Recipe: The Perfect Burger

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 4
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lb. brisket, ground
• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp. ketchup
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of chili powder
• 1 c. finely shredded iceberg lettuce
• 4 light brioche buns or other large hamburger buns, split
• 1/4 lb. medium-sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 4 thin onion slices
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Lightly shape the ground beef into four patties that are about four inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Refrigerate the patties for 1 to 2 hours.
2. While the burgers chill, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, cayenne, chili powder, and an pinch of salt and black pepper in a bowl and whisk. Add the lettuce and stir to coat.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a hot fire on a grill, or heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Sprinkle each burger all over with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and season generously with black pepper. Sear the burgers on the grill or in skillet for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the burgers to a broiler pan and bake for four more minutes for medium-rare, 6 for medium.
5. Remove the broiler pan from oven and position an oven rack closest to broiler element and heat the broiler to high.
6. Toast the buns.
7. Top the burgers with the cheese and broil until it melts, about 30 seconds. Set the burgers on bottom buns and top with the lettuce sauce mixture and the onion slices. Cover with the top bun and serve

Tips, Tricks and Tweaks

• Though packaged ground beef is easier to buy, it is worth the extra few minutes to have the butcher counter at your favorite grocery store grind up some brisket. It contains about 30% fat and the meat is from a very heavily worked area, making it far more flavorful than your typical tube of ground beef.
• My family’s favorite sauce is very tasty, but you can certainly substitute your favorite spreads, cheeses and toppings. From fresh sliced tomatoes to pickles and beyond, it’s easy to make this burger your own.

I hope everyone has a great and productive week – that’s the goal in our household.

• Monday: Lemon Butter Cod Filets with Alfredo pasta and Brussels sprouts
  I’m continuing to try and get more fish into our diet. These cod filets are easy and I’ll use a high-quality jarred sauce for the pasta and frozen sprouts that will cook up quickly in the microwave to make this a simple meal.
• Tuesday: Coffee-Marinated Steak with long grain and wild rice and steamed vegetables [freezer stash]
  My husband can grill these steaks on Tuesday night while the wild rice and vegetables cook so we can split dinner duty and still help with the project. I’ll send everyone out on Wednesday with steak sandwiches for lunch.
• Wednesday: Mexican Style Meatballs with cilantro rice and black beans [freezer stash]
  All of the elements of this menu pretty much cook themselves with an occasional stir and a time to prevent burning, so we can focus all our energies on completing the final aspects of the project. Leftovers will be great for lunches the rest of the week.
• Thursday: Breaded Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic with roasted potatoes and asparagus
  Lamb is my daughter’s favorite meat and lamb chops are on sale this week, so we’ll celebrate her presentation success with a special dinner. Lamb cooks quickly and the potatoes and asparagus are dead simple, so while this meal will be fancy, it won’t be difficult.
• Friday: Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with grilled vegetables
  We’ll relax a bit on Friday night with a simple dinner of shrimp tacos and grilled vegetables out on the porch. After a long week, we’ll be looking forward to some down time.
• Saturday: Chicken Sausage, Pepper And Onion Hero Sandwiches with raw veggies and baked chips
  I’m a big fan of sandwiches on the weekend because they come together quickly and can flex around our schedules. My daughter is going out with friends on Saturday so she can have her dinner early and the adults can relax with dinner a little later in the evening without my having to make two different meals.
• Sunday: Grilled Jamaican Pork Loin Chops with mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables
  We’re having friends over on Sunday for a relaxed dinner on the porch. This chop recipes features big summer flavors and will be a great way to start the final countdown to the end of school.

In this recipe, the steak gets a simple but tasty treatment; the side dish is really the star. When you cook corn this way, people won’t feel the need to slather it with butter.

Recipe: Grilled Steaks with Bacon Wrapped Corn

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 4
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 6-10 minutes for steaks; 15-20 for corn

