There’s nothing like a big piece of meat grilled on a summer afternoon, all juicy and salty, with a lovely tangy sauce on the side to complement it. The sauce in this Grilled Hanger Steak with Cilantro Mint Chimichurri recipe from Sommer> (TK member aspicyperspective) was just so wonderful that I would eat it with any meat I put on the grill. And it’s such a wonderful thing to make in advance and have on hand; it will dress any dish up.

You will need: hanger steak, salt and pepper, fresh cilantro, fresh mint, garlic, red wine vinegar (I used sherry vinegar and it was great), ground cumin, honey, crushed red pepper, and olive oil.

Get the grill nice and hot. With a thin steak you’re only going to give it a quick sear so the grill will need to be sizzling. Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.

Sear them on both sides, about 2-minutes on each for medium rare. And by the way, you can use a skillet instead of a grill if that’s what you have. It will still be delicious!

Once you give them a quick sear on both sides, remove from the heat and cover with foil to rest for 5-10 minutes so the juiciness stays within the meat.

Meanwhile, get your sauce ready by combining all of the ingredients in a food processor. First the cilantro and mint …

Then the vinegar …

Red pepper flakes for some spice …

Cumin for some earthiness …

Honey for some sweetness …

And some olive oil to make it all smooth and luscious.

Puree it until mostly smooth, but still full of lumps, herbs and flavor.

Slice the hanger steak or serve it in big strips with a good dose of this amazing sauce.

Thank you to Sommer for this killer sauce! Take a peek at her website A Spicy Perspective for more deliciousness.

Printable Recipe

Grilled Hanger Steak with Cilantro Mint Chimichurri

by aspicyperspective on June 8, 2012 in Beef, Main Courses June 8, 2012 BeefMain Courses

See post on aspicyperspective’s site!

4.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 6 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

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Charred juicy hanger steak with a bold and tangy sauce!

Ingredients

• FOR THE HANGER STEAK:
• 2 pounds Hanger Steak
• Salt And Pepper
• FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:
• 1 bunch Fresh Cilantro
• 1 bunch Fresh Mint
• 3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
• 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper
• ¾ cups Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Preheat the grill to high heat.

Sprinkle the hanger steaks with salt and pepper on all sides. Grill the steaks for 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare, just over 3 minutes per side for medium.

Remove the steak from the heat and cover with foil to rest. (Never cut into to a steak before it’s had time to rest 5-10 minutes to redistribute all the juices.)

Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for the chimichurri in the food processor. Puree until mostly smooth.

Slice the hanger steak into 1/2 inch pieces and serve warm with chimichurri sauce drizzled over the top with side of Bush’s Texas Ranchero Grillin’ Beans.

 
 
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There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful books Girl Hunter and Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

 
I have a sweet tooth, let’s call her … Shugar (with an h). Shugar frequently compels me to make all manner of cakes, cookies, pies—you get the drift. However, I also have a spicy tooth. (Is that a real term? I’m not sure, but I’m going with it.) Let’s call him … Pepper Jack. You’ll just as soon find a bottle of spicy sauce next to my plate as you would a bottle of ketchup. I’m known to pour the stuff on pretty much anything.

Some call that weird. I call it delicious.

Now Pepper Jack (my spicy tooth—you’re still with me right?), he gets me dreaming of things like spice-laden grilled meats, like Kim’s recipe for Chipotle Grilled Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Slaw. When I found this recipe, I’m pretty sure I could hear the faint sound of the Hallelujah chorus being sung from above. When Pepper Jack and Shugar get to hang out together in one dish, you know a party is about to happen.

These tacos are filled with spicy chipotle grilled chicken and then slathered in a sweet pineapple slaw that’s drenched in flavor. You’ll need a few things for these puppies, so let’s get started, shall we?

You’ll need olive oil, limes, chipotle chiles in adobe sauce, honey, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, chicken breasts, pineapple rings with juice, mayonnaise, green onions (optional), red onion, and coleslaw mix.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil (or whatever oil you have on hand), lime juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce … 

And the honey, garlic, cilantro, kosher salt and pepper.

