Memorial Day Weekend

Reflect - yes a day to pay respect to all those who have and currently are protecting our freedom as  we have always know it - Thank you!

On another note, Memorial Day weekend is time for family and the lake and a 3 day closet renovation?? Hmmm where Michael lacks in carpentry skills, he gains on the grill ;-) I've cooked all weekend despite the fact that our AC is out (I learned my lesson on that subject) and last night we made   garlic and herb rubbed flank steak with all the essentials, potatoes/asparagus/mushrooms etc. Served it with a nice tomato ranch salad and finished with Sonic Shakes - Yep sounds like a Holiday to me.

 Flank Steak with Garlic Butter Sauce  (Courtesy of Baked Bree off Pintrest)

Ingredients

• flank steak (or skirt, or really whatever cut you like)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves
• fresh thyme sprigs
• fresh rosemary sprigs
Garlic Butter Sauce:
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 cloves garlic salt
• I used all the herbs from my garden chopped

1. A few hours before you want to grill, marinate your steak. Season well with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and rub with garlic cloves. Lay fresh herbs underneath and on top of steak. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a few hours.
2. Take the steak out of the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to grill. It was pouring outside, so I grilled mine on my indoor grill. But I prefer to cook it outside on the grill. Heat to high heat, and cook 4 to 6 minutes on each side. Flank steak is best cooked medium-rare to medium. If it is cooked further than that, it is not as tender. Cover the cooked steak with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. This is a really important step. If you try to slice your steak without letting it rest, the juices will release and it will dry out.
3. While the steak is resting, start the butter sauce. Add a stick of butter, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and a generous pinch of salt to a saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat. The garlic will slowly cook in the butter. Slice the flank steak against the grain as thinly as possible. Pour garlic butter over steak and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

And since my Pintrest list of LIKES is so large I choose another item to make. This turned out a little wet or gummy so I would do the 3 not 4 cups of Zuke and possible bake another 3ish min. I also liked it before the frosting like a "snacking cake".

Zucchini Cake with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting 

                                                         2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lime zest
4-oz (approx. 1/3 cup) unsweetened applesauce
3-4 cups shredded zucchini (4-5 medium)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-in baking pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, lime zest and applesauce until very smooth. Stir in flour mixture and mix only until just combined, with no streaks of flour remaining. Stir in shredded zucchini.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake for 28-31 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
Cool cake on wire rack (cake can be cooled in the pan).
Frost top of cake (not sides) once it is completely cooled.

(bakingbites.com)

Lower Fat Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
8-oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups marshmallow creme (7-oz)
1 tbsp lime zest
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

It's been awhile...

Hello Sisters!!!!!!!!

So it is time to give this blog a kick in the pants!  I have missed seeing what you guys are up to and I know that we have all been eating dinner.  I have made so many great recipes in the last several weeks and I can't wait to share them with you.

Although I don't watch the show The Chew on a regular basis I have to say that when I do I usually find a good recipe or two to try.  Last week they had Ina Garten on so I had to DVR the show.  She made a filet of beef that looked good, but seriously when am I going to cook an entire filet of beef? (The basil mayo that she made did look really good!)  Michael Symon made a Korean steak that looked really good.  I made a variation of it last night for dinner and everyone at the table cleaned their plate.  This was a moment in the Landry house as the girls rarely finish their meals.  I'm not really sure how they are still growing.  This is a meal that I will be putting in our recipe rotation.  I used thin cut ribeye but I think this would be good with chicken.  I wanted to take a picture, but we were all too hungry to wait.

Sorry it's been so long!!!!!!


Korean Steak

• 3 tablespoons Ginger (finely grated)
• 3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced Garlic
• 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
• 3 teaspoons Sriracha (plus more for serving)
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let meat marinate for about 30 min.
• Get your cast iron pan hot (my pan was most likely not hot enough, but our vent hood stinks and we would have had a smokey mess)
• Cook meat on both sides quickly 3-4 min each side.
• I saved my marinade boiled it in a pan and served it over some broccoli and steamed rice.  
• 
  
• SO YUMMY!!!

2013...Looking good so far

Even though we are about 15 hrs in... 2013 is looking good so far because last night at the grocery store I found Fresh Cherries IN OKLAHOMA! I'm taking this as an omen because this NEVER happens (I am still a little sore about the eggnog though). Anyway, I have had the Amaretto Soaked Cherries pinned for over a year so made them today and they are Delicious.

