Roast Beef Dinner...and a tomato salad

"Roast beef?" you ask. "All I can see are tomatoes.  What gives?"

True.  You see tomatoes.  

This, by the way, is one of the easiest "salads" imaginable.  And one of the best at this time of year, with tomatoes fresh from the garden.  

...sliced tomatoes

...drizzle on a little dressing, home made or a "good" bottled Italian

...sprinkle on olives and sliced green onions.

Can be made any size, perfect to take along to a potluck.

But, back to the roast beef!!

Last night, we had a "full meal deal" roast beef dinner.  I double-checked on the Internet for minutes per pound and discovered the following technique.  It works!  

1.  Remove roast from fridge and bring to room temperature. Note: I used a standing rib roast.

2.  Preheat oven to 500°.

3.  Sprinkle roast liberally with pepper, onion powder and other  seasonings.

4.  Place beef in pan (uncovered) and roast: 4 minutes per pound for rare; 5 minutes per pound for medium; 6 minutes per pound for well done.

5.  Turn oven off.  Leave roast in oven for two hours.  DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR.  

Our roast was very tiny and I was a bit leery about how it would turn out.  I must say I was extremely pleased with the results and I'm definitely going to try this again.  Sorry there isn't a picture!!

Happy Tuesday!

Maggie

Cynthia's Salsa Chicken

Cynthia's Salsa Chicken

For dinner last night, we had Salsa Chicken, an easy, tasty dish that can be prepared ahead of time.

Cynthia, a family friend, shared this recipe a few years ago at a "Recipe Shower" for one of my daughters.  Each guest brought a favourite recipe AND a recipe for a happy marriage.  Enjoy!

Cynthia's Salsa Chicken

12 - 18 skinless, chicken thighs or 6-8 chicken breasts

3/4 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot, depending on taste)

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 - 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger root (optional)

Arrange chicken in a single layer in 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine marinade ingredients.

Pour marinade over chicken.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Bake chicken and sauce, covered, in 400 degree oven 

for 40 - 50 minutes.

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

When chicken is done, transfer sauce to saucepan. 

Bring to a boil.  Mix and add cornstarch and water mixture.

Stir for 1 - 2 minutes as mixture simmers and thickens.

Pour sauce over chicken.

Cynthia's Salsa Chicken

Now for Cynthia's recipe for a happy marriage!  Good advice from a lady happily married for over forty years.

Marriage Recipe

Then catch the moments as they fly,

And use them as ye ought, man,

Remember, happiness is shy,

And comes not aye, when sought, man.

- Robert Burns

Have fun catching the moments, doing things spontaneously, 

having many varied experiences together.

- Cynthia

March 11 - Sent this recipe over to Weekend Potluck # 57 - a great place to check out recipes!