Steak Chimichurri

This post originally started.... the weather has FINALLY cooled around here, but the little icon in the corner of my screen says it will be 90 AGAIN today! (Well it did it will be 60 today... Fall arrived sometime between when I wrote this post and today).  Will someone please hand mother nature her medication and can we move on?  Maybe it's the heat, or the hormones, or the sore back, but as I scrolled through my favorite food blogs today I found myself wanting to delete all the links with perfectly staged photos of gorgeous food, with intricate topped minature tarts, and perfectly lit baked goods against sickenly cute antique spoons and linens.  Normally I adore those shot and aspired to some day have the time, energy, and talent to do such things.  However, today, and at this stage in my life it is not happening... and I'm fairly certain it's not happening tomorrow, or next week, or anytime in the next few years to be honest. It is time to accept that the choices I have made to expand our family with little munchkins, to allow little furry children to roam around with the human children, to go back to school yet again while working, and to do all of this thousands of miles from all family means.... I will not be a sophisticated blogger anytime soon.  And I've come to the realization that I don't really care, it's who I am at the moment.  I blog for my friends to show them that they can cook simple easy stuff for their families without stressing, and that is not going to come through with perfect lines of macaroons, and other such things.  The times when I get the most feedback/texts/and emails saying... I am making your (insert food here) today.  Are the times when I make stuff that can be thrown together and is not scary or daunting in the slightest.  The times when people look at the recipe and think... I can do that.

So today I am in love with the new bloggers out there, that don't have fancy cameras, or tricks up their sleeves.  The ones that squeeze in a dish between walking their dog, having tea parties with their children, or working the two jobs required to pay off their over-inflated school loans.  My favorites today are the off-centered photos with the off-set colors because not only do they not know how to use photoshop, they don't own it!  Bloggers that don't have 3 days to make 100 bite-sized tartletts for a friend's baby shower, or their own cookbooks... people who just want to eat something that tastes good and doesn't come wrapped in a wax coated piece of paper.  People that want to feed their families, clean up after dinner, and still have time to read Where the Wild Things Are for the 50th night in a row because they love to hear their 2 year old jump out of bed, and tell the wild Wild Things... BE STILL... complete with minature stomp and stop in the name of love pose.  People like me really.  And so if you are in an exhausted funk, and it's the end of the season where you live and you want to clear out your herb garden, make a good dinner, and have time for family and friends..... I give you.... the fastest meal this side of the SUMMER CONSTRUCTION HELL.  Ta Daaaaaaa.

Throw it all in a food processor or blender...... and it doesn't even require the cooperation of one evil oven, if you should have an oven that a) never works properly under the best conditions and b) has given up the ghost once and for all as you refuse to spend another dollar fixing something you despise!

Flank Steak with Chimichurri

Adapted from Gourmet

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds trimmed flank steak
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large garlic clove
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Method

Preheat broiler. (or grill if you're oven has died like mine)

Pat steak dry. Stir together 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, coriander, and pepper in a small bowl and rub mixture onto both sides of steak. Broil steak on a broiler pan about 4 inches from heat 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, with motor running, add garlic to a food processor and finely chop. Add cilantro, parsley, vinegar, oil, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, then pulse until herbs are finely chopped.

Holding a knife at a 45-degree angle, thinly slice steak. Serve with sauce.