3 Recipes, 2 Hours (at least it FELT that long), 1 Meal *** (Erin)

Tonight was a marathon night of 3 recipes for 1 Meal. What in the world was I thinking? To add to the craziness, Jase had conferences so I was wrangling the girls too. What a night!


I made Cheesesteak Sandwiches (Page 156) with Caramelized Onions (Page 305) and Sweet Potato Fries (Page 299). All 3 recipes came from Cook This, Not That! Overall I would give the meal 3 stars.



First, the sandwich:


The skirt steak was very tasty, and it was easy (and quick!) to make using my George Foreman Grill (LOVE that thing!). It wasn't tough, but it was kind of hard to bite. So, when I bit into my sandwich, a whole piece of meat came out. For that reason, I would probably chop the meat after it rests. The sandwich was kind of dry. It wouldn't be if you followed the recipe more closely, but I don't do yogurt, I don't do blue cheese, and I DON'T do mayo. Those three ingredients make up the spread that goes on the recipe sandwich. I added BBQ sauce to Jason's (he benefited from eating later than us), and I would guess that helped a bit. I couldn't find arugula at the store, so I used bagged Spring Mix which had arugula in it. Since I didn't put blue cheese on it, I melted provolone on ours under the broiler. If I was just rating the sandwich, I might have given more stars. The caramelized onions on the sandwich were quite tasty! They took some time to make, but they were worth it...very easy and very flavorful.




Next for the Sweet Potato Fries:


What in the world went wrong? I followed the recipe...as closely as I could since it didn't tell me how long to cook the fries. I have never made sweet potato before. I'm not a big fan, although I do like The Anchor's version...YUM! The outside of the potatoes were sticky...really sticky. Is that normal? The inside was like a rock...SO hard to cut! The fries were in the oven forever...40 minutes, maybe? The ends were starting to burn, the rest was mushy, and it never got crispy. Not even close. They were also SOOO sweet...in a bad way. They weren't good at all! The dogs liked them, but Madeline and I did not!



Here's the dirt:


Madeline - "This is good (after taking a bite of her sandwich). Do I have to eat these fries (after her first bite)."

Riley - Okay, this is weird. She loved the caramelized onions. She wouldn't even touch her mandarin oranges (her favorite food) until the caramelized onions on her plate were gone. She ate a few pieces of meat, but I didn't even bother with the fries.

Erin - You've already read what I thought.

Jason - "This is good. I'd love for you to make this again."



Skirt Steak - $6.43 (I cooked the whole thing, and after 3 sandwiches -- Jase's had LOTS of meat on it -- there's still some tucked away in the fridge.)

Provolone - had on hand

Balsamic Vinegar - $7.69 (I wanted good balsamic...lots and lots left!)

Wheat Rolls - $1.50

Tomato - $.79

Mixed Lettuce - $2.99 (lots left)

Onions - $1.79

Sweet Potatoes - $1.81 (what a waste!)
Olive Oil and Butter - had on hand


So, after a crazy night, my belly is full, and I tried some different things. I would say that's successful. Off to watch Grey's Anatomy. (McSteamy here I come...)


Three, Two, One, "Start Cookin'!"