A Meal Planning Concept


Picnic Meal Plans: Backyard Soiree

Steamed Clams | Grilled T-bone Steak | Flame Roasted Asparagus

Steamed Clams

Recipe Summary
Complexity:Easy
Serves:4
Category:Appetizer
Meal:Backyard Soiree (Picnic Meal Plans)
4lbclams, littleneck
4Tbbutter, salted
1smalllemons
 

Place about 1” of water in a large pot, put in clams, cover and boil water until clams open. Discard any clams that do not open. Melt butter and serve clams with lemon wedges.

Grilled T-bone Steak

Recipe Summary
Complexity:Easy
Serves:4
Category:Beef Entrée
Meal:Backyard Soiree (Picnic Meal Plans)
3lbsteak, t-bone
1Tboil, olive
1tspgarlic powder
1Tbpepper, fresh cracked
1Tbsalt, kosher
1mediumlemons
 

The keys here are to have the fire very hot and the steaks at least 1 thick. Have the steaks at room temperature, brush olive oil on both sides of steaks, add pepper, salt and garlic powder. Grill about 5 minutes on one side and 4 on the other. (depending on how you like your steak and the thickness of the steaks) remove steak from grill and let sit for 10 minutes. It will finish cooking on the platter; so take it off just before it is done as you would like. Squeeze lemon onto each steak.

Note: The general rule of thumb for medium rare is 1 minute per 1/4 inch thickness per side. A 2 inch thick steak would take 8 minutes per side.

Flame Roasted Asparagus

Recipe Summary
Complexity:Easy
Serves:4
Category:Vegetables
Meal:Backyard Soiree (Picnic Meal Plans)
2Tboil, olive
1.5lbasparagus
0.5tspsalt and pepper to taste
1ozcheese, Romano
 

Cut bottom 1 -1 1/2 inch off of stem. Peel, yes I said peel the asparagus. Place in bowl, add oil and salt and pepper. Toss, retain bowl.
On a very hot grill, place asparagus crosswise to grill. Grill for 3 minutes. Remove and place back in bowl, toss with oil remaining in bowl. With a vegetable peeler shave the romano cheese over the top and serve.

Can be made in grill pan on stove top, cook for 4 minutes.

For the asparagus peeler click this link to Cookery Ware Shop

Wine Pairing Ideas!