Mr. Food Recipes: Week of May 18

Glazed Flank Steak
4 to 6 servings

1 cup prepared teriyaki marinade
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (1-1/2- to 2-pound) beef flank steak

1. In a medium bowl, combine the teriyaki marinade, onion, honey, orange juice, rosemary, sesame oil, garlic, and pepper; whisk until blended. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Using a sharp knife, lightly score both sides of steak in a crisscross pattern. Add steak to medium bowl, turning to coat with marinade. Cover and marinate 30 minutes in refrigerator, turning once.
3. Preheat oven to broil. Remove steak from marinade; discard excess marinade. Place steak on a rimmed baking sheet and broil 6 to 7 minutes; turn steak and continue broiling for another 6 to 7 minutes for medium doneness.
4. Place the reserved 1/2 cup marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, to serve as a sauce.
5. Meanwhile, place steak on a cutting board and cut diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Transfer to a serving platter and spoon heated sauce over slices, as desired.

It's easy to make this look fancy! Just garnish with orange slices and rosemary sprigs.

 

Pushcart Onion Sauce
about 2 cups (enough for 6 to 8 hot dogs)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium-sized onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup ketchup
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
Dash of hot pepper sauce
Dash of salt
1 cup water

1. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add onions and sauté until golden and limp, about 7 minutes.
2. Stir in ketchup then add cinnamon, chili powder, hot pepper sauce, and salt. Stir in water and bring mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until mixture is heated through.
4. This is really great spooned over cooked hot dogs, but try it with other foods, too, and watch how fast they disappear!

 

Chicken Piccata
6 servings

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 to 2 pounds), pounded to 1/4" thickness
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons capers

1. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper; mix well.
2. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.
3. Coat the chicken evenly with the flour mixture then sauté in batches over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden, adding more butter as needed.
4. Add the wine, lemon juice, capers, and remaining butter to the skillet; mix well, and return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Serve chicken topped with sauce.

 

Grilling Gadgets to Flip Over

With an entire summer of grilling ahead of us, now’s a good time to check our grills and equipment.

• Spruce up your grill or, if necessary, get a new one.
• Check propane levels if you have a tank, or stock up on charcoal and other supplies.
• Check grilling tools for making cookouts easier and freeing up cooking space.
• With food safety a top priority, make sure you have a set of color-coded tongs: red for handling raw meat as it gets placed on the grill, and green for taking cooked meat off the grill – so there's no cross-contamination!
• If you have the urge to nudge food around the grill, to make more room when you're grilling a lot of items for a crowd or with larger items like ribs, there are little silicone cooking tongs you wear on your fingers. Heat-resistant to 500 degrees, these give you a bit more control and safety because everything's truly right at your fingertips!
• Another helpful gadget is one with a long handle and an end that’s curled like a pig’s tail. You gently insert the sharp tip into your grilling food and it flips right over! This is better than a fork because it turns and handles the food without squeezing out all its juicy flavor.

These are just a few of the many super grilling gadgets that are available in stores and online. They’re versatile enough to use in your kitchen, so whichever ones best suit your needs will surely make your grill-fest more enjoyable. So get cooking and flip over all the... OOH IT'S SO GOOD!!

 

Reuben Dip
6 to 8 servings

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (8-ounce) can sauerkraut, drained and chopped
1/2 pound deli sliced corned beef, finely chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients; mix well, and spoon into the baking dish.
3. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes, or until it begins to turn golden. Serve warm.
4. Serve with crackers or party rye bread slices.