Warm Skirt Steak Salad

ingredients:

1 pound skirt steak or flank steak
12-15 cherry tomatoes
12-15 sweet yellow tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, cut in half
2 shallot, finely chopped & divided
3-4 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese

a Bag of you favorite salad mix

directions:

Preheat the oven to broil. 

Place the steak on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the tomatoes, asparagus, shallot and garlic.  Cover everything with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Place the steak and veggies on the top rack of your oven.  

 

After about 7 minutes, flip the steak over and continue to cook for another 5-7, depending on how you like your steak cooked.  

Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes or so.  You want it to cool slightly more than a normal "resting" time, so the lettuce doesn't completely wilt.  

While that is resting, fill a serving bowl with the bag of salad.  Dress with your favorite oil and vinegar or other salad dressing.  I used a balsamic vinegar and the other shallot, along with some salt and pepper. 

Slice the steak against the grain, and place on top of the salad.  Add tomatoes and other veggies.  Top with the blue cheese/gorgonzola.  

ENJOY!!

adapted from a recipe I saw on pinterest, cheeky kitchen

Cricket Burgers and Sweet Potato Salad

This is my first post on TB&B and in honor of 4th of July week (which is almost over but I meant to do this post earlier in the week so instead of 4th of July week we can insert BBQ'ing in the summer) I thought I would start with my favorite hamburger and my sweet potato salad. I like to cook all kinds of things, but I always come back to my very favorite thing in the world...Hamburgers. Whenever my husband and I are out on a date, I tell him to not let me get anything besides a hamburger because I know that I will be disappointed.

I am going to start with the sweet potato salad. I came up with this recipe because it was my very favorite thing in the deli at New Seasons Market (a local Portland grocery store that I happen to work at). I came home one day and decided that I would make my own version of it and have never bought it since.

Ingredients

• 5-6 small sweet potatoes
• 4-5 hard boiled eggs
• 2 large pickles
• 1 red onion
• 2 T. stone ground mustard
• mayo
• salt and pepper 

Cut up sweet potatoes into small peices and steam until tender.  Meanwhile cut up eggs, pickles, and red onion and add together in large bowl. Add the mustard and stir. When the sweet potatoes are done add them to mixture. Add mayo until desired creaminess is attained. I normally add a T. at a time until it is where I want it. The eggs add for some creaminess as well and I don't like to over mayo it. Add salt and pepper to taste and the put in the fridge for an hour or more so all the spices come together.

My Husband and I love to watch Man vs. Food. I could care less about the eating challenge but the food stops that he makes before gives me a lot of inspirations for hamburgers, pizzas,  hot dogs, and any other sort of food that is not very good for you. Anyways, this hamburger was inspired by man vs. food watching and it quickly became one of our favorites.

Here's what you need for yummy deliciousness: A good hamburger bun (not a cheap one because it will fall a part with all the juices),  jalapenos, cream cheese, bacon, hamburger, red onion.

The directions for this are pretty self explanatory but I will do a little explaining. 

First you need to grill up the jalapenos. You can scrape out as much of the white stuff that you want to determine how spicy you want it.

Side note: Did you know that it is the white part inside of the jalapenos that the spice comes from not the seeds. Go ahead and try it! I was skeptical at first too when my brother in law told me but I tried a seed and I found out that they arn't spicy at all.

Cook up the bacon and the hamburgers. I personally make my own hamburgers but if you don't have time to do this and just buy the pre-made ones that's fine too. The same brother-in-law that told me about the jalapenos also told gave me this tip when making your own hamburgers. Soak some bread in some milk and then add it into the hamburger mixture. This little step helps retain the juices in the burger. This has been such a good tip for super juicy hamburgers.

Once all three things are cooked it is time to layer. Here is what I do but you can do whatever you like:bun, red onion, bacon, hamburger, sliced cream cheese, jalapenos, and bun.

Add some extra ingredients like avacado or lettuce and the yumminess just continues to increase. You really don't need to have ketchup and mustard with this burger because it is so flavorful already. I personally think it interferes with the taste but I am not telling you what to do. :)

Here it is with the sweet potato salad:

Tom Colicchio's Braised Short Ribs

Made these for dinner the other night. Delicious!!! The recipe calls for marinating overnight Doh! What if you don't have overnight? I marinated mine for about 5 hours during the day. They were still superb!

