15 September 2014 - Grilled Steak Fajitas with Dave's Barefoot Blue Margarita

Winding Down Our Summer Family Dinners - Grilled Steak Fajitas, with sautéed Tri-color peppers and Onions, shredded Colby-Jack Cheese topped with Pico de Gallo with Flour and White Corn Tortillas, Boracho Beans, Mexican Rice and Nachos with Guacamole Chips - Paired with Dave's Barefoot Blue Margarita!

Serves 2 adults and 5 children.

Preperation |

Create the Pico de Gallo in the morning to allow the flavors to combine.  Dice the tomatoes, onions, jalapeno and a handful of the cilantro and mix in a bowl.  Squeeze the juice of 2 limes and refrigerate.

Slice the bell peppers and onions, place in bowl and pour Fajita Marinade, Saute in a pan on the grill until tender, ~20 minutes. Dice the Velveeta Cheese into 1 inch cube and place into sauce pan with Rotel, heat on medium low heat, stirring often. Heat Beans and Rice per package directions.  Grate Colby-Jack Cheese into bowl and get ready for fajita assembly.

Grill the steak, marinated bell peppers and onions at the same time, once the steak is finished, allow to rest and heat up the flour and white corn tortillas on the grill, while the marinated bell peppers and onions finish.  Assemble the Fajitas, with steak, marinated peppers and onions, grated cheese and pico de gallo.

Fill an individual serving bowls with tortilla chips and queso.  Garnish the Boracho Beans, with the Pico de Gallo.

Pour Margarita ingredients into Cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake for ~one minute until the outside of the shaker chills.  Strain into glass filled with ice, garnish with a slice of lime.  Note: Use Silver Tequila, because if you use a gold tequila you will have Dave's Sea-foam Green Margarita.

Ingredients |

3lbs Marinated Flank Steak (We like Fiesta's)
1 each red, yellow and orange bell pepper
2 white onions
1 bottle of Fajita Marinade (We like Claude's)
1 8oz block Colby-Jack Cheese 
10 flour tortillas
10 white corn tortillas
3 cans pinto beans (2 regular, 1 with jalapenos)
2 boxes of Spanish Rice
1/2 package of Velveeta Cheese
1 can rotel
Tortilla Chips
Guacamole Tortilla Chips

Pico de Gallo | 

4 tomatoes
1 white onion
1 jalapeno
1 bunch of cilantro
2 limes

Dave's Barefoot Blue Margarita |

2 oz Sauza Silver Tequila
2 oz Limeade
1 oz Blue Curacao
1/2 oz of Agave Nectar

08 September 2014 - Grilled Salmon with a Red Wine Demi-Glaze.

Grilled Salmon, Sweet Summer Corn, Black Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Bacon and Asparagus with a Red Wine Demi Glaze Paired with Bridgeview Blue Moon Pinot Noir.

Serves 2 adults and 5 children.

Preperation |

Season Salmon lightly with olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  Grill, skin side down and rotate (do not flip) for about 10 minutes until salmon flakes with a fork.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add the diced onion and cook on medium high heat until the onions are translucent. Add the Red Wine, Corn Stock and Brown Sugar and bring to a boil for about 10 mins, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 20 mins until slightly thickened.  Use a small ladle and top grilled salmon.

In a sauce pan add the corn, black beans and red bell pepper, cook on medium high heat for about 30 minutes until the red bell peppers are tender,  Grill the bacon, set aside and let cool, add bacon (broken into bit size pieces) once the corn, black beans, red bell pepper mixture is plated.

For the Asparagus, place in microwaveable dish, drizzle with olive oil and the juice of one lemon, add kosher salt, fresh ground pepper to taste, microwave for 6 minutes.

Ingredients |

2 pounds wild caught Salmon
2 cans Sweet Corn, drained and saved
2 cans Black Beans, drained
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 package of bacon
2 packages of fresh asparagus
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 Lemon

Red Wine Demi-Glaze
2 tablespoons butter
1 white onion, diced
1 cup red wine
1 cup corn stock, drained from canned corn
1/2 cup brown sugar

01 September 2014 - Grilled Beef K-Bobs

Labor Day Family Dinner - Grilled K-Bobs, Marinated Beef, Red and Yellow Peppers, Onions, Zucchini, Grilled Pita Bread with a Tzatziki Sauce - paired with Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon.

Makes ~12 Skewers for 2 adults and 5 children.

