Recipe Friday: Flank Steak Beef with Vegetable Kebobs

I love making dinners that are easy to put together, taste delicious, and looks great on your plate. Today’s recipe is for flank steak marinated in a spice rub that has been skewered with summertime vegetables and grilled to perfection. Serve it with BBQ sauce for an added kick to your palate.

Flank Steak and Vegetable Kebobs

Ingredients:

2 lb beef flank steak, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

8 button mushrooms

8 cherry tomatoes

1 small zucchini or yellow squash, cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 small sweet red onion, cut into wedges

1 small green, orange, or red sweet pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Spice Rub (see recipe below)

BBQ Sauce (from the bottle or see recipe below)

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine Spice Rub and steak pieces. Stir to coat steak.
• Brush mushrooms and vegetables with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• On eight long metal skewers, alternately thread steak, mushrooms, tomatoes, zucchini, onion, and sweet pepper.
• For a charcoal grill, grill skewers on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until desired doneness, turning occasionally.
• For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place skewers on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.
• Serve meat and vegetables with BBQ Sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Spice Rub:

In a small bowl, stir together 4 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; and 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.

BBQ Sauce:

In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together 5 cloves roasted garlic or 2 teaspoons bottled minced roasted garlic, 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup finely chopped celery, 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 25 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Makes about 1-3/4 cups.

This dish is great served with rice and a garden fresh salad.

Enjoy this simply easy and tasty meal!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Awesome BBQ Side Dishes

Last weekend I had a backyard BBQ with family. Along with hamburgers and the traditional European sausages on the grill, I served up two new side dishes that were a hit.

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups broccoli, chopped

1 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins

1 cup mayonnaise (I used light)

4 tablespoons orange marmalade (I used Smucker’s Sweet Orange Marmalade)

¾ cup chopped pecans, divided

¼ cup red onions, diced

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, onions, cranberries, and ½ cup of pecans

In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise and orange marmalade.

Pour dressing over top of broccoli mix and toss.

Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup pecans and refrigerate.

Steakhouse Potato Salad

Ingredients:

3 lbs small red potatoes, quartered

½ cup mayonnaise (I used light)

¼ cup ranch dressing (I used Hidden Valley Light)

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

1 cup shredded cheese (I used 4 cheese blend)

4 green onions, thinly sliced, divided

1 stalk celery, diced

Directions:

In large pot filled with boiling water, cook potatoes until tender about 10 minutes.

Place cooked potatoes in large bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour or until completely cooled.

Whisk together mayonnaise and ranch dressing.

Pour dressing over top of potatoes and mix lightly.

Add celery, half of crumbled bacon, and half of green onions. Mix lightly.

Sprinkle top with remaining bacon and onions.

Refrigerate

Enjoy!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Turkey Mushroom Burgers

Looking for something that is healthy but also tasty?! Well, look no further because today’s recipe is for a burger that even the most pickiest eater will enjoy.

Turkey Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey breast

½ cup diced onions

1 cup sliced mushrooms

¼ cups chopped fresh parsley

1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and separate into 4 equal –size patties. Grill patties on George Foreman grill, outdoor grill, or in a skillet with a little olive oil. Cook for 12 minutes (flipping half way through) or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F and the meat is no longer pink

Serve on a bun along with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and your favorite condiments.

For variety:

* Add a diced chili or Serrano pepper to the ground turkey mixture before grilling to give the burger a Southwestern spicy taste. Serve with fresh slices of avocado.

* Substitute 1 ½ tablespoon barbecue sauce in place of the Worcestershire sauce for a sloppy Joe tasting burger.

Happy Grilling!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue