Sweetheart of a Meal: Crab Stuffed Filet Mignon, Roasted Veggies, Stuffed Bell Peppers

Mr. Max and I had a little chat on Sunday night. We pondered our Valentine's dinner as we looked back to the last two years where we have really gone all out. I believe our inner-romantics are still there, somewhere, but given the weekend we just had and the Mondays we thought we would have, I suggested maybe not doing anything that night (since we will have the cooking class to celebrate the day of love this Saturday) and he asked "take out?" and we simultaneously agreed "Eatzi's!"

To my surprise, my Monday didn't last as long as I anticipated and I was able to make a sweetheart of a meal after all. After the beautiful flowers I received at work, the boy deserved it. When he walked in, surprised at the sight, he asked if the aforementioned conversation was all a ruse just to mislead him into this surprise. Nope, but sure did work out well...

Thank you AllRecipes.com for your email at 7:04 this morning with this idea, the clarity came shining through. The featured recipe was a filet mignon in a rich balsamic glaze, but then I kinda wanted to stuff it with crab so I looked up a few recipes to get some ideas and here is the finished product.

Grocery List:

• 2 tbsp. Olive oil
• 2 Filet Mignon (I got a 6 oz for me and an 8 oz for the man in my life)
• 2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar (recipe I was looking at said 1/4 cup BV but then I noticed I didn't have enough, I had about enough to cover 2 tbsp. so I made up for adding sherry vinegar)
  
• 3 tbsp. Sherry Vinegar
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 tbsp. butter
  
• 6 oz. lump crab meat
• 1 tbsp. red bell pepper, minced
• 1 tbsp. green onion, minced
• 2 tbsp. onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (Tony's Creole)
• 2 large pinches of breadcrumbs (I had Panko on hand and those worked well!)
  
• Worcestershire Sauce

Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees. Combine a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce, the balsamic vinegar and the sherry vinegar in a bowl. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet on medium. Sear your meat, browning each side of the meat for a total of about 8 minutes in the pan. Next, add the Worcestershire and vinegar to the pan. Melt the butter and stir well.


As the meat is browning, start your crab mix. Dice the bell pepper, onion, green onion and garlic - add to a separate skillet with 1 tbsp. olive oil and heat on medium until softened.


Next, add the crab meat, lemon juice a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning. Next add the vegetable stock and bread crumbs, stirring well. Once combined, take off heat and put aside.


After the meat is browned on each side, remove the meat and keep the vinegar/wine/butter sauce in the skillet on low heat. Create a pocket in the meat using a knife and stuff with the crab mixture. Set the stuffed filets in an oven safe dish and pour the sauce over top.


At this point, I had leftover crab stuffing and still 3/4 of a bell pepper so I decided to see how that would pan out for me. I stuffed the bell pepper with the crab mix, topped with shredded Parmesan and stuck it in the oven safe dish to cook with the steaks. This wasn't my favorite, to me, it was too much crab in one sitting but to each their own.


Cook for 15 minutes or until you have reached your desired pinkness - I left the bell pepper in an additional 5 minutes for a total of 20. Spoon the juices from the sauce over the stuffed filet and serve!


Served with the stuffed bell pepper, mashed potatoes and this roasted asparagus recipe with squash and zucchini added.


Stuffed bell pepper...


Pictures of the squash, zucchini and asparagus preparation...



Bon appetit!

Romantic Mentions for Your Valentine's Day Dinner

Love is in the air my friends. I spent this weekend with Mr. Max in El Campo, Texas to be a bridesmaid in my sweet friend's wedding. Becca and Blair grew up together and started their dating adventure as sophomore's in high school, said "I Do" yesterday and on their way to the Bahamas today. It was such a special weekend meeting her family and other close friends, as well as seeing our close friends together in one place since we live all over this state now.

Mr. Max and I are celebrating Valentine's day next Saturday night, taking part in a cooking class at Central Market! For our first Hallmark Love Day, we went to a "hands-on" 4-course cooking class at a really cute little house off in the historic downtown of Grapevine. Fun fact, the little blog ID picture in our little aprons is from that night! I'm sure you can infer that the "..." means that it wasn't exactly hands-on, in fact, much of it was pre-made and just demonstrative. It was still a really fun experience and we did learn a lot that we put to use in our own kitchen. This time, we are doing a truly hands-on experience with a Couples Night Out: Texas Tastes class. I was particularly drawn to this class because we are not familiar with cooking a thing on the menu - well, we make green beans and squash but maybe not like they do. I hope they will allow me to bring a camera in to document it but next Saturday we will be making:

• Texas Grilled Quail Salad
• Hill Country Surf' n Turf
• Chipotle-Cheddar Cheese Grits;
• Green Bean & Squash Medley with Roasted Peppers
• and Cinnamon Apple Crisp with Buttermilk Ice Cream

I haven't decided what to make for our actual Sweetheart Day tomorrow night. I may do Veal Oscar again, which is what we made last year, P.B. (pre-blog) or finally conquer crab cakes. I wanted to give you a few suggestions for a Valentine's dinner treat if you are stay at home, cook it yourself-ers like us!

