Steak Tip Marinade

This marinade is great for beef or chicken. The Worcestershire sauce and Italian dressing give the marinade a zing, while the garlic pepper seasoning and barbeque sauce give it that barbeque flavor. The longer the beef or chicken sits in the marinade, the better it will taste.
It is less expensive that my other marinade recipe but quite as good.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing (I like homemade Good Seasons) 2 teaspoons garlic pepper seasoning

1 cup barbeque sauce 2 pounds beef sirloin tip steaks, cut into skewer-size chunks

In a medium bowl, mix the Worcestershire sauce, Italian-style salad dressing, garlic pepper seasoning, and barbeque sauce. Place the meat in the marinade, and turn to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to one day. Pat the meat dry before skewering up to grill.

McAlister Potatoes

During this Thanksgiving break, Alex and I have found ourselves staying up late-night, watching cooking shows. Our favorite right now is Restaurant Impossible.
A program with Guy Fieri came on after that and this potato recipe seemed irresistible, we had to try it! In fact, it is! One thing we found is that the crispy potatoes, onion and bacon stand on their own. You don't need to add parmesan or the peppadew sour cream. Maybe a small bit of sour cream, but the peppadew is overpowering to the other flavors and the parmesan just added fat, in our opinion.
Alex came up with an idea for leftovers: use the potatoes in place of english muffins for eggs benedict tomorrow morning! We also had leftover steak tips and they will go along nicely.

McAlister Potatoes
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

Prep Time:
25 min
Inactive Prep Time:
1 hr 0 min
Cook Time:
30 min

Level:
Intermediate

Serves:
6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup peppadew peppers, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
3 pounds baby Yukon potatoes
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
3/4 pound bacon, diced
2 yellow onions, diced
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions

In small mixing bowl combine sour cream, peppadew peppers, and white wine. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for 1 hour.

In large stock pot cover potatoes with water and add 2 tablespoons salt. Set heat on high and boil until fork tender.

In a large saute pan over medium heat cook bacon and saute onions until caramelized. Transfer bacon and onions from pan on to a paper towel to absorb grease. Distribute evenly on a platter and keep warm. Leave remaining fat in pan.

When potatoes are fork tender, drain, and with a clean kitchen towel, palm smash the hot potatoes to approximately 1/3-inch thick.

Reheat fat in saute pan and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Heat to oil medium heat and place potatoes in oil. Season with salt and pepper and brown on both sides, then transfer to onion and bacon platter. Repeat, adding more oil, until all potatoes are cooked crispy.

Top potatoes with Parmesan and then with sour cream mixture.

Frank's Buffalo Chicken Dip

This dip is the best ever- it is guaranteed to be eaten up and perfect for winter parties/football games. Dipping devices can include carrots & celery and various chips but the whole grain Tostito scoops are my preference. I specifically bought a 2-quart slow cooker for this recipe which I brought to the school parent council meeting. You can buy one for less than $12.

8 oz. pkg. 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing (refrigerated Marie's is awesome)

1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (pre-crumbled is fine)

2 cans (12.5 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained. I found the idea of using canned chicken repulsive so I used 2 cups of chopped up roast chicken. Flavor-wise, it's o.k. to use canned, I originally tried the dip made that way and it was good.

DIRECTIONS:

HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.

MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.

BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

TIPS:

Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.

Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.

Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Roast Chicken

Finally, I've found a roast chicken recipe that is so simple and delicious!
From now on, this is going to be my go-to technique. I have tried many methods and this
is definitely it.
All you need is a bird and some salt & pepper.

Preheat oven to 450º.

In two small bowls: 1 Tb sea or kosher salt, 1/2 Tb salt, 1/2 Tb pepper.

Remove any giblets and rinse chicken. Use paper towels and thoroughly pat dry.
Place on an ovenproof skillet.

Sprinkle the s & p mixture on the inside of the chicken.

If you have kitchen twine, truss the bird.

Sprinkle salt on top. It should be heavily salted.

Cook in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes (for 4.25 lb bird, maybe 50 minutes for a 3-pounder).

Remove from pan (with tongs) to a cutting board and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Carve and eat! The skin is super yummy :D

Mayonnaise

After all these years, the thought of making my mayonnaise has certainly crept into mind. But for whatever reason, I just haven't tried it.
Perhaps it's just far easier to pull out the jar of Hellman's.

Today I was "daring" and my goodness, if I had no self control I would eat the whole container of it! Holy moly, is it goooood!!!
Only problem is that it keeps for just a week.
Go ahead and make this great mayo. Use it in a dip. Or just use it as a dip.
I made a great tuna sandwich!

• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 pinches sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  
• 1 cup vegetable oil
  

In a glass bowl, whisk together egg yolk and dry ingredients. A 2-cup measuring cup works well for this. I also used a hand held mixer with a single whisk attachment.

Combine lemon juice and vinegar in a separate bowl then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture. Start whisking briskly, then start adding the oil a few drops at a time until the liquid seems to thicken and lighten a bit, as it emulsifies. Once you reach that point, increase the oil flow to a constant thin stream.

Once half of the oil is in add the rest of the lemon juice mixture.

Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated.

Refrigerate for up to 1 week.