mmmmmm...pork steaks.....

**A very special thanks and shout out to my friend Paul for suggesting pork steaks. My blog, my stomach, and my husband thank you!!**

So one of my first big posts was about pork but I can't believe I failed to mention pork steaks. *sigh* What was I thinking? Pork steaks are a St. Louis favorite; if you've ever had one, you understand why. Now one thing to know about pork steaks is that they are a pretty fatty cut of meat. I know this sometimes scares people away in the grocery store when they see how much fat runs throughout this particular cut of pork. What's important to know, however, is that this amount of fat is necessary because the area this cut comes from on the pig tends to be a bit on the tough side. Gross you say? No, no...the trick is to cook your pork steak over lower heat for a longer period of time which causes the fat to melt away and actually tenderize the steak. Delicious, I say. :)

So tonight, I didn't quite have as much time as I would like for a nice thick pork steak, so I picked up a thin cut (bone-in) and took a little different approach to the traditional pork steak. Below, I use the same recipe for the sauce but give you two ways to cook your pork steak. If you are using a nice thick (1-1 1/4 in thick) pork steak go with the low and slow method and DO NOT trim the excess fat from the outside! (just trust me on this one, k?) Working with a thin cut like I was? Go with the basting method and feel free to trim just a touch off the outside since you won't be cooking it quite as long, giving the fat the time it needs to dissolve.

Here's the recipe for the sauce...I found this variation on www.cdkitchen.com but using just straight up bbq sauce is perfectly acceptable as well. ;)

Pork Steak Sauce

1/2 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbls. Worstershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
(if you're going with low and slow you might want to double...or more...the recipe depending on how many steaks you are cooking so there is plenty to simmer in)

Low 'N Slow Cooking

Over low heat (gas or charcoal) cook your pork steak for 8-10 minutes per side. This should finish off the actual cooking of the meat. Place pork steaks into a pan filled with the bbq sauce you just mixed up and let em simmer in there for as long as you can stand to wait for them. ;) If the sauce starts to get too thick for your liking, poor a little beer in the pan.

Basting Style

Over low heat, cook your thin cut pork steak for about 6 minutes per side. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes while turning and basting every minute or so to get it nice and carmelized and saucy. You can still use this method on a thicker cut pork steak, just be sure to increase the initial cooking time to cook it all the way through.

Typically I prefer the low 'n slow style of bbq'ing but tonight the basting style was a better match for us. The pork steaks were terrific and we loved the sauce! Grilled up some yellow squash, mushrooms, and red and green peppers with a little evoo and pepper in the grill pan and made a little salad. Ah, perfection. We will definitely be making this dinner again before the end of summer.....

Have any kitchen inquiries? Send them my way! I'd be happy to try to shed some light or share a favorite recipe I have!

Mini Bonus Post!!

Just made some more homemade chips and seasoned them with Homemade Gourmet Southwest Seasoning for the first time....delicious! Must admit they totally stunk up the house with Southwest deliciousness but they taste awesome! Don't worry, I'm baking Homemade Gourmet Chocolate Chunk Cookies to take care of the stink. ;)

Oh and Tom just pointed out that we had the ultimate "leftover" day. Leftover picnic chicken and pasta salad for lunch then leftover tomato sauce for dinner! (did have to boil more of that tomato basil pasta but that was no biggie.)

Hope you're having a terrific food weekend too! :)

The Vine Wine Bar and Bistro (in review)

After a week's worth of cooking I was ready for a night out so yesterday I spent part of the day researching online and using my iTouch's Urbanspoon app. to find somewhere new to go out for a bite. I stumbled across this little restaurant nestled amongst the cobblestone streets lined with rows of shops, restaurants, and bars that make up Main Street in St. Charles. The Vine looked like it had everything I was looking for: tasty menu, wine, and outdoor seating (remember how I said I love to be outside?). I figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try.

The Vine

We arrived just after 6 on a Friday expecting a big crowd but saw just two tables on the front patio taken and upon entering, just two taken on the inside as well. We were greeted by some very friendly members of the staff who informed us that there would be live music on the back patio in about an hour if we were interested in sitting out back. Wait? TWO patios?! This is my heaven. :) Not that either was very large but we chose to sit in the front this time to do a little people watching on Main Street. By the time we left, both patios were full, btw.

