Reflections

The A to Z Challenge being all over bar the shouting, we have been asked to post reflections for this year. Here is a link. As many of you know I was a minion, meaning I worked for Tina’s Terrific Team. Having created and posted all my blogs in advance I figured I wouldn’t have a hard time helping. I was wrong. I ended up with 40 blogs to oversee, so many people entered this year, I understand the co-hosts end up with a lot more. One thing everyone needs to remember, this is all voluntary and none of the co-hosts or the minions receive any financial compensation for doing what they do. We are all just trying to help and to ensure that everybody gets the maximum benefit and enjoyment from this Challenge. It should be a fun time, not stressful. Nor should help from anyone provoke the kind of response I had from one blogger who was very snarky with me. A number of people I came across had nowhere for me to add my name as a follower except as an email and I didn’t really want any more emails. OK if you don’t want to encourage new followers, so be it. Participants are also encouraged to write short blogs for the month, I came across some which rivalled War and Peace in length. If you join next year, please shorten what you are saying. None of us have time to read such an epic during the Challenge. Finally, I thank the co-hosts for all the work they did without which this event could never run smoothly.

Arlee Bird: Tossing it Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Alex J. Cavanaugh
Stephen Tremp: Author Stephen Tremp
Tina Downey: Life is Good
Damyanti Biswas: Amlokiblogs
Jeremy Hawkins: [Being Retro]
Nicole Ayers: The Madlab Post
M. J. Joachim: M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips
Heather M. Gardner: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
AJ Lauer: Naturally Sweet
Pam Margolis: An Unconventional Librarian

This is what we had for dinner on Saturday night. I am not the best photographer in the world, as you know, the sauce ended up being quite dark, but it tasted really good. I didn’t actually use the concasse, I used a can of chopped tomatoes which worked very well. Of course I only used two steaks.

Chef John's Steak Pizzaiola
allrecipes.com

1 lb beef tenderloin steaks, cut into 4 medallions
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tsp butter
1 pinch salt
1 cup sliced sweet and hot peppers
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 cup tomato concasse (see link for recipe)
2 Tbs chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Season steak medallions with salt and black pepper on both sides.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add steaks and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Reserve oil in skillet.
3. Place mushrooms and butter into the skillet and season with salt; cook and stir until mushrooms are softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add peppers and cook and stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in wine and sprinkle in dried oregano. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir tomato concasse into the mushroom mixture and simmer until tomato is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add fresh oregano, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes; stir to combine. Adjust salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Place steaks back into the skillet with the mushroom mixture and cook until warmed through and cooked to desired doneness, 4 to 10 minutes.

Servings: 4

Have a great day