THE KEY TO MARINATED FLANK STEAK? DON'T OVERCOOK IT

We are just finishing up a busy weekend. We started with our school play day on Friday, had a wedding and reception on Saturday and then my sister's 50th birthday on Sunday. After an on-the-go weekend, we are ready for a little down time, which includes some easy dinners with quick clean up.

It is nice to grill a variety of meats and have on hand to have meals in a hurry. Grilled chicken breasts can quickly become fajitas or grilled chicken salad. For us, right now it seems that simple is the best.

Last week there was a request for grilled steaks made to perfection. And as is the usual custom with Recipe Swap, we have a reply. This reply comes from Barb Kinsey of Cape Girardeau. Barb enjoys using a recipe she originally got from her cousin for a marinated flank steak. I can remember being in college and having to plan economical meals and flank steak was economical. Now at $4.69 a pound or higher, it is a treat instead of a staple. Barb's secret to a delicious grilled flank steak is not to overcook the meat, but rather serve it with a hot pink center or near to medium-well, to keep it as tender as possible.

Marinated Flank Steak

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or garlic salt

1 tablespoon instant minced onion bits

1 flank steak, scored on the diagonal

After scoring the flank steak, place in a glass dish or a plastic zip-top bag. Combine all other ingredients and mix well. Pour over the steak. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator overnight, Grill over medium to hot coals for about 8 minutes per side. Slice on the bias into thin slices.

If you prefer you may make additional marinade or use the remaining leftovers and bring to a boil and serve with sliced beef.

n

Again this week more recipes for warm days come pouring in. This week we have Tracey Tripp of Cape Girardeau who shares two recipes she enjoyed at a Mother's Day backyard barbecue. They both sound delicious.

Banana Salad

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons vinegar

5 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

Cream or milk

10 to 12 bananas

1/2 cup salted peanuts, or more to taste

Mix cornstarch, vinegar, water and sugar together in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until starting to bubble. Remove from; add a little of this mixture to the egg and combine, then add this egg mixture back into the hot mixture in the pan, stirring quickly to keep the egg from cooking. Return to heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Thin with cream or milk until desired consistency. In a bowl, layer sliced bananas, cooked dressing and peanuts. Continue until all are used up. Top with additional peanuts.

This does not keep well, so plan to serve where you think it will all be consumed at one time.

Lemon Berry Pie

1 (4 ounce) cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 graham cracker pie crust

1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved

1 cup cold milk

1 (4 ounce) package vanilla or lemon-flavored instant pudding

Beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk and sugar in a medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in lemon peel and juice. Stir in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread evenly in bottom of crust. Press strawberry halves into the cream cheese layer, reserving several for garnish. Pour 1 cup cold milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 1 minute. Let stand 1 minute or until thickened. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Spoon over strawberries in crust. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and reserved strawberry halves.

n

Ruth Graham of Perryville, Mo., has several recipes to share with us today. This first recipe is one of her mother's recipes and although there are several different corn pudding recipes out there, she has never seen one quite like her mother used to make.

Corn Pudding

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon sugar

1 can creamed corn

Melt butter. Beat eggs slightly. Make a smooth paste of flour and milk. Add eggs then add the melted butter and other ingredients. Pour into a buttered dish or casserole and set in a pan of hot water. Bake in a moderate oven until firm. The end result will be like custard.

Ruth tells us that she does not place in the water to bake, but rather bakes it in the microwave on 50 percent power for about 15 to 18 minutes, turning the dish half-way through the cooking time. While using this baking method, it does not need to be covered.

Ruth also shares a couple of other lemon dessert recipes for us. She was hoping that one of these might be similar to the recipe Jane Hardeman was looking for in lemon fluff.

Baked Lemon Fluff

1/2 cup sugar for batter

1/2 cup sugar for egg white mixture

3 tablespoons soft butter

1/4 cup flour

3 eggs, separated

1/4 teaspoon salt, added to egg whites

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Cream butter and 1/2 cups sugar. Add flour, egg yolks, milk, rind and juice. Blend thoroughly. Beat whites until stiff and add 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Fold into egg mixture. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart casserole. Set in pan of hot water, about 1 inch deep. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Lemon Bisque

1 small package lemon gelatin

1 tall can evaporated milk, well chilled

1 1/4 cups boiling water

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup honey

1 graham cracker crumb crust

Dissolve gelatin in water. Add honey, lemon juice and rind. Let thicken in refrigerator. Whip milk and fold into gelatin mixture. Pour into crust and chill.

We have no requests this week, but will have plenty of great recipes to share with you again next week. So until then, happy cooking.