Soy & Maple Glazed Flank Steak with Sesame Cucumbers, by Cheryl

A couple of months ago Jon had expressed an interest in having flank steak. Having never made it before I wasn't quite sure what to do or what to look for. Alas! My Cooking Light magazine has come to my rescue! In this month's issue there just so happened to be a recipe for maple and soy glazed flank steak, with a side of silky sesame cucumbers. This was such an easy and fast recipe... I will definitely be making this again!

Flank Steak

Ingredients:
1 (1 pound) flank steak
1/4 cup less sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons sake or dry sherry
2 teaspoons dark dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha (Asian hot chili sauce)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1) Preheat broiler

2) Pierce steak gently on both sides. Combine steak and next 6 ingredients (through pepper) in a shallow dish; turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

3) Remove steak from marinade, reserving marinade. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Pour marinade into a small skillet; bring to a boil, stirring well. Cook over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until thick and syrupy.

4) Brush steak with half of glaze; broil 5 minutes. Turn steak over, and brush with remaining glaze; broil 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Place steak on cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Yields 4 servings.

Sesame Cucumbers

Ingredients:

1 cucumber
kosher salt
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
3/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Cut cucumber into very thin slices.

2) Toss cucumber with 1 teaspoon kosher salt; let stand 15 minutes.

3) Drain; firmly squeeze dry, and place in a bowl.

4) Drizzle with rice vinegar and sesame oil; toss well.

5) Stir in sesame seeds.

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes, by Cheryl

Yum!! I had a craving for cheesecake, but didn't feel like making a whole cake. These are basically little baby cheesecakes in cupcake form, with an oreo cookie bottom as the crust. I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart and every bite is a sweet surprise! If you choose to make these my only piece of advice is to follow the cooking times!! After 22 minutes in the oven I took them out and saw that they were very gooey in the middle. I put them in for another 15 minutes while checking on them every five. After cooling on the wire rack and then chilling in the fridge overnight they solidified on their own and really didn't need my extra time in the oven. The result: they were a little tougher than they should have been, but delicious nonetheless. Ingredients: 22-24 oreos, 16 left whole and 6-8 chopped or crushed 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup sour cream 1 pound cream cheese 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt Directions: 1) Preheat the oven to 275. Spray a standard cupcake tin with pam. Put one whole cookie in each cupcake space. 2) Beat the cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth. Gradually add in the sugar until well combined, then beat in the vanilla. Pour in the eggs slowly, beating to combine and scraping the sides of the bowl. Mix in sour cream and salt. Stir in crushed oreos by hand. 3) Fill each cupcake space to the top with the batter. Bake for 22 minutes or until filling is set. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Macadamia Nut Chicken with Papaya-Pineapple Relish, by Diane

I have to admit that I stole this recipe from a waiting room magazine- it looked too delicious not to. I am still island dreaming, and this recipe fit the bill so perfectly you can almost hear the calypso music in the background!!! It was so amazing, the crunchy macadamia crust blended perfectly with the sweet fruity salsa and the juicy chicken with just a hint of ginger and soy from the marinade. It was a multi-step recipe, but WELL worth the effort. I may try this recipe next time and tweak it by adding in coconut to the breading and possibly substituting shrimp for the chicken. I can't wait to eat it again, even though I'm still full from eating it less than an hour ago...enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Japanese rice wine
1 tsp. fresh minced ginger
1 minced clove garlic
5 tbsp. EVOO, divided
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper
1 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
3/4 cup panko
2/3 cup flour
3 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup papaya, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced
1/3 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients and 1 tbsp. EVOO to make a marinade. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, place in ziplock bag, and pour marinade over chicken. Refrigerate for one hour, turning bag occasionally.

2. Combine macadamia nuts and panko in shallow dish, place flour in a second dish, place eggs in third dish.

3. Preheat the oven to 400.

4. Remove chicken and discard marinade. Dredge chicken first in flour, then in the eggs shaking off the excess, then dredge in nut/panko mixture. Coat completely on both sides.

5. Heat 2 tbsp. EVOO and 1 tbsp. butter in large skillet over medium heat until butter melts. Cook 3 chicken breasts at a time for 3 minutes a side or until golden. Transfer chicken to lightly greased baking dish. Repeat process with remaining 2 tbsp. oil and 1 tbsp. butter.

6. Bake for 17 minutes or until chicken is done.

7. While chicken cooks, place the papaya, pineapple, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve with the chicken.

Meatloaf with Fresh Herbs and Sour Cream, by Diane

I know, ew- sour cream in meatloaf? Fresh herbs? What is this nonsense??? I found this recipe in a cooking fresh magazine, and I have to admit I had the same initial reactions. But I was looking for something different and thought I'd give it a shot- and wow, am I glad! I don't think I'll ever go back to ketchupy meatloaf again!

