Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Bracciola Christi Style

Google is really starting to tick me off. They are getting TOOOOOO personal. Today I went to search for something and found out they were trying to be extra nice and just search in my area. UMMMM… ever heard of the WORLD WIDE WEB??? Next time ask me first. There is my rant for the day. I have switched over to yahoo. I am done with google, they tick me off daily.


Walked into vons today to use the leftover $100 I had on my grocery budget for the week until Sunday. Bill was $128.37 ... guess how much I had to pay? $53.46!!!! yaya that's right! Which means I STILL have $46.54 left out of my $250 and i won't even need to use it. My meals are planned and the stuff is purchased! On my savings kick, did you know if you want to try chocolate Cheerios. Now is the day to do it. $0.25 for a box if you clipped your coupon and you go to Vons or Safeway. Their deals this week are crazy. If you clipped coupons you can get nature valley clusters for FREE this week. The madness of it all. I used to throw away so much money for no reason!!!

In Southern Italy braciola means a slice of steak rolled up around a filling. Means something completely different in North Italy, so we are going Southern Italy tonight. Yes, that is steak 2 nights in a row. I made last nights Steak Dijionase, rolls and asparagus for a total of $13.75 for a family of 4. That is total, not per person. They had a killer deal on boneless top sirloin steak. Regularly $6.99 a pound here in Cali it is $2.47 per pound. Heck yeah, I stocked up. Steak for less than chicken.. you betcha! Any way, this is my combo of all different recipes out there. To me this is the best Bracciola. So that is why I call it:

Bracciola Christi Style

Take and butterfly your steaks (cut it through the thickness, across the grain so they lay flat).

Pound the steaks with a coarse meat mallet to tenderize and stretch it out.

Season the meat on both sides with a light sprinkling of black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, basil, parsley. (I strongly recommend fresh oregano, fresh basil and fresh parsley Fresh herbs make a difference!)

Grind up fresh onion and garlic. You know I am a huge kitchen gadget freak so I used my cuisinart smart stick. I had bought it for the emersion blender portion, but it came with all these attachments and it does EVERYTHING! Plus it is all dishwasher safe. It is my 2nd favorite kitchen gadget now. The first being my kitchen aid. I think with these 2 tools I can conquer any kitchen. The best thing is it is really really affordable. I mean for a do it all gadget around $40 is to me super affordable. Compared to paying $250 for my kitchen aid.

Spread the onion and garlic on both sides of the seasoned steak. Roll up the meat in plastic wrap and let it "marinate" in the refrigerator while the stuffing is prepared.

Again in with my smart stick using my little chopper attachment I chop: 1 c white mushrooms and 1 cup onion, 1 bell pepper. Stir together 3/4 c shredded, low moisture Mozzarella, 1 c Parmesan – this is now the stuffing.

Lay out the meat, place strips of bacon on the center side of the center line of the steaks, then place 2/3 of the stuffing alongside the center line of the steaks. Fold this side of the meat over and roll the rest of the steak around this pocket. Tuck the ends in and secure the roll with cotton butcher's cord. Or you can also skewer them. If you have bamboo skewers remember to soak them for at least 30 minutes in water first, so they don’t burn.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a hot pan, pour in just enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Remember to wait until the pan is HOT before you pour in the oil. Sear the meat on all sides.

Place the browned meat rolls into a lightly oiled baking pan. Spread the rest of the stuffing over it. Drizzle on a little olive oil and red wine. Bake covered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until done to taste (30 minutes for Randy 45 minutes for me. He likes his rare. I like mine medium well).

Slice into 1" (approx.) portions.



I also had got a major deal on crab, so I made crab cakes again. I have to tell you. We fed our family and others with tons of leftovers for under $20. Clip those coupons people and check your stores weekly ads. I was an idiot before. I never even looked at the ads. I just went and bought what I needed. Never again. I meal plan according to what is on sale. Even if you don’t need to, I just think it is the smart thing to do! Don't have time? Go to http://www.grocerygame.com/ There is no longer an excuse!

One more plea about my limes:

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