Sweet Suppertime

heavy on the butter and sugar...

Disneyland Bengal BBQ (copycat)

by Leave a Comment

If you hang around our family, or this blog, long enough you will have no trouble figuring out that we are Disneyland fans.  Let me think of a stronger term…fanatics.  We love Disneyland.  We have often talked about how Disneyland takes us to another land and it’s the land of our childhood.  Raising six kids with Disney movies and trips to sunny California (thank you soccer and baseball trips), we have created more than a few memories inside the park. 

I remember on one trip, we had been inside the park so often and had completely satiated our need to ride the rides.  One morning at the hotel my oldest pulled out a map of Disneyland.  He tore the map into “lands”.  The family brainstormed a game we could play together.  In the end, we all put our names in a hat and drew out teams.  Two people per team.  The rules were a simple game of hide-and-seek.  Once we had our teams, each team drew a folded “land” from the torn-up map.  Each team had to start in their land, ride one ride and then they could move about the park in any manner they chose.  If you found another team you took a photo of the team and sent it to the group.  That team was then “out”. The last team standing received some prize and I don’t think any of us could tell you what the prize was. 

I’ll never forget hiding behind a large tree near The Haunted Mansion with Michael and us both looking at our phones only to see a photo of our backsides as we hid behind the tree.  We had come out of hiding long enough to stand in a line to get a pass of all passes during the year of a million dreams.  We knew the risks.  We accepted them and we paid the price. If I’m not mistaken, Tod and Keven won The Game that day.  In all fairness, Tod had his wallet and he and Keven got new shirts and hats to go full incognito.

I don’t know when our tradition of stopping at The Bengal Barbeque started, but it was around this time.   Often, now, you will hear one of us say “hey, I am stopping at The Bengal BBQ for a banyan, I will catch up to you”.  Just as often that person is followed by several others to grab a skewer of meaty and saucy deliciousness.  We all have our favorites.  So much so that Lacey stopped at Town Hall and requested the recipe.

Earlier this week we celebrated Katey’s birthday.  For a family who is on a Disneyland Diet (due to Covid-19), it seemed appropriate to celebrate in Bengal Barbeque style.  Lacey has made a few adjustments to the recipe because that is what we do. It was delicious! As we reminisced about Disneyland and Katey we played music from the Tiki Room and Indiana Jones and hoped that some of those present would be able to use their season passes soon.

Here’s to family memories, holding out hope, great memories still to be had, season passes, and a family who is always game to be a child again.  Oh—and to the creation of The Game which will stand in Balser history forever.

Hope you have fun whipping up these magical skewers and don’t forget to turn on the tiki music.

Chieftain Chicken Skewers

Serving Size:
6-8
Time:
15 minutes
Difficulty:
easy

Ingredients

  • 6 whole cloves
  • 2 T. red wine vinegar
  • 1 C. ketchup
  • 1/2 C. crushed pineapple
  • 1/2 C. brown sugar
  • 1/2 C. soy sauce
  • 1/4 C. orange juice concentrate
  • 3 T. water

Directions

  1. Simmer cloves in red wine vinegar for 5-10 minutes
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes
  3. Brush on grilled or baked chicken skewers

Bengal Beef Skewers

Serving Size:
6-8
Time:
15 minutes
Difficulty:
easy

Ingredients

  • 1 C. teriyaki sauce
  • 1 C. soy sauce
  • 1 T. red wine vinegar
  • 1 C. brown sugar
  • 1/2 C. sherry cooking wine
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 1 T. ground black pepper
  • 2 T. fresh ginger
  • 1 T. fresh garlic

Directions

  1. Add all ingredients to a sauce pot and simmer 5-8 minutes
  2. Brush over sirloin steak skewers

Banyan Beef Skewers

Serving Size:
6-8
Time:
15 minutes
Difficulty:
easy

Ingredients

  • 1 C. soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 C. water
  • 1 T. ground black pepper
  • 3 T. sesame oil
  • 1 t. ground red pepper
  • 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
  • 1 t. fresh garlic
  • 1 T. corn starch

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients except corn starch, and bring to a boil
  2. Add enough water to the corn starch to make a bit of a paste, add it to the boiling mixture and remove from the heat once it is thickened.
  3. Brush over sirloin baked or grilled steak skewers

