steak and pesto

my kids are picky eaters.

however,

when it comes to their nonno's steak and pesto,

my kids jump up and down and do a happy dance!

to be clear....granny marinades the steaks and nonno grills them :)
(granny and nonno are my parents)

here coop is nonno's apprentice... adding the fresh basil into the blender.

nonno's pesto pasta recipe,

isn't something that can be written down.

there's a handful of this and a glug of that.

i've been his apprentice over 100 times 

and i'm still learning.

my kids say that nonno's pesto is better than mine.

i totally agree.

until i become a pesto expert,
i doubt i could ever write down an actual recipe.

that being said,

here's a recipe that i'm happy to share!

it's granny's flank steak marinade.

seeing that it's a marinade,

the exact amounts are less crucial.
i usually throw in the ingredients willy-nilly
and it always tastes FANTASTIC!

this is the steak that i serve with pesto pasta.

the kid's LOVE it!

Granny's Flank Steak Marinade

1 2 to 3 lb. flank steak

12 oz of beer (pale or dark, anything works)

1/2 cup worcestershire sauce

1 cup of italian dressing, either full fat or light, not fat free

 (i use wishbone zesty italian)

3 garlic cloves, smashed in a garlic press

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

mix the ingredients (beer, worcestershire, dressing, 

garlic, salt and pepper) in a 9" x 13" pyrex baking dish.

mix well. add the steak and marinate it for 4+ hours.

turning occasionally.

light the grill to high heat. remove steak from marinade and sprinkle

with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. 

flank steak cooks quickly, so don't overcook. remember, you can 

always throw it back on the grill for a few minutes if it needs more

time. grilling times are approximate and it always depends on the

thickness of the steak and the temperature of your grill.

place steak over the hottest part of the grill and grill for about

4-6 minutes on each side for medium rare (which i prefer).

remove steak from grill and place on a cutting board. let the steak

rest for about 5 minutes to let the juices settle in the meat.

slice the steak in thin stripes, against the grain and serve!

this steak marinade is amazing. i also use it for shish-ka-bob.
do you have any passed down family recipes?

xoxo - e