We must start with Clam Dip. It's tradition. And I realized I have no written recipe for Clam dip...so here you go.
Mom's Clam Dip
1 package cream cheese, softened (I like to use the 1/3 less fat one)
1 can minced clams (drain the juice into a glass)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 T Worcestershire sauce (give or take)
Mix this together. Do it by hand though. A mixer makes the cheese rubbery. Add clam juice to loosen it up. Should be dip consistency that you can dip a chip into and not have it break.
Pretty easy, right?
For dinner I'm serving the following:
My Spinach Salad
Garlic Steak & Cheesy Bacon Potato Hash Foil Packs
Cheesy Broccoli
Janet's bringing dessert, so that'll be a surprise.
My Spinach Salad
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman
3 whole Eggs
7 slices Thick Cut, Peppered Bacon
1 whole Red Onion, Small
1 package Mushrooms, White Button
8 ounces, weight Baby Spinach, Washed Dried And Stems Removed
3 Tablespoons Reserved Bacon Grease
3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoons Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 dash Salt
Cook eggs: cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 20 minutes. Drain off water and add ice on top of eggs.
Fry bacon until crispy/chewy. Remove to a paper towel.
Remove 3 tablespoons grease and set aside.
Add 2 add'l tablespoons of grease to a separate skillet over medium heat.
Slice red onions very thinly, then add to skillet. Cook slowly until onions are caramelized and reduced. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Slice mushrooms and add them to the same skillet. Cook slowly until caramelized and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Chop bacon.
Peel and slice eggs.
Make hot bacon dressing: Add 3 tablespoons bacon grease, vinegar, sugar, and Dijon to a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk mixture together and heat thoroughly.
Add spinach to a large bowl. Arrange onions, mushrooms, and bacon on top. Pour hot dressing over the top; toss to combine.
Arrange eggs over the top and serve.
Garlic Steak & Cheesy Bacon Potato Hash Foil Packs
Recipe from Cafe Delites
1/2 cup garlic butter divided
For The Potatoes:
26 ounces baby Yukon potatoes (or 750 grams), washed (peeled or unpeeled), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup onion diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste
1/3 cup diced bacon cooked
1/3 cup scallions (or green onions/shallots), sliced
For The Steak:
2 pounds whole eye fillet (or ribeye) steak (or 1 kg)*, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. Pat dry with paper towel for best results.
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded**
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Make a batch of this Garlic Butter. Divide in half and melt in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Combine the potatoes and the onions in a bowl. Pour the melted garlic butter over the top; set aside.
Spread the remaining non-melted butter over the steak to evenly coat.
FOR WELL DONE STEAKS:
Slice your fillet into 2-inch thick slices (if the pieces are too small they will dry out). If you like your steak dry, cut them smaller.
FOR MEDIUM RARE STEAKS:
Cut your fillet into 4-inch long pieces (see above pictures or video for reference). The bigger you cut them, the more juicy the steak will be once its done. For rarer steaks, but them bigger (5 or 6 inch pieces).
Tear four or six 15-inch (40cm) pieces of heavy duty foil and arrange on your kitchen counter or bench top. Divide steaks and potatoes among the top half of the foil sheets. Sprinkle with parsley, and season with salt and pepper
Fold up the sides of the foil first over the steak and potatoes, then fold up the entire bottom half of the foil over the ingredients to join the ends. Fold down to seal, pressing the seal tightly to prevent any juices from spilling out.
Place foil packets on the HOT grill, cover and cook for 7 minutes on one side. Flip and cook on the other side for a further 5 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through, (about 12 minutes all together). CAREFULLY open the foil packets (being careful of the escaping steam). Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes, and loosely tent with the foil again to allow the cheese to melt through for a further 3 minutes while still on the grill.
Top the potatoes with the cooked bacon, garnish with the scallions (or green onions), and season with a little extra salt and pepper, if needed.
For Stove Top:
If you can, use a cast iron skillet or a heavy based pan. Preheat skillet over medium heat. When foil packs are ready, place them in the hot, preheated skillet to cook for 7 minutes, covered (you may need to do them in batches of two). Flip and cook for a further 7 minutes (covering again), until done.
For Oven:
Preheat oven to 220°C | 430°F. Prepare foil packs; place packs on a baking sheet/tray, and bake for 20-30 minutes in the HOT oven. Flip packs and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. OPTIONAL: open foil packs being careful of trapped steam, and broil for 3-4 minutes, until charred. REMEMBER the result of meat depends on how large or small you cut your pieces!
Cheesy Broccoli
This recipe was originally for Brussel Sprouts. But those are gross, so I swapped in the Broccoli. If you're one of those odd balls that like Brussle sprouts, then by all means use them instead.
Recipe from Betty Crocker
1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ vegetable broth
2 lb broccoli, trimmed, quartered
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (6 oz)
1/2 cup Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat broth to boiling over high heat. Add broccoli; heat liquid back to boiling. Cook 2 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer sprouts to baking dish. Reserve 1 1/2 cups broth.
In 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with whisk. Stir in reserved 1 1/2 cups broth and the whipping cream; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat; add Swiss cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Pour sauce over Brussels sprouts.
In small bowl, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Stir to coat. Sprinkle mixture over sauce. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until top is lightly browned and edges are bubbly.