Coffee coated Beef Tenderloin!

I know what you're thinking... Coffee... HUH? Yeah... that is what I said when my dad suggested this concoction. I thought he had a little too much wine. But guess what? It was divine! I never would have thought coffee could add such amazing flavor to beef!

Try it out... it won't disappoint!

Coffee coated Beef Tenderloin

4 lb beef tenderloin - cooled to room temperature

1/4 cup olive oil

1 heaping tablespoon coffee - ground

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 heaping tablespoon of herbs de province (or Italian seasoning)

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika - and as my father says... "not all paprika is created equal, so try to get Hungarian"

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2. Place beef in roasting pan and poor olive oil over meat. Create a dry rub with the herbs and coffee and rub all over meat. Coating each side generously.

3. Turn skillet to very high heat, and pan sear, sealing each side. About 2 min for each side.

4. Place meat back in oven roasting pan and place in oven for 15 minutes for Medium Rare.

5. Let sit, covered in foil, for 10 minutes. Slice and Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms

My dad saw this recipe on the food network. We modified it a bit but you the regular recipe is below. We only used one type of mushroom and we used dried Thyme. It turned out absolutely amazing. I would recommend it to anyone!

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and then thinly sliced
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
1/2 pound button mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
4 springs fresh thyme
1/2 cup white wine
Flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven 425 degrees F

Place a large skillet on the cook top with the extra-virgin olive oil and the sliced garlic, spread out the garlic so it is in an even layer in the oil. Place the skillet over medium heat and slowly brown the garlic stirring every now and then until golden all over, 4 to 5 minutes.

Once you have the garlic going, place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet and drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil and season with some salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tomatoes start to burst.

Once the garlic is brown remove it from the skillet and reserve. Turn the heat up under the skillet to high, once you see the oil ripple add the mushrooms and spread them out in an even layer. Let them cook for about 4 minutes without moving. Go ahead and give them a stir, add the dried thyme and season with some freshly ground black pepper, continue to cook for another 5 minutes stirring every now and then.

Add the white wine and cook until it has almost completely evaporated, add some salt and stir to combine.

Transfer the mushrooms to a serving platter, add the roasted tomatoes and the parsley and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the garlic chips and serve hot, warm, room temperature.

Frittata!!!

Today, my parents came over early for my son's first Christmas. This is a guest post from my favorite chef... my dad!

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This Christmas I came over my daughter's house and we had a beautiful Frittata!

12 eggs

3 egg whites

1 tablespoon butter

turkey sausage

1/2 container of low fat ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons Italian seasonings

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Put the turkey sausage in a seperate skillet until done. Remove and drain on paper towel.

2. Whisk egg whites and ricotta cheese in sepereate bowl.

3. Melt butter in another (large) pan and cook until firm. Add sausage in handfulls and top off with ricotta cheese.

4. Bake in oven for 5 mintutes or until egg is firm. Flip to broil for 5 minutes or until brown.

Remove from oven, slice and serve!

Peanut Butter M&M's cookies!!

Wow is all I can say. These cookies are truly divine! Remember when they made peanut butter M&M's? Ok... these are like those, but in a cookie! Bottom line...they rock!

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups (about 8 ounces) milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar, dark brown sugar, and butter in large bowl to blend.

Add peanut butter; beat until creamy. Gradually beat in vegetable oil and vanilla extract, then egg. Add dry ingredients; mix just until blended. Stir in milk chocolate chips.

Drop cookie dough by level teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake cookies until puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

Gingerbread!!

This recipe is from my favorite chef. He is my cousin, Nick, and he is a graduate of the CIA - the Culinary Institute of Amerca. I am so happy to have re-connected with him and to be sharing recipes. Hope you all enjoy!

Gingerbread!

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup molasses

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 ounces butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

1. Bring water and molasses to a boil and remove from heat. Add baking soda. Use a bigger pot than needed because the baking soda will cause the water to froth. Set aside.

2. Combine all ingredients from salt down.

3. Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the egg and incorporate into butter mixture.

4. Alternate molasses mix and dry ingredients a little at a time until all is incorporated.

5. Butter and flour a large baking dish. Add the gingerbread batter and bake for approx. 30-35 mintues.

Serve with stewed apples and vanilla ice cream.

Yum Yum!!!

Chicken Pot Pie

Weight Watchers Style!!

Hubs and I love this recipe, and the band members were equally thrilled. Basically, men love this recipe and woman love that it is low fat! Score one for both teams!!

1 pound skinned, boned chicken breast halves, cut into cubes

1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced-fat, reduced sodium cream of chicken soup - I used cream of mushroom and it came out wonderfully!

1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

1 (1o oz) package frozen vegitables, thawed

1 (8 oz) baked potato, peeled and diced

1 (2 oz) jar diced pimiento, drained

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 (15 oz) package refrigerated piecrusts

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Coat skillet with cooking spray; add chicken, and cook 2 minutes, stirring often. Add soup and buttermilk, stirring well. Bring to a boil and over medium-high heat; stir in mixed vegitable and potatoes. Make sure you watch it and stir frequently because the cream of soup and the chicken tend to stick. Also, after the potatoes became soft, the broth was a little thick for our liking, so we added a little chicken broth to make it creamier. Or, you could par boil the potatoes beforehand and then add.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in pimiento, salt and pepper, remove from heat.

Place piecrust on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Gently slide baked piecrust over mnixture in skillet.

Enjoy!!

Cranberry Pecan Biscotti!!

I found this on the amazing Lacey's blog! They look so amazing, delicious AND easy. Right up my alley blog.

Cranberry Pecan Biscotti!

- 3/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries

- 3/4 cup pecans

- 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 2 teaspoon baking powder

- 2/3 cup sugar

- 1/3 cup butter

- 2 eggsBeat

Add butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add 2 eggs and beat on medium until well combined.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in contents of jar just until combined.

Divide into 2 loaves on cookie sheet, chilling if necessary to make dough easier to handle.

Each loaf should be about 9 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Bake at 375°F for 25-30 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on sheet for 1 hour.

Cut each loaf diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices using a serrated (bread) knife. Place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 325°F for 8 minutes, then turn over and bake for 8-10 minutes more or until dry and crisp.

Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Thanks again Lacey. This looks amazing!