Cheese Steak Subs

 

Cheese Steak Subs

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound beef round steak, flank or sirloin, cut into thin strips
1 pkg fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 onions, sliced into rings
salt and pepper to taste
4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise and toasted
1 (8 ounce) package sliced provolone cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Lettuce and tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. **Sauté beef until lightly browned. Stir in mushrooms, green pepper, onion, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are tender and remove from heat.

3. Spread each bun generously with garlic mayonnaise*. Divide beef mixture into the buns. Top with cheese, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Place sandwiches on a baking pan.

4. Heat sandwiches in preheated oven, until cheese is melted or slightly browned. 

5. Add lettuce and tomato. Serve while still warm!

Sometimes I drizzle a little Italian Dressing over the lettuce and tomato. (This is the sub shop's secret trick to give their subs a little extra kick.)

*Garlic mayonnaise
 
1 cup Mayo
2 cloves Garlic, ground into a paste with a little salt and the edge of a chef knife
1 teaspoon lemon juice
 
Combine in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
**Note** If I know that the cut of beef will be tuff... a lot of times, I will cook the veggies while grilling the steak. After the steak has rested, I cut it into strips and then process it for a few seconds.

Stuffed Flank Steak Rolls

This one has sauted Mushrooms and Onions
with Provolone Cheese!

These have onions and Swiss cheese.

I saw one of those videos out there that showed something like this, but prettier and very easy and simple looking. So I gave it a shot. It is NOT simple or easy or pretty! They leave out a lot of steps as always. I changed a few ingredients. (Only because I did not have them on hand. It didn't make a difference in the difficulty.)

I tried to get a step-by-step photo shoot. The quality isn't that great on the poor old camera I'm using, but you'll get the idea! 

 No mushrooms or spinach this time, but it will next time.

Spread out the vegetable mix.

Slice the cheese into strips so it will roll easier.

I used Swiss this time.

 Carefully roll from the narrow end 

holding the stuffing in and keeping it even.

Secure with skewers. I had to use two per roll.

Slice into rounds. I got 6 out of this one.

 Over high heat, sear for 1-2 minutes per side.

 Then into the oven for 10-15 minutes.

 All done! Oops, the flash was on!

Wonderful taste! I will be making it again!

Stuffed Flank Steak Rolls
Marinade:
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

Stuffing:
3 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 sweet onions, such as Vidalia, chopped

2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced

½ tablespoon kosher salt

½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds flank steak, pounded to an even thickness, if needed

9 slices Provolone, Swiss or Colby-Jack Cheese 1 bunch of baby spinach leaves (optional)

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine the ingredients for the marinade. Coat meat and remove resting it on a plate. Combine stuffing ingredients in the bowl with remaining ingredients.

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute the stuffing mixture until just starting to soften. Do not overcook. They will continue to cook in the steak. Remove from heat and set aside.

Lay the flank steak on a cutting board. Spoon the mushroom and onion mixture on top, spreading it evenly across the steak. Sprinkle the spinach on top (optional), followed by the slices of provolone. Starting at the bottom, or the narrowest end, of the flank steak, roll it up tightly, making sure the grain of the meat is running horizontally. Use skewers to secure the steak roll. Slice the steak roll into equal rolls.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan over high heat. Sear the steak rolls on one side for one to two minutes, then flip. Sear the second side for about one minute, then bake for 10–15 minutes, until medium rare.

Shared on Meal Plan Monday 

Steak and Cheese Subs

Leftover steaks and/or pot roast, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon oil
1 pkg fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 onions, sliced into rings
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce

4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
1 (8 ounce) package sliced provolone cheese
salt, pepper and dried oregano
Lettuce and tomato

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute mushrooms, onion, and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and soy sauce. Saute until vegetables are tender. Cut the steak into strips and then process it for a few seconds. Add to the vegetables to heat through.

3. Dig out some of the bread from the center of the bottom slice of bread, creating a boat-like shape to hold the meat and vegetables. Spread each bun generously with garlic mayonnaise*. Divide beef mixture into the buns. Top with cheese, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Place sandwiches on a baking pan.

4. Heat sandwiches in preheated oven, until cheese is melted or slightly browned.

5. Add lettuce and tomato. Serve while still warm!

Sometimes I drizzle a little Italian Dressing over the lettuce and tomato. (This is the sub shop's secret trick to give their subs a little extra kick.)

