Mexican Spice Campfire Steaks

Mexican Spice Campfire Steaks

Good Lord, just thinking about these steaks makes me hungry. I found this recipe a while back at foodandwine.com and ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. You can premix the seasoning and premake the butter and be ready to go in a moment’s notice.

Neither of us felt like cleaning the big grill, so Andrew popped out the propane campfire grill and cooked them on there. And they had the perfect crisscross pattern on them. I had to post the picture that came with the recipe because when Andrew brought the steaks in I completely forgot to take a picture.

Well, I was also very busy eating Onion Strings. I mean *cough* frying Onion Strings. I was frying them. And I wasn’t standing next to the fry daddy eating them as they came out of the hot grease. Just so you know…

Mexican Spice-Rubbed Rib Eyes with Lime Butter

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle powder
• Four 12-ounce, 1-inch thick, boneless rib eye steaks
• Vegetable oil, for the grill

Directions

·         Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter (not liquefied cause then it’ll taste yucky), garlic, lime zest, lime juice and a pinch of salt.

·         In another bowl, combine the paprika, cumin and chipotle powder with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Rub the mixture all over the steaks.

The spices smell divine.

• Oil the grate and grill the steaks over moderately high heat, turning once, until slightly charred and medium-rare, about 12 minutes.
• Transfer the steaks to plates and top with the lime butter. Let the steaks stand for 3 to 4 minutes before serving.

And if that wasn’t tasty enough, this is what we ate with them.

Onion Strings

(From my Pioneer Woman cooks cookbook – I LOVE her stuff)

Ingredients

• 1 whole Large Onion
• 2 cups Buttermilk
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon (scant) Salt
• ¼ teaspoons (to 1/2 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• 1 quart (to 2 Quarts) Canola Oil
• Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Note: The recipe calls for ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper but I upped mine to 1 1/2 teaspoons just to give it a little kick. Not a big kick, a little kick.

·         Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk and soak for at least an hour. You could use milk but….why? Cause anything fried is better with buttermilk.

·         Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Heat oil to 375 degrees.

·         Grab a handful of onions (with tongs and break up a little bit), throw into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.

·         Repeat until onions are gone.

·         Tell your children to go wash their hands and eat a few while they’re gone.

·         Also have them set the table.

Happy Monday from the Grammar Nazi!

We had a great time camping this weekend! Be sure and look for a post later on this week!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Top of the mornin’ to ya and a Happy St. Patrick’s day to all from the Grammar Nazi!

No, not the Grammar Ninja, the Grammar Nazi! His Mom!

In honor of this great holiday, I’ve got a fabulous boozy dessert for you called an Irish Car Bomb cupcake which I found on a great site called the Brown Eyed Baker.

I know – all of you who’ve had this shot probably immediately thought, “Oh good Lord, gross.”, but this is a FABULOUS recipe. I would have never thought to put Guinness in a chocolate cupcake with Bailey’s frosting but, WOW…. These were great. I brought the excess to work today and got quite a few compliments and an empty plate to take back home.

I broke it into a two day event, baking the cupcakes Tuesday night so I wouldn’t be up late and tired and grouchy for St Paddy’s today. Cause no one likes a cranky redhead. Especially Mr. Andrew.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes (although, I only got 20 since I’ve never been good with filling the liners half full)
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Bake Time: 17 minutes

For the Cupcakes:

1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Baileys Frosting:

2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

To Make the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined.

Divide the batter among the cupcake liners (and try not to keep licking the spatula). Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

To Make the Whiskey Ganache Filling:

Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth.

Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. It took a little bit longer than I though for the butter to melt, so I set my oven proof bowl on the warm burner to help it along. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

To Fill the Cupcakes:

The recipe calls for using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip) to cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down making a perfect hole in the middle of the cupcake. (I ended up just scooping it out with a knife since no one is going to see it under all the buttercream icing).

Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top. Or use a spoon and drop it in.

To Make the Baileys Frosting:

Using a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.

Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. I actually broke out my Wilton piping tips and piped the icing and had a lot of fun making various designs. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container, that is, if they last.

     

What a difference a year can make….

Well, it’s amazing how time flies, isn’t it? Almost one year ago today, I was attempting to zip up a wedding dress (wondering why in the hell I thought Mexican food was a good idea the night before) while a small boy in a beige suit ran circles around me and I was telling myself I was NOT going to vomit. Ahh, good times.

I first met Mr. Andrew (Jaxon’s name for him, although he adds several exaggerated syllables to his name, pronouncing it “ Mee-ster Ahnnnn-Dreeew”) on a little website called Match.com in August 2009.

For some reason, he asked me out. And agreed to go out with me again after meeting me. He even proposed the idea of marriage at the end of January and we were married March 6^th, a mere seven months after meeting.

I’ve learned quite a bit in the whirlwind of the last year and a half. One of the most important things is it really is the little things in life that mean the most. Like surprising your fiancé with the wedding band she thought she wasn’t going to get for another year at the alter. All the big things that seemed to be important before that I constantly worried about aren’t really that important. The laundry and the dishes can wait until after we’ve assembled the latest Star Wars Lego set and I’ll never be able to make gravy like my mom can. Happy Anniversary Andrew!

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Soy-Ginger Glaze with Wild Rice

So another year older and wiser and I’ve got a fabulous recipe to post today that I found on FoodandWine.com. It tops out as one of Mr. Andrew’s favorite meals.  It so easy it’s ridiculous and makes you look like a champ when you serve it.