As it turns out, the sour cream makes the meatloaf incredibly moist (I know, more about moisture!), so that it becomes almost juicy in your mouth while still holding its shape. Plus- the leftovers are also moist- a real bonus for me since I can NEVER eat meat after it has been refrigerated because of that gross taste it gets when it dries out overnight and then gets heated back up. Also- the herbs give it a unique flavor that is hard to describe but make it seem healthier than regular meatloaf. The main herb is tarragon- something I had never cooked with before and so therefore was anxious to explore. It has a lemony-licorice scent to me (doesn't taste like that!), and was a fantastic addition to this dish. Another main spice is hungarian paprika, also a first for me. It has a subtle smoky and sweet taste that I definitely will use in other dishes!

At any rate- this has become a new staple in our house, we all rave about it- Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 packages of ground meatloaf meat (beef, pork, and veal)
1 tsp. hungarian paprika or sweet paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup sour cream
2/3 cup ketchup (I usually measure this by adding in sour cream, then filling the 8 oz sour cream cup 2/3 of the way with ketchup!)

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs or plain rice crackers (I use one package of kame rice crackers here)
8 scallions (green and white parts with ends trimmed)

1/2 yellow onion

1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley

1/3 cup fresh tarragon
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. You can use a slotted baking tray, or place a rack on top of a regular rimmed baking tray then take a piece of parchment paper and make little slits across it and place this over the rack (after experimenting I found that this is the best way to drain the grease from the meatloaf as it cooks).

2. In a food processor, blend rice crackers if using with parsley, green onion, yellow onion, tarragon and thyme. Pulse until fine, then add garlic and pulse until evenly blended.

3. In a large bowl, add the all ingredients and knead until mixed evenly.

4. Place the mixture on the parchment paper in the center and mold into a loaf shape keeping the height even to ensure even baking. Bake for 1 hour. Allow the meatloaf to cool 20 minutes before serving- if using parchment paper remove it and drain off any extra grease.

OMG Bread!, by Diane

Let me explain this title: when it comes to baked goods- I am a moisture freak! There is nothing worse to me than biting into a bread, cookie, cake, etc. and finding it dry and crumbly. For me, I like my baked goods falling apart in my hands, and melting in my mouth...so sticky that I need a giant glass of milk afterwards.

So, I have been on a quest for years to make a loaf bread that is moist. I have followed tons of recipes promising moisture, to no avail. I have made zucchini breads, pumpkin breads, spice breads, you name it. They always come out tasty, but crumbly and dry out by the next day. Ugh!

So I decided to take matters into my own hands this week. I found a recipe for a basic pumpkin bread that got my interest because the writer used butter instead of oil to make the bread moist. Now this was a trick I had not tried! Using this recipe as a basis, I substituted ingredients that I had (I didn't have pumpkin but I had carrots, etc.). I adjusted the spices, then added in walnuts for a little flavor and raisins for a burst of sweetness. I also added some oil (we're not going for health here, unless you count eye health from the carrots!) and increased the eggs to ensure it was going to be moist.

The result- O.M.G. This bread not only tasted heavenly, but it was so moist it literally left little spots of moisture on the paper towel I was eating it on. Not only that, but it stayed moist like that for days! I decided to name it OMG bread, because this was not only my reaction but the reaction of everyone else that tried it. I watched their eyes light up in the same way I imagine mine did...in short, this will be my staple recipe from now on- THE SEARCH IS OVER!!! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 large eggs
3/4 bag baby carrots
1 cup walnuts

1 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and butter one loaf pan.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together and mix the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside.

3. In large bowl, beat together sugars and melted butter. Add the eggs. Beat with hand mixer on medium speed until just combined (adding air can make the bread light and then dry it out- we want it moist and heavy!).

4. In a food processor, blend carrots and 2 tbsp. EVOO until carrots are finely chopped or blended. Add to wet ingredients.

5. In food processor, grind walnuts into small pieces, add to wet ingredients.

6. Add raisins into wet ingredients, combine well with spatula.

7. In three batches, add the dry ingredients and mix gently until each batch is just incorporated. Scrape the sides between each batch.

8. Pour batter into pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about one hour and fifteen minutes.

Portobello Chicken with Herbs and White Wine, by Diane

This is one of my staple, go-to recipes. It's so easy to throw together, and it always impresses everyone. I usually have the ingredients on hand, too. I don't use measurements on this, because I think it's all about preference- and really, you just can't mess it up. Just throw everything in the pan, and have fun experimenting. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. EVOO
Chicken breasts
Baby portobello mushrooms
Minced garlic
Herbs: Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, Basil (I use less Basil than the rest)
Salt and Pepper
White wine (Lighter, sweeter wines like riesling work well)


Directions:

1. Clean and/or cut the chicken breasts (they can be whole, too).

2. Chop garlic, and cut mushrooms (1/4 size for large ones, 1/2 size for smaller).

3. Heat pan to medium high, add EVOO.

4. Once oil is heated, add chicken and brown. Set chicken aside and cover to maintain moisture.

5. In the same pan, add the mushrooms and saute until nearly cooked. Add in garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken back to the pan and combine.

6. Add the white wine (enough so that there is a little liquid in the bottom- if there is too much you can simmer the dish on low until the liquid cooks out, or you can leave it in for a sauce).

