WHAT'S FOR DINNER #3

So, I learned something new the other day.... 
One cannot live on 'stuff' like Diet Coke and frozen peanut butter cups. Believe me, I have tried!
Those two 'things' are delicious! The problem is the body expands at a perfect ratio to the number of peanut butter cups you eat. Oh, and just so you know, drinking a Diet Coke with chocolate does NOT cancel out the calories!

All is fine when you are working on the house and wearing gym shorts and t-shirts all the time. Then it comes time to put on real clothes. WOW. Time  to start eating healthy!

 Healthy doesn't have to be boring though.  Marinate some boneless turkey breasts (or chicken) and throw them on the grill. The grilling adds a whole new dimension to the flavor of the turkey. I have learned that to get a really great result when you cook poultry on the grill you have to cook it slowly and on lower heat. Don't poke it... use thongs. Put the poultry on the grill and close the lid. Check it occasionally and lift each piece carefully so it doesn't stick but DO NOT turn it over yet. Turn the meat when the top is no longer pink. It won't take long to finish and you will have a really tender, juicy piece of poultry. Slower cooking seals in the juices.

We served it up with a fresh broccoli salad and it was cool, light and refreshing. It looks pretty fancy also, but it was really easy. The salad is just the mix from Costco! A really nice size serving only has 150 calories.

So, healthy it has to be for a while... but there is always Sunday...

Blondies, anyone?

WHAT'S FOR DINNER #2

You would have thought Sami was going on a mission, or to prison or some-"thing", the way she was acting on Sunday while she was packing to go to BYU. "What are we going to have for my last dinner?", she asks. It's not like she won't be home every week or so, but I asked her what she would like anyway.  Usually it is BBQ ribs, but this time she said steak and potatoes. 

Good choice!

We decided to do Flank steak and pan fried potatoes just for a change. Flank steak is not a very popular cut of meat mainly because it is super lean and if it is not cooked correctly can be really tough. The secret to a really great Flank steak is a good marinade and then cooking it quickly over high heat. If done correctly, it is met in your mouth tender.

 This is what a perfectly cooked Flank steak looks like. It has a really nice crispy outside but still moist and tender on the inside. It is important to let your steak rest on the cutting board before slicing so that the juices can redistribute into the meat and not run out on the cutting board.

 Slicing the Flank steak across the grain and at a 45 degree angle add to the tenderness.

Do you want to know how I do Flank steak? Thought so... My marinade is a old secret recipe from my friend Kara, handed down through generations... Just kidding. It is a family recipe from Kara, but it is not secret, at least not any more.

GRILLED FLANK STEAK

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1 TBSP sugar

2 big TBSP minced garlic

1 TSP celery seed

Juice of TWO limes (that is the secret)

Put the marinade and a two pound Flank steak in a zip lock bag and shake to be sure the steak is covered. Lay bag flat. Flip it over every couple of hours to make sure the steak is evenly covered. It is best to do this overnight, but a couple of hours will work.

Heat your grill. Place you Flank steak in the middle of the hot grill and top with lots of fresh ground pepper. Put the cover down and cook for exactly seven minutes (six minutes if you want it more rare). Set a timer. Turn over and cook for seven more minutes. Flank steak is best eaten medium rare, however, my favorite part is the crunchy edges... delicious and full of flavor.

Let the steak rest for ten minutes then slice and serve.

It is excellent with mashers, rice pilaf,  baked potatoes, or just veggies or a salad. Oh, it makes amazing sandwiches when it is cold.

I did pan fried potatoes with our steak, however I boiled red potatoes with their skins first. When the potatoes were cool enough touch I sliced them about 1/4 inch thick. I heated some butter in a large skillet and sauteed some garlic for a few minutes. The butter makes the potatoes really brown and crispy, almost like hash browns. I added salt and fresh ground pepper then put the potatoes in a large baking dish, topped them with grated cheese and broiled them until the cheese was melted! They actually like fried baked potatoes! So good.

We topped the steak and potatoes with black bean salsa just to give it a little zip.

Give it a try... let me know how it goes! 

Oh, one other tip... Costco has a screaming deal on Flank steak.

melancholy parent moments...

