Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple. Jacques is not overpromising with that name. The recipes are just as delicious as you’d expect from him, but they are truly quick and simple. The book is totally newbie-appropriate. Most of them are super wallet-friendly, too, with ingredients like frozen vegetables. I’m so excited to share his recipe with you for Wine Merchant Steak. I’ve made many of Jacques’ different wine merchant steaks and this one is my absolute favorite. I love the addition of the Spicy V8. It’s fantastic. I’m going to try this as a bbq sauce, for a really flavorful, sugar-free option. I just bought crab to make his crab cakes and I’ll add that in later, but it’s Valentine’s Day, and this steak is perfect!!!
I love creamed spinach alongside steak. And I love spinach artichoke dip. And now Costco sells this amazing artichoke jalapeno dip. I married all those together as the inspiration for my side dish for my hubby’s 50th birthday. We were all in love with it. And now I can’t quit making it, so I thought I’d share with you lovely people.
I was in the mood for a lovely hearty steak salad. Hope you love it, too!
Jen’s Steak Salad for 4 Fine Peeps
16-24 oz steak – Depends on how hungry your tribe is Salt and Pepper
Season as early as you can to let the flavor penetrate the meat. Morning of is great. The night before is better. And two nights before is best. It’ll rest in the fridge, uncovered. Set on the counter an hour before you’re cooking it to let it come to room temp so it’ll cook more evenly.
Bacon – 1-2 slices per person, optional
Place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and put in a cold oven. Turn it to 400 degrees F, and set the timer for 20 minutes. Check it, and let it continue on its journey til it meets your strongly held conviction of the perfect bacon doneness level. Drain on paper towel.
1 red onion 1/2 Tablespoon butter or olive oil Pinch of salt
Saute until softened and picking up a little color.
Grill the steaks or give them a stove top cast iron sear in butter and olive oil, turning often to desired doneness. Mine’s an internal temp 118 degrees F. Rest. Slice.
Spring Mix Vinaigrette (Whisk 2 parts red wine vinegar (or whatever you have!), 3 parts olive oil, a squeeze of dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and grating of pepper)
Toss and divide between 4 plates.
Top with: Steak Tomatoes Avocado (1/4 – 1/2 per person) Onions Bacon (optional) Blue cheese (optional)
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My favorite cast iron skillet is a 12″ Lodge dual handle pan. Why, the long handles are too heavy to hold with a single hand when they’re loaded up. Since you’re using two hands anyway, you might as well get the ones that take up less space and stack so much better!
I get asked about my spice wall all the time. The magnetic tins on the wall are great for any spices or salt-free blends. Salt corrodes the tins, so anything with salt is in a glass jar on the counter underneath.
My favorite knife. It’s a 7″ full tang Santoku. Full tang just means that the blade runs the full length of the knife. The blade and handle aren’t two separate components, so there’s no breaking point. I chose the Ikon handle design, which is wonderfully ergonomic. I have spent hours on a produce sculpture before and my hand was just as comfy at the end. It’s worth the pennies.
Ever walk out of a good, traditional-style Mexican restaurant and think you wish you could do that at home? I’ve got the book for you, Mexican Dinner Parties!
The author’s mother’s from Mexico and his father’s from Hungary. He grew up in Canada. His mom taught him to cook the family dishes to preserve their family heritage and now the author created this book for his kids as a family heirloom. It’s a charming story for sure, but it makes the book very special in another way. My kids are in the kitchen with me a lot, and they learn so much that way. They get coached and always hear what they’re looking for. The author does that in this book. It shows up mostly in the opening techniques pages. He doesn’t just give you the recipe for tortillas, he shows you photos of what your dough should look like, and also what it shouldn’t look like and why. It has that personal coaching feel. You will absolutely be able to master everything in the book with a little practice. Continue reading “Grilled Flank Steak Tacos with Orange Chipotle Sauce recipe and Cookbook review: Mexican Dinner Parties”→
Ever walk out of a good, traditional-style Mexican restaurant and think you wish you could do that at home? I’ve got the book for you, 
Jennifer Guerrero 