Preparation |

In a large resealable plastic bag combine the marinade and cut beef sirloin, seal and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.  Soak bamboo skewers in water for about 2 hours so they do not burn on the grill. For the Pita Bread,  combine the olive oil and minced garlic in a small bowl and let marinate .

Tzatiziki Sauce, combine the greek yogurt and minced garlic in a bowl and refrigerate.

Assemble the skewers with marinated beef, bell peppers, onion, marinated beef, zucchini and repeat. Discard the marinade once the skewers are assembled.  Grill skewers for 10 minutes, turning every 2 1/2 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Once the skewers are completed, brush both sides of the Pita bread with the olive oil and garlic marinade and grill each side for 1 - 2 minutes, until slightly crisp. Cut the Pita Bread into 8th's.

Ingredients |

K-Bobs |

2 1/2 pounds beef sirloin cut in 1" cubes

2 red bell peppers cut in 1" x 1" pieces

2 yellow bell peppers cut in 1" x 1" pieces

2 sweet white onions cut into 8th's

2 Zucchinis sliced

1 package Pita Bread

1/2 cup Olive Oil

3 cloves minced garlic

Marinade |

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 pinch ground ginger

Tzatziki Sauce |

1 cup plain greek yogurt

4 minced garlic cloves

25 August 2014 - Pizza on the Grill

Back to School Family Dinner! Pizza on the Grill - Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Red, Yellow and Orange Bell Peppers, Sweet Onions with the famous house made sauce and Simple Salad - Paired The Other Red Blend!

Makes 2 Pizzas and Salad, for 2 adults and 5 children.

Preparation |

Dough |

In a bowl dissolve yeast in warm water and mix in sugar, let proof for 10 mins and frothy. Mix in salt, olive oil, flour and mix together with your hands.  Knead for 8 minutes until smooth then place in oiled bowl and cover with a damp paper towels. Set aside and let double, knock down and let double again. In a small bowl combine the olive oil and minced garlic and let marinate.

Sauce |

About 2 hours before lighting grill and making the pizza, put all the ingredients into sauce pan and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Pizza |

Separate dough into 2 balls and roll out on a floured wax paper surface, about 9" x 14". Brush olive oil and minced garlic marinade on both sides of dough.  When grill is ready, place all the coals on one side.  Place dough on hot side of grill until the dough lightly browns, about 1 minute, flip and brown the other side of the dough. Take the browned crusts inside and assemble pizza beginning at the bottom in this order: sauce, pepperoni, italian sausage, bell peppers, onions, mozzarella, Italian blend cheese and oregano crushed with your fingertips to open up the spice. Place assembled pizza on the cool side of the grill for indirect grilling, close grill lid and cook until cheese melts, about 7 - 10 minutes.

Salad |

Divide the mixed field greens, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, add the left over bell peppers, onions and Italian Blend Cheese, sprinkle the top of salad with a small amount of sugar and add dressing.

INGREDIENTS |

Dough |
1 package of active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 pinch white sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup olive oil

Sauce |
1/8 + cup olive oil
6 oz can tomato paste
12 oz water 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper 

Toppings |
1 package pepperoni
1 package sweet italian sausage
1 red bell pepper diced
1 yellow bell pepper diced
1 orange bell pepper diced
1 sweet white onion halved and sliced
2 packages shredded mozzarella 
1 package shredded Itailan blend cheese
oregano 

Salad |
1 package Mixed field greens
1 package Cherry tomatoes cut in half
Remaining bell peppers
Remaining onion
Remaining Italian Blend Cheese
Sugar
Italian dressing

Dedication

Several years ago while working in a fine dining restaurant, I was inspired by the variety of different foods, seasonal flavors and pairing food with wine and wanting to share a fine meal once a week with my family.  It provides the opportunity to expose my family to different meats and flavors, that goes beyond the traditional meat, starch and vegetable dinner that we enjoy the other 6 days of the week.  A bottle of wine is paired with the meal and shared with my wife. Our families fine meal occurs on Monday's, my day off, to allow ample time for the planning, shopping, prepping and cooking.  My hope is that you are inspired by the food and wine and you pick a day of the week that works best for your family.

Bon Appetite Avec Votre Famille!  

This blog is dedicated to my FAMILY  |  to my dad (the best pork steaks ever!), to my wife Kate for introducing me to a love of good food, to my children for the great time sharing this food and our great dinner conversations.