Beef of Filet

I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten's Back to Basics episode last week.. and boy did it look good. This is my version of her Filet of Beef sandwich. There were actually a few things that I changed. For starters, I used round roast. I'm just starting out this cooking deal, and I didnt know there was a difference between a filet of beef and round roast.. and to my surprise, lol, there is!!! Its a lot tougher then the filet. According to what I have read, the filet is really tender and basically melts in your mouth. Knowing is half the battle. Next time it will be perfect, but anways back to what I changed. Ina Garten used a truffle butter, so I had to hunt down this sacred truffle butter. (Which at the end, I could have done with out.) Also she used Arugula, and I dont particularly like arugula, so I opted for spinach. I added a little bit of olive oil and a hint of vinegar on the spinach and closed him up and divided it in to sections. Lets just say that my hunnie was a very big fan of this meal I have prepared.This is definately one for the books...and the best part of it all, the ingredients are minimal. So here's the recipe, taken from Foodnetwork.com. I hope you all enjoy.

Beef of Filet

1 whole filet of beef (4-5 pounds), trimmed and tied ( dont make the same mistake i made)

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature ( so you can spread with your fingers)

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 500°F

Place the beef on a baking sheet and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Spread the butter on with your hands. Sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 22 minutes for rare, 25 minutes for medium rare and 30 minutes for medium well.

Remove the beef from the oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove strings and slice the filet thinly.

I used fresh French bread for the sandwich, but you could use what ever you have on hand or your favortie kind. Spread a thin layer of chocloate truffle butter on the bottom half of the bread. Layer the filet slices and top with arugula or spinach. (Next time I think I will try it with arugula. I think the bitterness of the leaves and the filet with truffles might give it a crisp taste.) Enjoy!

Apple Taretlettes

Warm apples with cinnamon and sugar remind me of cool, dreary days when all you wanna do is stay in bed, curled up with a good book and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Those are the days I long for. Spring is right around the corner, and as the beautiful colors of spring flowers begin to bloom and give color to our lives, I don't lose hope for another cold front to breeze on by. This apple tartelette was so good and simple to make.

Apple Tartelettes

Apple Filling

Flaky sweet pastry dough ( see below for recipe )

4 Golden Delicious or Gala Apples

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pastry Dough

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

7 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small squares

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp ice water

To make pastry dough:

• Place the flour, sugar and salt in the food processor. Pulse to combine. 
• Add the butter squares and pulse until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
• Add the water and slowly pulse until the pastry mixture begins to hold together.
• Form a flat square and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• Divide the dough into four equal parts. Roll each portion into a 6x6 square. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to bake.
• Peel and core the apples, then cut into thin strips 
• Heat the butter until hot ( not bubbly ) in a large frying pan

• Add apples and sugar to butter. Saute apples until lightly golden brown and they begin to caramelize.
• Remove pastry dough  from refrigerator, and spoon the apples into the center of the pastry squares.
• Fold up the ends of the dough and pinch the corners forming about a one inch border.

• Brush the border of the dough with beaten egg.
• Bake in the center of the over until golden around the edges, about 20-25 minutes.
• Combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

• Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon and serve. I can only imagine this with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream it would be even yummier..

Valentine's Dinner

I know alot of people like to go out to dinner on special holidays, but is it really worth it? There's always a long wait, the service is sub-par, and the menu... lets not even go there. After going out once or twice on a lovey-dovey holiday, whether it be Mother's day, Valentine's day or even father's day (which I think is overlooked), I have decided to stay home an make dinner for the one I love. This year, my hunnie and I are out of town, but that doesn't discourage me. I've got an entire meal planned out for us. I got this recipe from a Food Network magazine. The article is called "Surf & Turf for Two".... Without an oven, I made do with what I had. This is how it turned out..

And it was pretty tasty. Shrimp wrapped in pancetta, Green beans cooked with onions and pancetta, mashed potatoes, and of course, beef tenderloin, topped with an herbed oil.

