Chef Robyn has given us some great information on tri tip, both grilling and slicing. And we bet you’re wondering what to do with all that lovely steak. Well, I have a few suggestions, that are quick and delicious.

First, a great Caesar salad featuring your grilled tri-tip. Just prepare your romaine, toss romaine with my caesar vinaigrette (below) and top with beef and croutons.

Caesar Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 anchovy fillets, drained, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely minced capers
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup safflower or canola oil
cracked black pepper

Combine first five ingredients and then whisk in oils until dressing comes together. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.

Lori from Pennsylvania just chatted with ChefsLine online today about her daughter’s graduation party this weekend for 200 guests. She asked us “How much food should I buy or make?”

Her menu includes Fried Chicken, Small Meatball subs, macaroni salad, baked beans, baked potato wedges, cookies and cake. The menu is filled with her daughter’s favorite foods - the majority of which are available for purchase at your local grocery store or bulk stores, like Costco or Sam’s Clubs.

With such a large party and the need to reheat, we recommend:

Chips 1 bag for every 10 people
Sodas & Drinks 20 - 2.5 liter bottles
Ice 1 pound per person (bring ice buckets to store to buy, so water doesn’t get all over you car, better yet have it delivered!)
Meatballs 40 pounds
with Sauce 6 large cans (#10 cans, available at Costco or Sam’s Club)
Sub rolls 125 small sub rolls (usually a half-size roll)
Mozzarella Cheese 5 pounds, shredded
Chicken Pieces 175 pieces chicken (mix of cuts, more breasts)
Baked Potato Wedges 10# bag of potatoes or frozen (don’t forget ketchup or ranch dressing)
Macaroni Salad 15-20 pounds (or if no potato wedges, than 30 pounds)
Baked Beans 3 large cans (#10 cans)
Cake 1 large sheet cake, store bought
Cookies Tray from store to serve 120-130 people- (consult with bakery as cookie sizes can vary greatly)

Some Tips from The Chefs

• You will be reheating your chicken anyway, so reheat in a big aluminum buffet tray and serve in that tray.
• Bring your food out in waves so that it’s not all sitting out at once i.e., bring out a tray or two of meatballs at a time and have next ones reheating and ready to serve when needed.
• Designate several helpers!
• Purchase light aluminum inserts for chafing dishes.

Frittatas are unfolded egg omelettes with a signature puffed top, made in a large oven-proof skillet with a mix of ingredients. They are inherently a non-recipe kind of dish that begs for your creativity to be unleashed and your favorite flavors to be combined to delight your brunch guests.

I love nothing more than to roll out of bed late on a Sunday and pull everything out of the fridge while the coffee is brewing. And usually, looking at what’s available, I find just enough fresh looking items to create a “frittata” from my random items and the eggs, cheese, and herbs I always have on hand. With Mother’s Day brunch on my mind, I thought to share some tips—How To Make a Perfect Frittata.

Sausage, Artichoke and Tomato Pizza

Ingredients
Olive or vegetable oil cooking spray
4 ounces bulk sweet Italian sausage
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/3 cup crème fraiche or light sour cream
1 whole-wheat pizza crust (12 inches)
1 cup artichoke hearts, halved (if using canned, rinse and drain)
2 large plum tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan-Reggiano, or Grana cheese
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

Method
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly dust back of baking pan with cornmeal or flour. In sauté pan, brown sausage and cook thoroughly. Drain extra fat and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to sauté pan, add sliced garlic and cook over low-medium heat until translucent. Spread crème fraiche or sour cream in thin layer on pizza crust and sprinkle with garlic.