February 2013

Lindsey-Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
Lauri-Seattle Teriyaki Salmon
Alisynn-Cilantro Lime Chicken
Danelle- Garlic Chicken
Kimberly-Asian Beef and Snow Peas
Cassie-GrilledMarinated Flank Steak
JoLayna-Kid's Valentine's Feast (Pizza and Cherry Floats)

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak with Cheesey Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ground chipotle chili powder or ground cumin
2 teaspoon hot sauce - eyeball it
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 splashes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds flank steak
2 1/2 pounds small red skin new potatoes
1 leek, trimmed of tough tops
4 slices thick cut smoky bacon, chopped, such as applewood smoked bacon
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1 vine ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup sour cream, to pass at table
Directions

Mix garlic, steak seasoning, smoked paprika, chipotle or cumin, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Whisk in extra-virgin olive oil. Place meat in shallow dish and coat it evenly in marinade. Let stand 15 minutes.
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat.Grill flank steak 6 to 7 minutes on each side.
Remove flank steak from grill and let juices redistribute before slicing. Thinly slice meat on an angle, cutting the meat against the grain. 

Cheesey Smashed Potatoes
3 pounds red potatoes, washed (small ones leave whole, larger ones cut in half)
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 pound sharp cheddar, grated
Freshly ground black pepper


Directions
Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in a heavy 4-quart saucepan and cover with water by 1-inch. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the cooking pot. Add the cream, butter, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Place the pan over medium low heat and mash with a potato masher to incorporate the ingredients and achieve a light texture, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bacon and grated cheese.

Seattle Teriyaki Salmon

1 quart soy sauce

1 lb brown sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

½ cup white cooking wine or white grape juice

6 salmon fillets, about 8-ounces each

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

1. Thaw salmon and cut into equal portions.
2. Toast sesame seeds under broiler and set aside. 
3. Prepare marinade by combining all ingredients except salmon and sesame seeds.  Place fillets in this mixture and marinate 4 – 6 hours.
4. Remove salmon from marinade, put in a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and place on grill.  Cover loosely and grill about 7-10 minutes, or until fish flakes when pressed with a fork.  Or if you don’t have access to a grill right now, you can wrap each salmon individually in tin foil, making sure to seal tightly and bake @ 475 for 12-15 minutes.  Do not overcook.  Top with sesame seeds and serve with rice.  I like to save the juices from the cooked fillets (the juice in the tin foil, NOT the raw marinade) and pour it over the salmon that has been slightly cut or over the rice to add more flavor.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 T butter
2 - 3 leeks, white part only
5-6 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
8 medium sized mushrooms, sliced
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup uncooked rice
6 cups chicken broth, divided
1 cup water
1/2 cup white wine
1 pint heavy cream
Sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper and bake chicken in 350 oven until done. Cut into bite-size
pieces.***
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Rinse leeks, cut into four lengthwise and thinly slice.
Add leeks, carrots, mushrooms and celery to pot and saute until tender. Add rice and stir to coat
with butter. Add 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat and
simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
Add wine and stir, then add remaining 4 cups chicken broth. Place chicken pieces into pot and stir.
Right before serving add heavy cream.
***As an alternative you can boil the chicken in 1/2 cup wine and 4 cups broth. When chicken is
done, strain liquid into the soup mixture and cut chicken into bite-size pieces.

Kid's Valentine's Feast (Pizza and Cupid's Cherry Floats)

KIDS’ VALENTINE’S FEAST (PIZZA & CUPID’S CHERRY FLOATS)

My son, Bentley, has been making pizza for us every Sunday night since he was 10 years old. He can make this by himself, including grinding the wheat. It’s a great recipe if you’re looking to teach your kids how to make a meal independently. (It’s also a great confidence boost because most people love pizza and give the chef lots of praise!)  The two variations I’ve included are our family favorites.

Heart Shaped Pizza Dough

(Recipe from The Food Nanny)

Makes two 12-inch thin-crust pizzas

1 TBSP active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

Sprinkle of sugar

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP honey

¼ tsp salt

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 425.

Mix the yeast, water and sugar in a small bowl, cover and let stand until foamy, 5-10 minutes.

Mix the oil, honey, salt and yeast mixture in Bosch. Add one cup of flour at a time. Knead in Bosch for about 2 minutes or by hand for 4 minutes or so. (Dough should be moderately stiff.)

Lightly grease pizza stone or pan with oil.

Divide dough in half. Create a ball with dough, then roll out with rolling pin on floured surface. Gently stretch dough to fill the pan. (We used a pizza cutter to create the “heart” shapes.)

Let the dough rise (it won’t rise very much) while you make the pizza sauce.

Pizza Sauce

Makes enough for two large pizzas. (If we decide to make taco pizza and regular pizza, I freeze the other half of this sauce. My kids prefer the frozen version of this sauce although I’m not sure why.)

15 oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Pinch of sugar

Mix the above ingredients in a small bowl.

Spread sauce on pizza dough, top with your fav toppings, bake at 425 15-20 minutes on lowest rack.

Bentley’s Taco Pizza Sauce & Instructions

(original recipe by my cute boy)

Makes enough for two large pizzas. (If we decide to make taco pizza and regular pizza, I freeze the other half of this sauce.)

1 can refried beans

1 can Campbell’s tomato soup

1-2 TBSP taco seasoning

Mix above ingredients, spread on pizza, add chopped onions if you like them, top with cheese, and follow baking directions below.

Bake at 425 15-20 minutes on lowest rack.

Once baked, top with fresh lettuce and tomatoes.

Cupid’s Cherry Floats

No baking/cooking here. I imagine most of you can figure this one out (similar to root beer floats), but I’ll give the instructions below anyway.

Place 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream into a mug. Pour Cherry 7-up on top. Bite off both ends of your licorice for use as a straw. (Serve hours before bedtime if you want the sugar high to wear off.)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Freezer bag with Chicken and ingredients -Freezer

Tortillas -Pantry

Sour Cream -Fridge

Cheese -Fridge

Ingredients

1½	lbs Chicken Breakfast
	Juice from 2 limes
1	bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1	(16oz) bag frozen corn
2	minced garlic cloves
½	red onion, chopped
1	can black beans, drained and rinsed
1	tsp cumin
	salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place bag of chicken in crock pot.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
Shred, serve with tortillas, sour cream and cheese.

Asian Beef and Snow Peas

Asian Beef and Snow Peas

2 lbs beef round steak (I used a roast) cut into thin strips
8 ounces snow peas
1/2 C. soy sauce
1/3 C. beef broth
2 TB brown sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
2 TB vegetable oil
2 TB minced garlic
1/8 tsp ground ginger

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, broth, brown sugar, cornstarch, oil, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.

Stir fry beef in 2 TB oil until cooked through (there will be juice from the beef in the pan—leave it in there). Add the snow peas and stir fry 2 minutes. Pour sauce over mixture and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 more minutes, until slightly thickened. Serve over rice.

**If you like a thicker sauce, you can add some cornstarch mixed with water to the sauce