Steak & Egg Flatbread with Creamy Brie and Caramelized Onions

Breakfast for dinner -- one of my favorite things!  As if this pizza-like dinner can't be made any better, we throw a runny egg on top!  Pure perfection.  This flatbread was made one of those nights were I had no idea what to do for dinner and was feeling particularly lazy.  I opened the fridge and saw some odds and ends...leftover steak from dinner last night, half a wheel of brie from a cheese plate a few days ago, and of course my staple go-to dinner every night after work: eggs. So I threw all these things together and enjoyed!  Feel free to mix up the ingredients and use up any leftovers you have.  Any cheese would be stellar on this flatbread but I chose the brie due to it's melty-ness -- this flatbread lacks a true sauce so the brie mixed with the runny egg kind of makes up for that.  My husband announced after his first bite that we needed a sauce so I gave our dinners a drizzle of balsamic syrup and it was delicious!

Steak & Egg Flatbread w/ Creamy Brie and Caramelized Onions (makes 2 flatbreads)

1 package (2 flatbreads) naan

leftover steak, london broil, etc, thinly sliced

1/2 wheel of brie, sliced, with rind

one large onion, caramelized 

salt and pepper 

2 large eggs

handful parsley, chopped

Balsamic syrup, if desired

1.  Preheat oven to 475.  Place a pizza stone in oven on a middle rack while preheating.  When oven is heated, place each flatbread on the pizza stone and bake until just starting to crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove flatbreads from oven, leaving the pizza stone.

2.  Top each flatbread with steak, brie and caramelized onions.  Try to arrange the toppings in a circular pattern around the outside of the flatbread, leaving space in the center of the flatbread for the egg. Season with salt and pepper

3.  Carefully crack one egg on each flatbread and place flatbreads in the oven back on the pizza stone.  Bake 5 minutes then switch the oven to broil.  This will allow the whites of the egg to set before the whole flatbread is burned.  Broil flatbreads until cheese is bubbly and egg whites are set.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley.  Drizzle with balsamic syrup if desired.

Filet Mignon w/ Risotto Cake and Greens Salad

If you are a follower of this blog, you know that I’m not a huge fan of “the ordinary” when it comes to my dinner plate.  I do, however, greatly appreciate traditional dinners with flair!  When I saw this recipe I knew it had to be made -- especially since I am a huge fan of risotto.  So I saw this as a spin on a traditional steakhouse dinner -- salad, steak and side dish -- all piled up in this beautiful presentation!  

Ok, let’s talk about this risotto cake.  It is absolutely perfect drizzled with the salad dressing as the acid perfectly cuts through the fat and complements the entire dish.  Not to mention the cake’s perfectly crisp exterior and deliciously creamy interior.  O.M.G.  Ok, I can’t wait any longer to get to the recipe -- just get in the kitchen and make it your next dinner!

Filet Mignon w/ Risotto Cake and Greens Salad (makes 2 servings)

adapted from Hip Foodie Mom

For Steaks:

2 (4 oz each) filet mignon steaks

salt and pepper

olive oil

For Salad:

1 1/2 c. loosely packed greens of your choice

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp dried italian seasoning

For Risotto Cakes:

1 1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large shallot, minced

1/2 c. Arborio rice

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/4 c. frozen peas, defrosted

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp lemon zest

3/4 c. fresh grated parmesan

2 oz. shredded mozzarella

salt and pepper

1/2 c. all purpose flour for dredging

1 egg, beaten

3/4 c. panko breadcrumbs

vegetable oil, for frying

1. For Risotto: In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth to a simmer.  In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots to the butter, cooking into fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the Arborio rice and lightly toast, stirring to coat in the butter and shallots.  Add the white wine, continuing to cook while stirring until the wine is absorbed.  You should be able to run your spoon through the risotto and have the indentation stay.
3. Using a ladle, add enough of the warm chicken broth to cover the rice, stirring constantly over medium heat until the broth is completely absorbed.  Repeat the process 3 more times, adding the broth in stages while continuing to stir.  Once all the broth has been added and the rice is tender, add the peas, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir to combine.  
4. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan, mozzarella and season with salt and pepper.  Cool risotto in fridge for 20 to 30 minutes {this makes it easier to make the patties}.  
5. Once cooled, form the risotto into burger sized patties about 1 inch thick.  Set up a dredging station with the flour in one dish, beaten eggs in another and panko in another.  Dip the rice patties into the flour then into the eggs and finally the panko.  
6. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil over medium heat until a pinch of panko sizzles when dropped in the oil.  Fry risotto cakes until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a wire rack, season with salt.
7. For Steaks: Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil and grill over medium high heat until desired doneness. Set aside.
8. For Salad: Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk.  Lightly dress greens with 2 tbsp dressing.
9. Assemble:  Lay 1 risotto cake on each plate and top with filet.  Pile half of the greens on top of steak and drizzle dish with remaining dressing.  Serve immediately.

