Korean BBQ Shish Kabobs

Don't ask me why, but I had just been dying to try these for a while now!  Every time I see them in a magazine or travel show, it just seems like something you would grab and eat while you walk through some street vendor's stalls in an exotic shopping spree oversees.  Can you tell that I'm ready for school to be out and vacations to start?! 

Well making them doesn't have to seem all that exotic, because the ingredients are super common, and the technique couldn't be easier.  I took a traditionally cheap, "tough" cut of meat, cut it in a way that basically cheated it into being being super tender, marinated for a few hours to make it super flavorful... and the results were outstanding!  My family demolished every one of the skewers, so there were no leftovers to worry about.  And seriously, what kid doesn't like meat on a stick?! LOL!! 

#glutenfree #dairyfree 

Print this Recipe!

Ingredients:    

• 1/2 cup soy sauce 
• use coconut aminos for gluten free
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 cloves finely minced garlic
• 1 tsp white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak

Step-by-Step:
Let's prepare the marinade first so they can go straight into it when they are cut.  Just combine everything except the meat.

1/2 cup soy sauce + 1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger + 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

3 cloves finely minced garlic + 1 tsp white sesame seeds

1 tsp black sesame seeds.  This is how it all looks all mixed together.

Now we are ready to slice the meat.  Here is where we will trick the meat into being super tender.  This is the only place where you really need to pay attention.

See how there is a "grain" to the meat?  You can see the fibers of the meat running in the same direction as the grain of the wood of the cutting board.  Flank steak typically comes in a "roll."

1.5 pound beef flank steak

Now let's unroll the flank steak and turn it 90 degrees so that it is running left to right.

We are going to cut it "across" the grain.  Definitely NOT "with" the grain.  You want your knife to be oriented 90 degrees to the direction that the fibers of the meat are running.   (Otherwise, it may be like chewing shoe leather.)  In addition to this, can you tell that I am not cutting straight down into the board?  My life is angled at about 45 degrees to the cutting board.

I cut the flank steak into about 1/4" slices at the top, but by angling them, the flat broad surface came from the exposed inside.  It is important to get them as uniform as you can so that they will have uniform cooking times.  Tip - I didn't do this, but it helps if your meat is about 1/2 frozen as the firmness makes it easier to get more uniform slices.

Throw all the meat into a gallon sized zip top bag. 

Pour all of the marinade over the meat.

Why is this my favorite marinating container? You can shove it into just about any space without taking up much.... space!  You can squeeze out all the air, which puts the marinade in direct contact with the meat.   Now go find something fun to do for a few hours.  I let these marinate for 3 hours while we had some water fun... boating, playing on the beach, letting the kids kneeboard, etc.

After 3 hours, I threaded them onto bamboo skewers.  I used an over-under pattern.  I did not soak the skewers because these were going to grill so quickly that it was not going to be necessary.

Holy smokes it made a huge pan of them!!!

At this point, I handed them off to my husband to do the dirty work.  LOL!!!  He grilled them 7 minutes on side 1, 1 minute on side 2.  They were so incredibly tender!!!   In this photo, they are just one side 1, over the coals.

Ta-da!!!   Oh, and I also skewered some veggies and fresh pineapple.  We had some wild rice on the side.  A super delicious, healthy and flavorful meal!

I hope you enjoyed this simple and delicious recipe!
There are hundreds more in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  You can also visit my Film strips for pinning page, to see whole recipes at a glance, and to click-and-go right to the recipe.

The Menu Musings cookbook is sure to be a hit at your house, and will make great gifts!  For more information, here is a link!

Order a copy of the Menu Musings Cookbook! 

Connect with me.    

If you are new to MenuMusings, click here to subscribe so you won't miss a thing!  I'll send you notifications of new posts to help you avoid that proverbial cooking rut.  You can also follow me on Pinterest and on the MenuMusings facebook page.

Here are some bonus recipes for you!
Greek Tortellini Chicken Salad

Puff Pastry Breakfast Pizzas

Secret Ingredient Mac and Cheese

Easy Mexican Chicken Lasagna

Peanut Butter Cups - Just Like Reese's

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp

Black Iron Skillet Deep Dish Pizza

Written Method:
Combine all marinade ingredients. 

