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5 Basic Steps for Sizzling Steak

(Culinary.net) A sizzling steak is a surefire sound of summer, and the flavors achieved from one that’s perfectly grilled are hard to match.

Before you fire up your grill, consider these five basics for cooking a chef-worthy steak:

Prepare Your Cut
Taste preferences (and prices) may differ among sirloins, ribeyes, T-bones and more, but the way you prepare steaks likely won’t change much from cut to cut. You’ll want to trim the thickness down to 1/2-1 inch for proper cooking, and setting the meat out ahead of time allows it to warm to room temperature before hitting the grill. Placing a refrigerator-cool slab on hot grates works against you in two ways: first, the cold meat instantly chills your previously warm grill, and second, the inner portion of the steak will take longer to grill.

Add Some Salt
Feel free to add any spices that you prefer, but remember a good steak typically doesn’t require fancy seasoning – a pinch of salt works just fine. Add your salt anywhere between 30 minutes to a few hours before grilling time to help retain moisture and improve flavor.

Aim for High Heat
Grilling a steak correctly actually isn’t just about maintaining a sweltering flame. A two-zone fire is usually the way to go – one side of the grill should be hot (using direct heat) with the other side not quite as warm (indirect heat). This allows you to create a sear over direct heat before finishing cooking through – without burning – over indirect heat.

Sear and Slide
Speaking of searing: Cooking your steak over direct heat 1-2 minutes on each side is normally about right for creating a proper sear. At this point, depending on the thickness of your steak, you’ll want to check for doneness. If it’s not quite to the temperature you’re looking to achieve, simply slide it over to the indirect heat for a finishing touch.

Keep in mind these general guidelines for doneness: 120-125° F is rare, 130-135° F is medium-rare, 140-145° F is medium, 150-155° F is medium-well and 160-175° F is well done.

Let Rest
Finally, as hungry as you may be at this point, resting steaks is an important last step before diving in. Giving your steaks 5-10 minutes (foil or no foil) allows flavors to redistribute and moisture to be retained in the meat.

Find more cooking tips and recipes at Culinary.net.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Culinary.net

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Green onions welcome the spring season

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By Suzanne Storey

Do you have an abundance of green onions this time of year? If you’re fortunate enough to experience this, consider yourself lucky! First, let’s clarify a few terms.
Essentially, green onions and scallions refer to the same vegetable; however, the terminology often depends on cultural context. I often call them spring onions, and my parents referred to them the same way. On the other hand, fancy chefs and culinary experts typically use the term “scallions.”
I wasn’t even aware of what a scallion was until about 10 years ago, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re in the same boat.

Read the full story on spring onions, along with definitions of onions and the efforts to grow a community garden in Nocona in your Thursday Bowie News.

Onions from the Nocona Community Garden. (Photos by Suzanne Storey)
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Celebrate Easter with creative cakes

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(Family Features) Sweet, delicious treats make Easter celebrations magical, putting the final touch on brunch, lunch or dinner gatherings. Whether your crowd enjoys the sweet-tart combination of fruit-infused cakes, mini bundts with personalized decorations or rich, creamy cheesecake, the dessert table is sure to be popular.

Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake and Carrot Cheesecake from “Cookin’ Savvy” are perfect desserts for sharing with loved ones, made with little effort and a lot of love. You can even let little ones help in the kitchen with Fun Mini Easter Bundts by allowing their creativity to run wild – just hand over the icing and chocolate toppers then watch the artistry unfold.

To ensure your feast goes off without a hitch, create these tempting cakes the day before for a no-hassle Easter.

Find more ways to elevate Easter celebrations with food by visiting Culinary.net.

Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy
Yield: 1 cake

  • 1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed
  • 1 box lemon cake mix
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk

Glaze:

  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  1. Heat oven to 350 F.
  2. Grease bundt pan and place rinsed blueberries in bottom. Mix cake mix, butter, eggs and milk; pour on top of blueberries. Bake 35 minutes. Let cool and remove from pan.
  3. To make glaze: Mix butter, sugar and milk then pour over cake.

Fun Mini Easter Bundts

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy
Yield: 24 mini bundts

  • 1 box confetti cake mix
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk

Chocolate Toppers:

  • 1 cup each color melting chips of desired colors
  • silicone Easter candy molds of desired shapes
  • 1 pouch ready-made green icing
  1. Heat oven to 350 F.
  2. Mix cake mix, butter, eggs and milk. Pour into greased mini bundt pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool and remove from pan.
  3. To make chocolate toppers: In bowl for each color, melt melting chips in 1-minute intervals in microwave until thoroughly melted. Pour into baggies and snip corner. Pipe melted chips into molds and freeze 15-20 minutes. Pipe green icing onto mini bundt cakes for “grass” then place chocolate mold pieces on top.

Substitution: Save time on toppers by replacing with store-bought chocolate bunnies, eggs, crosses or marshmallow bunnies.

Carrot Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy
Yield: 1 cake

Cake:

  • 1 box spice cake mix
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup vanilla Greek yogurt

Cheesecake:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped white chocolate chips
  1. Heat oven to 350 F.
  2. To make cake: Mix cake mix with carrot and coconut. Using hand mixer, blend in eggs, butter and yogurt. Pour mixture into greased springform pan and bake 30 minutes. Let completely cool in pan.
  3. To make cheesecake: Using hand mixer, whip whipping cream and sugar to form whipped cream and set aside.
  4. Using hand mixer, whip cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar. Add in whipped cream and mix. Pour onto completely cooled carrot cake in springform pan. Let set in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight before unspringing pan.
  5. For topping: Sprinkle chopped nuts and chocolate chips on cake before serving.

Tip: For extra festive appearance, add desired Easter candy on top.


SOURCE:
Culinary.net

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Street tacos from the slow cooker

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(Family Features) If your idea of street tacos includes standing over a hot skillet, wipe that sweat off your brow and give these Savory Street Tacos a try. They put the slow cooker and oven to work for you, providing that delicious street taco taste without the hassle. For more ways to simplify cooking at home, visit Culinary.net.

Savory Street Tacos

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy
Servings: 4-6

  • 1 chuck roast (2-3 pounds)
  • 1 package taco seasoning
  • 1 can (10 ounces) beef consommé
  • 16-20 street taco tortillas
  • 1 package (8 ounces) shredded cheese
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • salsa, for serving
  • guacamole, for serving
  • queso, for serving
  1. Cover chuck roast with taco seasoning then place in slow cooker. Pour beef consommé over roast and cook on low 6 hours to braise.
  2. Heat oven to 425 F.
  3. Use fork to shred roast.
  4. Brush outside of tortillas with avocado oil and fill with meat and shredded cheese. Place in casserole dish and bake 10-15 minutes until tacos reach desired crispiness.
  5. Place on tray and serve with salsa, guacamole and queso.

Tip: Recipe can be doubled for large crowds.


SOURCE:
Culinary.net

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