Stuffed Flank Steak with Swiss Chard and Feta

Aside from grilling meat, this is the easiest thing I think I've ever done with a cut of beef.  Delicious and slightly melty. 

I'm a meat eatin' kinda gal.  This likely has to do with the fact that one side of my family has been farming since, well...since farming began I'd assume (the Irish side).  Not only that, but my great-granda went from being a farm boy, to being a butcher's assistant, to owning a slaughter house.  Oh, I'm sure someone's reading this and damning my family for it's meat-eating tendencies, but I'm a full supporter of eating as you see fit.  If meat isn't your choice, that's why we're omnivores - you rock that vegetarian or vegan lifestyle like a rock star.  We all make dietary choices and mine is to eat a juicy cut of meat.

I digress. 

I stumbled across a good lookin' recipe for Stuffed Flank Steak (see link if you want to see step-by-step directions in cutting flank steak).  However, as in all things, I do with what I have or, more importanty, what I like.  I'm not the world's biggest fan of spinach and Pops is not a fan of red bell peppers.  So...what did I do you ask?  See the recipe below.

Stuffed Flank Steak with Swiss Chard and Feta:

Oven pre-heated to 425-degrees | Cook time 35 minutes

1 Flank Steak (1 1/2 - 2lbs)
3-4 swiss chard leaves, chopped and steamed (or cooked down in a pan)
1/4 cup diced red onion, cooked until translucent
1/2 cup crumbled sun dried tomato and basil Feta
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provance
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

*If you buy a thin cut of flank steak, you don't have to cut it down the center to make a wide sheath of meat; you can just pound it out a bit to make it an even surface.  If you buy a thicker cut, place the steak on a flat service and take a sharp knife parallel to work surface and starting at a long side, slice flank steak in half to opposite long side, (cut it like a book) without cutting all the way through - flatten the center to make it even. 

1.  In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Once it shimmers, add the onion and swiss chard until slightly wilted and onion is translucent to slightly browned.

2.  In a bowl, combine Feta, bread crumbs, egg yolk, chard and onion mix, garlic salt, seasoning, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. 

3.  With the flank steak open, spread the contents of the bowl, leaving at least 1/4" border of the meat untouched at all sides (this will help it stay together and not seep out).

4.  Roll the meat long-wise (in other words, don't give yourself a short roll), and tie every 2" with butcher's twine.  Or...if you're anything like me you forget you have it in the drawer and instead use toothpicks :)

5.  Place the meat seam side down on a baking sheet and brush olive oil over the top of the meat, dash some salt and pepper on top and throw 'er in the oven.  You should have a browned, juicy cut of meat awaiting your consumption when done.

Ham and Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Pasta (Gluten Free)

The joy and the happiness this dish has brought to my new gluten free life is almost ridiculous.  It's a nip sweet and savory with all the hints of flavor you want for something this simple.  And yes, it is simple. 

I was in search of how to use the butternut squash sitting in my fridge after day 2 and found a couple recipes that looked ok, but didn't quite hit what I wanted.  So, as per my normal fashion, I made mental notes and pulled bits and pieces from the recipes I saw and threw my own two cents in. 

You can use whatever pasta you want, gluten free or not (depending on your dietary needs), for this dish.  I used Tinkyada's Brown Rice Penne Pasta for it and, Lord, happiness.  The texture is almost exactly like regular pasta and the odd bonus I've noticed is that you don't feel bloated after eating it.  At least, for me.  I digress...

I was asked to make a dish for my friend's engagement party as they had 3 more people with food allergies that couldn't eat what all was being served.  So, this is what I decided to throw together for it after having made it only one other time a few weeks ago.  Apparently, it was a hit with both the GF'ers and the non-GF'ers that I was asked for the recipe more than a few times.  So here it is:

Ham and Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Pasta:

1-16oz bag of Tinkyada Brown Rice Penne Pasta (or non-GF if you don't have that problem)
1-pound Ham (GF - can be pre-diced, a thick slice, etc.)
1 and 1/2 lbs of Butternut Squash, chopped into 1-2" pieces
1/4 Diced Red Onion
1 tsp Diced Garlic
~6 tbsp, divided, Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil (I tend to use Grapeseed more often when using a skillet)
4-6 tbsp Dried, Rubbed Sage (you can use fresh if you have)
Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg to taste

Roasting the Squash:
1. Combine 3 tbsp's of olive/grapeseed oil in a cup and add a dash of salt, pepper, and some sage. 
2. On a baking sheet, lay out the Butternut Squash and brush the sage and oil mix over the pieces
3. Place squash in the oven and roast at 350-degrees for about 45 minutes.  The squash should just be browning a bit and fragrant.  Go as light or as dark as you want so long as the squash is soft when you pull it from the oven.

