Beef: It's What's For Dinner - Winners

I had Random.org working overtime this morning picking winners for the Beef: It's What's For Dinner Giveaway. The random numbers (sorry for no screenshot, I'm having technical difficulties today) chosen were 7, 14 and 19.

One copy each of The Healthy Beef Cookbook will be sent to Topher and Elle! Congratulations, you two!



The $100 gift card and remaining copy of The Healthy Beef Cookbook goes to Kristen. Congratulations, Kristen! I can't wait to see your beef post - I'm sure it'll be fantastic.

Beef: It's What's For Dinner - The Giveaway

It's here! Today is the Beef: It's What's For Dinner Giveaway day.

Before we get to the giveaway I want to share links and a couple photos for other beef recipes we made this week.

Beef & Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Focaccia with Pesto These were AWESOME! A real must-try.

Classic Fajitas Fajitas are always a favorite here, and these were delicious.

We also made Chili Beef Express, a tasty and fast chili.

On to the giveaway!

I have 3 copies of The Healthy Beef Cookbook up for grabs and one winner will receive a copy of the book and a $100 gift card to make their own beef recipe. Check out the cookbook at www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com and look over the lean beef recipes section as well, you'll need some info from there to help you win!


Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment with your favorite lean beef recipe from www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, and your email address if you would like to win the cookbook only.

2. The gift card has been earmarked for a food blogger, so if you have a blog and would like to win the cookbook AND the gift card, leave a comment with your favorite lean beef recipe from www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, your email address and your blog URL. The winner of the gift card will then use that gift card to purchase ingredients for a lean beef recipe from www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com OR from The Healthy Beef Cookbook and blog about their experience.

3. Entries will be accepted until Midnight EST on March 31st - the winner will be posted on April 1st.

Beef Week at Cooking with Anne has been brought to you by Beef It's What's For Dinner, Cattlemen's Beef Board and National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Cookbooks, gift card and stipend for ingredients provided by the above.

Beef: It's What's For Dinner Part 3

Here we are at the final of 3 awesome beef recipes, and tomorrow is the giveaway. You'll want to stop in then for details on how to win one of 3 copies of 'The Healthy Beef Cookbook' and a $100 gift card to make your own healthy beef recipe.

Today's recipe is Balsamic Marinated Steak & Asparagus. I loved the dual use of the marinade for both the steak and the asparagus. It really brought to two together and made this more of a special meal rather than a usual weeknight dinner.

Balsamic-Marinated Steak & Asparagus

Marinade time: 15 minutes to 2 hours
Total recipe time: 25 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1. 4 beef round (sirloin) tip side steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 8 ounces each)
2. 1 pound fresh asparagus
3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
4. 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Marinade:
1. 2/3 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette
2. 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

Instructions

1. Combine marinade ingredients in small bowl. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons. Place beef steaks and remaining marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steaks to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Place asparagus in shallow microwave-safe dish; add 1/2 cup water. Cover and microwave on HIGH 3 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain asparagus. Add reserved 2 tablespoons marinade to asparagus; turn to coat. Set aside.
3. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 12 to 14 minutes for medium rare doneness, turning once. (Do not overcook.)
4. During last 3 minutes of grilling, arrange asparagus on grid around steaks; grill 2 to 3 minutes, turning once. Season steaks and asparagus with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving Nutrition information per serving: 366 calories; 14 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat); 149 mg cholesterol; 591 mg sodium; 7 g carbohydrate; 2.5 g fiber; 52 g protein; 8.4 mg niacin; 0.6 mg vitamin B6; 2.6 mcg vitamin B12; 4.4 mg iron; 52.9 mcg selenium; 8 mg zinc. This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc, and a good source of fiber. Note: Beef Round (Sirloin) Tip Side Steaks are cut from the Beef Round Tip, Cap Off (IMPS/NAMP 167A) by following the natural seams to separate the tip side, tip center and tip bottom. The tip side is then cut across the grain into steaks. Steaks cut 3/4 inch thick average 7 ounces. Steaks cut 1 inch thick average 8 ounces.

Beef: It's What's For Dinner Part 2

Easy Steak Diane

The second recipe in my Beef Week set is something I really love; Steak Diane. Using a smaller, leaner cut and adding more veggies to the plate is the perfect way to keep this meal healthy without losing any flavor. The sauce was perfect and although I wasn't able to find the medallions called for, the still lean sirloin steak worked very well here. The steak was fork-tender and the seasonings right on. Yes, the kids all loved it and several of their growing tummies needed refills.

A note on steak doneness; when I was in culinary school we were taught to check for doneness in several ways. The most common is to use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the meat is correct before serving. We also learned how to check by 'feel'. Although I still do it this way, I recommend using a thermometer for safety reasons. The way that meat looks inside is not always an indicator of proper doneness; a piece of beef can look 'done' and still be under temp and, likewise, a pink piece of beef may be at the proper temperature for service. Don't let color or feel fool you - go with the thermometer check. Please check www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com for more information on cooking with beef.

Remember to keep checking back for a chance to win a copy of The Healthy Beef Cookbook and a $100 gift card!


