Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Until a couple months ago I hadn't eaten a steak since I was about 5 years old. I know...crazy, right? My husband pointed out that if I'm going to have a blog about food, I have to expand my culinary horizons to include more than just chicken. He was right! I realized I'm secretly a steak lover and I've been trying to make up for lost time ever since. I came across this recipe for Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce and thought I'd give it a try. I served it to a couple of our good friends at a dinner party and everyone agreed it was fabulous! Try it with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. I loved the Chimichurri sauce so much I ended up spooning it onto my potatoes. This is a must try recipe!

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

From Julia's Album

Chimichurri Sauce Ingredients:
1 large bunch parsley, washed and rinsed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/ 4 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until finely chopped. Spoon into a small bowl. Set aside to serve with flank steak.

Ingredients for Flank Steak:
1 lb. flank steak
1/4 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. hot chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine spices together in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture on both sides of the flank steak. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat or until oil is very hot. Sear flank steak on for about 4 minutes on each side. Place cast iron skillet into oven to continue cooking the flank steak for about 5-10 minutes or until cooked according to taste. Place flank steak onto large platter and slice across the grain into thin strips. Serve with Chimichurri sauce.

Bacon Apple Cider Slaw

I made this coleslaw recipe for my niece's sixth birthday party this weekend. It was delicious! My neighbor told me it was the best coleslaw she ever had. That's because it has BACON in it!!! Everything is better with bacon. It's perfect as a side dish or try it on top of a hot dog!

Bacon Apple Cider Slaw Recipe

Adapted from The Ghetto Foodie

Ingredients:
1 large head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1 lb. bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
3 large granny smith apples, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup honey
3 tsp. salt
1/4 cup pulp free orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. fennel seed

Toss cabbage with 1 tsp. salt. Place cabbage in a colander over a large bowl and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Discard the excess liquid remaining in the bowl. In a large bowl, combine green onion, shredded apples, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, honey, 2 tsp. salt, orange juice, lemon juice, pepper and fennel seed. Whisk together until well combined. Add cabbage and bacon and toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight to allow the favors to blend. Enjoy!

Awesome Artichoke Bread

Artichoke Bread Recipe

Adapted from Crumb

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 ciabatta rolls, sliced

Preheat broiler. Place sliced ciabatta rolls on large foil lined baking sheet. In a large skillet, sauté garlic in butter over medium heat for about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients to the skillet and stir until combined. Spoon the mixture evenly over the ciabatta rolls. Broil until the tops are brown and crispy.

Tip: Substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream!

 

Nancy's Spaghetti Casserole

 

Nancy's Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 16 oz. box vermicelli pasta
16 oz. Clamato tomato cocktail
2 28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes, cored and diced (reserve juice from 1 can)
1 1/2 cups onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. garlic salt
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, brown ground beef until fully cooked and drain excess grease. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions are transparent. Stir in garlic salt and set aside. Add diced tomatoes, Clamato and the reserved tomato juice from 1 can. Toss this mixture with cooked pasta in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake for 40 minutes uncovered. Enjoy!

Tip: Add some basil and oregano when you add the garlic salt for extra flavor. The pasta will soak up a lot of the juice. Just add more Clamato or leftover tomato juice if the mixture is too dry.

Best Ever Gorgonzola Salad

Manero's in Greenwich, Connecticut was probably my favorite Italian restaurant of all time. It was a small family owned Italian steakhouse with the best food I can remember eating. Everything on the menu was awesome, but my favorite was by far their Gorgonzola salad. Manero's closed several years ago and I've been dying to have another one of their amazing Gorgonzola salads. While I'll never be able to replicate it exactly, I think came pretty close! This salad pairs perfectly with almost any meal. Try it alongside a steak or with a big spaghetti dinner.

Best Ever Gorgonzola Salad

Salad Ingredients:
1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and torn into bite size pieces
1 large green pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4-5 tomatoes, diced (I used Campari tomatoes)
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Dressing Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

 Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients until well mixed and pour over salad. Toss to coat. Refrigerate any leftover dressing. Enjoy!

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

From Life as A Lofthouse

Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken breasts
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup sugar (or Splenda)
4 tbsp. ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into flour then into egg. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and cook until browned on all sides. Place chicken into a greased 9x13 glass pan. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake for one hour. Turn the chicken every 15 minutes, tossing with the sauce to coat. Serve with steamed rice and broccoli.