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, shucked and silk removed
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon (preferably not a ‘sweet’ or ‘smoky’ flavor)
• 4 New York strip, porterhouse, or T-bone steaks, cut at least ¾ in thick
• Salt and/or garlic salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Fire up your grill and bring it to a medium high heat (if gas) or wait until the coals are mostly white but still have a good red core (if charcoal).
2. Wrap each ear of corn with the bacon in a spiral pattern, making sure not to overlap the bacon too much.You can either tuck the bacon into itself to secure it or use a toothpick at either end to secure it.
3. Place the wrapped corn around the outer edge of the grill and rotate every couple of minutes. Grill for about 10 minutes before adding the steaks to the grill.
4. Liberally season your trimmed steaks with salt and freshly ground black pepper and lay them out on the grill with at least an inch of space between them.
5. Steaks cook relatively quickly at high heat and there are dozens of methods to tell doneness. If you need a time, the best rule of thumb for an inch thick steak is 3 minutes per side for medium rare, 4 for medium, 5 for medium well and 6 minutes on each side for well done. Only flip the steaks once during cooking.
6. Remove the steak when it reaches its desired doneness and let it rest on a warm plate for at least 5 minutes before serving. This allows all the boiling juices inside of the steak to redistribute through the meat so they won’t escape all over your plate.
7. Remove the corn when the bacon is done and its outside is crispy. Remove the bacon from the corn and served it alongside the corn or even chopped up and added to any salad, green beans, baked potatoes or any other dish that could benefit from it. Or, you could just eat it as the cook’s treat while the steaks rest.

Tips, Tricks and Tweaks

• One the steaks it the grill, leave them alone for at least 2 minutes. Don’t mess with it. The sear time helps create the steakhouse-style crust we all like.
• If you want those nifty grill marks on your steak, rotate the meat a quarter turn onto a section of the grill that hasn’t had anything on it. The bars that have been under your steak for two minutes aren’t going to be hot enough to sear a dark char into already partially cooked meat.
• The corn takes on the salty goodness and the fat from the bacon, and will also absorb the ‘flavorings’ used on the bacon. So if you don’t want smoky maple corn, don’t use smoked or maple bacon.

• Monday: Oven-Fried Buttermilk Halibut with mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans
  We haven’t been eating as much fish as I’d like so I’m making it a priority for the next few weeks to take advantage of summer fish sales. The family will enjoy this fish because it’s crunchy and reminiscent of fried chicken.
• Tuesday: Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Roast
  Chicken sausage is always fun because it cooks quickly and is healthy. I’ll make some extra on Tuesday to use in sandwiches on Saturday.
• Wednesday: Make your own Pizza night
  The whole family loves make your own pizza night and it’s been a while since I’ve been home for it. This will be a fun way to break up the week. We’ll probably pull out a board game or two to add to the fun.
• Thursday: Foil-Barbequed Trout with Wine with brown rice and roasted asparagus
  I really enjoy cooking fish in foil because it’s easy and the clean-up is a snap. I’ll make extra brown rice to use in the fried rice on Sunday.
• Friday: Red Glazed Pork Loin Chops with soba noodles and steamed broccoli
  We’ll enjoy these chops out on the porch on Friday night to celebrate a laid-back week. I’ll make extra pork for the fried rice on Sunday.
• Saturday: Chicken sausage hero sandwiches with baked chips and raw veggies
  This dinner will come together quickly for a no-stress meal. I’ll reheat the chicken sausage in some jarred marinara sauce and serve it with some mozzarella cheese in fresh hoagie bread.
• Sunday: Pork Fried Rice
  It’s been a while since we’ve had my fried rice stand-by. This week I’ll mix it up a little with pork as the meat and brown rice instead of white. I’m also going to use edamame instead of the usual peas and carrots.

• Prep for another 10k (yup – another one): I’ve discovered that signing up for races helps me stay motivated in my training, so I have another race this weekend and one the weekend after. I’ll be enjoying those carbs once again but am already more relaxed for this race than the last one.
• Continue to restore my energy: If I’m not careful, I’ll end up wiped out again next weekend because I tried to do too much this week, but it’s not like any of my responsibilities are magically reduced, so I’ll be working hard all week to take care of me while I take care of everything else. To that end, I’ll be raiding my freezer stash pretty heavily this week so my time in the evenings can be largely devoted to family and relaxation.

With all that said, this week’s menu plan is shaping up nicely to help me prep for the coming race and to keep my sanity.

• Monday: Tilapia Soft Tacos with Chipotle Cream Sauce with black beans
  A healthy fish dinner is a great way to start the week for everyone in my family. This recipe comes together quickly so I won’t be stressing dinner on a Monday night.
• Tuesday: Lemon-Lime Soda Marinated Chicken Breasts
  with white rice and sautéed broccoli [freezer stash]
  This recipe continues to be a family favorite, and all I’ll have to do is toss the chicken breasts on the grill while the rice and broccoli cook.
• Wednesday: Orange-Glazed Pork Chops with baked potatoes and green beans
  Let the carb loading begin with a big ol’ baked potato. Leftovers will be great in lunches for the rest of the week
• Thursday: Mexican Style Meatballs with cilantro rice and black beans [freezer stash]
• Friday: White Chili with Ground Turkey with cornbread [freezer stash]
  The chili is nutrient dense with lean proteins, making it a great pre-race meal that everyone enjoys. I’ll keep some Fritos around for impromptu Frito pie making over the weekend.
• Saturday: Greek Pasta with Bison with cucumber and tomato salad [freezer stash]
  This race is on Saturday so I’ll want to end the day with a dish that’s easy to make and will replenish what my body used that day. This casserole from my freezer has high-protein but lean bison along with pasta, and the fresh vegetable salad will be an easy side to put together while the casserole reheats.
• Sunday: Bacon-Wrapped Barbeque Shrimp
  with grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes
  Everyone can get into the fun of wrapping shrimp for the grill, and the vegetables and potatoes almost cook themselves. We’ll have a casual al fresco dinner to celebrate the successes of the week.

