Steak and Potatoes In A Bundle

Steak and Potatoes in a Bundle

Busy Mom's and singles know well that time is the enemy in our every day hectically busy lives, and feeding our families or ourselves takes a lot of time in which we could be doing other things. I am not averse to getting fast food when I just have no time nor energy to invest into cooking.  Gasp!  I know.  Guiltyyyyyy!  I am trying to turn that around, though, folks.  I am learning new tricks that free up a ton of time that lets the oven do the work.  This is one of those dishes.  I wish I could take credit for the idea, but no, I cannot, but I sure love the idea. It is dinner in a foil pouch, like fish in a bag with veggies, butter and herbs.  This is a hearty steak and potatoes in a foil bundle.  I went a little over the top and wanted to see how it would turn out; due to time constraints, I helped the process along a bit. I will not next time!

The following is my insanely long list of ingredients...

2 flat iron, flank or ribeye steaks
salt and pepper
1/2 - 1 pound of washed, cubed potatoes
6 sprigs fresh rosemary, oregano and thyme 
chive and garlic butter, 6 tabs
splash of wine


Yes, that was a joke. 

Simple, easy, flavorful and delightfully delicious.  Any busy parent or single will thrive off this idea in many ways using chicken, fish, lamb and pork.  The possibilities do not end there! 

I preheat the oven to 350-degrees. 

I seasoned two flat iron steaks with a quarter teaspoon salt and black pepper and briefly seared them in a skillet over high heat with two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, about two minutes per side. I let the steaks rest about five minutes while I washed and cut new potatoes and Yukon golds into wedges.  

Resting steaks. 

I sliced the steaks into cubes after placing a layer of foil over a rimmed baking pan.  I also placed one 24-inch sheet of foil length-wise over the baking pan and one cross-wise over the bottom sheet.  I added three tabs of butter seasoned with chives and garlic to center where the two sheets cross, added the half pound of wedged potatoes first, some sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme, then placed the cubed steak atop the potatoes.  I seasoned with salt and pepper, about a quarter teaspoon each, over the steaks, and placed a few sprigs of fresh rosemary atop the steaks, including three new tabs of butter and a splash of chardonnay.  Now, here is the hard part so pay close attention! 

I folded the foil into a bundle and placed the baking pan into the oven for eighteen minutes.  

After eighteen minutes at 350-degrees, I removed the package, opened it up  little and let it steam for a few minutes. The splash of wine steamed the steak and herbs and helped blend the flavors together. The aroma when I opened the bundle was mouth-watering and made me swoon. It will do the same for you!

The steak was medium rare, which was soft and moist and delicious.  If you enjoy your steak a bit more done, then add a more oven cook time. 

I added a hefty scoop of meat and potatoes to a small plate, drizzled some of the butter wine sauce atop that, and sprinkled the top with grated parmesan.  The cheese added a delightful salty bite.  Delish!!!

And that is all!  So easy, simple and full of flavor!  This frees you up to do something for your family or for yourself.  Enjoy!

As always, Thank You for your visit, your time and consideration!  Now, please, go cook for someone you love!

~Martin

In-House Cook

Lasagna Blanca

Lasagna Blanca with Garlicky, Creamy, Cheesy Herbal Sauce

I was going to make large pasta shells stuffed with a ricotta, cheesy, garlicky sausage filling but changed my mind to lasagna. I will tell you why shortly.  Lasagna, in a large pan or small one, like the 8" by 8" I used, is a wonderful, hearty and easy lunch treat, easily sliced and packaged.  I have been a little under the weather lately due to sinus pressure and so was not in the mood to prep onions and things that required a lot of prep, though I did use lasagna noodles one boils, rather than the ready to use noodles.  I also wanted to share my bechamel sauce scheme to make life easier to layer the dish, as well, a little unorthodox, but easy and just as flavorful.  

Shall we get started on this splendid pantry meal?  

Being that this is a pantry meal recipe, please do not think you have to follow it exactly.  I was not feeling up to chopping onion and basil leaves and the like, so I used many dried, powdered spices and dried onion bits.  If I had been feeling just fine, I would be more than thrilled to use all fresh aromatics and herbs.  So in trying to repair my dignity, I did use fresh oregano and thyme. 

Ingredients List

1 pound Italian Turkey Sausage

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups of buttermilk

3-4 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup chardonnay

7 sprigs fresh thyme

7 sprigs fresh oregano
1 level tablespoon of smoked paprika

1 tablespoon and 1/2 tbspn Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tabs butter
salt and pepper, 1/4 teaspoon each
1 rounded tablespoon dried onion bit or, 1 medium onion, chopped
1.5 tablespoons minced garlic, fresh or jarred

Bring a large pot with 4 quarts of well-salted water to a roiling boil and boil 10-12 lasagna noodles. 

Line one 8" x 8" pan with foil and rub with extra virgin olive oil, or spry with non-stick spray. Add three or four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and seasonings except half a tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Crumble thoroughly and cook thoroughly.  Remove the turkey sausage with a spider and try to keep the renderings in the high-sided skillet.  

Remove the turkey sausage and reserve the renderings. 

Add the butter to the skillet over medium-high heat and melt.  Add the buttermilk, garlic, wine and flour and the remaining seasonings.  I added a few more fresh leaves of thyme and oregano, too.  This step is in place of making the roux in a traditional manner. Use a whisk to make sure the flour does not clump.  I am not a fan of heavy cream or half and half, so I prefer to use buttermilk.  Also an ancient family secret. You use whatever you prefer, which is great! I love making recipes my own, and I love when people make my recipes their own, changing it up to meet their palettes. 

Now, reduce the heat when the mixture beings to boil and thicken to medium heat.  It will continue to bubble, but on a lesser scale. 

The roux will start to thicken as you stir, and the aroma will be incredible!

Now, add a quarter of the cheeses to the mixture (like you would for mac and cheese) and incorporate thoroughly.  

Add some of the garlicky, cheesy mixture to the bottom of the foil-lined pan and place overlapping layers of noodles across the pan, three or four. Add cheese atop the noodles.  Add more of the roux atop that.  Repeat until you have used up the twelve noodles.  I left them longer than the pan and folded them inward to keep the cheese in rather than cutting them off.  I knew that it would be a really full pan.  I knew the baking process would also diminish some of the height.  You do what feels bests for you!

Now, top the lasagna blanca with parmesan and more Italian seasoning and fresh herbs if you have any remaining.  Bake at 375-degrees f for thirty minutes. The top will get golden brown and smell insanely delicious whilst it bakes!

Let cool about twenty minutes, at least, to allow the cheeses to "set" or harden a little so it does not ooze all over.  But what a delicious ooze!

Serve with whatever sides you wish!  See my personal Caprese served in ramekins for a salad idea in my next blog post!  

Thank You, as always, for your time and consideration, friends!  I am grateful that you stopped by!

~Martin
In-House Cook