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how-to: the steakhouse filet.

Call me old-fashioned, but I think every woman should know how to cook a steak for her man.

And with Valentine’s Day around the corner, what better time to knock this one off of your bucket list?

{To all of my meat-loving lady readers: You might just decide to make this one for yourself – and there ain’t no shame in that}

I’ve heard of engagement chicken, sure. And there are few things I love more than a good roasted chicken. But – if I were a betting woman, and the future of your relationship status depended on one meal and one meal only, I’m putting my money on steak.

Lesson of the day: Cooking up steaks better than they do at Ruth’s Chris is the real way to a man’s heart. Fact.

And guess what? No grill required! You might be surprised to know that many steakhouses don’t use use a grill to cook filet mignon. I don’t even remember where or when I first learned how to do it, but I’ve been cooking them this way for years now. I know it was before I saw Ina’s recipe because I remember feeling so proud when I saw that she made them the same way! You know, me and Ina, on the same page – NBD.

The method is super-simple – so simple that you’re going to be dumbfounded when you sink your teeth into one of these delicious steaks.

Here’s the secret: Sear on the stove, and finish in the oven.

That’s it. Seriously. This is so simple, you don’t even need a recipe. Get a little oil going over high heat in a cast-iron or stainless steel oven-proof skillet, sear the meat on each side for a minute or two until it develops a beautiful browned crust, and then just add a pat of butter to each steak before throwing ‘em in the oven for 6 minutes or so. Let them rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes and you’ll get the most perfectly cooked medium-rare filets every time.

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seared scallops + beurre blanc.

One of the very first recipes I ever posted was for seared scallops.

Not just any seared scallops…seared scallops to die for.

But, in reality, all seared scallops are to die for – as long as you’re working with deliciously plump, fresh sea scallops and you know how to get a good sear going. When you get a good sear on a good scallop, it’s heavenly.

And the best part of it is…it’s so. freaking. simple. It makes me wonder why I haven’t made these since, um, Valentine’s Day – that’s two years ago, hi – to be precise. Special thanks to my dear friends Zan and Scott for reminding me of how great these are (they wrote to tell me they enjoyed them, along with this chive pasta and mushroom dish, for New Year’s Eve – which makes me really, really happy…it’s like you’re somehow with your friends, a part of their night, even though they’re thousands of miles away).

I do need to be reminded sometimes, because as much as I obsess over so many different dishes I make, I’m always looking to try something new. It’s rare that I repeat a dish, and I can only hope that soon I’ll become a good enough cook that I’ll start repeating – because repeating dishes is what makes you really good, it’s what makes you learn the dish inside and out. I think, maybe, I’m getting there.

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kale + white bean stew.

Greens ‘n beans…get ‘em while they’re hot.

That’s right – greens ‘n beans are totally hot. But you knew that, right? They’re super-healthy, and they taste really good if you know how to cook them. Though Dan might argue with you on the whole kale situation. What does he know!? He spent 95% of his life hating mushrooms and refusing tomatoes. He’s not exactly one to trust in the vegetable domain, if you ask me.

I have a slight obsession with kale, and an even bigger crush on white beans. Kale chips? Yes, please. Raw kale salad? You know it. White bean dip, white bean soup, puréed white beans in just about anything? Get. In. My. Belly.

So me and this soup – stew, soup – whatevs…we get along.

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tomatillo chicken soup.

Let’s talk soup.

‘Tis the season, right? I know it is, even if only for a day, for all of my fellow warm-blooded brethren. It was 40 degrees this morning in sunny South Florida!

Even when it warms back up to the 70s this weekend (don’t be jeal) – it will still be soup season. Why? Because we’re talking healthy soups. And no matter where you live or what the weather, healthy soups should be on the menu.

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huevos rancheros bake.

Huevos rancheros is high on the list of my all-time favorite breakfast dishes.

And it’s a super-simple concept: Fried eggs, corn tortillas, and some type of tomato sauce. There are, of course, a few variations you can toss in there – like black beans, or salsa instead of a tomato sauce – but those are the building blocks.

