Pasta with Mozzarella Tomatoes

Just about this time of year, you start thinking...what am I going to do with all that basil in my garden?  And what I am going to do with all those gorgeous local tomatoes?

I think I have the answer.  First step: find a big hunk of the best mozzarella cheese you can get your hands on.  The softer and creamier the cheese, the more deliriously happy you are going to be...it's a direct connection.  Creamy cheesiness = happiness.  Next, go get yourself a few of those nice tomatoes...



...and some of that basil.  I have some if you need any!



Okay, here we go.  Cook up some spaghetti, and while it is boiling away, get your tomatoes ready.  Slice them up in nice thick slices, and season them with a little salt and pepper.  Place them on a baking sheet and cover them with some slices of that great mozzarella you found, along with a little parmesan. 

Meanwhile, heat up some olive oil with some chopped garlic and red pepper for a couple minutes...don't let the garlic get too brown.  As soon as it starts smelling like garlic heaven, you're good.  When the pasta has about 2 minutes to go, pop those tomatoes into the broiler until the cheese starts getting gorgeously brown and bubbly. 

Now it's time to put it all together.  Toss the pasta with that delicious garlic oil, some chopped basil, a little more salt and pepper, and then slide those cheesy tomatoes on top.  A few more basil leaves and Parmesan just to send you completely over the edge, and you are all set.  Tomato season, I adore you!

 Pasta with Mozzarella Tomatoes, from Real Simple

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 3 large beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), each cut into 4 thick slices
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce), plus more, shaved, for serving
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving

1. Heat broiler. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Dividing evenly, cover the slices with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. In a small saucepan, warm the oil with the garlic and red pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Add the garlic oil, basil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with the tomatoes, additional basil, and shaved Parmesan.

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Spaghetti with Fresh Clams

Now that the wonderful new Bon Appetit has shown me the light in terms of cooking pasta (click here for this new approach to pasta and sauce...it's life-changing) I am now going back to my old faves to try it out on them.  And one of my old fave is absolutely pasta with fresh clam sauce.  Briny, garlicky, slightly peppery sauce, with fresh clams.    I used littlenecks, but you can use manila clams as well.  You can apparently also use cockles.  (I wouldn't know a cockle if I bumped into one on Fifth Avenue, but if you do, then just know you can use 'em in this recipe.)

So, the basic concept is the same.  Cook your pasta...but not all the way.  Drain it when it still has about 2 minutes to go (and save some of the pasta water for later in the recipe).  Meantime, cook up your sauce...in this case you saute up some sliced garlic in olive oil, add some white wine and then steam your clams in this fabulous mixture until they open up.  Once they do, take out the clams with tongs and put them in a bowl. 

Now crank up the heat under that sauce and add a little pasta water...and add your almost cooked pasta.  It's going to finish cooking in this sauce, and while it's doing that it will absorb some of the sauce as it goes.  Oh yes. 

In the meantime, you can be heating your serving dish and/or your plates in a 200 degree oven.  I love doing this with pasta - the heat of the plate will keep your dinner nice and warm all through the meal.  In this case, I chose this particular serving bowl.

This bowl keeps me on the straight and narrow at the end of a long day, when I sometimes find myself standing in the kitchen thinking, now what was I doing again?

Oh yes.  Pasta.  Once the pasta is cooked, pour the entire thing into your warm serving bowl.  Add the cooked clams with any juices and toss it just a little to mix it all up.  Sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top, and drizzle just a teeny bit of olive oil over the whole thing.

I'm never going back, pasta-wise. 

Spaghetti with Fresh Clams (also known as Spaghetti Alle Vongole) with hugs and kisses to Bon Appetit

• Kosher salt
• 6 oz. spaghetti
• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 lb. cockles, Manila clams, or littlenecks, scrubbed
• 2 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season lightly with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, swirling pan often, until just golden. Add red pepper flakes and continue cooking 15 more seconds. Add wine, then clams; increase heat to high. Cover skillet and cook until clams open and release their juices, 3-6 minutes, depending on size of clams. As clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a bowl.
• Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to skillet; bring to a boil. Add pasta to pan. Cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and has soaked up some of the sauce from the pan. Add clams and any juices from bowl to pan, along with parsley, and toss to combine. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and drizzle with remaining oil.
   
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Lobster Bruschetta

So, the Southern husband and I have this thing we do on Saturday nights called The Restaurant Project, and it goes like this: every Saturday night we go to a new restaurant we have never been before.  We started it about a year ago and it has been a year of fabulous dinners, a few clunkers, and some adventurous expeditions where I have said fervent prayers of thanksgiving that someone out there invented the GPS.

One of the rules of the restaurant project is that in addition to getting two different entrees, we also must order at least one dessert.  All of which adds up to good substantial eats on Saturday nights...and why I have decided I need to institute an addition weekly tradition which I am kicking off with this scrumptious lobster recipe, and which I am christening "Friday Night Lights." 

In a nutshell, we are going to cuddle up on the sofa every Friday night while the teenager is out gallivanting around, and we are going to have a light but still wonderful supper that is an appetizer only...something new every Friday night.  This will both balance out (I hope) the Saturday extravaganza, and also give me the chance to work my way through my teeteringly tall pile of appetizer recipes.  Because while I would love to have weekly fancy dinner parties wherein I make fancy finger foods, somehow I haven't figured out a way to work that into my life yet.  I'll try to be organized enough to post these on Thursdays so you can follow along with us on Fridays if you want to!

