Posted in - Red Meat, Budget Friendly, Meal Swap Recipes

Frugal Fridays: Grilled Skirt Steak

Grilled Skirt Steak

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Adapted from Michael Symon’s (The Chew)

Serves 8

1 1/2-2 pound Skirt Steak – $20.97
Salt and Pepper – $.02
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar – $2.15
1/3 cup Brown Sugar – $.14
2 Garlic cloves (smashed) – $.14
2 sprigs of Rosemary – $.52
1 teaspoons Chili Flake – $.35

Total Cost = $24.29
Per Serving Cost = $3.04

Prep Day: Olive Oil Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, rosemary and chili flakes. Add about 1/3 of a cup of olive oil. Place the steak in a resealable freezer bag and pour the marinade into it. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to use. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Wipe off the bits of marinade from the steak and drizzle it with olive oil. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to use. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. Wipe off the bits of marinade from the steak and drizzle it with olive oil. Place the steak on the grill and cook 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until the meat has grill marks. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice across the grain and serve.

Posted in - Poultry, - Red Meat, Meal Planning

Meal Planning Mondays: Recipes to Try for the Week of March 31-6

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Meal Planning Mondays are an experiment to see what works for my family. I like trying new recipes. I have too many recipes that are not being utilized. This week I committ to making these recipes… Korean Bulgogi and Baked Chicken Tacos. These recipes will continue to be made ahead time and frozen.

Korean Bulgogi

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3 lbs beef brisket or 3 lbs chuck roast, sliced thin
1 (6 ounce) bottle mirin
1 7/8 bunches green onions, chopped
1 1/4 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/4 onions, sliced thin
1 1/4 tablespoons sugar
1.5 garlic cloves, diced
5/8 tablespoon sesame seed
1 1/4 inches piece gingerroot, chopped or grated
5/8 to taste salt and pepper

Prep Day: Mix all the ingredients except the beef into a large container with a secure lid. Stir the beef into the marinade, making sure the marinade thoroughly mixed through the beef. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw. Sauté the beef in a hot skillet or grill. Serve in a Red lettuce lettuce leaf with rice.

Baked Chicken Tacos

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4 to 6 chicken breasts
1/2 packet taco seasoning
1 pouch Frontera Fajita Skillet Sauce
1 can diced green chiles
Stand and Stuff taco shells
shredded cheese
diced red onion
salsa
sour cream
gaucamole
cilantro
shredded lettuce

Prep Day: Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker. Add fajita skillet sauce, taco seasoning, and chiles. Cook on low for 6 hours. Shred chicken with a fork. Cool. And place in a freezer bag.

Serve Day: Thaw chicken. Place taco shells in a casserole dish. Add shredded chicken to the taco shell. Add some red onions. And a generous sprinkling of cheese. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 15 minutes. Or until the cheese is melted. Top with lettuce, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and cilantro.

Posted in - Poultry, - Red Meat, Meal Planning

Meal Planning Mondays: Recipes to Try for the Week of 3/25 – 3/31/2013

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Meal Planning Mondays are an experiment to see what works for my family. I like trying new recipes. I have too many copycat Minneapolis/St. Paul restaurant recipes that are not being utilized. This week I committ to making these recipes… Drunk & Dirty Sirloin Steak and Kramarczuk’s Bangers and Mash. These recipes will continue to be made ahead time and frozen.

Axel’s Bonfire Drunk and Dirty Steak

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1 cup Soy Sauce
½ cup Bourbon of choice
¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup Canola Oil
¼ cup Minced Garlic
2 Tbls Black Pepper
2 Tbls Brown Sugar
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp White Pepper
6 (8oz.) sirloin steaks

Prep Day: Place all ingredients in a gallon. Mix until fully incorporated. Transfer to a storage container and place in refrigerator for 4 hours and then freeze.

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Serve Day: Thaw. Remove meat from package tenderize with fork to allow marinade to fully seep into the meat. Directly submerge into marinade one more time. Grill, broil or pan sear the meat to 140 degrees for a medium cooked steak for 3-5 minutes each side. Turning every 1 1/2 minutes. When you first cut into the marinated cooked steak, there will be a darker ring (hence why they call it a ‘dirty’ steak) underneath the surface of the steak because of the effect of the soy sauce’s interaction with the meat.

Kramarczuk’s Bangers and Mash

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Serves 6

Bangers – 2 sausages per person
12 ea. bangers (Kramarczuk’s sausages)
6T canola oil

Onion Gravy – make 12 oz.
2 cups sliced onions
4T butter
4T all-purpose flour
2 cups veal stock or beef stock
Salt and pepper

Mash – makes 3 1/2 cups or 24 oz.
3.5 lbs any potatoes
1/2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 pinch paprika

Prep Day:

Bangers – package raw sausages for freezing. Then place in gallon freezer bag.

Onion Gravy – Caramelize the onion in the butter then add the flour and cook till a brown roux is formed. Add the stock and cook till the correct consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and package for freezing. Then place in gallon freezer bag with bangers.

Mash – Peel and quarter potatoes. Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then gently cook until tender. Drain well. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, cream cheese, egg, garlic powder and salt. Mash well by hand or with and electric mixer. Spoon potatoes into spray-treated or greased 1.5 quart casserole or 8×8 square pan. Drizzle or brush melted butter over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika for color if desired. Wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap and wrap in foil wrap. Don’t forget label everything.

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Serve Day: Thaw everything.

Bangers – Sauté the sausage links in a oil till the out side is golden brown. Place the sausage in the oven and cook at 350 deg. For 15-18 min or until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Serve the sausages with the mashed potato and gravy.

Onion Gravy – Heat on stove top till hot.

Mash – Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden.