As I was making my coffee this morning, Paige emerged from her bedroom — bleary eyed and yawning. Scrappy, who is still recovering from his neck injury, had been barking protests to his aching body as he moved around, trying to get comfortable. It woke her.

“It’s still early. Don’t you want to go back to sleep?” I asked her, “Or do you want to come rest in my bed a bit?”

Minutes later, we were cuddled up in my bed, talking about the dark morning and busy coming day. I breathed in her sweet scent, listening as she talked about clouds and the coming day. Then, too soon, it was time to wake Will, prepare breakfast and start the morning rush.

It was all so normal — a welcome feeling these days.

Part of finding our new normal here is figuring out our new flow of things. We’re only three days into this, but a few things are already clear. The time frames of our day have been shifted. We now have to wake much earlier so Will can catch his much earlier bus to school. And the kids come home from school much later, making dinnertime and after school fun a little harder. Since homework, dinner and all else are now condensed into a short time frame, dinners have to be simple and fast. It makes life easier that way.

One of our favorite fast dinners is tacos — crunchy for Shawn and I and soft for Will and Paige. It’s a meal that we can agree on. Making them takes only about 15 minutes, and there is room for creativity with the toppings for them — like salsas, tomatoes, lettuce and more.

But when it comes to taco seasoning, I’m a little more picky — and thus always make my own homemade taco seasoning. I love the rich, spiced flavor of homemade taco seasoning so much more than the store bought version. Call me crazy, but when it only takes four ingredients to whip up a flavorful homemade taco seasoning, why would you spend more for the packet? Try this, and you really will never go back.

And if you want it a little spicier, add a little cayenne or chipotle pepper powder to the mix — but beware, a little goes a long way.

(This recipe is a slight variation of my Homemade Mild Taco Seasoning.)

The post Quick Homemade Taco Seasoning appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

In a nutshell: Juicy barbecue seasoned meatballs are bathed in sweet honey barbecue sauce.

Ok. Ok. Meatballs? For Thanksgiving? In barbecue sauce?!? Yes, I know it’s unusual — for Thanksgiving or otherwise. But these are seriously good — and they are just right for pre-big Thanksgiving dinner munching.

Making these is simple and can be done a day or two in advance. Prepare the whole dish as directed, and then chill then in the fridge until ready to use. They’ll just need a quick reheating before serving (recommended: stovetop), and they’re ready to go.

See, I promised you simple. You can’t beat a dish that can be made well in advance.

Why not try something a little different this holiday?

The post Barbecue Meatballs Appetizer appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Burgers and I are fickle friends. I don’t eat a lot of meat, and when I do burgers aren’t usually high on my want-list. It’s not that I don’t like them. Honestly, a really good burger is a total treat — juicy, flavorful and so satisfying. They just aren’t my favorite, and when you limit your consumption of something it becomes more important to indulge in things that really are favorites. So I don’t eat them often. But when Will and I recently went to Hartford for an event, we stopped at Rainforest Cafe on our way home for lunch. Checking out the menu, their Guacamole Burger caught my eye. It’s a burger topped with a fried onion ring, pepper jack cheese, bacon, guacamole, lettuce, tomato and even a pickle — if you want it. (I eat my pickles off the burger, thankyouverymuch.) It was amazing.

In one of those little serendipitous moments, soon after I received an email from a rep for Alexia foods asking if I wanted to try a few of their new side dishes including Multi-Grain Onion Rings. Onion rings? Did you say onion rings? Count me in! (Yes, I am kind of an onion ring junkie. Love them.)

Immediately, I thought about recreating the delicious burger I had with Will and decided that would be the perfect way to enjoy them. When I baked these up, they were crispy with a soft, sweet onion center and a light nuttiness to them — just perfect for this combo.

This burger combines creamy guacamole with crispy onion rings, sweet grape tomatoes and sharp cheddar cheese. It’s such a great melody of flavors and textures. And yes, I skipped the bacon and lettuce in my version (and changed the cheese, added more onion rings and more tomatoes). But really, this burger doesn’t need anything more. It’s perfect just as it is.

I really love this Loaded Guacamole Onion Ring Burger.

PS Wondering how we’re faring with Hurricane Sandy? Keep an eye on Sarah by the Sea for updates. We’ve been warned to expect prolonged power outages, flooding and more so … we’ll see.