Tip: Invest in a rice steamer to make perfect rice every time! I couldn't live without mine!

Healthy Double Chocolate Muffins

I make these muffins for my husband to take to work for breakfast. He loves them because they're chocolate and I love them because they're healthy. They're only about 140 calories each, but I didn't tell him!

Healthy Double Chocolate Muffins

From Dashing Dish

Ingredients:
1 ¾ cup oats
3 egg whites
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ tsp cream of tartar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup hot water
½ cup sugar
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. In a blender, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into muffin tin. Add half of the chocolate chips to each muffin and stir gently to combine. Bake for 10 minutes. Add remaining chocolate chips to tops of the muffins. Bake an additional 5-8 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Tips: Try Splenda or Stevia instead of sugar for an even lower calorie muffin!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

It's finally starting to feel like Spring is on the way and I'm getting very excited for summer! This sweet and spicy chicken is perfect for a summer barbecue or an easy weeknight dinner. It's really quick and has soo much flavor. Let's be honest...anything wrapped in bacon is pretty much amazing. Serve with some grilled veggies and a salad!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Recipe

From Diary of a Recipe Addict

Ingredients:
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Hot chili powder
1 lb. bacon
Brown sugar

 

Fire up your grill! Season chicken strips with spices, to taste. Wrap a piece of bacon around each chicken strip. Roll each bacon wrapped chicken strip in brown sugar, making sure they are well coated. Place chicken on grill and cook until done. 

Tip: If you're not up to grilling, try baking it at 400 degrees for about 35-45 minutes.

Greek Baked Tomatoes

These tomatoes are a great, super easy, healthy dish. Serve the tomatoes with crusty Italian bread as an appetizer or alone as a side.

Greek Baked Tomatoes

Adapted from My Kitchen Affair

Ingredients:
Medium tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Parmesan cheese
Feta cheese
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the tomatoes into thick slices (about 1/3 inch thick). Place the tomatoes on baking sheet that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle salt, pepper, oregano and Parmesan cheese over tomatoes, to taste. Add about 1 tsp. feta cheese to top of each tomato and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 5-10 minutes.

Tip: I usually turn the broiler on at the end for a minute or so, until the cheese starts to turn golden brown. You can really play around with the ingredients. Try using fresh Parmesan instead of the feta. Or fresh basil and mozzarella. The possibilities are endless! 

 

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I made this recipe last night for a family Sunday dinner. I prepped the veggies before the family came over which made it so much easier. It was quick to throw together and perfect to feed a crowd. The best part...it's healthy! It makes 8 servings and it's only about 375 calories for each portion. Just add a salad and some Italian bread!

Ingredients:
16 oz. linguine
1 pound chicken, cut into thin strips
1 tsp. Creole seasoning, divided
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes, diced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 tbsp. flour
8 oz. light cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
fresh cracked pepper, to taste
2 tsp. salt
3 green onions, chopped

Season chicken with 2 tsp. Creole seasoning, 1 tsp. garlic powder and 1 tsp. salt. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and sauté over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes on each side. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes with lid on until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to skillet and reduce to medium heat. Add peppers, onions and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté for 4 minutes. The vegetables should be tender. Season with 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and pepper. Cook linguine according to package directions. In a blender, combine milk, flour and cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Add chicken broth and cream mixture to skillet and simmer for 2 minutes. Add cooked chicken and 1 tsp. Creole seasoning to skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Toss with linguine and top with green onions. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Tip: Try adding shrimp instead of chicken. If you like it spicier, add more Creole seasoning!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The first time I made this soup, I followed the recipe exactly. It was SOOO spicy. My husband and I could barely eat it. We literally had tears streaming down our faces! The underlying flavors were delicious, so we finished our bowls even though we were choking with every bite and laughing at ourselves the entire time. Once I adjusted the spices, it became one of our favorite recipes. It's really quick to throw together and it's perfect for a weeknight meal.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Original recipe from All the Best

Ingredients:
6 whole Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup extra virgin oil oil, divided
1 tsp. salt
pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 bunch celery, diced
1 pasilla chili pepper, diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, diced
1/4 cup garlic, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp. spicy chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. paprika
1 bay leaf
2 cups shredded chicken
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, toss tomatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes. In a large pot, heat 1/2 cup olive oil. Saute onion, celery, peppers, and garlic, stirring frequently. Add chicken stock, lime juice, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika and bay leaf. Simmer for 25 minutes. Remove roasted tomatoes from oven and carefully chop into bite size pieces (you could also use the food processor). Add to soup. Add shredded chicken and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with fresh cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado or any toppings you like.

