. . . and other things, too!

I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving. I sure did.

We ate ourselves silly on all the traditional Thanksgiving players:  turkey (smoked this year in the trusty SmokinTex), mashed taters, green bean casserole, two kinds of cranberry sauce — the real kind and the kind that comes out shaped like the can, pumpkin pie and so many other amazing things.

Now, it’s Black Friday and it’s time to stock up for the next holiday. It’s only just about 4 weeks away!

Where has my life gone? My youth and my sanity are slipping away. But, dangit, I’m going to eat well while it’s happening.

We’ll have lots of company again for the holidays so I’m taking advantage of the sale they’re having now at the Kansas City Steak Company. When you spend $49.95 or more you get 8 free steakburgers sent to you. I need those. My people are hungry.

ALL THE TIME.

I’ve got to keep a whole bunch of things on hand because when our family is here it feels like you just finished cleaning up one meal and it’s time to start the next. Ayyyy!

I’m ordering some filets, a roast and some hot dogs. With the steakburgers I’ll get, that should get us through. But ya never know.

After that, they’ll have to call the pizza joint down the street. I’ll be tired . . . but I can’t wait!

The holiday season has officially begun and my freezer is about to be well-stocked!

Photo courtesy of the KansasCitySteaks.com.

This one is filed under “Eerie Entrees” over at MyRecipes.com. But, really, there’s nothing scary about this scrumptious grilled steak on a homemade pizza — except for the fact that if you cook this for your Halloween dinner and little ghosts and goblins come to your door and smell it, they will never leave your house.

Now THAT’S scary.

Grilled Pizza With Steak, Pear and Arugula

Prep: 10 min., Grill: 30 min., Stand: 10 min.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray

1/2  pound  flank steak

Salt and pepper

1  tablespoon  olive oil

1 1/2  teaspoons  white balsamic vinegar

1  (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust

1  red Bartlett pear, peeled and sliced

1 1/2  cups  fresh arugula, divided

1/4  cup  crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Freshly cracked pepper

Preparation

1. Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 350° (medium heat).

2. Season flank steak with salt and pepper.

3. Grill steak, covered with grill lid, at 350° (medium heat) 8 to 10 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk together oil and vinegar in a small bowl.

5. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin strips. Cut strips into bite-size pieces (about 1 cup).

6. Place pizza crust directly on hot cooking grate. Brush top of crust with oil mixture; layer with pear slices, 1 cup arugula, cheese, and beef strips.

7. Grill, covered with grill lid, 4 minutes. Rotate pizza one-quarter turn; grill, covered with grill lid, 5 to 6 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove pizza from grill, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup arugula and freshly cracked pepper.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used 1/2 (16-oz.) package Mama Mary’s Thin & Crispy Pizza Crusts.

Oven-Baked Pizza With Steak, Pear, and Arugula: Assemble pizza as directed, and bake according to package directions for pizza crust.

Southern Living, OCTOBER 2007

Photo and recipe courtesy of MyRecipes.com.

It’s Halloween time!

So how do I celebrate?

Why, with a steak, of course. A Halloween steak.

It’s been a particularly challenging week here at the Steak Enthusiast casa, so it was time to stop, give ourselves a break and enjoy something we know always brings our spirits up.

This Kansas City strip was absolutely divine. And enjoying it on a Tuesday night was awesome. No special occasion — we just needed it.

The kids are looking forward to Saturday night when they will run around the neighborhood in their costumes, giggling and spilling candy with us trotting after them, lamenting how we’re too old for this.

You know, Halloween traditions.

Having this steak got us ready to take it all on.

So, really, what makes this a “Halloween steak?”

I put it on a plate next to a plastic pumpkin.

Any other questions?