The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series runs the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway today. Watching a race in Kansas requires a good steak. Today’s race race will cut the playoff group in the Elimination Round of  8 with only four races left in the season after today. I’m hoping that Chase Elliott makes the cut! As I cheer him on, I’ll be baking potatoes, and Mike will be grilling some steaks. I’ll be drinking some red wine, too, of course. A Sunday race on an October afternoon is perfect for some quality grilling.

The key to Kansas worthy steaks is a thick cut and flavorful seasoning. We season with a Fiesta Brand minced garlic as well as a fajita seasoning blend. Fiesta Brand seasoning is a family run business in San Antonio, Texas. The meat market run by the same family is located blocks from a school at which I used to teach. It was very convenient to swing by on my way home to pick up some meat, seasoning and cooking advice. Fiesta Brand fajita seasoning works well beyond just fajitas. I use it on almost everything!  

If you like potatoes with your steak like my family, getting a soft, creamy potato is the goal. I’ve tried baking potatoes many ways, but the most consistent results are achieved through the simplest method: baking in the natural jacket. I wash them, puncture with a fork and bake at 450 degrees directly on the oven shelf for an hour and twenty minutes. If your potatoes aren’t as massive as mine, they won’t take as long. We top off our potatoes with butter, cheese an bacon pieces.

For a fancy touch, soften some butter and mix in some garlic  I finely chop fresh garlic and smash it up to make it paste like before mixing it
with butter,  I use two cloves with half a stick of butter, but you can
vary the proportions to your own preference.  I put a good size dollop of the garlic butter on top of the steak right before serving.

After grillin’ and while I’m still swillin’ and watchin’, I’ll break out the cards for a little playin’ too.  With Hollywood Casino as the race sponsor, it only seems right to put in a little card game during the race.  Some of our favorite card games are Blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em.  We will just be playing for fun, but there will be games for real in Kansas!

Join me today with a juicy steak, a creamy potato and a glass of red wine while we watch NASCAR in Kansas and play some cards. I hope Chase Elliott is dealt a great hand today!