Sallee Shares: FoodNetworkStarWeek 7

I could not wait to watch Food Network Star. Which Star Salvation contestant had been chosen to go to Las Vegas?

My choice was Luca. I based my choice upon the fact that Luca had described Geoffrey Zakarian's omelet as a "French Omelet" and why it was a French omelet. Then he described the flavors in the omelet. Reuben's description was about the flavor profile of the omelet.

My choice was absolutely correct! Luca appeared in Las Vegas with the other six finalists of Food Network Star. The other finalists were amazed and stunned by Luca's improvement. Twice I heard Luca being asked if he used the Rosetta Stone to improve his English. His 1,000 watt smile was constantly flashing and camera engagement was not an issue.

Cowboy Lenny is such a character! He had the crowd at the pool eating out of his hand. He promised a belly flop in the pool if he won the challenge. He was not lying. Lenny took off his hat, unbuttoned his shirt, and belly flopped into the pool. The judges were fairly speechless. My eyes will not forget that scene anytime soon!

The contestant going home was Chris Kyler. Chris is such a personality, but he just couldn't get his food quality to match his on camera presence.

The rest of the finalists.
Nicole Gaffney is going to have to RELAX. In my opinion, she is pushing herself too hard and is having trouble putting everything together. Her "Coastal" POV* is good. I like it.

Emma Frisch can cook, but her voice puts me to sleep. She is trying hard to be energetic, but I don't think she will make the final four.

Loreal Gavin, Butcher Babe, is not always being Butcher Babe. She morphed from Butcher Babe into Party Gal on this week's episode. Stop It Loreal, Dang!


My guess for the next finalist to go home?
I think it will be Sarah Penrod.
Sarah changed her POV two episodes ago to "Texas." She still isn't presenting a clear POV.

*POV = Point of View

Sallee's Six - The Summer Milkshake Edition

This week I am featuring my favorite treat. Give me a thick, frosty milkshake and I am a happy camper.

Milkshake Happy Hour

Steak n Shake has a buy one-get one free, BOGO sale, on milkshakes! Whoever thought up Milkshake Happy Hour is a genius. You can order any milkshake on the menu for half price from 2:00 - 4:00 AM and PM.

Bill and I stopped in at our local Steak and Shake for the Milkshake Happy Hour (2:00 PM-4:00 PM) this week. We ordered the Double Chocolate Fudge flavor. Oh my gosh! Thick, frosty chocolate, fudgy goodness in a cup. Topped with whipped cream and a cherry. I was so full that I didn't want supper.

Steak n Shake has twenty specialty shakes for you to try out.


Sallee's Six Milkshake Picks

No way could I pick a fave out of these six flavors! These are not in a certain order, the order is completely random.


(chanting voice) Strawberries, Apple Pie, and Fried Bananas Oh My!

Make your own amazing milkshakes at any hour. Just click on the links below for the recipes.


1. Strawberry Rhubarb Milkshake from the Dairy Good Life

2. Apple Pie Milkshake from fifteen spatulas

3. Fried Banana Milkshake from the little kitchen

4. Chocolate Coffee Milkshake from Crunchy Creamy Sweet

5. Cinnamon Toast Crunch Milkshake from Foodie Crush

6. Peanut Butter Cup Banana Milkshake from the Reluctant Entertainer

Star Salvation Episode 6 - My Choice is Luca

Part 1 - Describe an omelette made by Geoffrey Zakarian was the first challenge in Star Salvation Episode 6.

When are we going to be able to SMELL that food cooking? Just watching the Iron Chef make a French-style omelette made me hungry.

When Luca flashes that 1000 watt, star-powered smile, I want to listen to him all day long. Plus, the man knows his food. Luca immediately informed me that Geoffrey had made a French-style omelette with no brown on it. Reuben and Chad both missed that in their descriptions.

Reuben's energy was jumping out of the screen at me. Geoffrey's omelette must have been amazing because Reuben took it with him. I would have too. 

Chad was obviously going home. He just wasn't coming up with much to say except, "perfect."

Part 2 - Another burger challenge.

Sigh. A point of view burger challenge.

The judges just aren't giving away which Star Salvation competitor is going to Las Vegas; Reuben or Luca?

Judges comments:

Luca - dry bun, good burger, good connection, but needed to talk more about the Texas side of his burger
Reuben - good burger, too many items on the burger, good story connection with his abuelo.

Personally, I think Reuben is still speaking too quickly. A staccato burst is the phrase that comes to mind when I listen to Reuben speak. Plus, he would have more star power if he would closely trim, or shave, that beard. 7/12/2014 Update: I watched Episode 6 again. Reuben's beard is much shorter than it has been. Good deal.

Luca is my choice to go to Las Vegas.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Meets Banana Split

1. Light, airy whipped cream 
2. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream 
3. Strawberry preserves
4. Chocolate syrup
5. A banana

What a lovely list!

