Cilantro-Buttermilk Skirt Steak

This past Sunday I hosted a small gathering for Easter with just family. I like ham, but am not a huge fan of ham for Easter. I know, weird. I figured I could be as different as I wanted. 

For days leading up to Sunday I couldn't figure out what I wanted to make.  It wasn't until Sunday morning that I found this recipe in my list of recipes to try.

The recipe itself was ubber easy.  And ultimately super flavorful. I misread the recipe and didn't get the scallions at the store.  In its place I used onion powder. I don't think that added enough onion flavor.  When I make this again I'll definitely get the scallions.

I also couldn't find any skirt steak. Naturally.  Instead I used flank steak. I'm don't think which beef, or chicken, product you use really matters with this marinade.

Cilantro-Buttermilk Skirt Steak

Photo courtesy of Everyday Food

Recipe from Everyday Food
Serves 4

1 cu buttermilk
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tsp coriander seed
1/2 tsp curry powder
3 scallions, roughly chopped
1 pound skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces
Vegetable oil, for grilling
Salt and pepper

In a blender, combine buttermilk, cilantro, coriander seed, curry powder, and scallions and puree. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade for serving. Pour half the remaining marinade into a shallow dish, arrange steak in a single layer, and cover with rest of marinade; let sit 30 to 45 minutes

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Remove steak from marinade, shaking off excess, and season with salt and pepper. Grill steak until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain. Season reserved marinade with salt and pepper and serve with sliced steak.

Orange Vanilla Fruit Salad

Ever had one of those recipes where you make it, you take a bite, and you just sit - momentarily stunned by the goodness that is the food that just hit your taste buds? This recipe was just that type of recipe.

A Pioneer Woman recipe and quite possibly one of THE best fruit salads I've ever had. Naturally it takes perfectly healthy food and makes it not so healthy, but it's worth it.

This fruit salad is essentially covered in a simple syrup that is infused with orange and vanilla...just stop and think about that for a minute.  Yah...exactly.

The salad was not overly sweet and was surprisingly refreshing.  I put it over angel food cake, and quite frankly I cold have done without the cake.

This recipe gets two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

Orange Vanilla Fruit Salad
Recipe from the Pioneer Woman
Serves 12


Photo by Pioneer Woman

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
Juice Of 1 Orange
Zest Of 1 Orange
2 whole Vanilla Beans, Caviar Scraped Out (or 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract)
4 pints Strawberries, Hulled And Halved
2 pints Blueberries
2 cups Red Grapes, Halved
2 cups Green Grapes, Halved
Mint Leaves

Preparation Instructions

Place the sugar, water, vanilla, orange juice and orange zest into a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 to thicken slightly. Set aside to cool, then store in the fridge until cold.

Mix together all the fruit in a large bowl and pour the syrup over the top, tossing gently. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.