Sommer Designs

Fast 'n Easy: Teriyaki Broil with Ginger Pilaf

Does anyone have the book, The Pampered Chef Busy Mom's Cookbook? It's pretty good. I bought it when my kids were little, because many of the recipes were fast and easy and very kid friendly. And then I lost the book, and when I tried to find it online again (or through a rep), I found out it was out of print. You can still find copies of it on eBay and Amazon, which is where I found my current copy about a year ago. So, I feel less guilty sharing these two recipes, because it's out of print!

Anyway, start the marinade for this the night before and you'll be golden at the dinner witching hour.

Teriyaki Broil
Serves 5-6

1 bottle (10 oz) teriyaki sauce
2 green onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tbls. honey
2 pounds flank steak
1 pint mushrooms
1 pint cherry tomatoes

Combin teriyaki sauce, green onions, garlic and honey in a small bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade and refrigerate. Place flank steak in a large zip-top storage bag and pour remaining marinade over meat. Seal bag and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight (go for overnight!).

Preheat broiler. Remove meat from marinade and place on broiler pan. Discard remaining marinade. Broil steak 4 inches from heat, turning once with tongs and brushing other side with some of the reserved marinade, 8-10 minutes per side for medium-rare/medium.

Meanwhile, thread mushrooms and tomatoes onto skewers. About 4 minutes before steak is done, brush vegetables with more of the remaining marinade and broil 4 minutes, turning once.

Remove steak & skewers; let steak 'rest' a couple of minutes. Cut steak across grain into thin slices. Serve with skewered vegetables.

Ginger Pilaf
(this is really good!)

2 tbls. butter or margerine
1 tbls. fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup long-grain white rice
1-3/4 cup chicken broth
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems & pieces, drained
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas

In a 2 quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add ginger and saute 1 minute. Stir in rice, chicken broth, mushrooms and onions. Bring to simmer. Cover and cook over very low heat 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add peas and stir. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

You're a rock star.

Grandma's Cookies

Yesterday was Yom Kippur, and as I was preparing my shopping list on Sunday for dinner that night, I decided to surprise my dad with Mandelbrot (pronounced in our family, 'mandelbread'). My grandmother used to make it all the time for him, it was one of his favorite indulgences. Being the Type A, oldest, do-gooder daughter that I am, nothing makes me happier than making my father happy. I am, without question, a daddy's girl.

These cookies are similar to Italian biscotti, and are delicious with coffee or tea, and I'm guessing even better dipped in chocolate.

Mandelbrot (Almond Bread Cookies)

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
4 tbls. orange juice
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking sheet with some vegetable oil (not the amount listed above!), dust with flour, turn upside down and shake off excess.

In a bowl, cream together oil with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is light and frothy. Beat in orange juice, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir in almonds. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir in flour mixture to make a soft, workable dough. Remove to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth & elastic, about 10 minutes (it might be 'wet' at first, just dust in flour).

Divide in two and shape each piece into a loaf approximately 3 inches wide by 1-2 inches thick. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, until the loaves are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool until just warm. Cut each loaf into 1/2-inch slices and place slices back on baking sheet, on their side. Raise oven temp, if desired (to speed along) and toast cookies until just slilghtly toasted and then flip them and toast the other side. Do not burn (been there, done that), remove promptly. Let cool, enjoy.

These are all kinds of yum.

Another easy dinner: Chicken Piccata

Did you sign up for the Dinner Tonight emails from Everyday Food like I told you to? I'm serious when I say it will make your life easier.

Case in point: yesterday, while I was struggling (yes, it's a struggle) to compile a shopping list for the market, and trying to plan dinner for the week, this Chicken Piccata recipe dropped into my inbox. It was from the Universe. Kidding. It was from Martha. She read my mind clear across the country. 

With the exception of the chicken breasts, everything was in my pantry and/or refrigerator (or, was soon to be). It was easy, it was fast, it was delicious and more importantly, my family liked it.

 

You can sign up for the Dinner Tonight emails right here. I can't make it much easier for you. XO

A Super Easy Summer Dinner!

 

I used to subscribe to Everyday Food Magazine, but then quit when I was trying to rein in my magazine consumption (which I am never successful at!). Then I found out I could subscribe to it online, and they would email me a recipe every weekday. It's awesome, you should go sign up. I print out the ones I like, try them when I can, and if they're a family success, they go in a binder.

I think I received this one back in February;tried it, liked it and made it again two nights ago. It's so easy because you use a whole roasted chicken that you buy at the store, and there is minimal stove top time. It's perfect to enjoy on the patio, or in the garden, with guacamole and of course, ice cold beer. Chicken Chilaquiles - and the recipe is right here - enjoy! [note: it is a bit spicy; you can probably tone down the chiles, but that's what the ice cold beer is for.]

