Valentine's Dinner!

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Nothin' says love like a full and happy belly! 

Prime Steak, Sauteed Spinach & Crispy Onion Rings

PRIME STEAK:

2 prime tenderloins

fresh cracked pepper

sea salt

butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Generously season all sides of steak with salt and pepper.  In a cast iron skillet, heat (on high) until hot and add butter.    When butter is melted, sear steak on all sides.  About 2 minuets on each side.  Place in oven for 6 minutes, flip steaks and bake for another 6 minutes.  Let steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving.  

SAUTEED SPINACH:

1 package of baby spinach

2 cloves of garlic; minced

1tb olive oil

Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil and garlic in a pan.  Add spinach and saute in pan until bright green and wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot!

CRISPY ONION RINGS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons instant mashed potatoes

big pinch of cayenne

1 cup cold club soda

2-3 cups Panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs), or as needed

salt to taste

vegetable oil for frying

2-3 yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch rings

Mix flour, corn starch, instant mashed potato and cayenne pepper.  Add cold club soda, mix and let it thicken up.  Put panko in a separate dish.  Heat the vegetable oil in a pot about 2 inches worth of oil.  Dredge the onions in the batter then in the panko.  When the oil is hot fry the onions in the oil for at least 3 minutes.  Season the onion rings with sea salt when hot.  

Enjoy :)

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Moist and Delicious Vanilla Cupcakes you won't be able to resist!

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

12 cupcakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg yolks , room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

3. Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

yield: enough for 12 cupcakes

1/2 cup butter at room temperature

2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners sugar

2-4 tablespoons milk

1.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, vanilla, and cocoa powder

2.  Blend in the sugar in two batches, beating well after each addition

3.  Beat in the milk, adding until desired consistency is reached and continue mixing on medium high speed until light and fluffy.

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

I never thought to saute beet greens, but this proves again anything is possible with garlic and oil!  So easy and very nutritious for you!

4 beets with greens

2 garlic cloves

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut stems off beet and wash.  Leave skin on the beet and put in aluminum foil with olive oil.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Let cool.  Remove skins and cut into bite size pieces.

In a skillet, saute olive oil with garlic cloves. Cut beet greens up and saute.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add beet pieces.  

Top with crumbled goat cheese.  Enjoy :) 

Philly Cheesesteak Calzone

My favorite red meat is probably flank steak, which is why this recipe is veryyyy tasty! 

• 1 pizza crust, cut slices in edges to wrap over...

• 1 medium onions, sliced thinly
• 1 medium green pepper, sliced thinly

• 3-4 oz steak, sliced thinly (I used flank steak) 

marinate steak in 2 cloves of garlic sliced thinly, Worcestershire sauce, teriyaki sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil.  (grill or bake)
• 1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese and provolone cheese mixture

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Meanwhile, slowly caramelize the onions and green pepper over medium heat.
Top with the caramelized onion, peppers, cheese and steak.  Finish off with a sprinkle of cheese, and a little salt and pepper. 

 

 Make an egg wash (1 egg and a splash of milk) and lightly brush over dough.  This will give the dough the golden color!

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden!

Mexican Enchilada Casserole

Thanks for the recipe, Sue!  This was so easy and yummy for sure! 

Ingredients:

• 
  
  1 lb of ground turkey
  1/2 C. chopped onion

  1 can (15oz) tomato sauce

  1 can 15 oz black beans drained; rinse

  1 can whole corn undrained

  1 can (4 1/2 oz) chopped green chiles undrained

  6 flour tortilla (8in) Cut in half to fit large rectangular dish

  2 C. shredded cheese (1 bag of mexican cheese)

  2 tsp chili powder

  1 tsp cumin

  1 tsp minced garlic

  1/2 tsp oregano

  1/2 tsp crusched red pepper (optional)

  
  

  
  

  

  Brown meat and onion.  Add tomato sauce,beans,corn and green chiles. Mix well. Stir in all the spices except the red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 min.

  
  

  
  

  

  Spread 1/3 meat mixture. Top w/ 4 halves of tortilla shells...over lapping. Layer w/ 1/3 of meat mixture, 1/2 of cheese, the rest of the tortilla shells and repeat!

  
  

  Bake @ 350 for 15 mintues!!!
  
  

  ENJOY THE YUMMINESS!
  
  

  
  

Pork Chop Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Pecans, Caramelized Onions

• 2- 1"pork chops
• 10 ounces goat cheese , softened
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 finely sliced sweet onion
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup glazed pecans, may want to chop them up if large pieces 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a pan, caramelize onion slices.  Place onions in bowl once browned and let cool.  Meanwhile create a pocket in pork chops by slicing in center, without going through other side.  Salt and pepper the outside of the pork chops on both sides.  In the same skillet as the onions, brown both sides of the pork on high heat.  About 2-3 min. on each side.  When the pork is browned, place in a baking dish.  

Add 1/4 cup goat cheese and 1/4 cup glazed pecans to the bowl with the caramelized onions and mix.  Stuff filling in pork chops.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Enjoy :)