FLANK STEAK VS. HAM

Let me start my post with this proclamation: HE IS RISEN, INDEED!!!

This Easter at the Russotto House, there was no baked ham to be found.

I decided to make a stuffed flank steak, thanks to Bobby Flay’s persuading and mouth watering episode one day last week.

Consesus was….a unanimous “compiments to the chef”.

I believe this was the first year ever that porky the pig did not make an appearence on Easter Sunday. This flank steak, that I marinated the night before and then stuffed in the morning took all of 20 minutes on the grill. I’m sure it will make numerous reappearances in the future.

HERE IS THE RECIPE:

One 3 pound flank steak, butterflied. It’s best to let the butcher do this for you.

Marinate steak in 1 cup cabernet wine, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 or 3 shallots, sliced. Add salt and pepper to taste. Marinate at least 4 hours.

Open up steak, like a book and layer with thinly sliced ham of your choice, I used proscuitto, sliced provolone cheese, roasted red peppers, and baby spinach leaves. Close with top layer of steak and secure with tooth pics. Brush both sides of steak with olive oil.

Place on hot grill and cook 10 minutes on each side, being careful when flipping. Take off grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing it against the grain in two inch slices.

We served this delectible entree with oven roastd cauliflower, a side of fettuccine cabonara, and a salad of mixed greens, oranges, sliced red onion and fennel. Dessert was our traditional sweet ricotta pie.

Can’t wait till next Easter!!

Where Have I Been?

Blogs are work!!! I probably should’ve waited to start my blog…..but patience is not one of my virtues!

I’m in the last stages of getting my book ready for publication. That, my friends, is also work, but a most rewarding kind of job. I spend a good deal of my waking hours preparing, meeting with my editor, who by the way is a gem, going over the photos, revamping the cover…it goes on and on. Just when you think you’re done, yet another issue to resolve, change, omit or submit. Don’t get me wrong, for the most part this journey has been priceless.

I can’t wait for it to be finished!!

As I mentioned, patience…not part of my make up.

So, one more meeting this week, a few more phone calls and then some more agonizing waiting, and finally, I’ll birth this three and a half year old baby… Oh, by the way, her name will be Always on Sunday.

Foodies Unite

Just joined a new community in the blogoshere for lovers of food (I really am not fond of the moniker “foodie”).

You can visit it here and see what you think.  I know I’ll be spending a great amount of time visiting and sharing thoughts on all things related to food.  Check it out.

High School Revisited

I was sitting at Borders today enjoying my Vanilla Latte ( i could drink those all day!!) and I see a man approaching me with a vaguely familiar face gazing at me with a look like he’s ready to say something. So I keep looking at him and the closer he gets I recognize him as a guy I use to hang out with in high school. “John!”, I exclaim….”Marcia!”, he exclaimed. Then a half hour walk down memory lane, complete with laughing,.. Oh My!,.. Your kidding!,.. No way!,.. ending with “Did you hear that “so and so” died and also” so and so” ensued.

We both became very depressed at how the conversation had turned to how we are dealing with these dreaded birthdays that just keep coming at us at lightening speed. We ended by exchanging numbers, e-mail adrresses and vowing that we would do our best to get in touch with some of our other old friends and plan a gathering of our small clique from St. Mary’s High School.

I must say that talking with John made me feel both young again and old at the same time.

Even though I’m fifty something, ahem, I’ll always be twenty something in my mind.

Riding the wave

No other state shouts organic! louder than California; a fact I discovered on a recent trip to San Diego.

The trend toward restaurants serving organic foods or the sale of organically grown foods in grocery stores is not new by any means. But because California is the leading agriculturally productive state in the country, no wonder it boasts the largest number of organic farmers.

I’ve experienced first hand the difference in freshness of taste from organically grown artichoke pizzas to fish tacos topped with fresh guacamole to the unusually sweet blood orange juice served in trendy California establishments.

Unlike here in Pittsburgh, Pa., the word “organic” on the west coast is just as common place as the wet-suit clad sufers who dot the Pacific on any given day from sun up to sun down.

Since I will not be joining these wave worshippers any time soon, I’ll ride the wave of another growing lifestye trend– searching out and consuming anything organic.

In honor of Califronia being the largest (I think maybe the only) producer of artichokes, here is a recipe for a Marinated Artichoke, Ham and Provelone Panini ( I’m still in love with my panini grill!)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 slices ciabatta bread, or other rustic Italian white bread, thinly sliced
6 ounces thinly sliced provolone
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
2 ounces thinly sliced genoa salami, or ham of your choice

Whisk 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend. Arrange the slices of bread on a flat work surface and, using a brush, divide the vinaigrette equally among 1 side of each slice. Divide the provolone equally among the bread slices. Top 6 of the slices of bread equally with the sliced artichoke hearts and sliced genoa salami and then place the remaining 6 slices on top. Brush the outsides of each sandwich with some of the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.Heat a grill, large skillet or grill pan over medium heat.

