Espresso-Rubbed Steak with Green Chile Pesto (and then some)

It has been a LOOOOOONG time since anything kitchen-related came out of Kelsie's Kitchen. Probably partially because Kelsie's Kitchen (as in my actual kitchen, not the blog) has not been producing share-worthy meals as of late. I hesitate to admit this because--gasp--I supposedly love to cook. And I do. Don't get me wrong. But I've been struggling to adjust my menus to accommodate the wee one who is usually hanging onto my pant leg come dinner prep time. I'm learning to balance gourmet with speed, keeping the under arching theme of nutrition in mind of course. I am not super mom and, much to my dismay, I don't always provide the perfectly balanced meals I imagine to my family, though I certainly do try!

So, I'm thinking about starting a 2nd blog, a strictly food, cooking and nutrition blog. It would sort of be a tale in the life of a major foodie who also happens to be a busy mom, wife and registered dietitian. Novel idea, huh? Probably not. I'm sure it's been done before but my hope would be that my nutrition background could provide a unique angle that could benefit fellow moms and/or woman/men of the work world. Thoughts?

Oh yeah, back to topic. You probably started reading this post because you thought you were going to get a new recipe. So here it is, courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens. I made this flank steak last night and it was quite the hit! The recipe makes a pretty hefty batch of pesto so plan on having some leftover to toss with pasta or put on roasted vegetables. I served the steak with a grape tomato and corn salad with fresh cilantro and some sauteed red potatoes. The only thing I would add next time is some avocado (Graham thought the leftovers would make great taco filling). 

Espresso-Rubbed Steak with Green Chile Pesto
(From Better Homes and Garden Magazine)

1-1/2 lb. beef flank steak
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder (or instant coffee granules)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 recipe Green Chile Pesto, recipe below
Cilantro leaves (optional)

Score both sides of steak by making diagonal cuts in a diamond pattern. In small bowl combine chili powder, salt, espresso powder, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper. Sprinkle over steak; rub in.

Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot; add steak. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 12 to 14 minutes for medium-rare (145 degrees F) or 14 to 16 minutes for medium (160 degrees F), turning once halfway through. Transfer to cutting board. Cover loosely with foil; keep warm while preparing Green Chile Pesto .

To serve, thinly slice steak against grain. Pass Green Chile Pesto. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

For Green Chile Pesto: Halve 2 medium fresh Anaheim or poblano chile peppers lengthwise; remove stems, seeds, and veins. Coarsely chop peppers. In food processor combine peppers, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (I used feta), 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste. Process to finely chop mixture. With processor running add 1/3 cup olive oil in steady stream through feed tube to combine into a coarse paste. Makes about 1-1/3 cups pesto.

Makes 8 servings.

Espresso-Rubbed Steak with Green Chile Pesto (and then some)

It has been a LOOOOOONG time since anything kitchen-related came out of Kelsie's Kitchen. Probably partially because Kelsie's Kitchen (as in my actual kitchen, not the blog) has not been producing share-worthy meals as of late. I hesitate to admit this because--gasp--I supposedly love to cook. And I do. Don't get me wrong. But I've been struggling to adjust my menus to accommodate the wee one who is usually hanging onto my pant leg come dinner prep time. I'm learning to balance gourmet with speed, keeping the underarching theme of nutrition in mind of course. I am not super mom and, much to my dismay, I don't always provide the perfectly balanced meals I imagine to my family, though I certainly do try!

So, I'm thinking about starting a 2nd blog, a strictly food, cooking and nutrition blog. It would sort of be a tale in the life of a major foodie who also happens to be a busy mom, wife and registered dietitian. Novel idea, huh? Probably not. I'm sure it's been done before but my hope would be that my nutrition background could provide a unique angle that could benefit fellow moms and/or woman/men of the work world. Thoughts?

