London Broil Potato Bites

Did yall know Virgina Tech is known for their outstanding food court on campus? They were ranked #3 in the country for Best Campus Food in the 2016 Princeton Review -- can you imagine a food court that good in college?! Pretty impressive! While there might be plenty of food for students to choose from, West Inn Market's London Broil with Garlic Mashed Potatoes happens to be one of the most popular dishes on campus. So with the VA Tech food court in mind, I recreated the recipe into something bite sized... Easy and fun for any Gameday party! 

Grocery List (4 dozen bites):

• 1 lb Flank steak

• 24 small new potatoes

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

• 6 tbsp butter

• 5 garlic cloves - minced

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions: 

1. Take Flank steak out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast potatoes in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a knife easily pierces through them. 

2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and let cook for one minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Set aside. 

3. Let potatoes cool slightly and slice each one in half. With the small end of a melon ball scooper, scoop out the middle of the potato and toss into a medium bowl, being careful to leave a small border around the sides and not break the skin. To  the bowl, add the garlic butter mixture, sour cream, heavy cream, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash together with a potato masher or a fork until ingredients are mixed together and potatoes are smooth. Fill each empty potato with the mixture. Put back in the oven for about 4 to 5 minutes. 

4. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush olive oil and sprinkle a gracious amount of salt and pepper on each side of the Flank steak. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium rare. Set aside and let rest for at least 5 minutes. With a very sharp knife, slice very thin slices of the steak against the grain, until you have 48 pieces. If you run out of pieces and need more, cut each piece in half. Top each potato with a slice of steak. 

CHEERS TO A HAPPY FOOTBALL SEASON!!! 

Almond Buckeyes

Having several friends from the state of Ohio, the official recipe for this school was an easy one to figure out. These little cookies are the perfect representation of Ohio State's mascot: the Buckeye! I put a little twist on them by using almond butter instead of peanut butter because I happen to like it better. But what really makes them stand out is the nutty, sweet flavor from the almond extract and toasted almonds. Like Ohio State's football team, these are a winner! 

Grocery list (20-25 cookies): 

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

• 3/4 cup almond butter

• 1/2 cup butter - room temperature

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• 1/4 tsp almond extract

• Kosher Salt

• 2 cups chocolate chips

• 2 tbsp Crisco
  

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350. Evenly spread the sliced almonds on a small baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and chop into small pieces. 

2. In a medium bowl, add the almond butter, butter, powdered sugar, almond extract, and a dash of salt. Mix together until completely smooth and even. Using a small ice cream scoop, roll into 1 inch, smooth balls. You should have about 20-25 balls. Place on waxed paper or a silicone mat and chill in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes, or until firm.

3. In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips and Crisco together in the microwave. I do this by heating for 15 seconds, taking it out and stirring. Then I repeat that process until it comes together melted and smooth. 

4. Using a toothpick, dip each one of the balls in the chocolate one at a time, leaving a small amount of the almond butter showing at the top so they look like Buckeyes. Sprinkle the sides and bottom with the chopped almonds and place back on the waxed paper. When you remove the toothpick, smooth the hole over with your finger. Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens. 

CHEERS TO A HAPPY FOOTBALL SEASON!!!