I did it again!

That's right ladies and gentlemen. I cooked! Actually, I've been cooking up yummies all week, but today was the first day I remembered to take pictures before I started eating. Yesterday's dinner was some amazing grilled spare ribs with a dry barbeque spice rub and served with Alabama White Sauce- courtesy of my sister's blog- baked banana squash, and green beans with bacon. And not a single picture did I take! You'll just have to take my word for it that it was delicious and I'll make them again and tell you all about it.


Tonight however, was equally high on the taste points. Spinach-stuffed Flank Steak, Easy Cheesy Broccoli & Rice, and Fruit Tart.



First, the steak. Flank steak is basically a large hunk of flat meat, with a very distinct grain line. A 2 lb steak was enough to make 8 of these steak thingies, and cost me about $6. Not too expensive....


1 2-lb beef flank steak
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Score both sides of the steak in a diamond pattern by making shallow diagonal cuts at 1 inch intervals. Place steak between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound the steak into a 12x8 rectangle. Remove plastic wrap, season steak with salt and pepper.

Spread spinach over the steak. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Starting from a short side, roll up the steak. Secure with wooden toothpicks at 1 inch intervals, starting about 1/2 inch from one end. Cut between toothpicks to make 8 1-inch thick slices.








My recipe said to place under the broiler for 12-16 minutes or until medium doneness. But how can I have this great grill and a gas tank with gas in it and not use it? Exactly. I placed a sheet of tinfoil on the grill grate, and had the flames at low. About 8-9 minutes on one side, then turned the steaks over carefully. Another 8-9 minutes and they were a perfect medium! After I let them rest for 10 minutes of course, and oh my! They were amazing!





The cheesy broccoli rice was seriously easy. I had everything for it, and even my friend's picky 1 year old was licking the plate clean.


1 10 oz package frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup instant rice - the minute rice kind
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place broccoli, rice, water and salt in a pot. Bring water to boiling, stirring frequently to break up broccoli. Remove pan from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Return pan to heat and stir in the cheese, let it melt. This was a bit sticky, so I added a touch of milk.

The kids loved it! And it was easy to do, cheap, and didn't do too bad with my glucose levels. A make again at our house, for sure.


Now, I have been trying to get dinner on the table by 6 every night, because that's when my sweetie comes home for dinner break. My friend had been hanging out, we traded sitting while the other hit the store for groceries. It's 5:15 when I get home, with this great meal in mind that would make lots of food. She is going to have to load up her kids, drive 20 minutes to get home, and then start her own dinner. Not cool! Of course I invited them to stay for some good food! And I was so glad I did, because my poor hubby couldn't come home for dinner and at least somebody was there to make yummy noises for me. We saved him some, don't worry.







Le Fruit Tart!

I happend to have some pie crusts in my freezer from the holiday season, so I yanked some out this afternoon to thaw. Unrolled it into my tart pan and baked it at 450 until I remembered it was in there, luckily it was perfectly done.

1 pkg cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cool whip
3-4 tbsp splenda or sugar

Stir together and spread in bottom of tart crust. I guestimated the sugar amount, I just poured in some splenda until it was sweet but not too sweet.

1-2 nectarines, sliced. Or whatever fruit you feel like sticking in there.
Sugar free blueberry syrup, like the kind you find above the maple syrup at the store.

Arrange the fruit over the cream cheese stuff. Drizzle some syrup over the fruit and refrigerate for about an hour. Slice and prepare to drool.

My husband is lucky my friend left any of this for him! The entire dinner went together really well, and it all came together in 45 minutes. Or therabouts. We were eating shortly after 6, so if he had been home it would have been perfect timing. Now he has to eat reheated steak, which is never as good or as tender as fresh off the grill. *sniff*