If beef is your calling, I would recommend this incredible steak I made Max for his birthday or if you do have a little extra money to spend, this beef tenderloin with madeira sauce from our New Years Eve feast. For more low-fat, low budget this flank steak will knock your socks off.

If you want a romantic poultry dinner, this chicken dish originally named Chicken Valentino would be perfect, or something with a little less work, the goat cheese cranberry stuffed chicken is still one of our favorites.

If pork is your thing, hands down the spiced pork agrodolce with the butternut squash risotto is your winner. However, this raspberry pork tenderloin would be a close second.

If fish is what your heart desires, then I recommend this halibut or impress with this very simple homemade teryaki glazed salmon.

If simple elegance is what you need on a Monday evening, try out this Goat Cheese Pesto pizza in the candlelight.

And finally, if you are going for the Italian influence for tu amor, this jazzed-up Baked Ziti or Italian enchiladas with a fine Chianti will be perfecto.

These are my "romantic favorites" and come with my guarantee that if served, you will impress your Valentine and he/she will become a smitten kitten all over again.

Braised Short Ribs

FINALLY! My little huff and puff with the meat man triumphed. After 2 weeks of my growing disappointment and perhaps straight up noticeable in the latter days, my store had short ribs! We discovered this Tuesday night as Mr. Max and I went to stock up on food for the possible Snowpocalypse round 3 predicted to hit on Wednesday. I had given up hope and planned a turkey chili instead. But alas, there they were, shining in all their meaty rib glory - a choir of angels sang in my head.

I'm breaking the low fat/low cal trend to bring you this meal. Now, I say that but here's the thing - there isn't anything that really rings out "FAT ALERT," "WATCH OUT HIPS," "DON'T EAT AGAIN FOR 2 DAYS!" This includes carrots, celery, low-sodium beef stock, red wine (good for the heart, don't you forget that) and Pancetta rather than bacon. Sounds rather safe if you ask me. After googling braised short rib recipes, I compiled this from a few different sources.

I initially planned to try this with creamy cheesy polenta but decided to save that for an upcoming pork tenderloin. Tonight, it's aaaaaall about the creamy whipped potatoes... perhaps that is where the not-so-good-for-you part comes in. I've served Max Man enough "chick food" lately, it was time for some meat and potatoes.

Grocery List:

• 6-8 beef short ribs (about 4 lbs. - they are heavy suckers!)
• 1/4 cup flour
• Pinch of thyme and allspice
• Meat tenderizer
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 6 slices Pancetta
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 2/3 cup red onion chunks (I only added this because I didn't have enough regular onion)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped into 1 inch chunks
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 cups dry red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 2 cups beef stock

Ready for this? Let's go. Start by pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees. Next, chop your Pancetta and throw it in a Dutch oven on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.


While your Pancetta is simmering, combine flour, salt and pepper, some meat tenderizer, dried thyme and a sprinkle or two of Allspice. Then dredge your ribs in the flour mixture and set aside.


hello ribs...prepare to get dredged




Brown the ribs in the Dutch oven for about 5 minutes on each side, excluding the side with the bone.


As your ribs brown, take the time to cut up the carrots, celery, onion and garlic.


Remove the beef from the pot and set aside on a plate (I stick in the microwave to keep warm).


Add the veggies and garlic, add bay leaves, with the olive oil and cook covered until softened, about 10 minutes.


Stir in the tomato paste, add the red wine and beef stock. Simmer for about 10 minutes then add the ribs. Cook for another 10 minutes.


Place in the oven for 2 hours. Do some dishes, some cardio, some googling.


You will be smelling amazing aromas after the first hour, don't be fooled, stick it out because it's worth the wait! When your timer goes off, remove from oven. Open that lid and that chorus of angels mentioned in the intro? They'll be singing to you.


Now that's what I'm talkin' bout.



Spoon out your bed of potatoes and serve the ribs and juice over top. Click here for my favorite creamy potato recipe.
Mr. Max's big-boy portion


My more piquenos portion - after all, I broke diet and have a bridesmaid dress to wear this weekend :-)


So tender, so juicy, so flavorful, so perfect. Enjoy friends!

Citrus Chicken Fricassee and Veggies

I'm so sick of this cold weather I decided not to give into winter night comfort cooking. Instead I took to my Cuisine Light magazine for inspiration and something more vibrant. Tonight I bring you Chicken Fricassee with a citrus cream sauce and steamed veggies. I have never use bone-in so instead of stubbornly choosing my go-to chicken breast cutlet, I got the organic thigh and leg. This is a big day.

Though I have been anti-heavy cream in attempt to make as low fat/low cal as possible, the recipe was already health conscious so I used it as the recipe instructed. The nutritional facts are 382 calories, 14g total fat, 208mg cholesterol, 377mg sodium, 9g carbs, 51g protein, 2mg iron and 41mg calcium. The total cook time is about an hour and a 1/2.

Grocery List:

• 2 bone-in chicken pieces (thigh and leg)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup carrot, cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup orange, chopped
• 1 cup lemon, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1.2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• Fresh parsley

Ok, I know, this is a long grocery list but I promise it is all worth it! Start by removing any of the skin a excess fat from the chicken pieces.


Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear half the chicken for 5 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate.


I bought pre-chopped onion, but take this time to dice up your veggies. These are my favorite little carrots!


Add the onion, carrot, chopped orange, chopped lemon, celery, garlic and bay leaf to the pot. Cover and reduce to medium-low, let it cook for 10 minutes.


Stir in the tomato paste and cook for two minutes - followed by the flour. Stir to help coat and cook for 1 minute.


Add the broth, orange and lemon juice, wine, and honey then simmer for about 10 minutes.


Add the chicken, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.


Strain the sauce into a bowl, discard the veggies. Pour the sauce into a sauce pan on medium-low heat.


In a small bowl, mix the cream and the yolk, then slowly add to the sauce, whisking well. Stir until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add about 2 pinches worth of chopped parsley.


I steamed fresh haricot verts, carrots and zucchini in my simple veggie steamer, using them as a bed. Lay the chicken over the veggies and top with sauce!


This was just what we needed; conjuring up some tropical flavors on a cold February evening.

White Bean and Chicken Soup

Again, my meal plan forecasting is just not so accurate this week...I felt like some personal narrative writing today so if you are looking for just the recipe, scroll to Grocery List. If you would like my account of the last few days, continue reading.

So, Dallas has become a frozen tundra. We've been experiencing ice storms with temperatures in the single digits and teens. In all off my 26 years of being a native Dallasite, I do not recall this kind of weather in my personal history of ever. Therefore, I blame Jerry Jones and his past, present and future greed issues for deserving weather that will impede on his money-making Super Bowl game, as well as the Steelers and the Packers for bringing their normal winter weather to this city. Put simply: bad karma and contagious weather.

Starting around 4:43 am on Tuesday I woke up to the piercing and rather frightening sound of ice pelting my windows. Pelting is an understatement. Think of 20 kids with snowballs and their parent's key rings unleashing fury on glass, that is more like it. I kept trying to go back to sleep thinking "surely it will only last another 15 minutes..." - wrong. At 6:12 am I rolled over to check my phone for the time and had texts that the office was closed, well that woke me up! I was in school girl mode and ran out into my living room, pulled back my patio curtains to find an icy wonderland! To my discontent, as I looked outside I was also having bits of precipitation and numbing cold wind spit in my face from my doorway; that's always comforting, my doors are not sealed. I watched the news looking for other cancellations, would I have any friends to play with on this ICE DAY?! Except this one wasn't fun. At all. Bitter cold temperatures with wind chills I had never heard of in these parts and it was all ice. ICE. Therefore, I felt it best I just stay in bed alllll dayyyy lonnnng.

Unfortunately my 1 mile commute to work was at a disadvantage this time, I didn't have long stretches of treacherous roads to drive on, so into the office I've gone. But this morning I woke up to glorious snow fall. I stuck a ruler outside on the terrace and it's right around 6 inches, snow day it is! This is pure insanity, seriously I've heard more sirens around me the last 3 days than the 7 months I've lived here next to all of the hospitals.

Due to this cold weather, suddenly salmon and couscous just didn't do it for me and of course beef short ribs were still not at my store before Dallas froze over. I wanted rich and hearty, warm comfort food so via text messages Mr. Max conquered the ice-patched roads and we had the incredible Beef Goulash again Tuesday night. The stew was perfect, this time we could really appreciate it. I just finished left overs for lunch.

Being one of four people in the office Wednesday, my cubicle neighbor and I discussed our dramatic tales of the past 27 hours, then shared our delicious comfort meals from dinner the night before. Thank you arctic blast for providing me (via Jana) with this new recipe that I will now share with you!

Grocery List:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 3 cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained and divided
• 1 (16 oz) package frozen shoepeg white corn
• 2 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chilis
• 3 tbsp. lime juice

Start by heating your crock pot and shredding your rotisserie chicken.


Next saute your chopped onion in hot oil in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, then add your garlic and sautee for 2-3 more minutes.


Add your chicken pieces and onion mix to the crockpot, then stir in 2 cups of water, salt, cumin, chili powder, pepper and oregano.


Take 2 of your 3 cans of canneloni beans, rinse and drain them. Then take your immersion blender (or put in a regular blender) and puree.



Stir the bean puree, remaining can of rinsed beans, corn and the chilis into the crockpot. Cook for 2 hours or longer, stirring often. Add lime juice just before serving.