Hanger Steak with Gremolata

by writerredriSeptember 26, 2014

The below is a guest post from Yummy Supper written by Erin Scott.

Years ago, my French uncle, Jean Louis, turned us on to the delectable hanger steak, and we’ve been buying these beauties ever since. Hanger steak, sometimes called onglet, is a lesser known cut of beef, but butchers have long been hip to its great flavor and lovely marbling. It’s no surprise that you’ll sometimes find hanger steak referred to as “butcher’s steak.” A quick stint on the grill and a rub of brightly flavored gremolata make this steak an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner option.

Tip: If you can’t get hanger steak from your local butcher, a juicy rib eye is delicious grilled and topped with gremolata.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1-11/4 pounds hanger steak
Salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Remove the steak from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking. Season the meat generously with salt and let it come to room temp.

2. In a small bowl, toss together the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Give the ingredients a good stir, taste for seasoning, and you’ve got your gremolata ready to roll.

3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry and rub with olive oil. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side; you want hanger steak to be medium-rare, or it can get tough. Pull the steak off the grill and immediately season with another light sprinkling of salt and some freshly ground pepper.

4. Rub with the gremolata and let the steak rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the steak thinly and against the grain.

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Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

by Erin LemSeptember 19, 2014

This tasty dish courtesy of Our Family Eats is a great way to introduce your family to a wider variety of flavor and culture without overdoing the adventure. Kids will recognize chicken, tortillas and cheese, making that space from fork to mouth much easier to bridge when it comes to the green sauce and sour cream. Get them involved in rolling the enchiladas and shredding the chicken, and turn a potentially strange new food into edible fun. For more sensitive palates, jalapeño pepper can be substituted for poblano pepper to control the heat.

Ingredients
1 pound tomatillos, husked and sliced in half
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced in half
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced in half (don’t touch inside of pepper with bare hands)
5 cloves garlic, whole, unpeeled
1 white onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 bunch of cilantro, about 2 cups, plus more for garnish
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
12 corn tortillas
canola or grape seed oil for frying
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Method:
1. Preheat broiler and arrange the top oven rack so that it is 6″ from heating element.

2. Place tomatillos and both peppers on a baking sheet cut side down. Add garlic cloves and onion to baking sheet alongside the peppers. Place on top rack and broil for about 5 minutes, until tomatillos and peppers begin to char and turn black. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

3. Peel garlic cloves (They should slide easily out of the skin).

4. Meanwhile, place chicken thighs in a large sauce pan or stock pot so that they fit in the bottom without overlapping. Cover with water by 2″. Season water with salt. Cook over medium heat; once water begins to boil reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until chicken is done (about 10 minutes). Remove chicken from water and set aside to cool.

5. When vegetables have cooled, add them to a blender along with the cilantro and salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and season accordingly. Set aside. You can make this sauce a day ahead if desired and store in the refrigerator.

6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

7. Shred chicken using two forks. Place shredded chicken and sour cream in a bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. Now, for the tortillas! (This is a key step for anyone who doesn’t like dealing with corn tortillas because they tear so easily. Not a single tortilla tore, and the flavor was much better than without frying. I believe this was the key to my victory.) Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium high heat. Place one tortilla at a time in pan and fry each side until it begins to puff. Remove tortilla from pan and place on paper towels to cool. Repeat with all 12 tortillas, adding more oil as needed.

9. Spoon chicken and sour cream mixture evenly into each tortilla and roll up. Place in a 11×9 baking dish with seam side down. Spoon green sauce evenly over enchiladas. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until completely heated through and cheese is melted.

10. Serve warm with more sour cream and chopped cilantro at the table. Makes 12 enchiladas.

Do your kids love enchiladas?

Susan Schuman is a working mom with two small kids and a hungry husband. She writes Our Family Eats to share ideas for fun, wholesome meals that anyone can fit into their hectic schedule. You can connect with Susan on Twitter @ourfamilyeats.

