Grilled Thai Beef Salad

This is a great summer dinner.  I like to grill corn or other vegetables to serve with this salad.

 

1 lb top-round London broil or flank steak, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
3 TBS lime juice, divided
3 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
3 TBS canola oil
2 TBS dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 1/2 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 1/4 tsp chili-garlic sauce
1/2 head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 5 cups lightly packed)
3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), optional
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 to 1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

Place meat in a Zip-loc bag or small glass dish.  In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, the soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and chili-garlic sauce.  Pour half of the mixture into the bag with the meat.  Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice to the bag.  Seal tightly and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.  Reserve the rest of the mixture to dress the salad.
 

Coat the grill grate or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat until hot.  Grill the steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, or to your desired degree of doneness.  Let the meat rest for 5 minutes until room temperature, then slice thinly against the grain.

Combine the lettuce, shallots, cilantro, basil and beef in a large salad bowl.  Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat.  
Serves 4  

Source:  The Food You Crave - Ellie Krieger

Kimberly

Deviled Eggs

A recipe for Deviled Eggs?  I used to just wing-it with a little bit of this and that until I found a recipe from America's Test Kitchen that I really liked.   However, I modified the recipe a bit.  I even learned some tips on boiling eggs.  This recipe makes 40 halves (you obviously can cut the recipe down, however, I'm always bringing them to a party).  There are a few extra steps but it is worth it.

20 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 TBS sour cream
3 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
paprika and/or dill for sprinkling on top

Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.  Set ice water aside.  Place the eggs in a large pan and fill with water to 1 inch above the eggs.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Once the water has come to a boil, remove from the heat, cover the pan and let stand for 10 minutes. (boiling your eggs too long turns the yolks a greenish-grey color).  Pour the water from the pan, and gently shake the pan back and forth to crack the egg shells.  Transfer the eggs into the ice water and let cool for at least 5 minutes.  By cracking the eggs and placing them in the water it allows a little bit of water to get under the shell so they are much easier to peel.

Peel the eggs and cut in half lengthwise.  Make sure your knife is clean for each cut.  Transfer the yolks to a fine-mesh sieve placed over a medium size bowl.  Using the back of a large spoon or rubber scraper, press yolks through the sieve into the bowl.  I found that a potato ricer works just as well.  The egg yolks will be very fine and soft.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Using the wire whisk attachment on your mixer, mix well.  You may need to add a little more mayonnaise depending on how creamy you like them.  Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least an hour.

Place the filling in a decorator bag with a large star tip.  You may also use a Ziploc bag - snip the corner of the bag after filling it.  (I use the Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator).  Pipe the egg yolk filling into each egg white half.  Immediately, top each egg with a sprinkling of paprika or dill.

(Egg whites halves and filling mixture can be refrigerated separately for 2 days.  Wrap the egg whites in a double layer of plastic wrap.  Transfer the filling mixture to a Ziploc bag, squeeze out air and seal.)

Source: America's Test Kitchen (modified)

Janice

Pineapple Coconut Popsicles

Wow....so refreshing!

1 cup pineapple juice
3/4 coconut water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS sugar

Mix all ingredients together.  Pour into popsicle molds.  Freeze.

Coconut water can be found in a can in the ethnic aisle of the grocery store.
I used the Tupperware popsicle molds and this recipe made 8 popsicles.

Janice

Mocha Popsicles

A perfect cool treat for a HOT summer day like today!

2 cups extra-strong coffee or espresso (slightly cooled)
1 1/2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

Mix the coffee and cocoa powder together.  Add sweetened condensed milk; mix well.
Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.

* I used the Tupperware popsicle molds and the recipe made 10.

Source:  www.acozykitchen.com

Janice

Acini De Pepe Salad

I get many requests for this salad recipe.  It is so good it can also be served for dessert!  Kids especially love this!

  

1 cup (1/2 box) Acini de Pepe, uncooked

1 cup sugar

2 TBS flour

½ tsp salt

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 20-oz can pineapple tidbits, drained, reserve juice

1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, drained, reverse juice

2 11-oz cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 10 1/2oz bag mini marshmallows

12 oz Cool Whip, thawed

Cook Acini de Pepe – follow directions on package.  Drain and let cool.

In medium sized saucepan combine sugar, flour, salt, egg yolks and 1 ¾ cups pineapple juice.

Cook over medium heat til thick; cool.

Thoroughly combine sauce and cooked pasta in big bowl.

Cover; chill overnight.

Just before serving add pineapple, oranges, marshmallows and Cool Whip.

I buy an extra can of the mandarin oranges and arrange them on top – makes it look pretty.

Marianne Schulz

Fruit Salad

This is a perfect salad for a summer picnic.  It's so easy and so delicious!

   

 

Mix one can peach pie filling with strawberries, bananas, blueberries, green grapes and pineapple chunks (or any fruit you wish).

Refrigerate overnight.

Joice Lange

Blueberry Streusel Cheescake

As long as you have fruit in your cheesecake it's good for you, right?

1 1/2 cups plus 3 TBS flour, divided

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup cold butter, cut up

4 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 TBS vanilla

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

2 cups fresh blueberries

Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture; press remaining onto the bottom of a 9" springform pan.  Bake for 25 minutes at 325 or until lightly browned.

Beat cream cheese, remaining flour, remaining sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended.  Add sour cream; mix well.  Add eggs, one a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended.  Pour over crust.  Top with blueberries and reserved crumb mixture.

Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until center is almost set.  Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Source:  www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes

Kimberly

Energy Bars

These bars are a great pick-me-up at any time of the day.

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup shelled unsalted raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup pitted dried dates

1/2 cup nonfat dry milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Coat a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Place all ingredients, except the maple syrup and eggs, in a food processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped.  Add the syrup and eggs and pulse until the mixture is well combined.  It will resemble a coarse paste.

Spread mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.  Bake until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into 24 bars.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months.

Source:  The Food You Crave - Ellie Krieger

Kimberly

Fudgy Saucepan Brownies

These brownies are so quick and easy to make.  There is no need for a box mix anymore.

1 cup butter

3/4 cup cocoa

2 1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter; stir in cocoa until smooth.  Remove from heat, cool slightly.  Add sugar, vanilla and eggs.  Beat until thoroughly combined.  Mix together flour, salt and baking powder.  Stir into chocolate sauce.  Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.  Spread batter into pan.  Bake 30 minutes or until top is dry and brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.  Do not over-bake.  When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost. 

Brownie Frosting

3 TBS butter

2 TBS cocoa

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 TBS milk

1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Stir in cocoa until dissolved.  Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.  Add more milk if necessary to make soft spreading consistency.  Add more powdered sugar if too thin.

Kimberly