Beef Tenderloin Steak with Marsala Mushroom Sauce

Beef Tenderloin is a very tender steak that deserves to be served to someone very special.

When our children were little we usually stayed in on Valentines Day and even now when babysitters are not needed we still enjoy lighting the candles and setting the table for two. Beef tenderloin steaks are typically cut about an inch thick.   

The sauce will generously be enough for 6 - 8 steaks but the recipe can easily be made smaller for a dinner for two.  

The steaks can be cooked on the grill to your preference and the sauce can be made separately and served over the steaks.

• 6 - 8 one inch thick beef tenderloin steaks (sirloin steaks are good too) 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound large button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup dry marsala wine
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Slice steaks in half to make 1/2 inch thick medallions. 
2. Heat a large fry pan over medium high heat.  Add butter and olive oil.
3. Season steaks with salt and pepper and sear on both sides until brown.  Remove from pan and place in a  large casserole dish.
4. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic and stir over medium heat until the mushrooms begin to cook down after releasing their liquid.  This will take about 15 minutes.
5. Add flour and stir to create a thick paste.
6. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, stir to release all the bits from the pan.
7. Add beef broth and parsley leaves, taste the sauce, adjust the seasoning and add the heavy cream.
8. Pour sauce over the steaks and bake uncovered at 350 F for 45 - 60 minutes to reduce sauce and blend flavours.

Serve sauce and steak over mashed potatoes.

Spicy Dark Chocolate Cookies

These cookies with surprising ingredients are very tasty and have a nice after kick of spice to them. Enjoy them with a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee. My sister Lana made them and shared them and the recipe with me.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 oz. of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Melt the butter and chocolate together either on the stove top in a heatproof bowl over simmering water (whisking until glossy and smooth) or in the microwave in 25-second increments (whisking after each 25 seconds). Cool the chocolate mixture to room temperature.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat together the brown and white sugar, eggs and vanilla extract on low speed until mixed well. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne.

Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated well.
Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Scoop 12 equal rounds of the cookie dough for each cookie sheet making 24 cookies in total (approx.1-1/2 tablespoons each)
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 12 minutes.
Cookies should still be a little puffy and soft.
Immediately slide the full sheet of parchment paper with the cookies onto a cooling rack.
Cool and enjoy with a cold glass of milk.
Note: If you enjoy sweeter cookies you can increase the brown sugar to a cup.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake in a Mug

This cake in a mug was fun to make! The cake is slightly dense but quite delicious served warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Sounds like an idea for Valentine's Day. Recipe from my long time friend Em.

• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoon chocolate chips
• Splash of vanilla
• 1 large mug

1. Mix together dry ingredients in the mug.
2. Add egg and mix thoroughly. 
3. Pour in milk and oil and mix well.
4. Add chocolate chips and vanilla and mix again.
5. Place mug in microwave (1000 watts) and cook for 3 minutes. 
6. The cake will rise over the top of the mug but don't be alarmed. Allow to cool a bit and tip out on a plate if desired or eat right out of the mug.
7. Dessert for two.

Pecan Crusted Salmon

Are you looking for a simple yet special dish? This is our favorite salmon recipe and so quick and easy to prepare.  (I buy the frozen salmon fillets in bulk and keep on hand.) The directions are for two, but easily multiplied to serve more.

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 2 salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
• lemon wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F 
2. Mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. 
3. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
4. Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
5. Brush with mustard-honey mixture. Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture.
6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. 
7. Serve with lemon wedges.

  *Serves two.

Bread for the Journey

In a recent Precepts Bible Study I became more aware of how, from the very beginning in Genesis, God provided forgiveness for sins. The Bible says that after Adam and Eve sinned, God made garments of skin to clothe them. Their shame was covered by the death of a perfect lamb, pointing to  Jesus, who would  one day die for the sins of the world. In due time, God gave His Son because He desires for us to have a choice . . . a way out from  the wages of our sinful nature. I was reminded of the chorus of an old song by Point of Grace:

There's a bridge to cross the great divide

A way was made to reach the other side

The mercy of the Father cost His son His life

His love is deep, His love is wide

There's a cross to bridge the great divide

I love the beautiful interchanging of words. The bridge to a relationship with God is the cross. The cross is the bridge to forgiveness and peace. No matter who we are or what we have done, God loves us. The bridge is made available to all who will cross. I got on it on a summer evening, when I was almost eleven years old. It changed my life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Bienenstich (Bee-sting cake)

Bienenstich was a specialty of my husband's Aunt Sue and I think of her whenever I make it.

Bienenstich is German for bee-sting and although the original recipe somewhere back in time may have had honey in it, this one doesn't.

This yummy dessert starts with a "Lazy Daisy" or Hot Milk Cake to which
you add a broiled topping and cream filling.

I usually double or triple the recipe as it freezes well and is a good cake to have ready for

unexpected company.

