Delish Summer Dinner

Classic Summer Dinner for two: Creamed Corn, Broiled Asparagus, and Medium Rare Sirloin Steak

The star of this dish is an old family recipe for "creamed corn." We all love creamed corn, but perhaps we aren't so crazy about all the saturated fat. I make creamed corn the way my great grandmother did, by cutting the kernels off of the cob right into the skillet so the starches thicken in a small amount of simmering butter or olive oil.

For my husband, I picked up a sirloin steak from Whole Foods. 4 to 6 ounces is a good serving for one person. You want to pick a steak with fat around the edges, rather than marbled throughout the meat, if you're looking for flavor without so much cholesterol. Make extra steak if you want to have leftovers - I cooked a 12oz steak for Bret to slice and enjoy in sandwiches or salads.

In a cast iron skillet, heat your skillet on medium-high with a tablespoon of butter. Butter will impart much more flavor into the meat than any other oil. You will see that the rest of the meal is very light on the condiments.

Rub the steak with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground pepper, and 2 tbsp herbs de provence (a combination of dried rosemary, fennel, oregano, and lavender). In the absence of those herbs, rosemary, fresh or dried, will work just fine on its own.

Once the skillet is nice and hot, sear the steak for 5-8 minutes on each side. While the steak sears, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. After searing, cook the steak in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until done to your preference. Remember that the steak will cook a little longer during the 10 minutes you should allow it to rest before serving.

Melt 2 tsp butter or olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Prep 2 corn cobs for cooking. Hold the first cob vertically right over the skillet and slice off the kernels. Scrape all the kernels off of the cob, allowing the starch to fall into the pan. Do the same with the second cob, then season the corn lightly with a little bit of salt and pepper. Keep the corn on medium heat so that it sizzles slightly and the starch starts to thicken. Corn is finished when tender and sweet.

While your steak is resting, turn on the broiler. Prep 10-16 spears of fresh or frozen asparagus and lay on a cookie sheet. Save on the mess by placing a sheet of foil between the asparagus and the cookie sheet. Spray the asparagus with a small amount of olive oil, and sprinkle with pepper and lemon juice. Place asparagus about 5 inches beneath the broiler. Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until asparagus is chewy and tender.

Enjoy your dinner with some fresh sliced watermelon! Corn and asparagus are both high in fiber and antioxidants (as well as taste), so they're a great choice. This time of year, you can usually find corn on sale for 30 to 50 cents per ear. Not in the mood for sirloin? I hear you - you can enjoy some heated canned black beans with this meal instead, with a sprinkle of parmesan, feta, or queso fresco. Beans and corn combine to make for a complete protein.