Balsamic Basil Blast Steak Marinade

From the quintessentially effervescent Sue McLain

1/4 cup olive oil
1 TBSP dijon mustard. (I used Grey Poupon)
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1-2 TBSP fresh Basil/Cinnamon Basil, chopped
2 Large garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP red onion, minced
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper (I used mixed red, white and black pepper corns)

1 1/2 lbs Sirloin Tip Steak
Mix ingredients and pour over steak
Let marinade 4-5 hours
Barbecue the steak slowly.
Enjoy the steak.

Raisin Flaxseed rolls

Add, in order, to the bread machine bowl:

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup flax seeds
2 cups white bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP butter (margarine will do if you must!)
2 TBSP dry milk powder
(or eliminate milk powder and substitute milk for water)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

load it all in the bread machine bowl, in sequence, set the machine for "dough" and press "go!" I usually hold back a bit of the water until every thing else has mixed, adding a little bit of the remainder at a time until the dough is firm but soft.

While the bread machine is producing dough for you, measure and set aside:
1 1/2 cups raisins.

Most bread machines will mix the ingredients, let the bread raise for a while, then mix some more, and let it raise again. Four minutes before the end of the last real mixing time, add the dates. Let the bread finish mixing and let it raise a little.

Remove the bread from the machine before it's finished raising. Cut it into small pieces and shape as desired. There's room for a great deal of creativity here. I spread the bread on a floured cutting board, until it was about 1/2" thick, and used a wide-mouth canning jar to cut 3" circles: I was aiming for a "Australian toaster biscuit" kind of vibe.

Place the rolls in a warm place to raise again; it will probably need to be noticeably warmer than room temperature.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake at 350 for 20 or 22 minutes until the inside is completely cooked (I don't know how long. I tried to cook it in the bread machine. It didn't work). Cool on a cooling rack.

These are good hot (either fresh from the oven, or sliced and toasted) and buttered.

Barbecued Veggies

Potatoes

Take a couple of pounds of small red potatoes and quarter them lengthwise. Drop them into boiling, salted water and cook them partway – maybe to the point where they’re halfway done.

Remove from the hot water, rinse in cold water (to keep them from over-cooking) and dry them. Spread them on a baking sheet. Preheat your barbecue at this point.

Spray lightly with olive oil and season fairly heavily with seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. They’re ideal if they have some good brown color on the outside, but the inside is not overly soft.

Onions

Use sweet onions if possible. Peel and slice thick, at least ¼”. Spray lightly with olive oil and season modestly with seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. Do not over-cook. They’re ideal when they’re al dente like good pasta: just a bit of firmness to the bite.

Bell Peppers

Quarter the peppers lengthwise; remove all the seeds. Wash in cold water.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. Do not over-cook. They’re ideal when they’re al dente like good pasta: just a bit of firmness to the bite.

Zucchini

Use young zucchinis, before the seeds have developed. Do not peel; slice thick, at least ½”. Spray lightly with olive oil and season modestly with seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper.

Put them on the barbecue, in a part of the barbecue that is not overly hot; medium heat is fine. Cook for a total of about 10 – 15 minutes, turning once in the meantime. Use coals or add some fruitwood to a gas barbecue for extra flavor. Do not over-cook. They’re ideal when they’re al dente like good pasta: just a bit of firmness to the bite.


I love to barbecue veggies any time I'm barbecuing meat: it compliments the flavor of the meat, and allows us to do all the cooking outdoors so the kitchen stays cool on hot days. Besides, my family really enjoys barbecued veggies with our barbecued meat.

Thyme Oregano Bread

Into the bread machine, in this order:

1½ tsp yeast
½ cup sesame seeds
1½ whole wheat flour
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 TBSP millet
1½ TBSP sugar
1½ tsp salt
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP powered nonfat dry milk
½ cup herb mix (see below)
1¼ cups tepid water; maybe a bit more.

Herb mix, makes ½ cup.
½ cup fresh thyme leaves, no stems
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, no stems
¼ sun dried tomatoes, chopped small
½ head of garlic, roasted, paper removed
¼ tsp lemon juice
Chop this all up in a food processor until it’s more or less the consistence of a good tapenade.

Load it all into the bread machine. Set the baking level on “dark” and fire it up.

The first time I made it, I forgot to add the sugar until the machine was through with the first mix. Since the sun dried tomatoes I used were the dry kind (not the kind on olive oil), it could use the extra time to soak them, so I added sugar and started the cycle, on “quick”, from the start again.

I also used 1½ cup water, instead of 1¼, thinking the dried tomatoes would use the rest of it. Bad idea! It was a soupy dough and didn't raise properly.

However, the flavor was wonderful! Toasting brought out the best of the flavor, and some butter helped it even more. This will be a great bread recipe when I get the liquids right.

Barbecued Steak Stuffed with Thyme, Ginger & Bacon

Ingredients, per serving:

1 ten-ounce sirlion steak, thick cut. (Actually any boneless steak that is of sufficient quality for barbecue is fine.)
3 strips bacon, mostly cooked (still chewy)
1 TBSP red onion jelly
1 TBSP fresh thyme leaves, washed, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely shredded
1 ounce Mozarella cheese, sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
While the barbecue is pre-heating at a high heat, slice through the steak, leaving one edge connected ("butterfly fillet"). Season with salt and pepper inside and outside.

Spread Red Onion Jelly thickly on one side of the steak. Layer the shredded ginger and chopped thyme over the jelly; then the bacon and cheese.

Close the steak, and press it firmly with a spatula to keep it closed.

Place on the hot barbecue, and immediately turn the barbecue to medium-low. Cook until done in the center (at least 140 degrees). Serve with fresh veggies, baked potato, and red ale or stout.

Comment: less thyme. More jelly (double it). More ginger, or a better way to capture its flavor. Consider other cheeses: white is right, but needs more zing: Parmesan-Reggiano? Asiago? Romano? Maybe Bleu? Add some garlic. Consider food processing herbs w/ garlic (coarsely) and maybe some lime juice.

Mint & Oregano Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 4 Large pork chops, filleted
• 8 Strips bacon, cooked, medium
• 4 TBSP fresh peppermint, washed, stemmed an, finely chopped
• 3 TBSP fresh oregano, washed, stemmed and chopped medium
• 4 tsp raspberry chipotle sauce
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat the barbecue on high while you’re preparing the meat.

Since I used frozen pork chops, I defrosted them in the microwave while I fried the bacon in a cast iron pan and dry it in paper towels. When the chicken is thawed, slice them in half horizontally, like sandwich bread. Salt and pepper generously both inside and out.

Spread the jam on one side of the pork chop, inside. Spread chopped mint and oregano evenly on both sides of the inside of the pork chops. Then stuff ¼ cup parmesan cheese inside of the pork chop. Layer the bacon on top of the parmesan cheese. Close the pork chops, now stuffed with yummy things; press it tightly closed with a spatula to seal it shut.

Place the chops on the grille and immediately turn the flame down to medium. I recommend preparing a good salad while the meat cooks. It’ll be different on every barbecue, but I cooked the chicken about seven minutes on each side; it got a good sear on it and stayed moist. Make sure the chicken is completely cooked, of course.

Review: this was fairly flavorful, but not as tender as I’d like. I think I over-defrosted it, and over-cooked it on the BBQ: be careful with both of those. Mint jam would have been a good substitution, but these could have benefited from a little more zing in the filling as well: maybe add some lemon juice for tartness, or some cayenne or Tabasco for heat.

Barbecued Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

• 4 Large chicken breasts, filleted
• 8 Strips bacon, cooked, medium
• 4 TBSP feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 TBSP fresh rosemary, washed, stemmed and chopped medium
• 4 tsp apricot preserves
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat the barbecue on high while you’re preparing the meat.

Since I used Costco frozen chicken breasts, I defrosted them in the microwave while I fried the bacon in a cast iron pan and dry it in paper towels. When the chicken is thawed, slice them in half horizontally, like sandwich bread. Salt and pepper generously both inside and out.

Spread the jam on one side of the chicken breast, inside. Spread chopped rosemary evenly on both sides of the inside of the chicken breasts. Then spread one TBSP of feta cheese on one side of the chicken breast. Layer the bacon on top of the feta cheese. Close the chicken breasts, now stuffed with yummy things; press it tightly closed with a spatula to seal it shut.

Place the chicken on the grille and immediately turn the flame down to medium. I recommend preparing a good salad while the chicken cooks. It’ll be different on every barbecue, but I cooked the chicken about seven minutes on each side; it got a good sear on it and stayed moist. Make sure the chicken is completely cooked, of course.

Serve with a quality micro-brewed amber ale. Enjoy with friends.

Review: This is now the best thing I've ever done with chicken breasts. Moist, tender, flavorful. And TJ made an amazing salad to go with it. It doesn't get much better than this!