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Kabobs, Steak and Vegetable

Kabobs, Steak and Vegetable

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Yield: 2 servings

Scott Nowell

Wow, chunks of tenderloin will give you a happy face 😊. You can use other steak cuts if you must. Everything comes off the grill tender and delicious.

Update: Electric grill and broilers just don’t have enough power. I’ve been using the broiler indoors with mixed results. Flavor is great, but the crispy edges are missing. Next try it will be skip the skewers and do it in a skillet or cast iron pan. Vegetables need more time than meat.

  • 12oz beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 8 pieces.
  • Italian dressing
  • 1red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-Inch pieces
  • 1green bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1½-inch pieces
  • 1sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • 1zucchini, trimmed and sliced into ¾-inch thick rounds
  • 8oz mushrooms, whole or cut in half if larger than the other veg pieces
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper


Marinate beef:

Place the beef pieces in a plastic bag and add enough Italian dressing to coat all the pieces. Message them through the bag and refrigerate for 45 minutes to overnight.

Remove from refrigerator up to an hour before cooking. Drain marinade and pat the pieces dry with paper towel.

Skewered:

Heat your grill of choice.

Thread the skewers with pieces of red onion, beef, zucchini, mushroom, and bell pepper. You can alternate the order.

Spray with cooking spray and season top side well with salt and pepper.

Place the kabobs, top side down on the preheated grill. Spray and season the now top side and cook about 5-7 minutes per side. The kabobs are done when the steak is cooked your desired temperate and the vegetables are lightly charred, about 15 minutes.

No Skewers:

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a TBS or two of cooking oil and heat until it ripples. Then add in the steak and sauté to medium rare (or desired doneness). Remove to a dish and loosely cover with foil.

Add all the vegetables and sauté to almost done and return the steak to the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve.

Pesto Panko Chicken

Pesto Panko Chicken

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with Roasted Potatoes & Green Beans

Yield: 2

Chicken, covered in a blanket of basil pesto, coated in a mix of panko and mozzarella. Deliciously juicy, with a crispy crust plated with roasted potatoes and green beans.
Prep: 10 Cook: 30

  • 12oz potatoes
  • 10oz chicken cutlets
  • ½cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½cup mozzarella cheese
  • 4TBS pesto
  • 6oz green beans
  • salt & pepper
  • 2tsp olive oil
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce.

Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Trim green beans if necessary.

Roast potatoes:

Toss potatoes on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast on top rack for 10 minutes (you’ll add the green beans then).

Mix panko:

Add 1 TBS butter to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted, 30-45 seconds. Stir in panko, mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast chicken:

Pat chicken dry with paper towels, season all over with salt and pepper. Place on a second lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush tops of chicken with a thin layer of pesto (you may not use all the pesto). Mound with panko mixture, pressing to adhere (no need to coat the undersides).

Roast on middle rack until chicken is browned and cooked through, 20-22 minutes.

Roast green beans:

Once potatoes have roasted 10 minutes, remove baking sheet from oven. Push potatoes to one side of sheet. Carefully toss green beans on opposite side of sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until potatoes and green beans are browned and tender, 12-15 minutes.

Serve:

Divide potatoes, chicken, and green beans between plates. Serve.

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

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Yield: 2 to 3

Very roughly adapted from Eater / Panda Express YouTube Video

This started out as a Panda Express Recipe, but it wasn’t that close to theirs. I modified it and now it is real fine. Skip the dark soy sauce if you want a lighter colored dish like shown above.

  • 4oz zucchini, chopped
  • 4oz bell peppers, chopped
  • 1lb dark meat chicken, bite sized pieces
  • 4-8dried whole red peppers
  • 2green onions, chopped, whites and green separated
  • 1tsp ginger, minced
  • 1tsp garlic, minced
  • 1TBS soy sauce
  • 1TBS dark soy sauce (optional)
  • 1TBS Chinkiang black vinegar
  • 1TBS Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 2tsp sugar
  • ½cup water
  • 1TBS corn starch mixed in 1 TBS water
  • ¼cup peanuts or celery, diced (if you can’t have peanuts)
  • 1tsp sesame oil

Chop the vegetables to 1-inch pieces. Blanch and set aside.