Loaded Guacamole Onion Ring Burger
serves 4

4 beef burger patties
4 kaiser rolls
4 slices sharp cheddar
8 onion rings (suggested: Alexia Multi-Grain Onion Rings), plus additional for a side dish
10 grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup-1 cup guacamole, to taste

Preheat the grill. Cook burgers to desired doneness.

Slice open the kaiser rolls. Top each one with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, the piping hot burger, two onion rings, 1/4 of the grape tomatoes and desired amount of guacamole.

Devour.

————————-

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. However, I did receive free product to play with from Alexia foods. All opinions are, as always, my own.

The post Loaded Guacamole Onion Ring Burger appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

 

Have you been eating outdoors? We often take our lunch down to the beach to enjoy or pile around the backyard picnic table. And picnics? We love those. When I was asked to join the “30 Days of Outdoor Dining” event put on by Land O’Lakes and Kitchen PLAY in July, I said yes in a heartbeat. It’s totally a me thing.

The event challenges bloggers to create something suitable for outdoor dining that uses a new Land O’Lakes Deli Cheese. Fun, right?

But a funny thing happened the day that I went to buy Land O’Lakes® 4 Cheese Italian Blend from my go-to grocery store. Not only did they have it (and on sale!) but I heard two other customers order it too. Seems I am not the only one intrigued by this new cheese. Kind of unusual, right? And quite honestly, eating it I wasn’t disappointed. This has some of the best qualities of American cheese — the meltiness, the size, the familiar flavor. But it has all that with a twist — a sharpness to it thanks to the Italian cheeses that are blended in. This is ideal for tossing on a burger and serving it piled high with tomatoes and onions.

It’s also perfect for melting onto ridiculously easy roll-turned-garlic bread. And then serving with roast beef and hot peppers piled high.

What? It’s true!

This Cheesy Italian Roast Beef on Garlic Bread sandwich is perfect for serving at a picnic (make ‘em, wrap ‘em up and go) or for enjoying in the backyard with friends and cold beers. Plus they are so easy to make, you needn’t worry about sacrificing your play time for these sandwiches.

Start by making the garlic bread roll. Slice the roll in half, butter it and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toast and when it’s barely golden, add the cheese. Toast again until it’s melted.

Then add the roast beef, salt it a bit and the hot banana peppers. Close it up … and it’s ready to be noshed on. And yes, this is totally outdoor perfect. But, if you want, you could make the garlic bread roll on the grill using indirect heat to make it even more outdoor appropriate. Just make sure to watch it like a hawk to prevent burning.

Be sure to check Kitchen PLAY every day for the next fabulous recipe featuring new Land O’Lakes® 4 Cheese Italian Blend or Land O’Lakes® Deli American Cheese. Then, get in on the fun by leaving a comment with your own “30 Days of Outdoor Dining” tip for dining al fresco this summer. If you do, you’ll be entered to win a lovely grilling prize pack, including one grilling spatula, one marinade brush, one set of tongs and one grill scraper. Kitchen PLAY will be giving away four prizes total, one each week! Please visit Kitchen PLAY for sweepstakes guidelines.

Cheesy Italian Roast Beef on Garlic Bread
serves 4

4 Kaiser rolls
1 1/3 tbsp butter
2 tsp garlic salt
8 slices Land O’Lakes® 4 Cheese Italian Blend
3/4 lb deli roast beef
kosher salt (or sea salt)
1/4 cup hot banana peppers

Cut open the Kaiser rolls and butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Toast in a toaster oven (or in an oven set to 325 degrees) until just beginning to turn a golden brown. Place a slice of cheese on each bread half and toast until melted (1-2 minutes more). Remove from the oven.

Drape 3-ounces of roast beef on each sandwich and salt to taste. Top with banana peppers and close the sandwiches. Serve immediately, or wrap and take on a picnic.

————————

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Land O’Lakes as part of the Kitchen PLAY SideCar series. I was also provided with a coupon for free product. All opinions are my own.

The post Cheesy Italian Roast Beef on Garlic Bread appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

That’s what I think to myself sometime when I feel like there will never be enough hours in the day for me to do everything I need and want to. But it’s okay. A little centering and a cup of coffee goes a long way, right? I think so.

The Motherhood recently asked if I was interested in trying the newest additions to the Lawry’s marinade and spice rub lines, and I agreed. When the box arrived, I eagerly dug out the bottles and jars, imaging what I would create with them. With new flavors like the Mediterranean Herb Seasoned Salt and Fire Roasted Chile & Garlic, it was hard to decide what to use first. Spying the Santa Fe Chili Marinade, I knew just what I wanted — something with Southwestern flair that could be made quickly and easily (with a little advanced prep).

