I crave Sour Cream Enchiladas. So much so, that as soon as my rendezvous with SXSW ended, (and my perpetual SXSW hangover began) I made a batch up for the family and me to munch on. And munch I we did. Now let me tell you that since I am feeling so dang guilty and want to make it up to you, I will double your pleasure and will shortly post up C$’s famous Guacamole to serve it with. You can see it piled high, right atop my heaping plate. Ah, heaven. Sour Cream Enchiladas are the best, are simple to make, plus they won’t break the bank. This is truly an adaptable dish with endless variations – think shredded chicken, shrimp, or crab in these babies – YUM! Not to mention this dish can be made into a lower fat version using low fat sour cream and cheeses. But I truly love my Sour Cream Enchiladas full fat and straight up. Smile.
Of course the choice is yours.

And I just love choices, and LOVE Sour Cream Enchiladas even more.

Ingredients: 2-3 bunches of Green Onions, 1 bunch of Cilantro, 1 large chopped ripe tomato,

4 cups (1 qt.) sour cream, ½ cup cream, ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and one 7oz. can mild diced green Chiles.
*OR if you like it hot, substitute with a can of diced jalapeños

It’s time for the spice! In a small bowl add ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander,

½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

Grate the jack and cheddar cheeses and set aside. It ain’t easy being cheesy. Or is it?

In a large mixing bowl add the sour cream,

spices,

melted butter

and glorious tomatoes. I chopped two very ripe heirloom tomatoes. Look at the beautiful red and orange colors!

Speaking of tomatoes, I planted three varieties last month and CANNOT wait for the harvest…

Add the chopped cilantro,

and the true star of the show, chopped green onions.

Bunches and bunches of green onions provide healthy benefits and a ton of flavor!

Now add the can of diced green chiles,

cream,

and give it a good stir.

Spread a thin layer of this mixture on the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish.

Grab the tortillas and get ready to fill. You’ll need sixteen tortillas in all. I chose white corn, probably ‘cuz they were on sale, but any kind will do.

Get ready to be cheesy and add in the grated cheese. See? So easy.

Give it all a good stir and there you have it – a sour cream filling worth taste testing. Go ahead – just be sure to set aside about ¾ cup of filling for you to keep eating the top.

To fill, hold tortillas in the palm of your hand

and fill by the spoonful.

Place filled tortilla seam side down in the baking dish.

Keep going until all sixteen tortillas are filled. You may have to squeeze ‘em in on the sides. That’s okay. They are happy enchiladas!

This is a perfect time to preheat the oven to 350°.

Remember that creamy delicious taste test? Hopefully you also remembered to have reserved ¾ cup of filling – for the top, NOT for filling your belly.

Spread the reserved creamy filling

all over the top.

Pop it into the preheated oven and bake uncovered 40 minutes.

Get ready to start filling your belly with this -

Sour Cream Enchiladas.

A mouth pleasing fiesta!

Served my style, “straight up” with Pico de Gallo, C$’s Guacamole and a dollop of sour cream.

¡Comer con gusto!

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Sour Cream Enchiladas

2-3 bunches green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
4 cups sour cream
½ cup cream
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 – 7oz. can diced green Chiles, mild OR if you like it hot, substitute with a can of diced jalapeños
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
½ lb. Monterey jack cheese, grated
¼ lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
16 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, stir all of the ingredients together EXCEPT for the grated cheeses. Spread a thin layer on the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish. Add the grated cheeses to the sour cream mixture, stirring well to blend; set aside ¾ cup of filling for the top. Fill tortillas by the spoonful and place filled tortilla seam side down in the baking dish. Spread the reserved filling over the top.
Bake uncovered at 350° for 40 minutes. Serve with Pico de Gallo, and C$’s Guacamole.

It’s all about the Triple S. I triple dare you to make this…

Couldn’t make it to the big P A R T a Y and heard about my Triple S ribs? Showed up late to be denied Triple S pleasure? (These babies disappeared within minutes!) Partied hardy and have a case of the Triple S fuzzies? (You know who are!) Let me refresh your memory.
With this.

Honeymoon Chicken, Party Pasta Salad, and Triple S Ribs. Coming back to you yet?

That’s what I thought. There’s just no forgettin’ that sweet, saucy, and spicy mouthful of fall off the bone ribs. Me loves the Triple S. A sauce, a marinade, and pure mouth magic.