Oh yeah, back to topic. You probably started reading this post because you thought you were going to get a new recipe. So here it is, courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens. I made this flank steak last night and it was quite the hit! The recipe makes a pretty hefty batch of pesto so plan on having some leftover to toss with pasta or put on roasted vegetables. I served the steak with a grape tomato and corn salad with fresh cilantro and some sauteed red potatoes. The only thing I would add next time is some avocado (Graham thought the leftovers would make great taco filling). 

Espresso-Rubbed Steak with Green Chile Pesto

Start to Finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1-1/2 lb. beef flank steak
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder (or instant coffee granules)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 recipe Green Chile Pesto, recipe below
Cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Score both sides of steak by making diagonal cuts in a diamond pattern. In small bowl combine chili powder, salt, espresso powder, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper. Sprinkle over steak; rub in.

2. Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot; add steak. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 12 to 14 minutes for medium-rare (145 degrees F) or 14 to 16 minutes for medium (160 degrees F), turning once halfway through. Transfer to cutting board. Cover loosely with foil; keep warm while preparing Green Chile Pesto .

3. To serve, thinly slice steak against grain. Pass Green Chile Pesto. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

Makes 8 servings.

Green Chile Pesto: Halve 2 medium fresh Anaheim or poblano chile peppers lengthwise; remove stems, seeds, and veins. Coarsely chop peppers. In food processor combine peppers, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (I used feta), 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste. Process to finely chop mixture. With processor running add 1/3 cup olive oil in steady stream through feed tube to combine into a coarse paste. Makes about 1-1/3 cups pesto.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 244, Total Fat (g)17, Saturated Fat (g)3, Monounsaturated Fat (g)9, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)2, Cholesterol (mg)31, Sodium (mg)335, Carbohydrate (g)4, Fiber (g)1, Protein (g)20

Wilson Family Road Trip

Good Morning Folks! I felt it high time that the World Wide Web hear about it our lovely family vacation a week and a half ago. We had such a great time, particularly since Graham WAS able to join us part way through (I'm sure my pleading blog post to his coworkers had everything to do with it). This meant the WHOLE family was together for 5 straight days, spouses included. It's worth noting that we have now officially expanded beyond the capacity of any of our motor vehicles when we are all together. But, rather than split up and take to cars, we cozied up and crammed into the Suburban and had someone ride in the back, because by golly, we were in the country! 

We began with plenty of car space as only half of us (my parents, brother Ben and Isla and I) made the road trip there. We pulled over in Yakima on day 1 so that Ben and Mom and I could make a 2+ hour float on my parents' new fancy tubes down the river. My Dad graciously offered to take Isla. I think he was hoping to be able to fish from shore while watching her but that didn't work out to well because of somebody. But I won't mention names.

We stayed in Pendleton, OR that night and then Boise the next. We stopped for a picnic lunch on day 2. 

Such a trooper! And look at her DQ ice cream swirl hair!

We found this swimming beach immediately after arriving in Boise because it was HOT. Isla loved floating in her inflatable starfish and I savored my opportunity to relax while she was under the watchful eye of her grandparents.

We ate dinner that evening at a delicious Brazilian restaurant that basically served all-you-can-eat meat. We picked up Lani and Michael from the airport in Boise the following morning and continued our journey to Josh's place in Soda Springs, ID.

Stretching legs at a rest stop

Soda Springs, ID is quite rural. For instance, they have about 3 restaurants. Subway, A&W/Taco Time combo, Mexican and "Restaurant." Ok so they have 4. But still. Josh lives in the more ritzy area, 3 miles down a long, long road. Look at the view from his backyard! Gorgeous! And he has it all to himself...

We visited the town's famous geyser which goes off every hour on the hour. Apparently it was messing with Old Faithful's performance in Yellowstone when it first started spewing but they got the kinks worked out now. Honestly though, I found this geyser to be much more impressive than Old F which gave us quite the flop show at Yellowstone.

Isla got to spend time with her Uncle Josh and he was a great back rubber when she started feeling sick.

BBQ....in a wheelbarrow?

