Summer Steak Toppers

Living in a teeny weeny apartment has it's downfall. There are days that I really wish I could walk out into a back yard in a bikini and tan the afternoon away. It also makes any type of grilling impossible. I've thought about buying one of those little portable webber grills but in all reality where would I put it?! In the grass? In the parking lot?!

Apartment people out there, do you feel my problems?

I suppose these are the days I'll look back at in my forties and think "Remember that little apartment I had on 9th street when I was 23?!". I hear my relatives say stuff like that all the time. I think I just have to keep trotting along with the "these are the days" attitude. Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down and lose my thirty year-old-mentality that I all too often have and enjoy the younger years. I took one of those "guess your drinking age" quizes on facebook and it said I was 36! Being somewhat of an entrepreneur with the blog, it's hard to just let loose of responsibilities. 

You should constantly remind yourself of the positives even when you're caught in an undesirable situation #thereisalwaysasilverlining. Being backyard-less can be great because and I never have to keep a yard or have the responsibilities of a house. 

At this point you're probably thinking why am I staring at a grilled steak if this girl is grill-less in her little apartment?

Tricked ya! Tricked ya! Not really.. but the steak magic in this post is from my new Cast-Iron Grill Pan from Williams Sonoma! It's an absolute dream and lets me cook up everything with that charcoal grill aroma that I love so much. See those grill lines?! Those were made INSIDE on my electric stove top. Never thought I would see the day. 

It's summer time so I'm bringing out all the fun flavors and produce into my recipes. Chimichurri is one of my favorite meat toppers so I changed it up a little by adding spicy serranos and balanced it out with an avocado for creaminess. It's heaven on a steak, seriously! You can control you level of spiciness with less or more serrano. 

The second topper is a take on my favorite salsa: mango! It's got the base of a normal mango salsa but I added roasted red peppers for some extra smokiness. Both of these toppers would be KILLER in a taco, just sayin'. Taco Tuesday come at me. 

*This post was created in sponsorship with Williams Sonoma, all opinions expressed are my own.  

AVOCADO SERRANO CHIMICHURRI
& ROASTED RED PEPPER MANGO SALSA
STEAK TOPPERS

Avocado Serrano Chimichurri
1/2 Cup of avocado or olive oil
1/2 Avocado diced
Juice from 1 1/2 Limes
1 Cup of fresh cilantro sprigs
1/2 Cup of fresh parsley sprigs
3 Garlic cloves
1-2 Serrano pepper chopped (you can choose your level of heat)
1/2 Cup of chopped red onion
1 Teaspoon of salt
1/2 Teaspoon of freshly cracked pepper

In a food processor or blender combine all ingredients. *Note I used 1 serrano pepper because I wanted my sauce pretty spicy. 1/2 Pepper should be mild - spicy and 2 peppers will be very spicy. Spoon sauce over medium rare steak and top with extra cilantro for serving. 
 
Roasted Red Pepper Mango Salsa
1 Small roasted red bell pepper diced 
1 Mango diced
1/4 Cup of cilantro sprigs chopped
1/4 Cup of finely chopped red onion
2 Garlic cloves minced
Juice from one lime
1 Teaspoon of course salt
1/2 Teaspoon of freshly cracked pepper

Over a stove top or flame roast red pepper until charred (black on the outside). Place in sauce pot with lid and steep for 30 mins. Peel black skin off pepper, de-rib (take the seeds out) and dice into small chunks. Add in small mango chunks, red onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and salt&pepper. Spoon over steak or eat with fresh corn chips.  

*Note for extra heat add in a serrano or jalapeno finely diced.