1-2-3 Roast.

Yes it really is that easy.

A roast fillet of beef that's finished in 3 simple steps.

Roast beef- the most recognizable, comfortable, down-home dish that fills your house with beautiful smells. If cooked correctly, the fantastic color of medium-rare is one sight that can bring a smile to my face.

Is there anything that could possibly beat the sight of a table set with colorful dishes, a pile of smashed potatoes, buttery vegetables and pink piles of sliced juicy roast beef? Besides the sight of a warm cheese souffle, I think not.

This is one dish that I can always make, always with ingredients in the pantry, and can always adapt to what's on hand, reliably delicious.

1-2-3 Beef Roast.

You will need:

1 1/2 - 2 Ilb good fillet of beef

2 tbs room temperature butter

5 large sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

2 tbs garlic powder

Kosher salt and plenty of fresh black pepper

Step 1:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Step 2:

Combine the thyme, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the beef fillet with the butter, and massage in the herb mixture.

Step 3:

Place the seasoned room-temperature beef on a roasting dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, depending on the temperature of your oven for a nice medium-rare.

Let this sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing into! You don't want the juices from your lovely beef to run onto the cutting board.

If you want, you can sprinkle the sliced beef with some extra salt and fresh pepper.

Enjoy!

Ribs. Rubbed Ribs. Dry Rubbed Ribs.

Certainly I had to make ribs!

I told you I would, and now I want so much to share this with you!

This was a southern must, at least for a northerner going southern.

I did however encountered the imminent conflict: to dry rub, or to use barbecue sauce?

I thought for a while, and concluded that I would dry rub the ribs and mop them while grilling.

The best of both worlds perhaps, but packed with a unique flavor.

I used a shortcut, not being in my own kitchen with all of my pantry ingredients on hand, I used a store bought mop sauce and doctored it up!

What's the difference between a mop and a sauce you may wonder?

Well I looked it up and found out:

A mop tends to be much more acidic than a sauce, applied during the final grilling process adding moisture and flavor. A mop tends to use little if any sugar, mostly made of vinegar or beer, while a sauce can be based of tomato or molasses, it can burn much easier.

If you use a sauce, be sure to add it at the END of cooking if it contains sugar.

If you use a mop, add it throughout cooking to maintain moisture.

It's all dependent on sugar content for when you should apply it to meat.

Anyway!

Dry Rubbed Ribs

You will need

A rack of ribs of your own preference

For the dry rub:

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon paprika (smoked paprika if you can find it!)

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons oil

For the ribs:

1 cup orange juice

A good quality mop sauce, altered to your own taste. (I usually add some worcestershire sauce, salt and beer)

A barbecue

Rub the ribs all over with the mix of these spices and oil, store in a container in the fridge for up to a full day. When you're ready to cook, bring the ribs out of the fridge and preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Make a pouch of aluminum foil and place the rubbed ribs inside, when it is properly sealed open a small seam and pour in the orange juice, sealing again.

Place these ribs on a baking sheet and bake for 2 hours or until cooked and tender.

When they are fully cooked, transfer them to the heated barbecue and crust the outside, mopping continuously whenever they seem dry.

This barbecue process should take 15 minutes in total, including flipping.

Serve with greens, dirty rice, and mushrooms for a whole mess of an american meal!

I truly enjoyed cooking and eating these, so please try them so you might love them as well.

First meal.

It was worth the wait and anticipation, I'm sure!

Here they are- the first blog recipes and their rightful accompanying photos.

Tonight was a feast to be sure, starring:

1) Chile rubbed chicken: with vidalia onion balsamic barbecue sauce.

2)Marinated steak: topped with a spicy chimichurri.

Recipes of each are following the pictures.

Spice Rubbed Chicken:

Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tbs Mexican-style Chile Powder

a pinch of red chile flakes

1 tbs onion powder

juice and zest of one lemon

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika (smoked, if you have it)

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Vidalia onion balsamic barbecue sauce

1 vidalia onion- diced

2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

4 tbs light or dark brown sugar (the only difference being the amount of molasses)

1 tbs granulated sugar

3 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp ground mustard

2 tsp each of garlic powder and chili powder

kosher salt and pepper

Combine marinade ingredients into a large ziptop bag with your choice cuts of chicken- refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

While the chicken is marinating, heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a small skillet over medium low heat and add the diced vidalia onions. Cook until dark brown and caramelized, set aside.

Combine all the barbecue sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, add the onions and simmer for an extra 10-15 minutes or until desired thickness.

Allow the chicken to come to room temperature and cook on a grill over medium heat, basting with the sauce only the final moments of cooking.

Marinated steak with chimichurri:

Marinade

2 cups red wine (one you would like to drink)

5 cloves garlic chopped

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary chopped

1 cup of cassis

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Your preferred cuts of steak

Chimichurri

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 cup flat leaf italian parsley

1/2 cup mint

1/2 cup basil

1 tsp chili powder

5 cloves garlic roughly chopped

zest of one lemon

1/2 cup olive oil

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp capers

Combine marinade ingredients in a ziptop bag, with the preferred cuts of steak(Also would work nicely with lamb), let marinate for at least 1 hour.

While this delightful dish is setting up in the fridge, combine the parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, garlic, chili powder, and zest into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse only 3 times at most to create a very rough texture! Stream in the olive oil and vinegar, pulse until the mixture is a vinaigrette while still the herbs have wonderful consistency. Stir in capers.

Grill the steak over medium flame to desired doneness, medium rare is best.

Serve with chimichurri draped over the succulent pieces of beef. Enjoy immensely.

Perhaps another day I will attempt to cook a mockingbird.