7. Mix all ingredients together, scraping the sides of the pan. Adjust herbs to your liking- just make sure not to leave the dish cooking for too long or else the chicken may dry out!

*This dish goes great with mashed potatoes, they soak up some of the herbs and wine and taste awesome!*

Coconut Ginger Chicken Fingers with Sweet Potato Fries, by Diane

Lately with all this snow, I have been craving the sun and a good vacation. So tonight for dinner, I decided to create a dish that reminds me of a great vacation I had in the Bahamas. I made chicken fingers using cut up chicken breasts (since I hate that slimy part in actual chicken fingers), and I baked them to make them healthy while still being crunchy. I paired them with a sweet chili dipping sauce, which was store bought because I didn't have the ingredients on hand and we are currently in the middle of two snowstorms. I also made sweet potato fries, also baked, to go with the chicken. This dinner is not only really healthy, but so addictive it almost feels like you're eating badly. And, it reminds me of the islands- and added bonus! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries:

4 large sweet potatoes
EVOO
Kosher Salt

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Peel and slice sweet potatoes into fry-size sticks (smaller sticks = more crispy) and spread evenly on 2 baking trays.

3. Drizzle the potatoes with EVOO and sprinkle with kosher salt (each to your liking). Toss the fries with your hands to mix, then spread back down in an even layer as spread out as possible.

4. Bake for about 30 minutes, or for more time to get desired level of crispiness.

5. Once fries are out of the oven, sprinkle with a final dusting of kosher salt.

Chicken Fingers

4 chicken breasts
Sweetened shredded coconut
Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. salt
2 egg whites, mixed

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Rinse chicken and cut each breast into four chunks or strips.

3. Combine coconut and panko in a shallow bowl or plate in a 2:1 ratio. Add in ginger and salt and combine.

4. Dip each chicken finger first in coconut mixture, then into egg whites, then back into coconut mixture, pressing mixture firmly into chicken.

5. Spread chicken evenly on a baking rack positioned over a baking sheet (I have found that if you make the chicken directly on the baking sheet the bottom side gets mushy, this allows air to circulate so both sides are crispy).

6. Bake chicken for 25-30 minutes, or until browned and crispy.

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb, by Cheryl

This picture doesn't do this delicious meal justice! Halfway through eating it I realized I probably should have cut the lamb in half to present it better, but what are ya gonna do? I've made rack of lamb before, but it always left me and Jon thinking that for the money we spend on it, we should just save it for the real deal at the restaurant. Not tonight!! Jon took one bite and said, "Mmmm, this is soooo good". I never get a reaction like that from him! The pistachio crust added just the right amount of salty taste to an otherwise sweeter type of meat. It cooked to medium rare, just the way we like it, with a dark pink center. We had this with au gratin potatoes. I will definitely be making this again!!

Ingredients:

1 rack of lamb (8 pieces)
1/3 cup of pistachios
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped (I didn't have mint so I skipped this)
lemon juice
salt and pepper

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2) Place pistachios, bread crumbs, and garlic cloves into a food processor. Pulse until it looks like a bread crumb mixture.

3) Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add a squirt or two of lemon, the mint, and the olive oil and mix together. It should form a paste.

4) Trim off any excess fat from the rack of lamb. When done, season the rack with salt and pepper.

5) Sear the lamb in a hot skillet on each side until slightly browned (about a minute per side).

6) When cooled, use your fingers to pat the coating onto the top side and sides of the rack.

7) Roast the whole rack for 20 minutes, pistachio side up, for medium rare. Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

Barbecue Meatballs, by Cheryl

I don't know why I thought to make barbecue meatballs last night. We had the ground beef and all of the other ingredients so why not? First, I think this would be a great appetizer to make if friends were coming over or a great side dish to bring to a party. Second, it's really not hard to make at all... you just need to start early because they did cook in the slow cooker for 4 hours. One thing I would do differently is mix in some of the sauce while I made the meatballs (I adjusted it in the recipe below). The inside was a little dry and not very flavorful so we found ourselves dipping the halves back in the sauce to coat them. The sauce was amazing and I felt that I could eat just that...and I did while they were cooking! Now as to have them over rice or pasta, well that's up to you. I had them over white rice while Jon had them over pasta. Or as just a side would work too! I will definitely be making them again!

Ingredients:

Sauce:
1 bottle of barbeque sauce
1/4 cup of ketchup
2 tablespoons grape jelly
1 onion chopped
4-5 garlic cloves diced
1/2 cup beef/chicken broth

Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
bread crumbs
1 egg
a little bit of the sauce

1) Put all of the ingredients for the sauce in a slow cooker and mix together. I put the slow cooker of high which would cook them for 4 hours.

2) Beat the egg in a bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients for the meatballs in the bowl with your hands. If the beef doesn't seem like it's sticking together then add more bread crumbs. I made small meatballs that were about 1 - 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

3) Brown meatballs in a pan.

4) Place them in the slow cooker and use a spoon to cover them with the sauce. Every hour or so I stirred the meatballs around to make sure all sides were evenly coated. The sauce will thin out.

5) Serve while hot! They are delicious!