Pan-Seared Steak

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds bone-in T-bone or porterhouse steak, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick (if thinner, adjust cook times)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, or steakhouse seasoning 

1 tablespoon canola oil 

Directions

1. 30-60 minutes before cooking, remove steak from refrigerator. 
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat until water droplets sizzle in pan.
4. Pat steak completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
5.  Add oil to hot skillet, then add steak. Sear about 2 minutes on each side. 
6. Transfer skillet to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the steak registers 130 degrees F for medium-rare, 135 for medium, checking at about 4-5 minutes. (Time depends on the thickness of your steak!)
7.  Transfer steak to a cutting board (or straight onto plates) and let it rest for 10 minutes. Cut steak from the bone and carve meat across the grain. (Parallel with the top of the T on the T-bone.)

Crockpot Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

Main Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk

Seasonings & Sauces:

1 tablespoon red curry paste (for mild; if you want it spicy bump it to 2T.)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

Vegetables & Aromatics:

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

Finishing Touches:

1 lime, juiced (2 Tablespoons)

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

Prepare the Base: Add the chicken, chicken broth, coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, diced onion, minced garlic, and sliced red bell pepper to the Crockpot.

Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender.

Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the Crockpot, shred it with two forks, and return it to the soup.

Finish the Soup: Stir in lime juice and mix well.

Serve & Enjoy: Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve warm.

Notes:

Adjust red curry paste to control spiciness.

Lime juice adds brightness and balances the rich coconut flavors.

Serve over jasmine rice or rice noodles for a heartier meal.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days

Mediterranean Ground Beef Stir Fry

 Ingredients

 1 lb ground beef

 2 tbsp olive oil

 1 onion, finely chopped

 3 cloves garlic, minced

 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

 1 zucchini, cut into half-moons or quarter moons

 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (regular tomatoes worked)

 1 tsp ground cumin

 1 tsp dried oregano

 1/2 tsp paprika

 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional— I think I’ll try them next time))

 Salt and black pepper to taste (I definitely needed more the first time I made it)

 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

 Juice of 1/2 lemon (2 Tablespoons)

 Instructions

 Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

 Add ground beef, cook until browned (5-7 minutes), and drain excess grease if needed.

 Stir in bell pepper and zucchini, cooking for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.

 Add cherry tomatoes, cumin, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

 Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and top with feta cheese and parsley. Serve warm and enjoy! This is a great low-carb dinner!

Egg Rolls in a Bowl

 

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes | Serves: 4 ​​ 

2 tablespoons sesame oil 

1 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 

2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce 

2 tsp minced garlic 

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 pound ground chicken (or beef)

½ teaspoon ground black pepper 

6 cups coleslaw mix 

8 green onions, chopped 

In a large skillet over medium heat, whisk together the sesame oil, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. Add ground chicken. Break apart and cook ground chicken in sauce until cooked through. Add pepper and stir to combine. Stir in coleslaw mix and cook just until cabbage and carrots start to become tender, about 3-5 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve. 

Per Serving: Calories 239 | Fat 23g | Carb 4g | Fiber 3g | Sugar 14g | Protein 36.5g

Liam’s Risotto

 Oven-Baked Risotto

★★★★★

Italian, Main Courses, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins | Servings: serving: 4 (Scaled 4x)

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

3 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine, (optional)

8 to 9 cups hot water

2 cups homemade or low sodium canned chicken stock

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

8 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, (optional)

Directions:

Instructions Checklist

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring to coat the grains with oil, about 1 minute.

Stir in the wine and cook until it has completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and bake, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven. Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup water (the consistency of the risotto should be creamy), the butter, cheese, and parsley. Serve immediately.

Source: https://www.marthastewart.com/336384/oven-baked-risotto

Pineapple ice cream

 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks 

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (I assume any milk would work. I’m tempted to try coconut creamer next time.)

1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (I recommend plain, but you could try a complementary flavor. I tried vanilla and thought the vanilla flavor overpowered the pineapple a bit.)

**optional: 1 tablespoon honey or your favorite sugar substitute  – (I didn’t think it needed it.)

Instructions:

1. Place the frozen pineapple chunks, almond milk, and Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract into a blender or food processor.

2. Blend until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.

3. If you prefer extra sweetness, add honey or a sugar substitute and blend again.

4. Serve immediately as soft-serve, or freeze for 15-20 minutes if you want a firmer consistency.

**Servings:** 4 of our small ice cream dishes.

Claire’s Chicken Tikka Masala

 In a large bowl, combine:

1 cup yogurt

1 T. lemon juice 

1 T. minced fresh ginger

2 t. cumin

1 t. cinnamon 

2 t. cayenne pepper (or much less, depending on how spicy you want it)

2 t. black pepper (or less)

1 t. salt (or more to taste)

Use this to marinate 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Lightly oil a pan, then cook chicken on high heat about 5 minutes each side. You could also bake them in the oven. (The original recipe skewers the raw chicken then grills it, but who has time for that?)

Melt 1 T. butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Saute garlic (1 clove, minced) with 1 jalapeño pepper (finely chopped) for 1 minute.

Add 2 t. cumin, 2 t. paprika, and 1 t. salt (or more to taste). 

Stir in 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce and 1 cup heavy cream.

Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

Add cooked chicken and simmer 10 more minutes.

Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serves 4.