First thing’s first – ribs baby! I used a mix of pork spare ribs and loin back ribs but can’t wait to try Triple S Beef Ribs. Where’s the beef? In my garage. Garage? Yep. You heard it right! We bought part of a grass fed cow, which is currently living in the freezer in my garage…

Starting Ingredients:
Pork or Beef Ribs
Salt and Pepper
Pineapple Juice from 1 can (8 oz) Pineapple tidbits (reserve the pineapple tidbits)

Tender Triple S ribs start with a pre-soak.

Prep:
Rinse ribs in cool water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Place the ribs in a large, deep dish baking pan.
Pat a layer of salt and pepper on the dry meat.

Drain the pineapple tidbits, saving the pineapple juice and set the tidbits aside.
Pour the reserved pineapple juice over the ribs.
Cover and set aside to marinate for 2-3 hours or as long as you can!

Sweet, spicy, saucy, pampered ribs begin with a Triple S spa treatment. Let the Triple S, makin’ begin!

Equipment: Food Processor or Blender (for the “old school” peeps, a good old fashioned mortar & pestle will do. Wink.)

Ingredients:
3 Bay leaves
3 Tablespoons molasses
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon salt
1/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder (Gebhardt brand)
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder (Fiesta brand)
1 teaspoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ onion, yellow
3 cloves garlic
Dash of Tabasco sauce

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup vinegar

1 carton (26.46 oz) or can equivalent, crushed or strained tomatoes (Pomi brand)
1 can (8 oz) drained Pineapple tidbits

1 cup fresh Italian Parsley

Time to get our Triple S on!

In a food processor or blender add the garlic, half of a yellow onion, and three whole Bay leaves.

Time to add chili powder – two tablespoons of your favorite chili powder. I like to experiment making my own chili powder blends and I usually have a few regulars on hand. If you are a CAKE or Crazy Ass Kitchen Experimenter like me, you’ll be surprised to find the many different brands and styles of chili powders available and a vast array of differences in tastes between brands.  There are many options and unique regional types of chili powders, from New Mexico to Thailand, to the common chili powder used in your everyday chili con carne. Chili powders vary greatly, the taste and style will depend on the variety of chili pepper used, how it is processed, dried, powdered, prepared, and if  other herbs/spices were added to the powder blend.

I am using two kinds of chili powder: Gebhardt and Fiesta brand. But whatever you have on hand will do.

Gebhardt is a mild, all purpose chili powder that is a staple in my pantry. Not all chili peppers provide heat; a lot depends on the type of chili and how it was prepared for the overall characteristic that it may lend to the final blend. The Chipotle chili is a smoked chili, can be hot or mild, and is blended into chili powder mixes and used in Southwest cooking, whereas a Tepin chili is always super duper HOT. Just like hot sauces, chili powders come in all sorts of varieties, from muy caliente, to very mild, so have fun taste testing… BUT puleaze try it first before adding! You may be quite surprised by the heat that some of these chili powder blends offer!

Fiesta Chili powder adds a hint of heat, and contains chipotle, which adds complexity and a rich smoky flavor.

After the Chili powder is added, it’s time for the brown sugar.

Me gusta sweet Paprika! Paprika is the ground spice from the sweet pepper and is commonly used in chili powder blends. Spanish dishes use the sweet pimento pepper to create a spice called pimenton that is similar to paprika in flavor.

Add in a teaspoon paprika and

a half teaspoon of cayenne.

A teaspoon onion powder,

celery seed, and

half a teaspoon ground clove, plus

a Tablespoon of garlic powder.

On to the finishing touches -

one teaspoon pepper and a Tablespoon salt!

Whir the mixture up until it looks like a thick paste.

Oh yeah! A little taste of the tropics and the natural sweetness of pineapple.

Add the drained can of tidbits,

the molasses,

soy sauce, and

white vinegar.

Just to heat things up – a dash o’ Tabasco!

Pour the Pomi tomatoes in,

and pile on the fresh parsley. Another whiz in the processor and whaddya get? S as in STOP.

Take a lookie. Triple S.

Your sweet, spicy, saucy friend.

Triple S – a sauce & marinade made for mouth smackin’ finger lickin’ yum.

And for your pre-soaked ribs.

It’s time for a Triple S bath!

Ahhh. A Sweet, Spicy, Saucy Rib Spa.

S for Super. S for Succulent. S for Stupendous. S for So Satisfying.

