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.

Fancy Pants Dinner

We had friends over for dinner and I started my menu with the salad. I built out from there.

Watermelon and feta salad with Serrano Chile vinaigrette (from Five & Ten restaurant via InStyle magazine)

1 C olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lime juice
2 TBSP champagne vinegar
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 small shallot, minced
1 Serrano Chile, stemmed and sliced into small half-rounds
salt to taste
1 small seedless watermelon
1/3 lb. wedge feta cheese, sliced 1/8 inch think (about 12 slices)
1 bunch arugula
sliced serrano chile for garnish

1. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, thyme, shallot, and serrano chile. Shake well. Season with salt to taste; chill in refrigerator.

2. Remove rind from watermelon and slice flesh into 3 inch squares.

3. To assemble salad, layer one piece of watermelon on one slice of feta. Repeat. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with arugula and sliced serrano chile.

This is such a delicious salad and it's gorgeous as well. It is sweet and salty and tangy and spicy. I always forget what a hassle it is to pull off fresh thyme leaves, but it is worth it. While your plucking, you should pull off some thyme for

Garlic-Herb Crust for steaks(from Bon Appetit)

4 garlic cloves
8 fresh sage leaves
4 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper

With machine running, drop garlic into processor; blend until finely chopped. Add other ingredients, process until paste forms. Pat meat dry. Rub with paste. Cover, chill at least three hours. Grill steaks as desired.

I put this on 4 strip steaks. Delicious. It's a nice match to the salad. I served these with potatoes roasted with shallots, garlic and sage. It was a wonderful dinner.