Tip: Adjust the cayenne pepper and chili powder according to your desired level of spiciness!

Primanti's Famous Sandwiches

 

I was hesitant to tackle this legendary sandwich, but the craving for this Pittsburgh favorite was overpowering. I was pleasantly surprised that this recipe was pretty close to the real thing! The secret to making amazing imitation Primanti's sandwiches is using the freshest ingredients you can find. You really can't replace any component of this sandwich with anything other than homemade or it just doesn't work. This recipe will feed a crowd, but can easily be modified for fewer people. You can really substitute any meat, but turkey and pastrami are a couple of our favorites. Make the coleslaw ahead, but the fries immediately before you assemble your sandwiches. You won't be disappointed!

 

Primanti Bros. Famous Sandwiches

From The Washington Post and The Brown Eyed Baker

 

Hand Cut French Fries

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes
6 cups vegetable oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt and let dry. Cut the sides off to square the potatoes. Cut lengthwise. Heat the oil in a large pot until boiling. Drop fries into the oil and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, carefully stirring often. The fries should be slightly crispy and golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove fries from the oil and place onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: When using the fries for sandwiches, I put them into a warm oven while assembling the other ingredients.

 

Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw

Ingredients:
1 medium head green cabbage, shredded (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
pepper, to taste

Combine cabbage, sugar, salt and celery seed in a colander and toss to coat. Set colander over a large bowl. Place in refrigerator for about 4 hours. Discard the drained liquid from the bowl. Transfer the cabbage to a large bowl. Add the oil and vinegar and toss to coat. Add pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Butter
1 loaf Italian bread, cut unto thick slices
1 lb. sliced deli pastrami
1 lb. sliced deli turkey
1 lb. provolone cheese
Hand Cut French Fries
Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw
Tomatoes, sliced

Heat about a tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully place pastrami (or turkey) into skillet, layering 2 to 3 slices, depending on thickness of the meat. Flip to heat both sides. You will need to add a bit more butter with each batch to prevent the meat from sticking to the pan. To assemble sandwiches, lay 2 slices of bread on a piece of wax paper. Using a spatula, remove meat and place on one slice of bread. add 2 slices of provolone cheese. Next add a large handful of fries followed by a large handful of coleslaw. Top off with 2 slices of tomato then the other slice of bread. Cut sandwich in half and wrap in the wax paper. Serve immediately. Repeat until desired number of sandwiches are made.

Note: No need to try to make these look pretty. These are sloppy to begin with, so don't be afraid to use your hands! The assembly goes pretty quickly, so you might want to enlist a helper.

 

 

Kevin's Favorite Breadsticks

These breadsticks are possibly the single most delicious food ever. EVER. The first time I made them, my husband asked that I make more the next day. And the day after that...

Kevin's Favorite Breadsticks

From Kasia's Crafts

Ingredients:
22 Rhodes frozen rolls
1 1/2 sticks butter
Parmesan cheese, grated
1 7 oz. container of feta cheese
Salad Supreme

Defrost rolls overnight in the fridge. Melt one stick of butter and pour it on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to lightly coat pan. Roll 22 balls of dough into thin breadsticks and place them on baking sheet. Let them rise until they've at least doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt half a stick of butter and pour over breadsticks. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top. Add feta cheese and a few shakes of salad supreme to lightly cover the tops of breadsticks. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool at bit before serving.

Tebow Family Pizza Pie

I came across this recipe from Pam Tebow and I had to try it because it was so different. I served it when we had some friends over to watch a weeknight Steelers game and it was a hit. My husband even asked me if next time could I make it just for us because he didn't want to share!

Tebow Family Pizza Pie Recipe

From Tebow Family Pizza

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 medium green pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet powered spaghetti sauce mix
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3/4 c water
1 12 oz. package of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, extra for top
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large pan, brown ground beef and drain. Add green pepper and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes. Stir in sauce mix, tomato paste and water. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened. Grease the bottom of a deep dish pie plate. Press the biscuits onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese then add meat sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Add a few extra tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Honey Balsamic Green Beans

Honey Balsamic Green Beans Recipe

From Paula Dean

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. honey
salt and pepper to taste

Steam the green beans for about 5 minutes. Transfer green beans to a large saucepan and add garlic. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove cover and add vinegar, onion powder, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!