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Triple S Ribs|Sauce & Marinade

Pork or Beef Ribs
Salt and Pepper
Pineapple Juice from 1 can (8 oz) Pineapple tidbits (reserve the pineapple tidbits)

Triple S|Sauce & Marinade

Wet Ingredients:
½ onion, yellow
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 can (8 oz) drained Pineapple tidbits (reserve the pineapple juice for the ribs)
3 Tablespoons molasses
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup vinegar, white
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 carton (26.46 oz) or can equivalent, crushed or strained tomatoes (Pomi brand)

Herbs & Spices:
3 Bay leaves
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder (Gebhardt brand)
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder (Fiesta Brand)
1 Tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon ground clove
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon salt
1 cup fresh Italian Parsley, whole leaf

Yield: 6 cups

Rinse ribs in cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the ribs in a large, deep dish baking pan. Pat a layer of salt and pepper on the dry meat. Drain the pineapple tidbits, saving the juice and set the tidbits aside. Pour the reserved pineapple juice over the ribs. Cover and set aside to pre-soak for 2-3 hours. In a food processor or blender, add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, chili powder(s), brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, celery seed, ground clove, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Mix on high speed until the mixture resembles a thick paste. Add the drained pineapple tidbits, molasses, Worcestershire, soy sauce, vinegar, Tabasco, tomato sauce, and fresh parsley and mix on high until blended. Pour the blended Triple S over the pre-soaked ribs to cover; reserve 1-2 cups to use as a sauce and for mopping the ribs while cooking. Cover the ribs with foil, and set aside to marinate for 1-2 hours at room temperature or bring to room temperature before cooking. Store Triple S in glass bottles or jars with lids and refrigerate.
To cook: Bake covered in a 170° oven for 2-6 hours. Uncover the ribs during the last hour of cooking. Cooking times will vary depending on the amount (lbs) of ribs that you are cooking and your oven. When in doubt, select your oven’s lowest temperature and check the ribs periodically to make sure they are not overdone! The ribs should be grill ready, cooked and tender, but not completely falling off the bone. I let some of the rib meat fall off the bone to settle in the juices; this really is up to you & depends on how you like it and on the type of ribs that you are using. Remove the ribs from the baking pan and heat up the grill or BBQ to med/high or 375°. Place the oven baked ribs on the hot grill or BBQ and mop with the reserved Triple S sauce. Cook the ribs until they are darkened and charred. Serve with Triple S sauce, and triple love.

Enjoy!

Grill Grub and a Potluck Party!  The Clark fam’s first annual Eat, Drink and Be Merry Party & Potluck, was such a blast! Thanks for sharing your fantastic homemade dishes, booze, beer and good times…I’m going to be bugging y’all for your recipes, so watch out!

WOW.  I don’t have any party photos to show y’all, or blackmail you with. Darn. A good sign in my book. I also didn’t have much Honeymoon Chicken left over. Another good sign. Lucky for you and as promised, recipes from the Zesty Grill Goddess. First up, is my delicious Honeymoon Chicken recipe, a family favorite, that followed me from Northern California. The divine flavor is from a surprising mix of marinade ingredients and unexpected spices, plus a hint of sweet & savory; when paired with chicken it becomes a perfect match. Honeymoon Chicken is a recipe that can be prepared with any cut of chicken and is superb baked, grilled, or sautéed depending on the cut of chicken you choose. For the party I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grilled it up outdoors. My favorite is using split bone in chicken breasts and thighs, but any cut of chicken works! The longer the chicken merry n aide’s in this sweet and savory sauce, the happier it gets, and the better it gets. Honeymoon marinade is always great to have on hand and is refrigerator friendly. I made this big batch recipe for the party, but it can easily be scaled down by cutting the ingredient amounts in half. For us busy bodies and family mama’s, I usually divide up bulk chicken into a few freezer ziplock baggies, add the Honeymoon marinade, and toss it in the freezer. Guess what? It thaws and marinates at the same time and is sooo dang good. Spread love and joy, and serve merry chicken.

Note: I was a bit surprised to find that SOME of my Honeymoon Chicken was overcooked – even at the lowest setting on my gas grill. I thought I was safe, leaving the grill for 15 minutes. With 40 pieces of chicken crammed on the grill, I was not expecting to find any overcooked. I was pretty shocked and bummed, especially that some of the small front pieces were a bit dry, in my opinion. I have grilled Honeymoon Chicken a Northern Cali perfect (“creamy” to you Texans) for years. But hey. Wait a minute, I ain’t in Cali no more. Whooo hoo and a deep breath. Some was pretty darn Char-b-qued, and thank goodness for that! True Texans like it cooked well done. I call it burnt. I still haven’t moved over to the dark side yet, and for the weirdos like me, I hope you got to experience the pieces that were cooked to my Cali style taste. For all’s y’all burnt chicken lovers, honeymoon on this – I am glad that I am a Texan!!!!

