Grilled Oriental Venison or Beef With Dipping Sauce

I grew up eating LOTS of venison. My dad and brothers are hunters, plus accidentally pegging a deer with your vehicle wasn't rare. Consequently, the freezer was always filled with venison.

Now, as a 29 year old, I can easily make do without any venison in my life. But I have always enjoyed this dish (and still do!) because it masks that gamey flavor and makes the meat really tender. Also, it doesn't need to be venison -- you can use good ol' beef!

Grilled Oriental Venison or Beef With Dipping Sauce

2lb sirloin, tenderloin, or round steak

1/2 C plus 1/3 C soy sauce

3/4 C sugar, divided

3 lrg garlic cloves, crushed

2 T sesame seeds

2 green onions, sliced

1 T ginger, chopped

2 tsp cornstarch

3 T vinegar

1 tsp crushed red pepper

Cut beef into skewer-sized pieces. In a large shallow dish, combine 1/2 C soy sauce, 1/4 C sugar, garlic, sesame seeds, green onions, and ginger. Add beef and refrigerate at least 2 hours... I've gone up to 4 days in this marination station! 

When it's closer to game time, make the sauce:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir in 1/2 C sugar, 2tsp cornstarch, 1/3 C soy sauce, vinegar, and crushed red pepper. Stir constantly until it thickens a bit. Cool to room temp and divide into small dishes for dipping.

Thread meat onto skewers and grill 3 minutes, flipping once. I've also done this under the broiler when weather has been crappy. 

Enjoy your tender meat! 

Marjoram-Rubbed Pork & Grilled Potato Salad

My first homemade meal highlighting marjoram. It was good.... but I think I'd go with fresh oregano next time. The potato salad was pretty amazing, as is! 

This recipe is made to grill, but of course it was pouring rain the night I made it. No fear -- it turned out great using a grill pan for the pork and a cast iron skillet for the potatoes! 

Potatoes, before adding feta and olives. 

Marjoram-Rubbed Pork & Grilled Potato Salad

(from Eating Well Serves Two by Jim Romanoff)

Serves 2

2 garlic cloves

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

2 T minced fresh marjoram or oregano

1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 boneless pork loin chops (8 oz), trimmed of fat

3 T red wine vinegar

6 small red potatoes, halved

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch chunks

1 small red onion, cut into 1.5 inch chunks

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

6 green olives, pitted and chopped

1. Preheat grill to high.

2. Combine garlic, oil, marjoram (or oregano), salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Rub some of the mixture onto both sides of pork. Transfer the rest of the mixture to a large bowl and whisk in vinegar until combined. Add potatoes, bell pepper, and onion to the medium bowl. Toss to coat. 

3. Oil the grill rack (use a paper towel with oil on it in a tongs). Reduce heat to medium and grill the potatoes, turning often, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (Note: Because I didn't grill mine, I boiled them until halfway tender before throwing them in the cast iron.) Thread the onion and pepper chunks onto two 10-inch skewers. Grill, turning often, until charred in spots and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Grill the pork, turning once, 6 to 8 minutes total. 

4. Add the grilled veggies to the bowl with the reserved dressing, along with feta and olives. Toss to coat. Serve with the pork.

Thai Chicken Pizza

I had my parents over for dinner for the first time ever! Photos below... I also made a Thai Curry soup, but forgot to take a picture. :(

Thai Chicken Pizza 

Step One: sauce, cheese, and red peppers. Bake.

 Step Two: Add grilled chicken

 Step Three: Add veggies and peanuts

 Asian salad: with broccoli, carrot, cucumber, tomatoes, 

red cabbage, sesame sticks, & sesame dressing

Dessert: Whip one cup heavy whipping cream w/ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. 

Layer with fruit and melted chocolate.

Thai Chicken Pizza

Serves 4

• 1 pizza crust
• 1/2 cup duck sauce or plum sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 package (2 cups) shredded provolone or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 rounded tablespoonful peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning)
• 4 chicken breast cutlets, 1/2 pound
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 cup bean spouts, a couple of handfuls (sub shredded red cabbage if you want)
• 1 carrot shredded
• Palm full cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, 2 ounces

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Put pizza crust on pizza pan or cookie sheet. Top with duck or plum sauce - spread it around like you would pizza sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with some crushed red pepper flakes then top with cheese and peppers. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 12-15 minutes.

Combine vegetable oil, soy sauce and peanut butter with hot sauce and grill seasoning. Use the microwave to loosen up peanut butter if it is too cold to blend into sauce, 10 seconds ought to do it. Add chicken and coat evenly with mixture. Let stand 10 minutes then grill chicken cutlets on grill pan on med-high heat -- 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until firm. Slice chicken into very thin strips. 

While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar and add the cucumber. Turn to coat evenly.

Top the hot, cooked pizza with chicken, scallions, sprouts and cilantro. Drain cucumbers and scatter over the pizza. Garnish pizza with peanuts, cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Tofu, Edamame, & Carrot Stir-Fry

Tofu, Edamame, & Carrot Stir-Fry

Serves 4. 

1 C white or jasmine rice

3 T soy sauce

3 T hoisin sauce

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T Asian chile sauce (like Sriracha!)

