. This is the traditional Argentina way of cooking these fries, but I prefer the French two step method that we have discussed before.
(http://www.pricecutteronline.com/blog/?p=1666)

For Steaks:

Lay steaks out on baking sheet and rub each side with a generous amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on the hot grill. Grill the steaks for about 5 minutes per side for medium or to the desired doneness. Top with a liberal dose of the Chimichurri sauce and put some sauce in a bowl for dipping.

For Corn:

Remove husks from corn and rinse in cold water to remove any stringy material left on cob. Take out a one foot length of foil and lay cob on top of it. Brush all sides of corn cob with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll in foil and seal the ends. Place corn on grill or in oven about 5 minutes before steaks go on. Turn corn frequently to avoid burning any side. Corn takes about 15 minutes to completely cook.

INGREDIENTS

For the Streusel:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the Cake:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (¾ stick)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the Streusel:

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the Cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.

In This Menu:

• Greek Salad with Feta Turnover (Spanakopita)
• Souvlaki
• Greek Ice Cream with Peaches

Two weeks ago we journeyed to India in a culinary quest. I had so much fun researching and cooking the Indian food for you that I thought another journey was in order: this time to Greece! For those of you who are intimately familiar with Greek food, you’ll have to excuse me for not being completely authentic. Just so you know, this is not my intention. These recipes are my interpretations and variations of traditional Greek food. The Spanakopita, for instance, is not usually served on a salad but I like it served that way; if you give it a try, I think you might like it too! I think one becomes a better cook by pushing the boundaries of a recipe and coming up with new ways to present a classic dish. I put this version of a Greek salad on my previous restaurant’s menu way back in 2001. In the original recipe, I made the turnover with puff pastry and the filling was different. When considering my options for this week’s meal plan, I wondered why I had never done the turnover with phyllo dough (which is used extensively in Greece). The answer was probably that I didn’t want to do spanakopita, which is the classic Greek hors d’oeuvres made with feta cheese and spinach wrapped in phyllo. My next thought was, “Why not?” So here we are!

Serves 4

For the salad:

• 1 head red leaf lettuce, washed and chopped
• 1 head bib lettuce, washed and chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, halved and sliced into crescent shapes ¼-inch thick
• 4 Roma tomatoes, cut in half. Seeded and sliced into strips ¼-inch thick
• ½ to ¾ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
• ½ cup roasted red peppers, cut into strips
• ½ cup pine nuts, toasted (toast on cookie sheet in oven at 350° for about 6 minutes)

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup olive oil

Place all ingredients (except oil) in a food processor. Turn machine to high and slowly drizzle in oil to make a vinaigrette.

For the spanakopita:

First, let me say that working with phyllo dough can be a bit challenging. If you are not up to it, there are some good frozen spanakopitas on the market. If you want to learn how, then here we go!

For the dough:

• 6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed and covered with a towel
• ½ cup of olive oil in a small bowl and a pastry brush

For the filling:

• ½ cup chopped spinach frozen or fresh, drained off as much water as you can remove
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 oz. feta cheese broken into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Making the dough:

Place one sheet of the phyllo on a large cutting board and being careful not to tear it. Lightly brush with olive oil. Place another sheet on top of the first and brush the second sheet with oil. Repeat process until all 6 sheets are stacked on top of each other with a layer of olive oil on each one. Make sure and brush the last sheet with the oil as well. Mix all of the ingredients for the filling in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the dough in half horizontally, then cut each piece in half again. You should now have 4 long strips of oil treated dough. Place a tablespoon on the bottom of the first phyllo strip. Grab the left bottom corner of the strip and fold over filling to make a triangle. Now fold upwards. Continue folding in triangles until you have used all of the dough. Remember making those paper footballs as a kid? This is the same idea! Repeat with other dough pieces and filling. Bake the spanakopita at 375° until light brown. Remove from oven. Serve warm on top of salad.

Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Divide onto four plates and top each salad with the warm spanakopita.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lemon, grated and juiced
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh or 2 teaspoons dry oregano
• 4 to 6 fresh basil leaves
• 4 to 6 sprigs parsley
• 1 large or 2 small shallots
• 6 cloves
• 1½ teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound strip sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound lamb (chops or leg), boned cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 2 red onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound Smart Chicken thighs, boned cut into 1-inch cubes skewers

PREPARATION

Place first 12 ingredients (everything down to the meat) in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Place the sirloin, lamb, tomatoes, onions, and peppers into a large bowl. Pour all of the marinade (except ½ cup) over the meats and vegetables. Place the chicken in a small bowl and pour half of the remaining marinade (¼ cup) over it. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting. Toss the contents of both bowls to coat evenly. Cover and let marinate for at least 3 hours; overnight is better.