Stir to combine.

Place the chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Seal and marinate for 2 hours.

Drain the pineapple rings and set aside. Reserve about 1/3 cup of the pineapple juice.

In a small bowl, whisk the reserved pineapple juice, mayo, cilantro, garlic and salt. Set aside. 

Mix well.

In a large bowl, combine the red onion and coleslaw mix. If you’re using green onions (I left these out), add them in as well. Pour the dressing mixture over the coleslaw and combine.

Remove chicken from marinade.

Grill the pineapple slices about 3-4 minutes each side. Watch carefully, they can burn easily. When done, remove to a platter and set aside to cool for a few minutes while you cook the chicken. When the chicken is cooked through, remove from grill and set aside to rest.

While the chicken is resting, cut the grilled pineapple slices into bite size pieces and mix into the coleslaw. You can transfer slaw to a serving dish, don’t forget to get all of the “special sauce”.

Warm tortillas on the grill or in the oven, and cut chicken into slices.

Serve on corn tortillas topped with the grilled pineapple slaw. Any leftover slaw is delicious eaten on its own.

Wow, are these tacos good! I’m so glad Kim shared her recipe with us. You can find more mouthwatering dishes in the blog Sunflower Supper Club, which she shares with her friend Julie.

Note: While the chicken marinade itself is spicy, the chicken is not too spicy once it is grilled. My son was able to eat it without any problem. 

Printable Recipe

Chipotle Grilled Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Slaw

by Kim (SunflowerSupperClub) on June 28, 2012 in Main Courses, Poultry June 28, 2012 Main CoursesPoultry

See post on Kim (SunflowerSupperClub)’s site!

4.50 Mitt(s) 6 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 2 hrs

Cook Time: 15 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 6

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Spicy grilled chicken paired with a sweet slaw. Summer fare at its best!

Ingredients

• FOR THE CHICKEN TACOS:
• ¼ cups Olive Oil
• 2 whole Limes, Juiced
• 4 whole Chipotle Chiles In Adobo Sauce, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce From Can Of Chipotle Chiles
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Cilantro
• ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
• 1-½ pound To 2 Pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 12 whole Corn Tortillas
• FOR THE PINEAPPLE SLAW:
• 1 can (20 Oz. Size) Pineapple Rings, Juice Reserved
• ⅓ cups Pineapple Juice (reserved From Can)
• ½ cups Mayonnaise (or Plain Yogurt)
• 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
• ⅓ cups Cilantro, Chopped
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 bunch Green Onions, Sliced
• ⅓ cups Red Onion, Finely Diced
• 1 bag (16 Oz. Size) Coleslaw Mix

Preparation Instructions

For the chicken tacos:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, honey, garlic, cilantro, kosher salt and pepper. Place the chicken breasts in a ziplock bag and pour in the marinade. Seal and marinate for 2 hours.

For the pineapple slaw:
Drain the pineapple rings and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels. In a small bowl, whisk the reserved pineapple juice, mayo, cilantro, garlic and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the green onions, red onion and coleslaw mix. Pour the dressing mixture over the coleslaw and combine.

Remove chicken from marinade and place on a lightly oiled hot grill with the pineapple slices. Grill the pineapple slices about 3-4 minutes a side. Watch carefully, they can burn easily. When done, remove to a platter and set aside to cool for a few minutes while the chicken finishes cooking. When the chicken is cooked through, remove from grill and set aside to rest.

While the chicken is resting, cut the grilled pineapple slices into bite size pieces and mix into the coleslaw.

Warm tortillas on the grill or in the oven. Cut chicken into slices and serve on corn tortillas topped with the grilled pineapple slaw. Any leftover slaw is delicious eaten on its own.

Yields 12 tacos.

Enjoy!

