Tuesday, March 10, 2009

St. Paddy's Day Cake

This is one of my favorites to make for St. Patrick's Day. What is a holiday with out a dessert? LifeAsMom.com is having her Ultimate Recipe Swap this Thursday focusing on St. Patrick's Day cuisine. Be sure to check it out.

St. Paddy's Day Bundt Cake

One box yellow cake mix
one small box french vanilla pudding
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream Liquer
6 drops green food coloring
4 eggs (no white thingies)
1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients. Mix. Add hot water, and mix. Add oil and mix. Add one egg at a time, mixing between each addition. Once combined fold in sour cream.

Spray the bottom and sides of a bundt pan. Sprinkle a little sugar around the bottom. Spoon cake batter into the bundt pan evenly. Sprinle the top with a little sugar. Place in the oven and bake 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool. Remove from pan and place cake on a plate. Dust with powder sugar.

Serve with fresh whipped cream and some green sprinkles.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Marinated Flank Steak

Rob has a few favorite meals from his childhood. One of them is flank Steak. This weekend, I will post another favorite... Mustard Meat. His family usually marinates the meat in Lawry's Teriyaki which is fabulous. But, I enjoy making homemade Teriyaki sauce and I change it up a bit each time. The recipe below is the recipe for the Flank Steak we had two weekends ago in Cal City. It was mighty fine and we served it with the Grilled Asparagus from a previous post.

Jamie's Teriyaki Marinated Flank Steak

Flank Steak cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch strips seasoned with Lawry's Garlic salt and fresh cracked pepper

Depending on how much meat you are about to marinade, you might want to double this

1 cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
1 tbs. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey or agave syrup or maple syrup (I used Maple)

Mix marinade together. Set aside. Put seasoned meat strips into a large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over. Make sure marinade hits each piece. Place bag in refrigerator. Overnight is best if possible. The flavors really get into the meat.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Grilled Asparagus

It's green and it's healthy. There are many things you can do with Asparagus. Below are two quick and easy recipes that you can cook on your grill. Little preparation and big on taste.

Larry's Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus


2 dozen Asparagus Spears rinsed and trimmed
12 slices Prosciutto cut in half so you have two long strips
cream cheese room temperature

Spread a little cream cheese on the spear about a half inch below the fancy part running along the length of spear. Take your prosciutto strip and wrap the spear, making sure the top of the prosciutto attaches to the cream cheese and then fasten on the end also.

Do this until ingredients are used up. Place spears on a heated grill and turn until the prosciutto is heated and a bit crispy.

Garlic Grilled Asparagus

24 Asparagus Spears rinsed and plain end trimmed
Olive oil spray
Lawry's Garlic Powder

Line up your spears on a plate if you are going to grill them directly on the grill. If you are going to steam them in aluminum foil on the grill, line your spears on a generous piece of aluminum foil. Spray your spears with olive oil, roll spears a bit and spray other side. Then sprinkle with Lawry's Garlic Powder. Depending on your cooking method grill without foil for 5 to 10 minutes. Cook in the foil for 10 to 15.

Serve with whatever else you choose to grill and enjoy!