*Garlic mayonnaise

1 cup Mayo
2 cloves Garlic, ground into a paste with a little salt and the edge of a chef knife
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate til ready to use.

Las Vegas... through a foodie's eyes!

Since we arrived in Vegas early in the morning, our travel mates (Carl & Lynn... yes, another Lynn) had rented a car. We decided to travel out to Red Rock Canyon and do some site-seeing until we could check in to the hotel. On the way out, we decided to get a quick bite to eat. In Vegas, the highways are lined with a wall to create a noise barrier for the housing developments, which makes it hard to spot a restaurant from the road. We were getting close to the end of town, so we just ducked down the next exit. That's when we came across Beach Pizza. There was a menu on the window, and it looked good... so that was it. It was about 10:30 in the morning, but it was open. The lady running the place said that she opens early on Sundays for a little lady that comes in every Sunday morning. She orders her food and sits reading her paper... lucky for us! Carl & Lynn ordered Sausage and Pepper Subs.

The hubby got a Steak and Pepper Sub.

Guess what I found on the menu???

A REUBEN!!! YAY!!!
I was hungry so I ordered a large.

When she sat this in front of me, I almost fell out the chair!
Ummm! This is two sandwiches, not one large! LOL

I have no idea what I was doing...
but it was 107 degrees in the desert,

and the wind was blowing like a furnace!

Red Rock Canyon

We watched a Thunderstorm roll through the canyon.
That cooled it off, and it was nice... for a little while!

Then, it was off to the hotel! We checked in and took a little break... about 5 minutes and off to the races again! We decided to just get a quick bite in the casino before hitting the strip. Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill was on the second floor of the hotel/casino. I was so excited! 

I don't have any pictures, because quite frankly, I was very disappointed. The waitresses were very tackily dressed. Yes, I know it's Vegas, but I really don't want to see boobs and butts while I'm eating! Guys, I'm not being prejudice! I don't want to see half dressed men while I'm eating either. Well, shirtless men wouldn't be as disturbing as girls in push-up bustiers and chaps with black shorts that looked more like thongs! Yikes! Well, I had a Catfish Po' Boy... It was supposed to have "fried, cornmeal dusted catfish topped with Toby's slaw & a tangy remoulade sauce served on a hoagie roll". Well, there was definitely bread. As for the rest of the ingredients, there was a very small, thin piece of fried catfish and maybe a tablespoon of slaw, and I saw some color on the bun. I was left to assume that that was the remoulade. Why didn't I send it back? Well, apparently the jacked up boobs prevented them from hearing me. I would say that it affected their sight also. No one got refills either. Ugh! I hope they were just having an off night, because I had heard good things about the place. On to the strip...

The hubby to took this one for our friend Michele! :-)

The next morning, we ate at the Harrah's Flavors Buffet for breakfast. Not bad food, but not photo worthy. Enough fuel to get us underway! LOL We traveled to the Hoover Dam. We walked the Mike O' Callaghan - Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. Now, I'm not truly afraid of heights, but I'm not that fond of them either. I'm ok not looking down and staying away from edges, but  this bridge has a concrete wall on one side and railings on the other. Needless to say, I hugged the concrete wall, until I was MADE to stand by the railing to take a picture. We took the cruise tour around Lake Mead on the Desert Princess.

TAKE THE PICTURE, AND LET ME GO!

Well, that night I got to make the supper decision! My friend Ally, had suggested that I try Firefly. I almost didn't take pictures there also... not because it was bad, but because it was AWESOME! I almost forgot to take pictures! Firefly is a tapas restaurant. It's a wonderful way to sample a lot of different foods without having to take an extra trip to the bank! (It was cheaper than that breakfast buffet!) Excellent food... when we drove up to the restaurant, Carl and the hubby weren't too thrilled. They're thinking... I don't like Mexican! I told them that this is not rice and beans like we are used to at home, and it's Spanish, not Mexican! Same difference, they say... NOT!

This was the point where I realized that

I hadn't taken any pictures. LOL

Complimentary plate of crispy bread,

Almond-Honey Butter and Olives. YUM!

