Tag: cookout

Mexi Pasta Salad

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I am always on the hunt for a good summer cookout side.  There are only so many times a person can make a great Potato Salad before you feel like you have potato salad coming out your ears!  I have always enjoyed a good pasta salad though.  So, I made it my mission this summer to perfect a great pasta salad and by golly, I think I got it… In fact, I know I got it.

This pasta salad is something different, out of the box and packed with fresh ingredients and delicious flavors all marrying to become one heck of a side dish.  I served it at a cookout just yesterday along-side some BBQ chicken and grilled Montreal Steak.  But, I can totally see it with some Southwest Turkey Burgers or even just topped with some fresh avocado and Grilled Shrimp or chicken.

The trick is not to gobble it all up before you get it to the party!  I call it “Mexi Pasta Salad” because although I am pretty sure there isn’t an Abuela in Mexico throwing this together, it gives a good solid nod to the flavors of Mexico. With all your basic taco toppings thrown in and some cumin to spice things up, this salad is not your run of the mill deli get.

Add salt to a good size pot… a pot larger than you think you need for the pasta if possible.

Campanelle Pasta is what I am using today, you can really use any type of pasta for this.

Be sure to stir the pasta a few times throughout the cooking process to ensure nothing sticks together.

Here are some of the fresh ingredients you will need.

Some halved grape tomatoes.

Dice up that jalapeno into a nice small dice after removing seeds and ribs. (Unless you like a kick, then you can leave in as much of the innards as you like haha)

Dice up the bell pepper (any color is fine, I like red for it’s sweetness and color)

Once you dice up half your red (it’s really purple, I never understood why we call them red onions) pepper be sure to soak them in water for a bit to take out that onion tang that makes you cry, it’s a bit too strong for a pasta salad.

Roughly chop up half a bunch of cilantro.

Roughly chop a can of black olives. You can use freshly brined black olives if you like, but there is just something about the canned variety I like here.

Now for the little to no prep ingredients… Start with about 3/4 of a bag of frozen corn… If you happen to have fresh, please use that, I didn’t have any handy.

Rinse out a can of black beans.

Drain your pasta… I cook mine just past aldente.  Also, I did not feel like having to wash another bowl, so my extra-large pot (Magic Pot from Pampered Chef) was perfect for mixing everything in together!

In a small mixing bowl, add in 1 cup of may.

To that, add about 1/2 cup of sour cream. This may seem like a lot of moisture, but we are adding a lot to this pasta.

Now the zest of one lime.

You could add in the juice of the lime, but I find the zest strikes just the perfect balance and the juice is really not needed… Save the juice for your Blueberry Mojito!

Next add in about 1/2 tsp of ground cumin.

Now a good pinch of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Mix your dressing.

Add corn.

Add beans.

Add dressing.

Drain onions and add in.

Add your chopping block stuff.

Mix together.

And for some extra crunch, add in half a diced english cucumber. If you prefer to use a cuke from your garden, just be sure to seed it first to reduce water content.

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Mexi Pasta Salad

Serves 10-15 as a side

Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta, cooked in salted water

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced small

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced and soaked in water, then drained

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1/2 English cucumber, diced

1 can black olives, drained and roughly chopped

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 bag frozen corn or 2 ears fresh corn grilled

For the dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

zest of 1 lime

1/2 tsp. cumin

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare all ingredients as stated in ingredient list.  Drain pasta.  In a small bowl mix together mayo, sour cream, cumin, zest, salt and pepper.

Add dressing to pasta. Add beans, corn, both peppers, drained onion, tomatoes, cilantro, cucumbers and black olives.  Mix well.  Taste for salt. Pour into serving bowl and chill at least 2 hours.

 

Honey Mustard Slaw

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Cole Slaw is not something I grew up liking.  It’s healthy and fresh and crunchy, but every time I tried it as a kid, it really just didn’t appeal to me.  As a result, I think of this more as an adult side.  My mom would always get it as a side to her fish and chips or fried chicken plate.  I think it’s something about that vinegary taste that turns kids off.  But… You know what kids like?  Honey Mustard.  I have yet to meet a kid who doesn’t like honey mustard.  So, I thought for something a little different, lets see how the two marry.