 
 
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Amber is a stay at home mom who lives in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks. It’s a long way from where she grew up, in Wales (yes, way over in the U.K.). The recipes in her blog Sprinkled with Flour include her original creations as well as her family recipes. Go check them out!

 
I love a good pasta dish, and this Smoky Tomato, Roasted Red Pepper and Arugula Pasta by Cassie (Tasty Kitchen member BakeYourDay) is just perfect for a delicious late-summer meal!

It contains pretty much all my favorite things (besides chocolate). I seriously cannot get enough of this pasta! After you try it, you too, will understand it’s magical addictive properties. After making it the first time, I ate it for three meals straight and I have to say, it tastes almost better the next day!

Followed by some chocolate, of course.

Here are the ingredients. You probably have a few of these things on hand already. Get ready to grab your pasta (I used small shells), olive oil, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh arugula, fresh basil, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, a shallot, a clove of garlic, fresh mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. The next time I make this (and there will a next time very soon, trust me), I’m going to add some spicy chicken sausage!

First, cook your pasta in boiling salted water and save a little of the cooking water for later. (Don’t fret if you forget to save some pasta water. I did and my pasta still came out perfect!) Set drained pasta aside.


Heat some olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic and shallot. Saute until the shallot is soft, about four minutes.

Then add the cherry tomatoes, a little bit of the fresh basil, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, roasted red peppers and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for five minutes.

Add the arugula to the pan! Arugula is such a nice addition here; I really love its peppery bite.

You’ll want to keep cooking until the arugula wilts. This won’t take long!

After the arugula wilts, toss in the fresh mozzarella. This is my favorite part! I adore fresh mozzarella so much, especially when it gets all melted and creamy. Mmm.

Stir in the pasta (and cooking water, if using). Season with a little additional salt and some pepper here.

Serve the pasta with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and you’re set! Dinner is DONE.

Trust me guys, you don’t want to miss out on this one. It’s fabulous.

Thanks again, Cassie, for sharing this recipe! Don’t forget to visit her blog, Bake Your Day for more of her amazing recipes.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Smoky Tomato, Roasted Red Pepper & Arugula Pasta

by BakeYourDay on July 18, 2012 in Main Courses, Pasta July 18, 2012 Main CoursesPasta

See post on BakeYourDay’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time: -

Cook Time: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 2

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Fresh veggies and pasta with smoky seasonings and fresh mozzarella.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces, weight Pasta
• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil, Divided
• 1 whole Shallot, Minced
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, Halved
• ½ cups Roasted Red Peppers, Chopped
• ¼ cups Fresh Basil, Chopped, Divided
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
• 2 cups Fresh Arugula
• 2 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Diced
• ¼ cups Parmesan Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta cooks, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, roasted red peppers, half of the basil, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Let the mixture cook for another 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften.

Add the arugula to the pan and drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil over the arugula. Stir it to combine and cook until the arugula wilts. Turn the heat to low and stir in the mozzarella cheese. Add the cooked pasta and the pasta water and stir until combined. Top with Parmesan cheese.

 
 
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Jenna is a food writer who has worked as a pastry chef and bread baker. Her blog Eat, Live, Run has great recipes, travel stories, and the perfect slogan: “Celebrating life, one crumb at a time.”

 
My heart goes out to everyone without air conditioning this summer. Being hot is right up there on my list of “most unpleasant sensations” between having a cavity drilled and discovering my husband finished off the Nutella without telling me. The only redeeming quality to hot summers is the abundance of fresh fruit—especially melons.

I love eating my melon as-is, dripping down my chin, as I stand right next to an ice-cold air vent, but one day I decided to dress it up with a ginger-mint citrus dressing. Very smart move. I loved it so much I wanted to share it with all of you!

For the dressing you’ll need some fresh ginger (I like it very ginger-y, but feel free to hold back if you wish), fresh mint, honey, half of an orange, a lime, and a little salt.

First, juice the lime and the orange half into a small-ish sized bowl.

Add the fresh, grated ginger. If you don’t have a Microplane grater, go out and get one. Seriously.

Add the honey. (And salt.)

Chop the mint …

And add it to the rest of the dressing. Whisk it up well, so the honey is fully incorporated.

Gather the melons, whichever you decide to use. For this recipe I used a quarter of a seedless watermelon, half of a honeydew melon, and a whole small cantaloupe. Fresh pineapple chunks or grapes would also work well. I’d avoid using fruit that break down easily in acid, like berries, bananas, and stone fruit.

Start peeling and chopping …

And peeling and chopping, and peeling and chopping …

Then grab the biggest serving bowl you have. Not the dinnertime salad bowl, but the ginormous “I’m the only one bringing a salad to feed 25″ potluck bowl. You know which one I’m talking about.

Pour that lovely dressing over the melon. Things should be smelling ridiculously good by now.

Give it a stir to coat all of the melon. If you do this more than an hour or so in advance, you’ll end up with a lot of liquid in the bowl. I didn’t mind, but a few of you might.

Speaking of that liquid, when you finish up the melon, do NOT throw away that juice. Pour it into a glass and keep it in the fridge. It’s fantastic. We had to carefully ration it out among the four of us to ensure we all got our fair share with minimal complaints and accusations. It’s also great in smoothies or diluted to make some refreshing flavored water.

You can find the detailed recipe and printable link below!

Printable Recipe

Melon Salad with Ginger-Mint Dressing

by Natalie | Perry's Plate on July 24, 2012 in Fruit Salads, Salads July 24, 2012 Fruit SaladsSalads

See post on Natalie | Perry's Plate’s site!

4.33 Mitt(s) 3 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: -

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 15

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Chunks of melon tossed in a lovely dressing of ginger, mint, and citrus. Who says melon can’t fancy sometimes?

Ingredients

• ¼ whole Watermelon, Cubed
• 1 whole Cantaloupe, Cubed
• ½ whole Honeydew Melon, Cubed
• FOR THE DRESSING:
• ⅓ cups Orange Juice (about 1/2 An Orange)
• ¼ cups Lime Juice (about 1 Lime)
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Mint
• 2 teaspoons Grated Fresh Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Honey
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions

Place melon in a really large bowl—the one you take to potlucks. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over melon. Mix well and taste. If the dressing is too strong, add more melon.

Notes:
1. You might not want to do this too far ahead as the dressing extracts a lot of moisture from the melon. You’ll have a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl in a few hours, but pour it into a glass and save it. It’s delicious added to a smoothie or enjoyed as is!
2. Feel free to mix and match any melon (or other fruit) for the salad. Grapes or fresh pineapple chunks would be good additions! I wouldn’t add anything that breaks down quickly, like berries.

 
 
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Be sure to check out Natalie’s own beautiful food blog, Perrys’ Plate, where you can see her growing collection of lovely recipes. There’s always something new to see there. Go visit now!

  The markets are overflowing with summer squash and zucchini right now. With their arrival, you’ll also find their pretty and delicate flower: the squash blossom. I love them on everything from pizzas to inside quesadillas with melty cheese. But my favorite way to consume them, hands down, is fried. While I’ve had them prepared […]

  In summertime, when the temperatures are especially hot, I’m always looking for dishes that work well at room temperature, as well as recipes that offer a twist on your classic summer dishes. This bowl of Chipotle and Lime Roasted Potatoes from Tasty Kitchen member Meredith of Cooking In Sock Monkey Slippers was just that. […]

  Every year, the tomatoes catch me by surprise. One day I’ll head out to peruse the garden for gorgeous produce to pluck from the vine and … nothing. A couple of days later, I swear that the vines are practically drooping with ruby red tomatoes. If I want my share, I have to move […]

  Living in a house with a 5-year-old, most of our desserts are of the kid-friendly variety. “Grown up” desserts are saved for special occasions, when I feel the need to step away from kiddie land and enjoy something a bit more, well, grown up.  Don’t get me wrong! I love a good ol’ chocolate […]