Slow Cooker Chicken With Balsamic & Tomatoes

by writerredtriSeptember 19, 2014

This is a super flavorful, savory dish with juicy, tender chicken that’s delicious over some whole grain spaghetti, rice, you name it. Grate some fresh Parmesan over the top of this dish and viola, dinner is ready in a flash. Be sure to hop on over to Mom’s Kitchen Handbook for more great recipe ideas.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 26-ounce box chopped tomatoes (such as the POMI brand) or use 28oz can tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried, chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed, roughly chopped

Method (Makes 4 to 6 servings):
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

2. Put onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes (juice included), rosemary, thyme, basil, and oregano into the crock pot and stir well.

3. Nestle the chicken pieces into the tomatoes. Turn crock pot to high.

4. Cook until the chicken is very tender, about 4 hours.

5. Add chard to the pot and stir so that it is covered with liquid. Cook 15 to 20 minutes longer until the chard is tender.

6. Serve over cooked whole grain spaghetti, brown rice, or farro.

Note: feel free to substitute kale, spinach, or other dark leafy green and adjust cooking time accordingly

Katie Sullivan Morford is a mom, food writer and registered dietitian. You can find her family-friendly recipes and kitchen wisdom at Mom’s Kitchen Handbook

For more easy and delicious crock pot recipes click HERE

Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Chicken

by Jacqui BolandSeptember 19, 2014

Baked pasta can be a welcome change of pace from the usual pasta prep. This recipe still asks for cheese, but also mixes in roasted chicken and tomatoes for a dish that’s easy to make and great any time of the year. For the more adventurous palates, try substituting the chicken with leftover meatballs or sauteed shrimp. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1 pound of penne pasta
1 pound of chicken, breast
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 – 16oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of fresh basil
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, coat chicken breast with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake chicken for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water for 3 minutes less than package instructions.

3. In a large saute pan, saute garlic on medium-low in olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add in crushed tomatoes, sugar and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.

4. When chicken is cooked through, cut it into 1 inch chunks and add it to the sauce. Add pasta and fresh basil. Toss and coat.

5. Divide into individual oven-safe bowls and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 for 5-8 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Recipe courtesy of Jenny Steffens Hobick of Everyday Occasions

Crock Pot Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

by writerredriSeptember 5, 2014

You’re just getting your back to school routine groove back and need to make dinner in a flash. Don’t sweat, we’ve got you covered with this slow cooker lasagna courtesy of our San Diego Editor, Leah Singer (she also blogs over at Leah’s Thoughts). With its cheesy goodness that’s heavy on the spinach, this crock pot recipe will provide your kids with a good amount of protein, and you with a reliable go-to dinner recipe.

Ingredients
Olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic
1 lb. sliced crimini or Portobello mushrooms
1 bag of fresh baby spinach leaves
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
3 cups of whole milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese
10 (approximately) no-bake lasagna noodles

Method
1. In a saute pan, heat olive oil around the pan. Add the onions and cook about two minutes.

2. Add the garlic, and then the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and reduced in size. Sprinkle salt and pepper onto the mushroom and onion mix.

3. Add the spinach (a little bit at a time) until all of it has wilted down.

4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add flour and cook for about one minute. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the milk at once.

5. Bring to a simmer, and let the mixture simmer until it thickens (enough to coat a wooden spoon). Add nutmeg, salt and pepper.

6. Prepare your crockpot by spraying the inside with non-stick cooking spray. Place approximately one cup of the white mixture on the bottom of the crockpot. Then place a layer of lasagna noodles. You may need to break them in pieces to cover the space.

7. Place half the mushroom mixture over the noodles. Then add another cup of white sauce and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Repeat this process until you are left with the top layer, which is noodles, the remaining white sauce and Parmesan cheese.

8. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for about four hours.

Leah Singer is a freelance writer, a practicing speechwriter, and rock star calendar editor for Red Tricycle San Diego. She shares many family-friendly recipes, as well as stories of motherhood, craft ideas, writing, and other such topics at Leah’s Thoughts. Read more about Leah at: leahsthoughts.com.

