Beer Braised Sirloin Tips with Mushroom Sauce

This is a great recipe for a work/school night. I had dinner ready in under an hour tonight, and it was lick-your-plate yummy. This is another recipe that calls for 1 cup of dark beer, so buy the big bottle and sip the rest of the bottle while you cook.

1 t dry mustard
1 t brown sugar
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t paprika
kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds sirloin tip steaks
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, preferably half shiitakes and half crimini
2 T olive oil
2 T unsalted butter
4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts separated from dark green, but using both
1 c dark ale or porter, such as Guinness
2 t Worcestershire sauce

Mix the mustard, brown sugar, thyme, ginger, paprika and 1 t salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add steaks and toss until well coated.

Remove and discard stems from shiitakes, if using, and trim stem ends from the crimini. Wipe all mushrooms clean and slice 1/4" thick.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering , add half the steaks and sear them until nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side (the steaks will brown quickly because of the sugar in the spice mix). Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining steaks.

Reduce heat to medium, and 1 T butter to the pan, and let melt. Add the mushroom and scallion whites. Cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms soften and begin to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Pour in beer and Worcestershire sauce. Scrape bottom of the pan, and raise heat to medium, bring to a boil and cook uncovered until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes.

Return steak and any accumulated juices to the pan, cover tightly with lid and reduce heat to low simmer. Braise, turning the steaks after 8 minutes, until tender and cooked through, about 14 minutes total. Transfer steaks to plate or serving platter.

Cut the remaining 1T butter into four pieces and swirl them into the sauce. Stir in the scallion greens. Serve steak topped with sauce, along with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Serves four.

You Like Me... You Really Like Me

After I published my post last night, I scrolled down to Feedjit. I like to see who's been reading what on my blog and how they're getting there. I noticed someone had read my post on Mashed Potato Pancakes by getting there from Saveur. I asked myself, "Self, how can that be?" I clicked on the link and up comes my post on Saveur's site with a little blue badge saying "Best of the Web". They even used my photo. I was so excited. I felt like Julie in "Julie and Julia" when she got called by the editor of the New York Times asking for an interview. I know, I know, not as big, but I'm very easily excited.


There's more! When you're at Saveur's website and type Mashed Potato Pancakes into their search box, it's me! Just me! Thank you, thank you, Saveur! I promise to never let my subscription lapse again.

Fluff

I thought a fluff piece was in order after yesterday's heavy topic. That got me thinking about Fluff. I've recently rediscovered it. I told Pipsqueak that I had spoonful of Fluff in my hot chocolate instead of mini marshmallows when I was a kid. She wanted to try it, so I picked up a jar. It had probably been 25 years since I tasted it, and it made me feel like a kid again. I've enjoyed a few peanut butter and Fluff sandwiches for desserts in the week or so since it's been in the cupboard.

My mom makes to-die-for fudge from the recipe on the Fluff jar. Sweetie swears it's the best fudge ever.

Bloody Mary

Fall has so many wonderful things... apples, pumpkins, wood fires, colored leaves. I love all of it, and I love that it's the beginning of Bloody Mary season.

As for how it got it's name, there are a few theories, but I like that one that says it was named after Mary I of England, a sixteenth century queen who was nicknamed Bloody Mary because of the number of people she had put to death. Of course, given the way English royalty condemned people to death, it surprising we don't have a whole lineage of drinks... the Bloody Henry, the Bloody Richard, the Bloody Harold. Perhaps the Brits gave Mary the nickname because such behavior was unbecoming to a female.

If you like yours hot and spicy, you've got to try this recipe...

Bloody Mary

2 1/2 ounces vodka

5 ounces V-8

1/2 ounce lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon celery seed

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon grated fresh horseradish root

1 celery rib

1 lemon wedge

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine vodka, V-8, lemon juice, pepper, salt, celery seed, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce. Shake well. Strain into a highball glass almost filled with ice cubes. Garnish with celery and lemon wedge.

I Love Apples... a Bushel and a Peck

Okay, technically it was a 1/2 bushel and a 1/2 peck, but it was still a hell of a lot of apples.

I bought a 1/2 peck of Cortland at the store, because I couldn't wait to make apple crisp with this year's fresh apples. Two days later, we went apple picking and picked a 1/2 bushel of Cortland, Macoun and Honey Crisp.

I made more apple crisp, and apple pie, along with a banana bread from three overlooked bananas.Every snack request has been met with apples. They've been regularly munched and packed in lunches, but I still had a 1/4 peck left and they weren't so crispy fresh anymore. Today I made a big pot of chunky applesauce...

another round of apple crisp...

and apple mini muffins.