After being seated, we took a look at the wine list. It's not the longest wine list I've ever seen but it certainly had plenty to choose from. Tom decided to go with the Jed Steele's Shooting Star Zinfandel (a terrific choice, despite the name) and after much debate between a Cab and a Chard, the Tangley Oaks Chardonnay won its place in my glass. Wines by the bottle and wine flights were also available...I plan on sampling the flight of reds the next time we go!

The menu was small but had decent variety. Everything from pork chops to tuna steaks to pasta is available. Tom chose the Salmon Pecan with sundried tomato cous cous while I went with the Vegetable Risotto. The salmon was cooked to perfection with the pecan crust toasted beautifully and laid out on a bed of cous cous and asparagus. The shaved parmesan on the top of the vegetable risotto really "topped it off" nicely. It both looked and tasted amazing. I would definitely order either again though next time I think I have my eye on that tuna steak. I can't believe I almost forgot to mention the bread! While waiting for our dinners, our server, Bri, brought us the most amazing bread fresh out of the oven. It was covered in parmesan cheese (added after baking) and had pepper and parmesan dipping oil on the plate it came out on so some had already soaked into the bread. Wow...I'm gonna have to try this at home with the new Homemade Gourmet Garlic Parmesan Bread Dippin' Mix or the Italian Red Pepper Bread Dippin' Mix. (Yes, another shameless plug for my home business...you really do have to try these, though!)

Also while we waited, Tom and I discussed what makes a great restaurant. We decided it's a combination of 5 things: setting, ambiance, service, food, and drink. With these in mind, I thought I would set up a little ranking scale to use whenever I review a restaurant on here. I'm a big fan of likert scales so I think I'll use that. So, on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being unacceptable, 2 being poor, 3 being average, 4 being above average, and 5 being outstanding (maybe I'll come up with more clever descriptors in a later post...suggestions??) here's how I rate The Vine.

Setting: 4.5--Main Street St. Charles has a unique charm that I really love but there tends to be a fair amount of biker traffic, which can be a bit annoying when you're trying to enjoy a conversation. I think if we had sat on the back patio this wouldn't have been a problem.
Ambiance: 4--A very laid back atmosphere lends to the casual, yet still slightly upscale feel of this wine bar/bistro. (Tom said he would have ranked it a 4.5)
Service: 4.5--Everyone was extremely friendly and courteous. Our server checked back at the right time everytime and service was quick!
Food: 4--The only thing keeping the food from ranking higher was the prices. There were a few more reasonable items but most were $20+ which is typically a little bit more than I want to spend unless it's a special occasion.
Drink: 5--Not only was there good selection but the prices were actually good too for a wine bar. Glasses from $5.50-$8, flights around $14, plenty of bottles in the $20-$30 range...just the way I like it!

All in all, a great place for a romantic date or an evening out with good friends. Nothing like good company to add to good food and drink, I always say.

ANyone have any suggestions on where we should go next?

La cena era deliziosa....

....supposedly that means "the meal was delicious" in Italian. Thanks WikiAnswers!

Whether that's right or not, it very accurately describes the meal my husband and I just ate. Ever since we got married my husband has wanted to grow herbs and tomatoes. And everytime he asked, I wasn't really interested...until this summer. We bought one tomato plant from a local nursery, Sherwood's Forest, along with basil, mint, and rosemary plants. We also picked up a few bell pepper plants at Soulard Farmer's Market but those are still growing and maturing so we haven't gotten to enjoy them yet. Anyway, for the most part the tomatoes have ripened one-by-one and we have sliced them for sandwiches or diced them to put on tacos or shared them with our parents.