We are going to slice the meat "across" the grain to trick it into being super tender.  You want your knife to be oriented 90 degrees to the direction that the fibers of the meat are running.  In addition to this, can you tell that I am not cutting straight down into the board?  My life is angled at about 45 degrees to the cutting board.

I cut the flank steak into about 1/4" slices at the top, but by angling them, the flat broad surface came from the exposed inside.  It is important to get them as uniform as you can so that they will have uniform cooking times.  Tip - I didn't do this, but it helps if your meat is about 1/2 frozen as the firmness makes it easier to get more uniform slices.

Throw all the meat into a gallon sized zip top bag.  Pour all of the marinade over the meat.  You can squeeze out all the air, which puts the marinade in direct contact with the meat.  I let these marinate for 3 hours.  After 3 hours, I threaded them onto bamboo skewers using an over-under pattern.  I did not soak the skewers because these were going to grill so quickly that it was not going to be necessary.  Grill them for 7 minutes on side 1, and about 1 minute on side 2.  They are super thin and cook very, very quickly!

Oatmeal Banana Smoothies

I am willing to bet that most parents out there have at some point had to shake their heads at a half eaten bowl of oatmeal, left in haste by the breakfast crowd who didn't want to be late for school.  You don't want to throw it out.  You know it's super healthy, but at this point, it has turned into this abysmal clump of "goo" that you really don't really want to deal with.  You can't spackle the wall with it, so what can you do with it?  Make a smoothie with it!  Yes, I'm serious!!! 

   

Blend the oatmeal up as one of the components of this super healthy and filling smoothie that YOU can grab as you are running out the door on your way to work, or to the gym.  This smoothie is a great breakfast option and an excellent pre-workout shake, delivering a huge dose of protein, lots of Vitamin B-6, Omega-3's, calcium, riboflavin, lots of potassium for quick muscle recovery and the energy you need to get you through a long day at work or a tough workout. The fiber from the oats help you feel satisfied and also slows the absorption of sugar, to give you a steady supply of energy without a sudden influx of insulin. Cinnamon, in addition to being antimicrobial, is one of the oldest used Chinese remedies and has therapeutic benefits such as stabilizing your blood sugar.

I betcha next time you see that bowl of half eaten oatmeal, you're gonna remember what I said.  And believe me - not only is it delicious, it's also VERY filling!!!! The other perks, are that 1.) it will take you less than 5 minutes to throw this all together in the morning, and 2.) this is all stuff you probably have already! You have to like that!

Print this Recipe!

Ingredients:   (for 2 smoothies)   

• 1 cup milk
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 cup cooked, cooled oatmeal*
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 2 Tbsp honey (or sugar)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups ice

* I used my daughter's leftover Maple/Brown sugar oatmeal which is pre-sweetened.  If you are using plain oatmeal, you may like to add more sweetener.

Step-by-Step:  
I know I always give y'all step-by-step, but I'm sort of at a loss of what to say, because all I did was dump it all together and blend it up in my handy dandy Vitamix until it was smooth as a baby's butt!  HaHa.  I had some friends give me a hard time about saying that, actually.  Like, "eeeuuwww, gross, who wants 'baby's butt' in their drink?!' "  Well, dadgum.. y'all know what I mean.

1 cup milk.  Feel free to use Silk or almond milk or whatever floats your boat!

1 ripe banana

If you froze the banana in chunks the night before, you may be able to get by without using ice cubes.  Just a thought.  :)

1/2 cup cooked, cooled, pre-sweetened (left over) oatmeal

1/4 cup (or a small handful) of slivered almonds

 *tip - I keep my almonds in a zip top bag in the freezer.

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp honey (or sweetener of your choice)

2 cups ice

Blend until smooth.  And that's it!!   These are very filling! 

Here's my little barefoot fountain fairy that came out to ....assist me with the shoot.  (???)  But this is what what really ends up happening.  The fountain fairy ends up just playing in the water.  HaHa!!