All my recipes came from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. It's the first cookbook I ever owned, and I always seem to turn to it for the classics.

I still have 10 tiny apples left, but I think I'll chuck them down the hill for the deer to munch on.

Steak, Guinness and Cheese Pie

This is what we had for dinner tonight. It's not a quick meal since it requires 3 hours of cooking time, but the filling can be made a day ahead which cuts the cooking time on the day of to under an hour. The recipe is a little vague, but I took it from a Jamie Oliver recipe featured on the Food Network and adapted it to be my own. My favorite adaptation is step #8.

Steak, Guinness and Cheese Pie

2 pounds beef brisket, cut in 1 inch cubes

1 frozen puff pastry sheet, defrosted

3 onions, sliced

olive oil

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T butter

2 sticks celery, sliced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 pound or so crimini mushroom, sliced

1 large bottle Guinness

1 heaping T flour

1 small can beef stock

2 handfuls shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 egg, beaten lightly with fork

1 package frozen peas

1. Saute onion in a large heavy pot in a little olive oil.

2. Stir in rosemary.

3. Add garlic, saute about 30 seconds.

4. Add butter, stir until melted.

5. Add celery, onions and mushrooms. Saute about 3 minutes.

6. Add beef, a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed.

7. Stir in flour.

8. Add 3/4 of the bottle of Guinness. (Drink the rest while you cook.)

9. Pour in beef stock to top off. Liquid should not fully cover other ingredients.

10. Bake at 350 degrees in oven safe pot or bowl. For saucier pie, cook covered. For thicker pie, cook uncovered. Or do a combination of both to suit your preference.

11. When filling comes out of oven, stir in one handful of cheese.

12. Put filling in a 8-10" square pan (glass or stoneware is best).

13. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

14. Place puff pastry on top of filling.

15. Brush top of pastry with beaten egg.

16. Score top of pastry lightly with knife for venting.

17. Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes until bubbly and golden.

18. Serve with cooked frozen peas.

Serves 4 to 6.

Food... I Just Can't Quit You.

I love food and everything about it... the way it looks and smells, the texture, the ritual and (oh, be still my heart) the taste. I know a man who said if he could take a pill and not eat, he'd be happy. I wish I could take a pill and eat everything and anything I wanted.

I was lucky as a teen and an early 20-something; I could eat everything and anything I wanted and not gain weight. When I got a little older, I noticed a few pounds creep up, but I'd cut back a little and they'd fall right off. I've never dieted, but I did keep a food diary for awhile in my 20s when it occurred to me that I might not have the healthiest diet. Okay, I didn't need a diary to tell me that sugared jelly donuts didn't make a good lunch, but it did help me see the error of my ways.

In my 30s, I was eating healthy, well balanced meals, but I could still eat desserts, snack on junk when I felt like it and still maintain my weight. But recently, something happened to change all that. Although, I felt like my eating habits hadn't changed, I put on 8-10 pounds last winter.

In addition to my vigorous walks, I thought I should re-evaluate my eating. I was browsing at Borders a few weeks ago, and bought "Skinny Bitch" by . I got about half way through the book and quit. They recommend not eating meat, dairy, sugar or drinking alcohol. No wonder they're bitches. That takes all the fun out of food.

But I am going to make some changes. First the scary one... I'm giving up all alcohol for almost three weeks until school starts. I won't give it up forever because it's a taste and ritual I love, but I'm hoping it might jump start the weight loss. I haven't looked up the calorie count of one mixed drink or glass of wine, but that along with the nuts or cheese and crackers every night, must add up to a lot over the period of a week.

Other changes:

• fewer chips with a sandwich at lunch. I'll be counting them out instead of grabbing a handful. And I will never, EVER again eat them out of the bag.
• drinking more water.
• eating more fruit, especially as snacks
• cutting way back on sweet treats, but not denying myself because I'd only want it more.
• portion control
• no finishing Pipsqueak's leftovers
• eating slower.

It's really just being more conscious about what goes in my mouth. I don't want to do anything that I can't keep doing or isn't well-balanced. I also have to think about the example that I'm setting for Pipsqueak. I don't want her to be a dieter; I want her to be a healthy eater.

Wilton Color Spray and the Story of the Three Birthday Cakes

I mentioned yesterday that I made three birthday cakes for Pipsqueak. You've already seen the first one... the rainbow cake. I did the colors with Wilton Color Spray which I loved using. I was afraid it would run since I was putting it on a vertical surface, but as long as I held the can back six inches as instructed, it held beautifully.

