No Grill? No Problem!

Every where I look these days, someone seems to be talking about grilling out. It's all over the blogs, magazines, even the tv. This would be fine and dandy, given it is summer and all, except for the fact that grilling is not so possible when you live in a high rise apartment complex. Not that this is reason enough to move out to the burbs or anything, but we all want what we don't have, and I would love nothing more than to throw some burgers on the grill on a hot Friday night. 

So what is a city dweller such as myself supposed to do (short of renting a house in the Hamptons with a huge yard and state of the art grilling station, that is)? Make this ridiculously good steak sandwich, of course! Yes, cooking a steak on the stove will probably fill your apartment with enough smoke to warrant a few red trucks, but it's totally worth it. The cooking method for the steak gives it that perfect crusty outside and medium-rare inside. And the onions and sauce and bread - oh, it's just so yummy! We paired it with a big bowl of berries and our all time favorite summer drink.

I want to send big hugs to Jamie at Life's A Feast, for honoring me with this award. She is as sweet as pie, and I'm so lucky to count her as one of my fabulous foodie friends. Thank-you so very much Jamie!

Also a big Happy Birthday to my baby brother (he might be 6'4, but he'll always be little to me), Cameron!! 

I also wanted to let ya'll know that I finally caved and joined Twitter, so please come play with me! 

Steak Sandwich

Adapted from Ina Garten

1 12-ounce 1-inch thick NY strip boneless beef top loin steak

salt and pepper

olive oil

1 large red onion

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 mini focaccia or ciabatta rolls

1/2 cup baby arugula

mustard mayo (recipe below)

• Season steak liberally with S&P on both sides.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium saute pan over high heat, just until smoking.
• Sear steak on both sides for 1 minute each.
• Reduce heat to low and continue cooking 7-10 minutes, flipping only once halfway.
• Set steak on a side plate and cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes, then thinly slice.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in same pan over medium heat.
• Add onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until onions are caramelized.
• For sandwich assembly: spread mustard mayo on bottom half of each bun, top with a layer of steak strips, sprinkling of S&P, onions, and arugula. Press down on top bun and serve.

Mustard Mayo:

3/4 cup mayo

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

• Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Perfect St. Patrick's Day Appetizer

We are having a few friends over this weekend for a pre-St. Pattie's Day/board game night. I'm cooking up a bunch of Irish or green food and everyone else is required to bring a board game. There will be tons of food, Guinness and green punch. All that coupled with some corny games (and maybe a few Rock Band sessions) should make for quite the evening!

I'm hoping to do most of the cooking before anyone gets here, so that way I can enjoy the party as well. I decided to make these cute little shepard's pies before hand, refrigerate or freeze them, then throw them in the oven right before people get here. Since I hadn't made these before, Brad and I gave them a test run the other night, and they turned out fantastic! Really flavorful, and actually pretty easy to eat with your hands, which is a big sticking point I have for finger food.

These all start with canned biscuits, which you shape into muffin tins and partially bake, forming little biscuit cups. You then fill them with mashed potatoes and a delicious meat and veggie mixture, and top the whole thing off with cheddar cheese. They bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Since there are a few steps and these would certainly need to be made before guests arrive, I'm quite happy to say that they are just as yummy after being in the fridge then heated in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350℉. I also made bite-sized versions, using half a biscuit and a mini-muffin tin.

I could not think of a more perfect appetizer for a St. Patrick's Day celebration! Stay tuned for other Irish goodies coming later this week!

Mini Shepard's Pies

Slightly Adapted from Big Daddy's House - Aaron McCargo, Jr.

cooking spray

12 canned biscuits (I used Grands Homestyle)

1 pound ground beef

1/2 onion, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons AP flour

1/2 cup beef stock

1 cup frozen mixed veggies

1/2 cup leftover mashed potatoes (I used the frozen version and just heated them up)

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• Preheat oven to 425℉.
• Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
• Using your hands or a rolling pin, gently increase the circle size of each biscuit.
• Mold the biscuit into a cup shape inside each muffin tin.
• Partially bake biscuits for 6-8 minutes, then set aside.
• Brown beef in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions, salt, pepper and garlic, and cook for a few minutes, letting the onions soften.
• Stir flower into meat until a pastey consistency.
• Add beef stock and cook for a few minutes.
• Add vegetables and herbs and cook just until veggies have been warmed.
• Meanwhile, reheat potatoes in microwave for 5-6 minutes, or until warm, then stir in garlic and onion powder.
•  Spoon equal amounts of potatoes into the biscuit cups (it will look like it's filled to the top).
• Top with beef mixture and push down with the back of a spoon or hands.
• Top with mounds of cheese.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.
• Let cool for a few minutes, then gently remove each cup, using a knife if necessary.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

The weather is so sneaky. It had just barely started to warm up here last week, and now it's back to freezing again. After spending a few days in sunny Orlando, I was beginning to think that winter might just be heading out the door. Ha! It doesn't look like the coldness will be leaving us anytime soon. Plus, we are headed back up to Toronto this coming weekend, so I have a feeling we will be getting more than our fair share of winter weather.