Difficulty: So easy my 8 year old can do it

Servings: 2 -4, depending on your love of fish

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Four 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin on one side only

Freshly ground pepper

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Note: Depending on how “saucy” you like your fish, you might want to double the glaze. I find it works pretty well for 3 fillets but is a little skimpy for 4. Plus if you have extra glaze, you can always drizzle it over the wild rice. To make it…uh…healthier.

DIRECTIONS

Wild rice

Open box. Follow directions. Enjoy a glass of Pinot Grigio while waiting for the water to boil and nag your husband about taking out the trash. And don’t forget to preheat the oven. When the rice has about 10 to 15 minutes left, it’s time to start the fish!

Salmon

Preheat the oven to 350º. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce and ginger and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the honey and mustard.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick oven proof skillet. (If you don’t have one, use a nonstick pan and a cookie sheet lined with foil to pop the salmon in the oven) Season the salmon with pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over medium high heat until golden and crusty, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Turn the salmon and spoon the ginger soy glaze on top. Transfer the skillet (or cookie sheet) and bake the salmon for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Using a spatula (because you don’t want this beautiful fillet to break), transfer the salmon to plates and garnish with cilantro.

Add your homemade *cough, cough* wild rice and you’re done!

Classic Caesar Salad

Who doesn’t love a good Caesar salad? I mean, come on? Crispy romaine lettuce slathered in tangy dressing with big chunks of cheese. Mmmm…Even the Grammar Nazi can’t say no to it.

This is a take of a Martha Stewart recipe that I’ve always loved. I halved the salt, took out the anchovies, and backed off the oil a bit.

Store bought croutons are an acceptable substitute because not everyone (especially a mom) has the time to make the homemade kind. I’m partial to the large black and white croutons, just because they’re pretty. This easily doubles or triples in case of extra guests or if you like your salad with a bit more dressing. It can also be a main entrée if you toss in some chicken or shrimp.

Classic Caesar Salad
Serves 4 to 6

FOR THE CROUTONS

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 loaf rustic Italian bread (8 to 10 ounces), crusts removed, cut into ¼ inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SALAD

• 2 garlic cloves (or more depending on your love of garlic)
• 4 anchovy fillets (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 20 ounces romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded, inner leaves washed and dried
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese, or 2 1/2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions

Croutons

Traditional Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the butter and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the cubes of bread, and toss until coated. Sprinkle with salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; toss until evenly coated. Spread the bread in a single layer on a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet. Bake until croutons are golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Grammar Nazi Method:

Go to pantry and get box of croutons. Open them. Eat several while getting out the dressing supplies.

Dressing

Traditional method:

Place the garlic, anchovy fillets, and salt in a wooden salad bowl, Using two dinner forks, mash the garlic and anchovies into a paste. Using one fork, whisk in the pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and egg yolk. Whisk in the olive oil.

Chop the romaine leaves into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add the croutons, romaine, and cheese to the bowl, and toss well. If you wish, grate extra cheese over the top. Serve immediately.

Grammar Nazi Method:

Add all dressing ingredients to a shaker bottle. If it’s a weekend and you have extra time and your small child is entertained and not burning the house down, buy an actual head of romaine lettuce and wash and tear it into bite size pieces. If not, open a bag of romaine lettuce and put into a Tupperware container or another shakable container with a lid that seals tightly (it would be a tragedy to waste this dressing).

When your guests have arrived (or you’ve arrived at a dear friend’s house) add the croutons to the container with the lettuce. Shake the dressing vigorously and dump that onto the lettuce also. Add the cheese, seal it up, and then shake it like a Polaroid picture (to coin a phrase from OutKast). Transfer the salad to a gorgeous bowl, sprinkle a bit more cheese on the top and serve. Voila!

Who is the Grammar Nazi?

Who’s the Grammar Nazi?

Why it’s me, of course; a sassy little redhead named Courtney from Texas that has a passion for grammar and cooking. Yeah, I know. I’ve got issues but no one can put the fun in dys-FUNc-tion-al like me.

 Who knows what I’m going to blather on about on here? Well, it could be cooking

or it could be grammar,

or it could be the misadventures of my small boy and his naughty greyhounds.

The Gang

Jaxon – Age 8

Likes Star Wars, mud, and outsmarting his mother.

Sizzles – The Alpha Dog

Likes being in charge, guarding the food bowl, and chasing squirrels (unfortunately many of them can’t outrun a greyhound).

Sachi – The Little Brown One

Likes chewing on shoes, chasing the cat, and staring up into the sky while it’s raining. Yeah, she’s sweet but not too bright.

Inky– The Basement Cat

Likes chewing on greyhounds, drinking from the fish bowl, and sleeping on Mom's head at night.

Whatever it is, I’m sure it I’m sure it will be funny (because I don’t do drama or tragedy – life is too short to be miserable) Feel free to comment away and tell me if you like it or not. But if you do, remember your their, they’re, and there so the Grammar Nazi doesn’t have to come get you!

And for the nerds following my blog, I’ll definitely try and keep up with my Star Wars dioramas. Now that I *cough, cough* I mean Jaxon, has more than 4 stormtroopers and an R2D2, it will be easier to come up with some pictures. For those that haven’t seen my side project *cough, cough* I mean, my SON’S side project, sometimes we like to photograph the adventures of his Lego minifigures and what they do when he’s at school.

Because no one can resist roasting marshmallows!