• Monday: Tacos with fixin’s, rice, and beans
  Tacos are easy to make and everyone can build their own at the “taco bar”. This communal dinner is a great way to get the family together on the first night of the week.
• Tuesday: Lemon Thyme Chicken Tenders with pasta and steamed Brussels sprouts
  While there’s a bit of chopping and marinating involved, this recipe is very simple and they can manage well while I’m gone. Leftovers will be great for lunches during the week.
• Wednesday: Hot Dogs and fries
  Who does love a good hot dog dinner now and again? I’ve suggested that the family eat on the porch or throw a picnic on the living room floor to make the evening even more fun.
• Thursday: Make your own pizza night
  Yet another favorite for everyone involved, pizza night is easy and everyone can have just what they want on their own personal crusts.
• Friday: Blue Cheese Strip Steaks With Seasoned Grilled Potatoes and artichokes
  To celebrate my first night back in town, we’ll have a lovely steak dinner with some beautiful artichokes I picked up at the farmers market this past weekend.
• Saturday: Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction with asparagus and long grain and wild rice
  Lamb is a family favorite and I always put it on the menu when it’s on sale. This Saturday evening we’ll share our meal with friends and celebrate the continued coming of spring.
• Sunday: Honey Pork Tenderloin Kabobs with soba noodles and sautéed green beans
  I’m bringing back the ever-popular food on a stick to end the week. I’ll make extra and we can have it for lunch next week as I settle back into the grove of work.

• Monday: Dijon-Crusted Halibut with artichokes and long grain and wild rice
  The breadcrumb crust on this halibut makes it an easy fish dish for everyone to enjoy.
• Tuesday: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Vinegar with steamed broccoli and fettuccini Alfredo
  I’ll be visiting my freezer stash this week on the evening of my last long run before the race on Sunday. I’ll have able to have a healthy dinner even with an extra hour given over to training.
• Wednesday: Spicy Broiled Steak with Garlic with Brussels sprouts and baked potatoes
  Carb loading begins in earnest mid-week and there’s no better way to do that than with baked potatoes. The whole family will enjoy a steak dinner along the way. Leftover steak will become sandwiches on Sunday evening.
• Thursday: Spicy Asian Grilled Shrimp with edamame and steamed rice
  As I get closer to race day I like to eat lean and easy to digest proteins, along with the necessary carbs. Shrimp are easy and the rice will be great with lunch on Friday.
• Friday: Orange-Scented Grilled Lobster Tails with grilled vegetables and soba noodles
  I was excited to see lobster tails on sale for race week. They will be a fun treat for the whole family and help me continue with my lean proteins.
• Saturday: Pre-race dinner at a local pasta house
  The whole family will enjoy my final pre-race carb loading fest at a favorite local restaurant.
• Sunday: Steak Sandwiches with salad
  I’ll be tired the evening of the race but will still want to have a healthy meal. Steak sandwiches will be easy and fun.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been obsessed with building menus that will help me stock my freezer with quick meals when I don’t have time to cook. And while I’ve been largely focused on main dishes for dinners, I’ve also been taking the time to fill the freezer with easy and healthy breakfasts. Breakfast is sometimes our Achilles heel because:

• It can get lost in the weekday morning fray. I love (and I mean love with a passion) to sleep, so I tend to want to stay in bed as long as possible on any given day. During the week this means there isn’t a lot of wiggle room in our morning routine. One little thing like a too-long shower, a forgotten homework crisis, or a missing favorite shirt can mean I barely get everyone out the door on time.
• We get tired of the same old options. Toast and cereal only go so far, and if those are our main choices for too many mornings running everyone gets tired of them. I try to mix it up a bit with bagels and English muffins, but in the end those can get old as well. Even when there is time for breakfast (but not enough for me to cook eggs, bacon, or pancakes) the options aren’t always appealing.

