Spicy Oven-roasted Tri-tip with Potatoes

Tri-tip is one of the best cuts of meat and that makes it perfect for this oven roasted dish.  The meat is so tender that you don't even need a knife to cut it.  This meal is easy to throw together and it'll taste like you've been slaving over a hot stove for hours.  It also has a big kick of heat from the red pepper flakes, which is great for spicy food lovers.  If you don't like too much spice, you can tone down the pepper flakes or leave them out completely.


INGREDIENTS

1 lb tri-tip, cut into six pieces
1 medium green pepper, sliced
2 small roma tomatoes, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 Tbsp tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, boiled for 10 minutes and sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

Heat saucepan and add olive oil.  Lightly brown onion slices and garlic. 

Push these to side of pan and add meat.  Season meat with a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Brown meat on each side, do not cook through.

Spray roasting pan with Pam cooking spray.  Add peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, meat, onions, and garlic. 

Add chicken broth and tomato sauce.  Season everything with teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Stir ingredients together.  Cover with foil and place on bottom rack of oven for 1 hr. 30 min. or until meat is cooked through.

Baked Lavash Chips

 
Instead of reaching for greasy store-bought chips the next time you want to satisfy a salt craving, try making your own chips using lavash bread.  It's extremely easy to do and tastes just as good as regular chips.  These chips go perfectly with my homemade hummus. 

INGREDIENTS

2 sheets of lavash bread
2 sprays of Pam
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano, or to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

INGREDIENTS

Pre-heat oven to 380 F.

Spray cookie sheet with Pam.

Cut sheets of lavash bread into little squares.  Drizzle chips with olive oil and sprinkle chips with oregano, salt, and black pepper.  Bake in middle rack and keep checking until chips are crispy and golden brown. 

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is a delicious dip that goes great with chips and veggies.  I always serve hummus at parties and it's a huge hit.  You can even use it as a spread on sandwiches.  Hummus is a lot healthier than most dips and spreads and it'll keep you full for a longer time.  You can buy hummus at many grocery stores, but I personally think that homemade hummus tastes much better.  It's very easy to make so give it a try and you'll see that nothing beats homemade!  You can find tahini sauce at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or any ethnic market.


INGREDIENTS

14 oz can of chickpeas
1/2 cup tahini sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 cloves of garlic
parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Drain chickpeas in a little bowl, keep liquid.

In a food processor or blender, combine chickpeas and garlic.  Process until you have a smooth paste.  If paste is not smooth, add 2 tablespoons of the liquid you saved from draining the chickpeas. 

Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt and keep processing until you have a smooth texture.  You can also add the lemon juice and salt to taste.  Some people like more of each and some like less.  The measurements that I have listed are what tastes the best to me. 

If hummus is too thick, you can add more of the drained liquid from the chickpeas or add lemon juice.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These cookies are delicious and will satisfy your sweet tooth without causing you to overindulge.  1 or 2 cookies will be enough to get your sugar fix.  They are perfect to take to work parties, get togethers, or to have as a snack.  

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats  

3/4 cups whole-grain wheat flour  

1/2 teaspoon baking powder  

1/4 teaspoon table salt  

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon  

1/2 cup regular butter, softened  

1/2 cup packed brown sugar  

1/4 cup sugar  

1 large egg  

1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

1 cup raisins

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF

In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and both sugars until incorporated. Add egg and vanilla; mix completely. Add oat mixture and mix until just combined; fold in raisins and chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in middle rack of oven for around 9 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies sit on cookie sheet for about 1 minute.  Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Lemony Icing

I love these muffins because they have the sweetness from the bananas and the chocolate chips combined with the tartness of the lemon icing.  If you have bananas that are ripening quickly or others that are too ripe, whip up a batch of these muffins.

INGREDIENTS

For Muffins

1/2 cup sugar  

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened  

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

2 cups all-purpose flour  

2 teaspoon baking powder  

1 teaspoon baking soda  

1/4 cup fat-free skim milk  

4 large bananas, ripe, mashed
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For Icing  

1 cup powdered sugar  

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened  

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice  

1 teaspoon lemon zest, strips, or more to taste  

1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

INSTRUCTIONS

For Muffins

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease muffin tin well with cooking spray.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until mixed well.

In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into muffin tin about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, around 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for a few minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

For Icing

Meanwhile, combine icing ingredients in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins.