London Broil with Goat Cheese Chive Sauce

In my visits to food blogs since the beginning of the new year, it has become evident that many of you are trying to lose some weight. Guess what? I am too...I've lost 5 lbs. so far but I still have a ways to go.

This blog does not exist to dole out weight loss tips or make you stray from your plan, BUT if you are trying to lose weight run far, far, away from here right now. The rest of you keep reading.


I'm on a sauce kick and I don't know why. I found a sauce for vegetables and chicken last week, now I'm moving on to beef.

I cooked this lovely London Broil Sunday night generously crusted in grill seasoning, seared over screaming high heat on the stove and then gently baked in the oven. Slightly thin slices make this very economical for a family of four and we still had leftovers.

This simple sauce blend along with the intense crusted seasonings on the beef make my taste buds boot scoot boogie all over the place!

In a small sauce pan bring 1-1/2 cups of heavy cream to a gentle boil over medium heat. Keep an eagle eye on the pan so the cream does not boil over. Stir occasionally, the cream will reduce after about 20 minutes. At this point, add a small tube (about 4 oz.) of goat cheese. This particular time I used a flavored goat cheese, but plain is just fine. Once the cheese has melted, season to taste with coarse sea salt and white pepper (Black pepper is fine, I used white pepper to keep the sauce color from changing) and 2 tablespoons of chives. Ladle over sliced beef and you'll know why I am on a sauce kick!

Tomorrow is the Cafe's one year anniversary, I can't wait to show what we're going to make.

Sauce for Green Beans

Have I got a treat for you! It's this sauce! I was thumbing through River Roads Recipes, my old friend, my standard, looking for my favorite no fail hollandaise sauce recipe. Below the hollandaise sauce recipe, I found a recipe labeled "Sauce for Broccoli". In the spirit of "trying" to eat a tad more healthy, I thought it would be fantastic on steamed green beans and it was.

This has a much thinner consistency than hollandaise but the burst of taste is amazing but it is also delicate enough that it does not overpower the wonderful flavor of the green beans. I strongly recommend trying it on your steam green veggies of choice.

Sauce for Green Beans -

2 tablespoons real butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablesppon vinegar ( I used Apple Cider vinegar)

Dash of red pepper

Combine all ingredients except butter in a small sauce pan. Add the butter and heat slowly, stirring occasionally until butter has melted. Pour over steamed veggies. Enjoy!

The sauce gently coated the beans, but the majority of it went to the bottom of the dish.

I took this picture so you could get a closer look at the sauce.

I hope you try and enjoy it as much as I did!

Grilling Sauces

The quintessential summer holiday is upon us. Ok, really it's time to panic. Hordes of people are coming over and we know we're going to grill, but WHAT are we grilling? I've been asking A.J. this for a couple of weeks now and all I get is, "Let me get back to you.". He's a kind of fly by the seat of his pants type person...he calls it spontaneous, I call it procrastination. I was going through my recipes looking for ideas of things we've done in the past that came out really good and for a few new things. So here goes...

Lemon Steak Sauce for Burgers

1/3 cup A-1 steak sauce
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon McCormick Montreal Grill Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In small bowl, combine steak sauce, lemon peel, garlic, grill seasoning, and olive oil; brush on both sides of burgers. Grill burgers over medium heat on each side until done, brushing with sauce occasionally.

Grilled London Broil Sauce -

3 teaspoons McCormick Montreal Grill Seasoning
1/2 cup Kraft Mayo
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Scallions finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In large shallow dish combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, scallions. ginger and grill seasoning. Add steak, turning to coat. Cover, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Grill or broil about 6 inches from source of heat, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes or until desired doneness. Slice diagonally across grain.

Grilled Honey-Garlic for Pork (Tenderloin or Ribs) -

3 teaspoons Pork Seasoning
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Scallions finely chopped

Combine marinade ingredients and pour over tenderloin/ribs in heavy plastic bag, seal. Refrigerate 2-24 hours. Prepare covered grill with drip pan in center banked by medium-hot coals. Remove tenderloin/ribs from marinade, reserve marinade. Grill pork 12-15 minutes, turning once and basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Discard remaining marinade.

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms (Also Great for Trout or Talapia!) -

3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bottle Italian Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
3 dashes Crystal or Louisiana Hot Sauce

In a medium-size mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and whisk them until fully blended. Heavily brush the sauce over the Portabellas/fish. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and allow to marinate for at least an hour. Brush on the sauce occasionally as the mushrooms or fish grills.

Cranberry-Barbecued Chicken Wing Sauce -

1 can jellied cranberry sauce (8 ounce size)
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons prepared Creole mustard or Brown Grain Mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons Crystal or Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 cloves of garlic minced

Place chicken wings in shallow glass dish. Mix remaining ingredients in 1-quart saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth; pour over chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Cover and grill chicken 5 to 6 inches from medium coals 20 to 35 minutes, turning and brushing 2 or 3 times with marinade, until done.

Hope this gives your some ideas for the 4th!