Easy Cheesy Grilled Skirt Steak Pinwheels

If you like steak, cheese and spinach, (three of the main food groups) you will love these cheesy pinwheels! They are quick and easy to make and will impress your guests with their attractive display.

If you can’t find skirt steak, no worries! You can use flank steak. I prefer the skirt steak because it has a beefier taste to me.

Cook / Prep Time: about an hour

Servings : Two (about 4 pinwheels)

Special equipment needed: a meat mallet or tenderizer and some kitchen twine.

• 1 lb skirt steak
• 3 ounce baby spinach leaves, chopped
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 lg shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 oz shaved or shredded parmesan
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• 1 sprig fresh basil leaves
• 1 tsp ground thyme
• Salt
• Pepper

Pound the skirt steak into a rectangle about 1/4” thick.

Season both sides with salt and pepper. Turn the skirt steak vertically on a counter. Mix the lemon juice and olive oil together and brush onto the beef. Sprinkle the thyme leaves on it. Spread the chopped shallots and garlic evenly onto the meat. Pinch the basil leaves and dot them over the shallots and garlic. Evenly spread the Parmesan cheese over it. Spread the chopped spinach over the parmesan cheese. Add the provolone slices evenly on top.

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Roll the meat up jelly roll style and it should look like this…

Cut 4 pieces of kitchen twine about 12” in length.

Tie them around the skirt roll and cut off the excess twine. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary. At this point, you can pop it in a 350 degree oven if you want and cook for about 30 minutes until desired doneness, or you can slice them and fry them or grill them. In my case, I grilled them.

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Place them on a hot grill and grill them for about 4 minutes on each side and them place them in a 350 degree oven for about another 6-7 minutes for medium rare. They will tend to be tough if well done or overcooked. Let them rest with tented aluminum foil over them for about 5 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Crab Augratin

Quarantine got ya a little crabby? Looking for something to cook while self isolating? This cheesy, crabby treat is easy to make and is a delicious dish for dinner or brunch!

This is a variation of another Morrison’s Cafeteria favorite and anytime we put it on the menu back then I would treat myself to it. I prepared these in small 12 oz casserole / rarebit type dishes, but it can also be prepared in one large casserole dish. In the past, I have used half & half for this recipe, but that tended to make it a little too rich so I used whole milk this time.

Cook / Prep Time – About an hour

Servings – 4

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces lump crab meat
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar/jack cheese
• 1 1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs (or croutons)
• 2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
• A sprinkling of paprika

For the sauce…

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp ap flour
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup sherry wine
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce (I like choulula)
• 2 tbsp shredded cheddar/jack cheese
• 1 tbsp shredded Parmesan

Cut and toast the bread cubes. I made croutons using some sourdough bread I made last week.

Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. When melted, add the flour and continue to cook while stirring to make a roux. Do not brown.

When the roux starts to bubble, continue stirring while adding the milk. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble again and add the sherry, mustard, salt, hot sauce and the two cheeses. Turn on low heat continue to stir until well blended. Remove from heat.

Line up the dishes. Spray them with pan spray and add 1/4 cup of sauce to each dish.

Divide the bread cubes between the 4 dishes and place them on top of the sauce.

Pick through the crabmeat to check for any shell pieces and remove them. Then divide the crabmeat evenly and add to the 4 dishes on top of the bread cubes.

Divide the remaining sauce between the 4 dishes and cover the crabmeat.

Top with the cheeses and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes until brown and bubbly around the sides. You can also wrap them and freeze them for up to a month.

Enjoy!

Here are some quarantine songs to listen to while preparing the crab….

“Alone Again (Naturally)” by Irish singer songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan from 1972.

“Dancing With Myself” by Billy Idol from his album of the same name from 1981.

Since Tommy James turns 73 today, how about “I Think We’re Alone Now” by him and the Shondells released in 1967.

“Lonely Too Long” by The Young Rascals from 1968.

“Isolation” by John Lennon from his 1970 album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

(Ain’t Nothin but a) “Houseparty” by the J. Geils Band from 1973.

Bacon Macaroni & Cheese

Everything’s better with Bacon! This would be a great side dish for your Super Bowl viewing…

Servings – 8-10

Prep/Cook Time – About an hour

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Dried Elbow Macaroni
• 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 slices deluxe American cheese (not cheese food or cheese product)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 5 strips of bacon, cooked (reserve 2 tbsp bacon grease)
• 2 3/4 tbsp flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Cook dried pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse. Set aside. Cook bacon, reserving 2 tbsp bacon grease. Chop bacon and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a saute pan on medium heat, melt the 2 tbsp butter and add the bacon grease. Cook for a few minutes then a the flour, paprika, red pepper and mustard. Stir until bubbly to make a roux. Add the milk and whisk until thickened. Add the parmesan and American cheese. Add 1/4 cup of the shredded cheddar and mix well until melted and blended. Add half of the chopped bacon, saving the other half for the top. Blend the sauce with the pasta and mix well. Pour in a serving dish. Top with the remaining cup of shredded cheddar and the rest of the chopped bacon. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes until it bubbles on the sides.

Enjoy!

Recommended for your listening pleasure while preparing this dish….

“Bringing Home the Bacon” by Procol Harum from their 1973 album “Grand Hotel” Also “A Whiter Shade of Pale” and “Conquiistador” from their classic 1967 album, “Procul Harum”

“Christmas in Hollis” a single track by Run DMC from the album “A Very Special Christmas” released in November 1987. “Mama’s cooking macaroni and cheese…..” and one of my Wife’s favorites.