I hope you enjoyed this simple and delicious recipe!
There are hundreds more in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  You can also visit my Film strips for pinning page, to see whole recipes at a glance, and to click-and-go right to the recipe.

The Menu Musings cookbook is sure to be a hit at your house, and will make great gifts!  For more information, here is a link!

Order a copy of the Menu Musings Cookbook! 

Connect with me.    

If you are new to MenuMusings, click here to subscribe so you won't miss a thing!  I'll send you notifications of new posts to help you avoid that proverbial cooking rut.  You can also follow me on Pinterest and on the MenuMusings facebook page.

Here are some bonus recipes for you!
Baked Buffalo Chicken Tacos 

Waffle Iron Tater Tot Hash Browns 

Stuffed Pork Chops 

Tomato Basil Chicken 

Louisiana Crab Claws Bordelaise 

Ritzy Cheddar Baked Chicken 

Bananas foster cake 

Pot Roast Patio Fries

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours catching up with some former students of mine, who are now all grown up and making their way in the world as professional women!  (Sniff, Sniff!)  At one point, sitting out on that restaurant patio, we were offered some fries with "debris" gravy and cheese sauce on them.  Perhaps this debris gravy is something that we only have down here in the south.  So if you're  not a southerner, it may be a bit hard to describe.  It's a beef based gravy with ends, pieces, and trimmings from the other meat they've cooked and simmered for hours.  Even though it sounds like something that you should dispose of, it ends up being incredibly rich and yummy!  That plate of fries did NOT last long at our table; and I promised them I would try to find a way for the "home sect" to recreate this great appetizer! 

Well who has hours and hours to make debris gravy?  Ummmm... no one, unless you are a restaurant chef!  But one thing we DO quite frequently have, is leftover beef pot roast!  Ah HA!!!  Since I like to slow cook my pot roast until it is so tender that it is falling apart anyway, this will be the perfect "debris" and gravy for my fries.  All that I will need is to make a quick cheese sauce to go with it.  This will be great for having friends over on your OWN patio, or sitting right there on the couch watching a game!  

I mean, what guy is going to turn down chunks of tender, juicy roast over big crispy steak fries smothered in a cheesy sauce... especially when accompanied by a cold beverage?!!!  Right?!  And to think - this was made from leftovers!

Print this Recipe!

Ingredients:  

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp AP flour
• 2 1/2 cup milk
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup Gouda
• 1/2 cup provolone
• 1 cup sharp cheddar
• frozen, battered wedge fries
• left over beef pot roast
• optional garnishes
• sliced green onions
• prepared horseradish sauce

Step-by-Step:

You probably want to get your fries going first as they take the longest.  Okay, shake your head if you want to, but I'm using a bag of frozen, battered wedge fries.  The big, thick, seasoned ones.  They will take a while.  I put them on parchment paper so I wouldn't have issues with them sticking or having to spray the pan, or anything like that.  I just love parchment paper.  And I had scrubbing pans - so that works well for me.

I started by making a quick bechamel just by cooking together the butter and flour for about a minute.  Does this sound suspiciously like making a roux?  You got it!  Except we will keep it blond.

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp AP flour

Whisk or stir in the milk and bring to a boil. 

2 1/2 cup milk

Cook until thick and bubbly, about 4 - 5 minutes.  

Add in the cheeses and adjust the seasonings.  Let say that you could probably use just about whatever cheeses you have on hand.  I wanted something sharp in there, and something smooth and melty.  That was about the extent of my criteria.  

• 1/2 cup Gouda
• 1/2 cup provolone
• 1 cup sharp cheddar

My sauce was pretty mild.  If you want it "sharper" I'm sure you know how to handle that, right?  Want it spicier?  Go for it...maybe a pepper jack?!   You could also add a pinch of cayenne or paprika here, or perhaps a bit of garlic powder. 

Heat up the amount of roast (with some gravy) you think you'll need.   I had bits of roasted red peppers and carrot pieces in mine.  But hey.. that was all part of the fun! 

leftover beef pot roast

Alright.... the timer on the oven is going off.  Let's build our patio fries now.  Yep, I use a timer for everything.  EVERY -  THING!!!!  My family makes fun of me.  So what?!  There's only so much multitasking my brain can handle.  And I like things to come out when they are supposed to come out! 

