Wednesday, December 30, 2009

London Broil with grilled vegetables

Me again (see below)... I also received a grill pan for Christmas so I can grill inside (the hubs does the outside grilling) so here is a recipe for indoor or outdoor grilling.

London Broil

I bought 2 pounds of London Broil (which is usually top round roast, or flank steak, but was labeled London Broil at my market), about 1 1/2 inches thick. I marinated the meat in extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, roasted minced garlic, & rosemary for about 8 hours (you can do it up to 24 hrs). Using my grill pan, I warmed it up to medium heat, & grilled it for about 8 minutes on each side (but it depends on your grill - check between 5-10 minutes per side to see how it's coming along). Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Slice it thinly against the grain. The marinade makes the meat taste great!

I also grilled some corn, zucchini & squash. Leave the corn in the husk to grill it. I seasoned the zucchini & squash with seasoning salt. Grill to your liking on medium-high heat (but make sure the corn husk is nicely charred before removing it).

-Court

Cider-Braised Short Ribs

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

I was given a Dutch oven for Christmas that I was anxious to use, so I found this delicious recipe (don't worry, if you don't have a Dutch oven, you can still make it in a roasting pan).

Cider-Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients:
•3 to 4 pounds short ribs, cut in 3-inch pieces
•salt and pepper
•1/2 cup flour
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•2 cups apple cider
•1 1/2 cups beef broth
•1 teaspoon dried leaf rosemary
•1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
•1 large onion, coarsely chopped
•1 clove garlic, minced
•1 medium onion, chopped
•1 cup baby carrots
•1 cup sliced celery

Preparation:
Heat oven to 300°.
Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper; toss with the flour.

In a roasting pan*, heat oil (over 2 burners, if possible) over medium heat. Add the short ribs in 1 layer. Cook, turning frequently, until well browned. Add cider, beef broth, herbs, coarsely chopped onion, and the garlic. Bring to a boil.

If necessary, the ribs can be browned in a Dutch oven, turning frequently. Continue with adding cider and beef broth, the large coarsely chopped onion, and herbs, then transfer to a roasting pan if the Dutch oven isn't ovenproof.

Cover and bake for 3 1/2 hours. Remove short ribs from the pan and strain the broth into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Skim off excess fat; bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered. Add the remaining onion, celery, and carrots to the broth. Cover and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Return the short ribs to the broth and heat through. Garnish with parsley to serve.

My modifications: I nixed the onion & vegetables & instead made brown rice & vegetables as sides, so I just left the ribs in the pot when I took it out of the oven. I also used olive oil instead of vegetable oil, because it is yummy. :-)

-Court

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Southwestern Chicken Soup

Here's some more comfort food for this chilly weather! Its kinda similar to tortilla soup but with a Santa Fe type twist...

Ingredients:
1 12 oz. jar of salsa verde
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 can white kidney beans, drained
1 can corn, undrained
3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. chopped rosemary (optional)
sour cream
tortilla chips

Hint for cooking the chicken beforehand: Buy uncooked chicken tenders and cover with water in a pot. Add the rosemary in with the chicken and cook on low for 1 hour, for chicken to absorb rosemary. Creates a great flavor that blends well with the salsa verde :) Drain and shred.

Directions:
Pour salsa in a large pot and cook on medium-high for 2 min. Add cooked shredded chicken, beans, corn, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 min., stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream. For soupier soup, use 4 cups of broth.

So yummy! Enjoy!
-Emily

Monday, December 7, 2009

Gingerbread Men

Hey y'all, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

I made these gingerbread men (& stars & trees) the other day - they are yummy! Make sure you flatten the dough enough so they don't expand & lose their shape. Mine were not all that good looking (but still tasted good!).

Gingerbread Men (Betty Crocker recipe)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons molasses
1 egg
2 tablespoons water or milk
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Currants or Assorted candies, if desired
Colored sugar or Additional sugar, if desired

Directions
-Beat granulated sugar, butter and molasses in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well mixed. Beat in egg and water until blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cardamom and cloves. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm.
-Heat oven to 350°F. Roll 1/3 of dough at a time on floured surface to 1/8­inch thickness. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll.) Cut with floured 2 1/2­inch gingerbread boy or girl cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with currants or candies. Sprinkle with colored sugar.
-Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool.

I hope you are enjoying the Christmas season!!
-Court