Honeymoon Marinade is where the magic begins!

Ingredients: Dried whole or cut leaf herbs of oregano, marjoram, and powdered coriander, nutmeg, cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, onion powder
garlic powder, lemon pepper plus

vanilla extract, garlic, minced cracked pepper, and salt.

Gather up some garden fresh herbs if you have ‘em – basil, parsley and rosemary. You can use the dried cut or whole leaf – just use 1-2 teaspoons of each.

For the “merry” part; we aren’t on the honeymoon yet! Red Wine Vinegar, honey, olive oil, and

A wee bit ‘o red wine – you lucky duck.

What’s this? A stone mortar – my other food processor. Measure out 2 Tablespoons oregano,

1 Tablespoons marjoram and

½ teaspoons pepper cracked pepper.

Now we’re crackin’. Grind it up with the pestle just to mix, but don’t powder it. The essential oils are locked into the dried leaf, and when ground and pressed the flavors and aromas are released.

Smell it? Aroma vision to the rescue.

Pour the herbs into a mixing bowl and add

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoons coriander

½ teaspoons lemon pepper and nutmeg

¼ teaspoons cayenne

1 Tablespoons paprika

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoons onion powder and

2 teaspoons garlic powder.

Give it all a good whisk and set the spice mixture aside. But not too far aside.

Liquid love is what we’re pouring today.

2 cups good Red Wine Vinegar, plus

¼ cup red wine and

½ cup honey. Give it all a quick wire whisk whir,

then add 2 Tablespoons Vanilla extract. Whadya get?

Pure liquid love. Have a taste if you don’t believe me.

Now for the kicker.

2 cloves of pressed garlic.

Yeah, you heard me right.

Whisk it and let it rest. It’s time to get fresh!

My garden fresh rosemary, for remembrance and vigor. Two good things to have when making Honeymoon Marinade.

Chop up 1 Tablespoon rosemary,

1/3 cup basil and ½ cup parsley. Add the fresh chopped herbs into the liquid love kicker.

Thinking good thoughts? Naughty and nice and everything

spice.

Spice is nice in liquid love.

But it needs to mingle. Grab a large spoon. Cause your gonna need it. No more whisking required.

Just good old fashioned spooning.

Let’s not forget the aide. 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, for a healthy heart.

United by love.

Honeymoon Merry n aide or Honeymoon Marinade.

The meat up.

Pour on the tender loving care

and let it get merry and marinate overnight.

Honeymoon Chicken

the perfect marriage.

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Honeymoon Chicken

Chicken, cuts of choice. Bone in, split chicken breasts, boneless breasts, tenders, thighs, wings…

Honeymoon Marinade
Dried whole or cut leaf Herbs
2 Tablespoons oregano, dried
1 Tablespoons marjoram, dried
½ teaspoons pepper, cracked

Powdered Herbs
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons coriander
½ teaspoons lemon pepper
½ teaspoons nutmeg
¼ teaspoons cayenne
1 Tablespoons paprika
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 cups Red Wine Vinegar
¼ cup red wine
½ cup honey
2 Tablespoons Vanilla extract
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Fresh Herbs
1/3 cup basil, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon rosemary, chopped

Grind the dried whole/cut leaf herbs in a mortar & pestle or food processor to mix; place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the powdered herbs/spices to the ground herbs and wire whisk to mix. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the red wine vinegar, red wine, honey, vanilla extract, and garlic. Whisk the liquid mixture and add the fresh chopped basil, parsley, and rosemary. Using a spoon stir in the olive oil, the powdered herb/spice mixture, stirring until blended. A superb marinade for all cuts of chicken, I used boneless for the party, but love bone in split chicken breasts, boneless breasts, tenders, thighs, wings…

Prepare the chicken by rinsing in cold water and patting dry with a paper towel. In a deep dish platter, bowl, or baking dish, pour the Honeymoon Marinade over the chicken to cover. Cover with lid or saran wrap and let the chicken marinate overnight in the fridge.
To cook: Take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking. Grille, BBQ, or bake the chicken right in the marinade; cooking times will vary depending on the cut of chicken. Be sure to reserve some marinade for mopping and basting if grilling. Store unused Honeymoon marinade in a container with a tight fitting lid; refrigerate. Yield: 3½ cups. (This amount of marinade covers 40 boneless, skinless chicken breasts!)