Twice now, however, several of them have ripened at once, giving me the idea to try to make tomato sauce from scratch. The first time I did extensive research on the topic and combined two or three different recipes and produced a very small batch (we only had 7 or 8 small tomatoes that time around) of quite tasty tomato sauce. This time, 15 tomatoes of varying size came ripe all at once (I pureed these...see recipe below), I purchased 2 more large homegrown tomatoes from Schnucks (I diced these...see recipe below), and decided to go for it and use what I learned from making the sauce the first time along with what I wanted to add, to create my very own recipe. Here it is, in all its glory...it's time consuming so be ready to set aside an afternoon but note that the bulk of the time it's just simmering so you can get plenty of other things done around the house while the aroma wafts around. :)

Lauren's Garden Vegetable Tomato Sauce

10-12 medium ripe tomatoes

1 carrot, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 small yellow squash, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

8 oz. mushrooms, chopped

2 Tbls. evoo

2 Tbls. butter (or margarine)

1 Tbls. minced garlic

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped

1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning

2 stalks celery

1--6oz. can tomato paste

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. oregano

1. In a large stock pot, boil enough water to submerge all of your tomatoes at once. Have ready a large bowl of ice water. When water boils, add tomatoes. Using a slotted spoon, remove tomatoes from boiling water when skin splits and place in ice water bath to cool. (note: some tomatoes will split almost instantaneously while others will take a couple minutes. I usually end up with a rogue tomato that just won't split so I just drop it in the ice water bath and use a sharp knife to puncture the skin before peeling.) Peel tomatoes and squeeze to remove seeds. Dice 2 tomatoes and set aside. Dice remaining tomatoes and place in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

2. In a large stock pot, combine evoo, butter, onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini, squash, peppers, and mushrooms and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add tomato puree, diced tomatoes, basil, Italian seasoning, and celery stalks (might have to cut them in half to make them fit). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 2 hours.

Here's what it looked like before it simmered but after all ingredients had been added.

3. After 2 hours, you have a choice to make...how chunky do you like your sauce?

Here it is at the 2 hour mark. I like mine pseudo-chunky so I put a cup or so in the food processor and gave it a whirl. It's ready for 2 more hours of simmering!

a. Super Chunky: Stir in tomato paste, pepper, and oregano, cover, and simmer for an additional 2 hours.

b. Pseudo-Chunky: Scoop out a cup or so of sauce and blend until smooth in blender or food processor. Return to pot; stir in tomato paste, pepper, and oregano, cover, and simmer for an additional 2 hours.

c. Smooth: Remove celery stalks and pour all sauce into blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot and put celery stalks back in; stir in tomato paste, pepper, and oregano, cover, and simmer for an additional 2 hours.

4. Discard celery stalks (they have probably disintigrated a little bit so you may have to go on a celery hunt) and serve over your favorite pasta!

Tom and I purchased some tomato basil Amish pasta from the Eckert's store when we were there peach picking a few weeks ago and I decided to use it tonight with the sauce...wowee...another delicious choice! Had some three cheese Italian rolls and a nice salad too. Great dinner tonight! Best part about it, I was able to make a bigger batch of sauce than last time so we have leftovers!!!

So what have we learned from this experience? Next year I will be purchasing more than one tomato plant! :)

No ants at our picnic...

As a follow up to yesterday's blog, I must say that last night's picnic was a huge success. We decided to scrap the dill dip (and looking back, that was a good choice cause we were all stuffed) but everything else was prepared, packed, and devoured! I'd like to review the menu briefly for you to give a few tips on preparation of the items, things I might change, and things I wouldn't dare alter!

Let's start with the chicken, shall we? It was amazing! I know I asked for picnic chicken recipes at the end of yesterday's post and I guess I'd still try others but wow, this chicken was just perfect. Who know instant potato flakes made good chicken breading? (I used Idahoan brand, btw) Added bonus to making this chicken: when you take it off the pan to pack and chill, it leaves behind some of the potato breading--which has now soaked up some of the butter and juice and kind of turned into crispy, seasoned potatoes. Instead of just washing the pan, I opted for a fork and ate up all that seasoned potato deliciousness before I washed. The chicken was a big hit with everyone, even my husband who had never had cold chicken and admittedly wasn't sure what he thought about eating it that way. I think he may have even taken a leftover piece for lunch today. One slight variation in the recipe I used: I have California Style onion powder which already contains some parsley so I cut back on the parsley the recipe called for just a bit. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing!! Chicken buying tip: if you're just cooking for two and aren't wanting leftovers (though I think you'd be crazy to not want leftovers) try buying your chicken straight from the meat/butcher counter so you get just the pieces you want. I bought my chicken at Schnucks and got the pre-packaged "Pick of the Chick" which included three breasts, three thighs, and three legs (strange looking chicken, eh?), all bone-in. It fed 4 people well with two breasts leftover! Take a peek!

