PEPPERCORN STEAK

I love good food, I always have. I am not a big meat eater however. Not because I don't like it, but mostly because it is never cooked, the way I ask for. For me, there is no point in ordering a steak out, if they cannot cook it the way you want it. I like my steak, medium rare. I expect to see "deep pink" in the center. I do not like, dried out, or overcooked meat, even a little. Pork Chops are another food I would never order out either. 

There is no mystery in cooking the perfect steak. I like mine without adornment as well. So rarely do I serve it with a sauce. But, there are always exceptions.

Steak Au Poivre (which is basically a heavily peppered rub, like we are using today, only with a cognac and cream based sauce) is traditionally served with a sauce, and, I will post a recipe for a complimentary sauce, another day.

For me though, it is all about the steak and pepper, so rarely do I make a sauce at home, unless I am serving dinner guests.

This is a perfect Valentine's Day Meal!

 

Ingredients:
1 6-8 oz. steak of choice, per person. Usually filets. (I used rib eye steaks this night)
A course Sea salt or Kosher salt.
Freshly ground peppercorns.

Directions:
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Sprinkle both sides of each steak with salt.
Using coarsely ground pepper, cover both sides of each steak generously. 
Pat into meat well, and pepper again, one more time.
Place on 3rd tier (top rack)
For medium rare, cook for 4-41/2 minutes on each side. Cut center to check for readiness.
Let stand for several minutes, before serving.
TIP: Remember, the steak has just been broiled, so it is hot, and still cooking. (Keep that in mind when removing from the oven for the desired outcome. Add 2 more minutes to each side if medium to well done is how you enjoy it.)

Now Enjoy!

© 2014 Jayne's Crazy Kitchen

PASTA ALFREDO, a la Victoria & Nina

I've was so surprised the other night when my 18 year old daughter walked into the room with a dish of something that smelled so good, I couldn't help but feel hungry.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather since just after the Holiday's and cooking sadly has become more of a chore than an enjoyment right now. Let's face it, it's hard to cook when your stomach isn't feeling just right. :(

The biggest shock was, that I didn't know my daughter could cook! Yes, she is around me in the kitchen a lot, but I never got the feeling that cooking was her thing. Let alone, paying any attention. Boy, was I wrong!

I had nothing in particular planned for dinner, and it was getting to be that time. As I fell in and out of sleep on the couch, my daughter and her girlfriend decided to make the evening meal themselves.

This blog is all about how we, in our family both eat and live, everyday, and on special occasions too. You will NOT find collected recipes here, unless they are so outrageous they should never have been kept a secret in the first place. :)

Jayne's Crazy Kitchen is all about "working families," who want to eat well, but... cook fast. I say this only because, by default this night, I realized what I was doing, was actually working... right here, in my own house!

As a world traveler in my younger years, I've eaten Alfredo sauces just about everywhere. Some were superior, but I will concede that most, although good, were less than expected. Many bland, too heavy, separated, over/under spiced etc. Believe it or not, the best Alfredo sauce I've ever had, was in Zermatt, Switzerland, and the worst, was in Brooklyn, New York.

To me... A good Alfredo Sauce should be, just that, a sauce, not lumpy, a gravy, or full of "stuff". Because of the heavy ingredients, the finished sauce should actually be light, and not overpowering.

The girls... GOT IT PERFECT!!! and they knew it. They are the ones who took the photo's too. LOL

Thank you!!! Victoria G. and Nina C.

Prep Time: 10 min.      Cook time 15 min +/-      Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. of your favorite pasta. (The most commonly used is fettuccine) My daughter chose tortellini this night.

1 cup heavy cream.

3 tbsp. butter.

1/2 tea. salt.

pepper to taste.

2 cloves garlic, minced (Or several "shakes" to your taste, of dried garlic powder can be substituted.)

1 tbsp. parsley.
1/2 cup +/_  Parmesan cheese.

Directions:

In large pot, cook pasta according to directions on the box.

While pasta is cooking, in a medium sized pot, add butter on a low/medium heat, being careful not to let the butter burn.

Once butter is nearly melted, add cream, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, then cheese.

Allow to soft simmer for several minutes. (3-5)

Mixing well, and stirring often until the sauce has cooked down a bit, thickened and yet still remains creamy. TIP: TASTE AS YOU GO! (Add more cheese slowly, if a thicker consistency is wanted.)

Mix well again.

Pour over pasta, and Serve immediately

 

(Above, the chefs of the night. Left: Nina, Right: my daughter, Victoria.
They cooked this, instead of having that! You know what I'm talking about! LOL)

  Now Enjoy!

© 2014 Jayne's Crazy Kitchen

A NOTE, AND SOME INTERESTING FOOD INFORMATION TOO!

I want to apologize for the difficulty Jayne's Crazy Kitchen Blog seems to be having of late, with  graphics not loading and lack of thumbnails pictures. It makes choosing a recipe to try, very hard to say the least, I know.
We still have a few small technical problems to work out, But, we believe we have successfully fixed the "problem" again. So... this is a test page ONLY.
I am adding 3 graphics to this page, of useful information by the way, and... a little "funny",  just to see if they will load to the page and, the proper thumbnails show up when I try to post them.
I want to thank you all again, for your great support, and help in getting Jayne's Crazy Kitchen, up and off the ground at such a soaring speed!
I continue to ask you to "SHARE" all posts. Re posting, and word of mouth, is the single largest draw to a  new website or blog like this one!
With each share you make, Jayne's Crazy Kitchen can at times add numerous new followers and new members, all... thanks to you! AND you know HOW MUCH WE LOVE, new "crazies"!
Talk us up! Make suggestions! Tell us what YOU want to find here and... we will do our best to accommodate every request.
At the bottom of each post is a comment box. I can't ask you all enough... to use it. Without your feedback, we cannot give everyone the types of recipes or food information you would like to try and see.

I can't help but laugh at this one. I have friends who would ask this question. LOL

Charts above, courtesy of: http://www.facebook.com/melanie.poynter.4 

These are recommendations only. 

As always, if on a special diet prescribed by your doctor, stick with it please!

© 2014 Jayne's Crazy Kitchen