Heat a tsp of oil in a wok over medium heat and add a cup of raw shelled peanuts. Stir constantly (or they’ll burn) for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir for another minute using the residual heat in the wok. Set aside to cool. They will turn crunchy once they’re cooled completely.

Fry chicken. Drain and set aside.

Premix sauce: In a small dish, mix soy sauce, dark soy sauce (optional), Chinkiang black vinegar, Shaoxing cooking wine, sugar, water. Mix and set aside.

Slurry: Mix 1 TBS corn starch in 1 TBS water. Mix and set aside.

Add 1 TBS oil to a hot wok, and add the dried red peppers. Stir for ten seconds. Add the ginger,  garlic, green onion whites, stir. If using celery, add. Stir fry until softened.

Return chicken and blanched veg to wok and add premix sauce.

Add peanuts (if using), stir and drizzle on sesame oil.

Serve.

My Breakfast Burritos

My Breakfast Burritos

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Yield: 6

Scott Nowell

A decent breakfast burrito. Used home fries for first go and they don’t have enough crunch. Well-seasoned hash browns or tater tots are better.

Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Burrito:

  • 6eggs, scrambled, seasoned
  • salt & pepper
  • Butter, as required
  • 1lb uncased mild Italian sausage
  • hash browns or tater tots as required
  • onion, bell pepper & jalapeno mix, sauteed
  • Tex-Mex cheese, shredded
  • 612-inch tortillas

To serve:

  • hot sauce

Scramble eggs until medium, season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Cook sausage, set aside.

On warm 12-inch tortilla, put eggs down middle. Top with meat, potatoes, pepper mix and cheese. Don’t overfill, the burritos become too big to roll and handle.

Fold in ends of tortilla/burrito and roll sides to cover.

Place seam side down in a hot pan to brown lightly.

Serve, refrigerate or freeze as desired.

To reheat:

For one refrigerated burrito, place on a microwave safe plate and cook for 45 seconds. Flip over and cook for another 45 seconds.

For one frozen burrito, place on a microwave safe plate and cook for 45 seconds. Flip over and cook for another 45 seconds. Repeat until hot.

Lemony Shrimp & Couscous Bowls

Lemony Shrimp & Couscous Bowls

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with Cucumber-Tomato Salad & Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Yield: 2

Chewy Israeli couscous with scallions is topped with garlicky shrimp, a fresh cucumber-tomato salad, and a creamy lemon-dill sauce.
Prep: 10 Cook: 25

  • 2scallions
  • 1lemon
  • 2½oz Israeli couscous
  • 4TBS yogurt
  • 1tsp dried oregano
  • 1tomato
  • 1mini cucumber
  • 1clove garlic
  • ¼oz dill
  • 1oz veggie stock concentrate
  • 1½oz Greek vinaigrette
  • 1½TBS sour cream
  • 10oz shrimp
  • salt & pepper
  • 2TBS olive oil

Prep:

Wash and dry produce.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into ½-inch pieces. Trim and quarter cucumber lengthwise, slice crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Zest and quarter lemon. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Finely chop dill.

Cook couscous:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in couscous, stock concentrate, ¾ cup water, and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 6- to 8-minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Make salad:

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine tomato, cucumber, half the scallion greens, and half the Greek vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.

Make sauce:

In a second small bowl, combine yogurt, sour cream, juice from one lemon wedge, a large drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of garlic, and as much dill as you like. Add water 1 tsp at a time until sauce reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook shrimp:

Rinse shrimp under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, oregano, remaining garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until opaque and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes.

Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon zest and juice from remaining lemon wedges.

Finish & serve:

Stir remaining scallion greens and a drizzle of olive oil into pot with couscous, season with salt and pepper.

Divide couscous between bowls, top with shrimp and salad. Drizzle with sauce and serve.