Easy Steak Diane

Total recipe time: 40 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1. 1 pound beef shoulder petite tender medallions, cut 3/4 inch thick
2. 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon pepper
3. 2 teaspoons olive oil
4. Chopped fresh parsley
5. 1 tablespoon olive oil
6. 8 ounces mushrooms
7. 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or onion
8. 2 tablespoons brandy
9. 1/2 cup whipping cream
10. 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add mushrooms and shallots; cook and stir 3 minutes or until tender. Remove from skillet; set aside. Wipe skillet out with paper towels.
2. Press lemon pepper evenly onto beef medallions. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet over medium heat until hot. Place 1/2 of beef in skillet; cook about 5 to 7 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Remove; keep warm. Repeat with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and beef.
3. Add brandy to skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until browned bits attached to skillet are dissolved. Stir in cream and Worcestershire sauce. Add mushroom mixture; cook and stir until sauce is slightly thickened. Add beef; stir to coat with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, as desired.

Fresh ingredients

Shallots and mushrooms sauteed

Searing the beef for the finished product (top of post)

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Nutrition information per serving: 465 calories; 56 g protein; 5 g carbohydrate; 23 g fat; 230 mg sodium; 151 mg cholesterol; 12.5 mg niacin; 0.9 mg vitamin B6; 3.8 mcg vitamin B12; 5.6 mg iron; 10.4 mg zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron and zinc.

Cook's Notes

Note: Beef Shoulder Tender Medallions are cut from the Beef Shoulder Tender Petite Roast, a small separate muscle that rests on top of the shoulder near the top blade. The shoulder tender is separated by following the natural seam. It is then cut crosswise into 3/4-inch thick medallions.

Beef: It's What's For Dinner

Ancho Chili Rubbed Roast - that beautiful dark color is not burn - it's the delicious rub.

It's 'Beef Week' here at Cooking with Anne, but not like you may be thinking. While many of my recipes come from the family and comfort food angle, the beef recipes I'm sharing this week are actually healthy ones. Be sure to stay tuned all week long for your chance to win one of 3 copies of The Healthy Beef Cookbook and a $100 gift card so you can make your own fabulous beef dinners.

I bet you're thinking what I've always thought; "Beef can't be good for you, no matter what." Well, I have been delightfully proven wrong. Consider this: A skinless chicken breast has 3 grams of fat and a skinless chicken thigh has 9.2 grams of fat. There are 29 cuts of beef that fall within the 3 gram to 9.2 gram fat range. No ... really. Go on and check it out for yourself! Amazing, isn't it?

And, if you want to know more about eating beef and your health (beyond just the fat label) check out Healthy Eating with Beef at www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com and also read 'Read Meat, Reclaimed', By Sara Dickerman in the February 2009 issue of Bon Appetit.

Need recipes for all those lean cuts? You can find more than you need for a year's worth of meals HERE. Now, on to the first of 3 recipes I chose for this week.

Yesterday's Sunday Dinner was Ancho Chili Rubbed Roast. I think the flavors of chili, cocoa, cinnamon and garlic belnded together perfectly and the beef itself was divine. This was great with the accompanying sweet potatoes and bright green beans. Everyone loved it, including Monsieur Picky (a.k.a. hubby) and the two smallest noseminers asked for thirds.

Ancho Chili-Rubbed Beef Roast
(photo above)

Total recipe time: 2 to 2-3/4 hours
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1. 1 beef round (sirloin) tip roast (about 3 to 4 pounds)

Ancho Rub:
1. 2 tablespoons ground ancho chili powder
2. 1 tablespoon minced garlic
3. 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6. 2-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
7. Salt

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Combine Ancho Rub ingredients in small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons rub for potatoes. Press remaining rub mixture evenly onto beef roast.
2. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Do not add water or cover. Roast in 325°F oven 1-3/4 to 2 hours for medium rare; 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 hours for medium doneness.
3. Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 140°F for medium rare; 155°F for medium. Transfer to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium.)
4. Meanwhile combine reserved rub with oil in large bowl. Add sweet potatoes; toss to coat evenly. Place potatoes on metal baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour. Uncover potatoes; stir and continue roasting 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.
5. Carve beef roast into thin slices; serve with potatoes. Season beef and potatoes with salt, as desired.


Nutritional Information Per Serving

Nutrition information per serving (1/6 of recipe): 472 calories; 14 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat); 150 mg cholesterol; 139 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydrate; 6.1 g fiber; 50 g protein; 9.7 mg niacin; 1.0 mg vitamin B6; 2.6 mcg vitamin B12; 5.9 mg iron; 53.7 mcg selenium; 8.6 mg zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc.


Nutrition information per serving (1/8 of recipe): 367 calories; 10 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat); 112 mg cholesterol; 124 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrate; 4.5 g fiber; 37 g protein; 7.1 mg niacin; 0.8 mg vitamin B6; 1.9 mcg vitamin B12; 3.9 mg iron; 40.5 mcg selenium; 6.5 mg zinc. This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber.

*If it helps you to feel any better about reading on, I bought organic grass-fed beef for this week's posting.