Hash Brown Casserole with Broccoli Raisin Salad and Prime Sirloin Steak Dinner (Beef Grades)

We really like all sorts of potato dishes and when they can be prepared ahead and look good as well as easy it is a dish worth trying!  This is an adaptation of a recipe I saw Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman make on TV one day a few weeks ago.  This really made a great supper with Broccoli Raisin Salad and Skillet Roasted Sirloin Steaks I found at a bargain price.  The truth is the potatoes were good but not stellar as I would term some of our other favorite potato dishes.  It was liked but not "loved"!  So, I think they were worth a try and perhaps a repeat appearance on our families table,

Ingredients for Hash Brown Casserole:

1, 2 pound bag of frozen square cut hash brown potatoes
1 large onion diced
4 assorted spicy hot peppers diced (I used 2 jalapeno, 1 banana pepper, and 1 chili pepper, seeds and membrane removed and diced)
3 C. shredded cheese (I used half cheddar and half Jack)
8 slices cooked bacon and  2T. of the drippings

Cook the bacon until just before it is crispy in a large heavy skillet then remove and reserve.  Pour off the excess bacon drippings reserving about 2 tablespoons in the skillet to sauté
the vegetables in.

Toss the onion into the skillet and drippings then sauté about a minute next add the diced peppers and cook 2-3 minutes more until tender crisp.  Add the hash brown potatoes and brown.  Meanwhile butter a 2-3 quart casserole.

Add half of the potatoes and peppers mixture to the dish.  Top with half of the cheese.  Layer the rest of the potatoes then the rest of the cheese.  Top with the bacon.  At this point you can cover and refrigerate for later or bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30-40 minutes until bubbling hot.

To go to the recipe for Broccoli Raisin Salad just click on the following link!    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/08/broccoli-raisin-salad.html     Note:   This is a favorite favorite salad recipe from the old Lazarus cookbook.



I have been going to our local Sam's Club and do not normally buy meat there but love their produce. When there last week they did have a special I could not pass up without trying!  Prime (meat grade) sirloin steak.  Please click on the following link for a further explanation of understanding  beef grades.     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/05/beef-grades.html  This grade you do not see just every day as those of you who know about meat grades can attest.  Plus the price was like maybe 5 or 6 dollars a pound (as I recall)??   So, with not much to lose by trying it I bought a package.


Ingredients for the Sirloin Steak:

Sirloin Steak trimmed and 1/2-5/8" thick
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 T. oil
2 t. butter

Allow the meat to come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before preparing.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.   Salt and pepper the steaks generously.  Heat a cast iron skillet until it is SCREAMING hot.  Add the oil to the pan and then the steaks and butter.  Sear 3-4 minutes on the first side.  Turn the steak then remove the pan from the stove to the preheated oven.  Leave in the oven about 4-5 minutes for medium rare.  6-7 minutes for medium.  Remove from the oven to a board or platter and tent with foil.  Let the meat sit for 8-10 minutes then serve.  ( Take the meat out of the hot skillet or it may over cook.  It needs to sit outside the pan on a platter or board.)  Easy and delicious!  I only cooked enough steak to serve 2 but froze an additional 4 servings for use another day.

The sirloin steak was the star of this meal and I will buy Prime sirloin steak again should I be fortunate enough to find it!

Note:  These cooking times may vary a bit based on the heat level of the burners.  I am using a 13,000 BTU gas burner for the sear and a gas oven for the roast.