Broccoli-Stuffed Potato & Grilled Steak: A Steak & Potato Kind of Day

Broccoli-Stuffed Potato & Grilled Steak: A Steak & Potato Kind of Day

Hi everybody :)

I having a steak and potato kind of day. Steak and potatoes is one of my favorite meals. I'm sure it a lot of people favorites. I bet you might have an steak and potatoes variation in your meal planing rotation. Here's one of mine...

The Broccoli-Stuffed Potato
4 large baking potatoes, bake; see this
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spread, divided
2 1/2 cups frozen broccoli

1/4 package Southern Mills Cheddar Cheese Sauce Mix; prepared or 1/2 cup prepared cheese sauce
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Lawry's Garlic Salt to taste
 
I used Amy's quick and easy baking method  for baking the potatoes; set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for 6 - 8 minutes, or until tender. Chop fine. Carefully scoop the potatoes flesh into a bowl, leaving the skin intact.  

 Add the broccoli to the potatoes along with the cheese sauce. 

Top with shredded cheese and bake for 8 minutes or until cheese melts.

Source: slightly adapted The-Super So Fat, Low Fat Cookbook

The Grilled Steak

2  (12 - 14 oz.) Ribeye steaks
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes on each side
pinch Lawry's perfect Blend SWEET BASIL, CITRUS & GARLIC RUB   

Marinade steaks overnight. Preheat grilled to 375 F. (I used the Super Pot.) Grilled steaks 8-10 minutes on each side or according to how you like your steaks. 

Remove from grill & cover with foil for about 8-10 minutes. Served.

 ENJOY! Come again... 
Linked to:
Strut Your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sister's Stuff 
Show and Tell Saturday: Be Different...Act Normal 
Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party  @ Addicted Recipes 
Everyday Moms Meals   
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks
Mop Up Mondays - I Should be Mopping the Floor    
House Wives of Riverton Round-Up  
 

Samoas Chocolate Pudding Trifles

Samoas Chocolate Pudding Trifles

Hi everybody :)

Bring your favorite chocolate dessert to Roxana’s Home Baking #chocolateparty and win amazing prizes from OXO, Calphalon, Keurig, Imperial Sugar, Honey Ridge Farms and Land O’ Lakes® Butter.

I LOVE Girl Scout Cookies, my favorite are the Somoas. Every year I show my love and support by buying as many boxes of Somoas I can :) it's for a good cause after all ;). So whenever February roll around, I stack-up on these goodies.

Alas, February is quickly coming to an end, and soon March will be here, but before I bid it farewell... join me on my last journey for this month to 'Chocolate Land'. This trip is full of promises of the sweetest kind; dark chocolate pudding, bits of grated chocolate and caramel between layers of Somoas cookies topped with a chocolatey cream.   

The Chocolate Pudding
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa (I used 1 part dark & 1 part regular)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. 

gradually add milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. 

Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Spoon into individual serving dishes. Chill until serving. Yield: 6-8 servings. (I covered with plastic wrap, pressing down to the top of the pudding, removing all air pockets and refrigerate it overnight.)

Pudding Source: Taste of Home

To assemble the Trifles
2 package  Samoas Girl Scout Cookie, broken into large pieces plus 6-8 halves or whole for garnishing
1/4 cup Chocolate Fondue or Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1 (8 oz. container) Cool Whip, thawed or 3/4 cup Whip Cream, whipped
1 tablespoon Chocolate Liqueur, optional
Caramel Ice Cream Topping 
1 Chocolate bar, grated  
6 - 8 Somoas Cookies halves or whole for garnishing

Mix fondue and cool whip until light and fluffy, add liqueur; set aside. 

Place in layer in this order: cookies pieces, pudding, caramel, cool whip mixture, grated chocolate, and pudding. Topping each trifles off with the cool whip mixture, caramel drizzles,  grated chocolate and cookie halve or a whole cookie.
 
What I Think: 
Any thing that's chocolatey is worthy of REPEATS!
This dessert is definitely one of them.

 
Just because February is ending soon; the chocolate indulgences don't have to stop. If you're just tuning in to my blog, every month I post at least 2 recipes dealing with chocolate, from the creamy white to the deepest dark that promise to fulfill  your chocolate fantasy delight. If you missed a trip, don't worry there still time to play catch-up; just look under the Chocolate Label to reach your chocolate destination. But to ensure you won't have that problem, subscribe now and follow me. I will take you on an trip you won't soon forget :)

ENJOY! Come again.... 
Linked To:
Shaken Together Life: {what's shakin' link party} 
Miss Information: I Freakin' Did It Friday  
Foodie Fridays @ Designs By Gollum 
Foodie Friday @ Simple Living  
I'm Lovin' It Fridays @ Tidy Mom 
Finding the Pretty & Delicious Linky Party #6. 
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks 
Sweet 2 Eat Baking: Sugar & Slice Sunday 
 Mop Up Mondays - I Should be Mopping the Floor 
Roxana’s Home Baking #chocolateparty   

 

Mini Bruschetta Pizzas

Mini Bruschetta Pizzas

Hi everybody :)

Remember the Ciabatta (Mini) loaves  I made a few days ago? I decided to play around with them and make mini bruschetta pizzas. Here's what I did... 

Ingredients 

Ciabatta (Mini) 
Fresh Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
1 bunch Basil, finely chopped
Garlic, minced (I used 1 big elephant garlic)
Tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red Wine Vinegar (not shown)
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil to cover
Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine basil, garlic, a splash vinegar into a small contain with enough oil to cover. Season with salt and pepper. (This can be done ahead of time so the flavors can blend)

Heat oven to 350 F. Brush some of the mixture over the bread to coat. (Refrigerate leftover garlic mixture; great for dressings or marinades.) Top bread with diced seeded tomatoes.