Chimi what? Yep, chimichurri all the way baby! Hands down the most requested and served meal around these parts. A juicy grilled flank steak get’s a kick of tangy Chimichurri sauce. Whoa. I’ll shimmy, I mean chimi, to that.

Chimichurri is a Latin American, “green” sauce, marinade or condiment. This herbal sauce originated in Argentina, but is popular throughout South America and Spain. The name “chimichurri” comes from two similar stories surrounding the green sauce and it’s unique name. According to Wikipedia, “All the stories share an English speaking colonist and the corruption of names or words by the local population.” Dare. Let’s play speed word. Rules: Say Chimichurri, 10X, as fast as you can. Whoa.
What a tongue twister!

This bright, tangy, and zesty sauce features lemon, limes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and lot’s of fresh parsley and cilantro. Chimichurri is a simple sauce; prepared like pesto in the blender or food processor. Super duper easy. It is loaded with garlic and herbs which is not only super tasty, but packed with vitamins and minerals plus Vitamin C thanks to my good friend parsley. I make this sauce like crazy and am dreaming of the day that some makes it into the freezer; even double batches are G-O-N-E. The only problem I have is that there never seems to be enough chimichurri. Chimi what? Churri my friend.

Chimichurri is simply THE BEST when paired with Grilled Flank Steak. It is the perfect condiment/marinade for meat, fish, vegetables and rice. Throw the marinaded Steak on the Q, or on your stove grille; left over steak is saved for “chimi style” tacos, or burritos. Double dare. Serve at summer parties, potlucks and BBQ’s if you want to be the most well loved dame in town.

Summer and Grilled Flank Steak w/Chimichurri Sauce. Ahh.

Ingredients: 3-4 cloves Garlic, ½ – 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, some fresh ground black pepper,

2 cups fresh Cilantro, 3 cups fresh Parsley, (leave 1 -1 ½ inch stems on the Parsley and Cilantro)

2-3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, 2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, plus the juices from ½ lemon and ½ of a lime.

Grab some red wine out for the marinade. You’ll need just a tablespoon. Hmm, while it’s out I may as well pour a glass….

Let’s get the the Flank Steak (1 lb), nice and tender.

Begin by preparing the steak. Using a sharp knife, score the flank steak diagonally,

making a diamond pattern about 1/8 inches deep across the surface;

turn the steak over and repeat. Set the steak aside.

Let’s get our Chimmi on!

In a food processor or blender, pulse the garlic until it is minced.

Add the fresh parsley, and

cilantro. I leave 1 -1 ½ inch stems on both the parsley and the cilantro. Why?
Why not add more flavor and get the vitamins and minerals that reside in the stems.
Got it?

Good.

Add 2 tablespoons of both red wine vinegar and olive oil,

plus the juices from half of a lemon and lime, and

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Process in food processor or blender, until the mixture is coarsely combined, and the mixture resembles pesto.

Add the remaining vinegar, oil and red pepper flakes, pulsing just until combined.

Pour into a small serving bowl; reserve 3 Tablespoons of the Chimichurri sauce for the marinade.

Ready? Set? better grab that bottle of wine. Uh Oh. I only see about a Tablespoon left in my glass, ugh. Wait a second. I guess I’ll have to open another bottle, what a crying shame.
Grin.
Marinade on that.

Gather the prepared steak, reserved sauce and bottle of wine.

Using a small spoon, spread 1 ½ Tablespoons Chimichurri Sauce over one side of the meat,

pressing the sauce into the meat with the back of the spoon; repeat on other side.

Carefully place the steak in large plastic zip lock bag and

add 1 Tablespoon red wine, a sprinkle of garlic powder and the ground black pepper. Seal the ziplock bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Place in the refrigerator to marinate 2- 24 hours.

Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking (this allows for more even cooking.)

Let’s get grilling! Grab your grille pan, or fire up your grill.

For a perfectly grilled flank steak:

Spray vegetable oil on a grille pan and heat on high.

Place the steak on the hot grille; turn down the heat just a bit, to medium/high.

Cook for 5 minutes;

turn over

and cook for another 5 minutes for a perfect medium (10 minutes total cook time) or cook to desired doneness.
Note: Flank steak is best served on the medium to medium rare side. The cooking time is always based on the size of the cut.