 Firefly Fries... Parmesan, Herbs and Aioli

Babyback Ribs with a Mango BBQ Sauce

(Not Pictured... Steak and Mushroom Skewers)

I don't know why... 

Petite Filet with Herb Cheese, Roasted Potatoes,

Mushrooms and a Red Wine Sauce

Finally... 

Big Bowl - Pasta with Veggies and a Tomato-Pepper Sauce

and an add-on of Grilled Chicken

Then... Another night on the strip catching the

different shows at the hotels and casinos...

the water show at the Bellagio Fountains,

the Sirens show at Treasure Island,

and the Volcano at The Mirage.

A couple of breakfasts at Denny's under the belt... eh... so-so. The hubby loves his breakfast omelets and grits and eggs, so I go along and eat a Fried Chicken Caesar Salad for breakfast. You have to work hard to screw up a salad! I forgot the camera, but I don't think you'd care about pictures of Denny's food. The pics in the menu look better anyway!

We were on our own for a while and the hubby remembered the other place that my friend Ally had suggested. I was sure that the restaurant was in The Quad, but most of it was under renovation. Well, the hubby found out where it was and how to get around the construction. My next culinary treat was in the making... Hash House A Go-Go!!!

The hubby ordered...

Slow Cooked Bar B' Que Pork Ribs

St. Louis ribs braised with the house soy bar b' que sauce, carrots

... and a side of Bacon cheddar mashed potatoes!!!

Under the "Just For Grazing" section of the menu was Fried Green Tomatoes, so I figured that since I wasn't starving, I should just order something to nibble on... BOY HOWDY was I wrong! It was HUGE!!!

Fried Green Tomato Stack
with Homemade Chicken Salad, Goat Cheese & Balsamic Vinaigrette

... served on a big ole chunk of watermelon!

I have never tasted anything like it in my life! The crust on the tomatoes was

awesome, and the Balsamic Vinaigrette totally sent the dish over the top!
If you ever get a chance, this place is a MUST TRY!
(and if you leave hungry, it's your own fault! LOL)

We traveled over to Fremont Street that night. Fremont Street is the original Vegas Strip established in 1905. They had three different stages with different music style bands playing. They took occasional breaks for the light show to take place on the archway ceiling! 

On the last night, we grabbed a burger at Ruth's Diner in the Airport and caught our flight out at 10:55pm. When we arrived in Charlotte that morning, Carl & Lynn had a craving for Cracker Barrel's Sweet Tea and breakfast. As the hubby says, there's always room for breakfast!

Arrivederci... Las Vegas!

Beef Stew

This is a wonderful dish for this time of year. Tonight it's chilly and rainy. This is a perfect comfort food recipe for tonight. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes!

I used two very cheap cuts of shoulder steak. You can use pretty much anything you want. I don't buy the stew meat any more, because you are just paying and enormous amount of money for someone to cut your meat for you! LOL

Cut whatever meat you want to use into 1 inch cubes. Toss them in seasoned flour. (I used garlic, salt and pepper.)

Place 2 Tablespoons Oil in a large skillet. Heat to medium-high heat and add the cubed meat. Brown the meat on all sides. If there is excess oil, add a little flour and stir. Add 2-3 cups of beef broth. Add cubed vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions and a teaspoon of minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

If the stew is too thick, just add more broth until it is the consistency you like.

Grocery List:

2 Sirloin, Chuck or Flank steaks
2 potatoes
2 carrots
2 onions
1 clove garlic
Beef broth
Flour
Oil

Cooking Pork Chops Like a Steak

I don't have a grill right now, so I have to cook all my 'grill' recipes in the oven. Well last night, the choice for supper was fish or pork. My son says, "Steak Mama!" *Sigh* OK... that wasn't on the menu! Well he tells me to 'just cook it like a steak'! Well... I'll try it once and see what we get.

I sprinkled them with salt, garlic powder, onion powder and a little lemon pepper. I dotted about a teaspoon of A-1 Steak Sauce on each chop with a brush. I put them in a casserole dish and cooked them in a 400 degree oven. I let them bake just until they were 160 degrees internally. (A good meat thermometer is a must until you get used to the touch of doneness.)