The one (and pretty much only) good thing about the chilly weather is that you get to sit in the comfort of your heated home eating soul satisfying soups and stews. That's exactly how I plan to cope the next few months. So I decided to give another one of Giada's soup recipes a try after my last attempt didn't go so well. I've had this bookmarked for forever and am so glad that I finally tried it. It is very hardy with big, beautiful chunks of butternut squash. The sweet squash, savory meat, tangy sun-dried tomatoes and herb combo make for a very unique flavor. This dish just feels special because of how many layers of flavor it has. You would never know that it was easypeasy to whip up. This is also pretty economical for those of you who aren't so sure the stimulus bill will pull us out of this funk.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Adapted from Everyday Italian - Giada De Laurentiis

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

2 pounds of stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons AP flour

1 cup Marsala wine

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

1/4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

3-4 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

rice, optional

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
• Add onions, garlic, rosemary and thyme and saute for about 2 minutes, or until the onions have begun to soften.
• Toss beef with salt, pepper and flour, then place in pot over medium-high heat.
• Cook beef until browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add wine, and using a spoon, stir-up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
• Add squash and tomatoes.
• Add just enough broth to cover the squash.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste, garnish with parsley and serve over rice, if desired.

Italian Wedding Soup

I love the canned Italian wedding soup you can find at any grocery store. The mini-meatballs, bits of pasta and flavorful blend of herbs are an awesome combination. So when I saw Giada making this soup, I knew I had to try it. I figured if the soup won me over coming out of a can, it would have to be amazing when made with my own two hands.

Unfortunately, I made a few changes to this recipe that I think kept it from being as glorious as I had hoped. The soups flavorings were all delicious, the real problem was with the meatballs. They weren't flavorful and were very tough even though I was careful not to overmix them. Obvioulsy I wasn't careful enough! I also made the mistake of just using ground beef because that was all our grocery store had (yes, I pretty much hate the grocery stores in my area. Whole Foods - why must you neglect us UESiders and position your stores in every other area of the island??). So the meatballs ended up tasting like balled up hamburgers. Less than stellar. This is what I get for messing with Giada!

I will try this one again and actually follow recipe to a "t," because the base of the soup was delicious and very flavorful. It was also really pretty with the green pieces of escarole and little strands of egg and parmesan. In the meantime, if anyone has any meatball tips I would love to hear them!!

Italian Wedding Soup

Slightly Adapted from Everyday Italian - Giada De Laurentiis

Meatballs:

1 small onion, grated

1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley

1 large egg

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 slice white bread, crust trimmed and torn into small pieces

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

8-ounces ground beef

8-ounces ground pork

pepper

Soup:

12 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound escarole

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

salt and pepper

cooked macaroni noodles (optional)

• Meatballs: In a bowl, stir to combine the onion, parsley, egg, garlic, salt and bread.
• Stir in the cheese, beef and pork.
• Shape the mixture into 1-inch diameter meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
• Soup: Heat broth in a large pot over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
• Add meatballs and escarole and simmer for about 8 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked and escarole is tender.
• Whisk together the eggs and cheese and gradually stir into broth using a fork to create thin strands for about 1 minute.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add in noodles and top with Parmesan, if desired.

Why not keep the Crockpot out?

You probably know by now that I am a big fan of the slow cooker/ crockpot/ working woman's best friend. It's just the easiest thing to cook in and produces phenomenal results with minimum effort. There is nothing better than coming home after a long day to house that is filled with the smell of stewing meat and promises of a delicious dinner. I owe my mom for this little obsession, and I am on a journey to spread the good news! You can imagine how excited I was to happen to pop into my friend's house the other day, only to find her slow cooker (a handmedown from moi) on the counter and obviously being put to good use.

