Beef. It's What's for Dinner...3 Nights in a Row

We were perusing the grocery store for a nice cut of meat we could grill for dinner when we happened upon a flank steak that would provide us our next three meals. I'd like to attribute these to the top three men in my life. My dad, my brother, and Michael.

Night 1: Skirt Steak with Dijon Caper Sauce, for Dad.

Night one I cooked the entire flank steak in a grill pan. Just salt and pepper both sides and cook it over medium high heat. It only needs about four minutes per side for a warm, pink center. You could also grill it on an outdoor grill, but the juices and browned bits from cooking the meat contribute to the sauce I make. Once you've cooked the meat to your desired doneness, remove from heat and set aside. Keep warm by covering it in foil.

Now for the sauce- in the same pan that you cooked the steak in, add a couple tablespoons of butter. Let it melt, then add a couple splashes (about 3 tablespoons) of dry vermouth or white wine. Also add about a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce, and a heaping tablespoon of capers (drainer).

Cut the flank steak across the grain and spoon the sauce over top. This is a great steak sauce and I have found the ingredients are almost always on hand. I served this with steamed asparagus and Parmesan mashed potatoes.

Night 2: Steak Fajitas, for Derek and Mike

After night one, we still had over half of the steak left (about one pound of meat). I sliced this up along with some thinly sliced red and green pepper (about 1/2 of each for fajitas for two) and about 1/2 an onion, also thinly sliced. Grill the peppers and onions first until soft then add the sliced steak just to heat through. If you want to kick up the flavor a bit, you can add some fajita or taco seasoning or even just some extra salt and pepper. Lime juice also adds a nice kick. Once the filling is done, heat up your tortillas and fill to you liking. Sour cream, shredder cheese, salsa, and guacamole are all excellent toppings, but the peppers, onions, and steak can stand alone and be just as good.

Night 3: Beef Stroganoff, for dad.

Believe it or not, we still had enough meat left for another meal. If you're feeding more than two people, one flank steak might not get as much mileage. Regardless this beef stroganoff recipe is simple and delicious and is worth buying a whole new flank steak for!

Cut your steak up into bite sized pieces and set aside. Also, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once this boils, add a bag of egg noodles. and cook according to package directions.

For the sauce, melt a couple table spoons of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add one small onion, chopped, and about handful or two of sliced mushrooms. Allow the veggies to soften then add about a tablespoon of flour. Cook for a minute or two to get ride of the starchy flavor, then add 1/2 cup beef broth and 1/2 tablespoon Dijon. Cook a couple minutes longer or until it begins to thicken then add the cut up meat into the sauce. The last major ingredient is some kind of cream. I use sour cream, but whipping cream, cooking cream, cream cheese, or even milk should work (the thicker the cream used, the heavier the sauce). You'll need about 1/4 cup of whichever one you choose. Finish the sauce off with a good pinch of ground nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Serve this over your cooked egg noodles and enjoy! This is a recipe I always remember my dad cooking for us growing up, and is one of my favorites for left over steak.