Grilled Peppered Steak (4-2-1-1 Rub)

Are you ready for the best steak you have ever sunk your teeth into?  Here it is!  My husband has a new found love for grilling since he got his Kamado style grill about a year ago.  He came up with this simple yet deliciuos steak rub all on his own!  These were seriously the best steaks I have EVER eaten.  This is saying something.  Pre-kids, we enjoyed steaks at some of the finest steakhouses all over the country!  We really do know our steak!   

My husband has now dubbed this rub his 4-2-1-1 rub!  It has an official name now.

   

Grilled Peppered Steak

2 pounds filet steaks (about 6)

4 t black pepper

2 t salt

1 t garlic powder

1 t turbinado sugar

6 slices of thick cut bacon

Wrap each a slice of bacon around the sides of each steak and secure with a toothpick.  Mix pepper, salt, garlic powder and sugar in a bowl.  Rub the spice mixture generously on both exposed sides of the steak.  Set the steaks out for about 30-45 minutes or until they warm to room temperature.  Grill to your desired doneness.  

Kamado style grill cooking instructions:

We have a kamado style smoker and convection grill.  These aren’t extremely common.  But if you do have one, this is how we cooked it.  Set the dome temperature to 650 ^oF.  Sear 5 minutes on each side (with the vents open).  Then flip the steak one more time and cook 3 additional minutes (with the vents closed).  Be careful when you open the grill after the vents have been closed!  Wear hand protection and crack a little bit to release the steam before opening all of the way.  The steam will burn you!  Let the steaks sit out about 5 minutes before serving.  These instructions will get you best filet you have ever eaten, cooked medium!   

Thai Shrimp and Cabbage

I first tried this recipe years ago.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the shrimp and cabbage combination.  The original recipe cooked the shrimp and served it over the cabbage for a really low-carb dinner.  We like it better with the shrimp and cabbage served over rice.  Because this recipe has some Thai flavors, we serve it over deliciously fragrant Jasmine rice. 

If you like this recipe, you may also like Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry (EF, DF, GF).

Thai Shrimp and Cabbage

Inspired by Thai Shrimp and Cabbage Taste of Home June/July 2005

½ head of green cabbage, quartered and sliced

1 yellow onion halved and sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 T olive oil         

2 lb shrimp

½ t ground ginger

½ t freshly ground black pepper

¼ t cayenne pepper

1 T cornstarch

½ c water

½ c reduced-sodium soy sauce*

¼ c honey

Stir fry cabbage in 1 T oil for about 10 minutes or until tender.  Remove and keep warm.  In the same skillet, stir fry onion and garlic in remaining 1 T oil for about 5 minutes or until tender.  Add the shrimp.  Sprinkle with ginger, black pepper and cayenne pepper.  Stir just until shrimp are browned on both sides.  In a small bowl, mix water, cornstarch and soy sauce until the cornstarch is dissolved.  Pour over shrimp.  Add honey and stir until incorporated and sauce starts to thicken.  Shrimp should be pink and slightly curled.  Stir back in cabbage and sprinkle with cilantro.  Serve over rice.

Serves 8

* For those on a gluten-free diet, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce.

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies {Egg-free}

Now that my blog has a little more activity, I am re-posting a recipe each month that has gotten less activity than I would have expected.  This recipe is great sweet treat for families with egg allergies!


I posted the recipe for Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies (EF) about a year ago.  These cookies are an all time favorite at my house.  I think the blended oats is what makes them so good!  Blending the oats into a powder gives it the texture of a regular chocolate chip cookie and the taste of an oatmeal cookie.  They are best with the chocolate chips and nuts.  In this picture, I have omitted the nuts to accommodate discriminating mouths at my house.

 Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies (EF) - Please link to my original post here.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is on of my favorite dishes.  I really love mushrooms and chicken so what isn't to like?  My friend made this recipe for us one night and I thought it was really good.  She found it online on the Betty Crocker website.  I finally got around to making it myself.

Mine did not turn out as good as hers.  I think the reason was that I tried to double the recipe.  Putting that much chicken in my skillet didn't give it enough time to brown nicely.  I think that is also why my chicken didn't get as nice and golden as hers.  Mine was still good, just not as good as hers.  So, next time I will just make four servings or get a bigger skillet!

Serve with Quick Pesto Pasta (EF, GF) or Mashed Potatoes (EF, DF, GF).  Enjoy!  If you like this recipe, you may also like Baked Chicken Parmesan (EF).

Chicken Marsala - I pretty much made this as written, so please click to link to the recipe.

Quick Pesto Pasta

Do you need a quick pasta side dish?  I used to buy this really good quick mix pasta side dish that they stopped selling at my local grocery stores.  After failing to find a suitable replacement, I came up with this quick side dish.  I am making the Parmesan cheese optional.  You can decide, if you want it in or not.  For me, if I am serving it with Baked Chicken Parmesan (EF) I will include the cheese.  But if I am serving with something like Chicken Marsala (posting soon), then I will leave it out.  The picture below does not have cheese in it.  But then my husband and kids added it to theirs.  So, maybe I should always just keep it in!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Chicken Pesto Pasta (EF, GF).

Quick Pesto Pasta  

1 16 oz box pasta (can use gluten-free)

1/4 c milk

1/4 c pesto (I used Classico Basil Pesto.)

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook pasta according to the package instructions.  Drain well.  Return to warm cooking pot but off of the burner.  Stir milk and pesto into hot pasta, until fully incorporated and milk slightly absorbs.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. 

Serves 8

Gluten-free notes:  This dish can easily be made gluten-free.  Just replace the pasta with your favorite gluten-free variety.  According to the Heinz website (Heinz owns Classico), Classico Basil Pesto sold in the United States is gluten-free!