Old friend, new recipe

We had a dear old friend over for dinner the other night. He's just returned from a year on the war front. It was wonderful to see him. He and my husband sat around and munched on crackers with cheese and bruchetta and olives while I cooked and then we just added this to the snacking table.

Steak Sandwiches with Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach (from EveryDay Food magazine)

1 tsp vegetable oil
2 New York Strip steaks (shell steaks) (8 oz each)
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 oz white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 bag (10 oz) baby spinach
4 tsp grainy or Dijon mustard
8 slices crusty bread, toasted

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Cook steaks until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, flipping once. Transfer to plate: tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

2. Add onion to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms brown, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar and any accumulated juices from the steaks; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer mushroom mixture to a medium bowl. Add spinach to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes.

3. Thinly slice steaks against the grain. Spread mustard on four slices of bread. Dividing evenly, top with sliced steak, mushroom mixture and spinach. Top with remaining bread. Serve immediately.

The bread I got was not huge, so sandwiches were a little tricky. Since we were noshing anyway, I let everyone build their own sandwiches. I also served macaroni salad. The steaks were delicious and the veggies were outstanding this way. The red wine vinegar was key.