When the universe plays ball

This afternoon I popped into the supermarket to pick up some milk and few other bits and pieces. I saw a loaf of garlic bread and picked it up thinking I might make some garlic bread to have with dinner. Then my mind trailed off to one of my family's favourite meals - Warm winter beef salad. Hmmmm yum I thought, but it is not a cheap meal to make, as it requires quite a few ingredients, including bacon, which I didn't have at home and wasn't planning on buying, so I passed up the thought and headed to the milk aisle.

Just as I got there, the Manager (who I used to go to school with - and dated her brother), asked me if I liked Bacon - yes I said, to which she replied "well I've just marked a few packets down from 6.99 to $2.80, as the best before date is only a week away"

So I went and got some and thought even if we don't have that dinner, this is too good a price to pass up and I can always make another meal with it. I decided to head back past the meat section on the way to the checkout and happened to find a small packet of beef schnitzel on special, then followed on to the vege area and found a bag of mesculan salad on special as well. We were obviously meant to have this dinner tonight. I love it when the universe plays ball!

It was good, real good and I think I might have it for camp dinner on the Friday night.

Warm Winter Beef Salad - 4 servings

1 red onion

3 pieces beef schnitzel

breadcrumbs

olive oil

butter

crushed garlic

1 tspn mixed herbs

3 rashes of bacon

1/2 French stick, or Vienna loaf

salad greens

tomatoes

capsicum

anything else you want for the salad part

salad dressing

Preheat oven to about 200

Cut bread into cubes (about 2-3cms), place is large bowl

In pan, heat 2 tblspns olive oil and then add about 50gms butter, stir till melted over low heat. Add garlic and herbs and cook until is just starts to brown. Quickly remove from heat, pour over bread cubes and then toss them quickly to coat all pieces. Place in the oven to cook and crisp up to garlic croutons. (keep an eye on them - once they start to brown, the keep browning quickly)

Meanwhile, cut beef into small bite sized pieces and toss into breadcrumbs (enough to just lightly coat them. Set aside.

In pan, heat a little olive oil and fry onions (thinly sliced) and bacon until the bacon is crisp. Remove and set aside. Add a little more oil to the pan and heat, then toss in the beef and stir fry until cooked. Add the onion and bacon back into this, turn the heat down and warm through.

Assemble salad greens etc on each plate, then a heap of the warm garlic croutons from the oven, then spoon over the beef, bacon & onion mix. Top with your favourite dressing (I use Italian with a dash of sweet chili added in for bite) and serve immediately. Yum!