Corn on the Cob

From Steve's Mom :)

Prep

1. Look for corn with small kernels that are white or yellow in color. Peel back the husk at the store to check out the kernels.

2. Remove husks from corn.

3. Brush or run corn under cold water to remove the stringy stuff.

Microwave

A. For 2-3 ears of corn, wrap corn individually in plastic wrap (while the corn is still wet).

and microwave on high for 90 seconds per ear or until corn is tender.

B. For 4 or more ears of corn, put the corn in a large casserole dish without wrapping the corn and add 1/2 inch of water to corn in dish. Cover with lid and microwave on high at 5 minute intervals (rotating ears at each interval) until corn is tender.

To cook on outdoor grill, leave corn in husk.

NY Strip Steak

http://www.easysteakmarinades.net/Steak-Marinade-Recipe/best-steak-marinade/new-york-strip-steak-marinade.php

Marinade Recipe

Ingredients -

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon dried basil
4 New York strip steaks, 8 oz each
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons steak seasoning

Preparation:

Combine everything in a shallow glass dish.

Pierce the steaks all over with a fork and put them in the marinade.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Grill over a high heat until done.

(Serves 4)

**I used an All-Natural Worcestershire sauce from HEB. Comes in a brown bottle. I think it's pretty good stuff for about the same price. Brand name is "Lea & Perrins".

link to site for how to broil steak in the oven http://www.lindauerfarms.com/how_to_cook_steak/broiling_steak

Crab Cakes

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/my-crab-cakes/detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 3/8 cup olive oil
• 1 (16 ounce) can canned crabmeat, drained
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 8 ounces buttery round crackers, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or regular dry bread crumbs

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over high heat. Saute green onions briefly until tender; cool slightly.
2. Combine crabmeat, sauteed green onions, egg, mayonnaise, dry mustard, crushed crackers, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper. Form into 1/2 inch thick patties. Coat the patties with bread crumbs.
3. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook cakes until golden brown on each side. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve hot.

Thai Baked Salmon

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaiseafoodrecipes/r/bakedsalmon.htm

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Yield: SERVES 2-3

Ingredients:

* 2-3 salmon steaks or fillets, fresh or frozen, OR other type of fish, such as cod, sole, snapper, halibut, etc...
* BLACK BEAN SAUCE:
* 1/3 cup chicken stock
* 2 Tbsp. prepared black bean sauce, OR black bean garlic sauce (available by the jar at Asian/Chinese food stores)
* 2 Tbsp. sherry OR cooking sherry
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR fresh ginger, grated
* 1 Tbsp. lime juice
* 1 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in tall bottles at Asian/Chinese food stores)
* 1 Tbsp. brown sugar OR 1 tsp. white sugar
* 1-2 fresh red chilies, minced, OR 1/3 to 1/2 Tbsp. dried crushed chili (from the spice aisle)
* TOPPING:
* handful of fresh coriander
* 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
* drizzle of sesame oil

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. If using frozen fish, quickly thaw by floating the fish packet in a bowl or sink of tepid water. If using fresh fish, briefly rinse it and pat dry. Place fish in a covered, flat-bottomed baking dish. Set aside.
3. Combine all 'Black Bean Sauce' ingredients together, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Pour sauce over fish. Turn the fish once or twice so that it is saturated with sauce. You can either cover fish and leave to marinate OR bake right away.
4. Cover and bake (at 350 degrees) for 15-20 minutes (12-14 for thinner fillets, 15-20 for steaks), or until the inner flesh has turned firm and opaque (no longer translucent). Avoid over-cooking or the salmon will lose its natural succulence.
5. When fish is cooked, taste-test it with the sauce. (Taste Tip: The sauce should taste on the salty and spicy side, then when it's eaten with the fish and rice it'll be perfect.) Note that the saltiness of the sauce will depend on the type of stock you used. If not salty or flavorful enough, add another 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. fish sauce. If too salty, add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice. Add more chili if you'd like it spicier, or more sugar as desired.
6. Portion the fish out onto individual plates. Top with some of the black bean sauce from the baking dish plus a sprinkling of spring onion and fresh coriander. Drizzle with a little sesame oil and serve with rice and more of the black bean sauce on the side. ENJOY!

Spinach and Feta Hummus

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/spinach-and-feta-hummus/

Makes 10 servings.

30 ounces, weight Garbanzo Beans Drained
1-½ cup Fresh Spinach
8 ounces, weight Feta Cheese
⅓ cups Olive Oil
5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
4 Tablespoons Tahini
2 Tablespoons Red Pepper Flakes
2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
2 teaspoons Salt

Combine the garbanzo beans, spinach, olive oil, lemon juice and tahini in a large food processor. Pulse until combined. Add the feta, red pepper flakes, garlic and salt. Pulse until combined. Taste and add salt or more red pepper flakes if desired.

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-souvlaki-with-tzatziki-sauce-10000000698653/

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

Souvlaki:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into (1/2-inch-thick) slices
Cooking spray

Tzatziki Sauce:
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation
To prepare souvlaki, combine the first 5 ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to combine. Add chicken to bag; seal and shake to coat. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Thread the chicken and zucchini, alternately onto each of 4 (8-inch) skewers. Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add skewers; cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once.
To prepare tzatziki sauce, combine cucumber, yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 garlic clove, stirring well. Serve the tzatziki sauce with souvlaki.

Tabouli

With guest chef, Kenny for Mediterranean food night. :)

http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/recipe/tabouli-recipe/

Makes 4 servings.

1 cup bulgar
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 English cucumber
1/2 green pepper
5 green onions
1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
1 lemon juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Put bulghar in a bowl and stir in 2 cups of boiling water. Cover with a plate and let sit for 30 minutes. While the bulghar cooks you can prep the vegetables. Ideally the tomatoes, cucumber and green pepper are all chopped the same size, a dice of about 3/4 cm. When dicing the tomatoes and cucumber first de-seed them. Then chop the green onions very thinly.
Once bulgar is cooked put it in a fine mesh sieve and press out the water. Put in a salad bowl and add vegetables, parsley and mint. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. You want about ~1/2 teaspoon salt and ~1/4 teaspoon pepper but adjust for your tastes. Add dressing to tabouli salad and toss to combine.