Third Month Anniversary Dinner

When our two month anniversary was approaching I decided to celebrate each month with a special meal served on our fine china. Month three was no different and served to cement my commitment to a year of monthly anniversary celebrations on our china! Revisit September, Month One and October, Month Two if you'd like.

I kept things simple for the appetizer with a mixed greens salad (lettuce provided by our fall growing mixed green box outside the back door), then gave steak a twist with a stuffed flank steak recipe, and finally utilized fall pears in a gingered pear crisp for dessert. Read on for how it was done!

Appetizer

Mixed greens salad with mushrooms and red pepper; dressed in balsamic vinegar.

Entree

Spinach stuffed flank steak and roasted fingerling potatoes

Spinach Stuffed Flank Steak from MarthaStewart.com

PREP: 35 MINS | TOTAL TIME: 55 MINS | SERVINGS:4

2 packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed                 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese                               2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar                             1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes                            coarse salt and ground pepper

1 small flank steak (1 pound)                                1 teaspoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS

   Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. Place spinach in a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

   In a medium bowl, combine spinach, parsley, cheese, capers, vinegar, garlic, and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Cut and open steak.

   Cut several 12-inch pieces of kitchen twine; space evenly underneath steak. Spread spinach mixture down center of meat (see opposite). Roll steak over mixture, pressing firmly to compact the filling as much as possible; tie twine to secure roll. Cut roll in half crosswise. Place halves, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet; rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

   Broil until browned, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare; let rest, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes. Remove string, and slice steak into 1/2-inch rounds.

Dessert

Gingered pear crisp and whipped cream

Gingered Pear Crisp

For the pears*:

Butter, for coating the baking dish                      2 1/2 pounds ripe pears

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice         1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar                      3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the streusel*:

1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)                         1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup flour                                                     1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small dice

   *I cut everything in half since it was just for the two of us!

DIRECTIONS

For the pears:

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter and set aside.

Cut the pears in half and core them, then cut them again into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Combine them with the lemon juice in a large, nonreactive bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the flour, brown sugar, ginger, and salt and toss to coat. Turn the mixture into the prepared dish.

For the streusel:

Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together until evenly combined and clumped. Scatter over the pears and bake until the pears are fork tender, the mixture is bubbly, and the topping is browned, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let sit at least 5 minutes before serving.

We put the pear crisp into the oven right when we were starting the meal. The crisp was coming out of the oven as we finished our steak and potatoes. While I was getting dessert dishes ready Patrick whipped up some made homemade whipped cream to top the warm dessert dish.

We also had the pleasure of dining with our newly hung wedding metal print. My mom had previously delivered this the weekend before and we wasted no time hanging it on an entrance wall. Carol has recently started getting the metal prints and we love ours!

Wonder what we'll be eating tonight?!