Next I made the potato chips. While it wasn't too difficult to slice the potatoes thinly, it would have been much easier with a mandoline. I think I'll be in the market for one of those pretty soon. I particularly liked this mandoline I found on Amazon. Anyway, homemade chips can be tricky, as a colleague of mine, Tracy, pointed out. Slice them too thin, they stick to the pan. Slice them too thick, they are impossible to get crispy. My solution: slice them thin but put a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil on the pan before you bake. Also, make sure they are good and crispy before you try to remove them from the foil. This way, most of the starchy liquid has baked out and they release from the foil a lot easier. You also have to keep in mind that they aren't all going to bake at the same rate so it's ok to check on them periodically and remove the ones that are done cooking and put the rest back in the oven to continue crisping. Lastly, how you season is totally up to you. I chose seasoned salt but you might want to try sea salt, California Style onion powder, parmesan cheese, or a Homemade Gourmet seasoning mix. (perhaps Southwest Seasoning or Chicken Enchilada Soup) Sorry this picture isn't as good. I'd take another but there weren't any leftovers of these!!

The peaches were ripe and delicious. A nice sweet flavor to contrast the saltiness of the chips and chicken. Those, too, were pretty much annihilated. Tom and I will have to make a trip back to Eckert's to get some more. I'm pretty sure Lorings are ready for picking...maybe Crest Havens too!

Homemade Gourmet Mediterranean Pasta Salad was almost as big a hit as the chicken, with everyone (including myself) going back for seconds. I decided to stick with the basic recipe (there are optional add ins listed on the package but I didn't have any in the house so I skipped it). It was the easiest thing I made, too. Just boil the noodles and add a 1/2 cup mayo or evoo (extra vigin olive oil) and 2 Tbls. red wine or balsalmic vinegar to the seasoning packets. Chill. Enjoy. How can you not love that simplicity? Take a looksie at the finished product...

Time for dessert! We took a short hiatus after dinner but it wasn't long before the menfolk decided it was time for dessert. The ultimate brownies definitely delivered on the name. They were super fudgy; so much so that I had a really hard time getting them out of the pan. Regardless, I would absolutely make these again! One thing we may have missed out on was that 10 minutes you are supposed to spend beating the egg, sugar, and vanilla mixture. I don't have a stand mixer, just a handheld one, so standing there beating three ingredients for 10 minutes just wasn't happening. I'd say I gave it a good 2.5-3 minutes before giving up but I can only imagine what they would have been like had I toughed it out, or had a proper mixer.

So there you have it folks...the picnic dinner of champions! Hope you get a chance to enjoy it with your friends and family before summer is through!

Goin' on a picnic, leavin' right away...

...if it doesn't rain we'll stay all day! (one of my favorite kid's songs!)

I love to be outside just about as much as I love to be in the kitchen so when the opportunity rises for me to bring kitchen creations outside I'm on cloud 9. Tonight is such a night. This evening marks the final free summer concert at the Missouri Botanical Gardens here in St. Louis and I plan to be in attendance. This past Wednesday we went with friends and I toted along a few slices of that delicious peach pie I blogged about last week. This time around I plan on bringing an entire spread. Before I get started on a menu, however, there are some things to consider.

First and foremost we must keep food safety in mind. I expect a few rogue ants or mosquitos at my picnic (that's what repellant and citronella candles are for) but post-picnic stomach bugs are unwelcome. Check out this article on having a "No-Risk Picnic" to learn the best ways to pack all your picnic favorites safely! I heart myrecipes.com, by the way.

Next, what to pack it all in? There are so many cute options out there these days: picnic baskets, picnic backpacks, coolers...the possibilities are endless! You might want to consider this packing checklist from Real Simple when selecting yours. Whatever you choose, make sure it is well insulated and has enough room (but not too much) for all of your delicious goodies and plenty of ice packs. A full cooler actually keeps contents chilled better than a loosely packed one with lots of room to spare, so be sure to choose one that is the right size for your picnic.