Our recipe for the best holiday barbecue ever

Typically, in the week before any long (summer) holiday weekend, Scott reminds me that it's a holiday weekend. Not because I don't know that we will have a blissful extra day off, but to remind me that beef ribs will be on sale, because they almost always are.

It started back in August 1992, when we were subscribers to Bon Appetit, and they ran a recipe for ribs in their RSVP section (that's where readers send in requests for recipes from restaurants, and somehow, the magazine was able to obtain it). In that issue, the recipe was for Stout-Marinated Ribs with Honey Glaze from the Depot Restaurant, which is a favorite of ours in Torrance.

Interestingly enough, we have never seen the dish on the menu. A few years ago, we were having dinner there, and the chef Michael Shafer was making his rounds in the dining room. When he stopped at our table, and after we schmoozed a bit, Scott told him it was one of our favorites and asked why it wasn't on the menu. Chef Shafer told us that apparently he and us are the only people that liked the dish, and it was removed.

I find that inconceivable. More likely, it is a decadent, messy dinner where utensils are optional and highly discouraged, but copious amounts of napkins and dental floss are required on stand by.

I did a Google search for the recipe online, and found several, none with proper credit. So I feel less guilty sharing this, however, due credit is given to Bon Appetit for their superb foresight, and to Chef Shafer, for his gastronomic masterpiece. You will need to start this the night before, and make sure you have extra stout (very cold) to wash it all down with. Since your teeth will be a mess anyway, go ahead and grill some corn on the cob as well - this is as good as it gets; as Guy Fieri would say, 'this is money'. Enjoy!

Stout-Marinated Ribs with Honey Glaze
(recipe from Chef Michael Shafer, the Depot Repot Restaurant, Torrance, CA & printed in Bon Appetit, August 1992) 6 servings - more or less ;)

Ribs:
3 cups Guinness stout
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup oriental sesame oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
4 pounds beef short ribs, but crosswise flanken style (about 1/2 inch thick) (note: we just buy the pack of regular beef ribs in the package)

Glaze:
1 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons ground pepper

For ribs: Whisk  first 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Place ribs in glass baking dish. Pour marinade over. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (NOTE: We actually place the ribs in a large plastic baking bag, and pour the marinade on, and place that in the baking dish. This way, you can turn the ribs, making sure every morsel is coated with that marinade. See? Thinking over here!)

For glaze: Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend (but don't do this until you are grilling).

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Remove ribs from marinade and place on grill. Grill until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Brush with glaze and cook 1 minute per side. Serve with remaining glaze.

Soup for you!

 

I meant to do this yesterday; I posted a delicious and easy soup recipe over at Dinner Challenge! Check it out, make it and have a warm weekend!

In the midst...

A friend called me late last week and asked what I was up to. I said I was in the midst, and she replied, 'in the midst of what?' Sometimes I forget that people have no idea what I'm talking about, but 'in the midst' is a term Scott & I use all the time when we're in the middle of a project or a job, or whatever, but something that is taking time.

After I finished those seven totes, I got started on nine more. I don't know why I do this to myself, because I begin to teeter on the verge of burnout, and October is way too early in the season to burn out. I had a Farmer's Market yesterday (which was slow), and then I have a two-day event at the end of this week - Artistic License Fair in Costa Mesa (Friday and Saturday, Orange County people!), so I've been trying to stay on top of everything.

Let me just say, I think I'm okay tote-wise. But before I can take a few days off, I have to stuff some Lavender Liners, which is super easy and not a lot of work. I'd love to also get some of those totes photographed and uploaded on the site; I've been so bad about that lately. I'll work on it, okay?

Oh! Guess what? There's a post over at Dinner Challenge! Can you believe it?! Shari shared a great recipe with me last week for Beef & Guinness Stew - it's delish & easy! Go check it out!

Pass the Apples & Honey, please!

 

Happy New Year to my Jewish friends! Heck, Happy New Year to all of you's! We had dinner last night at my parents house, and on the way home, I realized there were no apples and honey! Is that what happens when the kids get older? The fun (good) stuff goes away? Apples and honey are fundamental and basic Rosh HaShannah eats - meant to remind us of a good and sweet year ahead, and always, to be grateful for what we have. It's pretty darn delicious too.

I've been feeling mass quantities of guilt over the lack of posting at Dinner Challenge. I think about it every week. Seriously. And so many times I've meant to post because I actually took the time to plan and cook something decent, but then it's served and the family plows into it so quickly (me included), that I've forgotten to snap a picture. Nobody wants to see my half-eaten plate, believe me.

