It's My Party, and I Will Cry If I Want To

It's my birthday, and there have been a few tears.

It's number 42. Wow. I can't be 42. I demand a recount.

But then, I think about a long-time friend who this summer lost her battle with cancer just days before her own 42nd birthday.

I think about how she charged forward with life and plans until the very end. Passion filled her, and she embraced every moment, even as her body betrayed her.

She didn't get to see number 42.

I am 42 years lucky. Ups and downs. Love and loss.

Always fortunate for another day. Another year. Another birthday.

I am 42 years lucky to have today and believe in tomorrow.

There are no tears for Grilled Steak and Onions with Balsamic Sauce...except maybe when you slice the onions.

Grilled Steak and Onions with Balsamic Sauce

(adapted from Bon Appetit)

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 large shallot, minced

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 large fresh rosemary sprigs

4 large sweet onions

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 good steaks (ribeyes, t-bones, or New York strips)

2 tablespoons orange juice

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a heavy saucepan.
Add minced shallot and cook until translucent.
Add vinegar and rosemary and simmer until syrupy and reduced to 1/2 cup.
Remove from heat. (Balsamic will separate at it stands.)
Prepare grill. (Gas or charcoal, but I prefer charcoal.)
Peel onions and slice into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.
Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper, being carefully to keep rings intact.
Season steaks with salt and pepper.
Grill onions until tender, turning frequently, and again being careful to keep rings intact. (You may skewer onions to make this easier.)
Move onions to cooler area of grill to keep warm.
Grill steaks to desired doneness.
Transfer steaks and onions to platter; cover and let rest.
Remove rosemary sprigs from balsamic sauce; add orange juice and bring to simmer.
Remove saucepan from heat; add remaining 2 tablespoons chilled butter and whisk until melted and sauce is smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When plating, drizzle sauce over steaks and onions. Serve with additional sauce on the side. (Serves 4)

Steak/Stake Out

I made the most delicious steaks last night. The marinade recipe was discovered last summer, but I had forgotten how really simple and perfect it was with Flat Iron steaks. Incredibly divine. Really. Unfortunately, I was too lazy to fire up the grill in our cooler (and snow falling) temperatures, but the Rosemary and Garlic Flat Iron Steak was still juicy and succulent when seared to perfection on the cast iron grill pan indoors. We paired it up with some roasted acorn squash and steamed asparagus and finished the meal with a few Gran Marnier Truffles. The twinkle of Christmas lights made dinner seem almost magical. *sigh*

And speaking of the magic of Christmas lights (great segue, huh?), we have another stake out under the kitchen Christmas tree. Sissy set up command under the tree and slept on its skirt all last holiday season. This year, Ace is in control of stalking Santa. The pups are determined to catch the jolly old elf in the act. Maybe we will grill up a few Rosemary and Garlic Flat Iron Steaks and talk about that naught or nice thing over dinner...

Rosemary and Garlic Flat Iron Steak

(adapted from Food.com)

2 flat iron steaks (1 pound-ish, total)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped

1/4 cup cabernet sauvignon wine

salt

fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine all marinade ingredients in a shallow dish or Ziploc bag.
Add the steaks and marinate for 1 hour, turning frequently to ensure even distribution of flavors.
Grill over hot coals or in heated grill pan for (roughly) 4 minutes per side.
(Flat Iron steak is best cooked rare to medium rare for optimum flavor.) Serves 2.

Fall Back

I think I am getting old. I don't remember the time change from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time kicking my butt so much in the past. Sure, I have lamented about the lack of evening natural light for good photos of my dinner meals and recipes, but overall, the biggest pain has usually been climbing up on a chair to change the analog clock that hangs high in my kitchen.

This year, the early darkness is making me a crab-ass. My temper is short in the evenings and everyone needs to beware. Perhaps, it is due in part to the pups not getting the memo about the clocks moving. They are being kind of insane, too. At the first hint of dusk,--which, let's face it, is about 3pm--they start sitting at the side door and whining. No, they don't want to go outside; they could easily escape through the swinging puppy door installed in the back door. They want Hubs to come home. Never mind that Hubs' work hours have NEVER allowed him to come home at 3pm; at the first hint of darkness, they think it is time for him to be home to lounge together in his big leather chair. Who wouldn't be a crab-ass if they had to listen to two dogs' endless whimpering for hours and hours? Really.

Anyway, I am going to try to yank myself out of this funk (and not throttle the pups) by pulling from some recipes I tried during the long, endlessly sunny days of summer. I am going to fall back into a plate of Fresh Corn and Gruyère Polenta and Grilled Scallops and blissfully remember the night we first sampled these in a late evening dinner on the patio. It was still light at 9pm, and the heat of the day rose from the concrete. Although it had been a very lengthy day of working on the front porch project, we were at peace as the pups playfully wrestled on the grass at our side.

It wasn't dark.
There was no whining.
The food was good.
What more could I want?

for those kind of days to last forever...

Fresh Corn and Gruyère Polenta

(adapted from Food For My Family and Gwyneth Paltrow - I had first seen the blog post from Shaina at Food for My Family, and then decided that adding fresh corn as Gwyneth Paltrow suggested in her cookbook would be perfect for us. Loved the extra texture of the corn kernels.)

4 cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 sprig rosemary
1 cup cornmeal polenta
1 cup of fresh corn kernels (alternately, frozen corn may be used when fresh is not in season)

3/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup Gruyère, shredded

Bring water, salt and rosemary to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Reduce heat to low and remove rosemary sprig.
Whisk in polenta.
Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until polenta is thickened; stir frequently.
Stir in fresh corn and milk.
Add butter and allow to melt into the polenta and incorporate.
Stir in the shredded cheese a bit at a time to melt thoroughly into the polenta.

Grilled Scallops

1 pound sea scallops (original recipe called for fresh, but frozen are better suited to my geographical location)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Heat grill to 600 degrees. (We used charcoal for the added smokey flavor, but use gas, if that is your thing...or even a super smoking grill pan indoors, if the weather isn't friendly.)
Combine olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Add scallops and toss to coat thoroughly.
Place scallops on the smoking hot grill.
Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until grill marks are browned and scallop is cooked through.
(Don't overcook...rubbery scallops aren't so delicious.)
Remove from grill and place on platter.
Cover with foil and allow to rest about 2 minutes.

To serve the Fresh Corn and Gruyère Polenta and Grilled Scallops, use a shallow bowl or scooped plate to first add polenta, and then top with scallops. Season with fresh cracked pepper. (Serves 4)

Kiss My Grits

Reading a recent blog post from MamaStephF's Blog, set off a craving for me. I wanted NEEDED some grits. You could kiss my whatever, but I had to have a bowl of that creamy ground corn porridge.

I must admit that I am a relative new-comer to grits. I first sampled them during a trip to Texas to visit a dear friend. After a night of oh-so-much fun, we hit the Waffle House for some fortification. I only had eyes for the grits on the menu, and sprinkled with a little sugar and a pat of butter, I scarfed them down with record speed. I was head over heels in love. Fast-forward to my return home and I bought a tub of grits during my next shopping excursion. However, they sat in the pantry for a very long time before I took the plunge to make them myself. The first time was as a base for a pan-seared tilapia and veggie dish. I could have kissed the pot I boiled them in. It really was love.

So of course, I wanted to try the Creamy Parmesan Grits with Rosemary Bacon that I discovered while flipping through an old issue of Gourmet magazine (R.I.P.). The bacon is baked in the oven to crisp perfection with the rosemary offering a woody tone to the smokey meat. Grits are simmered with half and half for optimum creaminess, and Parmesan cheese is stirred in at the finish for salty, nutty depth of flavor. Topping it all with a runny egg completes an absolutely outstanding breakfast plate. Trust me. You will want to kiss me for some Creamy Parmesan Grits with Rosemary Bacon On My Plate.

Creamy Parmesan Grits with Rosemary Bacon

1 tablespoon rosemary leaves

8 thick-cut bacon slices

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup quick-cooking grits

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Place bacon on a rack that fits over a sided cookie sheet. 
Sprinkle rosemary over bacon.
Roast, turning once, until bacon is golden, 12 to 14 minutes. 
Drain on paper towels.
Meanwhile, bring water, cream, butter, salt, and pepper to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan.
Add grits in a slow stream, whisking constantly. 
Simmer over medium-low heat, covered, stirring often, until grits are tender and creamy, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese. 
While grits are simmering, fry or poach eggs to your liking. (Runny yolks are the best.)
Serve grits topped with the egg and bacon on the side. (Serves 4)