I’ve been married for almost 20 years. Guilty as charged. This video nails it. (You are only allowed to laugh once, Sweetie.)

We had this Grilled Steak With Olive Salsa and the Orzo Salad With Everything for dinner last night.

Jumbo Yumbo.

The olive salsa has charred green onions in it, which lend a lovely, smokey flavor. The grilled lemons are beautiful on the plate and such a nice touch when squeezed over the steak.

I love orzo salads, which are delicious warm or cold and can be made well ahead of serving time. The ‘everything’ here includes lots of my favorite ingredients such as sun-dried tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, Kalamata olives and pine nuts. The garlicky-balsamic dressing is particularly good as is the unexpected addition of crunchy, slightly bitter radicchio lettuce.

Grilled Steak With Olive Salsa

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped
1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb steak or skirt steak (I used some of both)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup pitted green Spanish olives, coarsely chopped
3 lemons, halved
4 banana or Cubanelle peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 bunches green onions

Directions:

1. Preheat a grill to high.

2. Combine the olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a shallow dish. Add the steak, turn to coat and season with salt and pepper.

3. Mix the parsley and olives in a bowl.

4. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into a bowl. Put the peppers skin-side down on the grill; cook until blistered, brushing with the lemon juice and seasoning with salt, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.

5. Meanwhile, grill the remaining 2 lemons cut-side down until charred, about 5 minutes; set aside. Grill the scallions, turning, until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop, then add to the olive mixture and season with salt and pepper.

6. Grill the steak until marked, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest, 5 minutes. Slice against the grain, add to the platter and top with the scallion-olive mixture. Squeeze the grilled lemons on top.

Serves 4

Recipe from Food Network Magazine

Orzo Salad With Everything

Ingredients for salad:

1 pound orzo
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced
½ cup pitted Kalmata olives, halved
1 head radicchio, cored and chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ cup chopped fresh basil

Ingredients for dressing:

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. For the salad: Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add orzo to boiling water and cook until just al dente. Drain pasta and let cool to room temperature. Combine cooled orzo, tomatoes, olives, radicchio, Parmesan, pine nuts, and basil in large bowl.

2. For the dressing: Combine vinegar and minced garlic in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil.

3. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Salad can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep in refrigerator.)

Recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

I’ve recently been obsessed with this song by The Hazey Janes. ‘Southern Lawns’ is not new, but an old favorite that I put on a recent mix. I’ve fallen in love with it all over again and cannot get enough of it.

This is perfect BBQ music. Get yer beer and crank up the stereo for the guitar goodness.

Check out The Hazey Janes on the band’s Website and Facebook. You can buy their music here and here.

Cheers!