Ham and Pasta:
1. Throw the pasta into a large pot of rolling, salted water. 
2. Once your past is cooked, drain all but 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
3. While your pasta is cooking: in a skillet on Medium, heat 3 tbsp of olive/grapeseed oil until it shimmers.
4. Add the ham and cook for 5-10 minutes (I like mine lightly browned). 
5. Add the garlic, onion, sage, salt and pepper to taste, into the skillet.  Cook until the onion is translucent (apx. 5 minutes).
6. Combine squash and ham mixture into the pot with your pasta.  Add nutmeg and any additional seasoning you feel suits your palate.
*if you feel there's too much liquid left, turn the stove top on and heat through until the liquid combines with the pasta a bit more.  You should have a slightly creamy texture between the oil from the skillet and the starch from the pasta.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Awesome Balls (aka: Crack Balls)

Ok, ok, I know what you must be thinking.  "Crack balls!?  Bahahhaa!  What the heck?"  I did not name these little bites of deliciousness - I'm still debating on what, exactly, to call them.  However, one of the guys at work decided to walk back into my office after I brought them in and asked if I, "had anymore Crack Balls left".  Yup, unofficially nicknamed. Perhaps I'm a bit childish (if you laughed at the name, own it, it's good to be someone childish!) but the name cracks me up.  As does just about anything with that word at the end. 

Anywho.  What most of you may not know is that I've recently swung myself into the pits of being Gluten Free.  Why, you ask?  About two years ago my GI doc told me I had gluten sensitivities (thus the copius amount of time spent pledging my allegiance to the porceline god).  I've been feeling down right crappy lately, upset upper stomach, starved muscles from the gym, etc. - all of those factors plunged me into the decision that I was going to clean out my diet to go GF for the next 3 months. 

Holy God.  I panicked after making that decision.  I won't lie.  Complete and utter panic.  How would I bake?  What would I eat for snacks?  How long is this freaking trip to the grocery store going to take me!?!?!  Yup...panic.  I inhaled and exhaled, did a bit of wu-sa'ing, if you will and decided to move forward.  Thank goodness for Amazon, Pinterest and some friends. 

Anywho, a sweet tooth struck from out of nowhere at day 6 of being GF.  Oh God!  What was I to do?  I need to feed the crazy beast on the inside and I didn't know how!  So, like any good internet soldier, I hit Pinterest and thus found a recipe for No Bake Gluten Free Energy Balls.  I altered the recipe to fit what I like (I'm sorry, but I will NEVER like coconut in any form of substanence outside of milk). 

Ready for something so simple I bet I could get my youngest niece to help me with it?

Crack Balls (or...something):

1c GF oats (I recommend throwing them around in a food processor for a few seconds so they take on the form of instant oatmeal - easier to bite into)
1c almond shavings
1/2c ground flaxseed meal
1/2c - 3/4c Natural creamy PB
About 1/3c honey
1/2c dark choc chips

Throw all ingredients into a bowl and combine.  If you don't have a cookie scoop, I suggest getting another bowl of water to help keep your hands a bit moist so that when you form the balls, they don't completely mush into your hands.  Make balls about 1-1/2" - 2" round.

Change around the butters (I did this with almond butter and holy geez!)

No baking required :)  Just throw them in a fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up a bit and dive in.

Chicken n' Dumplins (a slight shortcut to divinity)

**I apologize for the lack of pictures...I will update it later with more**

My oh my!  Time has just been slipping away these last two months.  Seriously; how on earth is it December already?  I know, I've been awful at keeping this up to date, but I had a small run in with the lack of desire to cook. 

Let me give you a little bit of background on this dish:  My very Southern Grandmother (we'll just call her Grandma South) has plated up Chicken n' Dumplins since, I'd assume, she got married to Southern Grandpa (may he rest in peace).  I've had this weird love-hate relationship with Chicken n' Dumplins for many years.  Something about the texture and the many variations you run across living all over the country.  Some people just weren't getting it "right". 

Last year I was standing in my kitchen looking at my brand new dutch oven and trying to figure out what I wanted it's first meal to be.  It dawned on me then: I missed my comfort food from the South and I should feel this recipe in my blood.  Well...I was half right lol.  The one thing I couldn't figure out while I was standing there the next day looking at chicken breasts (I don't do the whole chicken; I just don't have time), chicken stock, and a bunch of herbs was, "How on earth do I make the dumplins??" 

That's right, in all these years and I never learned how to make them.  I knew how I liked them, but I didn't know what on earth I was doing.  So I did what all people of my generation and younger do...I Google'd.  I took bits and pieces from blogs and recipe sites and kind of said, "To heck with it.  Flour, baking soda, salt, and corn meal is what I'm going to do."  (I just so happened to have corn meal on hand and really needed to use it.)

