Herb Crusted Flank Steak with Wild Mushroom Barley Rissoto and Balsamic Braised Red Cabbage

So, this was pretty freaking awesome, if I do say so myself!! I was very proud of this!! The crust on the steak was nice and crisp, the risotto was creamy and delicious, and the sweet tang of the cabbage offered a really nice contrast to the risotto!! Little Man is always excited about steak, but was equally as excited about the barley once he took a bite!

For the yummy yummy in your tummy steak;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook.

1 1.5 to 2 pound flank steak

juice from 1 lemon

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

pepper

1/3 cup Panko

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons dried parsley

3 tablespoons dried basil

Preheat broiler.

Lay flank steak on a synthetic cutting board. Score the surface on both sides, making very shallow cuts on the diagonal, about an inch apart in an "X" pattern.

In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, mustard, and pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture and place in another small bowl. To the 2 Tbsp mustard, add Panko, Parmesan, oil, parsley, and basil, mixing well. Pour the mustard over the top of the steak. Spoon the Panko mixture over the top, pressing to adhere. Lay on a foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. Broil for 20 minutes. If the topping browns too quickly, lower the rack. The meat should be medium rare (160 to 170 degrees), dark pink in the middle. Be careful not to over cook, the meat will become tough, much like eating an old shoe!

This recipe serves 4-6.

For the Wild Mushroom Barley Ristotto;

This recipe takes about 55 minutes to prep and cook.

2 large shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms (I used Cremini, but you can use any mushroom, or combination of mushrooms you like. Oyster, button, or chanterelle would be wonderful in this, too!)

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 cup barley

2 1/2 cups fat free, low sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon roasted garlic tomato paste

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt

pepper

In a medium saucepan sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat, saute shallot and garlic until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add parsley, thyme and barley and cook stirring, until heated, about a minute. Add 2 cups of the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until it is almost absorbed and barley is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of the stock and tomato paste. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender and creamy, about 10 minutes. If it becomes too dry, add a little more broth to moisten.

Stir in cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese.

This recipe serves 4 as a side dish.

For the braised cabbage;

This recipe takes about 50 minutes to prep and cook.

4 cups sliced red cabbage

2 cups vegetable stock

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup Splenda

1 cup fresh pitted cherries

1/3 cup dried cherries

basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large saucepan, combine all ingerdients. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil.

Bake until the cabbage is tender, but still crisp, about 35 to 40 minutes. Garnish with torn basil leaves.

This recipe serves 4.

Chuck Steak Stir Fry

This recipe came from my trying to use up the meat we have in the house! We're moving soon, and I hate food waste, so I'm trying to use all I have around! I had two chuck steaks leftover in my freezer from something I made a while back, so I figured I'd stretch the protein with a veggie packed stir fry! This was awesome! The only downer is that now when my son sees corn he starts asking for baby corn! I guess I need to start keeping some on hand, he loves them!!

To put this hot bowl of awesome in your belly;

This recipe takes about 45 minutes to prepare.

1 cup brown rice

2 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

6 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias

1/2 pound chuck steaks (2 steaks, roughly), cut into thin strips

2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice

salt

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons beef stock

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon Splenda

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 carrot, diced

2 handfuls sugar snap peas

1 can baby corn, drained and rinsed

1 can water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

1 can bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed 

In a small pot, combine rice and beef stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, until rice is tender. Toss with one teaspoon sesame oil and  2 green onions.

Meanwhile, season beef evenly with 5 spice and salt. In a large skillet or wok sprayed with cooking spray, cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until just seared outside and still pink in the middle. Drain on paper towels.

For the sauce, in a small bowl, combine orange juice, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons beef stock, hoisin, ginger, 2 teaspoons of the garlic, cornstarch, Splenda, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

In the skillet or wok sprayed with cooking spray, lower heat to medium. Add 3 green onions and the remaining garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until beginning to soften, 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and carrot, season again, and saute until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add snap peas, baby corn, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots, and warm through. Add meat back to pan and stir in the sauce. Toss well and simmer until thickened.

Serve in bowls over rice. Drizzle the tops with the 1 remaining teaspoon sesame oil, and top with the remaining green onion. Enjoy!!

This recipe serves 4.