Remove from the grille,

and cover with foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking and lock in the juices.

Thinly slice the steak across the grain.

I am not an expert meat carver, as you can see by my NOT so thin slices.

It’s funny how Blue the expert meat carver was nowhere in site when I was cutting these slices.

It’s also funny how fast people show up at the table when you serve,

THIS.

Can you blame ‘em?

Grilled Flank Steak w/ Chimichurri Sauce speaks mouthfuls.

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Chimichurri Sauce

3-4 cloves Garlic, whole
2 cups fresh Cilantro
3 cups fresh Parsley
Leave 1 -1 ½ inch stems on the Parsley and Cilantro
½ Lemon, juiced
½ Lime, juiced
2-3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ – 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Pulse the garlic in a food processor or blender, until minced. Add the fresh parsley, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of both red wine vinegar and olive oil, the lemon and lime juice, plus the salt and pepper to taste. Process in food processor or blender, until the mixture is coarsely combined, and the mixture resembles pesto. Add the remaining vinegar, oil and red pepper flakes, pulsing just until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve; serve at room temperature. A delicious condiment, sauce and marinade for meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and rice. Yields about 1 cup. Recipe can be easily doubled; freezer compatible.

Grilled Flank Steak

1 lb Flank Steak

Marinade:
3 Tablespoons Chimichurri Sauce
1 Tablespoon Red Wine
Fresh coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Sprinkle of garlic powder

Using a sharp knife, score the flank steak diagonally, making a diamond pattern about 1/8 inches deep across the surface; turn the steak over and repeat. Using a small spoon, spread 1 ½ Tablespoons Chimichurri Sauce over one side of the meat, pressing the sauce into the meat with the back of the spoon; repeat on other side. Carefully place the steak in large plastic zip lock bag and add 1 Tablespoon red wine, a sprinkle of garlic powder and the ground black pepper. Seal the ziplock bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Place in the refrigerator to marinade 2- 24 hours. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking (this allows for more even cooking.)
For a perfectly grilled flank steak:
Spray vegetable oil on a grille pan and heat on high.
Place the steak on the hot grille; turn down the heat just a bit, to medium/high. Cook for 5 minutes; turn over and cook for another 5 minutes for a perfect medium (10 minutes total cook time) or to desired doneness. Note: Flank steak is best served on the medium to medium rare side. The cooking time is always based on the size of the cut.
Remove from the grille, and cover with foil. Cover the steak and let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking and lock in the juices. Thinly slice the steak across the grain.
Serve with Chimichurri Sauce and a smile. YUM!

Party Pasta Salad is my “go to” salad for parties, potlucks, and summer grilling. It is sooo good served as a side dish with grilled meats or as a main dish on a bed of greens. Whatever your fancy, my Party Pasta Salad is big hit. I would even call it a crowd pleaser. I have yet to come home with any leftovers, just a nice clean bowl. But beware, the last time I brought this to a potluck, I didn’t get a single bite! It disappeared after I set it out and we are talking 10 minutes tops on the table. It was gone. Poof.

My secret weapon. Shhh. You ready? I have resorted to stashing a bowl of this for myself – before the party.  It’s only fair payment for being the life of the party, right? Trust me you will want to do the same.

This is my mine. My secret stash. Party Pasta Salad enjoyed after the party!

I make this super yummy dish not just because it is easy, travels well, and feeds a crowd, but also because it is versatile.  No fancy ingredients required and inexpensive to boot. Picky eaters? Make it your own by adding 2 cups of your favorite vegetables.  I have prepared Party Pasta Salad a variety of ways, using frozen stir fry packs with asparagus, fresh squash and in today’s version, fresh broccoli and red bell pepper. Usually, I end up using whatever is reasonable, in season, or ingredients that I find in my freezer or pantry. Easy and delicious, my Party Pasta Salad always comes out perfecto!

Without further ado, let’s get this Party Pasta Salad started!

Ingredients: 1 box (14.5 – 16 oz.) Pasta of choice, ½ to 1 whole onion, 2-3 medium ripe tomatoes ~OR~ 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 red bell pepper, 1 head broccoli ~OR~ 1 frozen stir fry package of choice, 1 cup fresh basil, ½ cup  fresh parsley, ½ to 1 cup Feta or Parmesan cheese (or both) and 1 cup Easy Vinaigrette (Party Pasta Salad version) or Vinaigrette of choice.

Cut the onion in half and into baby moons.

