Monday Recipe Review - spring is in the air? Summer, maybe?

I can dream, can't I? Without my annual March sojourn to Hilton Head Island - which usually consisted of 3-10 days of endless beach-walking in sunny 70 degree weather and eating at fabulous restaurants every night - I'm a little at a loss this February for something I can look forward to. That was actually something my therapist asked me the other day: What is it I have, that I can look forward to, when I get home from work? I thought hard for a few minutes and realized that this time of year, the only thing to which I look forward are my days off of work. Doesn't count. I need to find something to look forward to daily. I could say I look forward to watching Friday Night Lights on the dvr, but then of course there arises the next question: What snacks go with FNL? Counterproductive. So.. while I think about something that I can look forward to every evening after 12 hours of hand-holding, band-aid passing-outing and occasional life-saving, here's a nice distraction: Thai Beef Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw.

Something to remind us summer's on the way.

I love Cooking Light Magazine. The only thing I don't like about it is that I will never have the time or stomach capacity to make everything I see in a year's worth of magazines that I like. This one, though, I have made a few times. Whether served for company or just whipped up for a casual weeknight dinner, this has received rave reviews. The slaw just gets better and better the longer it sits. Of course, I can't say it's ever lasted more than 2 days.

Thai Beef Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw
(serving size = 2 tacos - makes 4 servings)
Steak:
1 TB sugar
1 1/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb flank steak, trimmed

Slaw: 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 TB sugar
2 TB rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups packaged angel hair slaw
2 cups packaged matchstick-cut carrots
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

8 tortillas (Cooking Light calls for fat-free flour tortillas. I usually use a corn or whole wheat tortilla)

Combine first 6 ingredients in baggie. Marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes. Marinating overnight really infuses the flavor and makes the steak super tender. Prepare grill or broiler. Remove steak from bag. Discard marinade. Grill or broil 5 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Let steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly, diagonally across grain of meat. To prepare slaw: Combine liquid ingredients with minced garlic, then add slaw, carrots, green onion, and cilantro. Toss well to combine. Divide steak evenly among tortillas. Spoon about 1/2 cup slaw into tortillas. Fold and serve.

Nutrition information (using fat free flour tortillas)
Calories: 431 (24% from fat)Fat: 11.5g (sat 3.9g,mono 5g,poly 1.4g) Protein: 31gCarbohydrate: 50.8gFiber: 5.1gCholesterol: 42mgIron: 4.3mgSodium: 871mgCalcium: 157mg

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro - originally appeared in Cooking Light, April 2007

Monday's Recipe

In honor of the Steelers' ass-puckering Super Bowl win yesterday, from which I am still recovering, here is a great party recipe. It was originally posted on a friend's Facebook page. Thanks for sharing this, Kim! If only I'd remembered to share it before the big game. I myself haven't had the opportunity to make this yet, but it look fabulous! One thing I like about it is you could probably fancy it up by substituting, say, peppered turkey, black forest ham, and swiss for the meat and cheese, and some fancy ciabatta or french bread (obviously you'd eliminate the oregano). Maybe some red onion for color?

Hoagie Dip

1/2 lb salami
1/2 lb ham
1 lb american cheese
1 package hoagie buns
(dice all of these into bite size pieces)

1 small onion, diced
2 tsp oregano
2 cups mayonnaise (real mayo, for the love of God, please!)

1/2 head lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, diced

Mix together all ingredients except for lettuce and tomato and spoon evenly into casserole dish. Top with shredded lettuce and tomato just prior to serving. Serve with crackers.