A New Twist on Meat and Potatoes

There are few meals as satisfying as steaming heaps of red-skinned potatoes, sirloin, and bacon tossed with raw baby spinach leaves and grape tomatoes. Yep, I'm talking about a meat and potatoes salad, which I found in the Family Circle Cookbook. The book was passed on to me by my sister (who is, ironically, a vegetarian) and had been traveling in my car trunk, along with several equally neglected sewing books, for months. (Somehow, I don't think my dreams of becoming a seamstress will ever materialize.) But I busted the cookbook out last weekend. And this dish, dubbed Warm Steak and Potato Salad, was tasty, if artery clogging. At least I omitted the meat dripping/honey/apple cider vinegar dressing. I made it but then deemed it disgusting (even I have my limits) and tossed it. Dressing notwithstanding, if you're a fellow carnivore, then give this salad a try:

Ingredients:

1 lb small red-skinned potatoes

3 strips bacon

1 small red onion, chopped

1 lb boneless beef sirloin, cut into thin strips (Being deeply upset by all things bloody, I didn't cut the meat when it was raw. Instead, I tossed the entire slab into the frying pan and hacked it up after it had cooked.)
1/4 tsp salt

5 tbs honey

5 tbs apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1/2 tsp cold water

1 bag baby spinach leaves

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Directions:

Place potatoes in medium-size saucepan and cover with cold water. Salt lightly. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Add onion to drippings and cook for 3 minutes. Add steak and salt. Cook about 2 minutes longer or until steak is no longer pink. Transfer steak and onions to a plate and keep warm. Add honey and vinegar to skillet; cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add cornstarch-water mixture; cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Drain potatoes; run under cold water. Cut potatoes into quarters and place in bowl along with the crumbled bacon and steak-onion mixture. Add spinach, warm honey-vinegar mixture, and tomato. Toss gently.