Gumbo Pot Pie

I really wanted to have some gumbo when I was doing my menu plan, but my husband doesn't like soup, so I decided to try to thicken it up and make a pot pie out of it! It was really good!!! We all enjoyed it, our son especially, he seems to have a soft spot for pot pies!

Here is what you need for this recipe;

This takes about 45 minutes to prep and cook.

1/2 pound turkey kielbasa sausage, cut into bite sized slices

cooking spray

cajun seasoning

1 pound chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes 

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 rib celery, diced

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon paprika

salt

pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup diced tomatoes (You can use canned if you want, just make sure to drain them.)

1/2 cup okra, sliced thick

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed

fresh oregano

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking pan or ramekins with nonstick cooking spray, inside and on the rim.

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute sausage over medium-high heat until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Season chicken with cajun seasoning, and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain. Spray the pan again and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery, and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in thyme and seasonings, along with stock, tomatoes and okra. Stir in chicken and sausage. Make a slurry from the corn starch and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk the slurry into the gumbo, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer until thickened.

Lay the puff pastry out, and turn your baking dish(es) upside down on top. Cut the pastry about 1/2 inch around the dish. If you need to, gather scraps and roll them back out to make toppers for additional dishes. 

Pour the gumbo into a baking pan, or ladel into ramekins. Lay the pastry on top, and press into the sides to stick. Cut slits into the top, spray with cooking spray, and sprinkle with cajun seasoning.

Bake for 20 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and puffed up. Let rest 5 minutes before serving, and sprinkle the top with oregano and parmesan cheese!

This recipe serves 8-10.

This was very delicious! I hope you devour it as quickly as we did!

Onion and Mushroom sauced Steaks with Mustard Worcestershire Macaroni and Cheese!

The first thing Hubby wanted me to make him when he came home was cube steaks and a baked potato. I very rarely serve two starches with a meal, but I was in the mood for cheesy pasta, so I loaded it with roasted veggies to compensate! It was super delicious!!

For the yummy steaks;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook

1 large onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt

pepper

1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms

3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

grill seasoning

4 cube steaks

1/2 cup beef stock

fresh parmesan cheese

oregano

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat, saute onion and garlic seasoned with salt and pepper until softened. Stir in mushrooms and continue to cook until they begin to brown. Toss in one tablespoon worcestershire and the thyme. Move the onions and mushrooms around to make room for the steaks.

Season steaks on both sides with grill seasoning. Spray the empty areas of the pan with additional cooking spray, and cook the steaks 5 minutes on each side, sprinkling with the remaining worcestershire when you add them to the pan. Add the beef stock and distribute the onion mixture around the pan. Cover and let cook about 20 minutes until the steaks begin to tenderize.

Plate the steaks and top with onions and mushrooms. Grate some parmesan over top and sprinkle torn oregano leaves over the top. Enjoy!!!

This recipe serves 4.

For the yummy macaroni;

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prep and make.

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup peas, thawed
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt
pepper
1/4 red onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Russet potato, chopped (skin on!!)

1 carrot, chopped

2 cups whole wheat macaroni

2 cans evaporated skim milk

2 teaspoons corn starch

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

basil

parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. In a targe bowl, toss peas and corn with oil, salt and pepper. Lay out on the baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat, add onions, garlic, carrot, and potato. Saute until tender and carrot and potato start to brown slightly, about 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily salt the water. Add the pasta and cook until Al dente, according to package directions (9 minutes for mine).

In a medium pot over medium heat, scald milk, stirring occasionally to avoid forming a skin. Make a slurry in a small bowl by whisking the corn starch with 2 teaspoons water until fully dissolved. Add a couple of tablespoons of hot milk to temper the slurry. Once tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges of the milk, add the slurry. Let simmer until the milk begins to thicken, then add mustard, worcestershire, cayenne, salt and pepper. Whisk in cheese until melted. Toss in all of the veggies and pasta, and stir until everything is evenly coated in cheesy sauce!

Portion out and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and torn basil!

This recipe makes 8 side dish servings.

We all bake potatoes our own ways. This is mine;

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Scrub potatoes well. Dry thuroughly, do not prick,  and place directly on the baking rack for 45 to 50 minutes until tender but not mushy.  Slice an "X" in the top, squeeze to open up, and top in whichever way you wish!!