Steak with Rosemary and Garlic

by Leave a Comment

steak, steak marinade, steak sauce, steakhouse steaks

There are times when you want to make something really special for dinner.  You want a restaurant-style experience without the price and without hiring a babysitter.  I have six kids.  Most of them are grown and gone but I remember those early years of motherhood with fondness and sometimes fatigue and frustration.   We didn’t always have the budget for a nice evening out and we didn’t always have a babysitter available.  Enter the rosemary and garlic marinated steak. This meal has been served on many special occasions at our house.  Events like anniversaries, birthdays and New Years Eve are ones that quickly come to mind.  Sometimes we would put the kids to bed and make dinner and other times we put out our best dinnerware and had a beautiful etiquette-teaching meal.   My favorite steak to use is a 2-inch thick porterhouse steak but the process for any steak is the same and it always packs big flavor.  Use whatever steak you have available to you or splurge and ask the butcher to cut you a nice thick porterhouse.

Start by placing sprigs of fresh rosemary on both sides of the steak along with several slices of fresh garlic.  Wrap the steak and refrigerate for about 8 hours.

steak and herbs About 20 minutes before you are ready to start cooking the steak remove it from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.  Heat a heavy (cast iron if possible) to medium heat and drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet.  Sear the steak on both sides WITH the rosemary and garlic.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Steak and Rosemary Reduce heat and add 1/2 cup red wine, apple juice or bouillon.  I found this nice little cooking wine that I used because I don’t have alcohol in the house.  🙂  Preheat your oven to 375°.

cooking wine Simmer 2 minutes while the oven is heating.  Place the steak, uncovered, in the oven for about 25 minutes.  Turn the steak every 10 minutes.   Cook to your desired doneness.  During the last 5 minutes of cooking place a tablespoon of butter on top of the steak.  That’s just a delicious idea.

Remove the steak from the oven and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.  This is where I add a bit of salt to the steak.  Cover with a piece of foil to keep the heat in.   (The steaks I made today were plated as individuals, not sliced.)  While the steak (or steaks) are resting,  we will work on the sauce that is poured over the steak for serving.

Remove the large sprigs of rosemary from the pan.  To the drippings add 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 2 green onions chopped, 1 rounded tablespoon of jalapeno jelly and 1/4 cup additional red wine or your substitute.  If I don’t have jalapeno jelly handy I use 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes with about a tablespoon of brown sugar.  Look at us making rational substitutions!   Whisk together until well incorporated over a low simmer.

sauce for sliced steak Pour warm sauce over steak and serve immediately.  You know what is a great side dish for this steak?  Loaded Red Potatoes!  Garnish with fresh rosemary.

Look at your calendar and see what special occasions you have coming up in your life.  My kids still remember feeling so important when I cooked this for them as young children.  Something I couldn’t afford to do with them at a fancy restaurant became a happy memory.

Steak with Rosemary and Garlic

 

Steak with Rosemary and Garlic
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
With just a little preparation you will end up with a delicious restaurant quality steak. Make it for a special occasion in your family.
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Ingredients
  • Steak, your choice. I love to have a butcher cut me a 2-inch thick porterhouse steak. For this post I used 4 rib eye steaks because I was feeding a crowd.
    For The Marinade
  • 4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • olive oil
  • butter
  • ½ cup red wine or use apple juice or sweetened broth
    For The Sauce
  • drippings from pan
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ¼ cup addition red wine, apple juice or broth
  • 1 rounded tablespoon of jalapeno jelly or ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
  1. Layer steak or steaks with sprigs of fresh rosemary and garlic slices.
  2. Wrap and refrigerate for about 8 hours.
  3. Remove the steak from the fridge 20 minutes before you are ready to start cooking.
  4. Preheat oven to 375°
  5. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet and bring to medium heat.
  6. Brown steak, with rosemary and garlic, on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until it develops nice color.
  7. Reduce the heat under the skillet and add red wine.
  8. Simmer 2 minutes.
  9. Put the skillet with the steak/steaks in the oven for approximately 25 minutes; turning them every 10 minutes.
  10. During the last 5 minutes of cooking place 1 pat of butter on each steak.
  11. Remove from the oven and place on a plate.
  12. Lightly salt the steak and cover with foil.
  13. To the drippings in the pan add tablespoons butter, soy sauce, green onions chopped, jalapeno jelly and ¼ cup additional red wine.
  14. Over low heat whisk together until completely incorporated.
  15. Slice the steak, especially if you are using the thicker porterhouse cut. Or plate the steaks you have cooked an individual steak for your guests.
  16. Pour sauce over the cooked steak.
  17. Garnish with fresh rosemary.
  18. Serve.
  19. Great with Loaded Red Potatoes.

