Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Mushrooms, Red Pepper, and Blue Cheese

I've got faculty meetings tonight. Classes start next week. I can't put it off any longer. Back-to-School is creeping up on me, nudging summer off the high dive and into the deep end of the swimming pool. The backpacks are already being yanked off the store shelves to make room for Halloween costumes. Is it really time to put away the popsicles and take out the pencils? When did you go back to school when you were a child? September, sometime after Labor Day, right? The apples aren't even at their peak until September; do kids these days leave their teachers an ear of corn on the cob? And yet...the weather is on my side of the argument. Yesterday it was screaming summer at 104 degrees. Ha-there's still time to get a few more of your summer favorites in before you surrender to pumpkin pie.

Like grilled steak-the ultimate summer dinner. Bonus: it makes men go wild to smell steak grilling. I think it's some cave-man throwback. All right, it makes me go a little wild too. The scent of beef on the grill is absolutely seductive. And hey-I lucked out this week. As part of my meal planning for Food on the Table (the website I love for planning menus that coincide with the weekly specials at your favorite grocery store), I printed a copy for a grilled Rib Eye steak with a mushroom, red bell pepper and blue cheese topping. People, I give it an A plus. Sheesh, I'm grading food now. Maybe it really is time to get back to school.

Money Saving Tips: You could use whatever steak for grilling your grocery store has on sale this week-strip steak, flatirons, flank, etc. Grill up some extra steak to use in a salad tomorrow night. The toppings would also be nice over chicken, pork, or even fish. If you can't get blue cheese on sale, swap it out for feta or even parmesan. You only need about an ounce, so a little goes a very long way.

Grilled Rib Eyesteaks with Mushrooms, Red Bell Pepper and Blue Cheese

For Four Servings: $12.00-but get your steaks on sale for sure!

1 lb rib eye steaks, or any other steaks for grilling

1 tablespoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 small red onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ounce blue cheese

Preheat a grill for medium hot cooking. Season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill steak to desired doneness, about four minutes per side for medium. Let rest for five minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender. Stir in mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide steaks among four plates. Top with vegetables and sprinkle with blue cheese and serve.

Next Up: Chile and Lime Corn on the Cob

Grilled Steak and Zucchini with Maple Chile Butter

Tomorrow the forecast calls for 112 degrees for the high and 84 degrees for the low. The forecast here during the next couple of months demonstrates very little variety: Sunny, Sunny, Sunny, Sunny, Sunny. Once in a while, they throw in a "Mostly Sunny," just for variety. I love summer, I really do, but those days when you don't dare open a window, even at 5 AM, can wear on me a little. Our little town takes on the semblance of a ghost down, with not a soul on the streets. No lemonade stands, bike riders, or scruffy-haired kids ambling down the road, enjoying their time off school. For me, the roses among the thorns of this hot weather, is all the gorgeous produce. I love it-corn, watermelon, peaches, tomatoes, and yup-zucchini. I love you every day and every which way, zucchini. But on the grill, I love you best of all. You're just a hunk, a hunk of burning love. Now here's the scoop on grilling zucchini-you've got to treat it right. Don't treat it like a boring garden vegetable, treat it like it's something special, like an expensive steak. Give it a sweet and spicy rub, grill it till it's tender-crisp and charred in places, and then finish it with a flavorful butter compote. My latest favorite compote combines garlic, maple, and chili powder with creamy butter. You'll love it on your steak and zucchini-but don't stop there. Rub it on your corn on the cob, slather it on grilled fish, coat the outside of your quesadillas, tuck a little into a hamburger patty, toss it with some blanched green beans. You'll be hooked!

Grilled Steak and Zucchini with Maple Chili Butter

Estimated Cost: about $7-10

PS If you aren't getting your zucchini for free, would you please stop by my house?

4 tablespoons softened butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 generous teaspon chili powder

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch thick pieces

4 steaks for grilling

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 heaping tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Make butter compote by combining butter, garlic, chili powder, and syrup. Roll into log and wrap in waxed paper. Chill until serving time.
Brush zucchini and steak lightly with oil. Sprinkle with brown sugar, chili powder, garlic, powder, and salt and pepper. Rub mixture in to adhere. Grill according to desired doneness over high heat. Serve with Maple Chili Butter.

