... a trip to the lake

We decided to take an impromptu trip to the lake for the weekend and it turned out to be the best decision.  Bright blue sunny skies and super clear water of the perfect temperature, you really can't beat Tablerock Lake... even the dogs agree!

Since it was just the two of us and we only had one night, we decided to do dinner up right.  A couple of filets, fresh veggies and delicious multi-grain bread.  

When you're at the lake, you might as well take advantage of the great weather and views and cook on the grill.  Enjoy a cold beverage while the coals are firing up and in no time you'll have a great meal to celebrate a great day.

Taylor's Notes:

There really isn't much of a recipe here and although it was a perfect meal for the lake, it could be made just as easily and deliciously right in your own backyard.  Kudos to you if your backyard is a lake!  Sigh...  

The steaks came from Price Chopper (Certified Angus bacon-wrapped filets from the butcher) that we just added a little olive oil and s&p to before throwing them on the grill.  Toss green beans and sliced baby bella mushrooms with sliced garlic cloves, olive oil and s&p and wrap in foil.  The steaks only took about 10 minutes on each side - for medium - and the veggies took about 10 minutes total.  We sliced and buttered the bread, wrapped it in foil and placed it on the grill, too, for about 15 minutes.  

Enjoy!

... Chicken & Steak Kebabs

We haven't had the best of grill weather in Kansas City yet this year, but that hasn't kept Rich away from firing it up.  For Mother's Day, we made chicken and steak kebabs, ranch potato salad and apple crisp a la mode for dessert.  The kebabs were delicious with fresh veggies, beef tenderloin tips seasoned only with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and chicken marinated in mustard, Italian dressing and garlic... and interesting combo, yes, but very flavorful.

Baxter was really happy to help 'man' the grill.

And after about 20 minutes on the grill, we had a really tasty main dish.

Taylor's Notes:

There's really no recipe to share as Rich just went with it.  Like I said, he mixed up a mustard marinade for the chicken and just barely seasoned the steak since it was such a great cut.  Maybe I should be having him choose the cuts of meat from now on... :)  Add whatever veggies you like, file them onto metal skewers (much easier than wooden ones), throw them on the grill and in less than 30 minutes you'll have a great meal to enjoy with family or friends.

Enjoy!

... Steak with Avocado Sauce and Tomato Salad

Cinco de Mayo certainly called for Mexican food, but we weren't really in the mood for the typical Tex-Mex that we most likely would have ended up with.  Enter grilled steak with south-of-the-border spices, warm tortillas and a creamy avocado sauce.  Now, I haven't quite gotten a good handle on cuts of meat and what's good and not-so-good, so when the recipe called for Eye of Round that's what I bought.  Next time... we'll try something else.  I think flank steak would be a great choice... but please feel free to make recommendations of your favorite cuts!

The avocado sauce saved the day and we'll be using that recipe often in tacos, fajitas, nachos... yum!

The addition of the tomato and hearts of palm salad was great and made for a fresh, tasty side.  It kept well in the refrigerator and I had it for lunch a few days later.  

We really loved the grill-warmed flour tortillas and, like I said, the steak would be better with a different cut of meat, but the flavors were terrific and a great alternative to a big burrito, crunchy tacos or cheesy enchiladas... although all of those sound pretty terrific right now!

I hope you had a great Cinco de Mayo celebration!  We enjoyed ours with margaritas and this tangy dessert.  Ole!

Steak with Avocado Sauce and Tomato Salad

serves 4

1 1/4 pounds beef eye round roast (in 1 piece)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Mexican-style chili powder

kosher salt

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

7 to 8 canned hearts of palm, thickly sliced

2 tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish

freshly ground pepper

1 ripe Haas avocado

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

1 large clove garlic

flour tortillas, warmed, for serving (optional)

Slice the roast crosswise into 3 even steaks.  Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Brush the steaks  all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with the chili powder and add salt to taste.  Cook until a thermometer inserted into the side registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes and hearts of palm in a bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  

Halve and pit the avocado; scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor.  Add the cilantro, garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 cup water; puree.  Season with salt.

Thinly slice the steaks.  Serve with the avocado sauce, tomato salad and tortillas for wrapping, if desired.  Garnish with lime wedges.

Taylor's Notes:

Short of switching out the cut of meat for one that'll be a little less chewy, this was an easy weeknight meal with great flavor.  It'd be easy to add extra toppings, like a fresh salsa or grilled onions, to mix it up.

Enjoy!

... Steak with Potato Salad and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

I'm not really a steak and potatoes kind of girl.  I mean, sure, I like a good steak every once in a while, especially if Dad or Rich is grilling it, but I never really crave it.  When I was flipping through my latest issue of Real Simple this recipe popped out at me (it was most likely the words "Blue Cheese Vinaigrette" that actually did the popping) so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

With a few small changes, I think this recipe will stay in rotation throughout the year.  The salad was really good and very easy and would pair well with chicken, burgers, steak, or pork - or anything else you're little heart desires, I'm sure.

Steak with Potato Salad and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
serves 4

1 pound small red potatoes (about 12)
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
4 small steaks (such as Newport, flat iron or top round, 1 1/2 pounds total)
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 small head Boston lettuce, torn (about 4 cups)

Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover.  Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 14 to 16 minutes.  Drain, run under cold water to cool, and using a fork or your fingers, break the potatoes in half.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the steaks with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and cook to the desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

In a large bowl, combine the blue cheese, vinegar, the remaining 1/4 cup of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Add the lettuce and potatoes and toss to coat.  Serve with the steaks.

Taylor's Notes:
I attempted to adjust the amount of potatoes I bought for just the two of us.  As it turns out, 5 medium size red potatoes ends up weighing about a pound and that actually ended up being a good portion for us.  If I were you, I'd just buy what you think you'll eat based on the number of people you're serving or how hungry you are.  I don't think the salad will keep very long with the lettuce dressed, but I have a bit leftover in my refrigerator so I'll let you know.  As for cooking the potatoes, I'd probably leave them on for 17 or 18 minutes.  You want them to be soft enough that you can easily cut them with a fork, but not soft enough to mash.  We cooked ours for 15 minutes and I think a couple more minutes would have been about perfect.  Again, that'll depend on the size of your potatoes.


We bought top round steak as the recipe calls for and, although it tasted good, it was a little tough.  I think we'll try this next time with a nice filet or something a little more substantial that we can grill outside.  The top round was kind of thin and cooked much quicker than the recipe says, so you'll want to adjust that per the type of steak you buy.


The salad was delicious and, as I mentioned, we'll be making that again in the coming months.  It's a great twist on the traditional potato salad with the Boston lettuce and vinaigrette dressing.  Adjust the amount of blue cheese you use to your liking as well.  I love blue cheese, so I'm guessing I used more like 1/2 cup or so of that in the dressing... and the extra chunks are delicious with a bite of steak!


Enjoy!