Crab Stuffed Filet Mignon with Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce

 

I usually like my seafood simple.  Why mess with perfection and mix lobster with mayo and then stick it in a sandwich?  I've never understood that...  This recipe sounded good so I thought I'd try it, despite any reservations I might have about putting my crab meat in a sauce.  It turned out very nicely! 

Ingredients: 

Crab Stuffing:

1/2 pound crab meat (you can use fresh or lump crab, it's up to you!)

1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Salt and pepper, to taste

Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce:
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 1/2 ounces whiskey (I used Jack Daniels)
1 cup heavy cream
    
Filet:
2 filet mignon steaks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions: 

Bring steaks to room temperature and drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Cut an even horizontal slit through each steak, about 3/4 through.  In a small bowl, mix cooked crab meat, melted butter, and garlic.  Season to taste.  Reserve and keep warm.

Next, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Place steaks in pan and cook to desired doneness.  Remove and keep warm.  Add the whiskey to the warm pan to deglaze.  Pour in beef broth and add black pepper. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently.  Add cream and season to taste, then remove from heat and set aside.

Pour sauce in a pool on each plate and arrange steaks on top.  Stuff with crab mixture and sprinkle with parsley, if desired, then serve.  Yum!

It turned out like a heart!  I didn't do it on purpose... I'm not quite that cheesy.  But it is cute, isn't it?

Bittersweet Chocolate Glazed Espresso Brownie Bites

These are really good - chocolatey, with a depth of flavor, and not too sweet.

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons espresso powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs
1 cup flour 

Glaze:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 

Garnish:

1/4 cup espresso beans (I used hazelnut flavored ones)

1/4 cup white chocolate, for coating beans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter and chocolate either in the microwave (my preferred method!) or double boiler.  Once the chocolate and butter are melted and combined, mix in sugar, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt.  Add eggs one at a time, stirring until smooth.  Mix in flour.

Transfer batter to pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 30 minutes. While brownies are baking, combine glaze ingredients and melt until smooth.  Pour glaze over warm brownies and spread evenly.  Let stand at room temperature until glaze is set, about 3 hours.

 

While glaze is setting, dip coffee beans in warm white chocolate and set on wax paper.  Let dry for about 10-15 minutes, then adhere to top of brownies, using an extra dab of melted white chocolate to secure if necessary.

Once brownies have set, remove from pan and cut into 1-inch bite sized pieces.  Enjoy!

Tips:  These can be made several days in advance and refrigerated.  For a quicker version, make boxed brownies, and add the espresso powder to the mix.  Or purchase espresso beans that are already chocolate covered... if you insist!

Savory Three Cheese Pumpkin Macaroni

I used three different cheeses in this macaroni and cheese. The pumpkin is actually a background flavor... it added a nice richness and creaminess to the macaroni.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter

4 tbsp flour

1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

1 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 cup grated Gouda cheese
8 ounces (1/2 can) packed pumpkin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 pound rotini or elbow macaroni
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Melt butter in a pan over medium heat.  When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute or until tan in color.

While whisking, slowly pour in the cream.  Continue cooking until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 5-8 minutes.

Stir cheeses and and mix until melted, then turn heat to low.  Add spices and season cheese sauce with salt and pepper to taste.  Adjust seasonings if necessary. 

Cover a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Cook the pasta until slightly underdone, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the pasta to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.  Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce. 

Pour the mixture into a casserole or baking dish.  Sprinkle panko crumbs over the top.  Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, then serve.

Tips:  Pumpkin pie, albeit delicious, has really ruined our idea of the pumpkin.  I never thought about pumpkin as a viable ingredient until I made a savory pumpkin soup and remembered, hey, this is just a squash!  On that note, you can substitute any other type of squash in this recipe, simply cook, drain and puree it before adding.  Also, any type of noodle will work, I think rotini are prettier but elbow macaroni is the trusted standby so that part is up to the cook.  Enjoy!

Grilled Antipasto Sandwich

This sandwich is an impressive sight to behold.  Great for a day when you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen but still want something special! 

Yield:  4-8 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 pound sopresseta
1/2 pound Genoa salami
1 pound provolone slices
Olive oil, for brushing
1 large baguette, split
1 large garlic clove, halved
1/2 pound marinated artichokes, drained
2 roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat your grill to high.  This could also be made on a grill pan, but you would probably need to slice the bread into smaller pieces to fit the size of your pan.