I know many people used their slow cooker over the weekend for the big game, since it is a must for sports parties. So, why not keep it out for dinner this week and make these delicious short ribs. After cooking all day, they are absolutely falling off the bone and tender enough that you could cut the meat with a butter knife. Plus they cook in a wonderful sauce that is chock full of veggies and also makes a fantastic gravy (Brad ate the leftover gravy over rice and even froze some he liked it so much).

Again, this really took minimal effort and you could easily do it before leaving for work (grilled meat - best perfume ever, men will be falling over themselves). I just busted out my big grill pan and seared the ribs on all sides, then dumped them in the pot along with the other ingredients and forgot about it for 8 hours. Presto Changeo - Dinner is served!

Ale-Braised Short Ribs

Slightly adapted from Slow Cooker - Williams Sonoma

Serves 6

4-5 lbs. bone-in beef short ribs

salt and pepper

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

14.5-oz. can diced plum tomatoes, with juice

12-oz. dark beer

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup water

• Preheat grill pan (or broiler).
• Grill (broil) ribs, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.
• Place ribs in slow cooker.
• Place onions, garlic, squash, tomatoes and beer on top of ribs.
• Cook for 5-6 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low.
• Remove ribs and veggies from pot, and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Skim off any excess fat with a slotted spoon.
• Turn heat to high, and whisk together the flour and water.
• Whisk water mixture into sauce and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve gravy over ribs and veggies (can place everything back in pot if desired).

Gotta Love the Slow Cooker

I know I love mine! It's one of my favorite wedding gifts, and God's gift to busy (or lazy) cooks. Isn't it the greatest feeling to come home after a long day and for your house to be filled with yummy smells? Not to mention the fact that you haven't touched a pot in 8 hours. It's like someone lovingly came over and made you dinner and it was ready the second you walked through that door. Plus, slow cookers always make way too much food, so you have leftovers that only get better as the week goes on.

In this cookbook I have, there are like 20 different beef chili recipes. I have only made one before and it turned out more like a pasta sauce instead of a chili, so this time I wanted to go for one that looked a bit more meaty. And boy was this sucker meaty! It's more like a stew than a chili really. The recipe says that you can add an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce to make it more tomatoey (I can make up words, right?). I didn't, but I liked it chunky. We served ours on top of some steamed rice, and it was a big hit. Great leftovers for days too.

Favorite Chili

Adapted from Fix-It and Forget -It

2 lbs. coarsely ground beef

2 16-oz cans red kidney beans

2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1 green pepper, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp. chili powder (more or less depending on personal preference)

1 tsp pepper

2.5 tsp salt

• Brown the meat, drain and set aside.
• Place ingredients in slow cooker in the order listed and then stir briefly just until combined.
• Cook on High for 5-6 hours, or Low for 10-12 hours.
• Optionally top with sour cream & cheese, and serve with rice.

Bobby's Italian Meatloaf

It seems like everyone has a meatloaf recipe. Whether it's their grandmother's or even their own adaptation, meatloaf is just such a staple food and everyone has their own version they like to turn to. Well trust me when I tell you, that no matter how much you like your own meatloaf, you must make room for this Italian version in your repertoire.

This is the most moist and flavorful meatloaf I have ever tasted. It has tons of beautiful veggies, grated Parmesan and Japanese breadcrumbs inside along with a tasty balsamic crust. It's not much to look at, being meatloaf and all, but it was really tasty and made the most amazing leftovers (I swear a meatloaf sandwich the next day is enough of a reason to make this).

The only drawback I see to this amazing Italian take on an old staple is time, cause it takes a lot of it! There is a lot of chopping involved to get all the veggies prepped and then the meatloaf itself took over an hour to cook. If I hadn't still thought it was delicious the second day I might have attributed a major part of it's yumminess to the fact that I was famished by the time it was finally ready.

I will definitely be making this again, but not anytime soon. We are off to the wedding in exactly two weeks and time is the one ingredient I don't seem to have any more. Yes, Culinary Wannabe has regressed. I have a feeling the only form of cooking going on in our kitchen for the next few weeks will involve pouring cereal into bowl and fighting over who gets the last of the real milk and who is stuck with the soy (we're practicing that compromise thing people always tell me is needed to make a marriage work).

I'm going to try and experiment a bit more before the wedding and hopefully will share some good finds (or bad ones for that matter!), but in the meantime be sure to try this meatloaf - if you have the time. :)

Please visit the link below for the recipe:

Bobby's Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze

Adapted from Throwdown with Bobby Flay - Bobby Flay