Seared Steak with Brussels Sprouts and Almonds

Dinner is a success at our house when everyone eats what is on their plate and doesn't complain. With this meal, we were *this close*. The boys are pretty good about trying new things but they have their moments. They like brussels sprouts roasted and sautéed with pancetta or bacon so I thought this was a no-brainer. They ate a couple bites. There was a small snafu with the steak, so the sprouts weren't hot when we sat down at the table. I think they would have liked them if they were warm. Ray and I both loved them and we'll cook them this way again. The second time is usually the charm for the boys.

Funny thing - I could not even look at brussels sprouts when I was pregnant with both of the boys. I remember when I was about 6 weeks along with C, I made Ray take them out of the crisper because just seeing them in there made me sick. I knew better to not even buy them when I was pregnant with H.

The steak was simply seared. We like Montreal Steak Seasoning, so I used that in place of salt and pepper. It was simple and good. It is also nice because it only needs one pan for both parts of the recipe. I did the majority of the slicing while the steak was cooking. I toasted the almonds before I started, a couple of minutes in a saute pan over medium heat until golden. I sadly know from experience the toasting can go very quickly to a burn.

This will be on our rotation for fast, easy and good.

Seared Steak with Brussels Sprouts and Almonds
Adapted from Everyday Food 


1 flank steak (1 1/2 pounds) cut into 4 pieces - I used one piece less than a pound
1 -2 tablespoons butter - I used 1
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Season steak. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add steak and cook until medium rare, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate to rest.

Reduce heat to medium and melt butter. Add brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almonds and lemon juice. Serve steak with brussels sprouts.

Macaroni and Cheese

I have a tried and true Macaroni and Cheese. I don't know why I ever stray. I was flipping through one of my cooking magazines and spotted a new recipe that looked good. My parents had just given us a huge chunk of cheddar, so I thought, why not. 55 minutes and 3/4 pound cheddar hand grated later, it was just MEH. It was at least double the amount of hands-on time. The boys took one bite and were not interested. Definitely not a repeater.

Without further ado, here is my tried and true Macaroni and Cheese. I have some friends who ate this at least once a week while in college, and now make it for their families.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese 


2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (optional, but we always use, and it must be Coleman's)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups (8oz) shredded American or Cheddar cheese, divided
8 oz elbow pasta (about 1 3/4 cup), cooked al dente


In a medium saucepan, combine first 4 ingredients; stir in milk. Add butter; stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in 1 3/4 cups cheese until melted. Add elbows. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.  I usually put all the cheese in and skip putting it on top.

Bake uncovered in 375 º oven 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 4 to 6 servings