Grilled Steak Fajitas

Another recipe from my drafts archive for which I do not have pix. As with the others, will update with pix when I remake.

Easy-peasy and quite tasty, a 10/10! 

Link to original recipe: https://www.isabeleats.com/steak-fajita-marinade/

Ingredients:

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. orange juice

2 T. fresh lime juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 1/4 lb. skirt steak (weight after trimmed of excess fat)

1 yellow (or other color) bell pepper, sliced in thin strips

1 large red onion, sliced in half and then in thin half-rounds

flour tortillas, for serving

optional: Gordo's Mexican cheese dip, melted (to add as topping in fajitas)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients from olive oil through smoked paprika in a large, non-reactive bowl.  Add skirt steak and turn in the marinade to coat all over.  Push down into marinade, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to 8; I went around 3).  

2. Prepare the grill.  Meanwhile, transfer steak to a plate, leaving marinade in bowl.  Add the bell pepper and red onion to the marinade and stir/toss until combined.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Pour all bowl contents into the skillet.  Cook, stirring frequently, until veggies have softened to desired doneness.

4. Grill steak to desired doneness.  Slice up, serve and enjoy!

Spaghetti with Parmesan-Asiago Chicken Sauce

I'm still working on getting all my older drafts published. This one is from July of 2020, and I cannot find the pix to go with it, so that will have to wait for a remake at some point.

I was craving pasta and had some chicken to cook, couldn't find a recipe that appealed to me, so once again, I tried creating one.  And it turned out great! I'll go 9.5/10...I'll try tweaking it slightly next time I make it and see if I can get it to perfection level :) It's pretty darn tasty as I made it, though!

Ingredients:

~8 oz. thin spaghetti

1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (probably closer to 1 lb. after trimming fat), cut into to small/bite-size pieces

1 T. herbes de Provence

1 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

2 T. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. Chardonnay

~2/3 c. chicken stock (or broth; I used a combo, but will use only stock next time)

~2 T. pasta cooking water (I will up this amount next time)

3 T. heavy cream

1/3 c. shredded Parmesan

~3 T. shredded Asiago

Directions:

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  When draining, reserve some of the pasta water for use later in the sauce making.

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper.  

3. In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Once butter has melted, add chicken to the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally.  When chicken has cooked for a few minutes, add the minced garlic to the pan.  Continue cooking until chicken is starting to brown a bit.

4. Deglaze pan with Chardonnay and let cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the chicken stock and reserved pasta cooking water.  Cook for additional 2 minutes, then stir in heavy cream.  Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and Asiago.  Add the cooked spaghetti to pan and stir to combine/coat pasta.  Serve up and enjoy!

Italian Stuffed Flank Steak

Ooooooh yummm. This is another excellent dish I prepared with my mom during last visit. Absolute 10/10 all the way! Again, I forgot to take pix, so we'll just have to make it again lol.

Original recipe credit: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/italian-stuffed-flank-steak/

Recipe below contains our modifications.

Ingredients:

for the marinade--

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1/4 c. fresh Italian parsley, chopped

for the pesto--

1/2 c. walnuts (we used black walnuts, highly recommend)

2 cloves garlic

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

2 oz. fresh basil leaves

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

for the flank steak--

1 to 1 1/2 lb. flank steak (we used 1 lb)

6 slices prosciutto

2 roasted red bell peppers

6 slices mozzarella cheese (or provolone)

salt and pepper, to taste

2 T. olive oil

Directions:

1. If the flank steak is thick enough, butterfly it. Otherwise, pound it with a meat mallet until it reaches a uniform thickness of around 1/2" or thinner. (As ours was only 1 lb, it was not thick enough to butterfly.)

2. In a large bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Add the steak to the bowl and coat it in the marinade. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

3. Add all pesto ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times, until a coarse pesto forms (NOT smooth).

4. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove steak from marinade and place on a work surface. Spread the pesto evenly over the steak, leaving a border of around 1/2" on all sides.

5. Cover pesto layer with prosciutto. Cover prosciutto laver with the roasted peppers. Cover the roasted peppers with mozzarella cheese, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6. Roll up the steak jellyroll style with the grain of the steak running the length of the roll. Tie roll with kitchen twine around every 2".

7. In an oven-safe skillet (we used cast iron), heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear steak quickly until browned all over. Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until registers 130°F on thermometer inserted in center of roll.

8. After removing from oven, let roll rest for 10 minutes. Remove twine, cut into slices, serve and enjoy!

Pasta Shells with Portobello Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Boursin Sauce

Deliciously different! 9.5/10, would definitely make again. Made this with my mom...forgot to get any pix, though, oops! Will be sure to post pix next time, though. The recipe says you can use the herbs version of Boursin instead; we found that the pepper in the Boursin balances the dish, so we recommend getting the pepper version if at all possible.

