Soy-Balsamic, Brown Sugar Marinated Flank Steak!! EASY BREEZY!

Nothing is better than a great steak!  We LOVE our filets, rib eyes, and New York Strips!  With a family of 6, however, we can't always afford those great cuts of meat!  FLANK STEAK, or Skirt Steak to the rescue! Talk about an easy, great tasting, 'throw together in 15 minute' dinner!  All you do is marinate it for about an hour in a zip-lock baggy, then throw it on the grill, or cook it stove top on a griddle for around 10 minutes!  Viola!  Dinner served!

                                       Soy-Balsamic, Brown Sugar Marinated Flank Steak!

About 2-4 pounds of Flank Steak, or Skirt Steak- we had 2 that were each over 1 pound
1/2-3/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cracked red pepper flakes
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp black pepper
  
Make the marinade right into big zip-lock bag.  Shake to mix ingredients well.  Add the flank steak to baggy.  Try to get out all air, then zip it up and knead it a bit to make sure all the meat is getting in the marinade. Let it marinate for about an hour. When ready to cook, discard marinade.

I usually like to cook this up on the grill, but it is a rainy day, so I am going to heat it up on the griddle. 1 minute a side on high, then turn heat over to medium low and cook for up to an additional 3-4 minutes a side.  Same heat if grilling, except I turn grill heat to low, after the couple minutes on high.  If you have bigger steaks, adjust cooking times by a couple minutes. * You can also broil this, for 5 minutes a side on high.
When done cooking, transfer to a platter and cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving!  This keeps the steaks more juicy!  Use any sauce it releases to pour over them when you serve!

All cooked up and sliced into strips, cut against the grain.  YUMMY!  Very satisfying, and tasty din-din! You can only have so much chicken! :) We serve this over rice, and pour the juice from the steaks platter over it.  Very good with mashed potatoes too!  ENJOY~

Brown Sugar, Brandied Peaches over Ice Cream!

It's STILL Summer!  It's the last week before school starts up again!  My hubby and boys were craving ice cream, so my hubby decided to cook up his Brown Sugar and Brandied Peaches to go over it!  :) So quick, and SPECIAL!  It's a simple throw together, but make someone SMILE, kind of recipe!  :)

                              Johnny's Brown Sugar, Brandied Peaches over Ice Cream!

4 Fresh Peaches, 1 per person, pitted and cut into large pieces (or smaller pieces, like I prefer!)

1 stick of butter

6 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1/3 cup Brandy- careful not to 'IGNITE' :) (unless you mean to, and do it 'responsibly'. Ha) 

All sliced up, and simmering in sauce! Cooked on Medium heat. Alcohol burns off, but taste is great!  Some of the brown sugar turns candy-like! YUM!

Bad lighting on this pic, but it is very pretty, not to mention incredible tasting!   Bananas Foster has nothing on these candied, caramelized peaches!  Especially in summer!!  :)  ENJOY! 

Tommy D's Southern Fried Chicken, with Honey Cayenne Sauce!

I am SOOO 'all powerful' because I got Tommy D, ex NFL player and self taught 'chef', to be my guest cook for my blog again! (Well, a little begging helped! :)  I had tasted his fried chicken once before, and that is all it took for me and my boys to become ADDICTED to it.  It's that good!   I've been to some of the best Fried Chicken places in the South, top rated in the nation I might add, but this recipe takes the 'Southern Cake'!   His spices that he adds are subtle, but you know they are there~ spicy, but not too much, just right!  With Tommy D it's always, "ALL GOOD!"


          Tommy D's ADDICTING Southern Fried Chicken, with Honey Cayenne Sauce!

Let the GAME begin!



This recipe is for a small crowd!  You can cut it in half for just your family! However, left overs are wonderful!  Tastes great even cold out of the refrigerator!  I learned one very important thing about frying up chicken from Tommy, and that is that you DO NOT cut off the excess skin!  "That'll be like the French Fries of the chicken!" He was right, the extra skin was the 'french fry' part! :)

24 pieces of Chicken, we did mostly thighs and drum sticks, with a few breasts
Peanut oil
For egg wash~

3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 stick, 2 Tbsp, melted butter
1/8 tsp hickory Liquid Smoke

For Flour Dredge~

3 cups Flour
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Lemon Pepper
1/2 tsp Crushed Red pepper Flakes, crushed a bit more with back of spoon
2 tsp onion Salt
1 Tsp Slap Your Daddy, or any other Cajun Spice :)
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Cayenne
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt, or more if you like

For Honey Glaze~

12 Oz. Honey
3 tsp Cayenne, or to taste
1 tsp salt

Make up the egg wash~

Get chicken nice and wet in egg wash~

Coat it in the flour; one time is perfect!

