UPDATE: COMMENTS ON THIS ENTRY ARE NOW CLOSED AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY PRIVATE SELECTION FOR KROGER, BUT AS ALWAYS ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.
I remember the first time I ever actually liked steak: it was on my dad’s birthday, and my mom made steak with a blue cheese and walnut compound butter that was smothered all over the top. As a kid I just didn’t love steak – probably a flavor thing – but the moment that butter met the meat I was smitten forever.
Isn’t it incredible how simple memories like that can penetrate our brains? I certainly can’t remember a lot of other meals that I’ve eaten, but I remember the lighting in that room, the way my plate looked, where I was sitting and exactly when my brain registered, “OMG HEATHER THIS IS SO STINKING GOOD!” I remember it all! How nuts is that?
Needless to say compound butters have been a favorite in my kitchen ever since. Recently I was contacted by my friends over at Private Selection for Kroger to try out a new line of finishing butters (flavor-infused butter goodness). I was immediately enthralled with the flavors, and so the moment the butters were delivered to my door I tore open the packaging to see what I was getting myself into. Lemon pepper butter. Honey butter. Cinnamon brown sugar butter. Roasted garlic and herb butter. CARAMEL SEA SALT BUTTER.
Swoon.
In the interest of reliving that steak-love moment of long ago, I decided to create a really yummy and simple seared steak with the salted caramel butter on top. No, there’s no blue cheese (some of you will probably be happy about that one – I know Nate is), but the caramel flavor is perfection with the salty steak. Fresh cracked black pepper is a great touch, and your friends and family just won’t know what hit ’em!
FOR THE STEAK:
- 12 ounces steak cut of choice; I like a good New York Strip if I can get my hands on it at a reasonable price! You do want something that has some fat marbling in it
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1/2 Tbsp pepper
- pinch of sugar
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Private Selection Caramel Sea Salt Butter
Heat a skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium low heat for about 5-6 minutes until very very hot. Season both sides of the steak with the salt and pepper and a sprinkle of sugar. I know it seams like a lot, but especially for the thicker steaks you’ll want that salt! When the skillet is hot add the olive oil and place the steak in the skillet. Sear for about 3-5 minutes per side, depending on how well you like your steak. I did 3 minutes on one side and 4 on the other, and my steak was about 1 inch thick. When you’re done cooking it, remove it to a plate and cover with foil for 10 minutes. Slice thinly and serve with the caramel sea salt butter!
Something I can’t have without a little butter is a great baked sweet potato. Sure, I love the sweet potato flesh as-is, but as the saying goes it really is better with butter. And you guys? When that butter has honey and/or cinnamon brown sugar in it – well, I think that’s what we call a win. A great big huge win!
See, baking or microwaving a sweet potato is super easy. It’s safe. It’s delicious. And let’s just say you can have a good healthy side with a ton of flavor in a matter of minutes – who wouldn’t want that, right?!
Plus the way I see it is that steak up there could use a good potato friend to make a man-food kind of meal, but the butter adds a good girly twist!
FOR THE POTATO:
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- Private Selection Honey Butter or Cinnamon Brown Sugar Butter (or both!)
Preheat oven to 400. Wash the sweet potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for 60-75 minutes, or until the potato is very soft. Slice down the center to expose the flesh and add the butter as desired!
Finally we’re making our way to a phenomenon: the only way I can get my son to eat broccoli. It still baffles me that he doesn’t like broccoli – the roasted stuff is the BEST – but alas he doesn’t.
That is until I slather it with the roasted garlic and herb butter. It’s all I can do to get the plate in front of him before I get ninja-kicked in the eardrums by a hungry toddler. This is another super simple side, one that can be made in the oven, microwave or stovetop with little effort. You can certainly also use frozen broccoli florets as well – I won’t judge! Because let’s be honest, as much as I love broccoli it’s really just a vehicle for butter in this case. And you won’t be sorry, promise!
FOR THE BROCCOLI:
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets
- Private Selection Roasted Garlic & Herb Butter
Place the broccoli florets in a large microwave-safe pan. Add about 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan with plastic wrap or a microwave-safe lid. Microwave for about 3-4 minutes to steam. Drain the liquid and serve with the butter, no other seasoning required!
Honestly the options are endless with these things, and they are just SO good. They all taste like heaven to me!
So here’s the deal: my kind friends over at Private Selection are doing a sweet giveaway for you guys! One lucky winner will get a Private Selection Kit filled with a sample of our artisanal-inspired ingredients and a $100 gift card, so they can try the butters for yourself! To enter the giveaway just leave a comment below telling me which butter stands out to you and how you’d want to use it. I will pick a winner on Sunday, November 24, at noon CST and will email the winner directly.
probably too late caramel sea salt
Caramel sea salt butter. Stop it. I can’t stand it! Delish!
I would say the caramel sea salt would be my choice. God bless you!
I want to try the honey butter on pancakes or crepes.
Please sign me up for the caramel sea salt.
have a great day!
The honey butter must be delicious!
I would love to try the caramel sea salt.Thanks!
I bet the caramel sea salt would be great melted and poured over ice cream. I want to try them all!!!!
The Honey Butter sounds great! Would go great not only on sweet potatoes, but also on corn cakes!
Hmmmm, I’m thinking the Roasted Garlic & Herb Butter because I’m mostly whipping something together with veggies!! HOWEVER, the Caramel Sea Salt & Honey sound diiiiiiivine!! 🙂
The caramel sea salt sounds fabulous – i would use it for my cinnamon rolls to make them extra gooey and delish
I’m curious to try the Caramel Sea Salt Butter!