Original recipe credit: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pasta-shells-portobello-mushrooms-asparagus-and-boursin-sauce

Ingredients:

1 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

12 oz. Portobello mushroom caps (stems already cut off), caps halved, then cut crosswise into 1/4" slices

1/2 tsp, salt

1 1/4 c. chicken stock

1 pkg. (5 1/2oz.) pepper Boursin cheese

1 lb. asparagus

12 oz. (uncooked weight) medium pasta shells

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan over slightly higher than medium heat, melt the butter and combine with the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender (around 8 min.)

2. Add the chicken stock and Boursin cheese and bring to a simmer.

3. Meanwhile, snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the remaining pieces into 1/2" pieces.

4. Bring a large, salted pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 min. Add the asparagus to the water and continue cooking until pasta is al dente (for ours, this was 4 additional minutes). 

5. Drain the pasta and asparagus, toss with sauce, and serve. Enjoy!

Rosemary Brie Chicken 'en croûte'

I've made this quite a few times, always delicious! The recipe is from a printed card from Pillsbury; it is not on Pillsbury's website as of the date of this entry. During the most recent time making this, I used Fromager d'Affinois instead of Brie and added in chopped cooked bacon--both were excellent, so that is the version I'm listing here. While the recipe says to 'cube' the cheese, it's typically too soft for cubes; I just pinch off pieces around the size of cubes instead.

Ingredients:

1 tube (8 0z.) refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls

3 or 4 slices bacon, cut in small bits crosswise

finely chopped green onions (optional, to taste)

~4oz. Fromager d'Affinois (or Brie), rind removed, cubed

1 chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces/slices

salt & pepper

olive oil

1 egg, beaten

~1 tsp. crushed dried rosemary

~1 T. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon "bits" until just starting to crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add a bit of olive oil to skillet and cook chicken over medium heat until starting to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. On the prepared baking sheet, separate dough into 4 rectangles (each will have 2 triangles you will need to press the seam together to form rectangle). If using, add a small amount of green onions to center of each rectangle, then top with around 1 oz. of cheese and one-fourth of the cooked bacon "bits".

4. Top each with chicken pieces enough to cover the cheese (depending on size of chicken breast, you may have leftover pieces). Pull/fold up edges to close around all filling and pinch dough to seal. 

5. Turn over so that each is seam side down. Brush each with beaten egg, then sprinkle with dried rosemary and Parmesan. Cut 2 or 3 small slits across top of each.

6. Bake for 21-26 min, until golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Garlic Basil Grilled Shrimp and Kielbasa Skewers

Major YUM! Easy and quick, too. 10/10! I forgot to set aside the 2 T. of marinade, so I just brushed some on as the skewers cooked. Will definitely make again and remember to do it correctly next time. Served with Israeli couscous, excellent!

Link to my video of preparation on YouTube: coming soon

Original recipe credit: https://diethood.com/grilled-shrimp-skewers

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, firmly packed

1/4 c. fresh Italian parsley leaves, firmly packed

1/4 c. olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 T. lime juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

13-14 oz. Kielbasa, sliced in rounds

Directions:

If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak for 30 minutes.

1. In a mini food processor, puree together the basil, parsley, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper.

2. Set aside 2 T. of the basil mixture (the step I forgot to do in video).

3. Place shrimp and kielbasa in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining basil mixture. Let rest while you prepare the grill.

4. When grill is ready, thread skewers with alternating shrimp and kielbasa. Grill for 3 min. per side, until just charred and shrimp have turned slightly opaque.

5. Serve with reserved basil mixture and enjoy!

Pasta with Chicken Mushroom Bacon Cream Sauce

I'm sure this was delicious, but I forgot to note it! Must make again to properly rate, will report back when I do :)

Link to my YouTube video of preparation: coming soon

Original recipe credit: https://www.eatwell101.com/creamy-mushroom-chicken-skillet-recipe

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. crispy cooked bacon (4 strips uncooked bacon, cut in bits)

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

3 T. butter

12 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 small yellow onion, minced

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

splash of Sauvignon Blanc (or other dry white wine)

1/3 c. chicken stock

1 3/4 c. heavy cream (could use half and half for lighter version)

1/4 c. fresh grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook cut up strips of bacon over medium heat until starting to crisp. Transfer bacon from skillet to a paper towel lined plate, using a slotted spoon to leave behind rendered fat.

2. Season chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. In a small dish, combine paprika and garlic powder. Sprinkle all over chicken thighs. Add the thighs to the rendered fat in the skillet (keep heat at medium). Cook on each side for around 8 min. (Use of a spatter screen is advised.) Transfer thighs to a plate.

3. Add 3 T. of butter to pan. After it has melted, stir in the mushrooms and Italian seasoning. Let cook for 1 minute, then add in the onion. Cook one more minute, then add in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms have finished giving their liquid and it has started to evaporate.

4. Stir in the splash of wine and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the chicken stock, followed by the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for a few minutes.

5. Stir in the reserved cooked bacon, followed by the Parmesan. Once the cheese has fully melted/combined in the sauce, return chicken thighs to pan (along with any accumulated juices). Turn thighs in sauce to coat and let cook for 1-2 minutes (to reheat thighs). Serve with pasta or other desired side and enjoy!