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.

Royal Foodie Joust Entry: Pork and Asparagus Rolls on Wilted Spinach

Here is my entry for this month's Royal Foodie Joust for which the 3 ingredients are, lemongrass, almonds and asparagus. Even the littlest noseminers liked this one.


Pork and Asparagus Rolls on Wilted Spinach
Serves 2

12 spears asparagus
4 one-inch thick slices pork tenderloin
2 four-inch lengths of lemongrass
1/4 cup whole unsalted almonds
2 teaspoons orange marmalade
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon Sherry
2/3 cup beef stock
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
neutral oil such as canola for frying

Remove woody ends of asparagus spears and tie the spears together. Cut the outer leaves of the lemongrass away from the tender centers and set aside. Steam asparagus spears with water prepared with these outer lemongrass leaves and salt. Steam lightly for 2-3 minutes only. Set aside.

Pound tenderloin slices thin. Do this very gently. Pork tenderloin is already very tender and over-pounding will cause them to break up. Spread 1/2 teaspoon orange marmalade on each pounded filet.

Cut asparagus spears into 3 inch lengths. Set 3 cut spears (the end with the top intact) onto the smaller end of the filet. Roll up tightly and set aside, seam side down while you roll the other filets and asparagus.

Grind 1/4 cup almonds fine. Add salt and pepper to taste and roll each pork and asparagus roll in the almonds.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add each coated roll, seam side down, to the pan and cook
until well browned on each side. This takes 6-8 minutes for each roll. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Chop one length of lemongrass (with harder outer leaves removed) and add to the oil. Heat briefly until fragrant - just a few seconds will do it. Add spinach and stir just until wilted. Remove to 2 plates and top each mound of spinach with 2 asparagus and pork rolls.

For sauce - stir together soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon thinly sliced lemongrass stalk, green onion, garlic, Sherry, stock and cornstarch. Pour sauce ingredients into the same pan used for the spinach and heat until thickened.

Pour sauce over rolls and serve immediately.

Sunday Dinner - Mother's Day

This isn't dinner, but it's what will be on my table today. I made two loverly Salmon and Asparagus Quiche that will be served with a loaf of round French bread, tapenade (mais, oui!), goat's cheese, artichoke hearts and my favorite lemonade, followed by Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries, sliced cantaloupe and grapes. If I'm feeling generous, I'll share it with my family .

Salmon and Asparagus Quiche
Makes two 9" deep dish quiche

6 large eggs
1 c heavy cream
1 c milk
2 cloves garlic-minced
2 T fresh snipped dill
2 c asparagus cuts-cooked and drained
4 oz smoked salmon-flaked or 1 c fresh cooked-flaked
2 c grated Swiss or other cheese
two 9" deep dish pie shells

Bake pie shells until lightly browned in a 400 degree F oven. Turn heat down to 350.
Blend eggs, cream, milk, garlic, and dill together until well combined (I used the blender for 2 minutes). Divide the salmon, asparagus and cheese between the shells. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until puffy and lightly browned and eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Is The Hand That Rules The World

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace

Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends!