Marinated in Beer Steak

This is a good way to tenderize and flavor economical steak cuts like the sirloin for summer grilling.  Do this the day before cooking and let marinade in the dry ingredients overnight for best results.






4 servings top sirloin beef steak
1 can of beer
1 T packed dark brown sugar
1 t lemon pepper
1 t Lawry's seasoned salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
Cut the steak into serving portions and trim fat.  Place in a container and cover with beer, cover or seal, and refrigerate for an hour.  Remove the steaks from the beer.  Combine the dry ingredients and rub on all sides of the steaks. Let rest in the refrigerator at least an hour, preferably overnight.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat and grill to desired doneness.  I prefer to under cook a bit and cover and let steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.  They will finish and be a more moist and juicy steak.  This is also a good steak to thinly slice against the grain of the meat and serve with crumbled blue cheese over a green salad!!

Really "BIG" Brownies

Yesterday my granddaughter Kate was here with a temperature and as she felt better in the afternoon wanted to bake with me so this is what we made.

This is also the beginning of the tailgate, reunion, picnic, and all manner of get together season so I am going to start sharing some of my collection of big batch recipes.  This is the most fudgy chocolate and moist brownie I have ever tasted.  It MUST be baked in a half sheet pan which is 13"x 18" x 1 1/2".  I line the pan with heavy duty extra wide aluminum foil.  Butter and flour the pan and set it aside.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  The benefit of using the foil is to cut and remove the cookies with more ease and less crumble.  Depending on how you cut these you will yield several dozen.  I have also sliced these and made ice cream sandwiches that are truly "over the top"!

4 sticks, (1 pound of butter)
1 12 oz. pkg.  plus 2/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips to make the batter, (1 pound chips)
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips to add (12 oz. pkg.chips)
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 extra large eggs
3 T. instant espresso or instant coffee powder
2 T. real vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. flour ( hold back the 1/4 c. to coat the choc chips and nuts)
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
3 c. chopped nutmeats if desired

Place a large pan with about 1" of water in the bottom on the stove and heat.  Sit a large glass bowl over the top of the pan and melt together the butter, the first portion of chocolate chips and the unsweetened chocolate.  Keep the burner turned down do not put it on high heat.  Just watch it and stir occasionally as it melts.  This takes a while and I do other things and don't hurry it, just stir and melt, eventually it will be a succulent smooth chocolate "ooze" that smells like chocolate heaven. Then let it cool slightly.  I sit the bowl off the pan on a kitchen towel on the counter to rest and I go to the next step.
Stir together in a large mixing bowl the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar.  Mix well then slowly and gradually stir in the chocolate mixture.  Take this slowly.  Add maybe a cup in the beginning and stir then add a bit more.  This tempers the eggs.  If you were to dump all the melted hot chocolate mixture at once it might cook the eggs and you could be left with chocolate scrambled eggs!!!
Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add this into the chocolate mixture until just combined.  Toss the reserved flour, chocolate chips and nuts all together to coat with flour.  This will help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan evenly.
Bake about 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  I had to add 5 minutes 2 times so be sure and test with a tooth pick.  Do not over bake.  Cool well and cut into bars.   I have put these in the refrigerator before to hasten cooling.

This was adapted room an Ina Garten recipe and she adapted it from Soho Charcuterie Cookbook where they were called chocolate globs.

Stir Fry Green Beans and Pork

We love fresh veggies and green beans have always been a favorite.  This is a great dish to make with fresh young and tender beans or if you can get them Haricot Vert,  french green beans. I first found them fresh at Sam's Club a year ago in a 2 pound pack.  They package them in two one pound bags and they keep really well.  Last night I used a large leftover pork chop but any pork will do.  I also added canned mushrooms which are not in the dish if you order it out but since it is "my" version you can easily make it yours by adding slivered almonds or water chestnuts.  However you'd best like it will work!!

1 pound young thin green beans
1/2 -1 pound thinly sliced pork
3 T olive oil
3 T butter
1/4 c soy sauce
1 c chicken stock  (I use undiluted Campbell's broth)
2 T cornstarch
1 small can of sliced mushrooms drained but KEEP THE LIQUID
black pepper
3 c prepared rice of your choosing

Wash and clean beans, I leave them whole set aside.  Thinly slice pork and set aside.  Drain the mushrooms and set aside.  Mix the cornstarch with the reserved mushroom liquid and set aside.  If you don't use an additional veggie and don't have liquid for this part just use 1/4 c water instead of the liquid to dissolve the cornstarch in and set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok and add the oil and butter.  Add the pork and stir fry til browned.  Add the beans and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes. add the soy sauce and stock, stir well.  Reduce the heat cover the pan with a lid and simmer 10-15 minutes til beans are tender.  This will depend on the beans and you will need to check for tenderness.  When the beans are tender crisp add the mushrooms, the reserved liquid and dissolved cornstarch and black pepper.  Stir and cook til this thickens and serve piping hot over hot rice.  Pass the soy sauce in case anyone needs more with the dish.  This makes a quick tasty dish!!