Pacific Island Grill

I think this recipe originated from a local Hawaiian cookbook that belonged to my grandmother. It's packed full of flavor. It calls for flank steak, but as I've mentioned in past posts you can do it with a cheaper cut of meat such as London Broil. When using a cheaper, and thus less tender, cut of meat, you can tenderize it by stabbing it like crazy with a fork. And the longer you marinate the meat, the more tender it will be (overnight is best).

I just realized I've never discussed using fresh ginger root. If you aren't sure what it looks like, here is a picture:

Image via.

When picking out a root at the grocery store, choose one that is firm, not soft or squishy. I also try to pick one that doesn't have too many "arms" coming off the main body, mostly because it's easier to grate.

I know a lot of people peel the outside skin off, but I don't bother. I actually keep the root in a freezer-weight Ziploc bag in the freezer. It will keep for a long time as long as you push as much air out of the bag as possible to keep it from getting freezer burn. When I need fresh ginger root I just pull it out of the bag, grate how much I need (without thawing it), and then put it back in the bag in the freezer until next time. I think I've had my current root about 6 months now. I've had one last as long as a year ... maybe more.

PACIFIC ISLAND GRILL

2-3 lb. flank steak
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 2)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar will work as well)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dry ground mustard
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a gallon size Ziploc bag and marinate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill to med-high heat. Grill 7-8 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Remove to a plate and cover with foil; let rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain to serve.

Key Lime Pie with Raspberry Sauce

We forgot until the last minute to find a dessert for Mother's Day. I thought Key Lime Pie sounded good, but the store bakeries were out and I wasn't about to pay $8.99 for a frozen version. So I made one myself late Saturday night. And let me say, this is the best Key Lime Pie recipe EVAH.

One word about limes: Key limes are not the same as the 'regular' (ie: Persian/Mexican) limes you usually find at the grocery store. For one thing, they are much smaller:

Image found here.

I usually see them sold by bulk in a mesh bag instead of individually. They are much more tart than the Persian limes and lighter in color. So, to make traditional Key Lime pie you need the real thing, but it still tastes great if all you can find is Persian limes. The pie will simply not be as tart. And that neon green pie sold in stores? Not normal. I did add a couple of drops of green food coloring to my pie just for aesthetics, but it's not necessary. I just want to make sure you aren't expecting your filling to look bright green.

I really think Key Lime pie tastes best when made with a homemade graham cracker crust but I will not judge you if you use a pre-made store bought crust.

The raspberry sauce? Not a traditional topping. I got the idea from Longhorn Steakhouse - they serve(d) their Key Lime pie with a drizzle of raspberry glaze and it's a great combination. You don't have to do the same, but I thought I'd add a recipe in case you want to try it.

KEY LIME PIE
adapted from Key Lime Pie VII from Allrecipes.com

1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup lime juice*
1 Tbsp. lime zest
green food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, and a couple of drops of food coloring, if using; pour into prepared pie crust. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set - do not brown. Remove to wire rack. Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.

*You will need about 10 Persian limes or 25-30 Key limes.

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
found on Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and butter and blend well. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

RASPBERRY SAUCE
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

Combine the raspberries, sugar, and orange juice in a saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth; add to saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the desired consistency is reached. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.

Puree the sauce in a blender and strain through a fine mesh sieve and let cool. Sauce keeps in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Ham and Potato Casserole

Here's a great way to use up your leftover holiday ham. If you don't have leftover ham, a ham steak should do. I used a brown sugar ham steak and the sweetness from the sugar added a pleasing dimension to the flavor of this casserole. If you use smoked ham, you may want to use a low-sodium cream soup to minimize the amount of salt.

If using a ham steak, I recommend cooking it in a skillet first to draw out the excess water so your casserole doesn't turn out runny.

Slice your potatoes 1/8 of an inch thick or thinner to ensure they cook through.

HAM & POTATO CASSEROLE
adapted from End of the Line Ham Casserole on Allrecipes.com

2 cups diced, cooked ham
4-5 cups scrubbed and thinly sliced potatoes
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of celery soup
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dehydrated minced onion
black pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup french fried onions, slightly crushed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish. In a large bowl, combine soup, milk, onion, and black pepper. Stir in potatoes and ham; pour into casserole dish and spread evenly. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove casserole and sprinkle with cheese and french fried onions; bake, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Have you noticed a Mexican theme to my recipes lately? This is the last one ... at least for a little while. I think the next recipe I post will be good ol' American comfort food.

I've adjusted the recipe from the original. For one thing I've added an egg to the cream cheese mixture which produces a more cheesecake-like texture to the filling. You can leave the egg out if you want it more creamy. I've also reduced the amount of butter and sugar.

SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE
adapted from Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie on Allrecipes.com

2 (8 oz) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
1 egg (optional)
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
honey
sliced strawberries for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 2/3 cup sugar, egg (if using), and vanilla until smooth.

Unroll first can of crescent dough and press into the bottom of pan. Spread with cream cheese mixture. Unroll second can of dough and, pinching seams closed, place over filling, stretching dough as necessary to cover. Brush with melted butter.

In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over dough. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before serving. Drizzle with honey and serve with sliced strawberries, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

I loved the restaurant Rio Bravo for two things: their salsa and their fresh tortillas. I was so sad when they went out of business. For years I have contemplated making my own tortillas and today was finally the day (I'm writing this on Cinco de Mayo). These are great, but I think next time I will invest in a tortilla press to make it faster and easier. With a press, I think it would be worth making your own tortillas every time instead of using the crappy store-bought ones that are full of preservatives.

I was able to make 16 fajita/taco size tortillas with this recipe. Don't expect your tortillas to be perfect circles - you only get those lovely round edges with a press. Tortillas are traditionally made with lard, but I made mine with shortening and they turned out fine. I think these days most people don't even have lard or know where to purchase it. Which is not a bad thing in my opinion...

HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS
recipe found on Allrecipes.com

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. shortening (or lard if you want to be traditional)
1 1/2 cups hot water

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Mix in the shortening with a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add water and mix until the dough comes together; place on a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.

Preheat a skillet over med-high heat. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll each ball into a thin, round tortilla. Place into the hot skillet and cook until bubbly and golden; flip and cook until golden on the other side (mine never got golden - just cook until cooked through). Keep warm and repeat with remaining balls of dough.

Chili Lime Chicken

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I have no idea why we celebrate this in the U.S. - I guess we Americans are happy to find any reason to party and have a potluck at work. This recipe is sorta kinda Mexican...and definitely yummy.

CHILI LIME CHICKEN
adapted from Lime & Chili Rubbed Chicken from Tablespoon.com

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded
2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. lime zest
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of cayenne pepper, optional
1-2 limes for juice

Rinse chicken breasts with water and pat dry. Rub with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, brown sugar, lime zest, garlic powder, salt and cayenne; rub all over chicken.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill chicken for 10-12 minutes turning once halfway through cooking time, or until juices run clear. Squeeze fresh lime juice over breasts before serving.

Sausage Cheese Balls

These remind me of a sausage breakfast biscuit. Some people like to dip them in maple syrup, others in barbecue sauce. Me, I like them plain. Great as an appetizer or a side dish for brunch.

SAUSAGE CHEESE BALLS
adjusted from Tablespoon.com

1 lb. bulk pork sausage (like Jimmy Dean)
1 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
4 cups (16 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (easiest if you use your hands). Roll into 1-inch balls and place on lightly greased, foil-lined jelly roll pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

If you wish to make these ahead of time, just cover the pan with plastic wrap after rolling the balls and freeze until ready to bake. Preheat oven, remove from freezer and let thaw for 10-15 minutes before baking.