Date Night Grilled Steak Salad

I’ve tried sitting down to write this post several times. Inevitably, life gets in the way. The 4 year old needs me to put on his shoes (something he’s done with zero help approximately 147 times) or the 7 year old has a story to tell me (I realize this may not be the case forever so I try to drop everything and listen when I can). Other times, I get a phone call or someone comes to the door or the dogs are getting antsy and need some attention. Finding the quiet space in my day that I need to focus on writing is difficult right now. Sure, I could just sit down and write something for the sake of getting words on a page, but that’s not what makes me feel good about posting here for you all. I want my words to be thoughtful and meaningful and honest. That is something that only comes with the proper conditions.

Right now, I’m sitting at my kitchen counter. It is dreary outside as we await a late spring snow storm, which is allowing the kids to sleep in a little longer than usual. I have my coffee. The dogs are snuggled up on their beds and all is quiet. So here I am. Soaking up one of the last mornings I’ll have like this in our home in Colorado. In just over 6 weeks, I’ll be doing this in my new kitchen in Minnesota. I’ve been quiet about this here because I hate saying goodbye. It feels like everything has to change and change makes my heart hurt. I’m so excited to be going back to my home state. I’ve been waiting for this for nearly a decade. But transitions are hard for me. Are they hard for you, too? How do you cope?

 One of the ways I’ve been dealing with our impending move is by making time with my husband a top priority. Even more than usual. We’ve started going climbing together, and sometimes following that up with a happy hour date involving margaritas, chips and salsa. Other days, we stay home and cook together. Just a week or so ago, we made this delicious grilled steak salad. We went to the store together and picked out the ingredients that looked best. Then, we came home and brought it all together into something simple, beautiful, and full of flavor. Nothing complicated. But the perfect meal to eat on our back patio while playing a game of scrabble and drinking wine.

Nurturing our relationship is the main thing that makes me feel grounded in life. Brad and I have been together for nearly 15 years, married for nearly 12. And still, after all that time, my soul needs time with him to feel settled and safe. Both our date nights at home and our dates out and about, whether they happen weekly or only once a month, are something I am thankful for.

This grilled steak salad doesn’t exactly need a recipe, but I’ve written one anyway ;) Now, take this as a sign that you need to carve out some time for you and your partner to reconnect! This is not something to brush aside. Instead, make it a top priority and everything else will fall into place a little easier as a result.

Date Night Grilled Steak Salad

*to make this recipe Whole 30 friendly, simply skip the bread! Done and done.

Serves 2 (maybe with leftovers)

• 1 ribeye steak (16 oz)

• 1 medium head of butter lettuce (or your favorite greens)

• cherry tomatoes on the vine (if you can find them)

• 1 ripe avocado, halved and pit removed

• 2 spring onions, trimmed and halved lengthwise

• Sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch slices

• Favorite dressing- we went with this store-bought dressing but we also love making our own!

1. Prepare your grill by bringing it to high heat. While you wait, season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle the tomatoes, bread slices, onions and avocado with olive oil. Wash the lettuce and tear into preferred size.

2. Begin by grilling the steak to desired doneness. We like medium rare, which takes about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t move the steak once you place it on the grill. You’ll get a nicer crust and it will not stick it you let it be. Remove the steak and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes on the vine, the avocado slices, the spring onions, and the bread to the grill. Grill until just cooked and charred in places, being careful not to let anything burn (i.e. don’t multitask). Remove everything from the grill.

4. To assemble the salad, arrange the lettuce on a large platter. Slice the steak and arrange on top of the lettuce along with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and serve with a nice (but affordable) red wine.

Chive Blossom & Cheddar Scrambled Eggs

My garden looks like an actual garden this year. Last year, thanks to my black lab who thought I must have left all those plants in there by accident and decided to...ahem...rearrange them...my garden looked disorganized and random. That experience made me feel like a bit of a gardening dummy. Fortunately, this year has gone more smoothly, everything is in nice, neat rows, and has remained in their intended places. At this moment, the most beautiful thing in my garden is the chive plant that came back from last year. It is a vibrant green with purple poof-ball flowers in a halo around the top. It killed me a little to cut those pretty blossoms, even if it was only a few. However, if you know me even a little, you know that I'd do anything for eggs. So in the end, it was all worth it for the Chive Blossom & Cheddar Scrambled Eggs.

I made these perfectly creamy, fluffy scrambled eggs this morning while the air outside was still somewhat cool and I had a 2 year-old batman running around in circles in the kitchen. I whisked the eggs with a touch of milk, which some purists may not appreciate, but I think it adds an extra bit of luxurious creaminess. A bit of melted butter in a pan over very low heat, some slow but constant stirring with a spatula, and some small cubes of cheddar resulted in the most perfect scrambled eggs. A sprinkling of chopped chives and their blossoms made this an ideal spring breakfast.