So here you go, the first Friday Night Lights supper: a quick and easy bruschetta.  Lightly toasted slices of Italian bread brushed with olive oil and topped with a mixture of chopped lobster, red onion, shallots, tomato and fresh torn basil, all tossed with a little bit of Madeira wine.  

Where did I get the fresh basil in the midst of the winter, you ask?   Well let's just say that the Aerogarden has been so successful that I am now making herb bouquets and distributing them around the house.

But that is a topic for a whole 'nother post.  Meantime, Friday Night Lights, baby.  It's not just a great television series anymore.

Lobster Bruschetta, adapted from Bon Appetit

• 2 1 1/2- to 13/4-pound lobster, steamed, shelled and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 8 ounces tomatoes (about 2 medium), each cut into 6 wedges
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 2 peeled garlic cloves; 1 minced, 1 whole
• 2 tablespoons Madeira
• 3 extra-large basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional (for drizzling)
• 4 5x4x1/2-inch slices sourdough bread

1.  Mix onion and vinegar in large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
2. Add lobster meat, tomatoes, celery, shallot, minced garlic, Madeira, basil, and 1/4 cup oil to bowl with onions. Toss to coat. Let stand 30 minutes for flavors to blend.
3. Lightly toast bread. Rub with whole garlic clove. Drizzle with oil. Divide lobster salad among toasts.  

Click here for printable recipe

Linguine in Herbed Artichoke Sauce

This recipe dates WAY back to the days when the Southern husband and I were young and carefree, spending our Saturdays browsing around antique shops and street fairs and used bookstores.  We would wander here and there with our string shopping bags and not a care in the world, picking up this and that, and me being me, a lot of what we picked up were interesting cookbooks, often ones that were stacked in corners of little bookstores.  This particular recipe comes from one of those books - a terrific cookbook called SIMPLY ELEGANT COUNTRY FOODS.  The price is still there, written in pencil on the inside front cover.

Let's take a closer look at that price, shall we?

Now THAT'S what I call a bargain.  About five minutes ago when I started writing this post, I made a bet with the Southern husband about whether you would even be able to find this cookbook anywhere, lo these 20 years later.  He said no way.  I said absolutely yes.

Simply Elegant Country Foods : Downhome Goes Uptown

All I will say about THIS is that he is a gracious loser, and I am a nyah-nyah-nyah-ha-ha-ha-told-you-so type of winner.  And that I just LOVE being right.

Meanwhile, back at the recipe, it is every bit as easy and simple and elegant and delicious as it was all those years ago, and as an added bonus, it involves one of my very, very favorite vegetables.  (This picture may look familiar to my beloved frequent readers.  I love you guys.)

And before you worry, you can and should use frozen artichoke hearts - you don't have to mess with stripping and prepping fresh artichokes.  I just had this artichoke picture hanging around and I love looking at artichokes whenever possible.  Anyway,  besides the artichokes, the rest of the dish is a fast and simple concoction of onions, garlic, white wine, a teeny bit of tomato paste and heavy cream, and some herbs and spices, all tossed around with linguine.  Perfect, simple, delicious and you get to have artichokes.  Life is good.

Linguine in Herbed Artichoke Sauce, adapted from Simply Elegant Country Foods : Downhome Goes Uptown 

• One pound linguine
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, or one teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 ten ounce package frozen quartered artichoke hearts, thawed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Heat butter and oil in skillet and add onions and garlic.  Saute for 3 minutes.

2. Raise heat and add wine and broth.  Stir until boiling, then stir in herbs and tomato paste.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add artichoke hearts and simmer for 2-3 more minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta and drain.  Return to pot.

5. Stir cream into the sauce, heat to almost boiling and then pour sauce over pasta and toss.

6. Grind fresh pepper over top and serve.

Click here for printable recipe.

Five Minute Hummus

One of the questions I get a lot is, how do I make and photograph and then EAT all this stuff and not weigh 500 pounds?  (The questions usually are asked in a much nicer way than that, but that's the general drift.)  And while I'm not as slender as I was before I got-married-had-a-baby-started-a-food-blog, I'm so far still fitting into the same size Levi's I've been wearing for the last 10 years or so.  One of the answers I always give (and it is very true) is this: small plates!  I'm a great believer in eating things that are truly delicious, and I'd rather have a little bit of bacon then a whole lot of celery.

However, from time to time I have to resort to, shall we say, a more strict eating regimen?  Just for a little while until the Levi's can be buttoned without the whole lie down on the floor trick.  And this time, I am going for Mark Bittman's routine which he calls Simple Till Six.  The basic gist is this: you eat like a vegan from the minute you wake up until 6pm...and then you eat the way you always eat, maybe watching things a little more carefully, but in general, going your usual bacon-loving way.

So I've been doing this for the past month or so, and it's actually been pretty great, both for my Levi's and in terms of coming up with some interesting recipes that rely exclusively on veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts and anything else that doesn't involve meat/poultry/fish/dairy/eggs/bacon.  And that I, food-worshipper that I am, actually LIKE.  So, I am going to start a new "vegan" tag on these recipes so I can keep track, and the first one I made and adore is this one.  I can't believe I have been buying overpriced, pre-packaged, not-as-good hummus at the supermarket when I can literally make it in LESS than 5 minutes at home.