Click HERE to find more great crock pot recipes like this.

Greek Stuffed Chicken

by writerredriSeptember 5, 2014

Dress up your chicken breast with a filling that’s full of fresh ingredients and flavors. The trick to this easy recipe courtesy of Susan over at Our Family Eats is butterflying the chicken. Simply pile the butterflied chicken with your ingredients and then fold back over and stick it in the oven. Susan likes to serve this dish with roasted grape tomatoes and fresh spinach.

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup (packed) fresh parsley, chopped
4 ounces black olives, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced, green parts only
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
drizzle of olive oil

Method
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place chicken breasts on your baking sheet and fold back to top portion.

3. In a bowl mix together the remaining ingredients (feta through olive oil). Spoon into chicken breasts, then fold top over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until completely done. Serve warm.

Susan Schuman is a working mom with two small kids and a hungry husband. She writes Our Family Eats to share ideas for fun, wholesome meals that anyone can fit into their hectic schedule. You can connect with Susan on Twitter @ourfamilyeats.

Gluten-Free Linguine With Seasonal Vegetables

by Veggies Don't BiteAugust 21, 2014

Summer in a bowl, this fresh and simple pasta dish brings together all your favorite summer vegetables. Easy, flavorful and full of color!

Ingredients:
2 ears of corn (about 2 cups)
3 cups shredded fresh kale
2 leeks, sliced (white part only)
1 zucchini, cut in half and sliced
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (Sophia used a mixed heirloom kind)
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ cup white cooking wine (make sure it is vegan to make this dish fully vegan)
olive oil, or veggie broth if avoiding oil (Sophia used the garlic infused olive oil from Round Pond)
Himalayan pink salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 package gluten free linguine (or other pasta)

A note from the chef: If you prefer not to use the white wine, you can sub veggie broth, it may lead to a slightly different taste but still works well. You can sub another green for the kale, such as chard or spinach. To make this quick and easy, use frozen corn instead of the fresh. That way you do not need to roast it.

Method:
1. Wash all veggies. Preheat the oven to 350. Roast the ears of corn for 10-15 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil or veggie broth and a dash of salt on a baking sheet covered with parchment. When done slice kernels off.

2. Shred kale and slice leeks, zucchini and cherry tomatoes. In a pan over medium heat sauté garlic and leeks for 3-4 minutes or until leeks soften a bit. Add kale and zucchini until zucchini is barely soft. Add corn, olive oil (or veggie broth), salt, pepper and white wine (or veggie broth) and toss. Place rosemary in the mixture, top with tomatoes and allow to sit over low heat in order for the rosemary to infuse the dish and the tomatoes to wilt a bit. Remove from heat as soon as tomatoes begin to soften and set aside. Remove rosemary from the pan.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions. As soon as pasta is done cooking, drain in pasta strainer and rinse with warm water to remove starch. Transfer to a bowl and add mixture. Toss well. You can drizzle with more olive oil if you prefer.

Sophia DeSantis is the author of Veggies Don’t Bite, a vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free food blog targeted to all types of eaters. She is the mom of two beautiful boys and wife to an amazing husband. Her and her family live a vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free life 90% of the time because she believes that the stress of having to be perfect shouldn’t overpower the benefits that their healthy lifestyle brings. Through her website, she hopes to reach anybody interested in making a positive health change in their life.

Chicken Penne With Grilled Zucchini

by writerredtriAugust 21, 2014

Eggplant and zucchini are grilled and tossed with shredded chicken, tomatoes and whole wheat penne pasta. Kids will have fun tearing up basil leaves and crumbling tangy feta cheese with their hands.

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1 teaspoon salt
2 small zucchini
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:
Adult: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Adult: Trim the ends off the eggplant and cut into 3/4 inch slices lengthwise. Trim the ends off of the zucchini and cut each into thirds.