Slice the bread and brush inside and out with a light layer of olive oil.  Rub the cut side of the garlic on the inside of the bread.  Grill the bread, turning once or twice, until toasted, about 5 minutes. 

Next, on a cutting board, lay out the bread.  Take 2 provolone slices and add a layer of salami and sopresseta, then roll into a cylinder and wrap prosciutto around the outside.  I did not have to use any toothpicks or skewers, even though the recipe called for it.  Lay prosciutto roll seam side down on bread, and continue until you have covered the loaf (I made four of these).
 
Layer the sandwich with the artichoke hearts and roasted bell peppers and sprinkle the sandwich with salt and pepper.  Place the entire sandwich on a piece of aluminum foil and return to the grill for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and meat is warm.

Slice and serve!  Enjoy!

Tips:  The original recipe called for just the prosciutto, but I added some other Italian meats for more flavor.  It's easy enough add more or subtract ones you don't like, just try to use an even amount of each.  Also, grilling the sandwich is key, as it gives it a lot of smoky flavor.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream Cone Cake

This was from Food Network magazine and I couldn't resist.  It was actually quite easy to make.  Not so easy to transport, though!

Ingredients:
1 tsp butter, softened (for pan) 
14 pizzelle (thin Italian waffle cookies) or wafer cookies, crushed
3/4 cup chocolate fudge sauce
1 quart vanilla caramel swirl ice cream, slightly softened
1 quart chocolate ice cream, slightly softened
3/4 cup caramel sauce
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
5-8 small waffle cones
1/2 cup toffee bits

Directions:
Butter the sides of a cheesecake pan.  Cover the bottom of the pan with half of the cookies.  Drizzle 1/4 cup fudge sauce over the cookies.

Pack about half of the vanilla caramel and chocolate ice cream into the pan, alternating scoops of each flavor.  Drizzle with 1/4 cup of caramel and sprinkle with sea salt.  Top with remaining cookies, pressing gently to pack in the ice cream and create an even surface.

Drizzle fudge sauce over the cookies and top with scoops of the remaining vanilla caramel and chocolate ice cream.  Drizzle with the rest of the caramel and fudge sauce and sprinkle with the remaining sea salt.  Arrange the ice cream cones, point-side up, on top, pressing in a bit so that they will freeze into place.  Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove the sides of the pan and press the toffee bits into the sides of the cake.  Enjoy!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Cream Sauce

Garlic.  Cream.  Yum.


Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin, 2 - 3 lbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves roasted garlic, creamed
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine spices with olive oil. Rub over the meat and place the tenderloin on a sheet tray or small roasting pan. Cook until the temperature registers 155 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 20 minutes or so.  Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice into 1/2 inch slices.

While the pork is roasitng, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper. Add the garlic and cream and heat until the sauce boils, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Spoon sauce over pork slices and serve.  Enjoy!

White Peach Sangria

This is a sweet and refreshing sangria that is easy to make. Summertime, here we come!

Ingredients:
1/2 bottle dry white wine
1 bottle peach champagne (if you can find it, if not plain champagne will work)
3/4 cup peach flavored vodka
6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 pound white peaches, pitted and sliced 
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved

Directions
In a large pitcher, combine white wine, champagne, peach vodka, lemonade concentrate and sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add sliced peaches and green grapes.

Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight to blend flavors.  Serve over ice.

Tips -  You can add or sub any additional fruit that you choose, though citrus fruits work best with these flavors.  This recipe is easy to double and/or make stronger or weaker, by adjusting the amount of vodka vs wine.  Also, if you can't find white peaches, regular peaches will work just as well, the flavor is very similar (white peaches are a hint more floral in taste).  Cheers!

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan

I just noticed that most of the recipes I've been posting lately have been red.  And the background of this picture is even in red...  Strange.

Ingredients:
2 cups vodka

2 cups pomegranate juice

1 cup orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier)

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup simple syrup 

1/3 cup powdered sugar, for rim

Directions:
Combine vodka, orange liqueur, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to use.  Pour the mixture into sugar rimmed martini glasses and serve.  Cheers!

Tips:  To get the sugar to stick to the rim of the glass, dip in water before dipping in sugar.  I meant to use regular sugar and accidentally used powdered, but I actually thought it looked cool, like ice on the glass.  Either would work though.  Enjoy!