2 tsp cornstarch

2 T sesame oil

4 scallions, chopped ( w/white and green parts separated)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

4 oz shitake mushrooms, stemmed and chopped

3/4 cup shelled edamame (soy beans). You could also use snow peas, broccoli, etc.

1-2 carrots, sliced

1 pkg extra firm tofu, drained or pressed dry -- or sub chicken or beef!

1. Broil tofu. Cut the block into thin slices and brush all sides with olive oil. Put on tin foil lined pan and broil until golden brown, flipping once. Cut into cubes. Set aside. 

***Note: If you don't mind soft-cooked tofu, you can skip this entire step and simply add the uncooked tofu cubes in Step 5!***

2. Steam the edamame and carrots. Set aside.

3. Cook the rice as label directs. Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, chile sauce, cornstarch, and 1 cup water until smooth. Set aside. 

4. Heat sesame oil in work or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until golden brown and tender, about 3 mins. 

5. Whisk the reserved soy sauce mixture and add it to the wok. Bring to a simmer, then add the tofu, carrots, and edamame. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick, about 2 mins. Sprinkle with the scallion greens.

6. Fluff the rice and divide among bowls. Top with the stir-fry and sauce. Enjoy!

Thyme & Sesame Crusted Mahi Mahi

Only 225 calories per serving... get yo' fish on! 

Thyme & Sesame Crusted Mahi Mahi or Halibut

1 T lemon juice

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

Ground pepper to taste

8 oz or 2 filets of mahi-mahi or halibut

1 T sesame seeds, toasted (I used garlic flavored from the asian aisle)

1 tsp dried thyme 

1/8 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

Lemon wedges for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Mix lemon juice, oil, garlic, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add fish and turn to coat. Cover   

    and stick in fridge for 15 minutes. 

3. Combine sesame seeds and thyme in shallow bowl.

4. Sprinkle fish with salt and coat evenly with sesame/thyme mixture -- all sides. Transfer to 
    baking sheet and bake until cooked through -- 10 to 14 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Mom's Zesty Sausage Lasagna

My favorite lasagna recipe to date, courtesy of mi mama! Great if you appreciate a little spice in your life.

meat sauce

cheese filling

zesty lasagna finale!

Sauce

2 T olive oil

1 lb hot Italian sausage – casings removed. 

white mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1 c chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp oregano

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

1 - 28oz can crushed tomatoes w/added puree

2 - 14oz cans of diced tomatoes w/green pepper and onion (don’t drain)

Heat oil, add sausage, onion, garlic, oregano, and crushed pepper. Saute until sausage is cooked through, breaking into small pieces. Add tomatoes w/juices. Bring sauce to boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 mins to blend flavors. Season w/ salt & pepper.

Filling

1 ½ c fresh chopped basil

15 oz container plus 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 ½ c shredded mozzarella (about 6oz)

¾ c grated Parmesan

*Note - you will need more mozzarella and Parmesan below in the Assembly step. So buy enough!

1 egg

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Mix all filling ingredients together.

Assembly

16 “oven ready” lasagna noodles

1 c grated Parmesan

3 c shredded mozzarella (about 12oz)

*Combine these 2 cheeses

Preheat oven to 375. Spread 1 ¼ c sauce in 13x9 pan. Arrange 4 noodles on sauce. Drop 1 ½ c fillings over noodles, spread. Sprinkle 1 c cheeses over. Repeat layering of sauce, noodles, filling, and cheeses 2 more times. Top with remaining 4 noodles. Spoon remaining sauce on top of noodles. Make sure all noodles are covered in sauce or they won’t cook.

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Spray large piece of foil with oil and cover lasagna.

Bake 40 mins, then uncover and cook another 20 mins or until lasagna is golden bubbly.

Remove from oven and let stand 15 mins.

CrockPot Falafel

Thanks to Pinterest and the A Year of Slow Cooking blog for this one, because I hate deep frying, but I love falafel! 

Smash yo' chick peas/garbanzo beans.

Blend yo' falafel flavors.

Nestle in crockpot. Mine is small, so I had to stack.

Ta Daaaaa!

As you can see, I made some Tzatziki sauce (cucumber/yogurt/dill sauce). I am not, however, going to include that recipe because it just wasn't a worthy one...

I typically hate grocery store pitas, so I picked up some gyro pitas from Parthenon while I was eating post-bar time in downtown Madison.

CROCK POT FALAFEL

- 1 15oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas)

- 1/2 onion, chopped

-1 T dried parsley (I used fresh because i had it on hand)

- 2 cloves minced garlic

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp kosher salt

- 1/4 tsp black pepper

- 2 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

- juice from 1 lemon

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs

- 2 T olive oil (for the bottom of your crock)

Directions

Drain garbanzo beans. Dump them into a mixing bowl and smash them with a fork. Set aside.

Get out your blender or food processor. Blend together all of the spices, the onion, the garlic, the egg, and the lemon juice.

Pour on top of your smashed garbanzo beans. Use your fork to mix together, and add the breadcrumbs slowly until the mixture is wet and sticky but can be formed into balls nicely. I needed 3/4 of a cup of breadcrumbs.

Pour 2 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert.

Form squished golf-ball sized patties of falafel. Dip each side into the olive oil and then nestle into your crockpot. It's okay if they overlap or are on top of each other.

Cook on high for 3-5 hours. Ours cooked on high for 3.5 hours--you'll know they're done when they turn golden brown.