I was making a hot pastrami sandwich and needed something to top it, but I didn’t want straight yellow mustard and I don’t feel like straight mayo goes with pastrami either.  Hence, the Honey Mustard Slaw was born.  My kids tried it and liked it!  I’ll admit, they aren’t too hot on the Hot Pastrami Sandwich, so they got grilled cheese, but the slaw was a hit!

And the recipe couldn’t be easier, more affordable or more manageable as it lasts for several days covered in the fridge!

Start with a fresh head of cabbage. The fresher the better.

Slice off a couple inches from one side and wrap the rest in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for your next project.

Now Julianne the cabbage which basically just means to thinly and as uniformly as possible slice into strips.

Set the shredded cabbage aside.

Add 2-3 heaping tablespoons of mayo to a medium size bowl with a lid if possible.

Add in a heaping teaspoon of stone ground Dijon mustard.

Add in a good splash of apple cider vinegar.

Stack up about 4-5 slices of pickle or one small pickle would be fine here too, this is what I had on hand.

Slice them up.

MIx.

Add in some honey.  Try and invest in some good local honey, if you can, it’s really worth it!

Stir in honey and pickles.

Add in a touch of hot sauce, I am using Sriracha sauce here and only put in a little squirt. Depending on what you are using the slaw for and your heat tolerance, should determine how much you put in and if you don’t care for hot sauce, you can totally leave it out.

Add a good amount of fresh cracked black pepper and a small pinch of kosher salt.

The last thing I like to add in is a dollop of sour cream mostly for the tang and the creaminess.

My method of stirring is to add in the cabbage half first, coat with sauce and then add in the remaining shredded cabbage for the final stir.

Once the cabbage is completely coated with the sauce, you will want to let it rest.

Cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. It will keep this way for several days.

Honey Mustard Slaw

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded cabbage

3 heaping Tbs. mayonnaise

2 Tbs. sour cream

1 heaping tsp. stone ground Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tsp. local honey

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

4-5 sliced pickles, sliced into strips

1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Directions:

Make the sauce by adding mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar, pickles, cracked pepper, salt and host sauce into a bowl (with a lid if possible).  Stir.  Add in 1/2 cabbage and coat with sauce.  Add remaining cabbage and continue to stir until all cabbage is coated with sauce.  Cover and let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Enjoy!

Grilled Montreal Steak

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Grilled Montreal Steak has to be one of my husband’s favorite meals.  I am always sure to make enough for that night’s dinner and then some left over for the next day.  Not being a big fan of just re-heating steak, we use it to pop into Quesadillas, top a nice salad, or make some yummy Beef Stroganoff.

I used to use a pre-made Montreal seasoning mix, until one day, I ran out.  But, we still wanted Montreal Steak, therefore, I came up with my own blend… and I have to say, we like it even better!  You can make up a batch as you need it, or multiply the recipe and fill up a mason jar to keep it at the ready.

This steak would be perfect paired with Stacy’s Best Potato Salad and Low-carb Grilled Veggies!

Let’s start with mixing up the seasoning rub:

Start with making your own Montreal spice rub... You'll need some kosher salt, dried crushed pepper, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic powder, ginger and smoked paprika.

Start with making your own Montreal spice rub… You’ll need some kosher salt, dried crushed pepper, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic powder, ginger and smoked paprika.

Add altogether and mix.

Add altogether and mix.

This is what you will end up with.

Now onto preparing the steak:

This is our favorite cut of meat. My butcher calls it “Beef Loin Flap” It’s got lots of connective tissue making it flavorful and juicy.

Although this is called a rub. we aren’t going to actually rub the meat just yet. Sprinkle on the steak on all sides pretty liberally.

After a few minutes, the spices start seeping in. You want to do this at least a few hours before cooking if possible. The salt really changes the meat.

Cover and place in the fridge up to 24 hrs before cook time… But, be sure to take the meat out about an hour before you are ready to cook it to allow it to come to room temperature.

