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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pwXOQd8Of4

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.

It’s so easy, it almost hurts! Hurts in that you’ll want to make them all the time but you probably shouldn’t because, well, you’ve heard that stuff about eating red meat too often, and how it’s not exactly good for you. That, and when you’re buying high-quality meat – which is a must, BTW – it’s not exactly cheap. At Whole Foods, the cost for two of these babies will run you in the neighborhood of $30.

The bottom line: For a once-in-a-while treat, nothing beats a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth filet.

Each week, a group of food bloggers and home cooks are coming together to cook our way through The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living by Mark Bittman.

I’m not gonna lie. This cookbook is overwhelming. Overwhelming in a way that I want to make at least 90% of the 500+recipes in this beast of a book. Overwhelming even moreso in a way that when I first read about what the “Food Matters” philosophy represents and stands for, I was so inspired that I decided to start this project.

In a nutshell, it’s about eating more plants and natural foods. In turn, we’re talking less meat and processed foods. And it’s about how all of that’s good for our health – duh – and the environment, too.

I selected this recipe to kick-off the launch of our project. It was so, so hard to pick just one. I’ve already cooked at least 5 or 6 recipes from the book, because they’re all just so simple and easy for everyday cooking. (If Mark Bittman’s new to you and if you’re a new-ish cook, I highly recommend you check out another book of his as well: How to Cook Everything.) There’s something about the way he explains things that’s so easy to understand, and his recipes are totally no-nonsense. He gives options and ideas for how to adapt almost any given recipe, so you can truly feel confident in what you’re doing if you’re new to experimenting with different flavors or ingredients. He makes cooking fun – and easy.

You know where I stand on this: If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong. And yes, this applies even to healthy, easy-enough-for-a-weeknight cooking.

I was drawn to this recipe because the idea of the smoky chipotle with the creamy, sweet roasted butternut squash seemed to be a match made in heaven, and one I just had to try. It was everything I’d hoped for, and the real beauty of it all lies in its simplicity. Few ingredients, simple preparation, food that looks as beautiful as it tastes…that’s what the recipes in this book are all about. Mark offers the lime wedges at the end as optional, but I disagree – squeezed over the dish before serving, they add a necessary element of brightness.

You could do this one as an appetizer or a side. I like the idea of serving it as an appetizer because, well, I don’t normally serve vegetarian let alone close to vegan-friendly (just sub maple syrup for the honey) appetizers. It’s a way to switch things up! I equally like the idea of this as a side, and if you can’t bear the thought of going totally meatless, I think it would be great with a little skirt steak/chimichurri action. I’d eat it with a sliced avocado, drizzled in olive oil and a sprinkling of salt, and call it a meal – no problem. And as a matter of fact, as I’m typing this, I’m thinking about puréeing the whole thing into a soup.

That’s the power of the recipes in this book. Every idea has the potential to multiply.

Check out the rest of the group’s take on this dish here, and join us next week for Seasoned Popcorn!

Or at least, dying to know exactly what we (as in, Daniel and I – we’re obvs a team here) mean by the term. Unfortunately, there’s no real way to explain it. You’ll have to taste them to truly understand.

I’d like to say it’s just the frosting that makes these brownies so good. Then, all you’d need to do to experience this food-gasm is whip up a stick of butter, a little coffee, cocoa powder, and some confectioners’ sugar (…okay, and a little salt and vanilla) in your mixer and melt away. I’m quite sure, however, that it’s the combination of this super-simple yet totally mind-blowingly dreamy frosting with the insanely rich and fudge-y brownies that evokes such a feeling.

There are a lot of things brownies should be, and for me, cake-like isn’t one of them. Brownies should be rich, decadent, moist, and fudge-y. Do people who prefer cake-like brownies exist? Just a question.

Brownies should also have that thin, crackly top (like these Baked brownies, also TDF). These brownies have that top, too – you just can’t see it because it’s covered in frosting. The frosting…I just don’t know what’s so addicting about it. I can’t wrap my brain around why it gets so fluffy or why I am quite capable of eating an entire bowl of it. My only complaint about these brownies would be that they’re a bit on the thin side; I was actually going to do 1.5 times the recipe to make them thicker, but then I got the idea to add frosting, and I thought doing both might be overkill. If that’s possible.

We already know that Daniel calls everything I make “the best _______ he’s ever had.” So I won’t even go there. Instead, I’ll tell you that when I brought these into work, I heard the same thing from multiple people.

People will wig over these brownies. Fact.

{This recipe is part of a Super-Bowl party menu. Check it out here!}

It’s a good time.

That folks, is a real BLT – a traditional BLT. It’s a truly perfect sandwich, if you ask me. The only problem with this  sandwich is that it’s fairly limited by season. If you can’t get your hands on the perfect tomato, then you’re missing an imperative part of the sandwich. A BLT is the poster-child of simple food = beautiful food, and that means all of your ingredients must be, well, perfect.

Which is why I bring you this winter-friendly version of everyone’s favorite sandwich, the BLT.

Sun-dried tomatoes replace our summer bounty, while arugula replaces the standard Iceberg or Boston lettuce for extra bite and flavor. You could clearly use any bread you like here, but I opted to use wraps because they’re easy to grab at a party and a lower-carb alternative as well.

