This past Monday we had an 88-degree day. In Omaha. In March. In the midwest you learn to celebrate good weather when it’s here because it doesn’t always last (case in point: Tuesday morning was a real feel of 27). On this particular occasion, that meant rushing to the grocery store after work for some good, thick steaks and getting these bad boys on the grill.

After learning how to make restaurant-style steaks (searing on a cast iron on the stovetop and then finishing in a hot oven) a couple years ago, I have to confess that we don’t do steaks on the grill, like, ever. The stovetop-to-oven method is basically foolproof and always serves us well. But, in Bobby Flay we trust, so we decided we’d give his recipe for perfectly grilled steaks a shot.

Steak and grilled foods tend to pair well with acidic, citrusy flavors, so I whipped up a quick salsa to serve alongside the meat. I would normally have added lime juice to something like this, but all we had was a grapefruit, so I went for it and am glad I did…it added the perfect sweetness to balance out the cayenne, and I definitely see this salsa making a lot of appearances this summer.

I also picked up a par-baked loaf of bread, cut a few uneven slices, and rubbed them with butter. The bread got perfectly charred after a couple minutes on the grill.

Of course, no meal is complete without the perfect drink pairing. Thanks to Kevin’s amazing aunt and uncle for picking up some Hangar 24 Orange Wheat in Arizona, we enjoyed a little taste of California right in our own backyard. Summer, I can almost taste you!

A few more photos from the meal, plus the “recipe” below…