Today I’ll be sharing with you one of two delicious lean beef, top sirloin recipes from the “Beef It’s What’s For Dinner” site and an opportunity to win 1 of 2 $100 Visa gift cards. If you haven’t already checked the site out, they have a great recipe section. Type in the search box the cut of beef you’re looking to cook and it will feed you several recipes. Each recipe also has a review rating aspect of it -although I noticed many of them haven’t been reviewed yet. On the site you can register to join the community to fully access the interactive community. There you’ll find nutritional information, meal planning, grocery lists, and cooking techniques. It’s a good reference site for all things beef by the people who are the authority on beef. I’ve already left my review for the recipe I’m sharing for you today.
I prepared the recipe with a few tweaks and was surprised by how quick, easy, and tasty the kabobs were. The orzo part of the recipe I wasn’t a huge fan of because I thought it could use more seasoning, or maybe it’s because I’m not a huge orzo fan. Either way, the kabobs were a huge hit with my family. I prepared everything with minimal marinading time because I came home late and had to leave shortly after dinner. Even then, the kabobs had a lovely flavor to them. My father who was also over for dinner loved them too and commented on how nice and tender the beef was. I think he was being a little bit passive-aggressive (hi dad!) because on several occasions he has told me I cook with too much salt. This is coming from a man who never uses salt. Whatever. I used Cardini’s Italian dressing for this recipe because a) it was on sale and b) it wasn’t clear looking. It looked more like a Caesar salad dressing and that appealed to me. Total marinading time was about 25 minutes. I do recommend doubling the amounts of Italian dressing and garlic the marinade calls for and I doubled the cheese and added a little garlic to the orzo. Below is the exact recipe. Feel free to use other vegetables like zucchini and mushroom on your kabobs. I have a feeling this may become my go to kabob recipe this summer when I need a quick barbecue recipe without fuss.
PS: Keep reading the post towards the bottom for more information on the $100 Visa gift card Swag Bag giveaway I mentioned yesterday.
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Sizzling Sirloin Kabobs on a Bed of Orzo
Total recipe time: 30 minutes Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1. 1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
2. 2 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
3. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
4. 1 tablespoon prepared Italian dressing
5. 2 large cloves garlic, minced
Parmesan Orzo:
1. 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta, cooked
2. 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley
3. 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
4. 2 teaspoons olive oil
Instructions
1. Soak eight 8-inch bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes.
2. Cut beef steak into 1-1/4-inch pieces. Toss beef and bell peppers with 1 tablespoon basil, dressing and garlic in large bowl. Alternately thread beef and peppers onto skewers.
3. Toss orzo ingredients in medium bowl; keep warm.
4. Place kabobs on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, about 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Serve with orzo. Enjoy!
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To enter today’s $100 Visa gift card and swag giveaway, you’ll need to take a brief “Lean Cut Personality Match” survey. This is a mandatory step. Once you’ve taken the survey, there will be other opportunities for you to earn additional entries.
I took it and it will tell you in the end which type of lean cut beef works best for your lifestyle. For me it was dead-on but as another reader mentioned, it was way off. Either way it is a requirement for this giveaway. So please take about 30 seconds to do this. After you’ve taken the survey, come back here and leave a comment on the type of lean beef cut the survey results showed for you. Let me know if you agree or disagree with their results too.. it will be fun to see how accurate it is.
Here are additional ways for you to earn additional entries – Please leave a SEPARATE COMMENT for each additional entry you decide to participate in.
1) Follow @SavorySweetLife on Twitter (if you don’t already) and tweet about this giveaway ” I just entered to win a $100 Visa GC sponsored by #savorysweetlife & #BeefAssociation http://bit.ly/9E7aUV. ” Come back here and leave a comment with your Twitter handle letting me know you tweeted.
2) Become a Facebook Fan of Savory Sweet Life. If you’re already a FB fan just leave a comment letting me know and tell me your favorite beef recipe.
3) Become a Facebook Fan of “Beef It’s What’s for Dinner”. After you’ve done this, come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did.
So in total, you can enter up to 4 times. Contest is open to people with US mailing address. Winner will be selected at random (random.org). Contest ends Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 9pm PST. There will be a second contest on Thursday for another opportunity to enter for a second $100 Visa card. Stay tuned. Contest is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered. Congrats Laura!
Disclosure: The Beef Association provided the swag bag as mentioned above for this giveaway. Savory Sweet Life was also compensated with a gift card to help offset the costs of groceries related to recipes Alice is preparing for this series of posts as well as shipping costs associated with mailing prizes to the winner.
Aileen says
I ended up being Top Round, which is interesting! Made me kind of wish I had a more relaxing lifestyle…
Paula - bell'alimento says
And yes I’m a facebook fan! Isn’t everyone ; )
Paula - bell'alimento says
Of course I’m following you on Twitter @bellalimento ; ) I also tweeted http://twitter.com/bellalimento/status/18548931241
Paula - bell'alimento says
I’m a Top Sirloin ; )
Peggy Davenport says
Took the beef survey. We’re top sirloin also! Can’t wait to try the kabobs.
Layla says
I’m a top sirloin kind of girl:)
JulieD says
I joined the Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner group on fb. Thanks!
JulieD says
I became a fan of yours on fb.
JulieD says
I tweeted http://twitter.com/thelittlekitchn/status/18543372859
I’m @thelittlekitchn
JulieD says
This recipe looks amazing! I’m a little Top Round and a little Top Sirloin. LOL!
Megan says
Hi Alice! I just started following you on Twitter…can’t believe I wasn’t already!
http://www.twitter.com/hellafied
I retweeted the contest giveaway and became a fan of SSL and Beef: Its What’s For Dinner on FB.
Can’t wait to try this kabob recipe over the weekend. 🙂
Carla says
Here’s where I fall face first into a food coma… HOLY COW!
Michael says
I ended up being pretty evenly split between strip and T-bone, which I think is pretty accurate when it comes to leaner cuts of beef.
When I do beef, about 90% of the time it’s in steak format, and I think with steak there is a bit of taste vs. lean trade-off (I actually just wrote about this on my blog), so my absolute favorite cut of meat is the ribeye. When I do fajitas, I usually opt for skirt steak.
I am now a fan of Facebook of both SSL and Beef!. And I follow on Twitter (it’s how I found out about this great giveaway!) In fact, this was the first food blog I followed, so thank you!
Ok, long comment is done 🙂
Kath says
I was pegged as a Strip Steak person, but any of the choices would have suited me. I do love beef!
Christy says
I am a fan on FB
Christy says
Strip steak-I agree!!
Jill Davenport says
It matched me up with strip steak. I might try this, but my family usually sticks with the top sirloins as they are a leaner cut!
Karrie says
I was matched up with top round, but I don’t agree.
I never buy that cut either.
But the survey was fun to take.
Allison says
And I just became a Facebook fan!
Allison says
Mine said filet! If only I could afford it every so often!
Lauri says
Top Sirloin! And my twitter handle is laurijeffords =)
Christina♥ says
Said I should go with the top sirloin. . . perfect for the kabobs! ♥
eunice says
top sirloin was my match. all this beef talk is making me crave steaks!
stacy says
I’ve become a fan on Facebook for “Beef: It’s What’s for Dinner”. Thanks again!
stacy says
I have become a Facebook fan of Savory Sweet Life. Thanks!