Tasked with going to the grocery store without a plan, I tend to resort to simple meals. Here’s an old favorite–a ribeye steak, brussel sprouts, and wild rice with lentils.

The wild rice and lentils were a childhood favorite side dish. I’m confident I could polish off as much of it as my father could make, but I’m equally certain that he just poured the wild rice mix out of a box. Sadly, I can’t seem to find any wild rice that comes with lentils, so I thought I’d just throw in a handful. Soaked for about 15 minutes while the wild rice simmered, then tossed in to blend nicely.

I don’t know why more people don’t like brussel sprouts–they’re like tiny little cabbages. Tossed in balsamic vinegar, oil, and salt, then baked for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Toss on a little extra balsamic at the end. Nom.

And then the ribeye. It’s a pretty straightforward steak, marbled plenty to give it lots of flavor, even though it’s cooked off the bone. I mix up equal parts kosher salt and ground black pepper, then generously cover both sides of the steak. I melted a tablespoon of butter in a hot skillet, let the steaks sear on both sides for about two or three minutes, then ran them out to a pre-heated grill for two to three minutes per side.

One of the most critical things, in my opinion, is to let the steaks sit for a few minutes (covered with foil) before serving. I know, I know… it’s so tough when that delicious steak is sitting there, your mouth watering in anticipation. Trust me. Wait it out just about five minutes. Then have at it. You won’t be sorry.