Kid: Place the eggplant slices into a colander in the sink and toss in the salt. Let sit 10 minutes to allow the eggplant’s bitterness to drip through the colander’s holes. After 10 minutes, rinse the eggplant slices thoroughly and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place the zucchini and eggplant slices in a medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

Together: Place the eggplant and zucchini slices on the grill or grill pan. Cook for 4 minutes, flip with a spatula and cook for 4 minutes on the other side. Using the spatula, transfer the eggplant and zucchini slices to a cutting board to cool.

Adult: When salted water boils, add the penne and cook according to package directions, or until the pasta becomes al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Kid: Tear the basil into bite sized pieces with your hands. Crumble the feta cheese into small chunks.

Adult: Chop the grilled eggplant and zucchini into 3/4 inch chunks.

Together: Add the eggplant, zucchini, tomato, basil, chicken, feta and remaining olive oil to the bowl with the pasta. Toss well, season with salt and pepper to taste, divide into 8 portions and enjoy!

Serves 8

Source: This recipe comes to us from Alysa of Inspired RD.

We’ve teamed up with the Kids Cook Monday initiative to bring you a weekly recipe that encourages families to set aside the first night of every week for cooking and eating together as a family. Be sure to check out their website for more great ideas on how to empower your kids in the kitchen!

BLT Salad

by scott wardellAugust 5, 2014

You read right, this spin off of the classic sandwich standby is a bit “leafier,” but you better believe that it doesn’t lose any of it’s savory goodness. The highlight of this recipe ?Bill of Southern Boy Dishes insists that it’s the toasted bread. He adds the dressing to the tomato and bread mixture a few minutes before serving to soften them up and allow them to absorb all of the delicious flavors. Pair it with your grilled meat of choice and you’ve got one delicious dish. Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients
1 head of green leaf lettuce
10 oz bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 baguette
3 cu cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp minced shallots
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
8 tbsp reserved bacon grease
3 scallions, green part only sliced

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium skillet, brown bacon over medium high heat. Remove bacon and drain. Reserve grease.

3. Cut baguette into 3/4 inch cubes to measure 8 cups. Place cubes in a large bowl and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place bread on a baking sheet.

4. Coat tomatoes with 1 tsp olive oil. Place on baking sheet.

5. Place tomatoes and bread in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.

6. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, honey, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, shallots, and thyme. Whisk in bacon grease until incorporated.

7. In a large bowl, toss tomatoes, bread, and dressing. Let sit for 15 or 20 minutes.

8. Arrange lettuce leaves on 4 salad plates. Divide tomato and bread mixture on salad plates and top with bacon and scallions. Serve immediately.

recipe and photo courtesy of Bill at Southern Boy Dishes

Take ordinary ingredients and make something extraordinary. That’s the philosophy behind Southern Boy Dishes. Bill, a lifelong food fanatic, grew up eating fresh and healthy foods. Now, he balances his time in the kitchen with living a busy life. Cooking every day is a priority, even if that means there’s only 30 minutes to get something on the table. His focus is on healthful dishes made with fresh ingredients. Enjoy all of Bill’s deliciously simple (and his more elaborate) culinary creations over at Southern Boy Dishes.

Baby Shower Invite Ideas to Steal ASAP

by Christal Y.June 27, 2014

Planning a baby shower is a big deal (no pressure or anything!). And it all starts with the invitation. Get guests pumped about the party with invites that go beyond the norm with an element of fun and surprise. Click through our flipbook for ideas to shower upon your next friend or family member that’s about to pop!

Freshly Baked Invite

No more stale party invites! These handmade buns are so innovative and enchanting they look fairytale-like. You can't really eat them (they're made from salt dough), which is just fine because chances are you'll want to keep them around just to look at.

Available online: $7/each by Little Elephant Crafts via Etsy

Have you made any unforgettable invites that your guests talked about for ages? Let us know in the Comments below!

— Christal Yuen

ML Interest Tag: salt

Hanger Steak with Gremolata

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