Lazy Day Gourmet

Ring the Butter Bell!

I need to take a moment to stop and tell you all how much I love my Butter Bell.  Before last Christmas I had never seen such a contraption, and the only reason a Butter Bell came into my possession is because my sister in law got one for Christmas.

If you've ever met my sister in law, Kristine, you know that she doesn't eat anything remotely fattening like BUTTER! Score one for the chubby girls. Go me!

The concept of the Butter Bell is simple- easily spreadable butter at your fingertips at any given moment.  Softened butter is stored in the bell, and is protected by an airtight seal of water in a convenient ceramic crock.   The water in the crock needs to be replaced with fresh water every 2-3 days, but this is a small inconvenience for the huge payoff of having butter at a perfect spreadable consistency AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.

You may be asking yourself why you might need spreadable butter available at any given moment (there, I said it again). The answer has less to do with culinary technique or prowess, and more to do with taming the beast-like morning toddler who is impatiently waiting for his morning English muffin or buttered toast.   

Trying to spread cold and hardened butter on toast, waffles, or even on an ear of corn can be messy, frustrating, and destructive to delicate breads.  With the Butter Bell, you can spread just the right amount of softened butter on any food without cooling off the food or making a mess.

Butter Bells come in different sizes and colors to match your kitchen. I think every Lazy Day Gourmet kitchen should have one.  Your muffins will thank you. Especially the little muffin waiting for his perfectly buttered waffle. :)

Outlaw Sirloin Steaks

These amazing sirloin steaks get their name from the couple of shots of whiskey used in the marinade. I like to think of this an an old cowboy outlaw kind of recipe. "Throw a little bourbon on it, boys!"

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb sirloin steaks

Dry Rub Ingredients
1 Tablespoon garlic salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Marinade Ingredients
1/4 cup Worstershire Sauce
1 shot of bourbon (or 3 Tablespoons)
1 shot of bourbon for the cook (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon garlic

This is a great recipe for doubling, tripling, or quadrupling since it's so easy to prepare. But beware of tripling the shots for the cook...

Freezer Prep: Prop open a one gallon freezer bag. Add all marinade ingredients, and blend well using your hand on the outside of the bag.  Once you have completed this step, take the remaining shot of whiskey and shoot it straight into the cook's mouth before proceeding.

After recovering from the shot, add the steaks to the bag, coat well by turning, seal bag, and label. Prepare the dry rub, and place it into a smaller bag. Attach the small bag to the larger bag with a little tape. Label, and place in the freezer.

Cooking Instructions
Thaw.
Remove steaks from marinade, and discard the bag.
Rub both sides with the dry rub mixture, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Before grilling, brush lightly with olive oil. Grill over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, and then turn. Grill for an additional 5-6 minutes. Remove from grill, let the meat cool for a few minutes, and slice.

Serving Suggestion
Spring Mix salad with Parmasean Cheese & Mashed Taters

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb sirloin steaks

Dry Rub Ingredients
1 Tablespoon garlic salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Marinade Ingredients
1/4 cup Worstershire Sauce
1 shot of bourbon (or 3 Tablespoons)
1 shot of bourbon for the cook (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon garlic

This is a great recipe for doubling, tripling, or quadrupling since it's so easy to prepare. But beware of tripling the shots for the cook...

Freezer Prep: Prop open a one gallon freezer bag. Add all marinade ingredients, and blend well using your hand on the outside of the bag.  Once you have completed this step, take the remaining shot of whiskey and shoot it straight into the cook's mouth before proceeding.

After recovering from the shot, add the steaks to the bag, coat well by turning, seal bag, and label. Prepare the dry rub, and place it into a smaller bag. Attach the small bag to the larger bag with a little tape. Label, and place in the freezer.

Cooking Instructions
Thaw.
Remove steaks from marinade, and discard the bag.
Rub both sides with the dry rub mixture, and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Before grilling, brush lightly with olive oil. Grill over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, and then turn. Grill for an additional 5-6 minutes. Remove from grill, let the meat cool for a few minutes, and slice.

Serving Suggestion
Spring Mix salad with Parmasean Cheese & Mashed Taters

"Honey, I Fed the Kids" Drumsticks

6 pack skinless chicken drumsticks
2 cups apple juice
2 teaspoons garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup honey
Salt to taste

Prop open a one gallon freezer bag. Add apple juice, garlic, pepper, honey, and salt. Mix the marinade together in the bag by rubbing squeezing the outside of the bag. Once the marinade is well blended, add the drumsticks. Let out excess air, and seal the freezer bag. Label the bag, and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze.

Cooking Instructions:
Thaw.
Remove drumsticks from marinade. Discard leftover marinade.
Grill drumsticks over medium heat until completely cooked, flipping once. Will need to cook about 20 minutes per side.

One Hour Lazy Day Gourmet Plan

Whew, is it hot in here, or is it just me?  I just finished a One Hour Lazy Day Gourmet cooking session, and I now have dinner in the freezer for each day of this weekend, and for every night next week. What is on the menu this week? Take a peek!

Keylime Mahi Mahi with Grilled Leeks- Cooking Day Delight!
Honey, I Fed The Kids Drumsticks
Chunky Beef Crockpot Chili
Pork Tenderloin with Pears & Dried Cherries
Buttermilk Turkey Drumsticks Fit For a King
Grilled Chicken with Florida Thyme Butter
Heavenly Mu Shu Crockpot Chicken Wraps

It's hard to imagine that you can actually prepare dinner for an entire week in less than an hour, but I am here to tell you that it CAN be done.  The key is planning your menu, making a Turbo Charged Shopping list, and having a full hour dedicated to nothing but listening to good music, and preparing delicious gourmet dinners for your family!

Here's what you'll need:
6 One Gallon Ziploc Freezer Bags
1 Sharpie or Permanent Marker
One Large Bowl for propping freezer bags open
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Sharp knife for chopping
Damp rag
Clean sink and work area
Ingredients for all recipes