Peruvian Steak and Potato Stir Fry

The holiday season is in full swing -- shopping, parties, cookies, baking, entertaining -- I love the excitement and I love keeping busy!  What I don’t love this time of year is coming home from work with a 39-ingredient recipe to tackle for dinner -- and what I hate even more than that is the prospect of not eating home-cooked meal, ie-pizza or Taco Bell for dinner {ok, pizza and taco bell has it’s place, I know...}

This dinner recipe is a simple one pot meal that requires and handful of ingredients but is really packed with spices and flavor.  This past year, I’ve been trying to train my husband to actually enjoy ethnic foods such as Indian.  I’m achieving this by making him  dinners laced with exotic spices he has labeled as “gross”.  My first attempt was the Moroccan Chicken Skewers {which he LOVED} and this was my second attempt -- another success!  Woop woop!  I don’t really know where to go from here without serving him a full blown curry {which I’ve tried before only to have an entire dish to eat myself for several days because husband declared that he “doesn’t like curry” and to which I replied “who the hell says that?!”}  Anyway, if any of you have any curry recipes that are a little on the mild side, I’d love to check them out!  And try out this recipe the next time you’re not in the mood to do much in the cooking department -- you’ll love it!

Peruvian Steak and Potato Stir Fry

from Food + Wine Magazine, September 2012

1/4 c. EVOO

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

1 lb skirt steak

1 red onion, halved and slivered

vegetable oil, for frying

8 oz french fried

1/4 c. sliced pickled jalapenos

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 c. cilantro, roughly chopped

hot sauce for serving

1. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, cumin, coriander, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cut steak into 4 inch pieces; slice steaks across the grain 1/2 inch thick and add to bowl along with the onion.  Let marinate 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat 1/2 inch of oil until shimmering.  Add fries and fry over high heat until golden and crisp, about 3 min; drain on paper towels. {I actually skipped the frying and baked my fries according to package instructions}
3. Heat large griddle until very hot.  Add steak and onion along with jalapeno and stir fry over hight heat until meat and onion are cooked through and lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add tomato and cook until softened and starting to char, 1 minute.  Add fries and cilantro and flip with spatula to combine.  Serve with hot sauce. 

Grilled Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing

Today we have a SkinnyChow salad that will fill you up and even fill up your husband!  I gotta tell you, I would eat this salad every day for the rest of my life -- it’s that good!  What makes this salad so tasty is the Chimichurri Dressing.  Traditionally a topping for meats, chimichurri is a flavorful sauce made with fresh herbs, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.  Today this chimichurri is drizzled over beef tenderloin, greens, potatoes and grilled onions to create a salad like no other!  Another thing to point out is how delish the potatoes are when they are cooked along with the tenderloin, soaking up the juices and getting all crispy! MMmm!  So, next time your man is feeling steak and potatoes, whip up this salad.  Serve it up with some delicious crusty sourdough bread and some red wine, sit outside and down that SkinnyChow!

Grilled Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing (6 servings)

Family Circle, June 2012

3 tbsp plus 2 tsp EVOO

1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar

3/4 c. fresh parsley

2 tbsp fresh oregano

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

1 pound beef tenderloin

1 pound fingerling potatoes (I used a mix of purple and regular)

3 medium red onions, sliced into 1/2 in rounds

10 c. watercress, trimmed

1 head boston lettuce, torn into pieces

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and preheat grill to medium-high
2. In food processor, combine 3 tbsp EVOO, vinegar, parsley, oregano, garlic, pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp salt.  Process until well combined.  Rub 1 tbsp sauce on the meat.  Grill 2 minutes per side, turning three times, 8 minutes total.
3. Meanwhile, toss potatoes in remaining 2 tsp EVOO and 1/2 tsp salt and place in a baking dish.  Transfer beef to baking dish with potatoes and roast for 20 to 25 minutes.  Allow beef to rest 10 minutes before slicing.  
4. Grill onion slices 2 to 3 minutes per side
5. Arrange watercress and lettuce on plate with beef, potatoes and onions.  Drizzle chimichurri on top of salad.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving) 314 calories, 18g fat, 18g protein, 21g carbohydrates, 3g fiber

Kitchen Sink Skillet

I love a good breakfast skillet -- crispy potatoes, assorted meats, melted cheese, a runny egg, toast...MMMMmmmm.  My husband, Steve, could eat this breakfast every morning and whenever we take a trip to the grocery store, we always stock up on supplies.  However, when making this skillet, I tend to use leftovers from dinner the night before -- that’s why I lovingly call this The Kitchen Sink Skillet.  I’ll throw anything in this thing!  I’ve even been known to chop up leftover french fries and throw them in instead of fresh potatoes {{they are delicious and really make this breakfast about a thousand times faster to prepare!}}

For todays’ recipe, I used bacon, leftover steak, potatoes, cheddar cheese and an egg, cooking the potatoes in bacon fat really takes this to the next level.  Feel free to tweak this in any way -- I’ve had major success with leftover pork and sweet potatoes!