This steak is delicious grilled outside on your gas or charcoal grill or inside on a grill pan.  Just a warning though, if you are doing this inside, be sure you have good ventilation, you will need your burner on high for a properly seared steak.

Set your grill to high to get a good sear. Grill for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare.  If you wish to have less pink in the middle, now is the time to turn the burner down to medium and continue cooking — 6 minutes for medium and 8 minutes for well done. The meat is safe to eat once the internal temperature reaches 145°F with a meat thermometer.

Serve with some potato salad and enjoy!

Serve with some potato salad and enjoy!

Let rest at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Let rest at least 5 minutes before cutting.

Recipe for Grilled Montreal Steak:

(serves 6)

3 lbs. steak (here we use beef loin)

8-10 Tbs. Montreal Steak Seasoning

For Seasoning Mix:

6 Tbs. kosher salt

3 Tbs. dry crushed red pepper

3 Tbs. fresh cracked black pepper

3 Tbs. garlic powder

2 Tbs. smoked paprika

1 Tbs. ginger

Directions:

Mix together all seasoning ingredients. Sprinkle seasoning onto meat, place in a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, store in fridge for 3-24 hrs until 1 hr before cook time.

Let meat sit at room temperature for one hour.  Grill on high to preferred level of doneness.  Meat should have an internal temperature of 145°F.  Let rest for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

*note: this is a gluten-free recipe.

Little Necks in Garlic Wine Sauce (Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato)

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One of the best parts of living in New England is the vast variety of cold water sea food we have available.  Interestingly enough, it actually mirrors that which is available in St. Michael, Azores.  How lucky am I?

Little Necks in Garlic Wine Sauce is a quintessential Portuguese starter.  9 times out of 10 when we sit down to dinner at a Portuguese restaurant with friends, this is the first thing we order.  It’s a two-part experience really.  First you get to eat the clams that are cooked in a garlic wine broth and then again drenched in garlic, white wine and olive oil.  But then, some may argue the best part of the dish is next… it’s the part when you get to sop up that delectable garlic wine sauce with a crusty piece of Portuguese bread… OMG, so good!

This dish is best served hot and brought right to the table.  A couple of things you will want to have ready before you start is  a good loaf of Portuguese bread, some hot sauce and a bowl to throw the emptied shells into (as you need to not crowd your plate with that so that you can get to the sauce with that bread!)

There are sooo many varieties of clams available in the world. These are called Little Necks, they are actually the second to smallest size clam that is legally harvestable in the U.S. Some people call these Northern Quohogs and some call them round clams or chowder clams. What makes these clams special is that, as it's name indicates, they have an itty bitty neck, unlike it's cousin the Steamer clam with it's long neck that sticks out of it's shell. Also, unlike the Steamer clam, Little Necks don't have much to speak of in their bellies. It's really mostly flesh, yum!

There are sooo many varieties of clams available in the world. These are called Little Necks, they are actually the second to smallest size clam that is legally harvestable in the U.S. Some people call these Northern Quohogs and some call them round clams or chowder clams. What makes these clams special is that, as it’s name indicates, they have an itty bitty neck, unlike it’s cousin the Steamer clam with it’s long neck that sticks out of it’s shell. Also, unlike the Steamer clam, Little Necks don’t have much to speak of in their bellies. It’s really mostly flesh, yum!

The first step, as with ANY clam you use, is to wash it inside and out. This may sound odd, but clams are generally sold with some sand and salt residue still remaining on the outside and there is nothing worst than biting into a clam and crunching on sand. Although, a sandy inside is not usually a huge issue with Little Necks, I still like to err on the side of caution. So, clams are zipped up pretty tightly... how do you get the inside clean you ask? Well, its simple, you need to provide them with an environment in which they might feel comfortable opening up their shells to take in some water. I do this with cold cold cold tap water and salt. And it works every time. Sometimes I throw some black pepper in there to make them sneaze, mostly I just do that with Steamer clams though.