I'll put the recipe in formal form below just to be all official, but here's basically what it is: Dump the following items in your food processor: one can of drained chick peas, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons tahini (this is optional but I like the taste).  Press the on switch and let it rip until it looks like hummus.  You can thin it down with a tablespoon or two of water if you like your hummus really smooth.

After that, feel free to garnish it with a little paprika, maybe an extra swirl of olive oil, and then it's just a matter of deciding what you will be scooping it up with.  Pita chips, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and your finger all work equally well.

And at 6pm, I'll be breaking out the bacon.

Five Minute Hummus, from  Real Simple

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 clove garlic
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste; optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

1. In a food processor, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini (if using), cumin, and ¾ teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
2. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the paprika before serving.

Click here for printable recipe

Shrimp with Beer

Now, it occurred to me that the title of this recipe could reasonably make you think that we were eating shrimp while swigging down beer.  Which was not the case.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I am a merlot type of girl.

No, the beer in this super-easy dish is the liquid that you cook the shrimp in.  That and a little bit of whole allspice, a clove of crushed garlic, and some fresh parsley and dill.  You throw all of these ingredients into a skillet, boil it all for two minutes, and you are done.  Yes, TWO MINUTES.  I barely had time to make the dipping sauce, which is melted butter with some lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and another crushed garlic clove.  That's it, folks.  It just may be a new indoor record in terms of getting a pretty great-tasting dinner on the table in as little time as possible.

A couple of things to mention here.  First and most importantly, this is from the fabulous 60 Minute Gourmet Cookbook by Pierre Franey.  For all you youngsters out there, this is a simply wonderful cookbook collection of a feature that used to be in The New York Times...recipes that were elegant and delicious and fast.  Well, under 60 minutes, anyway.  I have several books in this series, and for some reason I forget them from time to time, and then remember they are in my bookcase and then it is like Christmas, recipe-wise.   Anyway, to Pierre Franey, wherever you are, I lift my glass of merlot in love and appreciation.

Second, this dish is messy, and I mean that in the best way.  One of the reasons it is so fast is that you don't peel the shrimp first (yes!!!) - they cook in the shell.  You dump the whole thing into one big bowl, have another empty bowl on the table for the shells, give everyone their own personal little container of the lemon butter dipping sauce, and go to town.  Peel and eat, baby...no forks involved anywhere.  At my house, this always results in a merry, festive attitude during dinner, and that in itself is worth the butter spatters all over the table.  I put a plate of buttered toast on the table as a "side dish," but this is one of those meals where you are in it first and foremost for the shrimp, and we'll worry about getting our veggies at some other meal.

Now, I couldn't find my actual old battered copy anywhere on Amazon, but the link that's with the recipe is for a book that looks like it is an updated version...and so long as it is from the 60 Minute Gourmet, it's going to be great.  Especially the recipes that are really actually TWO minutes.

Shrimp with Beer, from Cooking with the 60-Minute Gourmet: 300 Rediscovered Recipes from Pierre Franey's Classic New York Times Column 

• 3 pounds shrimp in the shell (get the large kind)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 whole allspice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh dill
• One 12 ounce can beer

1. Combine all ingredients above in a heavy skillet and cover.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer and remove from heat.  Meanwhile assemble dipping sauce (recipe below).

2. Serve in the shell, letting people peel their own and giving them individual

Lemon Butter Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 pound butter
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon Worscestershire sauce 
• 1 clove crushed garlic

1. Heat the butter until hot and bubbling.

2. Add remaining ingredients and stir.  Serve in individual containers for each person.

Click here for printable recipe

Lemon Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

So, I better start this post off by saying that you must love and adore the following things in order to love and adore this recipe.

Lemons.  There are lemon slices, lemon zest and lemon juice in this dish.  A whole lot of lemon juice, freshly squeezed from four, count 'em, four lemons.

Garlic.  There are nine, count 'em, nine cloves of garlic in this recipe, all minced up and cooked with the lemon juice, along with a good amount of butter, a lot of fresh chopped parsley, and some lovely large shrimp.  The whole process takes about 7 minutes (not kidding), which is just about the amount of time you will need to cook up a nice pot of linguine.  Then all that is left to do is drain the linguine and toss it with the shrimpy, buttery, lemony, garlicky sauce.

If you are like me, welcome to heaven, where everything is made with lemon and garlic.  And bacon.  And chocolate.  And bacon.

(Note to self: possible to make this recipe with bacon next time?  Must ponder...)

Linguine with Lemon Shrimp Scampi, adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

• 1 1/2 pounds linguine
• 3/4 stick butter
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 9 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Grated zest of one lemon
• Juice from 4 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 lemon, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1. Cook linguine in salted water until done, drain and put back in the pot.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter and olive oil in large skillet over medium low heat.  Add garlic and saute for one minute.  Add shrimp, one teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, turn up heat to medium and saute until shrimp are pink, about 5 minutes.  Stir often, turning the shrimp over to make sure they are cooked through.

3. Turn heat back down to low and add lemon juice, zest and slices, and red pepper.  Stir for about a minute to combine and heat up the sauce.

4. Pour sauce with shrimp into pot with drained pasta, toss well and serve.

Click here for printable recipe

Sesame Noodles with Cucumber Cashew Salad

I can't remember the first time I discovered soba noodles, but once I did I kinda felt like I had won the food lottery. Soba noodles are made of buckwheat, and addition to being really, really tasty, they are actually pretty good for you, as far as pasta goes. And when you pair them with a scrumptious sauce and nestle a delicious cucumber cashew salad next to them...well, it's a good day when you can say you are having a super-delicious dinner and being virtuously healthy all at the same time. Right?

