Last night we fell off the wagon onto a pile of sliced marinated flank steak. If Mark Bittman is watching, food still matters, but the ongoing toaster saga has created a lapse in our responsible eating.

Now that we have the appropriate small appliance, we’ve developed a strong liking for Dave’s Killer Bread toast every morning. Finding a spot in our packed refrigerator freezer for the obligatory two-loaf minimum from Costco poses a dilemma. Soooo, the challenge is to cook only from the freezer until I can see the back. I’ll use up what’s in there and buy only the essentials—milk, yogurt, sparkles, Diet Coke. Who knows what I’ll find?

I’m afraid the flank steak has been in the freezer since this summer when Bob’s brother Tom hosted a family affair to celebrate Brother Dick’s visit from Brazil. Once again, the Costco purchase could have fed thirty, so I tucked the leftover flank steaks into a back corner of the freezer. Wednesday night, I liberated the last one, marinated it overnight, and grilled it on the balcony grill. Paired with coleslaw, (dressing found in the refrigerator door, also left from long ago), and roasted sweet potatoes, it made me glad I’m not a vegetarian.

The video may be a bit of a stretch, but it's especially for woldhagen.


Steak Marinade

·                      ½ c. olive oil

·                      3 T. red wine vinegar

·                      2/3 c. soy sauce

·                      3 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

·                      1 T. dry mustard

·                      1 T. Tabasco

·                      1 T. minced garlic

·                      1 tsp. black pepper     

Marinate flank steaks, skirt steaks, rib eye, or sirloin overnight for a savory barbeque.

Serve as a sandwich on flat bread with gorgonzola cheese and horseradish mustard.

Horseradish/Mustard:

·                      1 c. stone-ground mustard

·                      3 T. horseradish

Old-fashioned Coleslaw

Dressing:

·                      1 cup vinegar

·                      1 cup sugar

·                      1 teaspoon mustard seeds

·                      1 teaspoon celery seeds

·                      salt, to taste

·                      Mayonnaise

Salad:

·                      1 head cabbage, finely shredded

·                      2 carrots, grated

In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until sugar is dissolved. Cool and mix with an equal amount of mayonnaise.

Oven roasted sweet potato wedges