Thus...it began.  Last night, I made it for a second time for my Dad.  This time, I used bonless, skinless chicken thighs I had found on sale. 

Chicken:
* 6-7 bonless, skinless, chicken thighs
* 2-32oz containers of chicken broth/stock
* 2-3 sprigs of Rosemary
* Handful of fresh sage leaves
* apx. 2 garlic cloves, minced
* Salt and pepper

Dumplins:
* 2 1/2 c.  flour
* 1/2 - 3/4 c. corn meal (I use yellow, but if white floats your boat, go for it.)
* 3/4 tsp baking soda
* 3/4 tsp salt
* 3-5 Tbsp butter
*  1 c. milk (you may need less - just go 1/4 c at a time)

Chicken:

• Bring to a boil 2-32oz things of chicken stock.
• Add in a few twigs of rosemary and some sage leaves (really; any herbs you want)
• Throw in some other seasonings if you want (I tend to use a small bit of red pepper flakes, some Herbs de Provance and whatever else I feel it needs to suit my pallet at the moment)
• Add about 6-7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or 3-4 chicken breasts; I just happen to prefer the flavor of chicken thighs.
• Boil until they are cooked through.  Remove them from the stock and set on a plate to cool down.
• Remove the rosemary twigs and sage leaves.
• Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it with your hands or two forks.  (I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of this last night, but I assume you all can figure out how to shred chicken). 

Dumplins:

• Combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Add butter by the Tbsp and mix with your hands until the mixture starts to look like little peas.
• Add milk 1/4c at a time until it forms a stiff dough.
• Roll out onto a floured surface until the dough is about 1/8-1/4" thick.
• Cut into long ribbons and then cut across until you have rectangles measuring between 1"w x 1 1/2-2" long. 

Chicken n' Dumplins:

• Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and make sure the stock has a rolling boil.
• Add the dough for the dumplins 1/4 at a time (this allows them to plump and 'cook' without cooking into one another). 
• Once you've finished adding the dumplins (the pot should seem like it's overcrowded), make allow the contents to keep on rolling - stir occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom.  KEEP THE LID OFF!
• Appx 20-30 minutes later, you should have a nice, thickish stew texture with well incorporated dumplins and chicken.  Feel free to turn the heat down to low.

This is just before it hits that *perfect* texture for me

Pumpkin Pie Style Cookies with Rum and Spice Icing

Is it just me or does it seem like pumpkins are the "it" thing in today's cooking/baking world?  I find it incredibly weird that there's an "it" food like there's an "it" item in fashion.  Don't get me wrong, I love me some pumpkin (hello, Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, anyone?)  It's especially strange that it's all the rage when the two most common memories for American kids as it pertains to the great pumpkin (oh, hello, three - how dare I forget Charlie Brown!), are decorating them and as pureed goods in a can most commonly used for pie.  Either way, I won't complain - it's forced my hand to be more creative with my beloved pumpkins.  As you can tell from the two previously posted recipes, I don't tend to follow the a-typical directions for things lol.
 

So my intent on making these cookies is to send them to my children in OEF. Yes, I call them children even though the majority are somewhat older than I am.  The only part I'm bummed about is that I can't send the icing.  I'm sure this fact will generate snarky emails from at least one LTC and quite possibly some sarcastic comments whenever I call the kids.  Why can't I send the icing?  Well...butter, sugar, rum + 1 week shipping in God only knows what type of temperatures = a VERY depressing ending for some seriously delicious icing.

I see these being stupifyingly delicious with coffee...  I want coffee now...  Dammit. 

Oven: 350 degrees F, bake 10-15 minutes depending on oven.

Batter:

2 1/2 cups of AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
[mix the above ingredients in a separate bowl]
1/2 cup of butter, softened
2-3 tsp pumpkin butter (optional, but SO worth it)
1 1/2 cup of white sugar
1 cup of canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract (I always add a bit more)
Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ground Cloves, etc. (c'mon - who actually measures out pumpkin spices?  Just do as much as makes you happy)

Beat together butters and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes on medium-high).  Add pumpkin puree, spices, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.  Now is a good time to taste test!  Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.



Rum Icing:

1/2 cup Softened Butter (unsalted)

2 cups Confectioners Sugar

3-4 cap fulls of Spiced Rum

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Some Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Ground Cloves

Mix butter and sugar together until creamy (**if it's not creamy, add more butter or add the pumpkin butter until it is).  Add rum, extract and spices.  If you want it thinner, you can either add more rum/extract or a tsp (at a time!) of milk.  If you want it thicker, add in a bit more sugar.  Taste test to adjust spices!