Basically, I was trying to make a rich, craveworthy dinner in under 30 minutes so that when we got home from Paige’s weeknight ballet class, we’d be able to eat long before bedtime for the kids. It was a good plan and this dinner worked out just right.

I marinated a London broil in the Santa Fe Chili Marinade for about two hours — it works in 30 minutes, but longer produces a deeper flavor. And then grilled it to just past medium. Then the London broil rested while I finished up the Avocado, Cilantro and Lime Rice that we had with it.

The intersection of creamy, slightly tart rice and rich, spiced beef was a lovely place to be. The flavors went well together, especially when I spooned a little of the meat drippings over the rice. Mmm.

Making the rice was so simple. I know I say that a lot, but really it’s because that’s how I like dinner to be — simple, but flavorful. Can you blame me?

So, back to making this, I cooked white rice ahead of time in my rice cooker (you could make yours however you want though — on the stovetop, in the microwave, whatever works for you). Then I simply stirred it all together and seasoned it with salt and pepper. Actual cooking time (aside from the rice itself)? About 10 minutes. Max.

Once everything was ready, I served thinly sliced pieces of London broil on top of the rice. And we had some corn too. With all the components prepped ahead (London broil marinated, rice cooked), it took about 20 minutes to whip up when we arrived home. Now that’s perfect timing for a busy night … right?

Make it. You know you want to!

Back to Lawry’s for a second, I was also asked to create and share a Lawry’s Dinnertising thing with you. I’ve made a couple now, but this one was especially cute with the bear and all. These are really just a fun, cute way to get your family excited about dinner. Make your own Dinnertisement here. Also, be sure to scroll all the way down for a giveaway too.

Avocado, Cilantro and Lime Rice
serves 4

4 cups cooked white long grain rice
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/4 cup finely minced cilantro
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed
salt and pepper, to taste

Add the rice, lime zest, cilantro and avocado to a large mixing bowl. Pour the lime juice directly over the avocado.

Using a big spoon, stir until mixed well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve.

NOTE: I served this topped with thinly sliced grilled London broil that was marinated in Santa Fe Chili Marinade from Lawry’s

——————————————————-

Enter the Lawry’s Giveaway!

This giveaway has closed. Thanks to Lawry’s and The Motherhood for providing it.
————————————
Disclosure: I received the Lawry’s marinades and seasonings for review purposes from The Motherhood. I am also being compensated for my time. All opinions are my own.

The post Avocado, Cilantro and Lime Rice with Santa Fe Chili London Broil appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Last year, a restaurant dedicated solely to macaroni and cheese opened nearby. Shawn and I had heard about it months in advance and were so excited to try it. Once it opened, we were almost instantly there with the kids. The premise is genius — take a classic comfort food and make it a bunch of different ways. Serve it in skillets. The restaurant has really taken off and is even expanding into a larger space.

Pretty awesome, right?

Well, eating there has made me rethink mac and cheese. I’ve always been of the creamy cheddar mac and cheese persuasion. But it can be so much more — you can change up the cheeses, do more than one, add toppings, mix-ins and drizzles. And you can bake it (or not). There is so much room for adaptation with basic macaroni and cheese.

This one? I was mulling over it after having a pulled pork macaroni and cheese at that mac and cheese place. So when the Wisconsin Cheese Board contacted me about participating in their annual 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese, I immediately sent this idea over. They loved it as much as I did. Head over there to read my blog post on my mac and cheese philosophy.

Then come back, so you can read a little more about this plate of heaven. It’s okay … I’ll wait.

Now, about this recipe … It’s like a BBQ joint on high.

The silky cheese sauce is laced with a familiar smokiness usually reserved for fall-off-the-bone-tender treats from the smoker. You can thank the Apple Smoked Wisconsin Cheddar and the smoky brisket on top (I used leftover Smoky Slow Cooker Beef Brisket). But it doesn’t stop there … it’s drizzled with sweet honey barbecue sauce and sprinkled with sharp Wisconsin blue cheese.

When you dig in with your fork, you have to stab a bit of the creamy macaroni and a piece of the brisket — preferably one that is laced with barbecue and blue cheese. It’s a total explosion of flavor … kind of like when they shoot off all the confetti at the end of the Super Bowl. (Psst – This would be perfect to make for Super Bowl Sunday.) If you like mac and cheese and brisket, you will adore this. Swear.