 

Bandit Style Steak and Baked Bean Nachos

by Leave a Comment

 

copycat bandits steak nachos, steak nachos

You’re right.  You don’t really need a recipe for this.

However–you just might love having the idea of the flavors that make this appetizer a winner.  My family tried a nacho appetizer like this one at a nearby restaurant and we LOVED it so much that we knew we would have to put together our own version.  The combination of sweet baked beans with the savory steak just hits home.

This delicious dish is one reason that I like to have frozen slices of flank steak available in my fridge.  It only takes a few minutes in my cast iron skillet to get it ready for the nachos.  While it’s cooking I warm up the baked beans, slice up the onion and avocado and grate the cheese.  I like using a couple of different layers of cheese.  I firmly believe that no tortilla chip should come to this mouthwatering party undressed.

Lay down a layer of chips and cover them with a handful of grated cheese.  Put it in your oven or microwave just long enough to get the cheese starting to melt.   Add baked beans by spoonfuls on top of the cheesy chips and toss on your cooked steak bites.  Now throw on another handful of cheese and pop it back in the oven or microwave until that top layer of cheese is melted.  I usually use my microwave oven and this is why I like the fine grated cheese for this recipe–it doesn’t have to hang out in the microwave very long to melt.  Top with onions and avocados, a dollop of sour cream and a drizzling of salsa or picante sauce.   (I’ve been known to carmelize onions for this dish too–if you have the time it’s worth the taste).

Serve it to the waiting masses…. in my case that’s Keven, my adorable son.  He’s had these three days in a row for his after school snack.

steak nachos, bandit steak nachos

**if you are using canned baked beans, do yourself a favor and drain them really well, add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar and warm them on the stove top to get rid of the “tin can” taste.

Bandit Style Steak and Baked Bean Nachos
 
Print
These make such a great appetizer for any party or gathering. Currently my son loves them as his after school snack...
Author:
Cuisine: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • tortilla chips
  • 1 cup shredded cheese, divided
  • 1 cup baked beans ( This recipe tastes best when the beans are a bit sweeter than usual. If I make them from scratch, I add a little extra sugar to my recipe. If I buy a can I add a couple of tablespoons of sugar to the prepared beans and bake the beans again to make sure that they are nice and thick. Runny beans just won't do for this recipe.
  • 1 chopped green onion
  • 1 avocado cut into chunks
  • a dollop ofsour cream
  • 1 cup thinly sliced flank steak
  • salsa or chopped tomatoes
Instructions
  1. Saute steak with salt and pepper in olive oil until desired doneness
  2. Place tortilla chips on a large platter in a single layer.
  3. Top with ½ cup cheese and place in the microwave or conventional oven until just melted.
  4. Add baked beans, by spoonfuls, on top of the cheese.
  5. Add cooked steak.
  6. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese.
  7. Place in the microwave just long enough for the cheese to melt. This takes my microwave about 2 minutes on 70% power.
  8. Top with sliced green onion and avocado chunks.
  9. Add a dollop of sour cream garnished with sliced green onions and cheese.
  10. Finish with salsa or chopped tomatoes and serve immediately.

 

Freezing Steak Strips

by Leave a Comment

I’ll probably repeat this sentence a few times over the course of this blog.  I don’t love working with meat.  Let me rephrase that.  I do not love cleaning up after trimming raw meat.  It’s bothersome.  I am ready to rock and roll and make something great and I am stuck cleaning and wiping and making sure no little bacteria’s have scampered off to reek havoc on the next dish I make.  So I like to handle the raw meat once in preparation for using it for several dishes.   Additionally if I happen across a great little flank steak on sale, but it’s not on the menu, I buy it and rather than freezing it whole or rearranging my menu plan, I prep it for easy use later.