Today is one of those sad, melancholy days that come in the life of a parent. Life is all about THINGs and STUFF and some of those things are not as fun as others. Stuff, like kids growing up, can be bittersweet. Your are thrilled that they have grown into such fine young adults but sad that they are making new paths that don't include you.

 Sami moved into her dorm at BYU this morning. She was pretty nervous but excited at the same time. This is the first time she has really been away from home for more 

than a week or so.
 

We got her STUFF all in and under the bed then...

...she thought she should at least make her bed before she left for leadership conference;

 and she wanted her room to "look kind-of cute" when her room mate checked in.

Although we are going to miss seeing Sami every day, we know she is doing what she needs to do. She will do great at BYU. Besides, she is only 45 minutes away... and there is alway 'face time', right? I have to keep telling myself that to keep from crying.

My baby girl is all 'growed' up!

FRESH SQUEEZED ANYONE?

So, I was making home made raspberry ice cream on Sunday for Deni's birthday party. I had all the "stuff" together and had already done most of the "things" like pureed the raspberries (so delicious and fresh) and added the sugar. Next step was to add the citrus. The recipe says you can use juice from concentrate but I think it is far better to use fresh squeezed juice. I set the "stuff" on the counter and -wow- it was really a pretty nice looking still life composition. Luckily I always have a camera close by.....

 Did you know that citrus reamers have been around for over two hundred years? The original reamers were really messy; but the saucer on the bottom wasn't added until the early 1900's. Unfortunately reamers became almost obsolete in 1940 when concentrated juices were introduced. Most reamers are now only available at thrift stores and tag sales.

Mine is vintage 1950.

The light was perfect! Perhaps if life ever slows down I will put this on canvas!

Happy juicing!

 

HALLOWEEN 2011 (a little late)...

When I posted the chandelier yesterday with all the hype for Halloween, I realized that I had never posted Halloween from last year.  Fall was nuts around our house and blogging wasn't happening... Scott came home from his mission mid-October, Erin had a birthday, we took the family to Disney Land for a bonding experience, we were in charge of MORP (PROM spelled backwards) at the high school, Scott had his homecoming and then there was Halloween... all in the course of two weeks.  Anyway,

"WELCOME TO THE GREATEST SHOW UN-EARTHED!" 

 The Draper family ready to run away and join the circus!

 The Ringmaster and Mistress!

 The stage is set... just waiting for nightfall for the party to begin.

 

 Nighttime on the midway...

 Welcome to the freak show... ENTER IF YOU DARE!

 Be careful where you sit... it is never wise to turn your back on a creepy clown. We learned that at Knots Berry Farm the week before....

 Sami (left) was an acrobat, Deni (center) was a fire eater and Erin (right) was a Gypsy fortune teller.  Scott was "Boris, the Strong Man". His line for the night was "I pick things up and I put them down" delivered in a thick Russian accent. Hilarious. 

 Welcome! We have been waiting for you!...

Detail of the entrance...

Halloween was awesome... even if I never use that word. Big things are already in the works for this year... after all, we only have two months and it is going fast!

Come see us on All Hallows Eve.... if you dare!

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

IT'S COMING.....

 

What's coming???

Oh, I think you know... 

 

...only two months until 'All-Hallows Eve'!

 

'Stay close to the candles, the stairs can be treacherous...'

SUMMER IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE!

 The hot weather is continuing to cook us on a daily basis but July has come to an end. August is here and it is time to put away the patriotic decor and start thinking about Fall. Before summer goes into storage I thought I would share some of our 'things and stuff' that help us celebrate Independence Day and SUMMER!

 Patriotic gumballs and a variety of stars and stripes mix with everyday items.

 The paper straws are now red and white but the decor always works around the ever present jar of raw almonds.... a quick, healthy snack on the run!

 What says summer more than watermelon! And remember.... "Love is All You Need!".
 

With lots of summer entertaining, the back yard gets into the spirit of the season also. Flags and party lights set the mood while the white sail awnings help keep the patio cool.


The time has come for summer to go away and to make room for the coming holidays of Fall... and you know how we are about those holidays!  BWAAHAAHAAHAAHAA!