Seared Sirloin Steaks, Zucchini, and Rotini Pasta

So, here's dinner from tonight:

Seared Sirloin Steaks, Zucchini, and Rotini Pasta

I poured into a plate some pure olive oil, and squeezed into it one half of a ginormous lemon (you could use a whole small one); then I seasoned it with salt and fresh cracked pepper, and whisked it up smooth with a fork. I coated the steaks with this mixture Clara style (see previous post on Depression Era Cooking) and threw them in the hot pan to sear.

From A New Old-Fashioned Mommy

From A New Old-Fashioned Mommy

I cooked these on both sides until they were nice and browned on the outside, and medium rare on the inside. Meanwhile, I'm boiling pasta,

From A New Old-Fashioned Mommy

and broiling zucchini spears that I have seasoned with Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning.

From A New Old-Fashioned Mommy

When the meat was done, I transferred it to a plate and deglazed the pan with a little sherry; we used this as a drizzling sauce for the meat:

From A New Old-Fashioned Mommy

I drained the tender pasta and coated it with the remainder of the lemony goodness that I had oiled the meat with. Germophobes beware ;) It is not "recommended" to use any fluid which has come into contact with uncooked meat unless you simmer it first. I didn't.

The zucchini wasn't quite done with the rest of the meal, so I nuked it for a few minutes to quickly steam the insides.

Here is a picture of the finished meal, along with a closeup of my star, the sirloin that I got on sale for $3.31:

From A New Old-Fashioned Mommy

From A New Old-Fashioned Mommy

To drink, we had lightly sweetened lemon-berry water -- the leftover lemon that I squeezed into the oil, a double handful of frozen strawberries, 3/4 c. raw sugar and some leftover strawberry juicey syrup from the fridge mixed into a gallon of water.

Yum!

Depression Cooking with Clara

I have recently discovered a beautiful, dear elderly lady who posts cooking videos on YouTube. Clara shares her own personal recipes and her mama's recipes from the Great Depression, cooking with the old li'l of this'n'that way. She reminds me so much of mama, and of my Mamaw; she is a joy and a treasure to watch. If you are a fan of old country-style cooking, want some frugal recipes, or just want to reminisce about your own fantastic gramma, this is the place to head.

Frugal Fruity Oatmeal

Love oatmeal, but don't like paying for flavors? Want a fast breakfast that's both healthy and yummy? Try my Frugal Fruity Oatmeal:

1 c. old-fashioned oats
1 3/4 c. water
1/2 - 1 c. fruited yogurt, chilled

Stir the oatmeal and water together in an oversized microwave safe dish; your mixture should only come halfway up the sides of the container. Otherwise, you have an overflow risk. Feel free to substitute all or part of the water for milk for added nutritional value. Microwave on high for four minutes or until the grains are soft and have absorbed all of the liquid. Stir the cool yogurt into the oatmeal to your preferred consistency. If it's still too thick for your preferences, add a bit of milk or water to thin it. This should be eating temperature (the yogurt cooled it), so enjoy quickly before it cools off and solidifies ;) Isn't oatmeal great?

Vary your bowl by using vanilla yogurt instead of fruited, and spice it with cinnamon or ginger (or both!); better still, thin it with plain yogurt and top it with pure maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar. Top it with fruit or nuts. Oatmeal is incredibly versatile.

In addition to its versatility, oatmeal is incredibly good for you. It's soothing on the digestive tract; oatmeal is often used in skin preparations to soothe and heal broken, itchy, or painful skin conditions. It's a whole grain, so you get the benefit of the germ, the endosperm, and the bran. Also, oats have been shown to lower cholesterol and help cleans the blood, so add some oats to your diet.