Recipes and such...

I started this blog so I could keep a record of the things I cook...it is mostly just a personal reminder of what I've done, what worked, and what turned out well. I also hope to be able to look back on it when I need to come up with something good for dinner. That being said, I don't know if I will do well at writing recipes to share with others.

I don't measure.

But, we'll give it a shot.

If you use one of my recipes, please comment on how it turned out and if you did anything differently.

If something is questionable or problematic, please feel free to email me about it @ mistyart11@gmail.com.

Flank Steak

Today I bought a piece of flank steak...a little less than 2 lbs. As soon as I got it home, I rinsed it off, patted it dry, placed it on a large enough piece of aluminum foil to wrap the meat completely, and then squeezed 1/2 a lime on both sides of the meat and set aside.

Then in a small bowl I made a rub using:

1 beef bouillon cube; crumbled...the secret ingredient!

1 tbl. garlic powder

1 tbl. onion powder

1 tbl. black pepper

1 tbl. lemon & herb seasoning

1 tsp. chile powder

1 dash zatarain's cajun seasoning (season salt); optional

Stir until mixed together, or put a lid on and give it a good shake.

Note: I did not measure any of the above ingredients. Look at the amounts more as a guideline. If I said tbl., I used quite a bit. If it says tsp., then I used only a little. The lemon & herb seasoning I had on hand and I thought it would compliment the lime, but would not be necessary. It contains quite a bit of salt, so I kept any additional to a minimum...plus the bouillon adds salt as well.

Next, working on ONE side of the flank, I sprinkled 4-5 drops of liquid smoke and spread them over the surface with my fingers. Then I sprinkled 4-5 drops of basalmic vinegar and spread that with my fingers. Then I sprinkled 1/2 the dry rub and spread evenly across the meat.

Now flip it over and repeat all the above steps on the other side.

Now wrap it all up and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

When it comes time to cook, preheat your oven...now, here you have to know your own oven. I am using a toaster oven. I set it on broil and 450 degrees. My rack is aprx. 3 & 1/2 inches below the heating element...so set yours accordingly.

Unwrap the meat and place on a broiling pan or shallow baking dish.

We like our red meat to be medium rare, so I cooked the steak for 10 minutes on the first side and only 8 minutes on the other. Go by look and smell. If you like yours burnt, then just cook it longer.

Let sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

I used a sharp knife and made thin, diagonal slices. Flank steak can be tough and chewy, so getting a good thin slice is important.

Look here if you aren't quite sure which way to cut it.

I served the slices with basmati rice and lima beans.

The left-overs became a cold steak sandwich for Jeff and a steak, blue cheese, & baby greens salad for me.