Stuffed Flank Steak with Swiss Chard and Feta

Aside from grilling meat, this is the easiest thing I think I've ever done with a cut of beef.  Delicious and slightly melty. 

I'm a meat eatin' kinda gal.  This likely has to do with the fact that one side of my family has been farming since, well...since farming began I'd assume (the Irish side).  Not only that, but my great-granda went from being a farm boy, to being a butcher's assistant, to owning a slaughter house.  Oh, I'm sure someone's reading this and damning my family for it's meat-eating tendencies, but I'm a full supporter of eating as you see fit.  If meat isn't your choice, that's why we're omnivores - you rock that vegetarian or vegan lifestyle like a rock star.  We all make dietary choices and mine is to eat a juicy cut of meat.

I digress. 

I stumbled across a good lookin' recipe for Stuffed Flank Steak (see link if you want to see step-by-step directions in cutting flank steak).  However, as in all things, I do with what I have or, more importanty, what I like.  I'm not the world's biggest fan of spinach and Pops is not a fan of red bell peppers.  So...what did I do you ask?  See the recipe below.

Stuffed Flank Steak with Swiss Chard and Feta:

Oven pre-heated to 425-degrees | Cook time 35 minutes

1 Flank Steak (1 1/2 - 2lbs)
3-4 swiss chard leaves, chopped and steamed (or cooked down in a pan)
1/4 cup diced red onion, cooked until translucent
1/2 cup crumbled sun dried tomato and basil Feta
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provance
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

*If you buy a thin cut of flank steak, you don't have to cut it down the center to make a wide sheath of meat; you can just pound it out a bit to make it an even surface.  If you buy a thicker cut, place the steak on a flat service and take a sharp knife parallel to work surface and starting at a long side, slice flank steak in half to opposite long side, (cut it like a book) without cutting all the way through - flatten the center to make it even. 

1.  In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Once it shimmers, add the onion and swiss chard until slightly wilted and onion is translucent to slightly browned.

2.  In a bowl, combine Feta, bread crumbs, egg yolk, chard and onion mix, garlic salt, seasoning, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. 

3.  With the flank steak open, spread the contents of the bowl, leaving at least 1/4" border of the meat untouched at all sides (this will help it stay together and not seep out).

4.  Roll the meat long-wise (in other words, don't give yourself a short roll), and tie every 2" with butcher's twine.  Or...if you're anything like me you forget you have it in the drawer and instead use toothpicks :)

5.  Place the meat seam side down on a baking sheet and brush olive oil over the top of the meat, dash some salt and pepper on top and throw 'er in the oven.  You should have a browned, juicy cut of meat awaiting your consumption when done.

Ham and Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Pasta (Gluten Free)

The joy and the happiness this dish has brought to my new gluten free life is almost ridiculous.  It's a nip sweet and savory with all the hints of flavor you want for something this simple.  And yes, it is simple. 

I was in search of how to use the butternut squash sitting in my fridge after day 2 and found a couple recipes that looked ok, but didn't quite hit what I wanted.  So, as per my normal fashion, I made mental notes and pulled bits and pieces from the recipes I saw and threw my own two cents in. 

You can use whatever pasta you want, gluten free or not (depending on your dietary needs), for this dish.  I used Tinkyada's Brown Rice Penne Pasta for it and, Lord, happiness.  The texture is almost exactly like regular pasta and the odd bonus I've noticed is that you don't feel bloated after eating it.  At least, for me.  I digress...