Here are the hot and crispy seasoned wedges....

baked, battered wedge fries

I'm adding some hot and juicy roast that I've chopped into bite-sized pieces, with "some" juice.  I don't necessarily want the fries soggy... just some juice.   How much roast?  As much as you want! 

Now some of that hot, gooey cheese sauce!

Now on top of mine ONLY, I'm going to add just a tad bit of prepared deli style horseradish sauce.  I'm blaming this one on my stepdad, who enjoys a bit of horseradish sauce with his roast beef.  Just a bit, or else it could be over powering.  But the right amount can definitely wake it up!!  (You have to know your audience on this one.)

zesty, deli style horseradish sauce (optional)

And finally, I'm garnishing it with a handful of freshly sliced green onions.  Fresh and crunchy and green to balance out all that creamy richness.

fresh, sliced green onion

I was absolutely, fully prepared to segregate the food for my little ones; and I did hear this from my 6 year old:  "No way am I going to eat my roast and that cheese on my perfectly good fries!"   I implored him to just put a little "dab" of the cheese sauce on the side of the fries and try dipping it... that went pretty well.  Then maybe see how it MIGHT taste if you added in a bite of meat with it.... hey, that might be okay!  So guess who ended up eating a healthy portion of this?  You guessed it!  And my 14 year old and I had a field day with it!

Here's a close up.  The fries are crunchy on the outside, buttery soft on the inside.  Gooey, rich cheese sauce.  Fresh green onions.  Hot, tender roast.  That's a lot'a YUM!!!!  

Listen, I fully understand that we will not be able to file this under any of the "eating healthy" categories.  But balance, my dear friends, is essential in your lives.  You gotta have some fun and find some time to get out there and relax with your friends.  It's just as important as training for that 5K, or working on that portfolio for work.  

So the next time you are wondering what the heck to do with the leftovers from that huge pot roast you just made, dig out that bag of frozen fries and this recipe.  Call some friends over... and sit around on the patio enjoying each other!  Or maybe you could even get away with calling it dinner after your kid's ballgame?!  Hey, it's meat and potatoes, right?!

I hope you enjoyed this simple and delicious recipe!

There are hundreds more in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  You can also visit my Film strips for pinning page, to see whole recipes at a glance, and to click-and-go right to the recipe.

The Menu Musings cookbook is sure to be a hit at your house, and will make great gifts!  For more information, here is a link!

Order the Menu Musings Cookbook! 

Connect with me.    

If you are new to MenuMusings, click here to subscribe so you won't miss a thing!  I'll send you notifications of new posts to help you avoid that proverbial cooking rut.  You can also follow me on Pinterest and on the MenuMusings facebook page.

Here are some bonus recipes for you!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Garlic Aioli

Carrot Souffle

Cajun Chicken Salad

Parmesan Zucchini Gratin

Stuffed Peppers

Tiramisu

Written Method:  

Get your fries going first as they take the longest on parchment paper so you won't have to spray the pan or anything like that.  Start by making a quick bechamel by cooking together the butter and flour for about a minute.  Whisk or stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Cook until thick and bubbly, about 4 - 5 minutes.  Add in the cheeses and adjust the seasonings.  If you want it "sharper" I'm sure you know how to handle that, right?  Want it spicier?  Go for it... maybe a pepper jack?!   You could also add a pinch of cayenne or paprika here, or perhaps a bit of garlic powder. 

Heat up the amount of roast (with some gravy) you think you'll need.  Let's build our patio fries now.  Here are the hot and crispy seasoned wedges + hot roast chopped into bite-sized pieces with "some" juice + that hot, gooey cheese sauce!  Optional - you can add a tad bit of prepared deli style horseradish sauce.   Just a bit, or else it could be over powering.  But the right amount can definitely wake it up!!  (You have to know your audience on this one.)  And finally, garnish it with a handful of freshly sliced green onions.