Be sure to check out all the mac and cheese posts at 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese. Heaven!

———————————–

Disclosure: I was compensated for the ingredients that went into developing this recipe. All opinions are my own.

The post Smoked Cheddar and Blue Cheese Brisket Macaroni and Cheese appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

If I had to choose just two things to make in the slow cooker ever, it would be brisket and pulled pork. I’m a huge fan of these BBQ favorites and though I don’t have a smoker at home to make authentic versions, slow cooker variations are pretty good themselves. Especially now that I have fallen in love with liquid smoke.

Let me tell you, getting me to use liquid smoke has taken years of psyching myself up. Chalk it up to a bad experience as a child (Note: you should never use a whole bottle at once. Just don’t.) But I am totally in love with it now and not afraid to use it. Liquid smoke adds a lovely smokiness to dishes without the smoker.

Now, about this brisket. It’s got a nice sweet-smokiness to it, courtesy of the whisk-and-go sauce on it. It’s just six ingredients (plus water) whisked together. But since it’s homemade, you can totally control the flavor — if you want it sweeter or more molasses-y, go ahead! Just taste and add until you have the sauce you want. Super simple.

As for the brisket, you just season it with salt all over and then it’s ready for the slow cooker. Put it in, pour on the sauce and cook.

This sweet-smoky beef brisket is great on sandwiches (add a little cheddar!), nachos and wraps. But it’s also fab with BBQ classics like sweet potato fries and macaroni and cheese. Don’t forget the cornbread too.

Smoky Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
serves 8

3 lb beef brisket
kosher salt
6 oz can tomato paste, plus 1 can water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tbsp liquid smoke
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste

Rinse and pat dry the brisket. Salt well all over with kosher salt. Place into the slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, water, molasses, liquid smoke, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over the brisket.

Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hours until fall-apart tender. Or cook on low for 8-10 hours until fall-apart tender.

Pull the brisket out and break apart with two forks into shreds. Return to the slow cooker and stir with the sauce. Serve. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The post Smoky Slow Cooker Beef Brisket appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Not so anymore. Several years ago (um, by several I probably mean closer to 6 years), I sucked it up and started grilling  because, well, I write a food blog. It seemed stupid to continue refusing to grill when it’s an important part of the American cooking experience.

These days I grill a lot and love to.

Recently, I was contacted by Kitchen PLAY who asked if I would be involved in a Progressive Party with the theme “Make This Recipe…Safer,” sponsored by the Ad Council. Of course, I agreed.

This campaign, headed by the USDA, is all about food safety — a topic that’s important for anyone spending time in or out of the kitchen. There’s even a Food Safety website dedicated to these crucial cooking reminders

Basically, the four tenets of safe cooking are clean, separate, cook and chill. What do these things mean?

Clean: Keep your cooking surfaces, utensils and hands clean while cooking by washing them with soap and water. Personally, I am obsessed with keeping my cooking area clean, as well as my hands. I keep soap next to the sink just for this.

Separate: Keep raw meats away from other foods, including using separate cutting boards. I always use different boards for meat, veggies and bread.

Cook: Always be certain to cook meats and seafood to the proper temperature before serving. You can use a food thermometer to ensure that the inner temperature of the food meets minimum safe temperatures.

Chill: Finally, foods should be chilled — both raw, perishable items and cooked foods. Leftovers should be wrapped up and stuck in the fridge shortly after eating to ensure that they remain safe.

Red Wine Marinated Flank Steak
serves 4

1 flank steak (you’ll want the whole portion, which is usually 1 1/2 lbs)
2/3 cup red wine
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
several dashes crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Place the flank steak into a gallon-size resealable bag.

Whisk together the red wine, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Pour over the flank steak. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible.

Refrigerate the flank steak, turning once, for at least 1 hour or up to 10 hours.

Once the flank steak is marinated to your preferences, heat the grill on its medium setting until good and hot, about five minutes but up to 10.

Remove the steak from the marinade with tongs and place on the grill. Reseal the bag and discard any remaining marinade. Wash the tongs and your hands.

Cook for 5-7 minutes per side, to desired doneness (remember, you can ensure its cooked right by checking the internal temperature with a thermometer). Allow the flank steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

If desired, serve with Basil Chimichurri Sauce over rice (as shown).

——————————–

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time creating and publicizing this post, but all opinions expressed are my own.

