This is the dinner that never was.
OK, that’s a lie. This dinner existed, it’s just that the post never did. Until now. Almost 3 months later.
Way way back before the Super Bowl, Cleve and I went over to our friends Todd & Leah’s place in East Baltimore for a night of me not serving dinner but instead having dinner served to me!
Miss Leah offered to do so since they had been over to our place for both Beef Pizza & Cioppino and she wanted to return the favor. After she perused the dinners in the little avocado-colored box and ultimately decided on #75 Pepper Steak.
A disclaimer: I can’t tell you much about the preparation of this meal. Some of it was put together before I arrived, and once I was there–well I wasn’t the one cooking. This wasn’t my shindig. I know that Leah did keep a chef’s log of some sort but I never got the notes. So I’ll just kinda give you the gist of it through photographs.
When I think ‘Pepper Steak’ I think the of Chinese dish: beef in brown sauce with lots of bell pepper chunks. When Dinner is Served! says ‘Pepper Steak’ it means steak that is slathered in crushed black pepper and then cooked in butter.
I know that there was an issue with the “brown sauce (canned),” similar to the issues I have with “white sauce (canned),” in that it doesn’t exist. Or if it does exist I sure as hell don’t know where to find it. Apparently Leah did have a can of brown sauce but the accidentally used it for something else. So a little McCormick packet of brown gravy had to suffice.
I also remember that Leah was very concerned that her Potatoes Anna wouldn’t turn out right. In lieu of the skillet method she went with the baking method.
So here is the Potatoes Anna, right after it was dislodged from its baking vessel.
I have nothing to say about the tomatoes except that they were broiled. And I can’t remember if the salad actually contained endive or not. But I do know that if I had made #75 there would definitely not be any endive. You know why.
Here is the finished dinner, complete with little corgi-shaped salt and pepper holders.
Dinner is Served!
This was a good dinner! The steak was tasty and it was hard to go wrong with the potatoes: butter + salt + pepper + potato = goodness. It was amazing how quick and easy the steaks were. I would totally make this for a weeknight quickie.
And the pie. The faux Boston Cream Pie was vanilla pudding, Cool Whip, and chocolate sauce on top. I think that there may have been a graham cracker crust…? This was yummy. It wasn’t pretty. But it tasted awesome.
Overall, #75 was a big win–especially because of our host and hostess.
Todd & Leah, I thank you, Cleve thanks you, and Dinner is Served! thanks you.
Hey yinz guys–you wanna get in on some hot Dinner is Served! action? Todd & Leah did it. So did Veg-O-Matic. Or perhaps you have a retrolicious recipe that mystifies, amazes, and mesmerizes but you’re too scared to try? I will gladly take suggestions. Darlings, let’s talk! Email me: yinzerella@gmail.com
This looks amazing! Just the kind of thing I remember having growing up! On a side note in regard to the 70s funk band, my daughter recently took a ride down several stairs and came out with a few small bruises. I hear it sounded like a drum solo. So her brother decided that they would start a progressive rock group called ‘Falling Downstairs.’ Look for their new CD. 🙂 (and I want that apron!)
I hope that your kid’s OK! And I honestly hope they do start a prog rock band.
Oh, she was fine, we simply aren’t the most graceful tribe….
Sounds like you have fantastic friends! I think it’s too awesome that they were willing to participate in your project. Kudos to Leah and Todd!
I also heartily approve of the Corgi-shaped shakers and man apron.
I think I would definitely have a Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel with this dish. Though I have run across a really nice Kirkland “Grandmere” Zin in Charleston S.C. last week, (COSTCO). When Renwood winery sold it under their label it was in the $30 range – at $10.99 it is a good deal. A couple glasses before dinner and the apron and half-eaten pie would not have had the same impact on the audience! (Sauce: couple teaspoons of flour in the skillet, once steak out, stir to pick up all remaining fat and gradually add some beef broth, (canned) add more and stir to desired thickness is achieved.)
Oh, Cam, your wine know-how makes me sad.
I bought a bottle of Bitch Bubbly yesterday because it was called Bitch Bubbly. And it’s pink.
I’m so lowbrow. 🙂
Don’t be so hard on yourself! If Bitch Bubbly makes the dinner more enjoyable you’re a success. I found, when airlines provided food on their planes, that one of those small bottle of Bitch Bubbly improved everything. If I couldn’t identify what the food was, I ordered two bottles and it worked perfectly! Keep up the good work. Back to the taxes….
Oh yes, has anyone mentioned you look a lot like Sophia Loren…..
LOL. I know, I know, I should no longer be using that photo. But I love it so much! I’ve never seen the actual cookbook that the pic’s from. I tried to recreate it once, but I need to do it for real. Any photographers wanna use me as a guinea pig?
Lets see what can I say…good try! You obviously have a great sense of humor to go along with your growing culinary skills!
The canned brown sauce has me scared. Wonder if that was a version of Espagnole, one of the 5 mother sauces.
Now you’re talking all fancy. The 5 Mother Sauces sounds like a funk band from the 1970s.
That would be an awesome name for a band! Even now… Actually going to do a post for each of the sauces. Inspired to get started now on those. Stay tuned
I’m looking forward to it!
The mapron blinded me to anything else in the post!
The salt and pepper shakers are a nice touch.