When I discovered Deb of Smitten Kitchen‘s way of frying the egg on top of the tortilla over a layer of cheese, I fell in love with this breakfast. Daniel really fell in love with this breakfast. In fact, on any given weekend when I ask him what he’d like to eat in the morning, this is probably his most frequent answer. Sometimes if I have store-bought salsa on hand, I’ll make it with that – though I do prefer the homemade stuff.

Now that I’ve created this new way of making huevos rancheros, however, I have a feeling I’ll be making it much more often.

You heard the story – one of my bestest girlfriend’s also loves her some huevos rancheros, so it’s really her and Daniel you can thank for inspiring this idea. I wanted to make this dish for a group, without frying eggs to order. As I surfed around for a recipe, I couldn’t find what I was looking for – but I did stumble upon this recipe using chipotle and an avocado salsa. It wasn’t a bake, it was still going the traditional fry-to-order route, but I figured I could take the same flavors and create a recipe for a bake. So, that’s what I did – and here it is.

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{tree-trimming} onion soup.

If you’re in need of something to get you into the holiday spirit, nothing gets the job done quite like tree trimming.

{Though I can imagine, if you’re not in the holiday spirit, you might not be looking to get into it}

I think tree trimming needs to happen the weekend after Thanksgiving, and here’s why: I want to get the most out of my tree, my decorations – my favorite time of the year. I totally get it if you’re exhausted after Thanksgiving and the last thing you want to think about is
Christmas decorations…you know, getting those life-sized boxes from the attic, lugging them down and…

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the amazing five-hour roast duck.

There are certain things you can cook at home that just make you feel like you know what you’re doing.

The good news is, thanks to this life-altering recipe, you don’t have to know what you’re doing.

Does cooking duck scare you? If it does, I don’t blame you. I’m fairly certain that I might have been apprehensive about cooking duck before I read this recipe. But you know it’s from my favorite book, one that I’ve never made anything remotely bad from, and one written by people that I now trust explicitly.

I have no time to waste on a bad recipe after all, you feel me?

So, this duck…this duck is foolproof. That’s all you need to know. Duck roasts for 5 hours – yes, 5 full hours – slowly, skin becomes so crispy it will just blow your mind, and meat ends fall-off-the-bone tender. I’ve never had duck like this before.

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short ribs + goat cheese mash.

If you’re tiring of turkey, stuffing, and cranberries right now, I have a solution.

Although I must admit, mashed potatoes are involved. These are not, however, your average mashed potatoes. These mashed potatoes are a tangier, creamier version thanks to the addition of goat cheese. And thus, a perfect match for short ribs.

I had never cooked short ribs before, and like so many other things, I found it to be very simple and delicious. This is why I guess it’s hard to find dishes I love and keep cooking them again and again, which is how the best chefs say you are to really become good at cooking. I can’t help myself – my time to cook is so limited, and there are so many things I want to try, that I continually find myself trying new things.

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mussels with smoky bacon, lime, and cilantro.

These mussels will change your life.

If you like mussels, that is. Or rather – if you don’t like mussels. Because if you don’t like mussels, this recipe absolutely will change your mind.

Seriously – if you don’t like mussels, crabs, seafood in general… I know you’re out there… You’re missing out on a world of flavor and opportunity for deliciousness.

Mussels in particular are one of my favorite seafood dishes to enjoy, whether at home or at a restaurant – preferably waterfront, THANKYOUFORASKING. There’s just something special about pouring over a big bowl of them with people you love…throwing the empty shells into another bowl…over wine…and more wine…

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chorizo, potato, and mushroom tacos.

I’m always looking for fresh twists on Mexican food, and Rick Bayless is probably my favorite source for doing so.

I spied this recipe on Pink Parsley eons ago, and then – finally – one day I got the urge to pull the trigger. I decided to make an entirely Bayless-inspired Mexican feast. There was guacamole…there was a great, big Mexican salad…there was fresh corn ice cream, which was the very first batch of ice cream I ever made…

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