Archive from September, 2011
Sep 28, 2011 - Posts    1 Comment

Filet Mignon with Rosemary and Mushroom Gravy

I made this recipe for the first time back in May. As I mentioned in my crab dip post, it was a celebratory dinner of sorts and I wanted to surprise my husband with something really special. He loves steak and mushrooms and I found this on Epicurious. I was drooling at my desk just reading the recipe. I couldn’t wait to buy the ingredients and get busy cooking it.

Needless to say it was a success and it’s now one of his favorite dishes. When I made the filets and gravy last time – I incurred some collateral damage. Somehow, when I was taking the steaks out of the oven, a seemingly easy task, I burned my left arm. I medermaed the heck out of it but I still have a scar. However, if you don’t burn yourself like I did, you’ll end up with a delicious meal.

 

 

Filet Mignon with Rosemary and Mushroom Gravy Recipe

Ingredients

 Steaks

Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 (8-ounce) filet mignon steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Gravy

 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small shallots, minced
2 cups (about 5 ounces) assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake and button, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

 

Directions

Steak

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a small baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside. Season the steaks with salt and pepper, to taste. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes for medium-rare doneness. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes on a cutting board.
 
 

Gravy

In the same skillet used for the steak, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beef broth and rosemary. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until half of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
 
 

Servings = 2

Sep 27, 2011 - Posts    2 Comments

Snack Time

A week or so ago, I was told we may have some friends over for dinner. So, of course, the planner that I am I made a menu and a list then went grocery shopping. It was the week before their wedding, so they weren’t able to make it – so I had some herbed goat cheese and Endives laying around which I had planned to use for an appetizer.

Not really sure what to do with endives, other than slip them in with some mixed greens on a salad, I made my appetizer anyway and served it while dinner was cooking in the oven.

 

 

 

Endive and Herbed Goat Cheese Appetizer Recipe

Ingredients

1 Endive (or more if you’d like)
3 Tablespoons Herbed Goat Cheese
¼ cup Chopped Walnuts

 

Directions

Wash the endives, peel apart carefully and dry on paper towels.
Mix together chopped walnuts and herbed goat cheese until mixed well.
Arrange endives on a plate, place a small piece of goat cheese on the end of each endive leaf.
Using the goat cheese walnut mixture, form a loose ball with your hands and place in the middle of the plate. Serve with crackers. 
Sep 26, 2011 - Posts    2 Comments

Baked Eggplant Chicken

At my wedding, my siblings gave a wonderful speech. Each of them listed off the reasons why I’d be missed once I move out. I found out, the only reason they’ll miss me is because I won’t be around to share my computer and car, I won’t be able to give them money or be blamed for things I didn’t do, and of course, I won’t be an on-call essay editor/rewriter for high school and college papers. The latter isn’t necessarily true. Now that my sister’s applying to post-graduate institutions and my brother is getting ready for the whole college admissions process I have been summoned to help them both, more or less, get accepted through their writing.

I’ve seen them both write. What’s most interesting is that they are both considering fields in which writing and literature are not essential to their studies. Their idea of  a personal essay is one in which every sentence starts with “I” and continues on with “because.” It’s hard for me to understand because I spend 90% of my time writing proposals, memos, speeches, news releases, etc. But I’ve come to the realization that not everyone has the ability to organize their thoughts in a cohesive and audience-grabbing way.

Enter older sibling that offers her editing services.

In this time of need – they need – I have offered my editing and services to my younger siblings whose post-grad and college careers depend on whether or not some admissions portfolio reviewer is moved by their essay or academic and extra-curricular background without ever meeting them. My sister is was over to work on her essay. This kind of occasion calls for a special meal. Something healthy and easy, but tastes like comfort food – you know, to feed the brain.

 

 

 

Baked Eggplant Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts
1 Large Eggplant
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
Rosemary, dried and leaves
Basil, dried
½ Onion
Olive Oil
 
 

Directions

Cut eggplant into rounds
Sauté in olive oil until lightly browned. Remove from oil onto paper towel.
Sauté onions in pan with the same olive oil until translucent (you may need to add more olive oil). Add diced tomatoes. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, rub chicken breasts with dry rosemary and basil and place in a baking dish.
Lay pieces of eggplant as you like over and around chicken
Spoon/pour tomato mixture over chicken and eggplant. Top with Rosemary leaves cover with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  
Sep 24, 2011 - Posts    No Comments

Salmon Salad

After an afternoon of errands, and mostly shopping – and let’s not forget the ridiculously huge Burger Joint burger and side of fries, oh yea and a strawberry milkshake – I thought I should probably take it easy for dinner tonight. It was definitely one of those let’s pretend all the junk I ate today didn’t have any calories kind of day.  Salad is light, depending on the ingredients you use, so I went for a salad. I don’t really have salad items, however I had an unopened package of mixed greens, some smoked salmon and a brand new package of herbed goat cheese I knew I’d be able to put to use. From there, I created the salmon salad.  For dressing, I added a couple swirls of lemon juice.

 

 

Salmon Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Mixed Greens
Smoked Salmon
Capers
Herbed Goat Cheese
Pine Nuts
Lemon Juice
 

Directions

Mix together mixed greens, salmon, capers, goat cheese and pine nuts. Add lemon juice.
Sep 23, 2011 - Posts    1 Comment

Easy Crab Parmesan Dip

A few months ago, I made a celebratory dinner of sorts for my husband. Along with a Filet Mignon with Rosemary Mushroom Gravy, I made an appetizer – Warm Crab Parmesan dip served with pita chips. Ever since then, my husband has been asking for the dip by name. I don’t make it often at all because, as you’ll see from the ingredients, it’s not very heart-healthy. It’s really easy to make, and absolutely delicious. We’ve had it with pita chips, tortillas and even water crackers.

Since we haven’t had it in a while, and I just bought some pita chips at Safeway last weekend, I decided to make some. I’m telling you, people love this stuff – it’s perfect for a night in, or even to take along to parties.

 

 

Crab Parmesan Dip Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 package of crabmeat
½ cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together crabmeat, cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, sour cream and garlic in a baking dish.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Sep 21, 2011 - Posts    3 Comments

Chili Bowls

I credit my mom with this idea. Why serve chili in a plain old bowl when you can serve it in a bread bowl topped with melted cheese?

The chili recipe is not original by any means. I will openly admit that I asked my friend McCormick for some help. Conveniently, McCormick makes these easy-to-follow instructions with each packet of chili mix.

After a long day at work, chili was just what I needed to relax. I had a side of The X-Factor with my chili bowl. It was perfect.

 

 

Chili Bowls Recipe

Ingredients

1 pkg. McCormick® Chili Seasoning Mix
1 lb. lean ground Beef
2 cans (8 oz. each) Tomato Sauce OR 1 can (14 ½ oz.) Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 to 16 oz.) Kidney or Pinto beans, undrained
Shredded Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese
Kaiser Rolls

Directions

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat.
Stir in Seasoning Mix, tomato sauce and beans.
Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the chili is simmering, cut the top of the Kaiser roll to form a small bowl – do not remove the insides.
Once chili is cooked, spoon chili into the bread bowl, top with cheese and broil until the cheese melts. 
Pages:1234»