Steak 'N' Bake

I know that I am strange in some of my food preferences, for example, I do not like the broiled coconut frosting that usually goes on German chocolate cake, even though I love most everything caramel like.   Another one of my peculiar preferences is that when it comes to meat and potatoes, I will fill my plate with potatoes and take very little meat.  However, I have gradually come to appreciate meat on it's own merits as the availability of different cuts of meat, besides roasts and ground beef, has increased in the last few years.  One of the many advantages to living in the country is the number of people with cows and their inability to eat an entire one by themselves.  So my husband and I have for the last couple of years purchased half a cow.  Sounds bizarre, but there it is.  It has presented me with the challenge of looking in my freezer for what cuts of meat I have on hand and then finding a recipe that will utilize said meat.  I never even tasted a steak until I started dating my husband when I was 20, steak for 12 children and 2 parents gets a bit pricey, and so I couldn't just run to Mom's recipe book and find the best way to cook a sirloin.  So in that recipe quest, coupled with the fact that my garden was overflowing with spinach this spring and again in the fall, I found this recipe that fits my potato to meat ratio perfectly.  A little meat, a lot of potato (especially a good size Idaho potato).  Plus, the presentation looks fantastic.  You can grill this or broil it, if you are one of the unfortunate that has been snowed on already.    My husband and I still have not grown to love blue cheese dressing so I substituted with creamy Italian, which was very tasty.  II recommend baking your potatoes in the oven, I always seem to overdo them in the microwave.  If you insist on using the microwave just check on them occasionally, they will cook through a bit more after they are done cooking so keep that in mind.  I hope you like it!

Steak 'N' Bake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time:  16-25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Family Friendliness: My children thought it a bit weird to put their meat on their potatoes, so they ate it all separate and go figure my children LOVE spinach.  You could leave the spinach off for the picky eaters.   

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes
12 to 16 oz. Boneless beef sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
2 c. fresh baby spinach
¾ c. bottled blue cheese salad dressing
1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
Directions: Wash potatoes; pierce with a fork.  Arrange potatoes on a microwave-safe plate in spoke formation, leaving 1 inch between each potato.  Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (HIGH) for 14-18 minutes or until tender.  (Or bake potatoes in a 425° oven for 40 to 60 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes.)
Meanwhile, preheat broiler.  Trim fat from steak.  Place meat on the unheated rack of a broiler pan.  Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 16-18 minutes for medium rare (145°) or 19-21 minutes for medium (160°), turning once halfway through broiling.  Transfer meat to a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.  OR, to grill, prepare steak as above.  For a charcoal grill, grill on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals 18-22 minutes for medium (160°), turning once.  (For a gas grill, preheat grill.  Reduce heat to medium.  Place meat on grill rack over heat.  Cover; grill as above.
To serve, roll each potato gently under your hand.  Cut an “x” in top of potato.  Press in and up on ends of potato.  Cut steak into bite-size strips.  Top potatoes with beef strips and spinach; drizzle with dressing.  Top with onion wedges.

(This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens 2007 edition of Annual Recipes cookbook, the photo is from bhg.com)