Preheat grill for medium-high heat (400°). Remove chicken from bowl and grill for 3 minutes, turn over and grill for another 3 minutes. The reason the chicken is marinated and cooked separately is that chicken MUST be cooked through to avoid food borne illness. The beef and lamb, on the other hand, are much better cooked medium rare to medium. If you intend to cook all of the meat well done, you can just add the chicken to the other ingredients when marinating.

Remember, eating undercooked chicken can lead to serious illness! Always wash utensils, hands, counters, etc. when handling raw chicken and do not let other foods that will be eaten raw (salads, etc.) touch any area that has been contaminated by raw chicken.

Thread skewers in this order: lamb, tomato, chicken, pepper, beef, onion. Lightly oil grate. Grill over hot coals, basting with the remaining marinade every couple of minutes. Cook 4 to 8 minutes per side depending on desired doneness. Turn skewers frequently for even cooking. Serve on a bed of Greek rice pilaf.

I found this ice cream recipe on the internet and I have to say, it is AWESOME! I came up with the peaches in caramel cream. You are going to like this one!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups of 2% milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup of whipping cream

PREPARATION
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and fully blended. In a saucepan, heat the milk (do not boil). When hot (steaming), add the egg mixture slowly, whisking continuously. Reduce heat to low, and cook until it becomes a smooth custard, stirring to keep from boiling.

Note: Alternatively, use a double boiler.

Remove custard from the heat and set aside to cool. When completely cooled, whip the cream to soft peaks and gently fold into the custard mixture with a spatula. Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to directions. Serve with warm peaches in sauce.

For the peaches:

• 3 large, fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¾ cup heavy cream

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Melt butter and add peaches, sugar, and cloves. Cook stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Add cream, bring to a boil and reduce for 4 minutes until thick, but pourable.

Yield: approximately 1 quart

The Fourth of July is the all American holiday that demands summer food from the field and grill. Every year, millions of us grill ribs and chicken using our best dry rubs and BBQ sauce, always trying to top last year’s feast. Usually, however, the ribs and chicken taste pretty much like they did the year before. Maybe it’s time to think outside the box and jazz up your Fourth of July menu!

This week’s menu features traditional proteins used on the Fourth – brisket and chicken – but the difference is in the seasoning and preparation. We will be using Indian marinades (the country, not American Indians) and relishes to give your standard grilled food a new, zesty taste and flavor. These are my interpretations of these wonderful spices, sauces, and marinades. Though I am not intending to recreate an authentic Indian dish, I think you’re going to love it!

In This Menu:

• Curried Summer Vegetables
• Beef Brisket with Tomato Ginger Sauce
• James’ Tandori Chicken
• Firecracker Parfaits

(Serve 4)

INGREDIENTS

• ½ lb. fresh green beans
• 3 tablespoons red wine
  vinegar

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 Arkansas tomato
• 1 cucumber
• Cilantro sprigs

PREPARATION

Stem green beans and cut into 2-inch pieces. Bring two cups of water to boil and cook green beans in water for about 5 minutes. When done, plunge beans in ice water to stop cooking process and set the color. In a salad bowl, mix vinegar with oil, sugar, salt, and Garam Masala. Whisk until well blended. Cut the peppers into 2-inch, thin pieces. Deseed tomato and cut into 2-inch, thin pieces. Cut cucumber into 2-inch sections, then slice vertically to give you (you guessed it), 2-inch, thin pieces.

Place all vegetables in the dressing and toss to evenly coat vegetables. Chill until ready to serve. Place in the middle of a plate and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

(Serve 4)

INGREDIENTS

• One, 2 lb. beef brisket flat
• 1 jar of Indian Tomato Ginger Sauce
• 8 oz. plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• Juice of two limes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION

Place meat on a cutting board and make 4 or 5 diagonal slits half way into the meat. Turn over and repeat cutting process. Place meat in a baking dish or Pyrex. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour marinade over meat and rub into slits until meat is evenly coated. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, but a minimum of 24 hours.

Cook in a 275° oven, covered for 4 to 5 hours. Remove from pan and place on hot grill turning frequently for 30 minutes or so until the meat has nice grill marks. Serve with Basmati Rice Pilaf. Many versions of this rice are available in our Plus stores.