I’d go “East” and make an orange-glazed duck or turkey with the Honey Finishing Butter.
When it’s raining and cold outside, I’m thinking of something both savory and sweet…served hot!
Mmmm…I’d love to try the Caramel Sea Salt Butter on toast, waffles, and popcorn!!!
I’m thinking the Lemon, Garlic & Herb Finishing Butter would be delicious on some fresh fish! Grilled! Yum!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
I would use Private Selection Honey Butter on Waffles! YUM!! Butter is good!!!!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Caramel Sea Salt on sweet potatoes!
I can think of a million things to do with that honey butter!
I think Caramel Sea Salt Butter would be exceptional on top of a fresh baked yeast roll!
I think they all sound amazing, but I think I’d start with the Roasted Garlic & Herbs – I love a nice, crunchy vegetable with just a little seasoning on it – I think this would give just about any veggie a great flavor without needing to go overboard on the butter, or heavy on the seasoning. juuuust right!
i would use the honey butter for my carrots, biscuits, and cornbread.
I’d use the roasted garlic and herb for just about EVERYTHING. I’d put it on potatoes, sautee veggies in it. They all look fantastic though!
Oh, wow…these butters sound amazing! I like the Caramel Sea Salt butter and would use it with some apple muffins.
I think the caramel sea salt butter sounds most interesting. It’d probably be good on a toasted bagel. I think the roasted garlic and herbs butter seems very versatile, though, and I’d love to serve it on a steak or a baked potato.
Oh I must get my hands on the Caramel Sea Salt butter! Yum!!
Honey butter sounds like it would be so amazing on that sweet potato!
I could certainly see using the Honey Finishing Butter on some carrots or maybe roasted squash.
I would like to try caramel sea salt butter with corns. Sounds so yummy!
I’m a big fan of honey butter on warm yeast rolls… yum!
The Roasted Garlic and Herbs sounds wonderful! I’d use it on any and all vegetables. the Honey Butter good, too—I just read a recipe for honey roasted cauliflower—yum!
The Roasted Garlic and Herb butter sounds great!
This butter sounds amazing! I really want to try the roasted garlic & herb butter…I adore roasted garlic, and I would love to try this to make homemade garlic bread!
I want the brown sugar butter for some pancakes! Sounds amazing!
Oh that steak. I need more steak in my life.
In our college town, my husband and I had a Texas Roadhouse (not to be confused with Texas Steakhouse). And they served sweet rolls (think Hawaiian) with this incredible cinnamon butter. So yeah, that’s what I want to try: the cinnamon brown sugar butter with a pack of Hawaiian rolls and just go to town 🙂
Honey butter sounds amazing. I love baked sweet potatoes, and it would be perfect on that. Also good to put on my pumpkin muffins and so much more I’m sure!
They all sound amazing but the Honey butter stands out for the reason what a wonderful to delight the senses and taste bud early in the morning on a piece of toast or I make eggnog bread and then have french toast– so decadent.
For me the one that stands out is the honey butter. It can be used in so many different ways- in cookies, but for me in frosting- a cinnamon honey buttercream frosting is coming to mind…YUM
The caramel sounds delightful. I saw these in the store yesterday… can’t wait to try.
I love butter spreads for on a grilled steak! I make a tequila jalapeño butter spread I throw on steaks on the grill before they come off! Delicious! I would love to try the Private Selection Caramel Sea Salt Butter on a steak! Thanks for the chance!
I’d have to say the caramel sea salt, because it is the most original!!
So many ideas are running around in my head right now. One of the first ideas was adding some of the garlic & herb to roasted veggies, potatoes. The honey would taste yummy on homemade scones. The possibilities are endless.
I was literally salivating! I would like them all! I would use a sweet one (honey butter or brown sugar butter) on fresh dinner rolls. I might just eat the caramel sea salt one plain 😉 I wish I lived by a Kroger…that’s for sure!
I think the Lemon, Garlic & Herb Finishing Butter would be really good on fish or salmon maybe.
I’d try the Honey Butter. In addition to veggies, it would be great on cornbread, toast, and pancakes. Um, yeah, I’m a carb addict. 🙂
Roasted Garlic & Herb! After trying to make my own garlic & herb butter I can appreciate being able to buy it prepackaged! I would put it all over a broiling steak. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
The caramel sea salt butter sounds amazing and the perfect sweet and salty combo that would work great with anything from sautéed mushrooms to popcorn. I’d love to try it on roasted red potatoes with carmalized onions. Yum!
caramel sea salt?! No stinking way. That sounds amazing. I might put it on/in some brownies…hah.
But that honey butter would be amazing on roasted veggies, too!
OMG, I would to try out the caramel sea salt on our grass fed beef!
The roasted garlic and herb! I love roasted broccoli but it would be taken to a whole new level with that butter on top!
The honey one on the sweet potato looks so good! Just in time for thanksgiving!
Wow those are different flavors! I like how they added some variety to it like the caramel sea salt & the honey butter. I think the honey butter stood out to me the most since you can do so many things with it, like mix some cinnamon in–perfect with some dinner rolls for Thanksgiving. I love different butters with rolls. And that roasted Garlic & herb butter would go Devine over any poultry, like turkey just as well as steak.
I have to say the caramel sea salt because when I saw it I started drooling!