Oh my. Key Lime Fudge.

Courtesy of Slashfood, this....


By the way, I made the Chili Lime Tequile Popcorn from 101 Cookbooks this weekend and it was FABULOUS. I mean FAAAAAAAAAAAAABULOUS. Seriously.

*KYSO* Skirt Steak AND Curry Chicken Salad

I've been a little behind these last few weeks, and I don't have a weekly menu to post today. BUT I thought I'd share a few Knock Your Socks Off recipes with you....

Orange Ginger Skirt Steak
My brother always requests this when he comes to visit. I think he mentioned that he can't really find skirt steak where he lives. Too bad! If you can't find it, come to California to visit. It'll be worth the trip, I promise!

Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup orange juice
2 T minced fresh ginger
1/4 t hot pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, pressed

Marinate 3 pounds beef skirt steak in marinade 4 hours, or overnight.
Grill skirt steak to desired doneness.
Serve with orange wedges to squeeze over meat.

Curried Chicken Salad
I didn't really occur to me to post this as a Knock Your Socks Off recipe until just yesterday when my friend, who is also a caterer to the stars (really! she is-but I can't remember which stars just now!) called and asked for the recipe. If it's good enough for Jaci when she is making lunch for 1,000 it's good enough for me! This recipe originally came from the Lazarus "Recipes from our Kitchens" cookbook. Anyone remember Lazarus?

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup raisins
5 green onions, sliced
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Toss above with dressing made with 2 cups mayonnaise, 1/4 cup honey and 1 T curry.

(recipe originally called for pineapple tidbit and shredded coconut too, but I omit that)

Enjoy!

Breakfast for Dinner Salad

Image via Wikipedia

We love breakfast here. What's not to love? Bagels, pancakes, fruit, Timbits, coffee, coffee, coffee, fresh orange juice, coffee, sausage, bacon....Almost better is breakfast for dinner. It's fast, and loaded with ah, well, let's call it "protein" and the whole family loves it.

So today is Thursday, and I've been sick all week with a fever, sore throat, and snot:



I don't have any cowbell. I've as stressed as can be for any number of good reasons and a lot of really neurotic ones. I got home and stared with my febrile gaze at the fridge praying that it would suddenly fly up and crush me. Cooking another meal (we're trying to do six at home, plus all breakfasts, and lunches on weekends) was rather intimidating after a SUPER crazy week all with a tedious febrile illness.

But then I got inspired. How about a breakfast for dinner salad? My favorites--bacon, egg, cheese, fruit--all served over lettuce. Here's how it went down in about 20 minutes:

Breakfast Dinner Salad
Serves 4

Salad:
1 large container baby salad greens (mesclun or baby romaine, already washed)
8 slices bacon
2-3 ounces blue cheese
1 mango
2 pears
4 eggs
Olive oil

Dressing:
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt

1. Turn on large frying pan to heat up and throw bacon in (I use a non-stick electric skillet).
2. While the bacon is cooking arrange lettuce on 4 plates.
3. While the bacon is still cooking, peel mango.
4. Check the bacon and flip it over if it's ready. Chop up mango and pear into bite-sized pieces and arrange fruit on lettuce.
5. Crumble cheese on lettuce.
6. Turn over the bacon if you haven't already.
7. When the bacon is done put it on paper towels and press out the fat. Drain the rendered fat in the frying pan and wipe it out. Add about 1 teaspoon of olive oil if the pan looks too dry for eggs.
8. When the pan is ready break the four eggs carefully into the pan individually and start to fry.
9. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and drizzle over the four salad plates.
10. Flip the eggs sunnyside over (unless you want sunnyside up)
11. Flip the eggs on to the salads and serve. The yolk will break and spread deliciousness all over your salad.
12. You could also serve toast triangles on the side if you wanted to, and croutons wouldn't be out of place, but this salad was quite fine on its own.

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Food Information You Can Use

WOW! This effort knocks my socks off. Cheap Healthy Good has done it again. Yesterday they posted a compendium of food charts, checklists, and wallet-sized guides that knock my socks off! It's FABULOUS. I am anxious to start working my way through the list, and can't wait to get to the "$45 Emergency Menu for 4-5" from Hillbilly Housewife. But first there's

• Wallet-Sized Medical History
• Food Safety Guidelines
• Foot and Fitness Journal
• Wallet-Sized Portion Size Guide

and many, many more. Check it out:

Information Central: 32 Free Food Charts, Checklists, and Wallet-Sized Guides

Snack Meal

Image via Wikipedia

I made the mistake of going to TJMaxx on an empty stomach near dinner. I shopped and shopped and found all this cool stuff, but then went to get in line and nearly died. There must have been 30 people in line! No way. I put my stuff down and left. Take that corporate weenies who think that having a cashier standing around waiting to help people GIVE YOU MONEY is a bad thing. I left about $100 in my wallet.

Okay, it was more like $30.

I went to Fresh Market and got sushi, guacamole, cheese, Diet Ginger Ale (Blenheim's. Oh, so good.), chicken (for the kids), pita chips, hummus, and crackers. I had sushi and guacamole and Diet Ginger Ale. The kids had chicken, pita chips, and giant heaping towers of strawberries.

Bitchin' Cuban Sandwich

Yo PYB:

Cuban sandwich was DEEEEEEEELICIOUS (Monsieur is on #3). Whole grain bread, melted butter on each side. Mustard on one inside; Swiss cheese; thinly sliced pork from crockpot (which is fabulous); Swiss cheese. Wrapped in foil and mashed by yours truly, then placed on a hot grill outside for a few minutes a side, till cheese melty.

Beet & barley salad on the side, with peas tossed in a little butter and sea salt.

We ate outside for the first night this year!

Almost *KYSO* Beef Brisket in Beer

Ok, so this goes against my policy here, but I will pass along last night's Beef Brisket in Beer recipe even though it didn't exactly Knock My Socks Off, and here's why....In all my years of cooking I have found only one Crock Pot recipe that Knocked My Socks Off (it was for Mac-n-Cheese, I'll post it someday)

This dinner was good, actually quite good. And sometimes you really need the Crock Pot to do it's magic all day.

Beef Brisket in Beer

1 fresh beef brisket (2 1/2-3 pounds), fat trimmed
2 t Liquid Smoke (optional, I used it, and my hands smelled like BBQ all day)
1 t celery salt (I am thinking garlic salt would have been fine)
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t salt
1 large onion, sliced
1 can (12-oz) beer (I used Sierra Nevada)
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 T cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Cut brisket in half; rub with Liquid Smoke, celery salt, pepper and salt. Place in a 3-qt slow cooker. Top with onion. Combine beer and Worcestershire sauce; pour over meat. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours or until tender.

Remove brisket and keep warm. Strain cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Thinly slice beef across the grain; serve with gravy.

(I also served mashed potatoes and a green veggie.)