A trip to Dan’s Meat Market, here in Denton, was required today. That’s the best place in town to get some Texas beef! I needed some.

You see, I was just sitting here checking my e-mail when out of the clear blue sky (of Chicago) an e-mail came to me. A fella invited me to try a beef recipe, blog about it, and be entered in a drawing to win a prize! Well, I figure I’ll win a prize about the time I win the Texas Lottery, or when pigs fly (whichever comes first). But, I was pondering what to cook for supper, and the recipes sounded good! Particularly, this one for Gazpacho Beef Salad. I decided to give it a whirl.

My correspondent said he is working with the Texas Beef Council and that they are trying to “get bloggers engaged with Texas beef.” Little did he know that I’m almost married to it! Well, no…I’m married to Mr. Tucker (he’s not a Texas native). But, I am definitely a carnivore!

I perused the meat counter

and, since Dan didn’t have any shoulder steak or top round, I settled for sirloin tip. I also picked up a couple of rib-eyes for another day! My mouth is already watering!

I gathered up all the items I would need for the salad.

Then, I got out my knife to chop. I cut the recipe in half (not literally), because it’s just the two of us. Now I never follow a recipe exactly, but I didn’t change much. I think it would be perfect “as is.” I added a teaspoon of onion to the dressing, and I switched the bell pepper in the salad part to roasted red bell pepper, because my husband likes it better.

I put the steak in the V-8 juice (that’s what the recipe really means when it says “spicy 100% vegetable juice”) and popped it into the fridge.

Everything was chopped and ready in less than 15 minutes. It has taken me longer to blog this than it did to prepare it. I broiled the steak indoors, because it’s too dadgum hot to go outside! Actually, I could have put the meat on a flat rock in the sun and it would have been cooked in 20 minutes. But, I broiled it for about 18 minutes, slice it and tossed the salad, and we had ourselves a meal.

Oh, man! THAT is delicious!

I’ll be looking through the Texas Beef Council’s Recipe Book some more. I’ve already found a recipe with beef AND bacon!! I could cry for joy. Y’all come over and I’ll cook for you.