No Leftovers Tonight, and No Pictures....

Yum! We have a restaurant here called Diamond Back Grill. They make a salad that is THE best, it makes up for the fact that our town has very few decent restaurants. It's like they're afraid to use spices, very very bland in our experience. But, DBG has a Flank Steak Salad that comes with mushrooms and caramelized onions in a balsamic reduction sauce, on TOP of your steak which is on top of the salad that has a blue cheese vinaigrette. It is absolutely divine! Well, I managed to re-create the mushroom mix to a T, and we have it now at least once a week. Now it sounds strange to some, but it's a sweet, semi-tart sauce. My balsamic vinegar has aged now, so it's more sweet and syrup like so I don't get that vinegar taste. Basically in a hot non-stick skillet with about 2 Tbl. of a mild olive oil, sautee onions(we like them in thin rings, but diced is just as good) until they're almost translucent. Then add two packages of sliced mushrooms, button or cremini. Keep it on high heat and keep stirring so the onions don't burn and the mushrooms should not release too much liquid if you cook it on high enough heat. When the onions are translucent and mushrooms have a caramel color on them season with fresh ground black pepper, pour about 1/4-1/3 cup good balsamic vinegar, and a few tsp. of sugar(I use a packet of Stevie), mix, and then turn down. Stir often, the balsamic will reduce to a thick syrup. This is good right out of the pan, and you won't be able to resist, trust me.

Tonight we also had two beef tenderloins rolled in spices, seared in the pan with a little olive oil until caramelized on all sides, added a little beef broth(or wine) and cover. Cooked in a 350 oven for about an hour. So tender we didn't even need our knives. Also made homemade onion rings(baked). Dipped onions in egg whites and then rolled in bread crumbs and crushed Fiber One cereal and spices. 400' for about 30 minutes, start watching at 20 though for burning. I put my meat and mushrooms of course on top of a green salad and added a little more balsamic/olive oil dressing(homemade of course with my favorite vinegar, my new addiction!).

Not one onion ring, piece of meat, or mushroom left. I'm trying to wean the family off of starches 7 nights a week, down to every other night. They were even commenting that they didn't need a potato, but a roll to soak up the juices would have been nice. rme I need to find some good low carb dinner rolls.