Add the sandwiches and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, pressing occasionally to compact with a large spatula or the bottom of a heavy small saucepan, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Or, if you’re lucky to own a panini grill place on grill and press according to instructions, about a total of 2 or 3 minutes.

Remove the sandwiches from the grill, cut in half and serve.

Meatless Fridays

During my childhood, since I was raised Catholic, we always had a meatless dinner on Friday nights. The Lenten season, spanning six week from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday banned any form of meat from our table on Fridays only. I recall those countless tuna noodles casseroles, fish sticks and mac and cheese, salmon patties and tater tots….is you mouth watering yet?……served up by my mom.  Oh, and that was the night we had two vegetables.  A kids dream meal, right?

Fast forward several years, (ahem!).  I do not observe that rule any longer, but I do enjoy seafood over red meat these days.

I’m including this recipe for my friend Denise, though she says she doesn’t read blogs, will have to read today’s post.

My mother used this while she was on WeightWatchers many years ago, don’t know why she never served it to us!!

You can use any white flesh, mild fish…flounder, talapia or my choice, orange roughy,

Place four pieces in a prepared baking dish.  Pour 1/2 cup orange juice over the fish.  Season with salt, pepper, minced fresh garlic. 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley.  Dot with butter or margerine.  Top with Seasoned bread crumbs.  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or till fish flakes easily.  Do not serve with tater tots!!   Enjoy!

Best Book Ever

Remember those dreaded book reports we had to write in English class? Well, here is one report that I’m thrilled to turn in. (and I’m not through the book, yet!)

I’m reading a book recommended by my Pastor at APC, Pastor Jeff, which he mentioned twice on his blog. So far, it’s living up to his “two thumbs up” review. In The Best Question Ever, Andy Stanley delivers a life changing principle via a question that you can’t afford not to apply to your decision making.

Covering the area of self deception, this is what he says, “You don’t sit around looking for reasons to do the right thing; it’s the bad decisions that require creative thinking.”

Go ahead, read that again.

Recognizing the areas of our lives that lead to avoidable problems is the first step to winning this competition called Life. Life is filled with loss, regardless of whether or not we’re living in the will of God. The worst thing we can do as followers of Christ is add to the unavoidable hardships of life by living outside His will. Nurturing a daily relationship with Him through prayer and Bible study, fully engaging in the church, and intentionally pursuing accountability relationships with other believers who will challenge us to grow are at the core of what it means to win.

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 1Corinth. 9:24.

The Best Question Ever is a gem of book. Thanks, P. Jeff

Back to Reality

I woke up this morning earlier than usual. To my surprise, I didn’t need my usual nonfat, extra-hot, vanilla latte for inspiration. I try to write daily, early enough before my mind goes blank, but today, unlike every other day, words rushed and flooded my mind like the white-capped rapids of Ohio Pyle. “What a bonus!” I thought. Words, ideas vivid mind pictures, all the above miraculously and literally at my fingertips. I tripped and stumbled to my computer. Wow! Let me at that keyboard! If you don’t write, maybe this is not making any sense to you. But if you do, well, just give me a high five!! My creative juices flowed and filled page after page….a story emerging, descriptive prose beautifully becoming a story, no, a novel, no, the epic of the century!!!! Then, I heard the nagging, relentless eehh, eehh, eehh of my alarm clock. Geez! A writer can dream, can’t she? How fast can I make it to Starbuck’s?

Panini Paradise

I love everything about cooking. Especially the numerous time-saving gadgets and appliances on the market for the well equipped kitchen. I can spend hours in William-Sonoma or Sur La Table and often do! The most recent object of my affection (thanks to Santa) is my new panini press/grill. You cannot believe the various delicious sandwiches that can be created on this nifty little kitchen helper. For those of you who just landed on the planet earth, a panini is an Italian grilled sandwich filled with any combination of meat, cheese and condiments to you liking and then pressed between a grill similar to a waffle maker. My favorite so far is the Turkey/Apple/Brie sandwich. Here is the recipe, enjoy! (Don’t worry, you can still make it the tried and try method used by my resourceful father. Just wrap a 4×8″ brick with alum. foil and use it to weigh down the sandwich as you grill it. It works just fine!)

Use any firm, crusty bread…Italian, sourdough, French baguette.

Brush the outer slices of bread with olive oil. Spread the inside with mango chutney, or whole cranberry sauce, your preference. Fill sandwiches with thinly sliced or shredded granny smith apples, turkey breast, and a slice of brie cheese. Close sandwiches and grill as directed on press or with your foil covered brick till golden brown.

Good-bye to ho-hum grilled cheese!!

Flip-flops in February

How many of you are wearing flip-flops today?

Isn’t it great?!! Not even spring and my toes are exposed! I’m just thrilled to be in Hilton Head, where snow is a foreign phenomenon. Been loving the mild weather as I read about friends and family left behind in the” winter wonderland” of Pittsburgh, Pa. Two more weeks and I guess I’ll be donning a heavier jacket, gloves and possibly boots again, YIKES!!

But until then, I’ll enjoy the sun on my shoulders and my toes in the sand when I flip my flip-flops off……