My family loves steak sandwiches, steak nachos, steak fajitas, stroganoff, beef stir fry….well you get the point.  I bet your family does as well.  I’m making steak nachos in a few days, you will want to check back for that recipe!

This is how I suggest freezing steak strips. Take a minute and rinse the steak.  Pat it dry and lay it on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Pop it in the freezer for about one hour. This makes the meat just firm enough to slice easily with a sharp knife.  Genius.

Remove the meat from the freezer and quickly cut it, cross grain, into thin strips.  I like to leave them in long strips because it gives me the option to cut it further later, or use it in all its long marbled fat glory.

Now, lay the cut strips on your parchment lined baking sheet, in a single layer, and put them in the freezer until they are firm.   This takes about an hour.  Add any seasonings you might like; I freeze mine just as they are so that I keep the variety of future use wide open. freezing steak

Put the frozen strips in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.  I like to use them within a few months.  Let’s be honest… sliced prepared steak…busy schedules… this meat is not hanging out in the freezer for long.   It’s easy to grab a handful and start cooking!   According to the FDA steak can remain frozen for 6 to 12 months.  Remove as much air from the bag as you can and if you know you won’t be using it in the near future overwrap it with freezer paper or double bag it.  Remember, for this post we are not thawing a steak, slicing and freezing.  We are working with a fresh piece of meat, freezing only until it  becomes firm and then continuing the freezing process.  Does that make sense.  We don’t want to thaw, freeze, thaw freeze…. well you get the idea.  If you have questions on this do some research on that FDA link.

**I use the parchment I have lined the pan with to put layers between some of the meat.

freezing steak strips

 

Now, with all that steak trimmed and ready to use, you are armed and dangerous.  Beef up that dinner menu for the week.  Pun intended 🙂

 

Holiday Meatballs

by Leave a Comment

We’ve been serving up these festive meatballs for years at our family Christmas Eve Party.  The main players in this yummy dish are: chili sauce, cranberry sauce and sauerkraut.  I know what you are thinking, “who in their right mind would mix those ingredients together and call them festive?”  Try it…you will go home with an empty, sticky pan.
This dish is delicious served by itself or you can take along a bowl of rice.  Last year I forgot the rice and as I was lingering in the kitchen I heard several people ask where the rice was.  I guess that means that even a humble bowl of rice has become a Christmas tradition.  I’ve made this recipe starting from scratch with homemade meatballs, homemade cranberry sauce and homemade chili sauce and I’ve made it the easy way with precooked meatballs, canned cranberry sauce and purchased chili sauce.  It’s great either way!
Holiday Meatballs just before I pop them in the oven
sauerkraut, brown sugar, chili sauce and whole-berry cranberry sauce
all those yummy sauces with spices stirred in

Holiday Meatballs
 
Print
You will love the unqiue combination of flavors and the absolute beauty of this dish!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1⅓ cups whole-berry cranberry sauce
  • 1½ cups chili sauce (the chunky kind)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1½ cups sauerkraut
  • 1 cup water
  • ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • *two dozen meatballs {already cooked}
  • Fresh/Frozen cranberries to toss on top just before cooking
  • Cooked rice if desired
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, sauerkraut, water, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and cinnamon.
  2. Stir until well blended and pour evenly over meatballs.
  3. Top with a handful of fresh or frozen cranberries sprinkled across the top.
  4. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
  5. Serve as an appetizer or over a bowl of rice.

Meatloaf–no leftover style

by Leave a Comment

I have vacillated back and forth as to whether I wanted to post my meatloaf recipe.  It’s not like I want to keep it a secret…
Quite simply it is because I did not want to photograph meatloaf!  There you have it.  You must admit that a slab of meat on a plate just might not be as photogenic as say….a cheesecake or bacon wrapped asparagus spears.
The long and short of it is that I make meatloaf at least once a month.  It’s a family favorite and every time my family starts putting “dibbs” on the leftovers for their sandwich the next day I tell myself that I might be able to airbrush the meatloaf and make it look as good as it is.   Tonight I decided that the cute little loaded potatoes and creamed peas took some of the pressure off of the meatloaf and that I might be able to document the meatloaf recipe after all.  Don’t judge the photo until you have tasted the meatloaf.