I served them with PW's Creamy Herbed Potatoes- which totally deserves a post of its own. Heaven on a plate.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 flanken-style short ribs with bones, cut 2 inches thick (about 4 pounds); see Note (I used regular short ribs and they were great!)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
One 750-milliliter bottle dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
4 thyme sprigs
3 cups chicken stock- I used beef because thats what I had.

Directions
1.In a large skillet, heat the oil. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Add them to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and crusty, about 18 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a shallow baking dish in a single layer.

2.Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the skillet and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Add the wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the hot marinade over the ribs and let cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the ribs once.

3.Preheat the oven to 350°. Transfer the ribs and marinade to a large, enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and cook in the lower third of the oven for 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender but not falling apart. Uncover and braise for 45 minutes longer, turning the ribs once or twice, until the sauce is reduced by about half and the meat is very tender.

4.Skim off as much fat as possible, serve

Make Ahead:
The braised short ribs can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Notes: Flanken-style short ribs (short ribs cut across the bones instead of parallel to them) can be ordered at butcher shops.

Penne with Beef and Arugula

This is a recipe from Food Network Giada De Laurentiis, that was send to me from Aubrey, my favorite
San Diego dwelling person. This is delicious, healthy (to my standards, if using a lean cut of beef, whole grain wheat pasta). This will be a regular in our home. I love it, thanks Aubrey!

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence (I don't have this, so I used Montreal Steak seasoning)
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta (I use Whole Grain Wheat Pasta)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula
 
Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Toss, Serve

Makes 4 servings
Recipe and Photo: Food Network, Giada De Laurentiis

Steak Sandwiches with Sauteed Mushrooms, Spinach and Roasted Garlic Mayo

To serve 4
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 whole head of Garlic, paper on for Roasted Garlic Mayo
1/2 cup Mayo
1/2 ts Lemon juice, optional
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 tbs. Butter
8 oz White Button Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 medium Onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs. Red Wine or Red Wine Vinegar
1 bag (10 oz) Baby Spinach
8 slices crusty Bread (I used Sourdough Rolls) toasted
4 slices Swiss Cheese, optional

To make the Roasted Garlic Mayo:
Preheat oven to 400. Take a whole head of garlic, paper on and slice it in half, width wise. Drizzle the cloves with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and roast in oven for 30-35 minutes, or until they are caramelized, soft and slightly brown. Your house will smell amazing! Let cool.
Once cooled, remove the roasted cloves using a fork, and put in a bowl. For 1/2 cup of mayo, I used about 6 cloves. They are very mild and delicious once roasted. If you want, start with a few and taste test until you have the flavor you want!
Once mashed, mix with the mayo and about 1/2 ts lemon juice. I also added a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Grill or cook your steaks to your desired doneness. We like ours Medium. Once cooked, let rest.

In a skillet, add 1 tbs olive oil. Add onions and cook until softened. Add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are brown. Add minced garlic during last 5 minutes of cooking. Turn off heat. Add red wine and a pat of butter. Just do it, it's delicious!

Thinly slice the steaks against the grain. Spread Roasted Garlic Mayo on one side of the bread, top with sliced Steak. Add the Onion/Mushroom mixture. Top with fresh Baby Spinach, and to hold it all together, the Swiss Cheese. Top with remaining slice of bread.


Recipe adapted from Everyday Food, May 2010

Memorial Day Menu

here have we been?! I feel like I haven't posted forever! Sorry about that. You really don't want to know what I have been eating, because it is very boring and comes in all shades of green. Lettuce! Lots and lots of lettuce....
We are having a BBQ for Memorial Day Weekend, and here is what is on the menu:

Neely's Surf and Turf ~ This sounds like a great, affordable way to serve Surf and Turf!  It's grilled Strip Steaks (you can use whatever steaks you love) topped with a Shrimp Scampi style Butter! After reading the recipe and the reviews, I am making some changes.. I will use a pound of shrimp to feed 6 adults, and I will use 1 1/2 sticks of butter. The recipe calls for 2 sticks for 4 steaks, to 1/2 pound of shrimp. The shrimp to butter ratio seems off to me, I want more shrimp than butter; and I dont want to send anyone to their Cardiologist.

Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Arugula ~ Yum.

and for Dessert:
Strawberry Whipped Sensation ~ Fresh and light. Beware- it takes 6 hours to set up and freeze, so make it the night before!

I hope you have a very fun and safe Memorial Day Weekend with the ones you love! Bring on Summer!!

Kebabs? or Skewers?

Whatever you call them, they are always GOOD!

Skewers are so easy - the hardest part is actually putting them on the stick without stabbing yourself! (please tell me I am not the only one who does that?)
At a MOMS group a couple of weeks ago, we had a speaker share about healthy, easy recipes. In one of her meal suggestions, she lists out a page full of skewer meal ideas. And it made me so hungry for a shish kebab dinner!!
Start off by giving those wooden skewers a good soak. You want to make sure they soak in water for at least 15 minutes. It just helps them to not catch on fire when you put them over the BBQ flames.
Basically, you choose your meat - I chose steak (oh, yeah!) We cut the steak into chunks and then we marinated it for about 30 minutes in lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and evoo.
Then, choose your vegetables/fruit - I chose the basics -- Green & Red Bell Peppers, Mushrooms and Red Onion. Cut these into chunks (leaving mushrooms whole).

After those choices are made, start assembling the skewers. However you like - whatever you like. You can make a pattern, you can make them all meat, all veggies, etc.. We threw some shrimp alone on a few...

Then BBQ over a medium-hot grill. Flip often, to make sure all sides are getting cooked evenly.

And SERVE!

You may also have seen the avocado we threw on the grill -- if you haven't tried this, you NEED to! Cut an avocado in half, remove the pit and then brush the insides with evoo and sprinkle with S & P. Place them face-down on the grill and let them get warm and a few char-marks.
Remove from grill -- and serve. We often serve these with a spoonful of salsa in the middle, or a dollop of sour cream. I recently tried it with some chicken salad in the middle with some cheddar on top! Delicious!! and of course, a handful of tortilla chips...

Corned Beef and Cabbage

It's St. Patricks Day!! We always celebrate St. Patricks Day with a delicious and not so low in calorie Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. This year, I am trying this new recipe from Melissa d'Arabian.

I like this recipe for several reasons. First- I like to brine my own, and the ingredients in this recipe are simple. I also like the way it is cooked in Stout. My favorite thing about this recipe is the way the cabbage is cooked with the meat and veggies first, and then sauteed with onions and butter. YUM!!

5 pounds corned beef

5 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
10 peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
12 ounces stout (recommended: Guinness)
1 cup beef broth or stock
Water, for simmering
4 yellow onions, cut into wedges, plus 1 medium yellow or sweet onion, sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
6 medium red potatoes, scrubbed
1 medium head green cabbage, cut into quarters, core removed
4 tablespoons butter
*note, I plan to chop some fresh thyme, parsley and rosemary to sprinkle over my red potatoes, as well as a drizzle of evoo*

Directions
Rinse the corned beef and put it into a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot. Make a bouquet garni (you can use cheesecloth, or I use coffee filters and tie with kitchen twine) with the garlic, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves and add to the pot. Stir in the stout, stock and enough water to cover the beef by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 hours, covered, stirring occasionally.
After 4 hours, add the onion wedges, parsnips, and carrots, and cook for a 1/2 hour. Add the potatoes and the cabbage wedges and continue cooking until the cabbage is tender, but not limp, about 20 minutes. Remove the cabbage to a plate and allow the corned beef and other vegetables to continue cooking until the meat is tender.
In a separate large saute pan, heat 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onion, and a pinch of salt and saute until tender and beginning to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the cabbage thinly, gently pressing with a paper towel to remove excess water. Add the cabbage to the onion mixture and toss to coat well with the butter. Cook over medium heat until the cabbage begins to brown.
Remove the meat to a cutting board and slice. Serve at the table with all the vegetables piled onto a serving tray and the sliced meat onto another tray with some of the broth poured over the meat.
recipe: Food Network, Melissa d'Arabian
photo: same

A few things...

i know, i know -- i've been MIA lately. it's not that i haven't been cooking, cause i cook almost everyday. and it's not that i haven't been trying new recipes, cause i try a few new recipes a week. so why haven't i been posting them, you ask?? ~sigh~ i have no idea!
i think that is the beauty of doing this blog with Nancy, she picks up my slack... so now, while she is busy with some family things, i plan to fill in the gap.