I loved using the color spray so much that I used it on the next project... cupcakes for her class on her birthday. I made them bakery-fancy with piped on frosting and used two colors of spray in sort of a yin and yang pattern. Then I topped them with coordinating sprinkles. I was really happy with the way they turned out, and plan to make color spray and regular part of my kid cake repertoire (as if I had a repertoire). I recommend Wilton Color Spray, and no one paid me to say that.

Finally, I made the family cake on Friday morning. We have a family party (me, Sweetie, my mom and Pipsqueak) on her actual birthday. It was nearly 90 degrees on Friday, and if you've ever tried to frost a cake in that kind of heat, you know it can be disastrous. It was just a standard yellow cake with cream cheese filling and chocolate frosting. The layers kept slipping, so I used skewers to hold them together. Then the filling started oozing out the sides like lava. When I started putting on the chocolate, it was slipping down the sides almost as fast as I was putting it on. I had to work really fast and put it in the fridge. I'm glad I wasn't trying to impress anyone. It wasn't pretty but it tasted good.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

We always celebrate Cinco de Mayo, because even though we don't need an excuse to eat tacos and drink Caronas and margaritas, it's nice to have one. My tacos weren't photogenic. I don't know how Taco Bell does it, but I'm guessing it's specialized lighting and chemically enhanced food. The margaritas were especially pretty ...

but not too pretty to drink.

I don't even know what Cinco de Mayo is about. I should probably look it up so I'm not totally ignorant... after my tequila buzz is gone.

Mai Thai Restaurant - Alexandria, Virginia

We had dinner tonight in Alexandra, Virginia at the Mai Thai Restaurant. Matching drinks with our outfits was purely coincidental. Sweetie had the Watermelon Martini, matching his shirt...

I had the Orange Blossom Martini to match my scarf. Pipsqueak's virgin daiquiri didn't match, but the paper umbrella made her day.The Tom Yum soup cleared out my sinuses from the cold with which I've been suffering.
Pipsqueak started with fried calamari. She loved it, but there were only body rings and no tenticles. I think tenticles are the best part.
The Pad Thai was delicious... just the right amount of heat.
The Drunken Noodles with Beef were okay, but the noodles seemed a little over done and it would have benefitted from a little more heat.

The service was fast and attentive. Overall, it was a good meal, but I've been to better thai restaurants.

Getting There is Half the Fun

Somehow, Google Map's estimate of 9 hours ending up taking 12 or 13, but we did see some interesting sights and had some fun along the way.

First a tip… When traveling by car with a child or children, you must have plenty of snacks and activities. I packed crackers, rice cakes, oatmeal cookies, grapes, peanuts and water, all in large quantities. Her activities were a set of ten twistable crayons, a pencil, an activity book, a pad of plain paper, three Candy Pop Girls dolls with their pets, a small stuffed bunny and a unicorn and books on CD.

It all went smoothly until just before the George Washington Bridge connecting New York City with New Jersey. It didn’t help that we were there during rush hour, but it took us about an hour and a half to go three miles. The questions reached a fever pitch…”How much longer?” “When will we be there?” “How many miles have we gone since I asked last time?” We were so close (we were spending the night in New Jersey), but yet, so far.

Finally, after leaving Vermont about midday Thursday and driving through Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York, we arrived at our resting spot in Summit, New Jersey about 7:30 pm. Pipsqueak got some good cous’ buzz playing with her cousins, and I got to check out how my sister-in-law is doing with her breast cancer battle. While her breasts are looking amazingly good three weeks post-op with the tissue expanders in for her reconstruction, her face tells the tale, as she seems to have lost a little brightness and twinkle she once had. With five weeks of radiation to come, I don’t think I’d look very bright and twinkly either.

About midday Friday, we were southbound again. We left New Jersey and drove into Pennsylvania. A friend of ours recommended Pat's King of Steaks in Philadelphia at the corner of Wharton and 9th to get a Philly cheese steak, so we got off the highway for a little side trip. While in line, we were told by a local that it was the best cheese steak in all of Philly, and he wouldn’t even look at the flashier spot across the road.

He also instructed us in the art of ordering. If you’re familiar with Seinfeld’s soup Nazi, these are the cheese steak Nazis. If you don’t order the right way, you’ll be ignored and they’ll call “Next!” We got our order accepted with my, “Two Americans, One Wit.” I have to admit, I was a little frightened at the prospect of being rejected. They lived up to their reputation, and we were plenty satisfied even though we shared with Pipsqueak.