But I do have something to share - yesterday I made a old standby favorite side dish - Orzo with Wild Rice. It's delicous, super easy to make, is served at room temperature, so it's perfect for all those upcoming holiday pot-lucks! Enjoy!

 

Orzo with Wild Rice & Pine Nuts

1-1/2 cups wild rice
6 cups water
1 tsp. salt
6 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 lb. orzo
3 Tbl. lemon juice, or more to taste
2/3 cups chopped green onions
1 cup toasted pine nuts

Combine rice with water and salt and simmer until tender, about 40-45 minutes. Drain and transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 Tbl. olive oil. Cook orzo in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and add orzo to rice with 4 Tbl. olive oil, 3 Tbl. lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Before serving, stir in green onions, pine nuts and lemon juice, and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

ALSO! Thank you to Craftapalooza for posting my Lingerie/Shoe/Utility Bag tutorial on Whip Up!

It was a very hot weekend. Again.

Seriously, I don't know what's going on here, but it's insane. So hot. So, very hot. Saturday we had to go into the Valley, of all places, because Colin was receiving an award on a Public Service Announcement he did for his Video Production class, and it won first place in a Digital Voice competition that his teacher submitted it to!

(Colin & his teacher on stage receiving their award)

It was on Water Conservation, and Colin filmed and edited the piece.

 

It's really pretty awesome, and can be viewed here (although the resolution is not very good). It's amazing to me that Colin has already found his passion and knows what he wants to do in life (and, of course, I love that it's something creative). He's been interning for the last year at the local cable channel here in Palos Verdes, and has had some amazing opportunities. (Last month, he filmed the Long Beach Grand Prix, and actually got to hang out in the pit! Come on, he's freaking 16!) I'm really happy for him - he's having a great time and learning a ton.

(giant Chandelier at Americana at Brand - of course, I only take pictures of Chandeliers...everything else was just a...mall)

After that, since we were already out there, we decided to check out the new outdoor mall in Glendale, Americana at Brand. It was a madhouse. Crowded like I've never seen - crowded like Disneyland. We found a place that didn't have a 2 hour wait for dinner, ate, checked out Barnes & Noble, and left.

Of course, while at Barnes & Noble, I had to find the new A is for Apron book, which has two of my aprons! I walked around with it for a while and was going to purchase, but they are supposed to be sending me a comp copy, and darn it, I'm waiting for my freebie!

I spent the rest of the weekend cutting (and pressing) this weeks' production until I couldn't stand the heat in the workshop anymore!

Oh - and did you think I've forgotten about Dinner Challenge? Well, I haven't. I've just been uninspired, dinnerwise. Yesterday, with the heat and all, it was a perfect day for a cold pitcher of Sangria and grilled Shrimp! And we found the perfect recipe! Check it out!

Dare I mention the weather?

Saturday evening we went down to Laguna Beach to meet some friends for (my birthday) dinner. The weather was stunning. Seriously. It's been freezing for the last three months, and then all of a sudden we have (near) record highs. Before dinner we met for cocktails on the patio at Las Brisas, and the view was simply spectacular.

In retrospect, an evening out in Laguna, as wonderful as it was, was probably not the best idea the night before a market. Because the next morning, I had to get up 5 a.m., and that wasn't pretty.

Once again, the weather was spectacular - tank tops and flip flop weather and white, white, white legs peaking out of skirts. It was all I could do to make it through the morning - actually, the morning wasn't so bad, and luckily the day ends at 1 p.m. I was a basket case, however, by the afternoon and even with an afternoon nap (can you believe it?), I was in bed by 8 p.m.! I am so out of market shape! The back hurt, the legs hurt - oy, me!

As part of my early-in-the-year organizational triumphs, I am dedicating Mondays to paperwork and bill paying. I even put it on the calendar, and having put the time aside, yesterday was so productive. I feel so much better and in control of those nagging things. My desk is still a mess, but at least the mortgage is paid.

After last week of not cooking one single night (thankyouverymuch), I am back at the Dinner Challenge. It has been so helpful to plan everything out, and blogging about it keeps me accountable, even in the smallest way. Last night, I made Pasta with Turkey Sausages, Red Bell Peppers & Basil, and the unofficial recipe is up. Unofficial, because I couldn't find the actual recipe, and just winged it.

It's super easy - take a look!

Small discovery - when cooking, it's especially important to have a kitchen staff. Mine just follows me around...

They're better at clean up duty than anything else. I always disappoint though...poor babies.