Episode 23: Summer Fun - Steak with Hawaiian Rice, Chicken Breast with barley-corn salad and Cold sesame noodles

Maybe you’re like the Dinner Sisters and are loving summer, but really could use a break from a salad? You’re in luck. Three recipes that use plenty of summer ingredients and techniques but still feel like a comforting meal. Simple preparations like the Chili Steak with Hawaiian rice, an easily-riffed on Cold Sesame Noodles, and a Chicken Breast with Corn Barley Salad round out the seasonal recipes for the week. Chili Steak with Hawaiian Rice: Good Housekeeping One of the simplest recipes we’ve featured so far and one of our favorites. Skirt steak is rubbed with chili powder and lime zest and then quickly grilled. Accompanying the steak- white rice tossed with pineapple and cilantro. S Tips: Chili Powder is a staple in our pantries and we use it often. But if it’s not in yours, make sure its fresh. Open the jar and take a whiff. If you can’t smell much, replace it. A recipe like this, with only a few seasonings, needs fresh spices. Kate made this with flank steak to good results.We imagine you could adapt this to other cuts of beef, just make sure to adjust the cooking times. If fresh pineapple isn’t available, canned works a treat. Cold Sesame Noodles: Epicurious Cold sesame noodles are a summer staple for good reason. The sauce recipe is adaptable to taste, the salad keeps for days, you can add in any bits and bobs you like. Tips: Adjust the ginger, add sriracha, dial up or back the vinegar or sugar as you see fit. We found this to be a good base recipe. Just make sure to take notes so you can replicate your perfect proportions. We like to add in any of the following: shredded cabbage, zucchini, or carrots, cubed tofu, and shredded chicken. If you simmer the sauce too long and it gets gloppy, never fear! You can easily thin it out with a bit of water and a vigorous whisk. The water trick above works very well to reinvigorate the salad from the fridge. A little warm water (think a teaspoon or two from the hot tap) can loosen up the noodles and bloom the sauce again. Grilled Chicken with Mom’s Barley Corn Salad: Iowa Girl Eats Grain salads don’t often feature barley. After tasting this salad, we’re not sure why. It’s chewy, satisfying and is a delicious foil to the summery tomato sauce Tips: This recipe uses just one pint of cherry tomatoes, which is a dream for shopping. We thought the grain salad was good but may have gone with either bacon or avocado, not both. If you have one more summer barbeque to attend, this would be a crowd pleasing option. Or as a lunch prep item as the barley salad (perhaps without the avocado) will keep for a couple days. From the Smorgasbord: We’ve been doing some summer baking. Here’s what we’ve got on our minds. Original Plum Torte: NYT Cooking This is a butter cake with plums sunk in the batter and baked until you have the most amazing jammy fruit. Dinner party dream and the bonus of being an ideal breakfast cake. Burmese Semolina Cake: Bon Appetit If you have any semolina in the house, perhaps from a pasta project or other baking, this is a unique use that will satisfy your sweet tooth. It is a thick dough but don’t worry- it bakes up to a creamy delight. Peach Cobbler with Hot Sugar Crust: Food 52 Cobblers are all alike, right? Not this one. Leave the sugar out of the cobbler dough, sprinkle it on top, then pour hot water over it to bake. The result is a shattery sugar crust covering a pillowy biscuit dough. Not to mention all those peaches.

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