Guest Post – Steak & Mushroom Sandwich with Au Jus

Today One Hungry Dude is sharing another of his sandwich recipes. Enjoy!

I love a good quality, hearty cut of beef. But I also enjoy changing up the way I eat that meat, and I often discover ways to seriously enhance the flavour as a result. This recipe calls for a few ingredients, and several steps, but it's not a particularly complicated process. And the results are certainly worth the effort for steak sandwich lovers.

Ingredients

For the Steak and Au Jus
• 1 Steak, New York strip loin or another good cut
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Four Mushrooms, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Red Wine
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable or Beef Stock
• 1/4 Can Diced Tomatoes
• 1/2 Onion, cut in half
• 1/2 Carrot, cut in half
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Tsp Thyme
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Splash of Lemon Juice
• Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
• Knob of Butter

For the Sandwich
• Eight slices of bread
• Butter or Margarine
• About a cup of Mozzarella cheese, grated

Pre-heat a medium-sized frying pan to medium-high. Sprinkle the top of the steak with salt and pepper, then add to the pan. Place a pot lid on top of the steak, to keep it flat, and generate heat on both sides. Flip once after about four to five minutes, then add the mushrooms into the pan. Cook for another four to five minutes, stirring the mushrooms frequently, to ensure they don't stick to the pan. Remove the steak and mushrooms from the pan, and set them aside.

Deglaze the pan with red wine, and let cook down for two to three minutes, then add the stock, tomatoes, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, lemon juice, Worcestershire. salt and pepper. Reduce the temperature by about half, then cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, and using a potato masher or spoon to press down on the vegetables and ensure the most amount of flavour is extracted.

While the au jus is cooking, prepare the bread by buttering one side of each slice. Take half of the slices, and place them buttered side down on a griddle or large frying pan. Cut the steak into thin slices, and place about three to five pieces on top of the bread. Place a dollop of mushrooms on top of the steak slices, then add a handful of mozzarella to each sandwich. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, and cover with the remaining bread slices.

Strain the au jus into a small sauce pot. Place the pot over low heat, then add a knob of butter to the au jus. Heat the griddle over medium-high, flipping once when the bread becomes golden brown. Once the other side reaches the same colouring, remove the sandwiches from the heat. Let sit for two to three minutes, then slice in half and serve with the au jus as a dipping sauce.

This recipe yields four sandwiches.

By the Batch - No Bake Chocolate & Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

The heat wave continues here in Ontario – with temps feeling like 44 with the humidex it is officially HOT! If you’re like me then the last thing you want to do in heat like this is turn your oven on. But that doesn’t mean that you need to deny your sweet tooth. Nope, in summer time I turn to no bake baking like these delicious No Bake Chocolate & Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars I saw on Gingerbread Bagels.

 

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Add in the quick cooking oats and stir. Cook the oat mixture over medium low heat for 4 minutes.

While the oat mixture is cooking, melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwavable bowl. Then set aside.

Lightly grease an 8 by 8 inch baking pan. Press 3/4 of the oat mixture in the bottom of the pan. Pour the melted chocolate and peanut butter over the oats.

Take the remaining oat mixture and crumble it over the chocolate/peanut butter. Refrigerate the bars for at least 3 hours. Then cut into squares and serve.

These bars came together really easily and with few ingredients and they’re sweet without being too sweet. I did find that a lot of my oat mixture crumbled off into the pan when I was lifting my squares out. This may have been because I cheated and took the bars out of the fridge after only 90 minutes but I think next time I would cut back on the amount of oats used – Chris said he thought the bars were “too oat-y”. The one good thing about all those lost oats though is that they taste great mixed into yogurt!

So the next time your sweet tooth needs silencing give these bars a try or search through Pinterest for a million other no bake recipes. Next week I’ll be sharing delicious No Bake Cookie Dough Bites!

 

DIY Collage Art for Kids

If you’re a regular reader then you probably already know I’m a scrapbook paper addict. I have way more paper than I’ll probably ever be able to use so when I come across a project that calls for a collection of pretty paper, I’m on it! This elephant collage is based on a template from Martha Stewart (there’s also an owl and a bulldog) and this project could not be easier to make!

Once I had downloaded the template and knew how many pieces I’d need I chose a collection of matching papers from Suzy Ultman’s Lion Sleeps collection (sadly, I don’t think they make this anymore but I still see the pads in the clearance aisle at Walmart so you could try there if you like the patterns pictured). Then I cut out each of the template pieces, traced them onto my patterned paper and cut out all my final shapes.

I changed up Martha’s project a bit. Instead of mod podging my elephant on an 8x8 wooden art board, I glued mine on to an 8x10 piece of paper so I could frame it. The only alteration to the template required is extending the two ground pieces so that each one is 5 inches long.

This project literally came together in about half an hour so, when I was finished with this pink version, I made a blue one for Nathan. It’s already in its frame.

 

I love how this simple little project will have big impact hanging on the wall in a child’s room and I think these collages would make great gifts!

 

P.S. Linking up with Someday Crafts, Clean & Scentsible and Free Pretty Things For You.

Guest Post – Havarti, Honey & Tomato Grilled Cheese

Happy Canada Day weekend to all my fellow Canadians! Today’s recipe from One Hungry Dude was actually inspired by me. Well, not really but I did see something similar on Oprah several years back and continue to talk about how delicious it would be. So, if you love today’s twist on grilled cheese, I’ll accept your thanks ;)

Every once in awhile, you have to treat yourself. Havarti is not regularly in our refrigerator; we usually stick to cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan. So when I saw pre-sliced Havarti on sale at the grocery store last week, I quickly snatched some up. Havarti can have a somewhat sweet and sharp flavour, depending on the age of ripening — but it tends to blend well with many sweeter fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes, red peppers, and even cranberries.

Ingredients
• 8 slices of bread
• Margarine
• 8 slices of Havarti
• 8 to 12 slices of tomato
• Honey
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Spread margarine on one side of each slice of bread. Place half of the slices, margarine side down, on a griddle or large frying pan. Start building the sandwich by placing two slices of cheese on the bread. Drizzle honey on top of the cheese. Add two to three slices of tomato per sandwich, until the bread surface is mostly covered, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the remaining bread slices. Heat over medium-high, flipping once when the bread becomes golden brown. Once the other side reaches the same colouring, remove the sandwiches from the heat. Let sit for two to three minutes, then slice in half and serve.

This recipe yields four sandwiches.

My Baby’s Room – Part II

A long, long time ago (ok it was only 4 months ago but it seems like forever since I was still pregnant at the time!) I promised a Part II to the My Baby’s Room post showcasing some of the decor that hadn’t been put up when I wrote the first post. Well better late than never! Here’s the second part of the nursery tour.

I was so excited when I found this set of 4 forest animal prints on Etsy – they are just so cute! I bought them along with the alphabet print from Mateo & Tobias. Cathy was super nice over email and I got the prints really quickly. Her prices were really reasonable and I put the prints in frames I got at Michaels with coupons.

We knew Nathan would need a toy box since he had tons of things to play with before he was even born. Instead of a traditional toy box we bought this wicker chest at Home Outfitters. It’s in his room now but, once he’s older and actively playing with a lot of toys, we can bring this to the living room and it will blend in with the rest of grown up decor.

To round out the art in Nathan’s room I bought a set of 5 bird decals from Six Under a Tree Studio on Etsy. I knew I wanted vinyl but I also knew I couldn’t spend the small fortune that a lot of companies were charging. Six Under a Tree has a pretty great selection for really reasonable prices. My set was only $10! I placed the Daddy, Mommy and Baby birds so they’d look like they are perched on the side of the crib. The other two birds found a home sitting on the door frame. This picture also shows a door hanger I received at my shower and a set of Beatrix Potter books that were mine as a kid. We got them from a gas station promotion which sounds crazy now. Do any other Canadians remember the awesome things you used to get from gas stations when we were kids?

There are other things hanging that you’ve already seen like my Name Wall Art, Paint Chip Garland, and Initial Canvas. I’m so happy with how the room turned out. It’s cozy and inviting and its little inhabitant seems to really like it in there!

 

Guest Post – Step-by-Step Garden Salad & Homemade Croutons

The crazy humidity has finally subsided here in Southern Ontario but summer has definitely arrived. Nothing says summer meals to me like salads and One Hungry Dude is here today to share a simple and delicious fresh summer salad. Enjoy!

A cool, crunchy salad is one of my favourite treats during a hot day — it's such a refreshing and tasty side to almost any dinner. I've prepared this recipe in stages, and although it looks like a lot of steps, the preparation time for everything is only about 30 to 40 minutes. Perhaps the best part of this recipe is that you'll have plenty of dressing and croutons left over for future salads (though I've also often found myself snacking on the crusty, salty bread cubes), since both last for several weeks.

Dressing
• 1/2 Cup olive oil
• 1/2 Cup white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 Tsp dried basil
• Splash of hot sauce
• Sprinkle of paprika
• Sprinkle of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a Tupperware container, then seal the lid. Shake the container until all of the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Place the container in the fridge for at least a few hours, though overnight will really allow the ingredients to meld.

Croutons
• 4 to 5 slices of light rye bread (about a quarter of the loaf), cubed
• Olive oil
• Sprinkle of basil
• Sprinkle of salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cube the bread, and place in a large bowl. Drizzle just enough oil over the bread to cover each piece. Add the basil, salt and pepper, then toss. Place the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the croutons become golden brown and crisp.

Salad
• 4 to 5 leaves of Romaine lettuce, washed and broken into pieces
• 2 slices of tomato, diced
• 1 mushroom, stem removed and sliced
• 1 baby carrot, julienne style or shredded
• A sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese
• Pepper, to taste

The salad is built in layers. Start by placing the lettuce pieces on the bottom of the bowl, then in order, spread the mushrooms, tomato, carrots, cheese and pepper on top. Add the dressing (make sure to shake, before pouring) and croutons, and serve.

* The amount of ingredients for the salad portion of this recipe is based per bowl.

More DIY Father’s Day Cards

As many of you know, this past Sunday was Father’s Day. I was very excited to help my husband celebrate his very first Daddy Day – you can see his present on the Sugar and Shimmer Facebook page. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration around here without some homemade cards! This year’s cards were all from Nathan because, let’s face it, he’s the star of the show these days :)

This first card was for my grandfather and Nathan’s Great-Gramps or GG for short. I used paper for the background and to create the number sign and heart. The 1 is a premade card and the Gs are chipboard.

This card is obviously for Chris. It’s just layered paper, a felt heart sticker and a chipboard medallion. I loved the “Best Friends” sentiment and I think that Daddy did too.

And last is the card for my dad and Nathan’s Gramps. The heart and letters are all assorted stickers. I also used cardstock and some assorted patterned papers and then doodled in the corners to finish things off. I love the image of the two foxes together – perfect for a card from a little one.

I hope all the dads had a wonderful day!