AMARETTO-SOAKED WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRIES (Formal fringe via pintrest)

40 fresh unpitted cherries (cherries with pits works fine, too)
750 mL bottle of amaretto 

The recipe calls for white chocolate chips and veg oil, but I used a White Chocolate bar made for melting and when I ran out of that I used Almond Bark and ran out of that and used Dark Chocolate ;-)

With a knife, make small ¼-inch cuts into each cherry. Place the cherries into mason jars, filling each jar about ¾ of the way full. Fill each jar with amaretto to just cover the cherries. Close each jar securely, and shake gently for 10 seconds before placing into the refrigerator. Let cherries soak for at least overnight, up to 48 hours.

Strain the cherry mixture (you can reserve the slightly cherry-flavored amaretto for cocktails) into a colander. Pat down each cherry with a paper towel or cloth until each one is dry (this is so the chocolate will stick)

Melt the melting chocolate or almond bark in the microwave about 2 min stir as needed make sure not to burn

Dip each cherry into the white chocolate coating. Let excess chocolate drip off before placing the cherries on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate to set for at least 15 minutes before serving. Keeps best in the fridge for up to 1 day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FAMILY! LOVE YA

Christmas in Denver

Wow Steph your Christmas Dinner sounded and looked Incredible, but those Kolaches look downright professional! We had a good Christmas as well and even though the Snow didn't stick around we had a white Christmas Morning for the Girls. Can't wait for you guys to see the new Landry Home it's great - so much space and the backyard will be awesome in the summer. We tried a couple of things and most were a success (homemade twinkies not so much). On Christmas Day we made the Pioneer Women's Braised Short Ribs with Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta, Roasted Artichokes with Garlic, and Eggnog Pie.

EGG NOG CREAM PIE (pinterest Lauren's Latest)

Use your own Favorite Pie Crust Recipe or Store Bought

FILLING

3/4 cup cold heavy cream
1 cup egg nog
1/2 cup milk
1 box instant vanilla pudding

Directions:

When ready to make the pie crust, remove one disk of dough from refrigerator and sit out for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to roll. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Flour board and rolling pin and roll out dough to large circle. Place in pie pan, cut off extra dough and scallop the top edges of crust. Prick bottom of crust with fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust looks dry and top edges are barely golden. Set aside to cool.

For the filling: whip cream until stiff peaks form. Set in refrigerator until ready to use. Whisk egg nog, milk and instant vanilla pudding together until smooth. Let it thicken 3-5 minutes. Fold half the whipped cream into egg nog pudding and pour into cooled pie shell. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2+ hours. Make sure whipped cream makes it back into the fridge too.

I wish I would have had a 2nd slice of pie. Got Back to Tulsa and like I thought they DO NOT SELL Eggnog after Christmas ;-( until next year I suppose.

Christmas kolaches

I had a great Christmas and I hope you ladies did too. I cant wait to hear how the eggnog pie was.

Here was our Christmas dinner rundown

Prime rib with horseradish cream and au jus with popovers made from the drippings, Dijon honey glazed ham, roasted asparagus, mushrooms, parsnips, and fingerling potatoes, mac and cheese and buttermilk pie with cranberry sauce. I have to say it was one of the best meals i have made in awhile.

Breakfast was a fresh baked batch of kolaches I had prepped the day before. These made me really happy, the dough was easy to put together, very rich and a dream to work with. I think it would be a good cinnamon roll dough too. I have been though West, TX a couple of times where there is a Czech population and known for their kolaches and I would dare to say they are a good as any of those I have tried there.

I substituted a cup of buttermilk for the sour cream and no water and added a bit more flour. I filled mine with some extra cranberry sauce, and a quick cream cheese filling. (Any jam or fruit filling would work) And for the sausage kolaches I pick up a package of cheddarwurst and jalapeno chedderwurst.

I got the dough recipe from King Arthur flour website

DOUGH
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine*, melted
2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

DOUGH: Warm the sour cream gently, and combine it with the sugar, salt, and butter or margarine in a large mixing bowl. Cool the mixture to lukewarm (if it isn’t already that temperature), and add the yeast (if you’re using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the water first), warm water, eggs, and flour. Mix and knead the dough, using your hands, a mixer, or a bread machine, till it’s soft and smooth. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the dough overnight. Note: This dough won’t rise much, so don’t worry about having to put it in a huge bowl.