Throw them in a colander

Julienne the red bell pepper,

and throw it in the colander with onions.

Now comes the fun part.

Chop the broccoli into ½ inch pieces leaving on the little outer leaflets on the broccoli.  These mini broccoli leaves are tender and crisp.

Throw the broccoli in the colander with the other veggies and set it aside.

Cook the pasta 10 minutes or according to package directions. The pasta should be firm. When the pasta is done, put the veggie colander in the sink and get ready to pour the hot water and pasta over the vegetables.

You can either:
A) pour the hot pasta water over the veggies (like I did today) or
B) pour the hot water and pasta over the veggies.

As observed it works both ways, my preferred method being B); pouring the pasta and hot water over the veggies. The hot water will blanch (quick cook) the vegetables.

Run cold water over the pasta and the veggies. Set the cool pasta and veggies aside.

Get out a large bowl either for mixing or serving or both. I like options and simplicity so I do it all in one bowl. Yum garlic. The stinking rose.

Coarsely chop 1 cup basil and ½ cup fresh parsley

Throw it in a bowl. There is a party theme here. It’s called throw it in a bowl.

Chop your tomatoes, nice and uniform and guess what your gonna do.

Yep – throw it in the bowl.

Drain the can of olives and repeat.

Pour the veggies from the colander into the bowl and

Yum – it’s almost party time. If you poured the pasta over the veggies then they would both be in here now. No worries. Party Pasta is goof proof. But not goofy proof.

I recommend washing the hands. Yep, now let’s get ‘em dirty. Mix it all up!

I am now adding the pasta which you may have already tossed together in the last part.

Easy Vinaigrette makin’ time. Click on the link for a step by step instructions.

Pour 1 cup over the top and

give it a good stir. Now do a goofy party jig. See? Party Pasta Salad and me = NOT goofy proof.
Make sure the pasta and veggies are thoroughly coated.

Add the Feta. Meesa likes a lot.

Now grate some Parmesan over the top. Keep going.

Mix in the cheese and now we are ready.

At least I am.

Let’s party!

My bite. From my secret stash. Yum.

And yee haw! Part of the big party in my mouth.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Party Pasta Salad

1 box (14.5 – 16 oz.) Pasta of choice
1 cup Easy Vinaigrette or Vinaigrette of choice

½ to 1 whole onion, sliced into half moon shapes
2 cups fresh or frozen veggies of choice
My favorite variations:
1 – 16 oz. frozen stir fry package of choice
~OR~
1 red bell pepper, julienne
1 head of broccoli, chopped into ½ inch pieces

Place the prepared or frozen vegetables, and sliced onion into a large colander. Cook pasta for 10 minutes or according to package instructions. The pasta should be firm; DO NOT OVERCOOK. Pour the cooked pasta with the hot water over the vegetables in the colander. The hot pasta water will blanch (quick cook) the vegetables. Run cool water over the veggies and pasta. Let drain and set aside.

2-3 medium very ripe tomatoes ~OR~ 1 – 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 2.25 oz. can sliced olives, drained
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh  basil, coarsely chopped
½ to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or crumbled feta cheese or a mix of both
Optional: ½ – 1 lemon juiced

In a large serving or mixing bowl, add the parsley, basil, diced or canned tomatoes and sliced olives. Add the cooled cooked pasta and vegetables into the same bowl. Stir in the prepared Easy Vinaigrette, until the vegetables and pasta are thoroughly coated. Mix in the cheese. Add the (optional) lemon juice to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Easy Vinaigrette (Party Pasta Salad version)

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ -1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Place all ingredients into a small glass mixing bowl or glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  Whisk together or shake well. Makes 1 cup.

This is a family favorite of ours passed along to me from my Dad’s Mom. I have had this growing up and at various Taylor gatherings over the years. It is so tasty, easy, feeds a crowd, and never lets me down. This is a special recipe for me. I love eating it as much as I love making it. I get to share a bit of my Grandma Taylor through this recipe, and know that you will enjoy it as much as me.

My parents are here visiting this week which is a real treat. It was also an opportune time for me to find out a little more about this dish from my Dad. Here is a bit of the history of Grandma Taylor’s Tamale Pie according to my Dad, “Mom used to make this in a cast iron Dutch oven. We had her Tamale Pie growing up. I do not remember her ever using a recipe card or where she got the recipe from, she just made it up from memory. This meal is hearty and was an easy and cheap way for Mom to feed me and my 9 brothers and sisters.”