Back on the highway, we left Pennsylvania, drove through Delaware, Maryland, and around Washington DC on the beltway where we’re were again delayed by commuter traffic and into Virginia where we’re staying with Sweetie’s cousin. Tomorrow, the D.C. adventures begin.

Freebie Friday

Here are a couple of freebies for you:
Here's one for a Mr. Clean Eraser
http://www.cleanupthatfilthyhouse.com/apr_01.php

And another one for Quaker Rice Snacks
http://www.quakerricesnacks.com/offers/

Mmmm - Mashed Potato Pancakes

A few days ago Kittalog blogged about some Mashed Potato Pancakes. It just about killed me. I had to have some. So the other night I made way too many mashed potatoes accidentally on purpose, and in the morning I served these up with scrambled eggs and bacon.

They were sooooo good. I could feel the plaque collecting in my arteries and my system was in shock since I rarely eat fried foods, but I was in heaven. Here's the recipe:

Mashed Potato Pancakes

• 2 cups mashed potato
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 6 T flour
• 4 T thinly sliced green onions
• salt and pepper
• vegetable oil for frying

In bowl, combine potato and egg. Add flour and onions and mix thoroughly. Salt and pepper to taste. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1/8" vegetable oil over moderately high heat until it is hot, but not smoking. Fry heaping tablespoons of the mixture, flattening them slightly with the back of a spoon, until they are golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towel covered plate. Serve hot.

Souvenirs

Sweetie returned home last weekend from his ski trip in Austria. I'm so glad he's back, so I have someone to laugh at my lame jokes and warm my cold feet at night.

I am certain that I wouldn't want to be a single mother. Pipsqueak is an easy, well-behaved girl, but it's tiring being on all the time. Every question, every need, every request, every demand relied on me. Sometimes we moms need to pass the ball, get out of the game and sit on the bench.

Pipsqueak received a beautiful loden cape from Austria, but Sweetie said he was stymied when looking for a gift for me, and he didn't want to get something for the sake of getting something. Good for him. He did think of me, however, while at his London connection on the way home.

Cadbury Dairy Milk is probably my favorite chocolate, but it has to be ones made in the UK, NOT the US. The US stuff is a totally different texture. The UK makes it smooth and creamy. I remember the first one I ever had at a tube stop in London. It was summer, so it was a little soft, and it was love at first taste. I'll be making these last... only a couple little squares a day, eaten slowly and allowed to melt in the mouth.

It's NOT All Greek To Me

Have you tried the Greek yogurt yet? It's so good! There are other brands out there, but my favorite is Fage (pronounced Fa-yeh). It comes plain or with honey. I love the addition of the honey, and it's really good, flavorful, ever-so-slightly granular honey.

The first time I had really good yogurt, it was 1999, and I was in France. Our run-of-the-mill yogurts (Yoplait and the like) are an entirely different product from this creamy, smooth delicacy. It tastes indulgent. This Greek yogurt is very close to that, but I've got to go back to France for the genuine article.

Good to the Last, Um.... Blob

At times in the past, I had opened a can of tomato paste, used the one tablespoons the recipe called for, and wondered, "Now what am I going to do with the rest of the can?" I'd stick in the fridge until I saw gray fuzz peeking out of the can and then dump it. It didn't take this happening too many time, before I got smart. Now, I put a sheet of wax paper on a plate, make little tomato paste blobs on it that are about one tablespoon and freeze it overnight.

In the morning, I peel off the frozen blobs and put them in a labelled freezer bag. When I need some for a recipe, I just take out what I need and defrost it in the microwave. I do this with chipotle pepper in adobo sauce and thai green curry paste as well.

Entertaining Friends

We do a fair amount of entertaining, but it's usually the out-of-town family and friends that visit for a weekend, and I tend to do very little local entertaining. I decided it was time to turn that around and invited some friends for dinner Saturday night.

I love to cook, but I also love to talk, so I didn't want to spend cocktail time chained to the stove. I also find it hard to cook well after I've had a cocktail. I made a delicious roast chicken called Poulet Provencale (recipe below), with roasted fingerling potatoes, and pomegranate and citrus broccoli salad. The chicken was in the oven an hour before they arrived, the potatoes went in the oven just as they pulled in the driveway and the salad was prepared and chilling in the fridge. The table was all set and I used my thrifted table runner from Zimbabwe that has all sorts of colors in it so I can mismatch the table cloth, place mats and napkins and have it still look pretty. I even loosened the reins and allowed our guests to bring something other than wine. They contributed dessert, which was all the fixings for banana splits.

