I took the grilling when Mother Nature decides it will rain each day "challenge" & won!

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Our summer weather so far in the Midwest has been, shall we say, Interesting!  A week hasn't gone by without severe weather threats, tornado watches or warnings, torrential rains and flooding. You get the idea.  The date I choose to have the family over to celebrate a birthday recently was one of these days, leaving me to figure out how I could cook and serve 14 sirloin steaks, bratwursts and hot dogs on a moments notice.  My picnic idea was literally washed away.  I became resourceful and we picnicked indoors. 

 I learned how to bake , not broil, grill or pan cook my steaks 101.  Hot dogs and brats were cooked stove top while the oven preheated.  Here's how it went down and actually, the steaks were good!  My blue cheese compound butter recipe (thank you carlahall of thechew on ABC) saved the day with tons of flavor and kept my omahasteaks from drying out.  This recipe is below. 

Use shallow pans lined with foil and lightly sprayed with non stick baking spray.  Thanks to samsclub, I always keep a supply of foil cooking pans in my homes for easy cooking and cleanup when entertaining.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spread blue cheese butter generously on top and bottom of your steaks.  Lay in pans and cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  

Reduce the temps in the oven to 300 degrees and cook for 50 minutes, turning the steaks over halfway through.  The internal temp of the meat should reach 115 degrees.  (Check out weber for the 6492 Instant Read Thermometer.  Sells for $9.99 on Amazon.  It has a great digital display that reads the temperature quickly and automatically shuts off after 15 minutes. )

Take steaks out of the oven and let them rest, covered with foil, for 20 minutes.  Serve and enjoy.

**Blue cheese compound butter to make ahead of time and keep in fridge.  This can be frozen. 

Place 1 lb. softened butter into a bowl.  Gently mix in 1 1/2 ounces room temp blue cheese,  2 tablespoons chopped chives and salt and pepper to taste.   Spoon onto plastic wrap and roll into a log, twisting ends.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, slice and enjoy.

Also flavors up corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and green beans.  

So easy and kicks up the flavor to a whole new level.  

Have you made compound butter?

Happy Tuesday and I'm glad you stopped in!

My Office Makeover is Complete

Einstein once said "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign of?"

When I began Lakehouselyn two years ago, I took over my son's desk and file cabinets he used while in school years ago.  Last January I shopped a big sale a theContainerstore and selectively picked out storage boxes,  and accessories as part of my new office plan.  I wanted to create a "quiet" area so I choose gray chalkboard paint for my main wall, with accent colors of teal, orange, red and gray.  

I searched for months for a new wood desk with trestle legs and one day my husband came home from samsclub and showed me a picture of the exact desk I had been looking for.  

He put it all together for me last week and I am so thrilled!   I never imagined paint, shelves, desk and file boxes could make such a big difference!  We found the Sears typewriter in my son and daughter in laws crawlspace.  It is in great condition and my mother in law used to type notes on this typewriter when she was President of the P.T.A. when my husband was a young boy.  I feel it's a privilege to be able to own this small part of family history.  Now to track down ribbon which may be a challenge.  

Do you have a special place where you go to create?

Before

Before

After

After

My retro typewriter that's been in my husbands family for years

Bake and Freeze

Aluminum foil pans are a lifesaver for me when planning meals for family and friends.  We utilize our local Sam's Club, Costco or Walmart and stock up on loaf pans (I like the pans that come with plastic lids).  The three breads that works best for me and are favorites at our home are cranberry, cinnamon struesel, and my sister-in-law Michelle's banana bread.  I am including this recipe below.  So easy and really the best banana bread I have ever had!  Good use of your ripening bananas too!  Here goes:)
Ingredients are:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 VERY RIPE bananas
1 cup sour cream (fat free, low or regular)
1/2 stick butter or margarine softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pecan pieces
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your loaf pan with non-stick cooking or baking spray. Combine the ground cinnamon and 2 tsp sugar in plastic bag and shake.  (Shortcut is to buy cinnamon sugar from spice aisle and use instead). Take 3/4 of the mixture and shake into the loaf pan to coat bottom and sides. Put rest aside.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas, add the butter, sugar, sour cream and eggs and beat until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add the pecans and stir.  Pour into loaf pan and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar on top. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or so.  Insert toothpick in middle and done if it comes out clean.
I double this recipe when making more than one loaf and its fun to buy the mini loaf pans and serve individual loaves to guests.
Cool and put in freezer ziplock bag to freeze for future use in not serving right away.  Date the bag with a permanent marker.  Enjoy :)