Baked Steak to Fight the Winter Doldrums

If you've been hanging around the Cafe for the last week or so, I think you've noticed that all of us have been suffering from some aspect of the late winter doldrums. From East to West, from North to South, we're getting over colds, dealing with more and more snow, or ice, or just the winter blahs.

But I think we're over the hurdle - dirty snow banks notwithstanding.

Because SPRING has finally come to the Black Hills.

So we're kicking sickness and doldrums to the curb, opening up the windows, and letting the fresh air in.

We drove up into the Hills on Saturday, to what some people consider the Jewel of the Hills: Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. If the granite walls look familiar, you might recognize this area as part of the scenery in the movie, "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," with Nicolas Cage.

Whether there really is treasure in those Hills or not (I think not), it's a beautiful place.

Even the geese think so! And look who else we spied! The Western Bluebirds are back from their winter in the south!

We found two of the beauties searching for food on the ice. Now we know it's truly Spring!

To celebrate the end of winter/beginning of spring/end of the crud that's had me down the past couple weeks, I decided to hunt up a new comfort food recipe.

There's really nothing more comforting than a retro, throw-back to the 20th century, meat and potatoes meal.

Baked Steak

serves two 
ingredients:

two steaks - round steak works best, I had rib-eye on hand

1/4 cup flour

salt & pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons oil (I used one Tablespoon each of coconut oil and butter)

2-3 cups beef stock

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 small onion, sliced

Preheat your oven to 375°.

In a Dutch Oven, or other large pan that will go into your oven, heat the oil.

Mix the flour, salt and pepper together and dredge the steaks in it. Place the steaks in the pan in the hot oil and brown both sides.

Remove the steaks, and pour in part of the beef broth and bring to a boil. Scrape the yummy bits off the bottom of the pan as the broth is heating and mix them in. 

Add the Worcestershire sauce, more broth, and half of the sliced onions.

Layer the browned steaks on top of the onions, add the rest of the sliced onions, and the rest of the broth.

Cover and bake at 375° for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Cook some potatoes in your favorite way - I quartered and boiled some red potatoes and seasoned them with salt, pepper, and butter.

Serve with a big salad, and maybe some homemade bread, if you have any. 

It was a delicious meal for a cold and rainy early spring evening. 

What is your favorite way to push through the winter doldrums?

Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com