We got to spend a full day in Soda Springs where Josh took all of us non-prego, non-baby types to tour his plant, Monsanto. He is a mechanical engineering co-op (intern) at their phosphorus production plant. It was quite wild. We got to wear hard hats, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, earplugs and even got to carry our own personal emergency respirators. My favorite part was when we were walking into the furnace and Josh said "The phosphorus gas in here makes sure cough but you should still be able to breathe alright." Just hearing him say that made me start hyperventilating. The tour was fascinating as the plant basically takes dirt, turns it into red hot lava rocks and then breaks it down into elemental phosphorus. One of the byproducts is this stuff called "slag" which is liquid "lava" that they transport in giant basins. It's bright orange (red hot) and was pretty entertaining to watch. The tour confirmed a couple of things for me:

1) my brother is a genius

2) I am claustrophobic

I'm glad I went though because I learned a lot. But I don't think I could work in a plant like that.

The next day, we were off to Jackson, WY to pick up Graham who flew in to meet us. We stopped for some pics by the Grand Tetons where I promise no immature jokes about womens' hoo-haa's were made.

Next stop, YELLOWSTONE! I was a Yellowstone virgin before this trip so I was quite amazed at what the park had to offer. My only request goes out to Mr. Grizzly. Next time, could you bring yourself and mama and baby bear just a little closer to our car? Like right next to us would be great.

Look how beautiful this place is!

Oh and the people visiting were pretty good looking too.

After spending the weekend in Yellowstone, we journeyed back to Soda Springs. But first, a picnic in the park! The best part about it is that Josh hates horses, yet he was the first one hopping the fence

Josh has a couple of horses for neighbors who are quite friendly. The best part about it is that Josh hates horses, yet he was the first one hopping the fence to feed them carrots.

Our last night there also happened to be Josh's 1/2 bday so we enjoyed some homemade stir fry in his backyard. His place is up at 6000+ ft elevation so as soon as the sun goes down, the temperature drops ~30 degrees. Crazy!

Thanks oh so very much to my parents for a great trip! We have many memories we will cherish, thanks to your generosity!

52 Weeks = ONE YEAR

Although there were many wonderful things that happened with Isla this week, if I had to pick one word to describe it, I'd have to chose ROUGH, but we'll discuss that more later.

Isla went to her 1 year well check up and is right on track! She is still our "Peanut," weighing in at 18 pounds, 6 ounces (10th %ile), length of 28 1/2 inches (25-50th %ile--she had a growth spurt!) and head circumference of 18 inches (50-75 %ile). Can I just say that I LOVE our pediatrician? She is awesome! I don't think I could have picked a better one. The first thing she did was tell us congrats for making it through the first year and give us all sorts of other encouragement. We talked a lot at the appointment about sleep and whether we should work toward dropping Isla's 5 AM feed and let her cry it out and go back to sleep (answer: YES!!!) We discussed weaning strategies and introducing whole milk (she had her first glasses today!) 

Back to the ROUGH stuff. We spent the week away on a road trip with my family (NOTE: my family was NOT the rough part, they were actually the lifesavers!) Isla was an absolute champ for the first part of the trip as we drove all the way to SE Idaho. But a couple days in, she spiked a fever that ended up lasting 3 days. She was fussy, restless and acting just plain uncomfortable. She wouldn't sleep at night and cried about every 15 minutes until we finally let her come sleep in our bed (a huge no-no in our books) to try and keep her quiet since we were sharing a room with my sister and brother-in-law. Anyway, then came her finger chewing and sticking out her tongue and acting like her mouth hurt. We were SURE she was cutting all of her teeth at once. Then the fever went away and a rash appeared all over her body. So weird. After 4 horrible, sleepless nights, we were excited to visit our pediatrician on Wednesday and hear her announce that our daughter was indeed getting her first teeth. No. Such. Luck. Apparently there is still absolutely no indication that the girl even has teeth in there (although our Dr is confident that she does). So, guess we're going to see a dentist in the next couple months if she still doesn't get any....Baby dentures anyone?

So why the fevers/sleep issues? Our Dr thinks she had a bout of roseola, a common virus in kiddos that exhibits Isla's exact symptoms. I guess it's nice to have a reason for our rough week but I'm a bit bummed that we didn't get any teeth out of all that pain. Hopefully that doesn't mean the worse is still to come.

Now, for all the cute positives. Isla took a major interest in spoon feeding herself this week. As with most things, it happened out of nowhere. She was refusing to eat the spoonfuls of the restaurant soup we offered her for almost a half hour. Finally, my dad decided to let her bring the filled spoon to her mouth. I guess that's all she wanted because she was suddenly thrilled to eat the soup. Of course, now she always wants to be the one holding the spoon but she usually likes to play tug-of-war with you to get it which means food usually flies everywhere when you let go.

She's also gotten really into stirring her food on the table (which usually means it gets pushed onto the floor) and also stirring her water with the spoon. The other odd quirk we noticed is that she's started testing the water in her glass with her finger before drinking it. Is she checking the temperature? I have no idea!

We taught Isla how to take care of her stuffed ducky this week. She likes to offer him water from her sippy which is pretty cute. She "talks" to him in this funny high-pitched voice, kind of like the voices us adults adopt when talking to babies. It's hilarious!

Isla is doing a great job at identifying family members. If you ask her "Where's ____?", she look up at the appropriate person. She occasionally points too but usually she just looks up at the person asked about. Smart girl!

She figured out how to "comb" her hair this week. Adorable.

Isla went to Montana and Wyoming for the first time. She got to visit many sites at Yellowstone and saw her first buffalo and elk.

There were a couple times this week where Isla stood alone for a couple seconds! She certainly wasn't doing it on purpose as she always likes to be holding fingers but she mistook some toy for a finger for a brief moment and stood without help! I thinking walking is still a few months off but we'll see.

51 Weeks

This post is rather tardy and actually should be dated 8/17/10 but we've been on VACATION which means we were far too busy for blogging...(It also means we are lacking our traditional bear picture since we were road tripping and couldn't squeeze dear Snowball in the car). Now, the true test will be whether or not I remember what was new with Isla oh so many days ago. Let's see...

She discovered that our laundry basket also doubles as a walker! It happened rather accidentally but I was thrilled at her brilliance as I was about to go out and purchase some sort of push toy that she could use to practice walking. Ha! Such a $$$ saver. It's pretty cute to watch her push the basket up and down the hall. Boy does she get frustrated when she gets stuck in a corner though! We're going to have to work on turning skills next...

Out of no where, Isla became incredibly attached to her stuffed duck, literally overnight. She spent the day with my mom and she commented at the end that "Isla sure loves her ducky. She's been carrying it around all day." And the rest is history! Now it travels with us everywhere. We have the Waldrip family to thank for bringing him into our life. She's learned to "Quack" because of him. It is so cute!

Isla continues to be touch and go with veggies. She usually eats a few bites but doesn't eat them ravenously anymore. Sigh. She's started "sorting" her food, dropping the veggies and other undesired items on the floor. She likes to give me this look first, just to make sure I'm watching. One night she was being particularly testy and was intentionally chucking food and her water cup on the floor. After trying numerous "NO Isla!"s in my most stern and authoritative voice, I realized I was going to have to try another tactic so I gave her hand a little swat. Now get this: she looked at me, smiled, and held her hand out for me to swat again!!! Then she started clapping!!! I'm pretty sure she thought Mommy just introduced the coolest new game...

Goodness, that's all I can remember....weeks 51 and 52 are all muddled together in my brain!

The Birthday Girl

Happy 1st Birthday to our sweet baby girl!  Spaghetti, shots, stamps, sleeping, swimming, smooching and swinging.....such a special birthday!  Couldn't imagine our life without you, Isla Bear.