Today, I just needed to indulge myself by making a banana split.

A banana split served in a lovely, glass banana boat.

A banana split with three scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, smooth, chocolate syrup intermingled with the sticky sweetness of strawberries, and topped with three, airy stars of whipped cream.

Yes, that is exactly what I indulged in. Want one too?

Directions

• Remove the peel from a banana
• Cut the banana in half longways and place it in a banana boat or bowl.
• Top the banana with three scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.
• Warm one rounded Tbsp. of strawberry preserves in a microwave for 10 seconds. 
• Stir the preserves. If it isn't syrupy, warm another 10 seconds.
• Pour the strawberry syrup over the three scoops of ice cream.
• Pour desired amount of chocolate syrup on next.
• Top with whipped cream. I use the canned whipped topping that is found in the dairy case.

Your sweet indulgence banana split is ready to eat.

Steak! Steak! We Love Steak!

Craving a steak?

Bill and I love steak! However, we have been satisfying our need for red meat with hand-formed (by me), 80/20 ground chuck patties. But finally, the urge for juicy, hot, rare to medium rare steak overcame my resolve to stretch our food bucks.

This is how it happened: 

1. I was pushing the shopping cart through the beef section of the local market.
2.  Almost simultaneously, a packaged pair of beautiful, rib eye steaks caught my attention; AND I saw a SALE sign fastened to the shelf edge under the packaged steak pairs. 
3. My self-talk went like this,"$13.36 for two 16 oz. rib eyes is cheap. That is less than a steak dinner at  C's Steakhouse. Why, that is only about $6.50 each for supper. What a bargain!" 
4. The red, marbled perfection of each steak smashed the weakened wall of my budgeting resolve into splinters. Swiftly, I grabbed and put a packaged pair of glorious, rib eye steaks into the shopping cart.
5. My traitorous brain was chanting, "Steak for dinner! Rib eye steak for dinner!"  I could hardly wait to get home and start preparing those gorgeous rib eyes.

I know you have done this too, so don't try to act innocent. All of us talk ourselves into buying things because the sign says,"SALE."

Grilling and broiling are popular ways to cook steak, but I pan fry my steaks. Okay, get the look of horror off of your face! 

Steaks taste marvelous when you prep them correctly and pan fry them in butter. 

The advantages of pan frying steaks in butter are:

• No grill of any kind is needed.
• No messy charcoal. 
• No charcoal lighter is required
• No flames burning your steak.
• No hot oven. 
• No unwieldy broiler pan. 
• AND a rare to medium rare steak is done in three to four minutes . Steak is the perfect fast food. 

Have I convinced you to try pan frying your steaks in butter?

Good. Now, it is time to cook a pair of juicy, tender steaks to rare or medium rare perfection.

Equipment

• a meat mallet
• a large nonstick skillet

Ingredients

• 2  cold rib eye, porterhouse, or New York strip steaks; sliced 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick
• meat tenderizer
• garlic powder (optional)
• chili powder (optional)
• rainbow peppercorn blend in a pepper mill
• fine sea salt
• 2-3 Tbsp. salted butter

Directions

Have your side dishes prepared. Your cold steaks will only need to cook for three to four minutes each.

First, set the cold steaks on top of a piece of wax paper, or aluminum foil.
Then, apply meat tenderizer following the directions on the container.
Next, apply desired amount of seasoning to top side of the steaks.

Using the course side of a meat mallet, the side shown in picture,
gently beat the seasoning into the steak, or steaks.
Repeat seasoning on the other side of the steak. Gently beat the
seasoning into the steak.
I try not to thin the steaks more than 1/3 - 1/2 of the original thickness

A perfectly seasoned and tenderized rib eye ready to go
into a hot, nonstick skillet.

Place 2 Tbsp. of butter into a large, nonstick skillet that is
over medium high heat. On my gas range, I use the
high output burner and set the flame on 7. When the butter is melted
and browning put a steak in the pan.

Bill likes rare steak, so I always cook his first. Immediately after
placing the steak into the hot skillet, set a timer for two minutes.
Check at one minute and if the steak is nicely browned like the one below
turn to the other side. If the skillet is getting too hot, turn the
heat to 6, but no lower or your steak will not cook correctly.

When the 2 minute timer goes off, reset timer for 1 more minute.
Check bottom of steak and if it looks like the picture above,
turn it over and continue cooking.
Immediately remove steak to a plate when the 1 minute timer goes off.
  

• Let the rare steak rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

• If you are cooking a second steak, add 1 Tbsp. butter to the skillet and allow it to melt and begin browning. Then add your second steak.
• For a medium rare steak, cook for 4 minutes. 2 minutes per side. Allow the steak to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.