I acquired this recipe from my mom whom asked Grandma Taylor for the recipe after she got married. She asked her to write the recipe down and I am sure glad she did! Even though Grandma Taylor is not with us anymore, her original handwritten recipe for Tamale Pie is. I have provided y’all with her original recipe (below) courtesy of my Dad (thanks Dad for learning how to scan it it in). Now we can all remember – Grandma Taylor, a wonderful mother and grandmother to us all. Thank you Grandma for your Tamale Pie recipe!

Ingredients: 2 lbs. hamburger or ground turkey (I only used 1 lb. cause that’s what I had on hand), 2 large onions, 2 cloves garlic, 1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained, 1 can (6 oz) med. pitted olives, drained, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 2 ½ cups yellow corn meal, 2 t. salt, 5 cups cold water,

1 pkg. chili seasoning mix (1.25 oz. pkg.), 2 t. chili pepper, and 7 dried Chiltepin (aka Tepin Chili, or Tepin Pepper), crumbled (see below). I didn’t have the chiltepin but I did have a chili pepper blend of my own making. I used 1 tsp. of Robyn’s Chili Pepper Spice.

Updated: I thought you would enjoy these Tepin Chile facts. According to Wikipedia, Chiltepin pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) was named “the official native pepper of Texas.”  It is also called the “mother of all peppers” because it is the only wild native chile in the US and all other chile peppers are thought to have evolved from the Tepin chile. Cool huh?? Warning. There is truly nothn’ cool about the Tepin chile, which is said to be hotter than a habanero chile. Aye yai yai. Muy caliente! Here is where you can purchase some Chiltepin for this recipe.

You will also need ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese for the top. Shhhh. I won’t tell if you add more.

Let’s start by making the corn meal crust.

Combine the cornmeal,

salt,

and 1 tsp. chili powder in a saucepan.

Give it a whisk.

Add the water and

cook over med. heat until quite thick and stiff, about 10 min., stirring frequently. Put a lid on it and set it aside.

Let’s move on to the tamale Pie Filling.

Chop and mince the garlic and onions.

Brown the meat and then

stir in the onion and garlic.

Now add the chili seasoning and

chili pepper.

Go ahead and give it another stir.

Now add the corn, olives and tomato sauce

Stir it once again

and let it all simmer.

Let’s assemble Grandma’s Tamale Pie!

Start by using a spoon to line a 13×9 glass Pyrex dish (sides and bottom) with the cooked corn meal mixture.
Reserve 1½ cups to use later on top of filling.

Now add the tamale pie filling.

My way: Sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese on top. I obviously was so anxious to eat this that I put the cheese on first and then the corn meal mixture. My bad. But it was still oh soo good!

Grandma Taylor’s Way: Top with rounded tablespoons of remaining corn meal mixture. Sprinkle ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese on top.

My way continued: Top with rounded tablespoons of remaining corn meal mixture. Case in point, you just can’t flub this recipe up!

Now it’s ready for the oven. Bake @ 325° for about 30 minutes.

Everyone will be crowded around this dish…waiting…and salivating.

Well worth the wait for this -

Let me count the ways in bites how much I love Grandma’s Tamale Pie.

yum X a trillion and

super yum. Thank you Grandma Taylor for this recipe!

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Grandma Taylor’s Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie Filling:
2 lbs. hamburger or ground turkey
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained.
1 can (6 oz) med. pitted olives, drained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 pkg. chili seasoning mix (1.25 oz. pkg.)
1 t. chili pepper (if available)
7 dried Chiltepin, crumbled aka Tepin Chili, or Tepin Pepper (if available)
In a large fry or saucepan, brown hamburger. Stir in the onion, garlic, chili seasoning, chili pepper, and tomato sauce. Let it simmer as you add the corn and olives.

Corn Meal Crust:
5 cups cold water
2 t. salt
1 t. chili powder
2 ½ cups yellow corn meal
Combine all corn meal crust ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over med. heat until quite thick and stiff, about 10 min., stirring frequently.

Use a spoon to line a 13×9 glass Pyrex dish (sides and bottom) with the cooked corn meal mixture. Reserve 1½ cups to use later on top of filling. Then add the tamale pie filling. Top with rounded tablespoons of remaining corn meal mixture. Sprinkle ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese on top.

Bake at 325° for about 30 minutes. Yields 10-12 servings. Cut and serve.
Enjoy with pico, guacamole, sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro!