Tex-Mex Steak with Pepper Salsa

This recipe is from mylifetime.com under cook yourself thin.

Thursday nights are rushed, I work nights and get home with just enough time to make a quick meal and get Corey fed before he leaves. I wanted to get as much done as possible this morning. I put the steak in the marinade this morning. I also made the salsa this morning. I also partially cooked the potatoes this morning. I knew when I got home all I would need to do is put the potatoes in the oven, and the steak on the grill.

Of course Corey messed up my dinner plans tonight. He was still in the bed when I got home. He slept all day. I handed him a plate with a good meal on it. He was really enjoying it, but had to leave. I felt bad that he didn't have a little more time. Guess I don't have to get up to make breakfast tomorrow, he has an awesome meal waiting on him. This one will for sure be on the menu again in the near future.

Tex-Mex Steak with Pepper Salsa

For the steak:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound flank steak

For the salsa:
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 poblano or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
Zest and juice of one lime
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large, sealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cumin, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients. Add steak, and massage the marinade into the meat. Seal the bag and place on a sheet tray or large plate. Marinate overnight or for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the salsa. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Salsa can be made a few hours ahead and refrigerated.)

Once ready to cook, preheat broiler on high for 10 minutes. Remove steak from the marinade, place under broiler for 5 minutes per side for medium rare, 7 to 10 minutes per side for well-done. Allow the steak to rest for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing thinly, on the bias, against the grain.

Serve with salsa.

**I used a yellow pepper instead of green.
**I used a few small serano peppers instead of a jalapeno.
**I didn't use a flank steak. The steak I had was a little thick so I cut small slits across the meat so the marinade could soak in more.
**I cooked my steak on the grill.

Firehouse BBQ Grilled Chicken

I'm not sure where I found this recipe. I have made it a few times. Another easy marinated chicken recipe. Corey and I both like it. Even though it is called Firehouse, I don't find it too hot.

Firehouse BBQ Grilled Chicken

6 thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Place all in a large zip top bag. Marinate at least one hour. Grill 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until done.

**I'm not brand loyal, so my hot sauce wasn't Frank's.
**I cut slits down one side of the chicken before putting it into the marinade.

Spiced Chicken and Greens with Pomegranate Dressing

I signed up for something somewhere along the line and now receive emails from American Family. Most of the time I just click the delete. However, sometimes they have some recipes in the emails. This is one of those recipes.

Neither Corey nor I have ever had pomegranates or Gorgonzola cheese. I tried a taste of the cheese before adding it to the salad. Not for me, I couldn't get it out of my mouth fast enough. However, I sprinkled a tiny bit on Corey's salad, he liked it. We both thought the dressing was excellent. Along with the other salad ingredients there was a nice blend of sweet and tangy with a little kick from the red pepper.

Spiced Chicken and Greens with Pomegranate Dressing

Chicken:

Cooking spray
1 tsp chili powder
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Dressing:

1/3 cup pomegranate juice
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp canola oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Salad:

1 (5 oz) package gourmet salad greens
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
3/4 cup orange sections (about 2 medium oranges)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

To prepare the chicken, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chili powder and salt over chicken. Add chicken to pan, cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from skillet, let stand 3 minutes. Cut across grain into thin slices, set aside.

To prepare dressing, combine juice and next 5 ingredients (through crushed red pepper) in a small bowl, stir well with whisk.

To prepare salad, place greens on a serving platter, top with onion, orange, cranberries, and chicken slices. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, pour dressing over salad.

**I cooked my chicken on the grill.
**I just used a large bowl and tossed all the salad ingredients in.
**There was enough dressing that it pooled in the bottom of the bowl, so I added more greens and re-tossed.

Hamburger Soup

This recipe was sent to me by my mom. I'm not sure where she found it. It is a simple, throw everything in the pot meal. Corey and I both liked it. It filled my pot to the top, it was the biggest pot I have. Corey has requested a couple changes next time. He wants a little less corn and add some green beans. Since he has been sick for the past few days hopefully a bowl of hot soup will make him better.

Hamburger Soup

1 Lb ground beef
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
6 beef bouillon cubes
6 cups water
15 oz (or close) tomato sauce
32 oz (or close) diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
10 oz frozen corn
1 tsp basil
4 Tbsp ketchup

Brown beef with garlic, drain. Combine with all other ingredients in large stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

**I started the water with the bouillon cubes first. I used my Pampered Chef micro cooker to brown the beef. I chopped the vegetables while the meat was cooking.
**Corey doesn't like lots of tomato chunks, so I used my stick blender on the diced tomatoes.
**This would be an easy recipe to cut in half.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This recipe was found at sixsistersstuff.com. It is a very easy recipe. Corey and I both liked it. I used a 9 X 13 pan instead of a 2 quart pan. I also forgot the cooking spray, but it came right out, no problem. I didn't really taste the Dijon, next time I may add a little more.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1 (6 oz) package chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups cooked, chopped ham
6 slices, extra thin Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare stuffing as directed on package. Mix soup and mustard in a medium bowl, stir in chicken, broccoli and ham. Spoon into a 2 quart casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with cheese slices and stuffing. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through.

**I boiled the chicken before cutting.

Caprese Chicken with Bacon

It's been a while since I have posted. After a little over three years I have finally found a job. After adjusting to Corey's schedule and shift changes I am now having to adjust to having my own schedule again. My new job is in a little restaurant. But for the first time in my life I am in the dinning room instead of the kitchen. I never thought, as I'm sure everyone who knows me, that I would ever be a waitress. I'm really liking the job and all the people are really nice so I'm really hoping it all works out and I can get some more hours.

I have still been searching for new recipes to try. I have found a few that I plan on trying within the next couple weeks. Tonight I made Caprese Chicken with Bacon. It was really good. I will for sure be making it again. Corey has never in the twelve years we have been together liked tomatoes. But recently he has decided to give them another try. Guess what, he likes them. So I made this recipe with the tomatoes and he enjoyed it, said it was really good.

Caprese Chicken with Bacon

8 bacon strips
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
4 slices part skim mozzarella cheese

Place bacon in an ungreased 15 X 10 inch baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until partially cooked but not crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. Place chicken in an ungreased 9 X 13 baking pan, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes and basil. Wrap each with chicken breast with two bacon strips, in a criss cross. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. Top with cheese, bake 1 minute or until melted.

**This recipe is from tasteofhome.com.
**I didn't wrap the bacon around, just draped it over the top.
**I cut the recipe in half.
**For those who don't know, plum tomatoes are sometimes called Roma tomatoes. The area I'm from they are called Roma. When I first saw them called plum I had to look it up to find out what kind of tomato I was looking for.