My parents are visiting this Friday eve. I'll have a(n impressive) pizza waiting for them to be devoured. Saturday has lasagne on the cards, too. Sunday they're taking me home for four weeks; I'll get my culinary compensation during that month, no doubt.

I decided to not cook but grill tonite and take the lazy way out... I had a shell steak, so I fired up the grill for the first time... and just about 25% of the way thru I ran out of propane... figures right? So I finished it in the oven under the broiler the way the restaurants would do, basting it in butter to cook the top part. It was a bit chewy in some areas, well done in other areas, and very rare yet in other places, yea, i messed it up... Don Malta would be pleased that I can cook gourmet but screw up the simplest of dishes...!!

PS - I don't know what people see in Peter Luger's "secret" steak sauce, its like watered down orange marmalade & horseradish, for me it really does nothing. A1 is better, but still, a great steak is fine on its own with fresh cracked pepper and maybe a bit of salt if its not seasoned?

Steak sauce? Yuk.

Don't laugh, but it makes an OK salad dressing (just don't use too much).

Mmmmm.... especially when it runs into your mashed potatoes!!

Fettucini Alfredo(my attempt at being cute)

Mashed potatoes and corn.

IMO, when you spend money on a good cut of meat, why hide the flavor with steak sauce? Isn't the flavor of the meat what you were paying for in the first place??

I'm not a fan either, Babe. Although, I do love Peter Luger Sauce, but not on steak. Just on chicken or tomato salad.

That's EXACTLY what I use it for, a salad dressing.

I agree. No steak sauce. Just give me a well done steak with lots of ketchup!!

Nooooooooooooooooooooo.

SC, SC (shakes head slowly).

Actually, we had flank steak tonight - RARE. A little frozen white corn, some fresh asparagus, and a nice salad. I love grilling now that the sun's out at night.

I had practically raw sirloin burgers, oozing redness.

ugh, I can't eat it still mooing.

I don't like leather either (well done)

medium-medium well is good for steak.

I've been rotating Chili, Spaghetti, and Taco Salad the last 3 days for my meals.

A man after my own heart.

Yes!! Yes!! You are sitting next to me at the BB weekend Saturday night dinner.

Yes, I agree (and that is what i stated originally) a great steak stands on its own, maybe some sea salt or pepper, but otherwise the only time I use steak sauce is when is when its not very good (like when it cooks for a few mins on the grill then the propane runs out) so you have to finish it restaurant style, under the broiler, maybe basted in butter (THAT is good)...

In any case... I had to go see my accountant and there is a gourmet specialty store nearby, so I went and bought some black truffle butter (delicious), it was $10 for 3oz, but well worth it, very unique taste. and the butter is as about as premium as you can get. I also got some prosciutto, some semi-soft cow's milk cheese from france, hot soprosatta and olives, and this prelude to leftover sausage meat sauce & pasta really made it a fine dinner...!

Shoprite is having this big sale, $1/lb for ground beef, $1/5lb of potatoes, $1/3lb of potatoes, brisket on sale, so it looks like I am set for a week or more... especially St. Patrick's Day! I will make some french onion soup tomorrow if I dont go to a restaurant in town i found out my neighbor owns... food is interesting this week!

First it was "Kobe", and now "truffles"?

Hey, Geoff. You have a nit to pick???

JR, if you're a truffle fan, you should try the pate with truffles sold by Trader Joe's. It's wonderful.

If he puts ketchup on a nice cut of an expensive steak, then he can sit near you at the next dinner because he surely won't be sitting next to me if he does that! That way you two can share the ketchup and also split a Franco American Spaghetti-o's appetizer!




And then on sale $1/lb ground beef!

You're a funny guy JR. You amuse me! You make me laugh!

For your birthday I'm gonna send you a case of Spaghettio's with meatballs.

I should point out (and refine my statement) that if its a REALLY good cut of steak (i.e. it costs more than $3.99) I only use Heinz ketchup (the good stuff).

Good one DC.

But how many times do I have to tell you I haven't had Spaghettio's in a long time?

SC, I'm glad to see that you have standards.

You're still sitting by me though!!!

Tonight I had fried chicken, cornbread and potato salad from DeCicco's---a local market.

It was great, I feel like a country boy!

all you need was green beans with that lovely dinner.

And a piece of Key Lime Pie.

Ask for it in Florida, Miggie. You'll love it!