It snowed yesterday and there was no soup to reheat. I decided if I needed to cook, I’d pull the new cast-iron griddle out and experiment with it for lunch.
sirloin
Dinner Menu: Cranberry Pepper Steak and Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Cranberries are on sale now, so it seemed a good time to re-up this recipe. You can use sirloin steak, or ribeye or NY strip. Works well on chicken breasts, too.
My love of cranberries has been well documented here. So no wonder this is one of my favorite dinners. The potatoes are very creamy – you can make them more calorie friendly by reducing the amount of butter, you probably won’t miss it with the creamy dressing.
- Cranberry Pepper Steak
- Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Sliced Carrots
- Grapes
Cranberry Pepper Steak
- 1/2 cup canned whole cranberries*
- ¼ tsp chili pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 lb sirloin steak
- ½ tsp crushed garlic
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
saucepan, broiler pan
In saucepan, combine cranberries, pepper flakes, & vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, cook until thickened and reduced by half. Rub sirloin on both sides with garlic, chili, salt & pepper (use more of each if desired). Cut into 4 pieces, broil (or grill) 5 minutes on each side for rare. Spoon sauce over cooked steaks & serve.
Bleu Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ cup blue cheese dressing
saucepan
Wash and cube potatoes (peeling optional – I never peel mine, just scrub really, really well), add to saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender (about 20 minutes). Drain well. Add butter, salt, pepper and dressing. Mash potatoes until fluffy (I find a hand mixer works best)
*I keep fresh cranberries in the freezer. If you want to use fresh, add 1/4 cup of sugar and dash of orange juice as a substitute for canned.
Grilled Steak w/Spicy Blueberry Sauce
I created this after having it at a restaurant one night, never really had a recipe. Told my mom about it and she asked me to give her the recipe, so then I had to make a recipe. It’s really good stuff. Mix it with cream cheese, serve on crackers. I’m sure it would amazing on ice cream, but we never seem to have enough leftover to try that. 😊
I actually tried this on NY Strip tonight and it was very good. I used the last of my sirloin working on a Mongolian Beef recipe.
Grilled Sirloin with Spicy Blueberry Sauce
- 2 cups frozen blueberries (unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup sugar + 1 tbsp
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you want it)
- pinch of chili powder
- 1lb Sirloin, cut into 4 pieces
- Fresh ground pepper (opt)
Dinner Menu: Sweet Ginger Beef and Snow Peas
Stir-frying is great for quick dinners. I often make a double batch of rice, so that I can heat up what I need for another meal. It keeps well for about a week in the refrigerator. Don’t freeze it, the consistency changes drastically.
On the board tonight:
- Sweet Ginger Beef & Peas
- Rice**
- Salad w/Peanut Sauce Dressing
- Sliced Pineapples
Sweet Ginger Beef & Snow Peas
- 1 lb sirloin, sliced thin*
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz snow peas
- ½ cup sweet ginger sauce
wok or skillet
Heat oil in skillet, add beef and stir fry for 3-5 minutes, push to sides, add more oil if needed and stir-fry snow peas until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add sauce, stir in beef and peas until completely coated. Cook 1 minute or until heated through.
*easiest to do if the beef is slightly frozen
Sweet Ginger Sauce:
If you can’t find bottled sweet ginger sauce, this works well. In a saucepan add all ingredients and bring to a low boil stirring until thickened.
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
- 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp cornstarch
Salad w/Peanut Sauce Dressing
- 16 oz spring greens
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1 small Jicama, peeled & sliced
- 4 oz unsalted peanuts
- Dressing:
- 1/4 c. salad oil
- 2 tbsp Peanut sauce
- 4 tsp. Vinegar
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
**Try a new rice like Basmati, Jasmine, Arborio or brown rice
Friday Recipe Exchange: Spicy to Sweet
![DSC_6734 [1600x1060]](https://whats4dinnersolutions.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/dsc_6734-1600x1060.jpg)
JefferyW’s Carnitas
No rhyme or reason for tonight’s recipes. A hodgepodge of culinary treats. Nothing pithy to say, so lots of photos instead.
Pictured above, Pulled Pork, sweet and spicy barbecue or spicy carnitas (at top), recipes here.
Dinner menu this week is full of fresh spring flavors, Herbed Linguine and Apple Salad, menu and recipes are here.
JeffreyW brings us three sweet treats. Blueberry Banana Bread with Sugared Pecans, pictured above and recipe here.
He changes it up a bit with his Raspberry Banana Bread, click here.
And finally, one of my faves, he whips up a batch of Creme Fraiche, above and instructions here.
For the pet lovers, there is a Bixby video…how do you move 160 lbs of Great Dane…well… video is here. And a cute photo of him crashed out on the couch here.
What’s cookin’ for your weekend? Anyone planning on breakfast in bed/fancy dinner for the mothers in their lives? If you’re looking for breakfast recipes, click here.
Tonight’s featured recipe comes from a friend of mine. He is always experimenting in the kitchen and coming up with delicious dinners. Good are the friends who feed you.
This can also be made in a slow-cooker.
Carne en su Jugo
- ½ lb bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb sirloin steak, sliced thin and then cut in 1-inc pieces (pork works well, too)
- 1 can (28oz) tomatillos
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt
- 2 can pinto beans
- sour cream for garnish
- shredded cheese
- chopped onions for garnish
- fresh lime juice for garnish
- Brown the bacon in a large dutch oven. Add the beef and cook until brown (leave the bacon grease in the pot).
- Blend the tomatillos in your food processor and strain well to remove the seeds. Add about a cup of the tomatillo liquid back into the food processor and blend with the cilantro, and garlic.
- Add the tomatillo/cilantro/garlic sauce and the rest of the strained tomatillo liquid to the beef and bacon. Add salt to taste.
- Stir in pinto beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with pico de gallo (recipe below), fresh lime, sour cream.
- Serve corn or flour tortillas on the side.
Pico de Gallo
- chopped onion
- chopped tomato
- chopped cilantro
- splash of lime
Mix together 20 to 30 minutes or more before meal.
That’s it for this week. Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and all the moms out there. Have a great weekend – TaMara
Dinner Menu: Carne en su Jugo
I had big plans for cooking this week, which all went to hell by the end of today. So perfect time for a Men Who Cook/Guest Recipe.
Tonight we have a guest menu from my friend Alton Gunn, who has provided us with several good recipes. It’s delicious, I’ve been lucky enough to have it several times (good are the friends who feed you).
On the board tonight:
- Carne en su Jugo
- Pico de Gallo
- Tortillas
- Margarita Melon Salad
Carne en su Jugo
- ½ lb bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb sirloin steak, sliced thin and then cut in 1-inc pieces
- 1 can (28oz) tomatillos
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt
- 2 can pinto beans
- sour cream for garnish
- shredded cheese
- chopped onions for garnish
- fresh lime juice for garnish
- Brown the bacon in a large dutch oven. Add the beef and cook until brown (leave the bacon grease in the pot).
- Blend the tomatillos in your food processor and strain well to remove the seeds. Add about a cup of the tomatillo liquid back into the food processor and blend with the cilantro, and garlic.
- Add the tomatillo/cilantro/garlic sauce and the rest of the strained tomatillo liquid to the beef and bacon. Add salt to taste.
- Stir in pinto beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with pico de gallo (recipe below), fresh lime, sour cream.
- Serve corn or flour tortillas on the side.
Al’s Notes: I’ve made this with beef and pork. The basic sauce is good for stewing pretty much any meat. Will try chicken next. Works well in the crockpot
Pico de Gallo
- chopped onion
- chopped tomato
- chopped cilantro
- splash of lime
Mix together 20 to 30 minutes or more before meal.
Margarita Melon Salad
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 shots tequila
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (I used Triple Sec)
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- ½ cantaloupe, seeded and cubed
- ¼ honeydew melon, seeded and cubed
- ¼ small watermelon, cubed
Many markets sell halved melons and wedges of watermelon, making it easy to prepare this salad closer to desired amounts.
Combine lime juice, tequila, liqueur, and sugar in a bowl. Add melons and toss to coat with tequila and lime. Serve in shallow bowls.
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Originally posted July 2010
Dinner Menu: Grilled Rosemary Steak with Grilled Sweet Peppers and Potatoes
Rounding up a grilling menu for tonight. I love getting one of each of the sweet peppers when they are on sale and using them with the potatoes and onions. I find the red potatoes grill best, but you can also use russets or golds. The horseradish and rosemary adds a nice flavor to the lean sirloin.
It’s stormy again tonight, for more days than I can count. Some areas are getting damaging winds and lots of hail, but we’ve been lucky with just thunder, lightening and nice rains. It cools off the night and makes for pleasant sleeping, so I am grateful. Most nights there is still time to sneak in some grilling before it hits hard.
On the board tonight:
- Rosemary Steak
- Grilled Sweet Peppers and Potatoes
- Spinach/Orange Salad w/Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Apples
Friday Dinner Exchange: Holiday Weekend Grilling
I have a four day weekend and most of it is supposed to be wild and windy weather, so grilling will most likely have to wait. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have grilling recipes. These all seem to be favorites based on comments, views and requests.
First up, the basics of grilling a good steak are here.
Next is one of my most requested recipes in the summer, Steak with Coffee Rub (click here). There is an entire dinner menu and shopping list at the link.
There are nine different hamburger recipes here, including Stuffed Burgers (pictured above) and veggie Black Bean Cheddar Burgers.
And finally, a few grilled chicken recipes, including Sunrise Chicken and Fruit Juice Marinated Chicken are at this link.
What’s on your menu for the weekend? Staying home or hitting the road? What are some of your favorite grilling recipes? Hit the comments and share. Be safe this holiday weekend, and don’t forget to thank a vet.
Tonight’s featured recipe is one of my favorites, because, well, blueberries!
Grilled Sirloin with Spicy Blueberry Sauce
- 2 cups frozen wild blueberries (unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup sugar + 1 tbsp
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you want it)
- pinch of chili powder
- 1 lb Sirloin, cut into 4 pieces
- Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Saucepan and small bowl
Run still frozen blueberries through a food processor until finely chopped. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan on low heat until the blueberries melt and give you enough water to bring to a boil without scorching. Boil for 1 minute or so, stirring constantly until liquid is reduced by half. Let simmer on low, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the rest of dinner.
Broil or grill sirloin until cooked according to your preference, if you can, sear the outside so it’s really crispy on the outside. It works well if you coat the steak with lots of ground pepper on the outside as well. Once the sirloin is done, place two tablespoons of blueberry sauce on the plate, place steak on the sauce then top with more sauce. Place remaining sauce in a small bowl and serve with meal. Goes great with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed zucchini.
That’s it for this week. If you missed it, I did post the Blueberry Upside Down Cake photos and recipe here. Later this weekend, I will finally have my gadget review for my robot “butler”. Have a great holiday weekend – TaMara
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