Valentine’s Day | 20something cupcakes

how-to: the steakhouse filet.

February 8, 2012 — 8 Comments

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.

In Fabulously Simple, Main Dishes, Sassy in the Kitchen dude-food, filet, romantic dinner, steak, valentine's day

double-mocha {fudge} brownies.

February 4, 2012 — 8 Comments

I know, I know. Ever since I used the term face-melting to describe these brownies, you’ve been dying to get your hands on them.

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.

In Obsessed, Sweets + Treats bars + brownies, chocolate, coffee, espresso powder, football fun-day, frosting, mocha, valentine's day

dan’s favorite vodka sauce.

February 22, 2010 — 1 Comment

For the main course of our Valentine’s Day dinner at home, I decided to copycat one of Dan’s favorite recipes from a nearby restaurant we love. I had a lot of fun making my own version of the dish, and I’ll probably do this again soon with some of our other faves. Hello, truffle mac n’ cheese from Prime 112.

Penne with Vodka Sauce, Prosciutto, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Peas

Partly adapted from recipe courtesy of Chef Carla Pelligrino of Rao’s in Las Vegas.

Serves: 8-10. I made a big batch because it’s Daniel’s favorite. Feel free to cut in half.

1/2 pound prosciutto, chopped into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large white onions, finely chopped
2 28oz cans canned peeled Italian tomatoes, blended into sauce
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packaged in olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
1 quart heavy cream reduced by half (1/2 quart)
3/4 cup vodka
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen and thawed
Salt and pepper
2 pounds penne liscie # 40 (recommended: De Cecco), cooked al dente
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (this is the good stuff, buy a block and grate it yourself – so worth it)

Place a heavy pan or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts and becomes foamy add the chopped onions, let them saute until crispy, and do not let them brown.

As you start cooking the onions, put a small large pot over a burner on medium to medium-high heat and pour in the cream. This way it can reduce down as you are cooking. When it reduces by half, remove from heat and set aside. Learn from my mistake: Make sure to use a large enough pot for this, otherwise it will boil over and you will end up with a big mess (especially bad if you don’t have your own ridiculously amazing cleaning machine named Daniel to pick up the pieces).

Add the prosciutto to the onions, lower the heat and let it sweat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. (Note: I like to season dishes at different stages as I am cooking. I find it adds much more flavor to the dish than seasoning once at the end – just be careful not to overdo it.)

Add the tomato sauce and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for another 30 minutes. Then add the parsley, simmer for a few more minutes, add the reduced heavy cream and the vodka, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add the peas. Check the consistency and simmer it for longer if necessary. As with any great tomato sauce, the longer you let it simmer, the better.

Mix the cooked penne into the sauce, check the seasoning, and let it simmer a couple more minutes. Serve with some good bread and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table.

In Main Dishes heavy cream, parmigiano-reggiano, pasta, peas, penne, prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, valentine's day, vodka sauce, worth the effort

What’s more romantic than calling 10+ restaurants (all fully booked, of course…What? You thought you could still get reservations 3 weeks before Valentine’s Day?), finally settling on a reservation where you will end up spending too much money on a preset menu you get no say in, all while sitting in a room with 42 other people (many of whom look like they’ve been married a very long time and you swear they haven’t said one word to each other all night) and if you’re lucky maybe even sitting in one of those awkward two-top tables so close to another couple you almost accidentally grab their drink instead of yours?

A lot, actually.

So this year, we decided to forgo going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day. We figure we can create a much more romantic setting at home for much less money. And we can even eat what we want.

I had decided on a simple seared scallop for the appetizer. And when you’re doing simple, you gotta do it right. This meant going all the way to Whole Foods, which we usually don’t do – one because it’s a little farther away, and two because I end up spending about double what I do at Publix. On half the amount of food.

The quality of scallops you use is important. You’re looking for fresh, deliciously plump scallops. Seared to perfection and swimming in a classically rich butter sauce…what’s better than that?

We chose to enjoy this dish as an appetizer – but you could easily increase your scallops, add some pasta, and make an entree out of it. The sauce is also incredibly versatile; it’s wonderful over all types of seafood, and you can also try adding an herb such as tarragon or dill in at the end if you want to spice it up.

Perfectly Seared Scallops with Beurre Blanc

Adapted from Gourmet on Epicurious.com

3/4 to 1 pound large sea scallops

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, divided

2 finely chopped shallots

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup white-wine vinegar (you can also use lemon juice here)

Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sear scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.

What’s so great about this is you’re using the same pan for the sauce. To make the beurre blanc: add shallot, wine, and vinegar to skillet and boil, scraping up brown bits, until reduced to roughly 2 tablespoons. Add juices from platter and if necessary boil until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Reduce heat to low and add 2 tablespoons butter, stirring until almost melted, then add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and swirl until incorporated and sauce has a creamy consistency.

Now pour this deliciousness over the scallops. Serve with fresh, crusty bread and enjoy.