Steaks and Shakes

First, an apology to Tammy. Sorry honey. I know how squeamish you can be about meat. I know you watched as the Hmong shopped at the slaughter house in Minneapolis last summer. The sights, sounds and smells were frightening – maybe sickening is a better word - and hard to forget. So, you might want to skip reading this blog. Go paint your toe nails, or eat an orange or prepare for your college graduation.

The official name of my kitchen is now Joyce’s Steaks and Shakes.

Veldon needs to gain weight or at least maintain his weight. Yes, I know, I know we all would like to have a problem like that. But having radiation treatments every day for 3 weeks is a crummy way to lose your appetite and feel nauseous all the time. So, when the nutritionist asked if he liked steak (the protein helps to heal the radiated area) he got this sudden craving for … you guessed it – Steak. Then she asked if he likes milk shakes (plum full of calories if made with Blue Bell Ice Cream, chocolate sauce and whole milk). So, wouldn’t you know it he got another sudden craving for…… you’re right - Milk Shakes. Well, I feel very competent in the Milk Shake making department. I first started making them in our olive green blender and raised 5 shake-drinking children. But for TWO reasons I was a little apprehensive about cooking a steak
1. I have never cooked a steak before.

2. That very same morning the newspaper headlines screamed “U.S. Orders Its Largest BEEF RECALL”. Throwing caution to the wind I headed straight to Kroger and bought New York strip steak then fired up the broiler. You need:


Rub both sides of steak with some oil then sprinkled on some salt and pepper.



Broil each side for 7-8 minutes.


After taking steaks out of the oven shake on a little garlic powder.


A finished steak will have a little pink in the middle.



I just didn’t know it could be that easy. And taste that good. Now I have a craving for steak. Bought some rib eye steaks. They were good. Went back to the store for some T-bone steak (my favorite). Pretty good too.

I just have to wonder if there is any correlation between the largest beef recall and the low, really low prices of steaks at Kroger through Tues Mar.4th.....