Italian Beef

A new recipe and, much to our delight, a really great dinner. I took this recipe from the Sandra Lee cookbook. As I was marinating it, Rob metioned that we once said we wouldn't use flank steak again because it's so tough and hard to chew because it's such a lean meat. Well we definitely make this again. Rob grilled it and it was wonderful, so flavorful and not tough at all. I think it was because the marinade that is used it very thick and tenderized the meat. So, all in all, Rob, Ryan and I loved it and it will make appearances regularly.

Italian Beef

1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
1 1/2 cups tomato basil pasta sauce
1/2 cup light Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup red wine
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Grilled green and/or red bell pepper wedges, optional
Grilled onion slices, optional

1. Rinse steak under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag.
2. For marinade, in a bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce, salad dressing and garlic. Add to zip-top bag with steak. Squeeze air from bag and seal. Gently massage bag to combine ingredients. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 8 hours.
3. Set up grill for direct cooking over high heat. Remove steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.
4. Remove steak from zip-top bag; discard marinade. Place steak on hot oiled grill. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side.
5. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan, combine remaining pasta sauce, wine and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Serve with steak. Serve steak with grilled peppers and onions, if desired.

6 servings