This beef tenderloin was my favorite. I mean, c'mon, it looks delish!!! 

Dinner was a success. My man loved it. And best of all is that he didn't even notice that it was missing any thing. So, Here's the original recipe for those of you that wanna stay in this year and make it special.

Surf & Turf for Two

Ingredients

For the Herb Oil:

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Surf and Turf:

• 6 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails intact)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus 2 to 3 sprigs
• Freshly ground pepper
• 6 slices pancetta (about 2 ounces)
• 1 10-ounce piece beef tenderloin, trimmed
• Sea salt
• 8 asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

Make the herb oil: Pulse the parsley, chives and olive oil in a mini food processor until smooth. Thin with water, if necessary, and add 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and set aside. (This can be done up to 2 hours ahead.)

Prepare the surf and turf: Toss the shrimp, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped thyme, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Wrap each shrimp with a piece of pancetta.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the shrimp on a foil-lined broiler pan. Season the beef with sea salt and pepper, press the thyme sprigs into the meat and set aside. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. Put the asparagus in a microwave-safe dish with 1/4 cup water and a pinch of sea salt.

Heat a medium ovenproof skillet over high heat and add the butter. When the foam subsides, sear the beef until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using tongs, hold the meat and brown the sides. Transfer the skillet to the broiler and cook until a thermometer inserted into the beef registers 125 degrees F for medium rare, about 4 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to rest while you cook the shrimp.

Broil the shrimp until the pancetta is crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, microwave the asparagus until tender, about 2 minutes.

Slice the beef into 4 pieces. Serve with the shrimp, herb oil and asparagus.

Candied Lemon Wheels

I found this recipe on Biscuitsandsuch.com and it looked so good.

So I though I would give it a try. It can be a topper to any dessert. 

Best of all, you can keep the syrup you used to make this and use it as

a lemon flavored simple syrup. Can be added to drinks, food, etc. 

Candied Lemon Wheels

1 lemon

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

Bring the water and sugar to a gentle boil.

Cut the lemon into paper thin wheels.

Once sugar is completely dissolved, drop in the lemon wheels and let simmer about 15-20 mins, or until the lemons are translucent.

Remove lemon wheels from simple syrup and let rest on a flat plate or surface until hardened.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

This is the first time I have ever made pancakes from scratch.. They were crazy easy! A little bit of this and a bit of that and viola! yummy pancakes. I added apples and cinnamon to give it a little more flavor and it was worth it. They are Delish! Or should I say "were"?!? 

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

1 cup plain flour ( I'm pretty sure you can use wheat flour and it might even taste better)

1 tbsp granulated sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

1 small apple, chopped into small cubes

2 tsp cinnamon powder

Maple syrup

1. Combine all of your dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, and then add all of your wet ingredients. 
2. Whisk batter until smooth.
3. Add in the cinnamon powder and apples
4. Then, with a ladle, pour the batter onto an oiled frying pan on medium-low setting or number 4.( If you have a non-stick skillet, its better for making pancakes.)
5. Once the pancake batter begins to bubble around the edge and in the center, its time to flip.
6. Give it about 2-3 minutes on each side. 
7. Top with a few pieces of fresh apples and maple syrup

Greek Food Festival

Greek Food Festival

I have never been to one, but there's always a first time for everything.

My Hunnie bun and I enjoying the food, music and company.

Mom and Pops

Mmmm. My cheese is being fried. 

Saganaki

Saganaki & Loukaniko (sauted sausage and lemon)

served with pita. And a ice cold Greek beer?

Mythos.

Breakfast Incognito

Here's another yummy breakfast meal... and its light.

I was going to make my self an omelette this morning and this is what my hubby wanted. 

When I took one look at it, I fell... and I fell hard. 

It just looked so good.. except, I made myself one and it looked nothing like this

delicious sandwich. Still, it was REALLY good.

Mmmm.. Yummy...