The first step, as with ANY clam you use, is to wash it inside and out. This may sound odd, but clams are generally sold with some sand and salt residue still remaining on the outside and there is nothing worst than biting into a clam and crunching on sand. Although, a sandy inside is not usually a huge issue with Little Necks, I still like to err on the side of caution. So, clams are zipped up pretty tightly… how do you get the inside clean you ask? Well, its simple, you need to provide them with an environment in which they might feel comfortable opening up their shells to take in some water. I do this with cold cold cold tap water and salt. And it works every time. Sometimes I throw some black pepper in there to make them sneeze, mostly I just do that with Steamer clams though.

Here are the main ingredients you will need.

Here are the main ingredients you will need.

While the washing is taking place, it’s a good time to prep your ingredients. Chop an onion into thin quartered slices.

Saute in olive oil over medium heat.  Add in a pinch of kosher salt.

Next, you will need quite a bit of garlic for this recipe. Chop up about 6-8 cloves of garlic.

Next, you will need quite a bit of garlic for this recipe. Chop up about 6-8 cloves of garlic.

Add in to the onions once the onions have softened a bit.

Now add in the juice of half a lemon, the lemon half itself, some chopped flat leaf parsley and about 1 cup of dry white wine.

Simmer the ingredients together bringing to a boil over high heat.

Simmer the ingredients together bringing to a boil over high heat.

Drain your cleaning water from the clams and add the clams to your pot.

Cover. Keep your burner on high and do not remove your lid. The cooking process is a steam.

Cover. Keep your burner on high and do not remove your lid. The cooking process is a steam.

This is the pot 8 minutes into cooking. Do not remove lid!

This is the pot 10 minutes into cooking… If you look at the clams, some are starting to open, but not all. Do not remove the lid! But, start watching the pot, you don’t want to over cook shellfish, it will get tough.  Little Necks are tough to start off with, they don’t need any more help getting there.

Ah, 12 minutes in and finally! All the clams have opened up. Now, turn off your burner. Still, do not remove the lid! Give it about two minutes in the steam. Then they are ready!

Add in some lemon slices and more chopped parsley, and don't forget the broth!

Add in some lemon slices and more chopped parsley, and don’t forget the broth!

Recipe for Little Necks in Garlic Wine Sauce (Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato):

(serves 10 – 12) 

4 lbs. Little Neck Clams

4 Tbs. olive oil

1 c. dry white wine

1 lemon, 1/2 reserved and sliced for garnish

6-8 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced

6 Tbs. parsley, chopped, 1/2 reserved for garnish

Kosher salt

Directions:

Wash clams with cold water and a good amount of kosher salt (1-2 Tbs.).  Let sit in salted water for about 15 mins.

Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat, add in a pinch of salt.  Add in garlic, continue to saute.  When softened add in the juice of half a lemon plus the lemon shell itself, parsley and about a cup of dry white wine.  Bring to a boil.

Drain clams from their cleaning salt water.  Add clams to boiling liquid. Cover immediately.  Check on them every few minutes until they are all open.  This is best done with a clear lid.  If you don’t have a clear lid, don’t bother checking until 10 minutes into the cooking time.  After about 12 minutes all the clams should be opened.  Keep lid on the pot and turn off the burner.

Serve and enjoy!

*note: this is a gluten-free dish.

It is nice to have either a separate pot at a party with sauce… But, I like to build my own… Here is what I do.

I like to put some olive oil in my plate.

Then I add in some of the cooked onions, garlic and parsley.

I personally like to add in some hot sauce. If you are doing this in a bowl for people to add themselves, I would leave the hot sauce on the side. Mix this together a bit.

Add some lemon, some more parsley and a nice piece of bread.

Add some broth, lemon, some more parsley and a nice piece of bread.

Stacy’s Best Potato Salad

AAAdone1My Dad LOVES potato salad.  I don’t ever remember a time when there would be a family gathering or a cook out without it.  So, years and years ago, I set out to make the very best potato salad there could ever be.  I must preface this by first stating that I was never a huge fan of potato salad to start off with.  This made my task a bit daunting, but I was up for the challenge!