Up Next

Zookies (Zucchini Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies)

Carrot Ginger Dressing for Asian Steak Salad

While I was busy with babies last week, the garden wasn't exactly resting on the couch, eating potato chips. My garden has good old-fashioned integrity, so it stayed home and put in an honest's weeks work. I was met with an overgrown welcoming of spinach, radishes, and green peas. Winter was soft and braised, but spring is fresh, crunchy and inviting. Who can resist working outside under blue skies, gentle breezes and smiling sunshine? West and I cut spinach this morning and gently washed the leaves. We picked and shelled the peas, then rinsed and trimmed the radishes. Sailor was sick in bed, missing some of spring, but we promised to save her some of the garden for when she is feeling better. When it comes to math papers and violin practice, my charges are perfectly happy miss out due to illness. But work in the garden is different, especially harvest work, since the fruits of your labors are figuratively and literally drooping from the vine. So sleep soundly Sailor; the spinach, and peas, and radishes-and yes, even the spring- will wait for you to get better.
Before I left to babysit, I used some of our garden produce and a piece of soy-marinated grilled steak underneath one of my most favorite salad dressings. This one is a copycat version of the Benihana Japanese Steak House ginger spiked carrot dressing. It's ridiculously low in fat yet absolutely thick and dreamy. The ingredient list is long, but you just throw everything in the blender and give it a whirl, so it's actually fairly quick. The flavors are amazing and completely addictive. Try it on a brown rice salad, or as a dip for edamame. And have a wonderful, beautiful spring day.
Carrot Ginger Dressing

From Joy of Cooking

Estimated Cost for dressing: $2.00 for 1 and 1/2 cups

1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots

1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped onions

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons catsup

2 teaspoons fresh lemon jjuice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 dashes hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and thick.
Next Up:

Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Raspberry Bars

Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Horseradish Thyme Compote

Why is it that when you think of a manly meal, you never think of a skewer of pink shrimp? It's never a slice of broiled chicken, a tenderloin of turkey, or a sauteed piece of tofu. It has to be beef. To make it even more masculine, it has to be grilled beef. This virile hunk of protein is for my husband, the Quiet Man. He doesn't ask for much. Just some occasional household harmony, an adventure book, and a grilled steak every once in a while.

Lucky for me, this rib eye was on sale for $5 a pound. It did have an ominous warning sticker on it: Use or freeze today. I didn't care so much about the sticker, but I did care that it was nicely marbled and a deep red cherry color, the sign of a nice fresh cut of meat. At home, I coated it generously with black pepper and a bit of salt. After 10 minutes on the grill and a brief rest, I plopped on a little pile of buttery compote.

I posted the Horseradish Thyme Compote a couple of days ago when I showed you how to make the cheesy bread. Don't be scared of horseradish! It adds just a slight peppery bite, and it has neither horses nor radishes, promise! A little of this decadent stuff goes a very long way. From one batch, I made a rib eye topping, garlic bread, and had enough to throw some extra on some roasted potatoes, this week. I've still got some in the freezer.

Scroll down further for a complete Father's Day menu with recipes.

Grilled Rib Eye with Horseradish Thyme Compote

Estimated Cost: $9.50

I made mine for much cheaper, but you've got to spring when the meat is on sale.

1 lb. rib eye steaks

3 tablespoons black pepper

2 teaspoons pepper

Preheat the grill for hot cooking. Coat the steaks with pepper and salt. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Grill to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium. Let rest for five minutes. Top with a dollop of Horseradish Thyme Compote.

Horseradish Thyme Compote

Combine 4 tablespoons softened butter, 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried), and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roll into a cylinder, wrap in waxed paper and store in fridge or freezer.

LEFTOVER COMPOTE BONUS:

Roast some red potato pieces tossed in olive oil at 425 for 30 minutes. Toss with thyme butter when they come out of the oven.

Coming Tomorrow:

Prudence Pennywise Tip for Popcorn