Marinated Flank Steak

A great flank steak marinade like this one is important if you want a tender, juicy, flavorful steak.

Ingredients

Marinade:

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Steak:

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.

2. Whisk together oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, and pepper for marinade until thoroughly combined. Place steak in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.

3. Pour marinade over flank steak in the baking dish; turn several times to coat thoroughly with marinade. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours, or up to 12 hours if you have time.

4. When ready to cook, preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

5. Remove steak from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.

6. Cook steak on the preheated grill for about 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

7. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips

You can use regular soy sauce, if preferred.

Slow Cooker Chicken Marrakesh

This Moroccan-style recipe is so easy to make, it might just become a tradition in your household.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced (Optional)

• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

Directions

1. Place the onion, garlic, carrots, sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, and chicken breast pieces into a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, parsley, and salt, and sprinkle over the chicken and vegetables. Pour in the tomatoes, and stir to combine.

2. Cover the cooker, set to High, and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened, 4 to 5 hours.

Cook's Note:

You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts, if you prefer. Increase the amount of salt if the flavor is too bland. This recipe is versatile: you can substitute red peppers, zucchini, etc. for other vegetables.

Pumpkin Spice

A staple spice of many fall favorites, this fragrant blend is incredibly easy (and economical) to make at home.

To start, you’ll need all of three minutes and the following ingredients: 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. Mix the spices together in a small bowl and take a little whiff. (Smells like heaven, right?) Store the mixture in a clean small jar or spice container. See? So easy.