Here are a couple of recipes that i made last week that either i loved, or my husband loved.

Chicken & Sweet Potatoes With Shallots

(photo from real simple website)

**This is one that my husband loved. He even reminded me yesterday how much he liked it. I liked it because it was soo easy! and very budget friendly! (my notes are in bold and italicized)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each 6 ounces)
4 shallots, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 14 to 16 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, drain the sweet potatoes, and return them to the pot. Mash with the reserved cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes per side; transfer to plates.
3. Wipe out the skillet (why on earth would you wipe out all of that flavor?? I de-glazed the pan with a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth, then put a tablespoon of butter in and let it melt. I omitted the remaining oil.)
   and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the shallots are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. (I know I cooked the shallots a bit longer than it says. I like caramelized onions, so it just sounded like the way to go!!)
   Serve the chicken with the potatoes and drizzle with the shallot mixture.

By Kate Merker, February 2010
Real Simple Magazine, February 2010



Pasta with Gorgonzola & Beef Tenderloin

(photo from goodLife {eats} website)

**This is one that i absolutely looooooved!! I love blue cheese/gorgonzola anything. I love a really good steak. and I love pasta. So, why didn't i think of this recipe? I dunno that answer either... but i am really glad someone did!!
This one, however, is not that cost-effective. it is definitely a dinner that you make on a special occasion, like katie did for Valentine's Day. Or like me, who had extra money in her grocery budget this week, and instead of saving, felt the urge to splurge! (my notes are in bold and italicized)



Ingredients
1 lb. filet mignon, cut into 2 inch medallions (i much prefer a steak... so instead of cutting medallions, i left my filet as 2 steaks)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces uncooked pasta, linquine or fettuccini

Directions
Toss the filet mignon medallions (i much prefer a steak... so instead of cutting medallions, i left my filet as steaks) with the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Let rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a saute pan, (i used a dutch oven, so that i could put it in the oven later...) heat the oil over medium heat. Add the beef. Cook without turning for 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Turn and repeat. (then put the steak in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes) Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. (If you would like the meat more well done, cook for additional time)

Combine the butter through white wine in a saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer and stir in the Parmesan and Gorgonzola. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 2 minutes, stirring to ensure the cheese has dispersed evenly.

Toss the pasta with the sauce and filet mignon (i sliced the tenderloins thinly and placed on top of the pasta) medallions. Garnish with additional Gorgonzola.

Note: just before serving, I threw the asparagus into the pan I cooked the beef in. Sauteed it for a minute, poured a few glugs of white wine, and put the lid on it. After steaming it for a minute or two I seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Serve it drizzled with some of the pan drippings you cooked it in. (yummy!)

a goodLife {eats} creation

Ribeye

My husband always tells me this is what got me married... my Ribeye's. Everyone likes their steaks different, I guess it just happened that we have the same taste in meat. Hey whatever works, right? :)
This recipe is for 2 steaks.
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c plus a few extra splashes Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lemon juiced- see in the pic I used lemon juice from the bottle. I live in Colorado and lemons are at least $1.00 each!! So I used about 1 T.
1 lg. garlic clove, minced.. crushed.. smashed.. whatever
Ground pepper to taste.
1 gallon sized zip lock bag
Mix all ingredients (I do it in a measuring cup). Add the steaks to the bag. Pour marinade into the bag. Massage the meat and let sit in fridge for at least 30 min, the longer the better.
Heat grill. Add steaks when grill is super hot. Cook 5 min each side depending in thickness for Medium rare. Turn only once for a great sear... Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Just a note.. this recipe is awesome... but only if you are using a grill. I have tried it under the broiler and in a pan. Not only do I not love my steaks cooked that way.. but something happens to the soy sauce? It tastes too sweet.. I dont know.. maybe someone can explain to me.. but it isn't good. So dont try it unless you are grilling.

