Marinated Flank Steak

I thought long and hard about putting this secret family recipe on my blog and allowing the world access to my favorite meal lol.....but then I thought, the world should definitely have the ability to have the best steak marinade ever!!  This recipe came from my mom who got it from my mama and who knows where she got it from.  I like to think mama created it herself.  For many of you, if you have had dinner at my mom's, you have probably had this steak at one point in time.  While I have made this for myself many a time, it never quiet tastes like it did when my mama made or when my mom makes it now.  I am pretty sure that is because it is missing a key ingredient.....love!  For this amazing recipe you will need the following:

     1 flank steak
     2 tsp of meat tenderizer
     2 tbsp of instant minced onion
     1 tsp of marjoram
     2 tsp of thyme
     1 crush bay leaf
     1 cup of red wine vinegar
     1/2 of cooking oil (or olive oil)
     3 tbsp of lemon juice
     1/4 cup of coarse pepper or 2 tbsp of regular pepper

Cut slits in the steak, across the grain.  Sprinkle both sides of steak with the meat tenderizer.

 

Mix together all other ingredients and pour over the steak.  Let it marinate for 12-24 hours or more in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.  The longer it sits the stronger the flavor. 

Pour off the mixture, setting some aside for au jus. 

Grill the steak about 10 minutes a side, or longer, depending on how you like your steak.

Breakfast Nachos

I would have never thought up a recipe like this, but I am glad I found it on Pinterest because it is not only yummy but healthy too!  I love finding recipes that are both good and healthy - it shows that eating good can taste good too!  I made some adaptations to make it more healthy.  This recipe says to use a cast iron pan, but like me, many of you may not have one; therefore, you can just make yours in a casserole dish like I did.  It makes a serving for two, and those would be two big servings, so if you want to make it for more you would need to double the recipe.  For me, I had leftovers, so I put them in a glass dish that could be re-heated in the oven to enjoy them another morning!  For this recipe you will need the following:

     5 eggs
     salt & pepper
     1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
     1 1/2 cup of multigrain tortilla chips (or baked tortilla chips)
     3/4 cup of Ro Tel (or salsa)
     1/4 cup of chopped onion
     2 tsp of cilantro
     additional nacho toppings of your liking: sour cream, avocados, beans, etc.

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium low heat.  While pan is heating, crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk together with salt & pepper.  You can add a small amount of milk if you like a softer egg.  Spray the skillet with cooking spray and then scramble the eggs, stirring consistently until the eggs are cooked to your liking.  Remove from the heat.  Preheat the oven to broil.  Spread tortilla chips on the bottom of the casserole dish in an even layer.  Top with the scrambled eggs, Ro Tel, onion, cilantro, and then the cheese.  Place under the broiler until cheese is completely melted.  Remove from the oven and top with additional toppings, if you want.  Then eat just like you would nachos!

    

Penne Beef Bake

This healthy pasta dish is packed full of great flavor.  This recipe, courteous of Taste of Homes Healthy Cooking, makes a large amount, so I froze the leftovers in portion sizes 1 1/3 cup).  That way when you are in need of a quick meal, you can just pop it the microwave.  One severing is 395 calories, but if you were looking to make it even healthier you could use ground turkey instead of ground beef.  For this recipe you will need the following:

     1 (12 oz) whole wheat penne pasta

     1 pound of lean ground beef (90% lean)

     2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
     1 large green pepper, finely chopped
     1 small onion, chopped
     1 jar (24 oz) meatless spaghetti sauce
     1 1/2 cups of reduced-fat Alfredo sauce
     1 cup of low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
     1/4 tsp of garlic powder




     Cook the penne according to the package directions.  Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the beef, zucchini, pepper, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the spaghetti sauce, Alfredo sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and garlic powder.  Drain the penne; stir into meat mixture.
     Transfer to a 13x9 glass baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Cover and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and then bake uncovered for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted.