Dinner in Twenty

Since I am in harrowing danger of becoming a one note blogger, I’ve been trying to decide what else I could blog about in addition to craft. Because lets face it, I will run out of craft stuff to talk about sooner or later. (Although my bff claims that simply is not so; time will tell.)

So I’ve been thinking about what else I do besides write and read. Other than that, I hang out with my family and cook. A lot. Especially now that they’re home for the summer. And then I got to thinking about other writers and how they might be like me, always feeling faintly guilty about time taken away from their families in order to write and how, like me, they might often find themselves struggling with ways to meet their familial obligations and take care of their family.

So I thought I’d try out a new weekly feature here on the blog, Dinner in Twenty. These are my tried and true, crowd-pleasing, approved for picky eater dinners that can be put together in twenty minutes. A few of the recipes I’ll feature take longer than that, BUT they give you enough for two nights, so you get one freebie cooking night (just that much longer to stay at the computer.)

So with no further ado, here is this week’s Dinner In Twenty.


Grilled Teriyaki Steak and Rice
Quick, easy, summery. Doesn't heat up the kitchen. Especially if you can get the husband to do the grilling part. Best of all, my kids always liked it, even when they were at their most picky!

1 flank steak, 1- 1 ½ pounds
Teriyaki marinade (store bought or using below recipe*)
White Rice

Place flank steak in a dish with marinade. Let sit at room temperature for at least a half an hour and up to an hour and a half. (Can also be put in fridge and marinate overnight or all day while you’re at work.)

Fire up grill. (If you are good at broiling stuff, this can also be broiled, but living in Southern California, we always grill. I don't think I've ever used my broiler, come to think of it.) While grill is preheating, start rice. The great thing here is the steak takes about the same amount of time to cook as the rice.

Grill flank steak on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until medium to med rare, depending on preference. Remove from heat. On cutting board, slice in thin strips against the grain.

Serve over steamed rice, along with either a salad or steamed green beans or zucchini. (And for the record, I am a BIG believer in bagged salad.) Serves four with possible lunch leftovers, depending on how big the eaters are are in your family. If there are only two of you, it's definitely enough for two dinners.

*Homemade Teriyaki sauce:
Mix together:
¼ c soy sauce
2 tb rice vinegar
1 tb honey
1 glove garlic, sliced or minced
pinch of ginger
2 Tb dry sherry or red wine
When mixed, pour over meat to marinade.

Steamed Rice (Just in case someone out there doesn't have much cooking experience.)
1 ½ cup long grain white rice
3 cups water

Combine in 2 qt saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low, cover, and steam for 20 minutes.

And that's it! Enjoy.