Fancy-Schmancy Gourmet Dinner

I made my weekly trip to my favorite enormous grocery store today, and upon browsing the meat section, I found that beef tenderloin was on sale, and suddenly, all I wanted was some tenderloin with a pan sauce, horseradish cream, and a big roasted sweet potato. I was so consumed by my thoughts of dinner that I forgot to get Adam’s hot dogs, the red wine for another meal, and eggs! (On a side note, I have every intent on taking you all on a photo tour of this fantastic store! I was going to do it today, but alas, I forot my camera!)

The official title of tonight’s dinner that wouldn’t fit in the title bar without looking pretentious is:

Pan-roasted Beef Tenderloin with Pomegranate Reduction and Horseradish Cream

Phew! That’s a mouthful (no pun intended!) This is a dinner which, if it were on a restaurant menu, I’d order. If someone served it to me at a dinner party, I’d be forever grateful. Since I made it myself, there’s leftovers and I know the recipe, so I can make it whenever I want!

Seriously restaurant-worthy!

Seriously restaurant-worthy!

These are some of the simplest recipes I’ve ever made, with the absolutely best results!

Pan-Roasted Tenderloin

Ingredients

1 piece beef tenderloin, about 1.5 lbs

fresh ground black pepper

garlic powder

salt

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

6 oz. POM Wonderful juice (or any Pomegranate juice)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400*. Liberally rub both sides of the tenderloin with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat the olive oil and chopped garlic in an oven-safe pan. Sear the meat on both sides, then put in the oven and cook until medium- to medium-rare, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and pan, and allow to sit at least 5 minutes before carving. While the meat is resting, return the pan to stovetop heat, and add pomegranate juice, scraping the bottom of the pan while it simmers. Reduce by at least half, then drizzle the reduction over the sliced steak.

Simple Horseradish Cream

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

1/4 c. fat free sour cream.

Directions

Mix ingredients together. Taste and adjust to your liking. Serve.

I took this really awesome close-up of my steak with a splatter of the pomegranate reduction that I just have to show you… I couldn’t decide whether to do the full-plate shot or this one, so you get both!

see? It's a great shot!

see? It's a great shot!

I had a simple baked sweet potato with some Smart Balance buttery spread and cinnamon on the side and I’m pleasantly full. If I get hungry later tonight, I’ll make some pudding with strawberries…

Thanks to everyone for your supportive comments on my post the other day; it’s really wonderful to know that I have so many people reading and honestly caring! It makes me feel so great that with all my issues and weirdnesses, there are other people out there who “get it” besides just my few close friends.

This is for each and every one of you!

This is for each and every one of you!

Have a fantastic evening!

xoxo,

P.S. HangryPants is giving away Zoe’s Granola here but I want it, so don’t enter!

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Layers and Layers: Spinach Lasagna

It’s cold here. REALLY cold. Like, -20 wind chill cold. Darn Chicago! SO my title is two-fold: Layers as in the amount of clothing necessary to be comfortable, and layers in my lovely lasagna. (And parfaits. Everyone likes parfaits! Name that movie?)

I’ve wanted lasagna for about 2 weeks now. Sometimes, people will talk about making something at home, usually my coworkers, and it will be ALL I can think about until I can get around to making it myself. Sure, I could’ve ordered lasagna at the Olive Garden last night, but I would’ve been sorry because it wasn’t MY lasagna. So, tonight, darn it, I was making lasagna!

This recipe is the result of a LOT of trial and error, and a lot of watery lasagnas. This one though, was perfect.

LOOK at that layering action!

LOOK at that layering action!

Fantastic Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients

1 package whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 jar pasta sauce

2 boxes frozen chopped spinach

1 15 oz. container fat free ricotta cheese

1 c. fat free cottage cheese

2 cups reduced fat mozzarella cheese, divided

1 tbsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. oregano

1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 375* and spray an 11″x14″ pan with non-stick spray. Pour about 1/4 c. pasta sauce in the bottom of the pan. Thaw the spinach in the microwave and drain VERY thoroughly. Mix all the ingredients besides the noodles in a large bowl. Layer noodles, 1/3 of the spinach mixture, more noodles, sauce, spinach and so on, finishing with sauce. Top with cheese, cover and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly.  Let sit about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

This was such comfort food for me, and I’m beyond thrilled that there’s so much leftover! Adam went right back for seconds, and I’m going to dig into a second piece in a minute.

A few announcements!

Happy thoughts are working!!! Thanks for sending them our way!

Make sure you check out the Honest Foods giveaway over at one of my favorite blogs, Oh She Glows!

Be watching for a special guest post tomorrow night… someone else is cooking ME dinner!!


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