This quick cold noodle salad is another one from my week-long celebration of one of my new favorite cookbooks, STONEWALL KITCHEN FAVORITES, and if you haven't yet entered the giveaway for a signed copy of this fantastic book, click here. In the meantime, here's the scoop on this salad. The sauce is a speedy combo of garlic, ginger, scallions, tahini, chili paste, soy sauce and my personal favorite kitchen ingredient, peanut butter. You thin it down a little with some hot water from the cooking pasta, toss in some cilantro if you are a cilantro person, and that's it. The salad is a simple combo of chopped cucumber and cashews tossed with sesame oil and white vinegar with a little ground pepper.

All these exotic ingredients can usually be found in any decent supermarket. If you absolutely can't find soba noodles anywhere (and I promise you that Amazon will have them!), you can sub in linguine. You just won't get to feel as completely virtuous. All of this wonderfulness is fabulous on its own, and also the perfect accompaniment to grilled steak or chicken or fish.

Here's the delish recipe, and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Sesame Noodles with Cucumber Cashew Salad, from Stonewall Kitchen Favorites

# minced garlic cloves
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup tahini
2 teaspoons chili paste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 eight ounce package soba noodles (or linguine)
Sesame seeds for garnish

1 seedless cucumber, chopped
3/5 cup coarsely chopped cashews
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
Fresh ground pepper

1. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

2. In a large bowl, mix garlic, ginger and scallions. Mix in peanut butter and tahini. Add chili paste and soy sauce and stir well. Add 1/2 cup hot water from the pot and stir into sauce. Add cilantro.

3. Make salad by mixing cucumber, cashews, sesame oil and vinegar in a separate small bowl. Set aside.

4. Add noodles to boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain and run under cold water until cool. Drain again and toss with sauce until well-coated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with cucumber salad on the side.

Click here for printable recipe

Pasta with Garlic, Blue Cheese and Tomatoes

A few days ago I posted a recipe that included some reminiscing about our recent Vermont vacation, and while you may have thought you were done looking at my vacation pictures...guess what. I held back a few, because I wanted to have enough time to go over a couple of little treasures that I found while we were up there. I promise that this will be at least marginally related to that plate of pasta up there.

One of things we love to do is go exploring around the rambling unpaved roads, because you never know what you are going to find around the next turn. We found a couple of fabulous spots in Castleton, Vermont.The first was Wright Choice Alpacas. Have you ever met an alpaca before? I never had, and how adorable is this?

They are like life-size, walking, talking (they were very talkative) versions of your favorite stuffed animal, and we spent some fun time with Deb who introduced us to the alpacas and then showed us her gorgeous array of things created from their wool. (I'm not sure that is the technical term, so bear with me here. ) I picked out a soft, beautiful green gaiter, which Deb had knitted herself. I love the whole concept of a gaiter. My lovely assistant will demonstrate...

It's open at the top, but it has a little drawstring. So you can leave it open and wear it around your neck, which is probably what I will do most days. My neck gets chilly.

OR, you can pull that drawstring closed, tie it in a bow, and wear it as a hat. Isn't that the best??

When I was able to tear myelf away from the alpacas (I really, really wanted to take one with me), we drove into town to visit the spectacular Farrow Gallery and Studios, which features the glorious sculpture artwork of the late Patrick Farrow and Susan Farrow. Susan was there and gave us a lovely tour of the place, which included everything from giant sculptures to her own framed piece of art made from found Vermont iron, to an amazing display of sculpted jewelry. I knew exactly what I wanted as soon as I saw it.

It is a small pendant shaped into, yes, a clove of garlic. As the card says, among other things, I will now be safe forever from vampires. And of course it got me to thinking...garlic, garlic...which (finally!) brings me to that plate of pasta up there. This is a dish from the Pioneer Woman's website that features three cloves of minced garlic, along with a load of other things near and dear to my heart, such as blue cheese, spinach, tomatoes and a whole lot of pasta. It's a quick and easy recipe that cooks all in one pot (well two, if you count boiling the pasta), and the combo of the blue cheese, the tomato and the spinach is just heaven. Not to mention all that GARLIC.

See, I told you I would string this whole thing together! Here's the recipe.

Pasta with Garlic Blue Cheese and Tomatoes, from The Pioneer Woman

• 1-½ pound Pasta (angel Hair Or Thin Spaghetti), cooked
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole 28-ounce Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
• Dash Of Sugar
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste
• ¾ cups Crumbled Blue Cheese
• ¾ cups Heavy Cream
• 4 cups Baby Spinach
• Half-and-Half, for thinning
• Extra Blue Cheese Crumbles, For Garnish

Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Pour in drained tomatoes. Add sugar, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste. Coor for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in crumbled blue cheese. Add cream and stir, then a little splash of half-and-half if sauce is too thick. Cook for a minute or two, tasting and adding more seasonings as needed.

Add spinach to pan. Immediately toss in the cooked and drained pasta. Serve immediately!