When we don’t eat breakfast at home, some or all of us sacrifice a healthy breakfast. From a kid perspective that means grabbing breakfast at school, which can be fun every now and again. For the adults, it means grabbing fast food or a muffin at the local bakery. The costs (and calories) can add up quickly. While there are plenty of frozen breakfast options at the grocery store, they aren’t inexpensive and the ingredient lists aren’t necessarily inspiring.

As part of my freezer filling fun, I’ve been stocking up on breakfast foods as well. Waffles are a family favorite. I make extras on the weekends and freeze them individually. A quick toss into the toaster and they are ready. It’s much less expensive than buying Eggo or even store brand waffles, and I know exactly what is in them.And while waffles are great, my favorite freezer-friendly breakfast is muffins.

I used to make muffins from a boxed mix, but I became concerned about the processed ingredients and the cost. Also, when I make muffins at home, I can use fresh fruit and even sneak in a bit of whole wheat flour or wheat germ to up the nutritional count. I’ve tried a variety of muffins and some freeze better than others. After much experimentation, a Lemon Blueberry Muffin recipe from My Recipes has proven to be the best option. The muffins are low in calories and fat, and the recipe is a great base for many variations on a theme. I’ve made the muffins with orange and blackberry and even lime and raspberry. When peaches are in season I’m going to try those as well. To make these freezer-friendly I:

• Double or even triple the recipe.
• Skip the glaze because it doesn’t freeze well.
• Use my food processor to cut the butter into the flour to speed up the mixing process.
• Make the muffins with whatever berries are in season so the price is lower and the fruit is sweeter.
• Wrap them individually in sheets of aluminum foil (I buy the pre-cut boxes of foil at SAMs) and freeze them in a zip-top bag.

To warm a muffin, heat it still wrapped in foil in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Sometimes I’ll toss a muffin into the oven right when I turn it on and then heat it for 25 minutes or so. Muffins are imminently portable, so I can set them to reheat in the midst of our morning routine and everyone can take them to go as they are on their way to work or school.

And while mint really does go very well with lamb, put the jelly down. Seriously. Put it down. As this recipe shows, there are many better ways to pair lamb with its familiar partner.

Recipe: Lamb Shank with Orange & Mint

Details

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Serves: 4
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 oz. canola oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 whole lamb shank, trimmed
• 1 small onion, diced large
• 5 baby carrots, cut into thirds
• 1 rib celery, diced large
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 3 oz. white wine
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 c. beef or lamb stock
• 1 orange
• 3 sprigs of fresh mint
• ¼ c. orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. butter

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the oil to large, deep oven-safe skillet (preferably one with a lid) and heat to medium high. Salt and pepper the lamb shank generously and sear it on all sides. Remove the lamb from the skillet and set it aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, carrots and celery. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.
4. Add the garlic and the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste is cooked and no longer raw tasting, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine to the pan and stir, scraping up all of the brown bits off of the bottom. Bring to a boil and cook until the wine is reduced by half.
5. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and the stock to the pan, stirring everything together to combine. Return the seared lamb to the pan and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and then move it to the oven. Cook until the lamb is fork tender (around 2 hours), adding more stock if necessary to keep it from drying out.
6. While the lamb braises, fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Zest the orange and add the zest to the boiling water for 1 minute, then remove and strain.
7. Slice the peel off of the orange, cut the slices of orange out from between the white skin, and set aside.
8. Pull the mint leaves from the sprigs and set them aside.
9. When the lamb is fork tender, remove the skillet from the oven and move the lamb to a serving platter to rest.
10. Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves from the sauce and put the skillet back on the stove over medium heat.
11. Put the mint stems and the zest into the liquid in the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the liquid to about a cup and then strain it into a clean pot (the one you boiled the zest in is fine).
12. While the liquid is reducing, mince mint leaves very finely.
13. Add the orange juice to the reduced liquid, place it over medium heat, and reduce the sauce again by half. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Add the butter, the finely minced mint leaves, and the skinless orange slices. Stir until the butter is melted then pour onto the serving plate around the lamb shank.

Tips, Tricks and Tweaks

• Use an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven with a fitted lid if you have one. This will prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly during the braise. If you don’t have a lid for your pan, use a double thickness of foil and seal it tightly around the edge of the pan.
• You can use dried herbs for this if you prefer, but use the fresh ones if you have access to them. The flavors will be brighter.
• Make sure you remove the thyme sprig and the bay leaf before serving; no one wants to chew on twiggy stems or inedible leaves.
• Serve this over polenta or mashed potatoes for a hearty Easter dinner.