Have you used chive blossoms before? They have a delicate and sweet onion flavor that is even more mild than the chive itself. Chive blossoms are lovely sprinkled over soup, dips, and salads. What would you do with a bunch of these purple beauties?

Chive Blossom & Cheddar Scrambled Eggs

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons whole or 2% milk
• 1/4 cup small-cubed cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 3 or 4 chive blossoms, roughly chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the milk in a small bowl until smooth.
3. Pour the eggs into the pan along with the cubed cheddar and let sit for 30 seconds before pushing around in the pan with a spatula.
4. After about 3 or 4 minutes, the eggs should be mostly cooked through but still slightly wet. Remove the pan from the heat, continue to gently move the eggs around in the pan, and add the chopped chives.
5. Transfer the eggs to a plate and sprinkle with the chive blossoms and salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
6. Serve immediately.

Miso Deviled Eggs

How is it almost Easter already? I mean, seriously. Time needs to slow the train down. Despite the fact that this holiday often sneaks up on me, Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays when it comes to food. We are creatures of habit on my fathers side of the family and our spread always includes my grandma's deviled eggs, my aunt Joanne's sticky caramel rolls, my uncle Steve's Bloody Marys and, of course, lots of locally made sausage and a glazed ham.

Truth time: When I growing up in Minnesota, I think I stuffed my face the most at Easter. To an embarrassing degree.

Ok, glad I got that off my chest. I feel like we are closer now, you and I. Yes?

One of the reasons I love cooking is because I get to take pieces of my life and bring them together when they might otherwise remain separate entities. Here, I've taken deviled eggs, which will forever and always make me think of my grandmother, and added ingredients that reflect our time spent in Japan. White miso paste, hot mustard, and shichimi togarashi come together in these eggs to create something new for your Easter brunch. A couple of these alongside my Japanese Bloody Mary would be absolute perfection.

Another change I made to these eggs was using Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise. I think Greek yogurt gives the yolk mixtures a lighter, fluffier consistency that is a welcome contrast to the bold flavor of miso and hot mustard. I used Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt, which is mellow and creamy and absolutely perfect in these deviled eggs.

The icing on the cake? Fresh chives cut directly from my garden. Glorious.

About Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt

·         Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt is made with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no artificial sweeteners, no high fructose corn syrup and with the highest quality milk from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones.

·         Tillamook Farmstyle Greek is a thick, creamy and less tart yogurt made with buttermilk cultures, while providing 14g of protein per serving.

·         To make their better tasting Greek distinctively ‘Farmstyle’, Tillamook slow churns farm fresh milk with seven active yogurt and buttermilk cultures.

·         Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt is made with fruits and nuts locally sourced from the Pacific Northwest

·         To find out where to buy Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt readers can use the handy ‘Where to Buy’ tool by clicking here.

*Full disclosure: Tillamook provided me with product to use in this and other posts. My opinions are 100% my own and this post contains no affiliate links. 

Miso Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 1 dozen eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot mustard
• 2 tablespoons white miso (shiro miso)
• 2/3 cup 2% or full-fat plain Greek yogurt (I used Tillamook because of it's mild, creamy flavor)
• 1/4 cup chopped chives or green onions
• Shichimi togarashi or other fine red pepper flakes for garnish (you can also use paprika in a pinch)
• salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl before you begin hard boiling the eggs.
2. Gently set the eggs in the bottom of a large pot and fill with cold water until the eggs are covered by about one inch.
3. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a low boil.
4. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for 6 minutes.
5. Remove the eggs from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to your prepared ice bath.
6. When the eggs have cooled (after about 10 minutes) peel the eggs by first tapping them against the countertop. I like to crack around the equator of the egg and at each end.
7. Using the side of your thumb, carefully peel away the egg and the thin membrane between the egg shell and the egg itself.
8. After hard boiling the eggs and removing the shells, cut them in half and remove the yolk using a small spoon. Collect the yolks in a medium bowl and set the emptied whites on a large plate.
9. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yolks, mustard, yogurt, and miso paste and pulse until smooth. Stir in the chives.
10. Using a teaspoon, fill each egg half with the yolk mixture. Garnish with a few additional chives and the shichimi togarashi.
11. Arrange the eggs on a platter and serve chilled.

Cocktail Friday: Zucchini + Sea Salt Vodka Soda

I am ready for Spring now. It was warm and sunny yesterday and I thought I was going to burst with happiness despite my lack of sleep thanks to a late night ER trip with our little guy who has croup. (All is well now - just waiting it out at this point.) Don't get me wrong. I still love winter and won't complain when we get our inch of slushy stuff tomorrow, but there comes a time in the year when I, along with everyone else, am ready for things to grow and be green. Or as green as things can be here in Colorado.

