Tagged: balsamic vinegar

Steak & Mushroom Kabobs With A Balsamic Rosemary Marinade

Let me begin by saying these steak and mushroom kabobs are absolutely amazing and perfect for the summer. I don’t know if this is true in other parts of the world but here in Texas summer is basically defined by the mouth-watering smell of food cooking over a sizzling grill while surrounded by family and friends talking and laughing and let’s not forget, a fantastic cold [adult] beverage in everyone’s hand. Let me tell you, these steak and mushroom kabobs that have been marinated and then basted in a balsamic rosemary marinade will provide the taste that is as good as the smell and the feeling of those summer evenings spent with friends and family.

You will be reminiscing about these summer nights (wherever you may be)  for years to come. Have some fun and eat some good food!

Steak and mushroom kabobs with a balsamic rosemary marinade

 Ingredients

  • 1lb Steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 8oz. Package Button Mushrooms, brushed off to remove dirt and cut in half lengthwise
  • 3/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Rosemary, chopped finely
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Kosher Salt
  • Skewers

Directions

Step One

Prep all of your ingredients (mince the garlic, cube the steak, slice the mushrooms) and add everything but the salt and skewers to either a large plastic storage bag or a large bowl. Toss all of the ingredients to make sure the steak and mushrooms are evenly coated. Close the bag or cover the bowl and place in the fridge. Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour and up to the night before you plan on cooking them. Flip the bag or stir the ingredients at least once half way through the marinade.

Step Two

Skewer the steak and mushrooms, saving the marinade for basting.

Steak and mushroom kabobs with a balsamic rosemary marinade

Step Three

Heat your grill heat to 350ºF. If you have a gas grill I am assuming this is a rather easy and quick step. If you have a charcoal grill like myself, I prefer to use a charcoal starter to heat my charcoal then add it to my grill once the charcoal is ashy (only a little bit of black left). Then I typically add more charcoal on top and wait for them to no longer be black (black coals are not good eats, you want them ashy). This takes about an hour total.

Step Four

Once your grill is at 350ºF place the skewers on the grill. Turn every two minutes to ensure they don’t burn and baste as you go. I prefer my steak medium rare, this takes about 8-12 minutes depending on your grill and how thick your steak is, if you want to be sure bust out a thermometer, I go for 140ºF internal temperature on the steak.

If you do not want your steak medium rare but are unsure of what temperature to cook it to internally check out my previous post, A Basic Internal Temperature Chart.

Remove from heat and let rest for about 5 minutes.

Eat & Enjoy! 

Steak and mushroom kabobs with a balsamic rosemary marinade

My Tastee Tips

To reduce cooking time and increase even cooking, leave your kabobs out at room temperature while you prepare your grill. By bringing the steak to room temperature you will spend less time hovering over the hot grill and in turn will be chowing down on these kabobs much sooner.

Use a good quality balsamic vinegar. I am not saying go spend $25 on a bottle but don’t get the $2 balsamic vinegar either. Trust me, it makes a difference.

The steak, I was vague on the exact kind above, it’s because there are a lot of options. I use beef tenderloin, it is thick and very juicy but if you cannot find that exact kind don’t be turned away, simply find another type of thick cut steak, it will be just as good.

Finally, don’t forget to soak your skewers if you are using wooden ones. Soak them for at least 20 minutes, this will prevent them from burning.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

If you all are anything like me, you spend countless minutes hours on Pinterest, more specifically on the “Food & Drink” board. I have seen many pins and have re-pinned the recipe for Philly cheesesteak stuffed bell peppers many times. I finally decided it was time to actually try the recipe instead of just drooling over the photo.

The recipe below is my adaptation of the recipe seen all over Pinterest, which I did make according to its directions, I just felt the need to kick it up a bit. The first time I made the recipe I used green bell peppers and red bell peppers (I already had some at home so I decided to give it a try) and I am glad I did, I prefer the red bell peppers over the green.

I also added a few ingredients to the “stuffing” including Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes in order to make my taste buds extra happy. These were so good, I have made them about once a week for the past month and what is even better they are super easy and quick to make. The perfect recipe for weeknight dinners!

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

Ingredients

  • 5 Red Bell Peppers (or green if you prefer)
  • 1 Large Container Mushrooms (whole or pre-sliced, 16oz.)
  • 2 Roast Beef Lunch Meat Containers (or about 16oz.)
  • 1 Large Onion (sliced, medium to thick)
  • 3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
  • 15 Slices of Provolone Cheese (5 of those slices cut in half)
  • 1-2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (depending on how much heat you like)
  • 2 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
  • Olive Oil
  • Butter
  • Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1-2 tbsp. Flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F

Step One

Cut the bell peppers in half length-wise and remove the stem, seeds and the membrane. Line them up on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 15 minutes (if you are using green bell peppers I would recommend adding an extra 3-5 minutes).

Step Two

While the bell peppers are in the oven slice the onions, mushrooms (if needed), roast beef and mince the garlic.

Step Three

Remove the bell peppers from the oven and soak up the liquid sitting in the peppers with a paper towel. Set to the side and keep the oven on.

Step Four

In a large saute pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes then add the garlic and continuing cooking for another minute. Add the mushrooms and roast beef then season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the ingredients are all thoroughly combined.

Step Five

At this point you should notice some liquid in the pan, add the flour, a tablespoon at a time until the liquid is soaked up. Add the Worcestershire and the balsamic and stir to thoroughly combine, cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Step Six

While you are waiting during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking, place the provolone slices that are cut in half inside of the bell pepper halves. Top with the meat/mushroom mixture (evenly distributed amongst the bell peppers) then top off with the remaining provolone slices.

Place in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown and bubble.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

Continuously taste the meat/mushroom mixture as it comes together, depending on your personal preference you may like more heat or more vinegar etc. Don’t be afraid to taste it and say, “Hey! I think this would be great with _____ or with more ______,” that is the best part of cooking, making it your own!

If you are looking for a really quick dinner I would recommend buying the mushrooms pre-sliced, this will save quite a bit of time when cooking these Philly cheesesteak stuffed bell peppers.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This post may not be for everyone. You either like Brussels sprouts or you hate them and more than likely you have one or two of each in your family. That is why this recipe for balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts is so good. It is simple enough to make for the one Brussels sprout lover without feeling like you wasted time and money while the rest of your family avoids them.

Brussels sprouts, like other vegetables, are really good for you and are even believed to have anticancer properties. However, avoid boiling the Brussels sprouts as it reduces the levels of good stuff. You can read more about Brussels sprouts and their health benefits here.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts
  • 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp. Aged Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 3/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step One

Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts then cut them in half lengthwise.

Step Two

Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to the bowl and toss to coat.

Step Three

Lay the Brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet in an even, single layer. Place in the oven and roast for 25-35 minutes. Check the Brussels sprouts halfway through the cooking process and move them around a bit.

Eat & Enjoy!

My Tastee Tips

Use a good aged balsamic vinegar that is thicker in consistency and a little sweet. I love balsamic vinegar and always have some on hand, if you like it too it is well worth the extra few dollars to buy a good aged balsamic vinegar. FYI: balsamic vinegar can get pretty expensive, I am talking about a bottle around $15 unless you just want to go all out, that is fine too.

When cleaning and trimming the Brussels sprouts, trim the stem on the bottom and discard any leaves that fall off (usually just a few of the outer ones that needed to be removed anyways).