SteakFest: Parts I, II, and III

Though I haven't gone back to confirm the exact wording (mostly out of shame), I think I may have previously made a statement on this blog along the lines of:

"I don't eat a lot of red meat"

My humblest apologies, but I must revise that statement, to the following:

Steak!

Steak Steak Steak!
(said in the style of Tracy Jordan from 30 Rock)

"They" say you shouldn't eat steak all the time. But when someone *cough* K *cough* sends you a bunch of steak recipes that all make your mouth water, what's a girl to do?
Make them on adjacent Saturday afternoons, right? Right.

Part I

Flankjacks

Topped with Avocado Relish

Before Ann and Chip arrived for our gluttonous and amazing Fourth of July weekend, we made two huge piles of perfectly medium rare broiled steak and smothered it in avocado, tomato, red onion, and lime juice. Super light and refreshing.

Part II

Similar, but with several important additions

"California" Steak Salad with Plum Vinaigrette

Because anything with sprouts is automatically "Californian"

This plum vinaigrette is a game changer. It's just equal parts plum sauce and red wine vinegar, some minced garlic and a little oil. That's it. Nothing else. I've started putting it on everything. Grilled Chicken. Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad. I'm even toying with the idea of savory pancakes that I can use this as a sort of "syrup". But let's focus on the plate at hand.

Carrots, Green Onions, and Guacamole along with the vinaigrette on top of these piles of sprouts and steak and goodness.  I liked this one because these are elements I never would have combined all together.

I originally thought Steakfest as over at this point, until:

Part III
This one is a doozie.
Very possibly the best steak I have ever had.

Filet with Honey Carrots and Buttermilk potatoes from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

It originally came with two HUGE prawns on top, which I wasted no time devouring.

(Disclaimer: this is a picture of a carry out container. It didn't seem like a super smooth move to take a picture of my food in the middle of an upscale steakhouse midday, so I squirreled half of it away and ate it at my desk in the afternoon. Some days, it's difficult to convince myself that I don't have some sort of eating disorder.)

I have several bosses, all of whom are amazing and just a teeny bit goofy. CW is a little tightly wound but also hilarious, Big B is self-sufficient (and he calls me BA, which I LOVE), Little b is like the little brother I never had. And C is just a laid back North Dakota boy who tells me just about every single day how much he appreciates me.

Remember that big project I was finishing at work? 

It's finished.

And it went VERY well. 

C asked me to go for lunch as a thank you for finishing the project, and suggested Ruth's Chris. 

Oh. Hell. Yeah.

I have never been in a place as nice as as that, let alone on someone else's dime. 

I ordered it medium rare, and the waiter warned me that they tend to cook it more rare. 

I said "BRING IT ON". 

He smiled. Most likely out of mockery, but I was too busy salivating over the visions of filet dancing in my head.

I didn't even need a knife for the steak, it practically cut it self. 

It was the perfect lunch: I love great food and I love to hear how wonderful I am. 

Given the choice between steak and misery, I'll take steak. Every time.