I was asked to make a dish for my friend's engagement party as they had 3 more people with food allergies that couldn't eat what all was being served.  So, this is what I decided to throw together for it after having made it only one other time a few weeks ago.  Apparently, it was a hit with both the GF'ers and the non-GF'ers that I was asked for the recipe more than a few times.  So here it is:

Ham and Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Pasta:

1-16oz bag of Tinkyada Brown Rice Penne Pasta (or non-GF if you don't have that problem)
1-pound Ham (GF - can be pre-diced, a thick slice, etc.)
1 and 1/2 lbs of Butternut Squash, chopped into 1-2" pieces
1/4 Diced Red Onion
1 tsp Diced Garlic
~6 tbsp, divided, Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil (I tend to use Grapeseed more often when using a skillet)
4-6 tbsp Dried, Rubbed Sage (you can use fresh if you have)
Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg to taste

Roasting the Squash:
1. Combine 3 tbsp's of olive/grapeseed oil in a cup and add a dash of salt, pepper, and some sage. 
2. On a baking sheet, lay out the Butternut Squash and brush the sage and oil mix over the pieces
3. Place squash in the oven and roast at 350-degrees for about 45 minutes.  The squash should just be browning a bit and fragrant.  Go as light or as dark as you want so long as the squash is soft when you pull it from the oven.

Ham and Pasta:
1. Throw the pasta into a large pot of rolling, salted water. 
2. Once your past is cooked, drain all but 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
3. While your pasta is cooking: in a skillet on Medium, heat 3 tbsp of olive/grapeseed oil until it shimmers.
4. Add the ham and cook for 5-10 minutes (I like mine lightly browned). 
5. Add the garlic, onion, sage, salt and pepper to taste, into the skillet.  Cook until the onion is translucent (apx. 5 minutes).
6. Combine squash and ham mixture into the pot with your pasta.  Add nutmeg and any additional seasoning you feel suits your palate.
*if you feel there's too much liquid left, turn the stove top on and heat through until the liquid combines with the pasta a bit more.  You should have a slightly creamy texture between the oil from the skillet and the starch from the pasta.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Awesome Balls (aka: Crack Balls)

Ok, ok, I know what you must be thinking.  "Crack balls!?  Bahahhaa!  What the heck?"  I did not name these little bites of deliciousness - I'm still debating on what, exactly, to call them.  However, one of the guys at work decided to walk back into my office after I brought them in and asked if I, "had anymore Crack Balls left".  Yup, unofficially nicknamed. Perhaps I'm a bit childish (if you laughed at the name, own it, it's good to be someone childish!) but the name cracks me up.  As does just about anything with that word at the end. 

Anywho.  What most of you may not know is that I've recently swung myself into the pits of being Gluten Free.  Why, you ask?  About two years ago my GI doc told me I had gluten sensitivities (thus the copius amount of time spent pledging my allegiance to the porceline god).  I've been feeling down right crappy lately, upset upper stomach, starved muscles from the gym, etc. - all of those factors plunged me into the decision that I was going to clean out my diet to go GF for the next 3 months. 

Holy God.  I panicked after making that decision.  I won't lie.  Complete and utter panic.  How would I bake?  What would I eat for snacks?  How long is this freaking trip to the grocery store going to take me!?!?!  Yup...panic.  I inhaled and exhaled, did a bit of wu-sa'ing, if you will and decided to move forward.  Thank goodness for Amazon, Pinterest and some friends. 

Anywho, a sweet tooth struck from out of nowhere at day 6 of being GF.  Oh God!  What was I to do?  I need to feed the crazy beast on the inside and I didn't know how!  So, like any good internet soldier, I hit Pinterest and thus found a recipe for No Bake Gluten Free Energy Balls.  I altered the recipe to fit what I like (I'm sorry, but I will NEVER like coconut in any form of substanence outside of milk). 

Ready for something so simple I bet I could get my youngest niece to help me with it?

Crack Balls (or...something):

1c GF oats (I recommend throwing them around in a food processor for a few seconds so they take on the form of instant oatmeal - easier to bite into)
1c almond shavings
1/2c ground flaxseed meal
1/2c - 3/4c Natural creamy PB
About 1/3c honey
1/2c dark choc chips

Throw all ingredients into a bowl and combine.  If you don't have a cookie scoop, I suggest getting another bowl of water to help keep your hands a bit moist so that when you form the balls, they don't completely mush into your hands.  Make balls about 1-1/2" - 2" round.

Change around the butters (I did this with almond butter and holy geez!)

No baking required :)  Just throw them in a fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up a bit and dive in.