I have to tell you, I thought this would be good, but I had no idea that this meal would be fabulous! The spicy, tangy flavors of the Indian marinades really comes through with the two meats. The Basmati rice was killer. Hands down the best rice I have had in years. It seems like this rice was made to go with the tangy flavors. It is a PERFECT match!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 chicken leg quarters
• 1 jar Tikka Masala
• Juice of two lemons
• 8 oz. plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION

Place leg quarter on a cutting board and make 4 or 5 diagonal slits half way into the meat. Turn over and repeat cutting process. Place meat in a baking dish or Pyrex. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour marinade over meat and rub into slits until meat is evenly coated. Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours.

Cook over a medium hot fire until chicken is cooked through.

Let your guests choose brisket or chicken or have some of both. Serve with the above mentioned rice.

For dessert, I decided to forgo
Indian food and return back to
the “Red, White, and Blue”.

INGREDIENTS

• Blue Bell Cookies and Cream
  ice cream

• 1 pint raspberries
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 can “Reddi-Whip” whipped
  cream

PREPARATION

In a parfait or wine glass, place one scoop of ice cream in glass, then top with some whipped cream and berries. Repeat process until glass is full. On the top, make a tall mound of the whipped cream and artfully place berries around glass.

When I was thinking about what menu I was going to do for Father’s Day, I thought about simple food that I, and most dads, like. Steak. Shrimp. Simple salad. Cheesecake. Easy, huh? Well, here is the menu that I want to have on Father’s Day (hint, hint). I don’t mind doing the grilling if someone else does the dishes!

In This Menu:

• Wedge Lettuce Salad
• Shrimp Skewers and Rib Eye Steaks with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
• Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

I think I like this salad because it is simple and that it also has a big piece of iceberg lettuce! I know, I know, iceberg is not as healthy as some other lettuces, but this is for Father’s Day! Sometimes we dads just want a big, old, crunchy piece of iceberg. It may not be the healthiest, but it sure is tasty!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head iceberg lettuce cut into 4, wedge-shaped pieces
• 2 hard boiled eggs, cut in half vertically
• 1 large, fresh tomato, cut into quarters
• Dressing of choice
• 1 cup sliced black olives
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• ¼ cup fresh chives

PREPARATION

Lay wedge out on plate. Put ½ egg on one side of wedge and 1 tomato quarter on other side. Drizzle dressing over the top of wedge lettuce then top with blue cheese, olives, and chives.

INGREDIENTS

For the Steaks:

• Four, 12 oz. rib eye steaks
• Olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

Drizzle oil on both sides of steaks and rub with garlic, salt, and pepper.

For the Shrimp:

• 16 large shrimp, peeled except for tail and de-veined
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper

Drizzle oil on shrimp and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Skewer 4 shrimp on a bamboo skewer and set aside.

For the Sauce:

• 3 cups dry, red wine
• 1 cup strong beef bouillon
• ½ cup diced onion
• ½ cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced carrot
• 1 bay leaf

2 cups fresh, sliced mushrooms, sautéed in butter.

PREPARATION

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer and place back on heat. Mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Slowly add to boiling sauce until desired thickness is reached. You do not have to add all of the cornstarch mixture. Add cooked mushrooms to sauce.

To Finish:

Grill steak to desired temperature, about 6 minutes per side for medium to medium rare. When steaks are almost done, place shrimp on hot grill. The shrimp will cook in about 2 minutes per side. Serve steaks with shrimp and top steak with mushroom sauce and serve with bicolor corn and your favorite potato.

For the Crust:

• ½ lb. butter-softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ t. salt
• Flour as needed

Mix butter, sugar, and salt in mixer. Add flour until pea-sized balls are formed. Form crust into 10 inch spring form pan two inches up the side.

For the Batter:

• 1 and ½ block cream cheese (this is 1 and ½ lb.) – softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• ½ cup sugar

Mix cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and eggs in mixer until smooth. Pour into crust and bake in low oven at 200° for about 4 hours. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Run a warm knife around sides before removing side of spring form pan.

For the Sauce:

• 2 pints fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Juice of one lemon
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

Place blueberries in a small sauce pan with butter, sugar, and lemon over medium heat and cook until berries begin to burst and release their juice. Turn heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add ½ of the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Add more of the cornstarch mixture as necessary to reach desired thickness. Let cool and serve over cheesecake.