Current Protein Status
Fresh proteins on hand:
- Taco meat
- Breakfast sausage
- Chicken thighs
- Costco Pizza
This morning started with a big bacon session.
I made a large batch in the oven to restock us for the week because it seemed like we were running low again. The kids finished off the Costco ciabatta rolls, and we made smoothies.
Daphne remains convinced that operating the Vitamix tamper is one of the most important jobs in the house. She takes it very seriously and is always eager to help push the fruit down while everything blends.
Lunch: Finishing the Costco Pizza
Lunch was all about using what we already had.
The kids finished off the remaining Costco pizza from the weekend.
I reheated all the slices in the oven, and my teen turned hers into what she calls a pizza salad. She chopped the pizza into pieces and used it almost like giant croutons on top of a salad.
The rest of the kids kept things simple:
- pizza
- veggies and dip
- fruit
Easy lunch and one more item cleared out of the refrigerator.
I made a taco salad for lunch with some of the leftover taco meat from Friday night
Afternoon Snack Win
This afternoon’s surprise winner was the white nectarines from Costco.
You never really know with nectarines whether you’re getting baseballs or perfection.
These finally ripened and they were incredible.
We sliced those up and paired them with popcorn for a snack while everyone worked through the afternoon.
Dinner Plans Change
Dinner was originally supposed to be grilled flank steak.
Then the weather had other plans.
As I was getting ready to cook, the forecast basically shifted into a guaranteed rainstorm, so grilling wasn’t happening.
My first thought was cast iron.
I figured I could use both of my large skillets and cook the steaks that way.
Then I pulled the flank steaks out and realized they were enormous.
There was no way I was fitting both of those comfortably in my pans.
So we moved to Plan C: broiling.
Broiled Flank Steak Method
I had never broiled flank steak before, but it worked surprisingly well.
Here’s exactly what I did:
Marinade
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Cumin
- Italian seasoning
The steaks had already been sitting in that marinade since yesterday.
Cooking
I turned the broiler on and let the oven fully preheat.
Even when broiling, I like the oven itself to be thoroughly hot first, so I let it run for about 10 minutes before cooking.
Then I:
- lined a half-sheet pan with foil
- placed both flank steaks on the pan
- positioned them under the broiler
First side:
- approximately 7 minutes
- began watching closely around the 5-minute mark
Once the edges started browning, I flipped them.
Second side:
- approximately another 7 minutes
The thinner steak reached 137°F first, so I removed it immediately.
The larger steak stayed in a little longer until it hit about 135°F.
Both rested under foil for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Dinner
While the steaks rested, I pulled together the sides.
Rice
Leftover rice from Friday reheated in the microwave.
Roasted Peppers & Onions
In the second oven:
- red peppers
- orange peppers
- onions
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- cumin
Roasted until soft with a little browning around the edges.
Fresh Toppings
- avocado
- avocado salsa
- lettuce
Everyone built their own plate with whatever combination they preferred.
Final Verdict
Would I choose broiling over grilling?
No.
The grill still wins because you get those smoky flavors and char marks.
But for a rainy-day backup plan, this worked extremely well.
The steaks stayed juicy, the flavor was great, and they landed right in that medium-to-medium-well range that my family prefers.
It’s definitely a method I’ll keep in my back pocket for the next time the weather refuses to cooperate.
Looking Ahead
Current proteins available:
- Leftover flank steak
- Taco meat
- Breakfast sausage
- Chicken thighs
- Cooked ground beef (freezer)