Mushrooms and Argula Side Dish

Every once in a while I'll find a dish that looks good that features an ingredient I don't like. This time it was mushrooms. I thought cooking it this way might make it taste better then I remembered. While this dish was good, it didn't convert me to a mushroom lover like I hoped. It was nice while it lasted mushrooms, see you in a few months/years LOL

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, baby portabello and shitake, cleaned and sliced

2 cups arugula

1/2 tsp red chili flake

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet on high heat. Add olive oil and heat until you see the oil barely ripple. Add the mushrooms and sear, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 3-5 minutes. 

2. Turn off the heat and add garlic and chili flake. Stir for 10 seconds and then add the arugula. You want the arugula to wilt. 

3. Once everything is cooked, drizzle with the fresh lemon juice. Add salt and pepper, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve warm with your favorite main dish. 

Chimichuri Steak Kabobs

• I recently got a new BBQ and was dying to try it out for Memorial Day. Had a few friends over and made these kabobs which were a huge hit! What made them really unique and flavorful was the chimichuri sauce. I plan to use this again with chicken and fish. This dish was really great because I could make the sauce and skewers a few hours ahead so I could hang with my guests. 
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• Ingredients:
• 1 lb beef, (sirloin or Angus) cut into 1-inch cubes

• salt and pepper

• 1 large red onion, cut into large chunks

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

• 1 bell pepper, cut into large chunks

• 6 metal or wooden skewers, (if using wood, soak in water for 1 hour to prevent burning)
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• Chimichuri:
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped (no stems)

• 2 tbsp chopped green onion

• 2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp water

• 1 tsp honey

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1/8 tsp fresh black pepper

• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
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1. Directions:
2. 1. Skewer tomato, onion, beef, and bell pepper in whatever order you like. make sure to leave a little space between each item so it cooks more evenly. 

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2. 2. For the chimichurri, combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until mostly smooth. You want some chunks, almost like a salsa. This can be made an hour or two ahead. 
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1. 3. Prepare the grill on high heat. Grill until meat is done to desired temperature (about 3 minutes per side for medium). Remove skewers to a plate or plater and drizzle with chimichurri sauce. Set extra sauce on the side for serving. 

Summer Vegetable Side Salad - Corn and Avocado Salad

I wanted to find a side dish that used a lot of different veggies so I wouldn't feel bad about eating a lot of it. I've made something like this before but wanted to try a new dressing. The dressing was really well balanced with citrus, sweet, and heat. 

Ingredients:

4 ears of corn, shucked
4 ripe Hass avocados, seeded, peeled, and 1/2-inch diced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 pints grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
2 red bell peppers, seeded and 1/2-inch diced
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup seeded and minced jalapeno peppers, seeded
1 lime, zested
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse the corn in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob, and place them in a large bowl.

2. Toss the avocados with the lemon juice and add them to the bowl with the corn. Add the tomatoes, red peppers, onion, jalapeno peppers and lime zest to the bowl.

3. Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, black pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl and pour over the vegetables. Toss well. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.