Steak Dinner

Thank you everyone who entered the "Cutie-Pie
Apron" Giveaway! I wish I could give all of you an apron.

They are so much fun...I love to make them! They
will be for sale & featured on the blog & in my new
"ETSY Store" in a few weeks.

Congratulations!!
The Winner is...Zion and Missy who said...
"I have been looking around for a cute apron.
I love these. I love the black and white dot one
the best."

Thanks so much! Please email me @
santasgiftshoppe@gmail.com (with your
address) & I will send the Cutie-Pie Black
& White polka dot apron & "Kiss the Cook"
Vinyl Lettering Plate right out to you.

I know Valentine's Day has past but I couldn't
pass up the opportunity of sharing something
Fast/Easy & sensational tasting....."How to
cook a beautiful New York Strip Steak to
perfection."

First...How often do you get to eat steak
in this economy?? Probably not very often.
We hardly have had it in a long time..It's way too
expensive..so this last week when Savemart
had a great sale on these I decided I wanted
to surprise my husband with a "Special"
dinner for Valentine's Day. (You could also cut
it in half to feed 2 people) I think they were
about $3-$3.50 ea. (which is still higher than I
normally would pay for meat..but considering the
size & the cut they were better than about 1/2 price)

Second..I saw the length (abt. 8") & height
(1 1/2" thick) of these beauties & I thought I
would hate to mess them up by not cooking
them right..so I found on Google an easy/fast
way of doing them & I will rely on this method
forever...The results were out of this world!!

Ya know the cute movie "Julia and Julie"?
Well I love to bake/cook, too... so seeing that
movie I felt I was living vicariously thru Julie...
making all these great dishes that Julia Child had
made & feeling like I could maybe do it in real life...
Ha!Ha!!!

***Cooking these beautiful New York Strip
Steaks & having them taste as good as dining
in one of the best restaurants made me feel
closer than ever to being that kind of cook I
would like to be someday. Anyway try this for
yourself..I think you will be pleasantly surprised as
I was with ours.

RECIPE
2 New York Strip Steaks
1 Tbsp. olive/canola oil
garlic powder (I added this)
Salt/Pepper

Directions:
1) Your steaks should be at room temperature
before cooking. Preheat oven @ 325F.

2) Pour a little oil into a frying pan. Use a paper
towel to coat the entire inside of the pan w/oil.
A good Hot pan is the key to a good seared steak
Heat the pan on Med. High for a min. or 2 until
you can throw a piece of butter in & the fat starts to
sizzle right away. SEE the (2) PHOTOS BELOW:

2) Season steaks w/garlic powder/salt/pepper on both

sides. SEE BELOW:

3) For the perfect medium-rare steak..(1-1 1/2" thick)

cook 6 minutes on one side (leave alone & don't

turn) then flip the steak w/tongs or turner (don't

puncture, that will let juices escape) & cook 6 minutes

on the other side.

4) The meat should be nicely browned on each side with

a crust. LET REST FOR 10-15 minutes before cutting

into it. It will "sweat" and glisten as some of the juices rise

to the surface, but mostly (by resting) it will make the

meat so much juicier & have tons of flavor (from the

caramelizing) as shown. You can put it in the oven to

keep warm so it can "rest" while you finish with making

the meal. After that when you cut into it...the juices will

flow and you will taste one tender, succulent, delicious

steak!!!! What a Treat.....Enjoy!!!