Playoff Time: Steak Bomb Pizza or Nachos!

This will be short.  Same story, different month... so many recipes, so little time.  However, this recipe was too amazing not to post as soon as possible.  Combine that with football playoffs and you really can't go wrong.  Whether you make these for nachos, pizza,  or just eat it plain, any way you choose, there is no way you won't enjoy!

Steak Bomb Topping

• 1 lb shaved steak
• 1 pepper, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cups chopped raw spinach
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pepperoni (optional topping) 
• Tortilla chips, pizza crust, or nothing

If making nachos or pizza:

• Shredded mozzerella
• 2 slices American Cheese

Heat the butter in a pan with the onions and peppers, mix until beginning to soften.  Then add the steak and spices except the soy sauce.  Continue to mix and separate meat into small bits.  Once there is only a small amount of pink left add the soy sauce and spinach, mix for one minute, and turn off heat.

Now the choice is yours... either heap the steak on top of tortilla chips, or on top of your pizza crust that has been prepared already.  Then break the American cheese into pieces and place evenly on top.  Next place pepperoni on top as well.

Last comes the mozzerella, amount to your discretion.  Place in the oven at 450 until cheese is melted.

Take out and try to let cool before you eat!

*this has been an R&E original

The Only Thing I Ever Make For A Party...

Large gatherings were people all bring food make me nervous.  Not because of the options for consumption, my desire to never be packed into a crowded space, or the bad conversations that might ensue, but because I am expected to bring something.  It's not that I can't cook (she types from her cooking blog), but that I am not as creative as others.

Sure I can make something delicious, but it's usually not pretty.  Of course this doesn't stop people from politely poking at it until they realize it tastes good, but it also causes some anxiety for me.  I want to be the girl who makes fancy pasta salad, a perfectly frosted cake, or the magnificently braided loaf of bread.  You'd think it would be easy, yet I always find myself with a mental block as soon as "dinner party" or "potluck" are spoken.

Enter my go to crowd pleaser.  This is by no means "primal" since it is exclusively dairy based, but I still have no problem eating it.  As is often the case there are no pictures for this, just the promise that you will not be disappointed.  I like to serve this with crackers, carrots, celery, and/or tortilla chips.  Really anything dip-worthy is acceptable.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

• 1 package cream cheese (let it reach room temp)
• 1 container sour cream
• 1 2 cup package Italian blend cheeses
• 1 2 cup package Monterey/Cheddar blend OR Trader Joe's Pepperjack blend (recommended!)
• 1 package frozen precooked, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
• 1 can artichokes in water (drained and quartered/chopped)
• To taste: lemon juice (about 1 tbsp), salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

Mix the sour cream and cream cheese, artichokes, and spinach in big bowl.  Add monterey/ched blend package and combine again.  Slowly add the "to taste" ingredients to, well, taste!  Add 1 cup of italian blend, mix once more, layer in a 13x8 inch dish and sprinkle remaining italian blend to desired cheesyness on top.

Bake at 375 for 20 mins covered in foil, then 10ish uncovered until it bubbles and edges are browned.

You can heat up the chips to go with this but I just dig right in!

Apologies for the lack of pictures, but you can take your own when it's done :)