WHAT'S ON THE MENU WEDNESDAY The 2011 Beach Edition

You know how much I love the beach anytime, anywhere. I especially love being at the beach with all of the Perfect Ones. With Perfect Boy and Perfect Girl, there's always a new way of exploring what the sand and surf have to offer. PG thinks every shell she finds is of museum quality and worthy of taking home. PB, who just turned 6 this month, explores every crab hole along the shore when he's not busy jumping waves or playing beach baseball. PG, well...she's content making princess castles from seashells. And just being beautiful.

We pretty much make relaxing our major focus when we're here, and I must say thT we've become experts at that over the years. That includes our efforts at the stove. After all, the mommas are due a vacation as well, ya' know! We will pretty much hang in for breakfast and lunch, but we like to explore the locals at dinner. Perfect Daughter has become a foodie detective like her mom when it comes to finding the best in local cuisine. Hubby and PSiL are all too willing to sample our suggestions from the menus. It's nice that they are willing to foot the bill

I'm posting this week from my new IPad, and our wifi is sketchy at best so this is a really abbreviated post. I still hope you will linky up and share a favorite. I will try to figure out how to use this device and fill in the details of our trip soon.

Hope you are enjoying these last few days of summer break. Thanks for being here.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU WEDNESDAY and Fajita Steak Salad

  Thanks for dropping by for a visit.  I’m so glad that you chose to spend some time here today.  I’ll look forward to what you have to say and share.
  We continue to experience very hot weather with little or no rain.  It’s sad to see the crops already dead in the fields, and I feel so sorry for our farmers and cattlemen.  Unfortunately  for all of us, we will continue to experience this drought in the supermarkets during the coming months.
An easy and relatively inexpensive meal that we often enjoy is a filling and nutritious salad.  This Fajita Steak Salad is so delicious that you won’t feel like you have missed out on a thing. 

Fajita Steak Salad

3/4 cup thick steak sauce (I use Lawry’s or Kroger’s Bold and Spicy)1/2 cup mild (or your heat preference) thick and chunky salsa
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 cups thinly sliced red, yellow, and/or green bell peppers
1 cup thin onion rings
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound cooked steak, cut into julienne strips (about 2 cups)
4 cups torn mixed salad greens
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
Tortilla chips

In a small bowl, blend steak sauce, salsa, 2 Tablespoons oil and vinegar; set aside.
In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute, peppers, onion and garlic in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil until tender.  In a large nonmetal bowl, combine the pepper mixture, steak and steak sauce mixture.  Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
To serve, toss chilled steak mixture with salad greens, cheese and olives.  Serve with the tortilla chips.
Serves 4 – 6.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU WEDNESDAY and Stuffed Chayotes

This is the picture that greeted us on our way home from the lake on Sunday!  I love Summer, but this heat is…well, HOT!  I’m looking for all sorts of ways to get meals on the table without much cooking.

This idea for Stuffed Chayotes caught my eye when I was searching for some new side dish ideas.  It was hearty enough for a light lunch or dinner alongside a cool and refreshing salad.  I’ve also served it with grilled fish, and it was delicious that way as well.

Stuffed Chayotes

2 large chayotes, cut in half lengthwise
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup cooked whole kernel corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook chayote halves in 1inch of boiling water in a large covered skillet 20-25 minutes, or until tender.  Drain.  When cool, remove the pulp, leaving 1/2-inch shells; coarsely chop pulp and edible seeds,  Melt butter in the large skillet over medium heat.  Brush half of the butter inside chayote shells.  Add onion and garlic to remaining butter in skillet; cook until onion is tender.  Add tomato and parsley; simmer 5 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.  Remove from heat; stir in corn, salt, pepper and chayote pulp.

(I actually did all of the above in the microwave.)

Prehat the oven to 375 degrees.  Plate  chayote shells in greased shallow baking pan.  Evenly fill shells with corn mixture; top with cheese.  Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chayotes are hot and cheese is melted.

(I just put them on the grill to bake.  I have also used my toaster oven to bake them with equal success.)

Makes 4 servings.

You can substitute yellow squash, pattypan squash or zucchini for the chayotes if you prefer.  The filling would probably fill 6-8 6-inch squash or 8 large pattypans.  Cook the squash in boiling water just until tender; turn out onto a cloth to drain before filling.

I’m thinking about spicing up the recipe with some minced jalapenos and, perhaps, adding in some black beans.  That’s a meal!

I’m glad you are here for this week’s What’s On the Menu Wednesday.  I’d love to hear all about your ways of keeping it cook in the kitchen during our summertime heat.  Thanks for linking up with Mr. Linky.
I hope to be visiting more of you this week.  Perfect Boy’s birthday celebration is behind us, so I should have some spare time this week. I think he really enjoyed his tubing and fishing birthday!

WHAT’S ON THE MENU WEDNESDAY and Peach Glazed Pork Loin

 It’s that time again.  Time to share your favorites on What’s On the Menu Wednesday.  I really appreciate your willingness to link up and/or try some deliciousness.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun-filled Independence Day.  It was such a nice, long weekend, and our weather cooperated.  It was definitely hot, but since we were at the lake, hot was a good thing.  We were able to enjoy lots of fireworks shows around us from our deck.  It was the best of both worlds --- lots of boom, sparkle and bang --- no expense.

We grill all year round, but like so many of you, we use it very orten in the spring and summer.  One of our favorite menus is this one with pork loin and fresh peaches.  (Our Arkansas peaches are in season and are so delicious.) Even the side items of asparagus, fresh sweet corn and baked potatoes were done on the grill.

Peach Glazed Pork Loin

1/2 cup onion, diced
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups peach juice or nectar
1 cup sliced fresh peaches (you can use frozen)
1/2 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 2-pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed, seasoned with salt and pepper

Sweat onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes in 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan  over medium-low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add nectar and increase heat to medium-high and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes.

Stir in remaining ingredients (except pork loin), reduce heat to medium, and simmer slightly, 10 minutes.  Discard the cinnamon stick.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce for basting the roast during cooking, then transfer the remaining sauce to a bowl, cool and cover with plastic wrap.  This can be stored up to one week in the refrigerator.

Grill the pork loin first over direct heat to sear the top side, about 5 minutes.

Baste with 1/2 cup reserved sauce, then transfer to indirect heat.  Roast, turning to baste every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 155 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove from the grill and let rest 5 minutes.  Cut inte 1/2-inch thick slices.  Serve with the remaining sauce and your choice of sides.

Grilled side items:
Asparagus – Trim off the woody ends then toss with olive or grapeseed oil, salt and pepper.  Grill over direct high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes.  You can also dust with yarlic powder while cooking if you like.

 

Corn on the Cob – Shuck ears, trim the ends and halve crosswise, if desired.  Toss with olive or grapeseed oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Grill over direct high heat about 10 to 15 minutes, turning often.  I like to sprinkle these with fresh thyme and/or chopped rosemary half way through the cooking.

Grilled Baked Potatoes – Wash and dry russet potatoes, then rub with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Grill over indirect heat 45 minutes to 1 hour.

So easy.  So delicious.  My kind of summer.

I’m looking forward to what you have to say.

Linked to:  Menu Plan Monday