Click here for printable recipe

Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Okay, so this is the time of year I start to get panicky about my herbs. I have these great whiskey barrels right outside my kitchen door, and every Mother's Day weekend I plant them full of basil and rosemary and parsley and thyme and sage and tarragon. They are fabulous in June, and wonderful in May. Around mid-August, though, they start getting ornery. Some of them are struggling in the heat, and some of them are getting tall and woody and tough-looking. It's a sure sign that the summer is slowly working its way towards fall, and I go into herb-panic, trying to use 'em or lose'em before that first frost hits.



I know, it's 98 degrees outside and I am worrying about frost, but that's just the kind of calm, laid-back person I am.

Anyway, this recipe is a great way to match up steak cooked on the grill (yumyumyum) with some of those fresh herbs made into a quick and easy sauce that also has a fun name.   Chimichurri sauce - say THAT three times fast.   Chimichurri is a snap to make - you drop a handful of parsley into your trusty food processor or blender, add some garlic, some red wine vinegar, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt.  Push the button and thirty seconds later you have a fresh and delicious sauce with just a little bite to it.  Even the Southern husband, who is a card-carrying member of the Steak Is Perfectly Fine Without Any Annoying Sauce On It Club loved this.  So much so that when I was putting the leftover steak away, he made sure that I put the leftover sauce on top of it.  That's when I knew for dang sure I had a hit on my hands.

So, go use those herbs before the snow flies.

Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

• One flank steak
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil (more as needed)

1. Season steak with salt and pepper and grill to your liking, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare.

2. While steak is resting after being grilled, make chimichurra sauce: add all ingredients except olive oil to food processor and process until parsley and garlic are well-chopped.  Add olive oil in a steady stream through processor tube until the sauce is a nice thick consistency.

3. Slice steak against the grain, and garnish with sauce.

Click here for printable recipe

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage with Grits

Okay, so I've been very good and patient -- I haven't posted yet another recipe for shrimp and grits in ages and ages. Well, not since May, when I put up the post on shrimp and grits with artichoke hearts. But I can't help it. I'm married to a Southern man, and with those vows come love, cherish and enthusiastically eat shrimp and grits for as long as we both shall live. And I do love all of 'em -- the shrimp, the grits and the Southern husband, so I'm always on the look-out for new variations, and this is a great one.

The grits you cook up the way you always do. I like this variety, which you can order online, but if the only thing available is the Quaker quick-cooking grits -- well, that's better than no grits at all. (And for those of you grits-doubters out there, feel free to subsitute the word "polenta" for "grits" throughout this post. It's all ground corn, and it's all good.)

This recipe is all about the topping, which is a glorious mixture of shrimp, spicy sliced andouille sausage, and a garlicky cream sauce. It all gets cooked up together and spooned over the grits and oh, my my. Broil up some of the cherry tomatoes that are springing up all around us to toss on the side, and you have a quick and luxurious supper that would make my Southern husband proud.

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage with Grits, from Everyday Food

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup grits
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Olive oil and salt and pepper
  

1. Cook grits according to package directions.
2. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil until lightly charred, 8 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add andouille and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer andouille to a plate and reduce heat to medium.
   
4. Add garlic and scallion whites to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour. Whisk in broth and cream. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet, until thickened, about 3 minutes.
   
5. Add shrimp and andouille and cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.
   
6. To serve, top grits with shrimp mixture and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve with tomatoes.

Click here for printable recipe

Shrimp and Grits with Artichoke Hearts

Shrimp and grits, I love you way more than a Northern girl should. Maybe it is the Southern husband's influence, but I have never met a shrimp and grits recipe I didn't like, and this one is no exception. The shrimp and artichokes are cooked in a delectable lemon garlic butter sauce, and then you spoon the whole thing over some grits that have been kicked up with a little butter and parmesan cheese.

The fact that I made this recipe did not, however, stop me from making another shrimp and grits recipe with andouille sausage and roasted tomatoes several days later. I can't help myself. Stay tuned to this channel for that one, but in the meantime....

Shrimp and Grits with Artichoke Hearts

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 package artichoke hearts, thawed
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 cups cooked grits
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add artichokes and saute 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, shrimp and garlic and saute 6 minutes. Add lemon juice, 1/8 stick butter, salt and pepper. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm.

2. Cook grits according to package directions and reduce heat to low. Cook 7 minutes or until thick Stir in cheese and remaining butter and stir until melted.

3. Ladle grits onto plates and top with shrimp and artichokes. Grind fresh pepper over all.

Click here for printable recipe

Polenta with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

I was pretty sure I knew everything there was to know about making polenta (or as the Southern husband calls it, fancy grits). Some coarse cornmeal, some boiling water, some salt, a little butter and you are in business, right?

It turns out there is a better way. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

I learned that the secret to really amazing, creamy polenta is...baking soda. It has something to do with the cell walls of the cornmeal and breaking them down faster, and pectin, and starch granules...I am a little fuzzy on the whole thing. But Cooks Illustrated told me to make it this way, and since they are basically the Holy Grail when it comes to cooking just about anything, I tried it...and they were (as usual) absolutely right. The polenta cooked up faster and was incredibly smooth and creamy. I mixed in a little butter and Parmesan cheese, and topped the whole thing with a quick saute of garlic, cherry tomatoes, basil and chopped fresh mozzarella. It was speedy and comforting and wonderful. Old dog. New tricks. Woof.

POLENTA WITH TOMATOES AND MOZZARELLA, adapted from Cooks Illustrated

• 7 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Pinch of baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup cubed fresh mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Bring water to boil, stir in salt and baking soda. Slowly pour in cornmeal in steady stream, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.

