Steak Sides: White Bean & Sun-dried Tomato Salad with Dijon Spinach

I love a good steak. Medium rare with a good sear on it, please. Steak sides on the other hand can get a little boring. Steamed asparagus & baked potato is my default setting. So, when Ray came home from a recent grocery trip with a beautiful boneless ribeye I decided to try something new.

White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Salad, for 2-3

1 can giant white beans, drained & rinsed (white kidney beans will do too)

6-8 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil is best), julienned

6-8 large basil leaves, julienned

1 tbsp. olive oil (substitute the oil the tomatoes are packed in for an extra punch)

1 tsp. white truffle oil

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together & eat up. It's that easy!

Dijon Spinach, for 2-3

1 bunch baby spinach, stemmed

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1/8 c. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. olive oil

salt to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat & wilt the spinach. Salt to taste. While the spinach is wilting, whisk together the cream, white pepper & dijon. Pour the dijon mixture over the spinach & reduce heat to low. Cook for 2 minutes longer.

Beef Carpaccio & Garlic Artichokes

Our first Valentine's Day together was in 2007. Sick of waiting on tables in over crowded, impersonal restaurants & watching couples struggle to enjoy the "perfect night" together, we opted out. Armed with a bottle of Montepulciano Ray had stashed for ages from his brief stint in Italy, a DVD of the Apartment & a lovely piece of beef tenderloin we stayed in. Somehow, a musty rental house, a couple of candles & home cooked meal tops dinner reservations every time. So, with little fanfare, we achieved the "perfect night." The "perfect" Valentine's Day.

Beef Carpaccio, for 2

1 8-10 oz. beef tenderloin

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

salt to taste pepper to taste

1 small bunch arugula

1 small piece of parmigiano-reggiano

1 small lemon, zested & juiced

Freeze the tenderloin for at least one hour. Once frozen, heat a skillet over high heat (you want it very hot!) & throughly salt & pepper the tenderloin. Drizzle about half of the oil in the skillet & sear the tenderloin on all sides, about 4 minutes total. You're not trying to cook it through, just give it a good sear on the outside. Once seared, place the tenderloin back in the freezer for at least another hour. This will make it much easier to slice the meat very thinly.

While the meat is freezing, make a bed of arugula. After an hour, remove the tenderloin from the freezer & slice it as thinly as possibly (be very careful!). Arrange the slices on top of the arugula & toss some parmesan shavings over it (I usually use a vegetable peeler to get small parmesan shavings - though you could just grate it if you like). Finally, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice & zest. Serve at room temperature or cool.

Garlic Artichokes, for 2

1 large artichoke

6-8 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp. butter

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Sauce options: Garlic Lemon Butter, Rosemary Lime Mayo

Bring 1 c. salted water to a rolling simmer in a deep pot. Meanwhile, trim the pointy tops off all the artichoke leaves, trim the base of the stem off & trip the very top of the artichoke off (leaving you with a flat top & bottom). Stick garlic cloves & small cubes of butter between the leaves (no where specific, just anywhere you can wedge a bit in). Put the artichoke, stem end down, in the pot & cover it. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the leaves easily pull away. Halve the artichoke & scoop out the choke (the thistly part in the center) with a spoon. Serve with dipping sauces of choice. My two favorites are Garlic Lemon Butter & Rosemary Lime Mayo - I've included recipes below.

Garlic Lemon Butter

2 - 2 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

Whisk all ingredients together.

Rosemary Lime Mayo

3 tbsp. mayo

1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp. lime zest

Whisk all ingredients together. Enjoy!

Pink Buttercream

This pretty dude was resting on my desk when I got to work this morning. Nothing says "Valentine's Day" like a hot pink doughnut! If I'd had the foresight I might have picked up a dozen myself & iced them with a bit, or a lot, of buttercream.

Pink Buttercream, ices one cake or a dozen cookies, cupcake or doughnuts

adapted from Savory Sweet Life

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 c. confectioners sugar, sifted

4 tbsp. milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

8-12 drops pink food coloring

Cream the butter on medium speed in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes. Change the speed to low & add the confectioners sugar 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Increase the speed back to medium & add the vanilla & salt. If the icing is to runny add a bit more confectioners sugar. If it is too thick, add a bit more milk. Add the food coloring a few drops at a time until desired "pinkness" is reached & mix with a spatula. Grab your nearest baked good (think cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts) & ice away!

Negroni Chicken with Braised Blood Oranges

How ironic. Carefully slicing away at blood oranges until somehow my finger finds its way under my knife. My brand knew sharp-as-hell Global knife. Blood oranges indeed. Luckily that slip was nothing some gauze, a few bandaids & a big glass of wine couldn't fix. Admittedly, this dish is a little complicated & a bit of work, but it is well worth the blood, sweat & tears. Pun intended.

Negroni Chicken with Braised Blood Oranges, for 2

adapted from Bon Appetite, February 2011

1 bone in, skin on split chikcen breast

1 blood orange

1/2 c, chicken stock

1 small yellow onion, sliced

2 sprigs fresh thyme, minced, (about 2 tsp.)

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced (about 2 tsp.)

4 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 c. sweet vermouth

1 tsp. ground clove

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. orange zest (from the blood orange)

In a medium baking dish combine the vermouth, clove, cinnamon, orange zest & 1 tsp. minced thyme, then add the chicken & let marinate for at least 1 hour or over night.

Preheat the oven to 450F, both the oranges & chicken will cook at this temperature. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp. butter over med-low heat & saute the onion along with 1 tsp. thyme & 1 tsp. rosemary until very brown, 30 minutes. While the onions are browning, arrange the orange slices in a shallow baking dish. Then dot each slice with a bit of butter (this should take 2 tsbp in all) & sprinkle with 1 tsp. rosemary. Cover with chicken stock, about 1/4 c., then cover with foil. Bake on the lower rack for 45 minutes.

While the oranges are baking, heat the oil in an oven proof skillet (cast iron preferably). Add the chicken skin side down & sear until browned, bout 4 minutes. Flip & cook for another 2 minutes. Add the marinating liquides. Bake on the upper rack for 15-20 minutes or until the breast reached 160F when an instanr read thermometer..

While the chicken is baking, add the remaining stock & butter to the onions & reduce until syrupy.

Serve the chicken drizzled with the onions & sauce with the braised oranges on the side.

Tenderloin Split Pea Soup

When I was a kid I always kind of thought split pea soup looked like puke. I still kind of think it looks like puke, but I can get past it much more easily. I can get past it because I know it is delicious. You know this too, right? I hope so. If not then I've probably put you off the stuff forever with my aforementioned analogy. So, disregard your wild childhood imagination (& mine) & trust me when I say, you can not beat a bowl of earthy, robust split pea soup. Especially if you toss a pork tenderloin in there. Mmmm.

Tenderloin Split Pea Soup, for 2
1/2 lb. pork tenderloin, seasoned to taste*
1 c. dried split peas
2 c. water
2 c. chicken stock
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. bacon drippings (optional, but yummy)
2 ribs of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 c. buttermilk
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Season your pork tenderloin to your liking (*try salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary & olive oil). Roast at 350F for 30 minutes or until cooked through (an instant read thermometer should read about 160F). Set aside & let rest, about 10 minutes. After resting, cube the pork & set aside.

Bring the stock & water to a boil. Add the peas & let soak for an hour. Meanwhile, in a large pot saute the veggies & onions in the butter & bacon drippings until soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, thyme & rosemary, stir to combine. After the peas have soaked drop them, along with the broth & water into the pot with the veggies. Simmer for 20 minutes or until tender then puree with an immersion blender if you have it, or standard blender if not. Poor the pea puree back into the pot & add the buttermilk & pork. Bring back up to a slow simmer & serve with crusty bread.

Simple Supper: Spaghetti with Kale

It snowed!! Real, actual snow... in Texas... in central Texas! Granted it was scarcely an inch, but here that's enough snow to shut down the city. Don't ask me why, but we just can't handle this snow stuff. Last night while waiting for the "inclimate weather" to hit, I made a big batch of Spaghetti with Kale to get us through the storm. With a kick of red pepper & an extra hearty boost from the kale, this spaghetti really did the trick. Good thing I made a double batch since we're "snowed in."

Spaghetti with Kale, for 2

adapted from Real Simple, Feb '11

1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti or capellini

1 small bunch kale, coarsely chopped & stemmed

1 yellow onion, diced

4 - 5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes (fire roasted if you can find it)

1/4 c. tomato sauce

1/4 c. red wine

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 c. grated parmesan

salt & pepper to taste

Boil the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain & reserve 1/4 c. of pasta water. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium head in a large, deep saute pan or pot. Add the onions & saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano & a tsp. or so of salt & pepper, saute 1 minute longer. Add the kale & cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine & cook 1 minute, until reduced. Toss in the can of diced tomatoes & tomato sauce & simmer for a few minutes. Add the pasta & reserved water, toss to coat & serve with grated parmesan.

Kitchen to table time: 20 minutes, tops

Beet & Fennel Soup with Greek Yogurt

Considering this photo was the first tidbit shared here in months I figured I'd share the simple recipe that goes along with it. Why not, right? I'm sure with this nasty winter weather that is plaguing most of us right now you'd love nothing more than to curl up with a bowl of hot soup. Ok, maybe I'm projecting. Maybe it's just me that wants a hot bowl of pretty, warm, creamy, rich soup in my belly. I bet it's not though.

Beet & Fennel Soup with Greek Yogurt, for 6-8

adapted from Bon Appetite, January 2010

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved

1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

2 large beets, peeled & cut into small cubes

2 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 c. plain greek yogurt, plus more for serving

fennel fronds, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a deep stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel & fennel seeds & saute until the veggies soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cubed beets & stir to coat. Add the chicken broth & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer until beets are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup with an immersion blender, if you have one, or in batches in a blender. Return to the same pot & add the greek yogurt. Season to taste with salt & pepper & warm through. Garnish with fennel fronds & a bit more yogurt & if you're hungry & big hunk of crust bread.

Old habits.

I keep finding myself snapping shots of my meals. I haven't updated diligently in several months yet somehow I'm reaching for the nearest documenting tool, most often my phone, every time I sit down to dinner. Old habits die hard. And for good reason. Maybe some habits shouldn't die. Yes, you should quit smoking. Yes, you should stop checking your email every 2 minutes. Yes, you should stop biting your nails. But why not hang on to some of those "bad" habits? Yes, you should always cook way too much food. Yes, you should watch Netflix in bed with your doggies. Yes, you should keep documenting your meals, even if your food gets cold sometime. And, why not add a good habit back to the list? You should keep blogging. I should keep blogging. I think. Right? I've really missed sharing food experiences & ideas. A few kind friends have said they miss it too. So, with a little prompting from pals & my over crowded iPhoto library, I'm back at it.