Meatloaf   by Sweet Suppertime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 pounds lean ground beef (break into chunks)
2 eggs beaten
1 onion chopped
1 1/3 cups bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup Buffalo Wing Sauce (or barbecue sauce or if you are out of everything mix 1/3 cup ketchup with 1 TB specialty type mustard)

In a large bowl combine beaten eggs with ground beef and mix with hands or by spoon until well blended.  Add onion, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper and buffalo sauce and mix well.  I like doing this with my hands, it just feels like I get everything worked around nice and evenly.
Place in an ungreased bread pan.  I bake mine in a bread pan my mother gave me and when I measured it at the bottom it was 9 inches long and six inches wide.
After I pat the meatloaf into the pan I like to make a little bit of a well in the middle with my fingers, just so the meat is at it’s shallowest point in the middle.  Somehow I think it cooks better and more evenly this way.

Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 or until desired doneness.  Bake the first 30 minutes under foil and remove the foil for the last 45 minutes.  During the last 15 minutes of baking I like to drizzle additional Sweet Buffalo Wing Sauce over the top, about a 1/4 cup in total.  I have been known to add sliced mushrooms as well:)

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting to a platter.  Slice and serve!  If there are leftovers, consider meatloaf sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.  It’s one of my kids’ favorite lunches.

Tuscan Zuppa

by Leave a Comment

Today was a unique day for me.  Today I helped with a family luncheon after the funeral of the father of a friend of mine.  It was a cold, blustery day and I was glad that the weather abated for just a few hours after the funeral for the interment.  The family gathered at our church after the burial and the good women of our neighborhood brought warm comforting soup and rolls to the church so that the family could sit together and celebrate the life of someone they loved.  It was a day that I spent thinking about life and the people that I love so much.  Center to that list is my own father who I am lucky enough to call “daddy”.  So today we whipped up one of our own favorite soups for supper and I found myself wishing I could share a bowl with my own father.  I’m doing the next best thing and posting the recipe for him.  It’s a bit spicy so adjust it to your own likes…and share it with someone you love.
Tuscan Zuppa  Sweet Suppertime
 
1 pound spicy Italian sausage (scrambled)
1 pound hamburger (scrambled)
4-5 stalks chopped celery
1 red bell pepper sliced or chopped
1 yellow bell pepper sliced or chopped
1 chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 small zucchinis chopped in bits the size of your thumb
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 large (about 30 oz) can stewed or diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can white beans ( you pick, I like great northern)
Enough water to cover all your happy, colorful ingredients
In a large pot combine meats and spices along with the chopped onion and chopped celery.  When the meats have browned nicely add the chopped garlic and bell peppers.  When the peppers look like they are wilting add the rest of the ingredients.  I personally like to add the zucchini in the last hour of the crock pot stage if you are using a crock pot…if you are using a stove top pot I like adding it in the last few minutes leaving a little crunch to the zucchini.  Simmer on the stove top for 30 minutes or all day on low in your crock pot.
 
 
 
 

Fajita Seasoning

by Leave a Comment

You’ve got to love holiday food.  Turkey, ham, turkey, something involving cranberries, more turkey.  But there comes a point where I just cant take it anymore, eventually even the thought of turkey or any other gravy laden leftover makes me cringe a little.  My husband and I hit our anti-turkey wall today.  We needed a little zip, a little culinary kick if you will, so we did what any couple suffering from an excess of turkey would do. We whipped up some south of the boarder goodness.  There’s a lot to be said for a few tortillas and fresh salsa after a two day sweet potato binge.

Our fiesta amid today’s snowstorm couldn’t be complete without our South American standby: fajita seasoning. This recipe is a combination of all my favorite Mexican restaurant flavors. I use it on everything.  A teaspoon or so spices up tortilla soup and a dash adds kick to otherwise boring canned black beans. Today I used it as a rub for my fajita meat.  After slicing up my chicken in my brand new Cuisinart food processor {one of my lovely Christmas presents} I massaged about a teaspoon and a half of this fajita seasoning into the meat before tossing it in my frying pan.

Since I’m only cooking for two, a batch of this seasoning will get me through two or three dinners.  I keep any extra in an air tight container near the rest of my spices.

Fajita Seasoning

2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 chicken bullion cube {crushed}
*If I’m craving extra kick I’ll add 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all the spices together and add to fajita meat/veggies.