Sweet ’N’ Spicy Apricot Chicken

Sweet ’N’ Spicy Apricot Chicken

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with Broccoli & Garlic Rice

Yield: 2

Chicken cutlets drizzled with a tangy sauce of apricot jam, ponzu sauce, Sriracha, and butter. Aromatic garlic rice, plus tender roasted broccoli for the sides.

Saved the Sriracha until plating. Added it just to my sauce. If spicy isn’t important you can leave it out. The sauce is good without it.
Prep: 5 Cook: 25

  • 1clove garlic
  • 10oz chicken cutlets
  • 1tsp Sriracha
  • 8oz broccoli
  • ½cup jasmine rice
  • 1oz apricot jam
  • 2½tsp ponzu sauce
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • 2TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Peel and mince or grate garlic. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary.

Cook rice:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in rice, ¾ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Roast broccoli:

Meanwhile, toss broccoli on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Cook chicken:

While broccoli roasts, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes per side.

Tip: If chicken cutlets are on the thicker side, reduce heat to medium and cover, cook 5- to 7-minutes on second side.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest.

Make sauce:

Add jam, ponzu, Sriracha (or save for plating), and ¼ cup water to same pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 1- to 3-minutes.

Tip: If sauce seems too thick, stir in more water 1 tsp at a time.

Turn off heat and stir in 1 TBS butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish & serve:

Fluff rice with a fork, stir in 1 TBS butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice chicken crosswise on a diagonal.

Divide chicken, broccoli, and rice between plates. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Citrusy Tex-Mex Pork Tenderloin

Citrusy Tex-Mex Pork Tenderloin

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with Spiced Veggie Jumble & Lime Crema

Yield: 2

Pork tenderloin seasoned with Southwest Spice Blend, seared, then roasted to perfection beside a colorful array of sweet potatoes, green bell pepper, and red onion. The pork is topped with a citrusy Tex-Mex sauce made with fresh orange and lime juice, and a drizzle of tangy lime crema.
Prep: 10 Cook: 35

  • 1sweet potato
  • 1lime
  • 3TBS sour cream
  • 1red onion
  • 1green bell pepper
  • 1orange
  • 1TBS southwest spice blend
  • 10oz pork tenderloin
  • 1oz Tex-Mex paste
  • salt & pepper
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Dice sweet potato into ½-inch pieces. Halve, peel, and slice onion into ½-inch thick wedges. Halve, core, and thinly slice bell pepper into strips. Zest and quarter lime. Halve orange.

Roast veggies:

Toss sweet potato, onion, and bell pepper on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, half the Southwest Spice Blend (you’ll use the rest in the next step), and a big pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Cook pork:

Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels, season all over with remaining Southwest Spice Blend, salt, and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pork and sear, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 4- to 8-minutes. Turn off heat, transfer pork to a second baking sheet. Wipe out pan.

Roast pork on middle rack until cooked through, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.

Make crema:

While pork and veggies roast, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice, and a pinch of lime zest.

Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Make Tex-Mex sauce:

About 5 minutes before pork and veggies are done, heat pan used for pork over medium-high heat. Stir in half the Tex-Mex paste, juice from orange halves, and a squeeze of lime juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened, 1- to 2-minutes.

Remove pan from heat, stir in 1 TBS butter until melted and combined.

Finish & serve:

Slice pork crosswise.

Divide pork and veggie jumble between plates. Spoon Tex-Mex sauce over pork. Drizzle crema over everything and serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

Southwest Spice Blend

4          parts garlic powder        1 TBS
2          parts cumin                     1½ tsp
2          parts chili powder           1½ tsp

Cherry Balsamic Chicken

Cherry Balsamic Chicken

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with Almond Couscous & Roasted Carrots

Yield: 2

A saucy coating that includes glossy cherry jam and balsamic pan sauce—because why choose one of these ingredients when you could both? Add to that a side of almond-studded couscous and roasted carrots.
Prep: 15 Cook: 35

  • 1clove garlic
  • ½oz sliced almonds
  • 5tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 9oz carrots
  • 2scallions
  • 2½oz Israeli couscous
  • 10oz chicken cutlets
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 1oz cherry jam
  • salt & pepper
  • 5tsp olive oil
  • 3TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Peel and mince garlic. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Make almond couscous:

Melt 1 TBS butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add almonds, cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 2- to 3-minutes.