The post Red Wine Marinated Flank Steak with a Side of Food Safety appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

For more than a year, I have barely eaten beef. While I like it, my body isn’t fond of it and I’ve found that avoiding it means that I can live with less bouts of my severe asthma – and less medication. It was a no brainer to eat less of it.

That said, I have never set out to eliminate it from my diet altogether. Everything in moderation, you know? So, with summer nearing (could someone please tell Mother Nature that summer is almost here? I don’t think she got the memo for New England), I plan to enjoy a few burgers this summer. But because I rarely eat beef, I want to make it count when I do.

At the same time, I have made a commitment to losing weight and generally being healthier. It’s kind of a catch-22. I want to be healthy, but I also want to enjoy life … and the food I eat. And while I do really like turkey burgers and chicken burgers, nothing substitutes for a great beef burger when that’s really what you want. So, what’s a girl to do?

Ultimately, I come back to moderation. Cheddar Bacon Burgers are delicious, but when it comes to trying to be healthy, they aren’t the best choice. The cheddar and bacon add so much more unhealthy fat to the beef burger. After struggling with this, I decided to stick with 85% fat ground beef, which produces a juicy, flavorful burger. But I cut out both the cheese and the bacon. (I’ll still have cheese with my turkey burger though!) And for the roll, I am now skipping the bakery rolls and traditional hamburger buns in favor of the thin multigrain rolls that I eat sandwiches on for lunch. They work well and hold up to the burger while having less calories and more fiber.

But a plain burger? Even a juicy, flavorful one enhanced with salt and pepper needs something more, something to make it great. Enter the veggies. My Super Veggie Beef Burger is like a fab salad combined with a juicy, amazing burger. The avocado (yes, it has fat, but it’s healthy fat) adds a creaminess that substitutes well for the missing cheese. Then there is crunchy red pepper, smooth baby spinach, sweet tomato slices and crunchy alfalfa sprouts (well, sort of crunchy). When you take a bite, you get this surge of flavors, wrapped in the dripping juices of the great burger. It’s amazing.

I’m not giving up my occasional beef burger … when I have one, you can bet that it will be piled with fabulous fresh veggies.

How do you like your burger?

Super Veggie Beef Burger
serves 4

1 lb 85% fat ground beef
salt and pepper
4 thin deli rolls (I used Arnold’s Multigrain Sandwich Thins)
1 avocado, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into 4 pieces and seeded
1 cup baby spinach
1 tomato, sliced
alfalfa sprouts

Preheat your grill over medium heat (or prepare your charcoals for grilling)

Divide the ground beef into four even pieces. Salt and pepper liberally. Gently fold the salt and pepper into the beef, taking care not to handle it too much. Then, pat each piece into a 1/2-inch thick patty. Place on a plate and stick your thumb into the center of the patty, pressing down firmly (but not through).

Grill the burgers to desired doneness, flipping once and never ever pressing down. At all. Really, I mean it.

Once the burgers are done, place each one on a thin deli roll. Top with avocado slices, one slice of the red pepper, baby spinach leaves, tomato slices and a palmful of alfalfa sprouts. Close the roll and enjoy immediately.

The post Rethinking Burgers (Super Veggie Beef Burger) appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Poor Man's Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich

Do you eat your meals together as a family? The kids and I eat dinner together nearly every evening, usually around our kitchen table. Shawn’s not home for dinner often because he has to work late and has a lengthy commute, but when he is, we all eat together as well. I’m dying to get a new kitchen island with adorable stools so that I can prepare and eat our food there when it’s just the kids and I, but I digress. We also eat breakfast as a family — with Shawn too — several times a week. Lunch is a free for all.

Eating together is a time for us to talk about our days — the silly antics of the boys in Will’s kindergarten class and the random tidbits about her classmates that Paige shares. We laugh and are sometimes silly. This past weekend, the kids and I had dinner outside followed by a rule-less game of baseball. It was so much fun.

According to a new study published in the May 2 edition of Pediatrics, our family dinners could be much more than just fun — it could be helping my kids avoid obesity. Kids who eat three or more family meals each week are 12 percent less likely to be overweight than those who don’t eat family meals or seldom do. If they eat five or more meals as a family each week, they are 25 percent less likely to have poor nutrition. If you want to raise healthy kids (I do!) then this is important and good news. Researchers developed the data after analyzing 17 earlier studies and comparing the data.

This all underscores our family’s commitment to eating together. Not only do we make family meals a daily habit (and that extends beyond just dinner), we also have a standing weekly family dinner with our extended family who live nearby. Some weeks (particularly at the holidays and sometimes in summer), that means upwards of 20 family members all together at once (Related: Tomato Bisque for 12).  It’s special, and we love it.

Today seemed like the perfect time to talk more about family meals, including some interesting results from the Sarah’s Cucina Bella Family Meals Survey 2011 that I conducted earlier this year.

Sandwiches like these are so easy, since the ingredients take so little time to prepare. Once they are laid out, all you have to do is build 'em.

First, a little background: Earlier this year, I started an intense research project for a book proposal. The book I am developing is a more in-depth, more useful version of the unpublished one that I wrote years ago. (Recap for newer readers: In 2007, I was contracted to write a cookbook by a very small publisher, handed the manuscript in on schedule and then … nothing. A year and a half later, a short email exchange between my publisher and I ended the contract and the book reverted to me.). The original book was fine, but after much consideration, I realized it was missing something. So, I’ve started afresh, researching and learning more about the eating habits of families. As part of that, I conducted a preliminary survey on family meals to get a better understanding.

There were more than 100 responses to the Family Meals Survey 2011, but I disqualified any incomplete surveys, leaving me with 94 completed surveys. Of those, 85.1% were filled out by mothers. One of the things I was looking to understand was what really matters to parents when it comes to eating family meals. I think that’s a personal thing, and not something where I could ever claim to have all the reasons. Everyone’s perspective is different, naturally.

So, what makes a family meal? For the majority of respondents (58.5%), having the whole family there is the most important aspect of a family meal. Also important is the happiness level of the table, said 40.4% of the respondents. Everyone being present in the moment (29.8%), being disconnected from technology (26.6%) and the quality of the food rounded out the top five responses (26.6%).

Some other interesting statistics from the Sarah’s Cucina Bella Family Meals Survey 2011:

• Nearly two-thirds of respondents do not have a standing date for family dinners. 37.2% do.
• Dinner is the meal most-often eaten together, according to my survey (91.5% of respondents said so!). The other 8.6% were split evenly between breakfast and lunch.
• 66% of respondents shop in advance for ingredients, and 48.9% create a meal plan. 17% shop that day for the ingredients they need.
• 59.6% search the internet for recipes, and 29.8% look through cookbooks.
• About a quarter of the respondents enlist their children to help plan the meal. 18.1% also involve their kids in the preparation of ingredients and 19.1% have their kids help with the cooking.

How important are family meals to you?

Poor Man's Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich

Speaking of family meals, this sandwich is perfect for a family dinner. It’s a stuffed sandwich that starts with a grilled London broil rubbed with your favorite spices, salt and pepper. I chose London broil because it is — even now — one of the least expensive cuts available, and with this recipe 1 pound of it can feed 8 people (as long as you serve it with several side dishes). And these days, budget-friendly meats are a must for everyone. Once the meat has been grilled and rested (resting is so, so important so that it’s juicy), you slice it ultra-thin against the grain. Use your sharpest, big knife and sharpen it more just before slicing. It will make the whole thing a breeze.

Once the meat is all sliced up and ready, you layer the sandwiches with steamed bell pepper slices, thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese (or thin slices from a block of mozzarella, if you want to save a little more) and tomato. The freshness of the veggies with the salty cheese and spiced meat will hook you. My son immediately asked if he could take the sandwich for school lunch too (and today he did — but I traded the tomato for lettuce so that the roll wouldn’t get soggy).

Poor Man’s Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich
serves 8

1 lb London broil
kosher salt and pepper
spice rub of your choice
8 deli rolls
1 cup steamed sliced bell peppers (I used frozen from Trader Joe’s)
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
8 slices mozzarella (I used Fresh Mozzarella from Costco, but a block of mozz could be substituted)

Heat your grill over its medium setting for 10 minutes to get it good and hot. Prepare the London broil by rubbing with salt, pepper and spice rub all over.

Place the London broil on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, to desired doneness (recommended: medium). Remove from the grill and let sit for 10 minutes. This step is important, as it allows the meat to reabsorb its juices.

Slice the London broil very thinly against the grain with a sharp knife.

Now, it’s time to prepare the sandwiches. Slice open the rolls and layer with thin slices of London broil, mozzarella, tomato and peppers. Don’t be afraid to stuff the sandwiches. Close and cut in half.

Serve immediately with a couple family-favorite side dishes (we ate ours with salted, perfectly cooked edamame) such as a big green salad, baked beans and corn on the cob.

Enjoy!

The post Family Meals: Poor Man’s Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwiches appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.