They smell heavenly and taste to yummy. They were moist, tender and cut with a butter knife! I forgot to take a picture of mine before I started eating... luckily my son hadn't come in to eat yet and I got a picture of his for the cover shot on this post! LOL

Mock Ribeyes... Cooking with Elliott

I love it when my son decides that he wants to cook something. Let's face it... I love it when my 14 yr old son wants to do anything with me. (Excuse me a moment!) Yes, Elliott! I know that you will be 15 in 2 1/2 months!

Anyway, he said to me the other day, "Mama, I want to cook something!" So we get into the conversation of what to cook and how. He loves to grill, but our grill bit the dust quite a while back and we haven't been able to replace it yet. He decides on steak, but he says, "Mama don't get anything too expensive. I don't want to waste good meat if it doesn't turn out good!" As a Caterer, Cook and Mama that budgets a dollar to death, I was getting a little teary! He's really been paying attention! Good food is too precious to waste! So, I bought us some little chuck-eyes for a few dollars at the grocery store while shopping for the week, and here goes...

He pulled out his ingredients he wanted to use and started opening the steaks. He then turns to me and says, "What? You mean I'm cooking for you, and you are not even going to put it on your website?!?!?! You could at least take a picture and acknowledge that I cooked for you and maybe even say 'thank you' !" (teenage sarcasm) Sooo, I got the camera and started taking pictures. He had me take the picture at the top of the page, saying that he needed a new profile picture anyway!

He decided not to use the tenderizing mallet that I suggested.

Instead, he decided to go with a fork to tenderize and

get the marinade into the meat! Good choice! 

Poking both sides with a fork...

In the bag, he added several shakes of Worcestershire Sauce, a good squirt of ketchup, a little mustard, 3 garlic cloves mashed through the garlic press, a 1/2 tsp of Black Ops Seasoning and some salt. No pepper. He decided that the Black Ops seasoning had enough spice to round it all out!

He added the steaks to the marinade and 

rubbed it in good, letting it sit for a while to soak in.

The final step was to spray the pan with oil and heat the pan.

Once the pan was smoking hot, he quickly

seared the steaks on each side,

to seal in the juices.

Then, they went into the

oven at 400 degree for about 5 minutes.

Chuck-eyes are not the kindest type of meat to work with, but these were GREAT! Elliott had the perfect marinade and the right amount of seasoning... notice he's just like his Mama when it comes to measuring! (And I guessed that the Black Ops was about 1/2 tsp, but we would use more next time. We weren't sure about the heat, but the flavoring is awesome!!! Click on the link above for info on how to get your own Black Ops Seasonings! Or click here BlackOpsFlavor on Facebook and 'like' them on Facebook.

I'm proud of my son for trying new things and trusting his instincts when it comes to the flavors he likes. Even though he says that he doesn't like cooking that much, he shines when he puts his mind to it... I just love having him in the kitchen with me! :-)

Cooking Rib Eyes in the Oven

My grill is history. It is just plain worn out, and I have rib eyes to cook. This is how I did them after some research. 

My Dad always had a stick of butter in the frig that was just for steaks. When he flipped the steaks on the grill, he folded back the paper on the butter and with his hand, rubbed the end of that stick all over the steak. Those were the best steaks in the world. Lightly seasoned and perfectly cooked!

• 
  
• 1 boneless rib eye steak, per person
• Vegetable oil, to coat
• Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• Garlic powder
• 1 T butter

• Place a grill/griddle pan in the oven
•  and heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Bring the steak to room temperature in a plastic bag.
• I went ahead and added my seasoning,
• oil and Worcestershire sauce to the bag
• and let it sit until room temp.

I didn't get a picture of this step... it moved to quickly!

But this is the best way to clean the pan after searing... 

just add some water to the hot pan and place it back on the stove.

Use a wooden spoon to loosen bits from the bottom.

• While the oven reaches temperature, place a skillet on the stove over high heat. Coat the steak lightly with oil and Worcestershire (if desired) and sprinkle both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Grind on black pepper and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder.

When the skillet is very hot, place the steak in the middle of the hot, dry skillet. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the steak straight into the oven on the grill pan for 2 minutes. 

Flip the steak, place a dab of butter on top,

and cook for another 2 minutes.

(This time is for medium-rare steak. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.)

Remove the steak from the pan, cover loosely with foil

• and rest for 2 minutes. Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto plate.

Serve with a nice tossed vegetable salad

and maybe a baked potato or steak fries.