Put into hot peanut oil, about 3/4 inch high so oil is at least half way up chicken, at around 350- 360 degrees, or medium high on stove top. See how the sides are starting to turn brown in this pic?  That means it is getting very close to 'turning time'! (it was about 8 minutes for the thighs, longer for breasts, but you go by color) 

See that color??  That's just right!

Looks perfect!  Tommy pulled a couple to cut into to double check~

Our mouths are watering already, boys are beginning to 'HOVER'!

Heating up the spicy honey!

Basting the chicken with the spicy honey~

DROOLING while taking pic.  Can't wait to eat it! :)

LOOK at that!  Even the breast is so juicy, while crispy and sweet and salty on the outside!
This is now my families favorite Fried Chicken, hands down!  If you aren't one for the honey on top, simply take that out of the equation.  Tommy D's Southern Fried Chicken can stand on it's own, and still win against the best! THANKS Tommy, for cooking for us, and letting me share your cooking talent with others!  Great recipes need to be shared! :)  God Bless~

Salisbury Steak with Portobello Mushroom and Onion Gravy!

What a GREAT, AFFORDABLE,  and EASY weekday recipe!  This is wonderful made any time of year, but I bet it'd be even more fantastic in the fall and winter!  Very satisfying, and YUMMY!  I'll have to remember this one and make it often, as my boys and husband went NUTS on it!  Simply took a basic recipe and 'UPPED' it with loads of flavor!  Serve it over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta!  The gravy is amazing and tastes great over any of these!

                        Salisbury Steak with Portobello Mushroom and Onion Gravy!

2 Lbs ground beef,  80/20 lean best!
2 large eggs
3/4  cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup onion, chopped small
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Allspice
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
3 nice dashes red pepper flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp McCormick 'Hamburger' Grill Mates
3/4 tsp sugar
1-2 Tbsp olive oil, to fry with

For Gravy
8 oz. portobello mushrooms, sliced~ more if you'd like!
1 cup onion, chopped small
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef broth
1-2 Tbsp Wondra Powder~ I start out with 1, and add another at end if needed
Salt to taste!

Add all of the ingredients for salisbury Steak into a big bowl and combine well~

Most of the seasonings, except onion powder and hamburger seasoning grill mates~

Large, oval patties ready to go~ yes, YOU form them! :)

Frying the patties up to brown on both sides, on med-high heat for about 2-3 minutes a side. Do not cook through~

Transfer patties to a platter, so you can start gravy in same pan~

To same pan with drippings, add the butter, then sliced mushrooms and onions.  Saute til mushrooms and onions are cooked~ This pic was when I first threw them into pan, and had a way to go.

When mushrooms and onions are ready,  add soy sauce and worcestershire sauce.  Let that cook for about a minute, then add beef stock mixed with the Wondra powder, stir~

When gravy gets hot, place the Salisbury Steaks back into pan with the gravy, and COVER.  Cook for  20-25 minutes on low heat.

After the cooking time, place steaks on a platter and keep warm. 

Check gravy for taste and thickness.  If it needs more salt, add it.  If it is too thin, add a bit more Wondra powder.  If too thick, add a bit of milk.  

Once gravy is to your liking, pour much of it over the Salisbury steaks.  Pour rest into small bowl with ladle to serve on side.  This gravy is TOO yummy, and that is why you want the side of 'starch' to sop it all up with!   This is a great recipe! :)  Enjoy!

La Madeleine's Tomato Basil Soup, Lower Calorie~Same GREAT Taste!

I LOVE La Madeleine's Tomato Basil soup so much!  I could have a small bowl every day with half a sandwich!  It is so fresh tasting, and satisfying, but is high in calories, due to the heavy cream and butter.  I decided to see how it would taste if I made it with 1/2 and 1/2 instead, and cut the amount of butter.  WELL, I was so very happily surprised that it tasted amazing, and I didn't miss a thing, but more calories!  It tasted exactly the same!  All my boys and my husband agreed!  YEA!!  Here's the easy recipe~

                                        La Madeleine's Tomato Basil Soup, Lower Cal~



4 Cups canned crushed tomatoes
15 Fresh Basil leaves
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 (or heavy cream, if you wish)
6 Tbsp sweet, unsalted butter (or 1 stick, if you prefer)
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
Salt, to taste
1 tsp sugar~ to taste

Simmer tomatoes with basil leaves for 30 minutes.  Using a blender stick, blend simmering tomato and basils till very well blended.  (if you do not have a blender stick, simply ladle sauce into food processor, then return to pot).  Add the salt, pepper, 1/2 and 1/2 and butter.  Let it warm fully~

Serve with fresh basil leaves, some good crusty bread, or a yummy sandwich!  SOOOO  Great!!

Go Chick-Fil-A! FREEDOM of speech and belief!

  GO Chick-Fil-A, Free speech and beliefs!!!  It's a NO brainer!  Tolerance works BOTH ways!!