Most potato salad you encounter consists of some bland boiled potatoes tossed with some cold mayo and if you’re lucky there will be some salt and pepper thrown in.  Well, get that image out of your mind… this is not that.

Once my quest to develop the “best” potato salad was complete, it was a regular request from friends, family and co-workers!  Everywhere I went, requests for this potato salad would follow. (So, be careful… because once you make it, it may be all people ask you to bring too! But, it’s so easy, that might be just fine with you.)  I often get the comment, “I don’t even like Potato Salad, but I love Stacy’s Potato Salad, it’s the only one I will eat.”  And quite honestly, it’s the only one I will eat too, as I mentioned, I am not a big fan of Potato Salad in general.

I think what makes it different is a combination of both ingredients and method.  If you follow along, you will get perfect results every time.  In the end, you will find this is a hybrid of potato salad and egg salad (the egg adds not only flavor, but an extra special creaminess.) The sauce itself lends some tartness from the mustard and crunch from the relish and an ever so slight backdrop of heat from the hot sauce and black pepper.

Let’s get started.

raw potatoes

I start with red bliss potatoes. For this recipe I am using about 3 lbs. of potatoes, which is enough for a regular night. If you are looking to bring this to a party or a cookout, you are going to want to double or even triple the recipe. This recipe doubles and triples very well.

fill pot water

Fill a pot with COLD water. Don’t turn the burner on until after you have placed your potatoes in.

potatoes in water

Dice to about the size of a quarter or slightly larger. Place in COLD salted water. This is necessary. If you place the potatoes in boiling water, you will change the consistency of the potato.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil until fork tender.

eggs in water

Once you get the potatoes going. Get your eggs started. Place the eggs in a pot and cover with COLD water. Bring the water to a boil and shut off the burner. Immediately cover the pot and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain water and cover with cold water to chill. Perfect hard-boiled egg every time!

hard boiled egg halfs

A perfect hard-boiled egg. (Sometimes I make an extra one and reserve for a sliced garnish, not today though)

chopped egg

Chop and set aside.

mayonaise

Start the sauce off with mayo. Your favorite jarred will be fine. But, be sure it is REAL mayonnaise, not dressing.

add hot sauce

To the real mayonnaise add mustard (just plain yellow), relish (i use dill) a pinch of salt, a couple swigs of your favorite hot sauce and lots and lots of fresh cracked black pepper. My Dad loves black pepper, so I put in close to a full teaspoon of it. You can adjust this to your taste.

add egg

Now, add in the chopped egg.

mix it up

Stir together to combine.

add mixture

When the potatoes are done cooking and you find that they are fork tender, drain the water, but do not run cold water over to cool. You want the potatoes to be warm, even hot for this next step. Pour the mixture over the potatoes in the pot you cooked them in (this way you aren’t messing up another bowl.)

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This is what you end up with. Sprinkle with paprika and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

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Once chilled, you are ready to serve. Enjoy!

Recipe for Stacy’s Best Potato Salad:

(serves 6)

3 lbs. red bliss potatoes, diced.

6 qts. cold salted water

3/4 cup real mayonnaise

2 Tbs. yellow mustard

2 Tbs. dill relish

1 tsp. hot sauce

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

pinch of kosher salt to taste

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

dash of paprika

Directions:
Prepare potatoes by placing diced potatoes in cold salted water.  Bring water to a boil and watch for potatoes to become fork tender.

In the meantime, prepare sauce for salad. Mix together the real mayonnaise, mustard, relish, hot sauce, black pepper and salt.  Add in the chopped eggs.  Mix to combine.

Drain the potatoes and keep drained potatoes in the cooking pot.  Add in the mayo mixture.  Stir to combine.  The potatoes and egg yolks will meld together.  Top with a sprinkle of paprika.  Let come to room temperature and chill for 2 hours.

Enjoy!

note: this recipe is gluten-free.

note: if you don’t like the taste of one of the ingredients, add a little less, but try not to eliminate it.  For example, my sister is not a big fan of mustard at all, so I add a little less when she is coming over, but I don’t eliminate it as each ingredient has a chemical reason for being in the recipe.  (and she loves it)