My maiden name is Walker. One of the strong Walker traits is a love of FOOD. If I stop for an ice cream cone at 10:00 a.m., someone (um, probably Brett) is sure to comment “Walker blood is still running strong through you!”

But there is no shame in my food game! Growing up in Southeast Kansas, we made our rounds to every nearby town to try out new restaurants, or revisit tried and true establishments. On Monday nights my best friend’s mom would take us to Papa Don’s Pizza, while she met with her fellow teachers. We thought we were pretty special with our own table and our own platter of breadsticks. They have the BEST cheese breadsticks! Seriously, how can dough and cheese be made so special by these folks?!

Tuesdays were taco days at the local Taco Tico. Have you ever had a Taco burger??? You’ll have to wait, that’s for another blog…Other nights we would venture out of Bourbon County to surrounding towns. Chicken Annies near Arma, JT’s in Nevada, Trailblazer in Deerfield, just to name a few.

There was one place, though, we kids never even asked or mentioned going to. It was just TOO special. We knew by the cloth napkins and fancy salad dressing holder, that place must be expensive! That’s where our parents went on date nights. Where our grandparents went for anniversary parties. If you lived in Southeast Kansas, it was the place you went with your fancy pants on. So if Dad asked us if we wanted to go to Jim’s, we jumped at the chance! JIM’S STEAK HOUSE. Everything understated on the exterior, except for a very recognizable neon sign. That sign still lights up Broadway street in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Thing is, it’s not crazy expensive. They just have a way of making dinner there “feel” expensive. Waiters all dressed uniformly in slacks and white pressed shirts would first serve you water and bread. Which, to a kid, is basically heaven while waiting to order. Soft music played. Fancy drinks were served to the adults. On a rare occasion, we kids would get a Shirley Temple in a high ball glass. When the salads came out, the waiter placed a silver dressing server in the middle of the table. It was mesmerizing! It offered four choices of dressing with tiny ladles, and it spun around! Well if you could spin it without your mom smacking you first. Then a steaming platter of onion rings would arrive. I would burn my mouth shoving a handful of those searing hot, lightly breaded onions in my mouth! Oh it was just all SO good! But the BEST was yet to come.

The traditions have not changed since my youth. Neither have their signature recipes. If you are a regular patron of Jim’s (that’s what the locals call it), then you know the menu item I am about to discuss. The ultimate, most requested entree. BEEF TIPS. Divine.

As a child I knew that the filet was out of our price range. And a T-Bone was just too huge and intimidating. But those beef tips. Moderately priced, and it had options. I myself, love a menu with options! Should I have the tips with caramelized onions? Maybe with mushrooms? Or be a real rebel and get both!

Beef tips are actually a Beef Sirloin Tip Steak. As for the cut, simply put, that steak can be rather tough to chew. Great flavor, but not the most tender cut of beef.

Jim’s realized that if they cut that steak into bite-sized pieces and marinated it, they got a superb addition to their steak house menu! Once marinated, the tips are thrown on a flat top or skillet and seared on the outside, leaving a tender pink center. The bonus of bite-sized pieces is that there are multiple sides of the beef that get that nice seared edge. Extra flavor all around!

Beef tips are also a great addition to your dinners at home. No need to get on your fancy pants, unless you are feeling extra special of course. Simply take a thawed B/F Sirloin Tip Steak and cut into bite-sized pieces and trim away any muscle fibers or sinew.

Next place in a marinade. I have attached a recipe for the one I prefer. But if you have a favorite, try it! This is one recipe that is easy to personalize. I usually place my beef tips in the marinade in the morning, but even 1 hour in the marinade is enough to get that extra tenderness and flavor addition.

Once you have marinated the beef, cut up any “options” you might want. Onions, pepper, mushrooms, etc. If you like broccoli, cut up a head and steam it, while you work on the beef. I have a yummy surprise for you at the end.

Get a cast iron skillet screaming hot. Melt some butter in there. Then toss in your B/F Sirloin Tip Steak pieces. Making sure they aren’t touching each other. You can do this in batches if necessary. Cook on all sides until you reach Medium Rare. (Well Done beef tips are not an option, unless you have really strong chompers.) Once the tips are all cooked, remove them to a waiting platter, add your “options” to the skillet and cook them to desired doneness. Then add them to the platter of beef tips. Ta-Da! A delicious, fancy beef dinner!

 Now I know I will lose about half of   you here, But here is where the   broccoli comes in…. Keep your cast   iron hot. Then throw inyour steamed   broccoli and add a big pat of butter,   salt and pepper. Stir occasionally   making sure to scrape up all the good steak bits off the bottom of the skillet.   Cook about 5 minutes. That’s all. But I promise it’s some of the best broccoli   you’ve ever had. P.S. that is not a Jim’s Steak House specialty. That’s a “Libby   needs her kids to eat more veggies” specialty.

So if you need a way to woo your lady, take her to Jim’s in Pittsburg Kansas. But if you just want to give your family a yummy economical steak dinner, try the B/F Sirloin Beef Tip Steak ! You won’t be disappointed. And if anyone finds one of those fancy salad dressing servers at an estate sale, send it my way!