Dining Outdoors with Cost Plus World Market

June 29, 2017 Plate Fete

This post was sponsored by Cost Plus World Market. I feel delighted and privileged to be able to work with brands that I genuinely love. Thank you so much for continuing to support my passions and efforts by being here!

Summer Steak Frites // Dining Outdoors with Cost Plus World Market

Call your friends, heat up the grill, and let's throw a party together in about 2 1/2 hours! Are you in?

This summer, Cost Plus World Market is helping me encourage myself and others to get more people into our homes or onto our patios by allowing me to share a full outdoor-inspired menu each month! There are so many delicious, summery recipes in the works and I cannot wait to share them with you.

We can all find some very good excuses for not hosting - "It’s expensive," "we don’t have the time,” "our house is too small," or “I do not know how to cook for a crowd.” Often these are more than mere excuses. In fact, most of the time they are probably quite legitimate. Entertaining can be expensive, time-consuming, and a challenge of juggling drink pitchers and baking sheets, but over the course of this summer I’ll be sharing some tips and tricks for bypassing those pitfalls and planning simple, crowd-friendly, and budget-conscious meals that will help us all achieve hostessing success. And, while I cannot put an addition on your home, I work in a 8x10 kitchen, so if I can do it I know you can. Let's use what we have and fill our homes with the people we love, and maybe even a few we are just starting to.

For each meal, I will break down the timeline, costs lists, and throw in a few handy pointers to save us all some anxiety this summer.

My June menu celebrates the official beginning of summer with a fresh take on steak frites. It is all kinds of wonderful for your palate, sanity levels, and wallet. We are feeding six people on $40 - let's get to it.

Dessert comes first for this meal. Ideally, you would begin the dessert about 2 1/2 hours before you plan on serving dinner. This simple, lime and coconut trifle benefits from some extra time in the fridge. Trifles are such a fantastic dessert for summer because they can be made in advance and are so refreshing on warm evenings.

This particular trifle features layers of lime custard, coconut whipped cream, and store-bought coconut butter cookies (yep, you do not even have to preheat the oven). I wish I could accurately describe how truly incredible this dessert really is, but all adjectives fall short. It may just be my favorite recipe I have made this year.

Once the custard is cool and the ingredients have been layered, it is time to cover and refrigerate so that the flavors can meld and the cookies can soften to an almost cake-like consistency.

Now, for the fries, or frites, or whatever you would like to call them. Yukon gold potatoes are the way to go because we do not have to worry about pulling out that vegetable peeler. If these fries sound familiar, they are in fact the same fries I shared on Monday sans truffle oil, though you could definitely drizzle in a bit if you're feeling it. Cutting the fries is likely the most time-consuming part of this dinner, so take the opportunity to crank up your favorite Spotify station and take some deep breaths before company time.

Once the fries are cut, we can turn our attention to the steaks. Skirt steak is the hostess’s secret weapon because it feels a bit more elegant than chicken, but is just about as affordable, making it the ultimate choice for a crowd.

Lay the steaks out onto a cooling rack and sprinkle generously with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Allow the steaks to rest for 20-30 minutes before you take them to the grill. This will give the salt a chance to break down those muscle structures a bit which will, in turn, lead to a juicier steak.

While the steak is grilling (you can bat your eyelashes at the mister to help out with that part), and the fries are baking, prepare the chimichurri.

Chimichurri, also known as the “clean-out-my-herb-drawer sauce" is your summertime best friend. Wondering what to do with that half-used bunch of parsley or overabundant oregano plant? Chimichurri to the rescue. Gather any collection of herbs you like and start chopping.

This uncooked sauce will double as a garnish for our steaks and our heirloom tomato salad.

This time of year tomatoes do not require much fussing. Just dress them with a clove of garlic, some torn basil, a drizzle of your favorite olive oil, and a heavy sprinkling of salt.

Once the steak has rested, slice (against the grain, please), drizzle with your prepared chimichurri, and toss those fries with a bit of parmesan and a good dose of black pepper.

Cocktails are not always in the budget, so fancy up that pitcher of water with some slices of cucumber, lime, and a handful of fresh mint.

Dinner is served.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

(All the recipes and the cost breakdown can be found at the bottom of this post!)

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Cost Breakdown

shopping list

2 1/2 lbs skirt steak $16.30
yukon gold potatoes (5lb bag) $3.58
heirloom tomatoes $4.09
parmesan $4.12
fresh herbs (3 of your choice) $3.07
lemon $0.50
coconut cream $2.04
limes $2.04
heavy cream $1.73
cookies $4.09

Total = $41.56 - Pretty close to our $40 goal.

assumed pantry items

salt & pepper
olive oil
garlic
cornstarch
sugar
butter

Skirt Steak with Chimichurri

serves 6

for the steaks

2 1/2 lbs skirt steak
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Lay your steak or steaks out onto a cooling rack and sprinkle liberally with sea salt and ground pepper. Allow the steaks to rest for 20-30 minutes before you take them to the grill. This will give the salt a chance to break down those muscle structures a bit which will, in turn, lead to a juicier steak.

Pat the steaks dry and sprinkle each side with additional salt and pepper.

Set your grill on high heat and grill the steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side, until the outside is crisp and the internal temperature reads between 135-140 degrees. Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into strips.

for the chimichurri

Cook's Note: You can use any selection of herbs you like. My favorite combination right now is oregano, basil, and thyme.

1 heaping cup fresh herbs (about 1/4 cup once chopped finely)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a small measuring cup or pitcher, combine finely chopped herbs, garlic, and salt. Use a fork to slowly whisk in the olive oil and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir just before serving.

Drizzle the chimichurri over warm steak and tomato salad.

Parmesan Oven Frites

serves 6

Cook’s Note: I love using yukon gold potatoes because they are just slightly sweet and we do not have to bother about peeling!

4 lbs yukon gold potatoes, washed well
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
1/2 cup finely grated good quality parmesan
freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut potatoes into thin sticks. We are aiming for 1/4-inch in thickness.

Rinse the fries under cold water and pat dry with a tea towel, removing as much water as you can.

Place the fries evenly onto two baking sheets, allowing a bit of space between each fry so that the edges can brown. Drizzle each pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt liberally.

Cook’s Note: If you cannot fit both baking sheets in your oven side-by-side, just place one pan on the lower rack and rotate the pans every 10 minutes or so.

Bake on the top rack of your oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the fries are evenly browned and crisp. Transfer the fries to a large bowl and toss with parmesan and black pepper. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato Salad

serves 6

1 lb miniature heirloom tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3-4 leaves fresh basil, roughly torn

In a small bowl, toss tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, and basil. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Lime & Coconut Trifles

makes 6, 7oz servings

for the lime custard

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Place egg yolks in a medium measuring cup, and whisk until thick and slightly lightened in color.

In a heavy bottomed 3-quart saucepan combine cornstarch, sugar, water, and kosher salt. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in 1/4 cup spoonfuls of the cornstarch mixture into the egg yolks until about half of the mixture has been added. Then, add the tempered egg yolks to the pan and return to heat and cook, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes more; until thick.

Remove the pan from the heat and strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Whisk in the lime juice and butter and allow to cool until just warm. While the custard cools, prepare the whipped cream.

for the coconut cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup coconut cream
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

Place heavy cream in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Add coconut cream and confectioner's sugar and beat slowly until well combined. Refrigerate until the custard has completely cooled.

assembly

36 thin coconut butter cookies*
(optional) lime slices and crumbled cookies for garnish

Cook's Note: I used the Coconut Thins from Trader Joe's for this recipe, but you could substitute any wafer-like cookie you like.

Gather six 7-ounce juice glasses and add a heaping spoonful of the lime custard to the bottom of each glass. Roughly crush three cookies and sprinkle over the custard layer; repeat with each glass. Cover with a spoonful of whipped cream. Repeat these layers so that you have two layers of each element in each glass. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Serve cold. Enjoy!

My Favorite Key Lime Pie

August 29, 2016 Plate Fete

You know that sweatshirt that you just loooove?

The one you found on clearance at Target and were seduced by its soft, cotton charm. The one you have had for about a decade and have worn more than anything else in your closet but still cannot muster up the courage to throw away, because, with a messy bun and some sparkly earrings it's still one of your favorite stylings.

My Favorite Key Lime Pie {Pedantic Foodie}

This pie is that sweatshirt.

Wait! The metaphor works, give me a chance.

There is nothing special about this pie, but then again, there is everything special about this pie.

This is the pie I'll bring you if you just had a tiny human leave your body. You worked hard, eat some pie.

This is the pie I'll make on a Monday night and eat for lunch on Tuesday afternoon.

This is the pie I can whip up with no rolling or cold butter coercing required.

This is my favorite key lime pie and it's about to become yours.

I have loved this pie recipe ever since I first dipped my toes into the warm, sugary ocean of baking.

It's flavors are familiar and bold, and it's construction is simple.

So simple, in fact, that I felt silly sharing it here. For four and a half years I have resisted, but I recently realized that this pie is one of my favorite things to bake and there was absolutely no excuse for not letting it have its fair share of time in the spotlight.

Besides, isn't simple what everyone wants anyways?

Now, as we have already established, this pie requires minimal effort, so I fully expect you to show an ounce or two of courage and make your own graham cracker crust. None of that store bought stuff, okay?

I promise you can do it.

(If you'd like a gluten-free alternative, it happens to be equally amazing with this simple coconut macaroon crust. Just omit the chocolate coating.)

While the crust blind bakes, the super simple, lime filling comes together.

Egg yolks, sugar, lime juice, and sweetened condensed milk, that's all.

Can I tell you a secret? Most of the time, I do not actually use key limes... While I can sometimes find them in my area of the country, they are often dry and lacking in flavor, so I usually just opt for standard limes. An even bigger secret? Most of the time, I just buy the juice. Already squeezed. Don't hate me. While I would never do such a thing with lemon juice, after thorough testing with fresh key limes, key lime juice, limes, and lime juice, I have found that it really just does not matter in this recipe. The fresh, acidic flavors are preserved, and much effort eliminated. Just make sure you always buy 100% lime juice from a brand you trust, none of that concentrate stuff.

