Makeover Philly Steak and Cheese Stromboli

April rain and the redbud out by the church. Set the Table at New Birth Saturday morning. Six girls. We did baked chicken.

Daddy in his apartment in the back. I brought him his coffee and his medication this morning. He grumbled. The grumble was the love. Marcus, 20, studying for finals at Alabama.

Smothered turkey wings Sunday. Onion gravy. Rice underneath.

Jasmine, 18, home from Howard for the weekend. Isaiah, 18, called from Charlotte — coaching season starting.

I sat at the kitchen table with my tea after everybody went to sleep. Just me and the quiet.

Daddy sat in his chair after dinner watching the news. He fell asleep before the third quarter. Standard.

Saturday morning I had Set the Table at the Cascade Heights center. Twelve young women. We did baked chicken. One of them — Imani, sixteen — was so afraid of seasoning that she barely shook the salt. I stood next to her and put my hand over hers and said, baby, you cannot be afraid of food. We seasoned the chicken. The chicken came out right. She glowed.

Wednesday Bible study at the church. We read through Proverbs. The women in my row argued about whether wisdom is built or born. I said both. They agreed, sort of.

Pastor preached about the prodigal son again. He preaches about that boy at least three times a year. The text is the text but every preaching is different. I cried in the second service this time. Don't ask me why.

Derek and I had date night Friday. Same restaurant, same booth, same enchiladas for me and carne asada for him.

The neighbors had a Friday cookout this week. I brought my mac and cheese. They have come to expect this. I have come to expect this. The block is the block.

The kids were home for the weekend. The house was loud the way it should be.

Andre called from LA. He told the Kevin Hart story again. Twenty-some years and that boy is still telling that story. Everyone in this family is going to hear about Kevin Hart at our funerals.

The blood pressure check was Wednesday. The numbers were borderline. The doctor wants me to walk more. I am walking more.

I read for an hour Sunday night before bed. Some novel about a Black woman in 1960s Alabama. Mama would have liked it.

Tuesday evening I sat at the kitchen table with my composition notebook and worked on the cookbook. From Brenda's Kitchen — that's the working title. I cannot write the introduction without crying yet.

I made a casserole for the church potluck. The pan came back empty. That is the only review I trust.

Thursday I made cornbread for a sister at church whose husband had surgery. I dropped it off at the hospital. She cried at the door. I told her, eat the cornbread, baby. The food is the saying.

I drove to the Walmart on Camp Creek Saturday morning. The kind of grocery run that takes two hours because you run into three people you know. Sister Patrice caught me in the produce. We talked about her grandbaby for fifteen minutes.

Darnell sent a photo from Clarksville. The garden is producing. He grew tomatoes the size of softballs. I sent him back a photo of my sweet potato casserole. We are competitive about food now in our middle age.

I went to the cemetery Saturday morning. Brenda's grave is on the hill at South-View. Curtis still goes most Sundays. I left a small bouquet of magnolias.

I had a hard counseling case at school this week. A seventh-grade girl whose mama lost her job. We talked. I gave her my number. I told her she could call.

After spending Saturday morning watching Imani finally trust her own hand with the salt shaker, I kept thinking about the kind of recipes I want in the Set the Table rotation — dishes that look like you worked harder than you did, that feel like a reward, and that give a young woman something to stand behind with confidence. This Makeover Philly Steak and Cheese Stromboli has been in my back pocket for a while now. It’s the kind of thing that feeds a table without fussing, and the kind of thing I wouldn’t mind seeing in From Brenda’s Kitchen someday — because Mama believed the food should always do a little extra talking.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 lb lean beef sirloin, very thinly sliced
1 package (13.8 oz) refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Cook the vegetables. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Cook the beef. In the same skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over high heat. Add the thinly sliced sirloin in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 1–2 minutes, then stir and break apart. Season with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, remaining salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook until no longer pink, about 3–4 minutes total. Drain any excess liquid.
Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, unroll the pizza dough and stretch it into a roughly 12x14-inch rectangle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
Layer the filling. Lay the provolone slices down the center of the dough lengthwise, leaving a 2-inch border on all sides. Spoon the cooked beef evenly over the cheese, then top with the sautéed vegetables.
Roll and seal. Fold the short ends of the dough in first, then roll the long sides up and over the filling, pinching the seam firmly to seal. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet.
Egg wash and score. Brush the top and sides of the stromboli with the beaten egg. Using a sharp knife, cut 3–4 diagonal slits across the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake. Bake at 400°F for 22–25 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and cooked through. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing into 6 pieces and serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Makeover Philly Steak and Cheese Stromboli — When the Food Does the Teaching