2. After 5 minutes, whisk polenta to smooth out lumps, cover and cook without stirring until polenta is tender, about 20-25 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan, season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, make sauce by heating oil, garlic, pepper flakes and sugar in skillet over medium high heat for one minute. Stir in tomatoes and cook until they soften, about one more minute.

5. Season to taste and remove from heat.

6. Spoon tomato mixture with any accumulated juices over polenta, top with mozzarella and sprinkle with basil before serving.

Click here for printable recipe

Shrimp in Gorgonzola Sauce

Shrimp, shrimp, shrimp....what else can I tell you about shrimp that I haven't said a hundred times before?

Here's my shrimp video, in case you missed it last time...

I kind of can't believe I made this whole shrimp slideshow extravaganza without including this recipe, which I love with a passion and which I have been making ever since the Southern husband and I were first engaged, lo those many years ago. It is still as scrumptious as it was back then, and is one of those easy, reliable, elegant recipes that you will go to again and again...at least, I do. So for all you shrimp-lovers out there, here's one of my all-time favorites.

SHRIMP IN GORGONZOLA SAUCE

• 10 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Melt butter with garlic in large pan over medium high heat, and saute shrimp until opaque. Add cheese and lemon juice and stir until cheese is just melted.

2. Serve over rice, garnished with parsley and fresh ground pepper

Click here for printable recipe

Baked Ravioli with Goat Cheese and Pistou

I made this particular recipe because I found these adorable baby ravioli at the supermarket and they were just PERFECT for this dish, which is basically little individual ravioli and goat cheese casseroles. You could absolutely use the big ravioli, but the little ones mean you can get more raviolis in there, and I am all about as much ravioli as possible in life.

I also learned what the word "pistou" means: it is a sauce made of basil leaves, oil oil and garlic. I bet you thought that was pesto, but no -- pesto means there are ground up nuts in the sauce as well. Pistou has no nuts in it. See that? You learn something new every day. Unless I was the only one who didn't already know what pistou was, which is entirely possible. I should warn you that aside from being very delicious, pistou is also extremely garlicky. Which I personally love, but you gotta love garlic to like this one. If you do, we are all set.

So the first thing you do is make that pistou, which entails whirling fresh basil in your food processor with garlic and just enough olive oil to make a thick sauce. Cook the ravioli halfway and toss them in olive oil, and then you are ready to assemble. Pull out your favorite single serving baking dishes (although if you want to make this in one big casserole I am sure that would be perfectly fine) and layer in ravioli, some crumbled goat cheese and a spoonful of pistou. One more layer of ravioli, drizzle with cream, a generous layer of grated Parmesan and pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes. Take them out, scatter some pine nuts and chopped fresh basil on top, and there you go. Yum, right??

BAKED RAVIOLI WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PISTOU

• 1 large bunch fresh basil (save a few leaves for garnish)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 ounce package fresh ravioli
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 3/4 cup cream
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Pine nuts for garnish

1. Process basil and garlic in food processor until minced very fine. Add enough olive oil to make a thick sauce. This is the pistou

2. Cook ravioli for half the package cooking time. Drain and toss with remaining oil.

3. Butter 4 individual serving dishes and layer ingredients as follows, dividing ingredients into quarters: layer of ravioli, goat cheese, pistou, remaining ravioli, cream and parmesan cheese.

4. Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until ravioli starts to turn golden at the edges.

5. Serve garnished with pine nuts and chopped basil.

Click here for printable recipe

Indoor Clambake!

Right now, at this very moment, this is what my mailbox looks like:

I mention this because it is usually right at this time of year that I start getting this deep yearning for a clambake. Not in the middle of July and August, when a clambake is a reasonable thing to yearn for. No, not me, I am a "need to have a clambake in February" kind of girl. I know, I know. But where there's a will, there's a way, and so....

INDOOR CLAMBAKE!!!

Honestly, it's one of the easiest dinners you can make, assuming you can handle the trauma of putting the lobster in the pot. (I can't. I tried. But as usual, I ran out of the kitchen like the coward that I am and left that part to the Southern husband.) Here's what you need: Lobsters. Clams. Mussels. Baby red potatoes. Sausage - I like andouille sausage, but keilbasa or any other hearty, good-sized sausage will do. Corn on the cob, if you can find it. A couple of onions. Garlic. Lemons. A really, really, really big pot. Some Jimmy Buffett music. Ready?

OK, take that big old pot and layer (in order) the onions, the garlic, the lobsters, the clams, the mussels, the potatoes, the corn and the sausage. At this point the lobster will start waving at you from the pot and you will need to run out of the kitchen while braver people settle them back in there where they belong. If you are me. Then add about 5 inches or so of water or chicken broth. Cover the pot and turn the heat on high. Check it after 20 minutes or so, and if the lobsters are bright red and the clams and mussels are open, you're done! Melt some butter, cut up some lemon wedges, line your table with newspaper and you are ready to roll. I usually put the whole lot into one big bowl, scatter some lobster crackers around, and let the games begin. If you use a pretty thick layer of newspaper you can just let folks drop the shells right onto the table, and then clean-up is as easy as rolling up the paper with the shells inside.

It's almost like summer.



Only four months to go....in the meantime, recipe below.

INDOOR CLAMBAKE!

