extra special smothered steak and sides

i don't know about you, but i love a juicy steak every so often. something about a big hunk of meat is so alluring. maybe it's because i'm poor and a good steak is bit of a treat. the thing is, even a special meal can get boring if you make it the same way over and over again. this is my way of making a special meal extra special.

extra special smothered steak with roasted brocolli

steak
keep it simple here, season both sides with salt and pepper and cook to your personal preference. grilled, broiled, pan roasted, however you would usually cook it will work with this recipe, just remember that the sauce is pretty robust so don't overdo it on seasonings and things.

mushrooms
5-8 crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 tbs butter
1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
melt butter in saute pan. drop in mushrooms. remember, the mushrooms will only develop  color if they are in contact with the pan so try to keep them in a single layer and don't stir too often. color=flavor, so let it develop! let mushroom cook about 3 minutes, stir and let cook 3 more minutes on the other side. remove from heat and season with thyme leaves, salt and pepper. don't salt until you've finished cooking; salt draws water out of the mushrooms and soggy mushrooms don't develop the color we're looking for here. also, soggy mushrooms just sound gross. smother your steak with these perfectly sauteed, not at all soggy, flavorful mushrooms.

these mushrooms are great for other things too, so don't limit yourself to smothering a steak. they're great on chicken or pork, or on their own as a side dish or snack

creamy bleu cheese sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup bleu cheese, crumbled (any variety will do, just make sure it's something you would eat on it's own)
pepper to taste (the cheese is pretty salty so don't add any until you're sure you need it)
bring heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. boil 1 minute.  remove from heat and add bleu cheese. stir until well incorporated. spoon over steak and mushrooms.

this sauce is also pretty versatile; chicken, pork, whatever! i've even spooned it over stuffed mushrooms and used it as a dip for vegetables and such.

roasted broccoli
1 lb broccoli florets
2 tbs extra version olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
heat oven to 400 degrees. toss florets in the olive oil, add salt and pepper. spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. roast in oven for about 15 minutes. remove and enjoy!
i LOVE roasted vegetables! they develop a ton of flavor without leaching nutrients. i use this method on everything from broccoli to asparagus to carrots to whatever else you can think of. give it a try next time you're looking for a simple side dish.