White Bean and Pasta Soup

Right before Man came home, I had a couple of my girlfriends over for dinner! This is what I made, and it was very yummy!! I didn't take a picture of it that day, but I did shoot a few pictures of it the next day. However, I had just gotten back from the pool with the little one, and the lens fogged up for a little bit, so this picture is a bit, shall we say dream like? Don't let the fuzzy image fool you, it was delicious!!

Here is what I did;

This recipe takes about an hour to prep and cook.

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 red potatoes, chopped

2 large handfuls kale, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water, whatever you want.

1 bag cooked and frozen Great Northern beans, with liquid (If you're using canned, drain liquid and add 1/2 cup water or chicken stock)

1 bag cooked and frozen Red Kidney beans, with liquid (Same deal as the white ones if you use canned)

1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 cup whole wheat macaroni or other small cut pasta

mozzarella cheese

fresh parmesan cheese

oregano

basil

Spray a large pot with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Saute onions, garlic, carrot, celery, and potato, seasoned with salt and pepper, until starting to soften, 5 minutes. Add kale and saute an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted. Add red pepper flakes, stock, beans, and tomato and simmer 30 minutes. Bring back to a boil, add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Add additional water as the pasta cooks if the soup becomes too thick. Taste for seasoning and readjust accordingly.

Ladel into bowls and grate mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over top, tear oregano and basil with your hands and sprinkle over the top. Devour! It's fantastic!!

This recipe serves 8.

Whole Wheat Spinach Fettuchine Sauced Two Ways

Good morning! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, I have a lot to post by now! I made this pasta a while ago and froze it for later use. I went through my freezer to use up what was in there, so decided to make it, and use half with one sauce, and the other half a different way. Husband was still gone, so I had enough to make two different ways, but one recipe of the pasta will feed four.

Shh, don't say it. I don't have pasta hangers, so I used ones from the closet!

Here's how to make your pasta:

This recipe takes an hour to prep, and 2 to 9 minutes to cook, depending on how you cut it.

2 3/4 cups whole wheat all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of the flour and the salt. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, add water, spinach and oil. Add to the flour and mix well.

Sprinkle a clean surface with the remaining flour. Turn our dough and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into four equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12 inch square, about 1/16 inch thick. If you use a pasta roller, pass through according to the machine's directions until it is 1/16 inch thick. Let stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Loosly roll up and slice to desired cut (Fetucchini, would be about 1/4 inch wide, linguini should be 1/8 inch. For lasagna, leave the dough unrolled, and slice into 2 1/2 inch strips.)

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt heavily, and add pasta. Fetucchini and linguini will take about 2 minutes to cook, lasagna will need 3 minutes. If you use the pasta for ravioli or tortellini, that will take 7 to 9 minutes.

If you wish to store the pasta, after cutting, hang the pasta on pasta drying rack, or hangers, or lay out on a cooling rack and let dry for 1 hour, or until completely dry. Store in an airtight container and chill for up to three days, or freeze in a ziplock bag.

This recipe makes 4 entree-sized, or 6 side dish servings.

Here are the two different ways I prepared the pasta:

This was super cinchy, all I did was boil half of the pasta in super salty water. I had a baggie with half of a jar of veggie primavera sauce leftover from the Spinach Lasagna I made a while back in the freezer that I thawed and heated over the stove, and added some French cut green beans to and let heat through. I then added the pasta to the sauce and gave it a good toss, plated, and shredded some mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over top, and garnished with some oregano leaves and basil cut into a chiffonade. Yummmmm!!!

This made 2 servings.

This isn't gorgeous, but it was delicious!!

I cooked the remaining half of the pasta. In a small saucepan, I brought 1/2 cup evaporated skim milk, salt and pepper to a boil, brought to a simmer, and let bubble gently for 5 minues, until it had thickened up, and added 1/2 cup of peas to heat through. I then took the pot off the heat and added 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, and tossed the pasta in the sauce!

For the chicken, I cut the breast in half along a diagonal and seasoned each half with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. In a pan over medium-high heat, I seared the chicken for 2 minutes on each side, then put in a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes to cook through, sliced the meat, spread it over the pasta and garnished with a little extra Alfredo and freshly grated parmesan cheese! It was very good!!

This serves 2.