• 3 onions, peeled and quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 4 lobsters
• 2 dozen clams, cleaned
• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed
• 16 small red potatoes, halved
• 4 ears corn, husked
• 1 pound cooked sausage, cut into chunks
• Melted butter for dipping
• Lemon wedges for serving

1. In a very large pot, layer from bottom to top: onions, garlic, lobsters, clams, mussels, potatoes, corn, sausage.

2. Add 5-6 inches of water or chicken stock

3. Cover and cook over high heat for 20-30 minutes until lobster is red, clams and mussels are open and potatoes are tender. Serve with butter and lemon.

Click here for printable recipe

Cheater's Barbeque Garlic Shrimp and a Cookbook Contest!

Here comes another fun contest, everybody...but first you have to live through the story, because you KNOW there is always a story with me.

Ah, barbeque. It's one of the Southern husband's reasons for living, and to be perfectly honest, he is always absolutely cheerful about going outside in any sort of weather to fire up the old grill. Ten inches of snow on the ground? No problem whatsover...he's out there, and with a big barbeque anticipation smile on his handsome face. However, I myself always feel just slightly guilty for sending him out into the elements, which is why I was so glad to hear about this book.

That's right -- barbeque WITHOUT the barbeque grill. It sounded too good to be true, especially to someone who lives with a man who practically drives off the road every time we pass a sign that has the words "Pit" and BBQ" on it. (BBQ is a word, right? For right now, let's say that it is.) So I started cruising through the book to see what the possibilities were, and along with all the ribs and burgers and pulled pork and chicken and dry rubs, there it was.

Barbeque Garlic Shrimp.

Now for any of you folks who love New Orleans as much as we do, there is a place there called Pascale's Manale. You take the New Orleans streetcars to get there, and it is always jam-packed, so you wait for your table at the bar, eating raw oysters and drinking ice cold Dixie beer until your table is ready...and when you sit down you order their famous barbeque shrimp, which is spicy and tangy and perfect. The Southern husband and I have eaten more than our fair share of BBQ shrimp there (chased by more than our fair share of ice-cold Dixie) and so when I saw this recipe I had to give it a go.

Oh yes. Just as wonderful as I remember. Use big shrimp, fresh lemon juice and the best butter you can find. I like Kate's Homemade Butter, which you can get at Whole Foods, and no, not just because of the name, although that is probably why I picked it up in the first place. Don't be frightened by the liquid smoke - you can find it right next to the barbeque sauce in your supermarket, or if you want to get really fancy you can also get it at Williams Sonoma. Make sure you have some really nice fresh crusty bread to mop up the sauce. And if you have any Dixie beer on hand, not only should you drink it with dinner, but you should call me up right now and invite me over.

So now I have your attention, right? Good, because I have a couple of these awesome cookbooks to give away to any of you interested in doing a little barbeque cheating on your own. Just leave me a comment below telling me your own favorite thing to make on the grill and you will be automatically entered in a random drawing for your very own copy. (For my email subscribers -- click on the title of this post and it will take you to the website where you can leave your comment.) I'll announce the very lucky barbeque-loving winners on Saturday, January 9. Until then, here's another look at the deliciousness, and then the recipe. YUM!!

BBQ GARLIC SHRIMP, adapted from CHEATER BBQ

Makes 6 servings

• 1/4 cup bottled smoke
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 stick melted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 6 garlic cloves,, minced
• Black pepper to taste

• Fresh bread for serving

1. Combine 1 quart cold water, the bottled smoke and the salt in large bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt.

2. Add shrimp to the bowl, cover and chill for 30 minutes. Drain, pat the shrimp dry and discard the brine.

3. While brining the shrimp, combine all the remaining ingredients except the bread in a small bowl.

4. Toss the shrimp with the sauce.

5. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat until piping hot. Add shrimp and sauce to pot at cook until pink and opaque, about 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Serve at once with sauce and fresh bread on the side.

Click here for printable recipe

Roasted Garlic and Brie Soup

First of all, check out the ADORABLE little crock that the soup is in. That is part of a set of La Crueset crocks from my indispensable, wonderful, beautiful assistant, who is the most upbeat and efficient person I know, and who cheerfully tries all the many and varied and sometimes strange samples I cook up and leave on her desk. Aren't these little serving dishes great? Get used to them, they are my new favorites, and today they are home to one of my new favorite soups: roasted garlic and Brie soup.

This one is super easy and super delicious, and except for the roasting-of-the-garlic part, pretty time efficient as soups go. Don't be frightened by the fact that this recipe calls for two entire heads of garlic. When you roast garlic the way we are going to do, it takes the sharp edge off of the garlic taste, and we are left with smooth, buttery, gentle garlicky goodness. Promise.

The rest of the this soup is a mixture of minced veggies, chicken broth, herbs and Brie cheese. The softer the Brie, the more it will melt into the soup. I used a medium soft Brie, which meant that I had a few soft chunks of cheese left in mine, which was a-ok with me and the Southern husband, but if you like a smoother soup just use a really soft Brie and it will melt into perfect smoothness. You can't miss either way.

So here you go, the perfect marriage of garlic and Brie, all in one easy soup. Give it a try!

ROASTED GARLIC AND BRIE SOUP, adapted from Cooking Light

• 2 large heads of garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 7 ounces Brie, rind removed and chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finelly chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper

1. Peel the outer white skin from the garlic. Cut off the top 1/3 of each garlic head and place, cut side up, on a foil lined cooking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and bake for 1 hour at 350. Remove, cool 10 minutes and squeeze the pulp from each clove. (This will not take anywhere NEAR as long as it sounds, don't worry.) Set aside.

