Forget fancy plates and overpriced menus.
By Cathy Nguyen, Marketing and Communications Coordinator
This Valentine’s Day, let’s keep it simple, delicious and totally homemade. We’re talking juicy sirloins with onions that melt in your mouth, a rich red wine sauce that’s so good you’ll wanna lick the pan (maybe not, but I get it) and veggie sides roasted to perfection. No pressure, just good food and good company.
Grab most of your ingredients at Fare For All, a program of The Food Group. This month, Fare For All’s HOT BUY features LOCAL Thousand Hills 11 oz. top sirloin beef steaks for just $7 each. Throw in a produce pack for $10 which includes red potatoes, yellow onions, carrots and more. Honestly, you could make this meal under $50. A steal really.
The Menu:
Keep reading to follow my preferred cooking order, which took me about an hour in total (since I caramelized the onions ahead of time).
1. Caramelized Onions: I like to prepare a large batch of caramelized onions ahead of time to add to meals for the week. Cooking a large batch will save you time in the kitchen on Valentine’s Day when you should be focused on spending time with your loved ones!
2. Crispy Potatoes: These red potatoes will take the longest to cook, so get them in the oven first. Place them skin-side up to get a nice crisp on the flat sides.
3. Sweet, Sweet Carrots: While the potatoes are roasting, wash, cut and season the carrots. Spread them out on a separate baking sheet. In the oven they go with the potatoes!
Make sure to flip the potatoes halfway through roasting to prevent the flat sides from burning.
4. THE Sauce: You choose if you want to pair your steaks with this lovely red wine mushroom sauce or garlic butter, but I prefer having BOTH. Even if you don’t like the taste of red wine (like me), I GUARANTEE you’ll like this sauce. I understand some people dislike mushrooms so feel free to leave them out. Bonus points if you stir in the pan juices after cooking the steaks.
5. Savory Steaks: While the sauce is simmering, it’s time to cook your steaks! Patting them dry to remove moisture will ensure a nice crust around the outside. Season with salt, black pepper and whatever else you like to add. I prefer keeping my steaks simple with about half a teaspoon of salt for each pound of meat. If you’re new to cooking, feel free to finish cooking the sauce first. I don’t want you to burn anything!
6. Garlicky Butter: When the steaks are resting, prepare the garlic butter if you choose to include. (You’re going to want to.)
I hope you give these recipes a try! PLEASE feel free to customize the menu and recipes to your personal taste preferences and to accommodate any dietary restrictions. (Call me odd, but I despise the taste of black pepper and omit it from most, if not all, of my cooking.) Use veggies you already have, try a different sauce or mix up your steak seasoning. I hope you and your loved one(s) get to enjoy this meal. Happy Valentine’s Day! 💝
Originally published 1/30/24
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