The Valentines Day Dinner

I have a small obsession with the show Chopped and my favorite episodes are the amateur chefs, because it makes me want to continue to expand my knowledge base. I even want to look into a cooking course! Definitely something I should look into know that I’m almost a real 25 year old grown-up! My boyfriend and I did a combo V-day and B-day night celebration last night for me as my birthday is this coming Monday but we could only get together on Friday and Saturday. I wanted to make a nice dinner for us and gave him a few options. What we decided on was a stuffed flank steak! http://www.familycircle.com/recipes/comfortfood/stuffed-flank-steak/?page=1 I threw in some steamed green beans and oven roasted red potatoes. We both want to eat healthier, so this was a perfect option. It turned out wonderfully, although I did make one mistake with the cook-time.

Stuffed Flank Steak
Ingredients
– 1 flank steak (1 1/2 to 2 pounds) – KB Note: I couldn’t find flank steak or anything that I could cut per the directions so I opted for a package of thin sliced steak.
– 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
– 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
– 1 jar (7 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
– 2 tablespoons seasoned dry bread crumbs
– 1 egg yolk
– 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
– 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
– 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Lay steak on work surface. Holding sharp knife parallel to work surface and starting at a long side, slice flank steak in half to opposite long side, without cutting all the way through; open up the steak like a book. Flatten slightly to an even thickness. KB Note: I bought the thin sliced steak since I knew I had to cut it anyways.
3. Squeeze liquid from spinach; discard liquid. In medium-size bowl, combine spinach, cheese, peppers, bread crumbs, egg yolk, 1/4 teaspoon each of the garlic salt and the pepper.
4. Season steak with an additional 1/4 teaspoon each of the garlic salt and pepper. Press filling onto steak, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. KB Note: I had 4 of the small sized thin cut steaks but I still kept about a 1/2 inch border on the sides.
5. Roll up steak to enclose filling, beginning on a short side; the grain of the meat will be running from left to right. Tuck any loose filling back into ends.

6. Tie steak with cotton twine at 2-inch intervals to secure. Rub outside with oil, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon each garlic salt and pepper.
7. Roast at 425 degrees F. for 35 minutes, then increase heat to broil and broil for 10 minutes. KB Note: I overcooked my the meat because I used this timing. If you go the thin cut steak route like I did then I recommend you cook for 15 minutes at 425 only. The top layer of meat was very, very tough. Thank GOD it tasted AMAZING.