Steak and Potatoes II

Grilled Angus Tenderloin medallion with Harcort Vert with cream and fried onions, Smashed baby Yukons in a sauce of sauteéd Crimini Mushrooms and garlic.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken II

Butcher Block Teriyaki Sauce is the secret to delicious teriyaki chicken. This chicken was served with grilled orange bell peppers and blanched snow peas over saffron infused jasmine rice.

Iceberg lettuce, sliced radishes, peeled carrot, diced red onion and Havarti with chives made for a tasty salad.

The aromatic jasmine rice and the saffron were in the pantry. Everything else was procured at Idylwilde Farms in Acton, MA., including the charcoal.

Everything tastes better grilled over charcoal.

Idylwilde is a place for, I use the term with some reluctance, foodies. If you want grass-fed beef. If you want delicious prepared foods. If you want the best produce west of Boston. If you want a selection of cheeses, olives, pâté and troufeés. If you want McCormick spices, go to Stop&Shop or Hannaford. If you want Penzeys spices-you want Idylwilde.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and asparagus

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken tenderloins and asparagus grilled with DaVinci EVOO.

Served on a salad of iceberg lettuce, radish, carrot, red onion, cherry tomato and havarti with chives. Trader Ming's (found at Trader Joe's) Sesame Soy Ginger Vinaigrette makes for a tasty dressing.

FYI- Grilled asparagus and steamed asparagus are in entirely different food groups.

Makkas Pizza

There are no peanuts in the kitchen at Makkas Pizza on Boston Post Road in Marlborough, MA.

The pizza dough contains two eggs in about 50lbs of dough.* Brooke's favorite is the Turkey Wrap with a little mustard. The French fries are pretty popular too. The salads are fresh and crisp. Good people, good pizza...Makkas Pizza is BrookeOK!

See their menu at www.makkaspizzaandmore.com

* The small amount of eggs in the dough does not bother Brooke, who loves Makkas Pizza.
We would NOT eat anything with trace amounts of peanuts.

Allergic reactions vary. Talk to your allergist.

Grilled asparagus. Jasmine rice with saffron. Fresh sea scallops with a soy, garlic, ginger, scallion, lime, citron and honey sauce.

Pasta - no black pepper

Rao's pasta sauce (any flavor) is the best thing to come out of a jar since jars were invented.

But, Rao's contains black pepper. If you want Rao's quality pasta sauce and cannot use Rao's out of the jar...it is time to hit the canned Rao's tomatoes.

Ingredients: 2 28oz. cans Rao's Italian Plum Tomatoes, milled. 1 pound ground sirloin browned, 1 medium sweet onion 1 T roasted garlic, DaVinci EVOO, Penzey's Italian Herb mix to taste, kosher salt, 1 small can organic tomato paste. Prince casserole elbows and freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano.

Directions: Brown, Sweat, Simmer, cook to el dente. Enjoy.

Steak and Potatoes

If you buy a vacuum-packed beef tenderloin PSMO and butcher it yourself, you will have tender and tasty filet mignons, Chateaubriand, tourandoes, mmmmmmm. Combined with a vaccum sealer and some freezer space, this is a simple, cost-effective way to keep yourself stocked with great beef. Helpful hint~ Cook beef over charcoal for best results.


Charcoal grilled beef tenderloin medallions with grilled and roast garlic and bacon braised leeks, mashed baby Yukon potatoes in a mushroom semi-demi-glace.

Ingredients list: Beef, potato, leeks, garlic, bacon, brown sugar, mushrooms, parsley, chicken broth, onion, olive oil, butter, salt.

No peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, soy and no black pepper.