2. Cook celery, onion and carrot in remaining olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

3. Add flour and stir until smooth. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often.

4. Put garlic pulp and one cup soup mixture in food processor and process until smooth. Returm processed mixture to pot and add all of thyme and 1 tablespoon parsley. Bring to a simmer.

5. Add cheese and stir until melted. Season to taste, and serve at once, garnished with the rest of the parsley.

Click here for printable recipe

Best Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce Ever!

This recipe, along with my beef barley soup and a chocolate pudding cake that I am going to make for you guys one of these days, is the reason I adore my slow cooker. Yes, it is a huge, old-fashioned, clunky appliance that only does one thing. But MAN! it does that one thing really well, and I promise you that if you will just drag yours out of the attic or basement or garage or wherever you have it and make this sauce, you will be a believer! Trust me on this one, will you? I won't let you down.

Now with most things that have to do with my slow cooking, this recipe makes way too much to eat in one sitting, unless you are feeding an entire Boy Scout troop.

But that is why they invented those disposable Gladware containers - just scoop the leftovers into those babies, pop them in the freezer, and so long as you have spaghetti in the house somewhere you will be all set for future dinners when you are faced with a ravenous family and your mind is a blank.

In the meantime, this is a fantastic, rich, meaty sauce that cooks away all day long in the slow cooker and makes your kitchen smell like an Italian paradise. There is just the tiniest bit of prep involved (browning the meat), and then the whole shebang gets dropped in the reliable old slow cooker, and your work is done for the day. Some pasta, a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and you are in dinner heaven.

Go find that slow cooker now. I know you have one somewhere.

BEST SLOW COOKER BOLOGNESE SAUCE EVER

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes, drained
• 2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
• 2 6 oz cans tomato paste
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook beef in large skillet until browned.

2. Transfer to 5 quart slow cooker. Stir in all remaining ingredients, mix well.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

4. Serve over your favorite pasta. Happy sigh.

Click here for printable recipe

Teriyaki Steak and Sesame Noodles

Just in time for the holidays, I have a great recipe and an equally great cookbook to give away! Those of you who read my post on Pork Dumplings with Chili Sauce know that I am a big fan of Jaden Hair and her Steamy Kitchen blog. Jaden is an amazing cook, an incredibly talented photographer, a really nice person, and the author of THE STEAMY KITCHEN COOKBOOK, which is where I got the recipe for the teriyaki steak that you see above. This cookbook is jam-packed with fabulous-looking recipes that I am going to work my way through...just as soon as I get it back from my mom, who took one look at it on my kitchen counter and borrowed it.

But not before I had made this rocking good steak, which is marinated in a balsamic teriyaki sauce that is Out Of This World. Jaden makes it with a skirt steak, but says you can use the steak of your choice, so I took her at her word and used my all-time favorite cut for grilling: the flank steak. The Southern husband and I made the teriyaki sauce the night before and marinated that bad boy overnight until it was good and soaked in that amazing marinade. By the time dinnertime rolled around, there was nothing left to do but grill the steak and heat up some reserved marinade to drizzle over the steak.

Along the way, it occurred to me that the perfect accompaniment to this fantastic steak would be the Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles, which I have now made about one million times. And they were indeed perfect! Which brought all of this full circle, because those sesame noodles were the topic of my first cookbook giveaway...that one is over, but now I have a copy of Jaden's beautiful cookbook to give away next!

So here's what I need: leave a comment at the bottom of this post telling me your favorite food blog, and that will enter you into a random drawing for a copy of THE STEAMY KITCHEN COOKBOOK. (For my peeps who subscribe on email -- click on the recipe title up top and it will take you to the web page where you can comment. I love you guys!!) It is a perfect holiday gift...if you can bear to part with it, that is! I will announce the lucky winner at 7pm on Saturday, December 5. And in the meantime, give this scrumptious teriyaki steak a try, and visit one of MY favorite food blogs, Steamy Kitchen!

**THANKS EVERYONE -- Contest is now over, but please look for the next cookbook giveaway, coming your way soon!**

GRILLED STEAK WITH BALSAMIC TERIYAKI, from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook

• 1 pound skirt steak, or steak of your choice
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 minced shallot
• 2 minced cloves garlic
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup beef, chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)

1. To make the teriyaki sauce, melt the butter in a saucepot over medium low heat. When it starts to bubble, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until soft, watching to make sure they don't burn.

2. Pour in the vinegar and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until reduced by half. It should be thick, glossy and coat the back of a spoon.

3. Add the sugar, stock, soy sauce and mirin, stir well and bring back to a boil. Then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool and reserve 1/2 cup sauce for marinating and 1/4 cup for serving.

4. Place the steak and 1/2 cup sauce into a large sealable plastic bag. Marinate 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

5. Thirty minutes before grilling, remove the steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature. Discard the marinade and pat the steak very dry with paper towels.

6. Preheat grill to high, or set a large frying pan over high heat on the stove and add oil when very hot.

7. Grill steak for 3-5 minutes on each side for medium rare. Let steak rest for 5 minutes and the slice across the grain. Serve with reserved 1/4 cup marinade to pour over the meat.

Click here for printable recipe