Manhattan Meatballs

Celebrating the Superbowl next weekend? Well.. I usually am, whether I like it or not.
Here is one of my favorite crowd pleaser recipes, of course you cant have man parties without man food.... !

2 lb. ground beef
2 cups bread crumbs
½ cup chopped onions
2 eggs, beaten
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. salt
1 jar (10 oz.) apricot preserves - if you cant find apricot, I have used orange marmalade and it's just as good
1 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 med can crushed pineapple

Preheat oven 350. Make meatballs by combining first 7 ingredients. Cook meatballs in oven for 30 minutes. In saucepan, combine preserves, pineapple and bbq sauce. Cook until combined, about 7 minutes on medium heat. Pour over meatballs. Cook an additional 30 minutes on low. Serve with toothpicks.
These work well in the crockpot too. I make the recipe as directed and pour it all into the crockpot, but make sure to put on lowest setting or warm, because it will burn if left too long.

EASY CRESCENT TACO BAKE

I had a tube of crescent rolls in the fridge I was trying to figure out what to do with. So I logged on to http://www.pillsbury.com/ and I found this recipe, tried it and thought it was very good. It only took me 20 minutes to cook dinner! Awesome!
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 lb lean ground beef
3/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Shredded lettuce, as desired
Diced tomato, as desired

Sour cream, as desired
Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles. Place in ungreased 9-inch square pan or 10-inch pie plate (I would grease the edges because mine stuck) press over bottom and up sides to form crust. (Bake crust for 10 minutes)
In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in salsa and taco seasoning mix; simmer 5 minutes. Spoon meat mixture in crust-lined pan; sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 10-15 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Served topped with lettuce and tomato.

I would also add black beans, olives, green chili's..or jalapeno's. The original recipe said to fill the crust unbaked and bake for a total of 20-25 minutes. Mine came out brown at crust, but uncooked at bottom. So next time I will bake it for 10 minutes or so before I fill it.

STEAK WITH CAULIFLOWER AND CRISPY BREAD CRUMBS

My family (and I!) love this recipe! it's so easy, so flavorful, and great for entertaining. the cleanup is a snap, because you cook almost everything in one pot/pan. I also make extra bread crumbs, I love to snack on it while I'm cooking!!

1 small loaf French or Italian bread, torn into small pieces (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 1/2 pounds strip steak (I usually buy a NY steak)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

Heat oven to 400 ° F.

Toss the bread in a bowl with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until slightly golden and crispy, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the parsley and capers; set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and the garlic in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Season the steak with the salt and pepper and cook until browned, 2 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a baking dish and roast to the desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest at least 4 minutes before slicing.

Add the cauliflower and 1/2 cup water to the skillet and cook, covered, until the cauliflower is tender and the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Divide the steak, cauliflower, and garlic among individual plates. Spoon the bread crumb mixture over the top.

Tip: Cooking the garlic in its peel flavors the cooking oil and leaves you with a tender, roasted clove inside. Eat it with the steak or spread it on toast for a quick, delicious hors d'oeuvre.

Kate Merker, Real Simple, APRIL 2007

SPICED MINI BURGERS WITH COUSCOUS SALAD

1 10-ounce box couscous
1 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 scallions, trimmed and sliced
4 Roma (plum) tomatoes, quartered
1 seedless cucumber, sliced into half-moons
3 tablespoons tablespoons fresh lemon juice
(i also added feta)
1 8-ounce container hummus (optional)

Place the couscous in a medium bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups hot tap water over the top. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Form the beef into 12 small 1/2-inch-thick patties. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the cumin, and oregano.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook to desired doneness, 4 minutes per side for medium.
Combine the couscous, scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, lemon juice, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the remaining oil in a large bowl.
Divide among individual plates. Serve with the burgers and hummus, if desired.

4 servings

Sara Quessenberry
Real Simple, APRIL 2008