I got to visit with our friends, drink a yummy Cosmopolitan (or two) without fear of burning something or slicing off a finger, dinner appeared effortless (and it practically was), and since I was making old favorites there were no glitches or unpleasant surprises. It was a great evening. I can't take all the credit; Sweetie helped with the preparations, and inspiration came from Sandy at 4 Reluctant Entertainers.

And now for the recipe (I made two chickens for 6 people and had enough leftovers for chicken burritos for 3 the next night)....

Poulet Provencale

• 1 pound tomatoes (3 to 4 medium), cut into wedges
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges, leaving root ends intact
• 1/2 cup drained kalamata olives, pitted
• 4 large garlic cloves, sliced, plus 1 teaspoon minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 whole roasting chicken (about 5 1/2-6 pounds)

Preheat convection oven to 400°F for regular oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
Toss together tomatoes, onion, olives, sliced garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence, fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 13- by 9-inch or other 3-quart shallow baking dish. Push vegetables to sides of dish to make room for chicken.
Stir together minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, remaining teaspoon herbes de Provence, and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Remove excess fat from chicken and pat dry, then rub inside and out with seasoning mixture. Tie legs together with string, then put chicken in baking dish.

Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving. Serve with vegetables and pan juices.

When Life Gives You Oranges....

make Orange Chicken.

Serves two to three.

1 large navel orange

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. rice vinegar

2 tsp. light brown sugar

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 large egg whites

1/3 cup cornstarch

3 to 4 Tbs. canola or peanut oil

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (keep whites and greens separate)

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zest from the orange in long, wide strips. If necessary, remove any large patches of bitter white pith from the zest strips with a paring knife. Juice the orange into a small bowl and mix with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes.

Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 tsp. of the salt. In a mini chopper or food processor, process the egg whites, cornstarch, and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt until smooth. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch batter.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or large stir-fry pan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Using tongs, transfer about half the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, flipping every minute or so, until the chicken browns and crisps all over and is firm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes. With clean tongs, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil to the skillet (or 2 Tbs. oil if the pan seems very dry) and repeat the cooking process with the remaining chicken; transfer to the plate.

Put the orange zest strips in the skillet and cook, stirring, until they darken in spots, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir the orange juice mixture and add it to the pan. Let it boil for about 10 seconds and then add the chicken and the scallion whites. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce reduces to a glaze and the chicken is just cooked through (check by cutting into a thicker piece), 1 to 2 minutes. If the chicken isn't cooked through but the glaze is cooking away, add a couple tablespoons of water and continue cooking. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens.

***********

A few of you have admired my Wearever juicer. You can own this useful bit of nostalgia, too (although yours will lack the sentimentality and soul of a family heirloom). Ebay has a slew of them here (well, actually 10 of them right now, but that might qualify as a moderate slew).

Sunshine in a Box

And now back to our regularly scheduled blog posts. It seems like a long time since I've done a normal post, but here I am with the holidays packed away in boxes and the tires of my life back in their tracks.

Speaking of boxes, our co-operative market is having their annual citrus sale this week... cases and cases of grapefruits, pink and white, and naval, cara cara, juice and blood oranges, all at rock bottom prices. This might be the highlight of January for me for two reasons: I love food, and I love a great deal. I picked up a case of pink grapefruit and a case of juice oranges, but I'm going back for another case of juice oranges on Friday. I feel like 100 of them just won't be enough. Fresh squeezed is the only orange juice I'll drink; I'd rather not have any than drink the stuff from concentrate. It's too bitter and acidic tasting.

We have a juicer attachment for our Kitchenaid Mixer, which I'd probably use if I was going to make a pitcher of juice. But for a glass or two, I prefer this vintage Waring hand juicer that my mother passed down to me. Just put a half an orange in the hopper...press... and pour. A little pulp can get by, but I don't find it offensive when I have a glass of this sweet, sunny nectar.

Unusual Chocolate

We received this chocolate as a gift. The first thing I noticed were the warnings to "refrigerate promptly" and "best if consumed within 7 days". Those are unusual warnings for chocolate, but then I realized that this was unusual chocolate.

You read it right! It's chocolate covered bacon, and it's surprisingly good... crispy and a delightful combination of salty and sweet. You can enjoy it, too, by ordering it from Marini's in Santa Cruz, CA.

Thanks, Mike, for the wonderful gift and introducing us to something new.