Kitchen Sink Skillet (makes 2 skillets, or 1 large husband sized skillet)

1 large russet potato, scrubbed and cubed into small pieces

3 strips bacon, sliced into small pieces

3 to 4 oz leftover steak, cubed

1 to 2 eggs 

1/4 c. sharp cheddar cheese

handful of parsley, chopped, for garnish

hot sauce for serving

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bacon and cook until fat renders and  bacon pieces are crispy.  Remove bacon from pan.  
2. Add potatoes to bacon fat and fry until potatoes are browned.  Decrease heat to medium and add bacon and steak to pan.  Cook until all meats are warmed.  
3. Sprinkle cheese over skillet, cover and remove from heat.
4. Heat a small pan over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray.  Cook egg over light or to your liking.  Place egg on top of reserved potato and meat skillet and sprinkle with parsley.  Serve with hot sauce and toast.

Vietnamese Noodle Salad

Last night I had a “blog party”.  I like to stay ahead of the game and cook a bunch of things at one time, photograph them and start writing their stories.  My friends love coming over for the blog parties because of course I serve up all those wonderful dishes  after I’m done with their photo shoots.  Today’s recipe was the main dish at the blog party last night and it went over very well.  It was a gorgeous and cool night and this light meal really hit the spot.  I don’t know much about wine pairing but my friend brought over a nice crisp Riesling and I really enjoyed them together.

I love a good asian inspired meal.  They are full of flavor, spice and once you buy the ingredients for one meal you pretty much have the ingredients for many asian meals!  The ingredient list for this recipe is long but I had most of them on hand.  The only things I needed to pop over to the grocery store for were the fresh veggies, herbs and steak. This would also be a perfect noodle side dish if you omit the steak.   

Vietnamese Noodle Salad

from Some The Wiser

1 lb grilled flank steak, sliced thin

8 oz vermicelli rice noodles

1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced

1 c. shredded carrots

1/3 c. fresh basil, minced

1/3 c. fresh cilantro, minced

1/3 c. fresh mint, minced

1-2 jalapeno peppers, minced

Dressing Ingredients:

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, plus some for rice noodles

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 lime, juice only

dash of fish sauce

1. Cook rice noodles according to the package {boil them for a few minutes in water}.  Drain noodles  and rinse them with cold water then toss them with a drizzle of sesame oil.
2. Slice steak thinly against the grain and set aside.
3. Mince herbs and peel cucumber and remove seeds with spoon.  Slice cucumber into short sticks.  Dice jalapeno peppers.
4. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined.
5. Combine veggies with herbs and noodles.  Toss with dressing.
6. Top with sliced steak and serve.  {Great at room temp or chilled!}

Steakhouse Salad Pizza

TGIF, am I right?  Don’t we all agree that Friday is pretty much the best day of the week to shove your face with pizza?  I can probably say that any day of the week is the best day for pizza to face shoving.  In my house, I’m on a constant quest for the perfect pizza crust.  My ultimate goal is to create a pizza crust that duplicates the crust of Mellow Mushroom -- pretty much the best pizza crust I’ve ever tasted (outside of Pizza Sola in Pittsburgh, PA).  I should probably be banned from Mellow Mushroom for accosting the servers for their secret recipe.  {They will not crack!!!}

Anyway, on to today’s recipe!  Out of pure laziness, I used a store bought pizza crust for this one.  I’m not talking about the “pizza crust in a tube” that is sitting next to the cinnamon buns in the refrigerated section of the store.  I’m talking about the ball of fresh dough sitting in bags, usually in the deli section of your grocery store.  This is the stuff that is closest to homemade.  

This pizza is a lovely combination of all things I love in food: meat, cheese, salad, a mean vinaigrette, and of course, crispy pizza dough.  The “sauce” on this pizza is a homemade chunky, creamy blue cheese dressing.  The salad is tangy and crisp and the steak is juicy and succulent.  Pour yourself a big glass of red wine and take this pizza down!  

Steakhouse Salad Pizza

2/3 c. red wine or balsamic vinegar 

3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh ground black pepper

One (1 1/2-2 lb) bottom sirloin

1 ball prepared pizza dough

1 c. blue cheese dressing

1 package mixed salad greens

1 small red onion, diced

1 small can sliced black olives

Blue Cheese Dressing: 1c. sour cream, juice from 1/2 lemon, 1/4 c. blue cheese crumbles, salt and pepper to taste {this dressing will be quite thick, but it’s perfect to smear on that pizza crust!}

1. Preheat oven to 450 and warm up pizza stone.  Combine vinegar, oregano, basil, garlic and fresh ground black pepper.  Whisk mixture while streaming in olive oil.  Place half of the dressing in a resealable plastic bag and set other half aside.  Add sirloin to plastic bag and turn to coat.  Seal bag and marinate in fridge for 8 hours, turning occasionally.  
2. Preheat grill to 300-350.  Pat sirloin dry and grill 5 minutes on each side over direct heat.  Move to side and cook indirectly for 20 to 30 minutes.  Remove from grill and let stand 10 minutes to rest.  Slice.
3. Spread pizza crust out on pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.  Remove from oven and spread with blue cheese dressing.  Toss salad greens  with remaining vinaigrette and pile greens on crust.  Top with steak, onions, olives and blue cheese crumbles, if desired.

Hope everyone enjoys and also has a great weekend!  And please, if anyone knows the Mellow Mushroom pizza dough recipe, please pass it along!!!