Steaks - The WinterTime cheating way

Wow,  so first I'm humbled!! Diana is a great friend and Foodie.  I had facebooked the other day about having steaks in the oven.  The next night this wonderful foodie asked ME how I made them.  WOW!  I was humbled!  I guess my busy mama way of cooking is different to those who love to cook.

Then another friend wondered how I was making steaks this time of year.  Because the wind is blowing @ 20 Below Zero and its too cold to even go check on the gril this week.  Hmm, really, they want to know how I'm meaking steak??  You see, I love to LOOK at recipes, but I rarely follow them.  I very rarely have time to cook, let alone something fancy.  But, BEEF, real BEEF is a requirement around here at least 5 nights a week.  So, I guess (suprised me!) that I have found some innovative ways to cheat on time, and still make our beef taste great.

So here goes...

Steaks, The Busy (Forgetful) Mama Way

10 min before supper, you wonder what you're going to eat.  Grab some steaks out of the Freezer.
Perhaps 2 RibEye's or 2 Flank Steaks

1   Place steak packages in the sink under warm running water.  Select Pan & start thinking of vegetable sides (in default choose potatoes & corn)

2    Unwrap steaks & split 2 frozen steaks apart.

3   Heat up cast iron skillet with a little olive oil.  When pan is HOT place 2 steaks in the pan. 

4   Preheat Oven to 350 with a cookie sheet or glass caserole dish already in the oven (to warm the dish)

5   Flip steaks & season with your favorite seasonings.  I used Lemon Pepper.  Yes, really flip them after about 2 min.

6   Get out the veggies.  I selected some frozen sweet corn & a couple of potatoes & started chopping.

7   Take the first 2 steaks out of the pan & place them in the Oven Dish.  Put a little more Olive Oil in the pan & start cooking the next 2 steaks.  (we usually eat about 3-4 steaks for our family of 5, & I can't fit them all on at once)

8   After 2 min on each side (or just a good sear, if you like yours a little rare) Put them both in the oven with the other steaks.

9   Fry or warm your veggies.  I usually cheat & use the same pan (some would call this...____...? Where you use all of the drippings?  See, I'm not a Foodie) to cook the veggies.

10   As soon as your veggies are ready, the kids are called, and the table is set (in our house about 15-30 min) Your Steaks should be ready.  I usually pull out the bottom steak to check done-ness & start cutting for the kids.

Total Cook & Prep Time     UNDER 45 Min!  From Freezer To Table!

So, If you don't know What's For Dinner....Its BEEF STEAKS in the Winter  (the Busy Mama Way)

Sick boy gets his favorite - PANCAKES - And a Recipe for you

Well, my little boy (NEWLY HAIRCUTTED boy) is felling ICKY. So, am making his favorite, pancakes!

I have been inspired by the gals over at Iowa Corn Dog Blog, so here's our recipe!


2 cups Flour (I use Pauls Grains Whole Wheat)
2tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil (I use whatever variety I can find locally)
6 Tbsp Sugar (haven't found any Iowa Sugar, so sometimes I use honey instead)
2 C Milk (Picket Fence)
2 Eggs (from the back yard, YUM)
1/2 tsp salt (I usually forget to add it, and they still taste great)

I keep all the dry ingredients in a jar, so when I'm ready to make my Pancakes, I just throw 2+ cups in a bowl, and add the wet ingredients.

This tastes great with the whole wheat flour, and even better when I use Local Honey.

To top our Pancakes we use REAL Maple Syrup (anyone know of Iowa Maple Syrup?) or Honey.

ENJOY!!

I'll post the pics of Squeak and the Girls' haircuts later.


YUM!!