Despite my cramped kitchen, lack of decent cookware, and mismatched tableware, I LOVE to cook and entertain. I have a cabinet full of spices, and love to peruse cooking websites for hours on end (mainly while at work). Recently I had a few small dinner parties with my friends, and I can't wait to plan more elaborate ones where I spend the whole day cooking and creating and finally presenting my hard work to all my adoring fans, I mean friends.
Last week, was my first attempt at lasagna. I opted for spinach lasagna as an attempt to make my meal healthy, which I then completely negated by basically doubling the cheese the recipe calls for. I looked at a lot of recipes but I found
this one from allrecipes.com was my favorite. I pretty much followed the recipe, but I was very liberal with my cheese and sauce. Here is the final product! Ta dahhh!
We enjoyed our heaping mounds of lasagna with a nice spinach salad (that my friends provided) and glasses of chilled riesling wine. I'm not sure if lasagna and riesling go together, but hey, what the heck!
My second dinner "party" was on a much smaller scale. My friend and I had been talking about cooking steaks for a long time now and we finally committed to doing it! I googled a few recipes for blue cheese crusted filets, but ended up just kinda taking bits and pieces from each and coming up with my own creation.
Here is the final product:
This is how we got there. Surprisingly we managed to have everything ready at the same time! Keep in mind, my measurements are for only two steaks. First, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then, microwave yams or sweet potatoes for about 2-3 minutes per yam. Wrap yams in foil with a pat of butter and pop in the oven. Next boil water to steam baby broccoli. While water boils, chop about 1/4 cup shallots. Heat up some olive oil in a pan (just enough to lightly cover the bottom of the pan). I used a small pan, since I was only making dinner for two. Once oil is heated up add chopped shallots, a teaspoon chopped garlic, and some fresh thyme. Saute untill shallots are softened and slightly carmelized. Remember to add your broccoli into the steamer once your water has boiled. After shallots are soft add about 1/2 cup beef broth or vegetable broth (I used vegetable) to the pan. Stir and scrap up carmelized onion bits. Then add 1/3 cup port wine and stir. Bring to a boil and let the mixture reduce by about half, for 5 to 10 minutes. While that reduces, mix in a small bowl: 1/3 cup blue cheese, 1/4 cup or less panko crumbs, and some fresh thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and stir together. Set aside. Heat up about a tablespoon olive oil in a pan big enough to fit your steaks. Salt and pepper the steaks. Once the oil is heated, Sear steaks each side about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove steaks from pan and place on baking sheet. Top with blue cheese mixture. Put in oven.
[picture shows steaks once they are done]
This is where it gets tricky... timing. The recipe I was loosely referring to said 4 minutes for medium rare and 6 for medium. I was aiming for medium rare - but ended up cooking for 4 minutes at 400 degrees, then cranked up the oven to broil and left the steaks in there for another 2 minutes. The result was medium to medium rare. While the steaks are in the oven, toast some rosemary sourdough bread with butter. Add the reduced wine mixture to the pan the steaks were cooked in and mix with olive oil and steak bits left in pan. Throw steamed broccoli into a different pan with a little butter and garlic and lightly saute. Once the steaks are done assemble all ingredients on plate, topping steaks with wine sauce. Enjoy with some red wine!
I have to say this was one of the best homemade dinners I have ever made! Thanks to all your help Sabrina and for bringing the wine, thyme, and delicious bread!
peace, love, food, and happiness!
