BEEF: It’s what’s for dinner

I’m sorry, but I love beef.

When I was in college and came home for the occasional visit, my Mom (bless her heart) would always make a point to make something special for her vegetarian daughter. A sweet and inclusive way of saying, “you and your fancy, liberal arts approach to nutrition…I understand and support you. Eat vegetables and be merry…around the table, with the rest of us, well, normal people.”

But, you see, I wasn’t a vegetarian.

At all.

Love her to bits, but Mom was convinced that since I actually loved to eat veggie on a daily basis, that I had given up beef. So, I would be faced with a delish – and very inclusive – dinner of greens and stewed tomatoes (mmm), but would be forced to watch my family nosh on hot, grill seared steaks.

It took a little while to convince Mom, but she finally got it. I’m a meathead. I couldn’t go a week without a steak. My perfect last meal? Medium rare filet, sautéed shiitaki mushrooms, roasted red bliss with rosemary, and steamed asparagus with lemon butter.

Slice.

Of.

Heaven.

So it is only fair that were I to chose to end it all with beef, I should at least start it off with it, too. Every once and a while, I’m going to post my favorites of favorite recipes…and for me, that’s opening y’all up to a LOT of recipes. Cause I love to cook. Almost as much as I love to eat.

And that's a lot.