Cream cheese filling
1/2 block cream cheese -soft
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp citrus zest -I had a combo of oranges and limes
Combine everything until smooth. Set aside for next day

Next day, remove the dough from the fridge, and divide it into about 20 pieces, each 1 3/4 ounces, about the size of a golf ball. Place the pieces on lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about an inch between them. Flatten the balls till they’re about 1/2-inch thick, cover them with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow them to rest for 30 minutes.

For the sausage varieties -I just rolled the dough out about a 1/2 inch thick into a large rectangle and then cut those into strips about the same width of the sausage. Then roll around the sausage and pinch the seam close

STREUSEL TOPPING: In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 c. flour, 1/2c. sugar, then add 1/2 stick soft butter, stirring till crumbs form.

ASSEMBLY: Using your fingers, make a wide, deep indentation in the center of each flattened dough ball. Don’t be afraid of being decisive here; you want to make a deep enough indentation that it doesn’t just disappear as the buns rise and bake. Place about 2 tablespoon of the filling into each bun; crumble a little of the streusel on top. Cover the kolaches, and allow them to rise for about an hour; they won’t necessarily double in bulk.

Bake the kolaches in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, till they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm, or at room temperature. Yield: about 20 kolaches.

The 4 P's...

It's Sunday and "the weather gods" say it going to turn cold and snow. While I'm "not holding my breath" on the forecast, I am making Pot Roast and Pumpkin Pie Pockets. The Pot Roast is simple crock pot style - I seasoned and browned the meat, cut up some potatoes, onions, and carrots; then placed the roast on top and covered the roast with cream of mushroom soup. We shall see around 8:00 how that turns out. In the meantime, I really didn't get my Pumpkin Pie fix this year so keep trying new recipes with Pumpkin Puree. I've done bread pudding, mixed it with cake box mix, and today made the Pie Pockets that I had earmarked on Pinterest awhile ago. Pretty good but better with whip cream and I think I should have stuffed them a little bit more. Also wished I had Joy the Baker's Hot Buttered Rum to go along with...have a good week and Post Dammit!!

Pumpkin Pie Pockets via cookies and cups/pinterest

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temp.
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 store bought rolled pie crusts
• egg wash 
• Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray an 8×8 pan with cooking spray, set aside.
3. In your mixing bowl beat cream cheese and pumpkin until combined and smooth. Add in your sugar and salt and mix until incorporated. On low add in your butter, half and half vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and egg yolk.
4. Turn mixer up to medium and mix until combined.
5. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until set.
6. Let cool before filling your pie pockets.
Assembly:
7. Flatten your crust on a floured work surface. Roll the crust out a little thinner.
8. Cut your crust into rounds, approx 3" in diameter.
9. Place 1 tbsp of pumpkin pie filling in the center of each.
10. Brush the edges with egg wash and place a top crust over filling and pinch edges.
11. Bake at 350° on a parchment lined baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
12. When done, remove from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
13. Serve warm or room temperature

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!

Good Tuesday Evening to you gals. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and would like to see some Posts of what you gals cooked this year. As for this sister, I didn't cook a thing! Surprised? I am! We ended up at the Cousins which was only half the family because everyone was sick - sorry for them, more food for us. By Saturday, I was feeling a little guilt (about not cooking) so made Grown-Up Mac and Cheese with Goat Cheese and Roast Chicken, Sunday was Beef Fajita Night, Last night was a big ol salad, but tonight was the Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner.

Chardonnay Braised Chicken Thighs with Parsnips

Thanks again to Food and Wine

The Parsnips cooking in the Wine Smelled Awesome

1. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 2 tablespoons olive oil
3. 8 med chicken thighs I used 6
4. Salt & Pepper
5. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6. 4 small shallots, peeled and quartered
7. 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 3-by- 1/2-inch batons
8. 1 rosemary sprig 
9. 1 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine
10. 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth I used Chicken Stock
11. 
    

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large, deep ovenproof skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with the flour, tapping off the excess. Add the chicken to the skillet skin side down and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the shallots, parsnips and rosemary to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken skin side up in the skillet, tucking it between the parsnips. Transfer the skillet to the middle rack of the oven and braise the chicken uncovered for about 25 minutes, until cooked through.
3. Turn the broiler on. Broil the chicken for 3 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Return the skillet to high heat and boil until the sauce is thickened, 3 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprig. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to bowls garnish with Rosemary or Parsley.