Ready for the Weekend

   My first week of school has been going swimmingly.  I am enjoying all of my courses immensely, and I'm actually looking forward to this semester.  However, I am thoroughly beat!  Being the nerd that I am, I have spent at least an additional 2 hours studying after each day, so between the studying, school itself, Monkey, the dogs, the C25K program, and keeping my house somewhat presentable, I'm ready for the weekend!  I love having all this stuff to do though, because it makes the weeks pass quickly.

   Even with all these new things going on, I'm still going to make time to fill y'all in on what's going on in this world of mine, starting with a few things I want to share today.  First off is the recipe for those Turkey Bacon Ranch Wraps I mentioned in my last post.

For one wrap you'll need:
1 Tortilla
2 slices Bacon
2 slices American Cheese
2-3 slices Turkey
Baby Spinach or Lettuce
Sliced Tomatoes
1 TBS Ranch

Place all your ingredients on top of a tortilla, and roll up!  So simple, and perfect for school lunches; especially if you're like me and can't stand sandwiches everyday.

   I also want to share a craft Monkey and I worked on today after school.  I got the idea from Pinterest, of course.

   It's a Senses Bear.  We used Construction paper, googly eyes for sight, popcorn kernels for touch, a piece of candy for taste, a cotton ball sprayed with perfume for smell, and ribbon for sound (it makes crinkly noises when rubbed together).  This was so simple, and yet such a good review for Monkey.  She really enjoyed this one.

   Guess what y'all!  Tomorrow's FRIDAY!!!  :-D

Onion-Sesame Flank Steak Lettuce Wraps

  Alright ladies and gentlemen, tonight all I have for you is a recipe.  That's right: no long-winded stories of shopping trips that end in disaster.  No bitter diatribe about J letting a dirty dog into my bed.  No anecdote about Monkey.  Just a recipe.  But with a recipe that's as good as this one, what else do ya need?

Here it is:

Onion-Sesame Flank Steak Lettuce Wraps

These were in Paula Deen's latest magazine issue, and I'm so glad I tried them!  They're hands-down my favorite of all her main-course recipes I've tried.  Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 lime, zested and juiced
5 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
3 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS rice wine vinegar (or rice vinegar)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 (2 lbs) flank steak
1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves
Optional Toppings:  matchstick carrots, bean sprouts, sliced water chestnuts, sliced green onion, fresh cilantro leaves, steamed white rice

In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the steak, lettuce and optional toppings.

Place steak in a resealable plastic bag.  Add half of the green onion mixture; seal bag, and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Cover and chill remaining green onion mixture.  Spray grill rack with nonstick, non-flammable cooking spray.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350-400).  Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade.    Grill steak for 8-10 minutes per side or until a thermometer registers 155 or until desired degree of doneness.

I have never mastered the grill; I hate the smokey flavor, and I hate waiting for J to do it for me.  So, I cooked my steak in about 2 TBS oil on the stove over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side, because I like my meat medium-rare.  
 

Once your steak is cooked allow it to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before cutting into it.  Slice across the grain.

Serve steak in lettuce leaves with desired toppings and remaining green onion mixture.  Like so:

I will say that the marinade is what made this meal.  Next time I grill steak I'm going to use that marinade again.  It was just enough "something different" without being overwhelming.  I loved it!