Ok now we are ready for the menu. In the past, I have tended to take the easy way out. Pick up a few pre-made sandwiches at Schnucks, a bag of chips, maybe some cookies, a few beverages and voila! a picnic. Definitely gets the job done, especially if you are pressed for time, but if you have some time, planning out and preparing a menu can be very rewarding. Here's what I chose for tonight's spread:

Homemade Gourmet Mock Spinach Dip with rye bread dippers
Picnic chicken
Sliced fresh peaches (yes I'm still working on the ones we picked at Eckert's)
Homemade Gourmet Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Potato Chips (Bring a bag if that's easier for you or try this recipe to make your own!)
Ultimate Brownies

Maybe Erin and Bob will bring the wine.... :)

Do you have a favorite recipe for picnic chicken? The above recipe is new to me but sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a try. If you have a tried and true favorite, I'd love to hear about it!

The other white meat...

Sorry to start the blog and then leave everyone hanging for an extended weekend but I spent the past 4 days sharing some delicious food and memories with my family!

As many of us prepare for the "back-to-school season" I thought I'd scour the grocery ads that had filled up my mailbox while I was gone for deals on some delicious summertime yummies. Now pork is a meat that is easy to enjoy year-round in the oven or slow cooker, but there's nothing like pulling a slab of ribs or a perfectly marinated pork tenderloin off the grill. I was pleased to see that all three stores have similar pricing this week on this global favorite so you're sure to get a good deal no matter where you shop! Pork fun fact: Did you know that the United States is third in pork consumption with the European Union coming in #2 and China leading the drove?? What a bunch of oinkers!

Ribs: a summertime staple. This is not an entree I "pig out" on often, which makes them that much more special. Dierbergs has them advertised for $2.99/lb., Shop 'N Save $2.97/lb., Schnucks $2.99/lb. And remember last Thursday's post? It's still peach season....try this recipe out on your ribs for something a little different from the traditional bbq flavor!

Pork Tenderloin: Now this was a hard one to find! Only Schnucks is advertising pork tenderloin prices this week but at $2.99/lb I'll definitely be picking some up! I've had pork tenderloin prepared dozens of ways but here are two of my favorite tenderloin recipes!

Tangy Tejano Pork Tenderloin (Homemade Gourmet)

5 lbs. pork tenderloin (unless you're shopping at Sam's Club you'll probably need 2 tenderloins)
4 Tbls. Homemade Gourmet Chicken Enchilada Soup Mix
2 cups orange juice
1 - 4oz. can diced green chilies, undrained

Place all ingredients together in a gallon-sized ziploc bag and smoosh ingredients to combine. Allow to marinate 2 hours or more in the refrigerator. Discard marinade and grill at medium high heat until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Click here to view nutrition facts and other cooking options!

Sesame Honey Pork Tenderloin

***I used this recipe as a base idea and changed ingredients according to what I had available in my fridge and pantry the day I made it and it still turned out amazing! Here I provide the actual recipe along with changes I made in the process. Enjoy it either way!

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup beer
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons sesame seeds **I omitted this...seems like a sin since it was in the title but I didn't have them that day and didn't miss them on the finished product!
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard **I used plain yellow mustard.
4 cloves garlic, minced **I used minced garlic from a jar...2 Tbls.
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary **In the recipe they say the rosemary is optional (they use it as a topper/garnish on the finished product) but I decided to put it in with the marinade instead and really think it made the most flavor impact and would highly recommend including it!

Combine beer, honey, sesame seeds, mustard, garlic and pepper (**and rosemary if you are following my changes). Stir until the honey is combined. Place pork tenderloin in a large resealable bag. Pour marinade over top. Turn to coat. Refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours. Preheat grill. Place tenderloins over medium hot fire and grill for about 20 to 25 minutes or until done (165 degrees). Baste with marinade about half way through cooking time. When tenderloins are done, remove from grill and carve against the grain into thin slices. Serve with rosemary on top.

Enjoy "the other white meat" at your dinner table this week and I promise your family will thank you for it!