Incredible, Easy, Perfect Beef Tenderloin

We served Filet of Tenderloin for Christmas this year and it was incredible.  First of all - start by buying Costco's finest ... seriously, I haven't found more tender filet.  Highly recommend it.  Secondly - buy more than you think you'll need, because your guests will go back for seconds and thirds.

There are two great options for seasoning the meat.  You can go the simple route, using 1 T. kosher salt, 1 T. coarsely ground black pepper, perhaps 1t. of garlic and/or onion powder.  My personal favorite is Penzey's English Prime Rib Rub, which doesn't work if you're doing Whole30 (darned sugar) but works great otherwise.  Use enough to coat the tenderloin.  For me, more is more :o)

Lastly - be prepared to smoke up your house on this.  I promise - it's worth it.  If the weather is pleasant enough, open the doors and windows to allow for a cross breeze.  If not, just suck it up - the meat will be amazing.

Ingredients
1 whole filet of beef (4-6 lb.), trimmed
2 T. softened clarified butter (ghee) if available - unsalted butter if not
Seasoning (see options above)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 500 deg. F. 
2. Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then place it on a roasting rack in a roast pan.  Rub the butter all over the meat with your hands, then spread the seasonings evenly on it. 
3. Open the windows if applicable.  Roast the meat in the oven for 22 min (rare) to 25 min (medium-rare).  Smoky is normal.
4. Remove the beef from the oven, then wrap it tightly with aluminum foil.  Allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
5. Slice and serve with Fresh and Jazzy Creamy Dill Horseradish Sauce.

Out of this World Rack of Pork

Lately Costco has had rack of pork available - and I must admit that I've never even thought of the idea of a rack of pork.  Rack of lamb, sure!  Love it.  But rack of pork?  Well ... pigs have ribs, and we eat pork chops, so duuh!!

In any case, I bought one of these beauties the other day and was searching the web for what to do with it.  I came across Chef Dennis Littley's recipe for Oven Roasted Rack of Pork and had to try it.

Let me tell you - it was fantastic!  What made it particularly perfect was the pan gravy.  I made the slight addition of some potato flour (starch) to thicken it up and changed the cooking temp/time - but for the most part otherwise, it was perfect.  I forgot to take a picture the first time around - guess it means I have to cook it again!!

Ingredients

• 1 -8 bone center cut rack of pork
• Olive oil
• Montreal Steak Seasoning or the Crispy Wing Rub or just sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 carrots - peeled and rough cut 
• add 4-8 extras, peeled and rough cut too if you want to serve roasted carrots as a side dish
• 1 med onion-rough cut and include skins
• 2 stalks of celery- rough cut
• 6 cloves garlic peeled and cut into 2-4 pieces each
• Russet potatoes (however many you're serving)
• Potato flour / potato starch

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  I like to cook on the convection roast setting. 
2. Make a little island of rough cut vegetables in the middle of a roasting pan.  If you're making extra carrots, spread them around the perimeter of your island.
3. Rinse the rack of pork well and pat dry place rack fat side up, on top of cut veggies
4. Apply a lot of olive oil to the entire rack, rubbing it into the meat
5. Sprinkle entire rack with the seasoning of your choice:  Crispy Wing Rub, Montreal Steak Seasoning, or simply salt/pepper (and anything else you like - garlic, onion, rosemary, thyme...).
6. Wash and dry the russet potatoes.  Coat with Olive Oil and the same seasonings you used for the pork.
7. Place pan in the center of the preheated oven, (placing the potatoes directly on the rack on either side) for 15 minutes.
8. After 15 minutes reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to roast for 1-1.5 hours or until internal temperature (use a thermometer) in the middle has reached 150 degrees.
9. Remove the Rack from the oven.  Transfer the pork to a tray (with sides to catch the juice) and cover tightly with foil.  Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing the meat. This will allow all the juices to remain in the rack, rather than have them run all over the plate, making the meat dry.
10. While the rack is resting, place 1-1.5 cups of water in the roasting pan and place on the stovetop over low heat.  Using a wooden spoon loosen, all the baked in meat scraps from the pan until everything is loose.  This is the point where I pick out all the extra carrots and set them into a serving bowl. 
11. To make the easiest pan gravy on earth, strain out all of the vegetable pieces and any other solids.  Add a little potato flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, whisking over low heat.  Add enough until it is to the thickness you like.  Taste for seasoning;  you may not need any after the seasonings and meat drippings have done their magic.
12. Cut the rack along the bones, making even portions of the pork, serve with your pan gravy, carrots, potatoes, and a green vegetable to your liking!

Chef Dennis' notes:  when you remove a larger cut of meat from the oven it will continue to cook and the temperature of the meat will rise 10 more degrees.
Pork can be eaten at lower temperatures than 165 degrees, but if your entire party would like the meat very well done, you can continue to roast the rack until the center cuts are 155 degrees.

Caprice on a Stick

Everything's better on a stick, right?  This one is blessfully easy and really requires no time or cooking skills.  Easy peasy lemon squeezie - and always a hit.

You'll notice no quantities on the ingredient list ... just buy enough to serve the crowd you're feeding.

Ingredients:

• Grape tomatoes, washed & dried
• Fresh basil leaves
• Small fresh mozzarella balls
• Fresh ground pepper
• Light olive oil
• Aged Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Skewer a tomato, a folded basil leaf, and a mozarella ball on a toothpick.
2. Arrange on the serving platter, then from a high vantage point, grind a light sprinkle of pepper.
3. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top of the skewers.
4. Serve with a side of balsamic vinegar in a dish for dipping.

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart

I took a class at the Ashburn Cookology class a few years ago, courtesy of a gift certificate my dear husband gave me on some occasion.  We were doing a class with the theme of pies/tarts, and this was one of Executive Chef Brad Spates' selections.  DELICIOUS!! 

Ingredients:
1 sheet of prepared puff pastry
1 onion halved, and sliced
3 oz. chèvre goat cheese
1T butter

Directions:
Melt butter in sauté pan over medium high heat. Add butter and caramelize onions, stirring constantly for five minutes until they are nicely browned. cut puff pastry into squares and place chunk of goat cheese and caramelized onion in center, fold edges over slightly and bake at 400F for 14 minutes.

Spinach Dip in Sourdough Round

Ericka Sleight was a lady I knew back in the Nuclear days - we started work together, with 46 of our other soon to be closest friends.  This one's hers.

           

Ingredients:

1 round loaf of sourdough bread

1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach

8 oz. (one cup) fat free sour cream

8 oz. (one cup) fat free mayonnaise

8 oz. (small can) chopped water chestnuts

1 pkg. Spring Vegetable Soup Mix

3 green spring onions (chopped)

Celery Salt (to taste)

Black Pepper (to taste)

Garlic powder (to taste)

Parsley (to taste)

Directions:

Thaw, rinse and drain the chopped spinach in a colander (squeeze out excess water).  Chop the onions and water chestnuts.  In a bowl, mix all ingredients together.  Cut a bowl out of the sourdough loaf saving the top for a lid.  Save the bread from the middle of the loaf and cut into squares for dipping.  Additional sourdough baguettes may be sliced and served as needed.