The filling will look really thin, probably too thin, but that is just perfect. After a quick bake and some quality time in the refrigerator, it will be smooth and sliceable.

I hate throwing away leftover egg whites, so I love that this pie uses both parts! While our egg yolk-based filling bakes, the whites are whipped into a sweet, billowy meringue.

The meringue is baked just long enough to brown and then this pie has to sit in the refrigerator for a tortuously long amount of time. Four to six hours is an eternity when you have pie on the brain.

Simplicity at its finest right there. You gotta love the classics.

My Favorite Key Lime Pie

recipe adapted from Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America / serves 8

for the crust

- 10 whole graham crackers

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place crackers in the work bowl of your food processor and pulse until you have only fine crumbs.

Add in butter and sugar and pulse several times - until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Press the graham cracker mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 8 minutes. Allow the crust to cool while you prepare the filling.

for the filling

- 4 large eggs, separated

- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

- 1/2 cup fresh key lime or lime juice

- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided

- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a whisk until the yolks have just begun to lighten in color, then add lime juice and sweetened condensed milk. Whisk until smooth.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 15 minutes, until the filling has just set. Prepare the meringue while the filling is baking.

In a large, clean bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on high speed with an electric mixture. When the whites have become thick and shiny white, slowly sprinkle in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar while continuing to beat, until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

Remove the baked pie from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Fold the meringue onto the top of the baked pie filling while it is still hot. Spread the meringue evenly, being conscious to cover the very edges of the pie crust. This will help keep the meringue from shrinking. Use a fork or butterknife to make decorative peaks and swirls on the surface.

Return the pie to the oven to brown the meringue. This should take about 5 minutes.

When the meringue is deep golden brown, remove the pie from the oven and refrigerate until fully cooled; about 4 hours before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Lime Bars

August 3, 2016 Plate Fete

I remember my mother making a pan of sticky, tart, yellow squares one afternoon in our tiny kitchen. I remember my Aunt Meredith making the very best white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Lime Bars {Pedantic Foodie}

Last week, memories collided and danced around a bit in my head, and these lovely little bars were born.

All of our dreams have finally come true, we can now eat white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and lemon (lime, actually) bars at the same time. Why is that better than enjoying them separately in their pure, unadulterated states, you ask? Well, it’s not better, it’s just different. A wonderful kind of different.

It’s kind of like going shopping with two best friends instead of one. Except these bars would never team up and break your heart by telling you that the dress you adore actually makes your hips look like Jennifer Lopez in a funhouse mirror. Ouch.

Let’s make some bars!

We begin with a buttery, shortbread-like cookie crust. Butter, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt form the base of our dough.

After the dough has come together, chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate are folded in. I ate at least 1/4 cup of macadamia nuts while I was chopping away. I cannot get enough, they are just SO buttery.

The dough is pressed into a greased, 9x13 pan and then baked until just barely golden. Those oven-kissed edges will be your favorite if you are a cookie/brownie corner-loving kind of person.

Now for the filling. This filling is going to look way too thin, but don't panic. After the bars have baked and cooled, the filling will be the consistency of lemon curd - thick but gooey (I hate that word - new synonyms, please!).

A whole lot of lime zest goes into this filling. If you prefer your bars on the sweeter side, you may want to reduce the amount. I like them nice and tart myself.

I like the kind of tart where you can feel it in the back of your mouth. Do you know that twinge I'm talking about? I know you understand, you get me.

Now, while these are fairly tart, they are not sour. The three cups of sugar makes sure of that. Yes, I said three cups, memories in bar form are not fat free.

Now for the oven! These bars bake until the top is deep golden and the filling has set.

Then you have to wait for what feels like a lifetime to let them cool. It's the necessary evil of bar-making.

These are a "with coffee" kind of bar. Their tart flavor pairs perfectly with a strong, smooth brew.

This reminds me of early morning breakfast dates with my mama.

I like when one memory leads to another.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Lime Bars

makes one, 9x13 pan (about 21 bars) / recipe loosely adapted from Ina Garten

for the crust

- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup white chocolate, roughly chopped

- 1 cup dry roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Sift in flour and salt and beat until well combined. Use a spatula to fold in the white chocolate and macadamia nuts.

Press the dough into a greased, 9x13 baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Bake the chilled cookie for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the cookie has set.

Place on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling. Leave the oven set to 350.

for the filling

- 6 large eggs, room temperature

- 3 cups granulated sugar

- 1 cup fresh lime juice

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- zest of 2-3 limes (mine were small so I used 3)

- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar. Whisk in lime juice, flour, and lime zest.

Pour the filling over the cooled cookie crust and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the filling is set. Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until cool.

Cut into 21 even bars and dust liberally with confectioner's sugar. Store in airtight containers for up to 3 days! Enjoy!

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