What's For Dinner Tonight? Sweep Steak, Baked Mac & Cheese, Spinach Salad

So simple, but really tasty. If I use a mix, I go for organic if I can. I was using a great organic french onion soup mix, but it's been discontinued (boo!). I'm trying 2 Simply Organic French Onion Dip packets for this since I already have them. You could also make your own with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

*Remember to be careful with dry mixes since the HPV salmonella recall. Check www.foodsafety.gov to see if you have anything that's been recalled)*


Sweep Steak   

2-3 pounds round steak or pot roast
1 (2 oz) package of onion soup mix

Put the meat on a sheet of aluminum foil big enough to wrap it in,  Sprinkle the onion soup mix on top of it, fold the foil, airtight, around it, put it in a baking pan, and bake at 300°F for 3 hours (or 200°F for 9 hours).

You can also open it up about an hour before it’s done and surround it with potatoes and carrots.

From The Compleat I Hate To Cook Book by Peg Bracken


Serves 4-6. Ready in: 3 hours, 10 minutes

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Skip the boxed stuff and treat yourself to a super cheesy, tangy mac and cheese. You can adjust the sharpness of the cheddar and amount of mustard and cayenne to suit your family's tastes. This makes a leftover that always gets eaten here.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese


1 (16 oz) package macaroni
1 ½ pounds sharp cheddar, shredded
1 tbsp butter
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
½ tsp mustard powder
½ tsp cayenne (optional)
Salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook pasta in lightly salted water until al dente; drain. Combine mustard and cayenne into the evaporated milk.

Grease a 2 quart casserole. Place a quarter of the macaroni in the bottom followed by a layer of cheese. Dot with butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat layering three times, saving some cheese for top. Pour evaporated milk mixture over top.


Bake, covered, for 50 minutes. Add remaining cheese to top and bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until golden and bubbly.


Serves 6-8. Ready in: 1 hour, 15 minutes

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Spinach Salad

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 bag (5 oz) baby spinach
1 medium red apple, cored, halved, and thinly sliced
1 cup seedless grapes, halved


In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until combined.

In a large bowl, toss spinach with apples and grapes. Pour dressing along sides of bowl*, and toss to coat.

(*Pouring dressings directly on top can damage delicate spinach and make it soggy)

Serves 4. Ready in: 10 minutes

Happy Eating!