Add garlic, couscous, and a pinch of salt, cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in ¾ cup water and cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until couscous is tender, 6- to 8-minutes. Drain any excess water from pot if necessary.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Roast carrots:

Meanwhile, toss carrots on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on middle rack until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Cook chicken:

While carrots roast, pat chicken dry with paper towels, season generously all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes per side.

Turn off heat, transfer to a cutting board to rest.

Make sauce:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in vinegar, stock concentrate, jam, and ¼ cup water, whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 1- to 2-minutes.

Turn off heat, stir in 1 TBS butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Stir 1 TBS butter into pot with couscous, season with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice chicken crosswise.

Divide couscous, chicken, and carrots between plates. Top chicken with sauce. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.

Sesame Soy Pork Bowls

Sesame Soy Pork Bowls

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with Sriracha Mayo, Cilantro & Crispy Onions

Yield: 2

Buttery, lime-laced jasmine rice topped with saucy ground pork and tender carrots. It’s all drizzled with a delectable Sriracha mayo, then topped with crispy fried onions and fresh cilantro.
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • ¾cup jasmine rice
  • 1tsp sriracha
  • 1½oz sesame dressing
  • 1lime
  • 10oz ground pork
  • 2TBS mayonnaise
  • 4oz shredded carrots
  • 4TBS sweet soy glaze
  • 1oz crispy fried onions
  • ¼oz cilantro
  • salt & pepper
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Cook rice:

In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Prep & mix mayo:

While rice cooks, wash and dry produce.

Zest and quarter lime. Roughly chop cilantro.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with Sriracha to taste.

Cook pork:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and a big pinch of salt. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned, 3- to 4-minutes.

Stir in carrots, sesame dressing, 2½ TBS sweet soy glaze, and ½ tsp sugar. Note: Be sure to measure the sweet soy glaze, we included more. Cook until carrots are softened, pork is cooked through, and sauce has thickened, 2- to 4-minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.

Finish & serve:

Fluff rice with a fork, stir in lime zest and 1 TBS butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice between bowls, top with pork mixture and any remaining sauce from pan. Drizzle with Sriracha mayo. Sprinkle with crispy fried onions and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Pepper Jam Pork Tenderloin

Pepper Jam Pork Tenderloin

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with Kale & Sweet Potato Jumble

Yield: 2

Pork tenderloin in a lush pan sauce. Red pepper jam, which adds a tangy, sweet-savory flavor, while sour cream adds a touch of tart. Served with a tangle of sauteed kale with roasted sweet potatoes and red onions.
Prep: 10 Cook: 35

  • 2sweet potatoes
  • 10oz pork tenderloin
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 1red onion
  • 4oz kale
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • 1oz red pepper jam
  • 1½TBS sour cream
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • 1TBS cooking oil

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Dice sweet potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Halve, peel, and cut onion into ½-inch-thick wedges. Remove and discard any large stems from kale, chop into bite-size pieces.

Roast veggies:

Toss sweet potatoes and onion on one side of a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack for 10 minutes (you’ll add the pork then).

Cook pork:

Pat pork dry with paper towels, season all over with paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 4- to 8-minutes.

Once veggies have roasted for 10 minutes, carefully transfer pork to opposite side of sheet. Roast until pork is cooked through and veggies are tender, 10-12 minutes.

Tip: If pork is done before veggies, remove from sheet and roast veggies 5 minutes more. Transfer pork to a cutting board.

Cook kale & make sauce:

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a second large pan over medium heat. Add kale, 2 TBS water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5- to 7-minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat pan used for pork over medium heat. Add jam, stock concentrate, and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3- to 4-minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and season with pepper.

Tip: If sauce seems too thick, stir in a splash of water.

Mix veggies:

Transfer sweet potatoes and onion to pan with kale. Cook over medium heat until warmed through, 1- to 2-minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve:

Thinly slice pork crosswise.

Divide veggies between bowls, top with pork. Spoon sauce over pork and serve.