So, although St. Patrick's Day has come and gone, I have another green cocktail to share with you in honor of Spring. Admittedly, this is not a convenient cocktail to just whip up. I made some zucchini-farro cakes the other night and the recipe required me to shred 2 1/2 pounds of zucchini, sprinkle with salt, then squeeze out the extra juice. I saved the juice because it was so vibrant and beautiful it just broke my heart a little to think of discarding it without a second thought.

I'm so happy I saved it because this is a great trick that will come in very handy this summer. Added to a vodka soda with some lemon juice and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, this juice makes a lovely, fresh twist on a sometimes boring cocktail. My sister would be offended that I called a vodka soda boring. It's her favorite. I just think everything needs a little sprucing up sometimes.

So, if you find yourself with some leftover zucchini juice (said no one ever), go ahead and give this fun drink a try! You could do something similar with carrot juice, cucumber juice, or even tomato water. What a great way to incorporate veggies into cocktails, right?

OK- that's my contribution to the list of unrealistic-but-super-awesome-cocktails. But seriously, once zucchini season kicks it into high gear I bet you'll find yourself with some leftover juice at least once or twice!

Zucchini + Sea Salt Vodka Soda

Ingredients

• 2 oz zucchini juice (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• flaky sea salt
• club soda
• 2 lbs zucchini, shredded
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Combine the zucchini juice, vodka, and lemon juice in the bottom of a cocktail glass. Stir to combine.
2. Fill the glass with ice and top with club soda.
3. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve immediately.
4. Place the shredded zucchini in a large bowl and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine.
5. Let sit for 10 minutes.
6. Collect the shredded zucchini in a large, clean dish towel. Squeeze the shredded zucchini over a small bowl until about 1/2-2/3 cup juice has been removed.
7. Save the shredded zucchini for making zucchini bread, zucchini fritters, or to toss with stir-fries.
8. Keep the juice in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Cocktail Friday: The White Thyme

As I write this, I'm listening to melting snow dripping loudly outside. The snow that showered down on us Tuesday is disappearing, revealing tender green grass that is defying the odds and growing quickly despite the cold weather. For some reason, Mother Nature just doesn't want to let us get on with Spring this year. She seems to think this isn't the time. I'm not complaining for two reasons: first, I love a good snow storm, and second, we need precipitation of any kind here Colorado. My husband jokingly called me the "drought expert" the other day because I have been so focused on how much moisture we have (or haven't, as the case may be) been getting. What can I say? I'm a little bit of a worrier.  But like everyone else who has been moaning and groaning over the wintery weather, I'm looking forward to when whoever is in charge decides it is, in fact, the right time for spring.

It may not be the right time just yet, but this White Thyme cocktail (I hope you've caught on to the joke here) will be perfect whether Spring decides to come back and stay a while or not. Although, I think it would be best enjoyed outside while wearing sandals and sunglasses rather than in the middle of a snow storm. Wine cocktails, specifically white wine cocktails or spritzers, are not usually something I drink and/or make. However, I had been thinking a lot lately about taking the leap and mixing something up with a vino base. After seeing this Blackberry on Ryecocktail from Honestly YUM, I knew it was a sign that I should go ahead and give it a shot.

I kept things simple this time around, not wanting to turn this into some scary, sugary drink that would surely mask the wonderful flavor of my unoaked Chardonnay. Instead, I kept the ingredients simple and few, using things that made me think of the flavors already present in the wine. Rather than using sugar or simple syrup, I added wildflower honey which gives a subtle, smooth sweetness. To the honey, I added some lemon juice and thyme, then muddled it all together in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. I added the wine and 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and stirred everything together very well until the honey became fully incorporated. Then, I poured it over crushed ice, added a splash of club soda, and a sprig of thyme for garnish.

If it isn't the right time, make the White Thyme. (Sorry, I had to...)

Some additional notes:

I used an unoaked Chardonnay here, but you could easily use a Sauvignon Blanc or even a dry Rosé. If your wine is naturally sweet, hold back on the honey until you've tasted it. You may not need it. The thyme was the perfect pairing, but you could get creative and use whatever fresh herbs you have around. Just try not to overpower your wine. Thyme and rosemary are quite potent, for example, and all you want is the hint of the herb in your cocktail. Other choices that would work nicely might be fennel fronds, tarragon, or lavender.

Have you used Angostura bitters before? I hadn't until recently and I must say that I'm glad I have it around. There are numerous classic cocktails that call for bitters (Old Fashioned or Manhattan, anyone?) and it is fun to use in new concoctions as well. Bitters are an interesting ingredient and it turns out they are not as bitter as you might imagine. That is the case with Angostura bitters, anyway. Instead, it seems that they help all the ingredients in a cocktail come together.

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