And then…there’s the basil aioli. I have a real obsession with making aioli, because it’s just so. damned. easy. to do. And it will take basically anything you’re eating to the next level. A little garlic aioli on those sweet potato fries? Aioli on any type of fries? Necessary. Throw it on fresh vegetables, roasted chicken or lamb, burgers – any type of sandwich, really…I even roasted fish in a quick aioli last week.

Have you ever seen someone lick the mayonnaise off a knife? Disgusting, right? My dad used to do that. It used to make me cringe. But I’ll totally do that with aioli.

My very favorite part about this wonder-condiment is that it’s so adaptable. Add whatever fresh herbs you like, whatever seasonings, whatever you’ve got on hand…as long as you’ve got mayo, garlic, lemon or lime, and salt, you can get at it.

And other than that, your aioli is open for business – for whatever strikes your fancy.

{This recipe is part of a Super-Bowl party menu. Check it out here!}

I’ve discovered that there is. Well, that’s if you consider making it healthier an improvement. I do, when it still tastes just as good – if not better.

Question: Do you ever think it’s funny when you hear people say, “Oh, I make the best guacamole!” or “I don’t know what my dad puts in his guacamole, but it’s the best ever!” Now I’ve made guac many, many times. It’s, like, always good. I like to think I make the best guac, but in truth, I think pretty much everyone that takes a stab at it does a decent job.

This stuff is hard to mess up, peeps! Mash up some avocado, add lime or lemon juice to taste, maybe a chopped tomato if you’re in the mood, a little minced something from the allium family…are you WTF-ing over there? New vocab word of the day comin’ at ya: The allium family is made up of garlic, onions, shallots, scallions, leeks, and chives – yes, these little guys are imperative in the world of good eats when it comes to building and adding flavor. Lesson concluded.

Now back to the guac…seasoning! Seasoning can make or break your guacamole. And by seasoning, I mean salt. Add all of these ingredients – to TASTE, by the way, which anyone is capable of doing – and you too can make the very best guac that your mother, cousin, half-brother and his wife and kids have ever tasted.

Which is all fine and good…if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Right? That is, unless you get a super idea to healthify this whole guac situation. Avocado is healthy in small-ish doses, yes, but I have this liittttle problem where I’m not so good at eating guacamole in small-ish doses. As in, leave a vat of it in front of me, and…look away. I’m hideous.

I got to thinking, and I remembered the time I made this guacamole recipe with basil and shallots…it was really good. Almost an Italian spin on everyone’s favorite Mexican dip. And then it hit me! These ingredients would be a stellar combination with white beans, too.

And so, I bring you the love child of creamy white bean dip and guacamole. Brilliant, right?

{This recipe is part of a Super-Bowl party menu. Check it out here!}

There’s just something about them. Which is why when I made them the other day, I couldn’t take them out of the fridge until our guests arrived. They’re just too easy to pop into your mouth and if you put ‘em out too early, before you know it, the deviled eggs are donezo.

In a lot of cases, it’s hard to improve on the original and classic recipe. But I think chipotle is a sequel we can all get behind. You need to like a little spice in your life, yes – and who doesn’t like the smoky flavor of chipotle?

I think I might have also discovered a new technique for hard-boiling the eggs. I tried a method I saw on Food Wishes and gave it a shot, and the eggs cooked perfectly like they do with my old method – but for whatever reason, they also peeled perfectly. Which is, um, huge – considering that’s the most annoying part about boiling eggs. I’m not sure if it had anything to do with the cooking technique but it’s worth a shot to try it!

This recipe is part of a Super-Bowl party menu. Check it out here!

It’s not a secret, and it’s really not that exciting. Us ladies, we like sangria. Not rocket science. Heck, most dudes I know will polish off a glass (pitcher?) or two if it’s put in front of them. Daniel certainly will, and that’s because of more than the fact that I make it so damn often, in every flavor combination I can dream up to go with every season, every type of menu, every type of, well, everything.

Yes, Daniel will polish off a pitcher of sangria because he likes it – quite possibly as much as I do.

But don’t get it twisted…he likes beer even better. You’d be disgusted to know how many beers he can throw back in a sitting. Let’s just say we don’t have enough pitchers in the house to make a fair comparison. So what happens when I concoct a beverage that combines the the best of both worlds?

Other than the obvious result – a super-crunk Daniel – “mangria” is born.

Ladies, don’t be fooled by the name – I think you’ll love this cocktail, too. Even if you don’t like beer, I think you’ll be into this. I mean, why didn’t we think of it sooner? The beer is a perfect vehicle to get a good sangria going. Blue Moon and citrus, as we all know, are already pretty much going steady, and the pear-vibe adds another crispy-sweet dimension. I used the Winter Abbey Ale – because hey, it is winter after all, and why not get totally seasonal here, what with the citrus and the pears? I’ve made it with the regular version as well, which is a bit lighter and less caramel-ly and just begging to be made on a hot summer day.

It’s kindasorta the discovery of a lifetime.

