Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Flank Steak

Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Flank Steak

Beef Sirloin Tips with Smokey Pepper Sauce over Herbed Polenta

This was a delicious, quick, and easy weeknight dinner that I will definitely be making again. With only a few steps, you get a hearty and comforting dinner. The polenta recipe is a favorite of mine from Giada that I have adapted for 2 people. You can change the herbs around depending on what you're serving alongside it. The recipe I use is from Giada's Family Dinners but I found one on the Food Network site that's pretty similar so you can view it online.

I didn't change anything from the original beef recipe besides buying already-cut stir-fry meat, but I wrote it out for you below because you have to be a registered user to view it on the Better Homes and Gardens site. Also, the flavor from the barbecue sauce is very strong because it reduces so make sure you use one you really enjoy.

Beef Sirloin Tips with Smokey Pepper Sauce
from Better Homes and Gardens
Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin tip steak
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or paprika
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (12- to 16-ounce) jar roasted red and/or yellow sweet peppers
1/2 cup hickory or mesquite flavor barbecue sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, if desired

Trim meat and cut into 1 inch chunks; sprinkle with paprika. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat, brown 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and drain fat, keep warm.

Meanwhile, drain roasted red peppers, reserving 1/2 cup liquid from jar. (If you don't get 1/2 cup, just add water to the liquid to equal 1/2 cup.) Add peppers and liquid to skillet after draining fat from meat. Add barbecue sauce. Cook, uncovered, 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently until sauce is thickened.

Return meat to skillet, heat through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately over herbed polenta.

Herbed Polenta
amounts adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis
Makes 4 servings

2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Bring chicken broth to boil in a large, heavy pot. Add the salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook about 15 minutes, until mixture thickens and cornmeal is tender; stirring often.

Remove from heat and add cheese, butter, herbs, and pepper. Stir until butter and cheese melt, serve immediately.

Southwestern Steak Roll-Ups

No picture for this one (trust me, it wouldn't have been pretty anyway!) since it is a messy, yummy slow cooker meal that gets folded into a tortilla. I think I have mentioned before that my theory on the slow cooker is the less ingredients, the better. And this cookbook I have been using lately has a whole section of Five-Ingredient recipes. Perfect! I ask Chuck to pick one out while planning my weekly menu, and everything he has chosen has been great!

The original recipe called for a jalapeno pepper, but I was lazy and didn't want to deal with setting my hands on fire, so I opted for a can of green chilies instead. Use what you like!

Southwestern Steak Roll-Ups
slightly adapted from Cook Once, Eat Twice Slow Cooker Recipes
Makes 4 servings

1 (16-ounce) package frozen pepper stir-fry vegetables (yellow, green, and red peppers and onions)
1 - 1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
1 (14.5-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, drained (I could only find stewed tomatoes with green peppers and onion)
1 (4.5-ounce) can diced green chilies, drained
2 teaspoons chili powder
8 medium flour tortillas

Place frozen vegetables in a 3 1/2-4 quart slow cooker. Trim fat from steak and if necessary, cut to fit in cooker. Place steak on vegetables in cooker. In medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, green chilies, and chili powder. Pour over steak in cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2-4 hours. Remove steak from cooker, shred with two forks, and return to cooker, stirring to coat.

Warm tortillas in microwave (about 15 seconds) and use a slotted spoon to place desired amount of filling in center of each one. Add toppings such as cheese, sour cream, etc. and roll up.

Flank Steak with Red Wine Sauce

If you are looking for a good beef dish for a special occasion, then this is it! The sauce is very rich and I normally prefer a good marinade over a sauce, but it was perfect for a celebration. Giada's original recipe calls for cooking the steak in a heavy skillet, but in my house, we always grill if we can! Chuck's instructions are below. My recipe also reflects the changes I made to the sauce, most notably halving it - there was waaaaay too much for the amount of meat there was. Enjoy!

Flank Steak with Red Wine Sauce
slightly adapted from Giada's Family Dinners
Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/4 cups dry red wine
1 (2-pound) flank steak
olive oil
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the wine. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces by half, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Strain the sauce into a small bowl, pressing on the onions to extract as much liquid as possible. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Meanwhile, rub olive oil and salt and pepper into the meat. Heat the grill to medium-high. Cook 5-7 minutes on one side; flip meat and cook 7-8 minutes; flip again and cook 5-7 minutes for medium.

Transfer steak to cutting board and let rest for several minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and serve with warm sauce alongside.

Slow Cooker Barbecue-Beef Sandwiches

Chuck and I were divided on whether or not we liked this recipe. I really enjoyed it - anything that requires very little prep and ends up as tender, shredded meat in a homemade barbecue sauce is a winner in my book. Unfortunately, I think Chuck had his favorite, pulled pork, in the back of his mind and didn't like this as much.

Still, I recommend this as a quick weeknight meal (well, quick in the prep part, long on the cooking!) if your family likes sandwiches. I made the whole recipe and don't think that it would serve 10 people, maybe 8. Also, if you don't have dark brown sugar and don't want to buy it, light brown sugar works just fine.

I didn't change anything else, so here is the link!

Slow Cooker Barbecue-Beef Sandwiches

Oriental Beef and Noodles

More meals to freeze and this one was super simple. It was made in the slow cooker; something I don't normally do on a workday because I leave too early and our dinner is usually dried out by the time we eat at night, 12 hours later. But this recipe called for cooking on low 9-10 hours, which I could manage.

Not a pretty dish, but we really liked this for an easy dinner. It is not for those watching their salt intake though, unless you can find a low-sodium stir fry sauce (I could not), but tasty nonetheless. It uses beef stew meat, which can obviously be tough and chewy, but after so long in the slow cooker it was practically shredding on our forks. Yum!

Oriental Beef and Noodles
adapted from Cook Once, Eat Twice Slow Cooker Recipes
Makes 4-6 servings

1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir fry vegetables
2 - 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
1 (12 ounce) bottle stir-fry sauce, any flavor
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodles, broken
1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Coat a 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place frozen vegetables in the bottom and top with stew meat. In a medium bowl, stir together stir-fry sauce, water, and red pepper. Pour over stew meat and vegetables in cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 4 1/2-5 hours (I recommend low, it will help to break the meat down more).

At the end of cooking time, discard spice packets from ramen noodles. Stir noodles and green onions into meat mixture. Cover and let stand 10 minutes more. Stir before serving. This can be kept on warm for 1-2 hours.

Lamb Chops with Garlic-Parsley Crust

We rarely eat lamb, in fact the first and only time we had it was last year when we decorated the tree. So Chuck requested it again to make it a "tradition". I have several recipes saved and decided on this one, since it used small cuts of meat and I love anything with an herbed crust!

I bought about a pound of loin chops for our purposes, which equaled 6 small chops. They definitely took MUCH longer than the recipe called for to cook all the way through, so have your meat thermometer ready and make sure you start them off in a very hot skillet. Overall, they were delicious - the garlic and herbs in the crust really made the dish!

Lamb Chops with Garlic-Parsley Crust
from Everyday Food
Makes 2 servings

2 tablespoons plain dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 small cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
olive oil
kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper
1 pound loin lamb chops

In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Press lamb chops firmly in mixture to coat one side of the meat.

In a medium skillet, heat about a tablespoon of oil over medium. Place chops in skillet, crumb side down; season with salt and pepper.

Cook until crust is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn, and cook 6-8 minutes more until medium-rare. (A meat thermometer should register around 145 degrees F).

Transfer to a plate and serve with lemon wedges.

Veal Piccata with Angel Hair and Parmigiana-Reggiano

This meal was wonderful! Despite what looks like a long preparation, it really is quite simple. All it takes is sauteeing the veal and making a pan sauce while the pasta cooks. When Holly and I made it for the four of us, we used about 1 1/2 pounds of veal and a whole pound of pasta. There was plenty to feed us plus leftovers, so I would suggest just sticking to the original recipe for four servings. Maybe add a little more pasta if you have big carb-eaters coming for dinner!

I love the fact that the pasta gets it's own highlight of oil, cheese, and spices. And then the pan sauce is your typical piccata preparation, with lemon juice, white wine, broth, and capers. Yum!

Veal Piccata with Angel Hair and Parmigiana-Reggiano
from Emeril Lagasse
Makes 4 servings

1/2 pound angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon chopped parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 (2 1/2 to 3-ounce) veal medallions, pounded 1/4-inch thick
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock, or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring to separate the strands of pasta, until just al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the pot.

Add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, and the cheese and toss to coat. Cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the flour with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper in a shallow bowl.

Lightly season both sides of each medallion with 1/8 teaspoon of the remaining salt and a pinch of the remaining pepper. One at a time, dredge the medallions in the seasoned flour, shaking to remove any excess.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the medallions in batches and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Add the wine to the juices remaining in the pan and bring to a boil, stirring to deglaze the pan, and cook until the wine is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, capers, and garlic and return to a boil, stirring, until the mixture is thickened, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. When the butter is melted, return all of the veal medallions to the pan and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

To serve, divide the pasta among 4 large plates and arrange 2 veal medallions on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the veal and garnish each serving with 1/4 teaspoon of the remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

Hearty Beef Stew

This is a perfect stew for an brisk autumn night. Rich broth surrounding beef, potatoes, peas, and carrots is only improved upon by what bread you serve with it. Make sure it's something that can sop up every last morsel!

Make sure you leave yourself enough time to make this. Not once, but TWICE have I not given myself enough time for that last hour in the oven after the potatoes and carrots are added. Thank goodness it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If you don't have enough time to make it before dinner, just make it one night and serve it the next!

Hearty Beef Stew
from America's Test Kitchen via Good Things Catered
Makes 4-6 servings

2 1/2 to 3 lbs. beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes
salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 c. full-bodied dry red wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoons dried thyme
4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-in. cubes
4 large carrots (about 1 lb.) or 16 ounce bag of baby carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 in. thick
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup minced parsley

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Dry beef throughly and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add half the meat so that pieces are not touching and cook not moving until brown (about 2-3 minutes). Use tongs and rotate pieces until all sides are browned (about 5 additional minutes). Trasfer beef to medium bowl and add another 1 tablespoon oil to pan, repeating previous steps with other half of beef.

Reduce heat to medium and add additional 1 tablespoon oil to now empty pan and swirl to coat bottom. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, scraping bottom of pan for brown bits until softened (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook until lightly colored (1-2 minutes).

Add wine, scraping the bottom and stiring until thick and flour is dissolved. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring constantly scraping up the remaining browned bits on bottom of pan. Add bay leaves and thyme and return to simmer. Add beef, return to simmer, and place the pot in the oven.

Cook for 1 hour. Add potatoes and carrots cover and return to the oven to cook for additional hour. Remove the pot from oven (here you can cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days).

Add the peas, cover and allow to stand for 5 min. Stir in the parsley, discard bay leaves, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.