Lean, Mean & Spicy Beef Satay Sticks
Courtesy of Rachael Ray on her show yesterday. Looked really yummy.
Ingredients
1 pound top round steak, cut into thin 1 1/2 inch-wide strips against the grain (about 20 slices)
1 1/4 cups teriyaki sauce, divided
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 to 3 teaspoons hot chili oil, to taste
1/2 cup apple juice
1 inch piece ginger, peeled
1 cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth
Juice of 2 limes, zest of 1 reserved for sauce
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Yields: about 8 appetizer-size portions
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Preparation
Preheat a grill pan or a grill to medium-high. Soak the bamboo skewers in water, particularly if you’re using an outdoor grill, so they don’t flame up.
Place the beef strips in a medium-large casserole dish and pour 1 cup of the teriyaki sauce, the crushed garlic and chili oil over them. Toss to combine and let the beef marinate in the refrigerator while you make the dipping sauce.
In a medium-size saucepot, add the remaining 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce, apple juice, and the ginger. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to incorporate the ginger flavor. Remove the ginger and reserve the liquid.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime zest and the hot teriyaki/apple juice mixture until it resembles a dipping sauce consistency. Place the sauce in a serving bowl, and set it aside while you grill up the satays.
Remove the beef strips from the refrigerator and skewer the strips of meat by weaving the sticks in and out as if you where treading straight up the meat. Grill the satays for about 1-2 minutes on each side for medium-rare, then give them a quick squeeze of fresh lime juice for a finish. Garnish the dipping sauce and meat with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Basalmic Chicken Drumettes
Balsamic Chicken Drumettes Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 sprigs of rosemary
5 garlic cloves, halved
10 to 12 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Combine the balsamic, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves, in a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag and seal with as little air as possible in the bag. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place the chicken drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil (in order to kill bacteria). Reduce the heat to simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Reserve.
Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.
Cook’s note: I like the rosemary and garlic flavors in the background. Brushing the cooked drumettes with the reduced marinade helps the flavors along. Also, re-moistening helps the parsley and the seeds to adhere.
Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps
Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 4 breasts) 1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons chili powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
Bacon Crisp Recipe
Bacon Crisp Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Yield: 24 bacon crisps
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 sleeve buttery rectangular crackers (recommended: Waverly Wafers)
1 pound sliced bacon, cut in 1/2
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Place 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each cracker and wrap tightly with a strip of bacon. Place the wrapped crackers on a broiler rack on a baking sheet and put the baking sheets on the oven rack. Bake for 2 hours, or until the bacon is done. Do not turn. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature
Cook’s note: You can also bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes if you’re in a hurry!
