The first time I ever had tart frozen yogurt was on a mother-daughter trip to New York City. Mama and I had shopped till our feet were numb, there was some brief crying on Broadway in Midtown Manhattan but we were determined to make it to Bloomingdale’s. Like all Southern women, we forged ahead for the greater good, which was shopping the shoes at Bloomies!

We landed ourselves in Forty Carrots for an iced tea break and discovered tart frozen yogurt. As we sat, swollen feet and all, going on and on over this delicious treat. Out of the corner of my eye, not staring of course because that’s rude, I noticed a lady enjoying her iced tea and tart yogurt. She looked so familiar, all I could peg is that she was a Southern mama.

For the next few days, mama and I found ourselves at Forty Carrots enjoying our new-found gem, that tart frozen yogurt. Low and behold that same lady would be sitting right there minding her manners and enjoying that yogurt too! It was Celia Weston, an actress that has built a career on playing Southern mama’s.

Recipe:

1 1/2 cup 0% Fage Greek yogurt

3/4 cup 2% Fage Greek yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tbsp light Karo syrup

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and water. Microwave for 1 minute then stir to make sure sugar is dissolved. Add buttermilk, stirring well and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine yogurts, simple syrup mixture and Karo syrup. Whisk until well blended and smooth. Pour directly into ice cream maker and follow instructions for maker.

This Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is one of my favorites. It is around $50 and you can usually find it at Macy’s or Williams-Sonoma. The best part is that it makes ice cream in just 20 minutes!

Best if served immediately.

I usually end a post with a few notes about the recipe but instead here are a few words of wisdom from my Southern mama:

Put some lipstick on, you need to brighten up your face.

Never wear white before Easter or after Labor Day.

It is never too soon to write a thank you note for anything.

No matter what, always keep a pleasant look on your face.

Always mind your manners no matter where you are.

]]> http://lolleighcooks.com/?feed=rss2&p=856 2 http://lolleighcooks.com/?p=126 http://lolleighcooks.com/?p=126#comments Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:21:56 +0000 http://lolleighcooks.com/?p=126 Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak

I have had a love affair with Texas my whole life. It started early on with Bud and Sissy in Urban Cowboy. This was way back when HBO only played two movies all day and I would sit in my jeans tucked into my boots on the arm of the sofa enamored by Gilley’s.
I remember my dad took a business trip to Houston around this same time and all I asked for was a Gilley’s t-shirt. Sure enough he delivered and that shirt hardly ever left my body!
So I eventually got the chance to move to Texas. Here are some lessons I learned:

Girls drive trucks – real big ones and they look cool driving them!

Designer jeans aren’t just for clubbing – showing cattle is a very dressy affair. On my first trip to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, I stopped in the restroom and saw dozens of teenage girls decked out in designer jeans, shiny belts,  flat-ironing their hair and primping for their turn to show.

Goats aren’t just for petting zoos – I worked at the Brazos County Expo Complex where we hosted many livestock shows. During one of my first shows I became taken with the goats. They were so cute and I had a few favorites until I looked up at the sign where it advertised ‘meat goats’. It was then I learned all about livestock shows.

You never meet a stranger, Texans are super friendly. You can make a lifelong friend standing in line at the grocery store.

Get to know your beef. My boss was a wonderful man and he taught me a lot but the lesson above all others was to choose good beef. He was a cattle rancher in his spare time and when I sat down to enjoy a burger at lunch he would begin his cattle stories and why he only ate his beef –

 Recipe:                                                                 

1 1/2 lb flank steak

1/8 c olive oil

1/3 c balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp Dijon or stone ground mustard

2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

Place meat in a large Ziploc bag. Combine remaining ingredients, whisking together well. Pour over the meat and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

Before cooking meat, set out the Ziploc bag and let it come to room temperature. Heat a grill pan, grill or heavy skillet to high heat. Place the steak on the heat and do not move for 4 minutes. Once 4 minutes has passed, flip the meat and cook for another 4 minutes not disturbing the meat.

Once cooked, remove from pan or grill and place on a cutting board letting the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting. Cut across the grain into thin slices for best result.

   Notes:

 Flank steak is a lean cut of  beef and requires a little more attention. Cooking at a high temperature seals in the flavor and allowing the meat to rest will hold in the juices.

If you have leftovers, you can make a great steak taco !

I used my Cuisinart indoor grill for this recipe.