{This recipe is part of a Super-Bowl party menu. Check it out here!}

I mean, duh. Everyone knows that football feeds are far more important than the game itself. I like football and everything, but what I live for is the food. Give me cheesy dips, give me chicken wings – extra-hot, hi – give me pizza, sliders, nachos…I could go on and on…but I won’t. I won’t, because that’s not what we’re really doing here today.

Today, we’re doing something a little healthier, a bit more modern, and just a tad – well, sexier.

Without further ado, meet your inspiration for this year’s Super Bowl shindig.

It’s about taking our favorites, and elevating them – you know, taking them up a notch. You guys know this is my thing by now, right?!

We’re doing beer, surely the official football game-day drink of choice, in sangria form. That’s right, this is the drink that Daniel has so brilliantly nicknamed “mangria” – and you’re going to love it. I don’t even care if you don’t like beer. You’ll love this.

We’re doing deviled eggs made better by my favorite smoking-hot BFF chipotle, a healthier (and equally, if not more, delicious) take on guac, and BLT wraps on steroids – um, or at least season-proof. And those double-mocha fudge brownies? Those are now affectionately known as face-melting. You’ll have to taste them to understand just what this adjective means, but I’ll give you a hint – it’s like the hotter, younger cousin to mind-blowing.

Recipes all coming your way before Super Bowl Sunday, so stay tuned!

Links:

“Mangria”

Chipotle Deviled Eggs

White Bean + Avocado Dip

BLT Wraps with Basil Aioli

Double-Mocha Fudge Brownies

I resolve to share with you more of the things that I eat, like, all the time. Delicious things. Healthy things. Things you should eat.

Things like quinoa.

Have we not discussed quinoa? I don’t believe we have. Let’s see, where do I begin? For those of you who are quinoa-virgins, quinoa is a grain that contains protein. Not only does it contain protein, it’s actually a complete protein, meaning it includes all nine essential amino acids. Most importantly, it’s super-easy to cook, and super-tasty. It’s a great alternative to whole-wheat pasta for fast weeknight meals, because it’s got the protein already included. And did I mention it tastes good? It has a nutty flavor and a unique, almost crunchy texture.

 It’s a perfect vehicle for a lot of different flavors and meals. You can serve it as a side, or eat it on its own. One of my favorite dishes I’ve made with quinoa was a smoky chipotle shrimp dish with avocado. I’m totally gonna have to do that one again so I can share it with you.

Now this dish is a pantry dish, with the exception of the fresh herbs. But hey, if you’re like me and you’ve got your own herb garden going on at home, then it’s all pantry, baby! And bacon – you have to keep bacon on hand. If you eat pork and you don’t keep bacon on hand…well, I just wouldn’t know what to say to you. I’m not sure we would have a whole lot in common.

We ate this with roasted chicken breasts using a simple method (à la Ina Garten) I use all the time. Skin-on, bone-in chicken. Oven at 375. Rub them in olive oil, season well, and pop them right in for 35 to 40 minutes. Easy-peasy. But this time, I opted to take a pat of butter and mix it with a big clove of pressed garlic, chopped fresh basil, and lots of salt and peps – and then I smushed this mixture under the skin of the chicken. It added *a lot* of flavor, and took a whole whopping 3 minutes to prepare.

I only made two chicken breasts, which we ate over the course of two meals. Does that sounds strange to you? Well, we already talked about the protein we’re getting from the quinoa, but this brings me the perfect opportunity to tell you about something else…

The Food Matters Cookbook. Have you heard of it? I’m (SUPER) excited to announce the launch of a new project I’m working on called The Food Matters Project. It’s all about eating more plants and fewer animal products and processed foods — and the positive impact this has on our health and the environment. We’re looking for food bloggers to join this group, but you can still cook along with us if you don’t have a blog. Check it out! And let me know what you think.

Why? Well, because what else does one bake when the holidays have just passed, so you can’t bear the thought of another cake or – gasp! – cookie…but you’re still in the mood to bake?

{Is now a bad time to mention that double mocha-fudge brownies are on next week’s menu?}

Banana bread is the answer to our post-holiday, January baking cravings. This banana bread in particular is super, super-healthy. Whole wheat? Check. Low in sugar? Check. Three different fruits and the addition of applesauce to replace half the butter? Healthy fats in the form of crunchy walnuts? Check, check, and check.

Guys – did I mention there’s only a half a stick of butter in this recipe? This is serious. It’s so moist, hearty, and flavorful, you won’t know the difference. I initially cut the brown sugar and honey in half when I made this, and I found it wasn’t sweet enough, so I bumped it back up in the recipe I’ve posted here. If you want to play with the proportions yourself, give it a go! And do let me know what you come up with.

You want really ripe, almost totally browned bananas when you make banana bread. That’s when they’re the sweetest, and when you’re using a healthier recipe like this one, you especially want to get the most bang for your buck in terms of sweetness from the actual banana. If, however, you’re working with fresh bananas closer to the green side of things, here’s a little trick: Roast those suckers! Just place them whole on a baking sheet into the oven at 350 degrees, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until they turn black and their yummy juices start to seep out of the skins.

P.S. I’m trying a new recipe format below – what do you guys think?