 Slice cheese withe-wise.  Spread cheese slices over the top.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese melt. Sprinkle with extra salt & pepper, if desired, and serve. 

What I Think:
These were delicious. They can be sliced and served as appetizers or left whole served as snacks. They can also be made with French bread slices, homemade or store-brought. But the homemade version would taste the best :)

ENJOY! Come again....
Linked to:
Bizzy Bake Recipe Box
Show and Share Wednesday Semi-Homemade Mom 
{Wow Me Wednesday} @Ginger Snap Crafts
What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar and Dots 
Rae Gun Ramblings - What We Wore, Read, and Made Link Party   
Wonderful Food Wednesday  
The Mandatory Mooch Tasty Thursday 
Show Case Your Talent  @What's Cooking Love 
 Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Sweet-n-Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork & Hamburger Buns

Sweet-n-Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork & Hamburger Buns

Hi everybody :)

I'm bringing you two in one today. The recipes I'm sharing are Sweet-n-Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork and Hamburger Buns. I prepared the pork by slow-cooking it in my  Super Pot, but it can also be adjusted for a regular crock-pot or slow-roasted in the oven like The Pioneer Woman did on her blog. I also played around with the flavors a little. For the buns, I adjusted it by using part wheat flour, olive oil in the place of vegetable  and adding Vital Wheat Gluten, which is optional. I also cut them bigger because I like really big buns :) But it can be prepared just with all-purpose flour like Jane did on her blog. So with the help of two great bloggers, I put together these delicious recipes. Here's how I did it... 

Sweet-n-Spicy Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

1 cup chopped onion

1 Pork Shoulder Butt (7 - 9 lbs.)

Salt & Pepper

1 teaspoon Lawry's perfect Blend SWEET BASIL, CITRUS & GARLIC RUB 

1 can Dr. Pepper (12 fl. oz)

1/4 cup brown sugar 

Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet n' Spicy BBQ Sauce

Heat the Super Pot to 300 degree (slow-cooking temp). Add the onions. Season the meat with salt & pepper and perfect Blend. Place in pot. Mix soda and brown sugar together, add to the sides of pot. Cover and cook until fork-tender. (This took about 3 hrs and 30 minutes in the Super Pot).

Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding the large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fatty liquid off the top as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (Tip: Refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it's cold.) 

Heat up the liquid and meat on the stove top add the BBQ sauce and serve on buns.(Add a little more Dr. Pepper to thin it out, if desired.)

Variation: Serve on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa.  

Source: partly adapted The Pioneer Woman

Now on to the second recipe:

Classic Homemade Hamburger Buns

Hamburger Buns
Ingredients:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour, lightly whisked
1 tablespoon Vital Wheat Gluten 
2  1/4 teaspoons yeast 
1 cup warm water
3 oz. olive oil
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1 ex-large egg, lightly beaten 

In mixing bowl with paddle attachment combine two cups of the flour and yeast on low speed for several seconds. In a medium bowl, stir together the warm water, oil, eggs, sugar, and salt. Add this into the mixer bowl. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds; stop and scrape the bowl and beaters, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 more minutes until smooth.

Remove the mixer bowl from the mixer and stir in the remaining flour by hand. 

If it's extremely soft and still almost liquidity, add in a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time until it seems more workable. (I added 3 tablespoons.) Dump the dough out onto a well floured work surface and knead it until it feels smooth and elastic

Spray cooking spray in a large bowl. Place dough in bowl turning to coat it all over with the oil. Cover the bowl with a sprayed plastic wrap and place the bowl in a warm spot free from draft. Let the dough rise until it's about doubled, perhaps one hour or so. (Because this is a rich dough due to the egg(s) and sugar content it may take a little longer.)

Cover two half-sheet pans with parchment paper or foil. Punch down the dough. On a very lightly floured surface, divide it into three equal portions using a bench knife, or a very sharp chef's knife. Cut each portion into four pieces. (I cut mines into 3 pieces, so I had 9 buns instead of 12.) Cover the pieces with a sheet of sprayed plastic wrap and let them rest for about ten minutes. 
Uncover them and shape each one them into a smooth ball by rolling it in a small circular motion on your work surface, held gently beneath your closed fingers and palm. Tightly pinch closed any seam on the bottom. Place buns on the two half-sheet pans. Press them down into 3 and 1/2 inch circles. 
(I rolled four of them into 8" ropes and tied and tuck them under, the remaining ones I shaped into buns, cut an x on each.)

Cover them again with the sprayed plastic wrap and a light dishcloth and put them in a warm spot. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and let the buns rise for about half an hour as the oven heats up.  Brush the top of each one with melted unsalted butter, just before place them in the oven. (I dusted them all with corn meal.

The buns will bake quickly. Peek at them after about ten minutes. Take them out when the tops are golden and the bottoms are deeply golden. (I baked mines for 13 minutes.)
Source: Jane 's Sweets & Baking Journal
What I Thinks:
 It was delicious; the pork, the buns, it all turn out perfect. If you ever decides to make the homemade buns, you would wonder why you buy them. I think they would also make delicious hotdog buns too. I got to try that next :) The pork was super easy to prepare and was great paired with the buns. Sweet but not too sweet with a little spiciness to add some heat :)
ENJOY! Come again...
Linked to: 
Zentmrs: Tuesday Table  
Kathe With an E You're Gonna Love It  
Show Me What You Got Tuesday's at ODH
The Winthrop Chronicles Link Party 
Tuesday-Talent-Show:  Chef In Training  
Show Me What Ya Got 
YeastSpotting! @ wildyeast
BYOB @ Roxana's Home Baking : Baking Your Own Bread
Blooming Homestead: Crafty Tuesday Link Party