Laisy Daisy Cake:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1 tablespoon butter

Broiled Topping:

• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons  cream
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Cream Filling:

• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla instant pudding powder (opt.)
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Beat the eggs and gradually add sugar. Beat until thick and light
2. Add vanilla and mix in.
3. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture, mixing only until blended.
4. Scald milk (I do it in the microwave) and add butter, stirring until it is melted.
5. Slowly add milk and incorporate into batter.
6. Pour into a greased 8 inch pan.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out dry.
8. Mix all topping ingredients together and, spooning onto cake in small amounts, spread mixture gently over cake. Be sure to spread topping right to the edges of the pan.
9. Place back in oven and bake until topping bubbles. You can broil it if you like but you will need to watch it carefully as it will burn quickly.
10. When cake has cooled, put it in the freezer for an hour or 2. This makes it easier to slice the cake into layers.          
11. Remove cake from freezer and slice horizontally into 2 layers.
12. Beat filling ingredients together until cream holds firm peaks.
13. Fill cake with cream filling.
14. Replace top of cake and freeze until firm.
15. Remove from freezer and cut into serving pieces about 1/2 - 1 hour before serving. 
16. Refrigerate any leftovers.

1. 
   

Butterflies

For this Flashback Friday I want to remind you of these cinnamon rolls posted in 2009 - the name referring to the way the roll stands up and spreads out like it has wings. It's a small recipe (yields 24 - 30) and really doesn't take long to do because you skip the first rising. This is another recipe passed down from my mom. 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 1/4 c buttermilk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 c hot water
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 6 cups flour, divided
• ½ cup butter, melted or very soft
• 2 Tbsp instant yeast

Filling: (Blend with pastry blender)

• 1 1/4 c brown sugar,
• 1/2 c flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon,
• 3 Tbsp butter (room temp) for blending/cutting into filling
•  3- 5 Tbsp melted butter for spreading on rolled out dough

Method:

1. In large bowl of stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar well. Add buttermilk, salt and water.
2. Mix 2 c of the flour with baking powder and yeast, then stir into liquid mixture.
3. Add butter, mixing well, and the rest of the flour, kneading until dough is smooth. Cover. You do not need to let it rise at this point. (I let it rest while I prepare the filling.)
4. Divide dough in half. Sprinkle rolling surface with flour. 
5. Shape and pat dough into a rectangular shape before rolling each half into a 10" x 20" rectangle, dusting with flour when needed. 
6. Spread with melted butter, then brown sugar mixture.
7. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting on long side. Slice into 1 1/2 inch slices. While slice is “standing up”, indent it almost all the way through with a pencil (dipped in flour) or spatula as though you’re slicing it in half again . . . this makes the sides pop up like wings.
8. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. If you don’t use parchment paper, grease the pans and remove rolls as soon as you take them out of the oven, before sugar hardens.
9. Cover loosely with tea towel and plastic. Rise 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Some buns will kind of lose their shape while rising and I sometimes (gently) re-indent them. Bake at 350 F, 15 minutes or until golden.
10. Drizzle with a thin icing. ( approx 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 2 Tbsp. softened butter and milk - until desired spreading consistency) I like to use a teaspoon or butter knife and just kind of ‘scatter’ the icing. These rolls freeze well in sealed container. Reheat to serve warm.

Lemony Apricot Jam Muffins

Every Thursday afternoon for almost 10 years, I had the privilege of being invited to the home of two friends, and I am always treated to a bowl of soup and freshly baked muffins! I think that she was so tired of me asking for the recipes that for my birthday they gave me the book called "The 250 Best Muffin Recipes" by Esther Brody. So here is one of the many recipes enjoyed by our family.

• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 t. grated lemon zest
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 c. buttermilk or 1 c milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 t. lemon juice

Filling and Topping:

• apricot jam
• 1/4 c. chopped almonds

1. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, zest, baking powder, baking soda, salt. Make a well in center.
2. In another bowl whisk together egg, butter, buttermilk and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients stir until moistened.
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling half full. 
4. Drop a bit of apricot jam into each tin. 
5. Top with remaining batter; sprinkle with almonds. 
6. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Seafood Crepes

This is a perfect dish for date night.  The crepes can be divided between individual gratin dishes. The flavour of the seafood is delicious in the creamy white sauce. The recipe can be easily doubled to serve company. 

Seafood Crepes  

• 1 cup all flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk (more if needed)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Butter as needed to cook crepes

Seafood Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 portion salmon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup small bay scallops
• 1/3 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 3 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the flour, the milk, (a bit at a time) vegetable oil, and salt and begin whisking. Pour in the remaining milk.  Add additional milk if needed. The batter should be like heavy cream. Refrigerate for one hour.
2. Heat a 9-inch non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of butter to the pan and then ladle about 1/4 cup batter into the pan,  tilting the pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until the top surface is no longer wet and then flip over and cook for another 10 seconds.  Stack crepes on a plate.
3.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter is melted, add the salmon to the pan and cook on each side until browned and the center is nearly done. Set aside on a plate.
4. In the same saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter, and add the flour, stirring to combine. Whisk in the milk slowly to combine and continue to whisk over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. 
5. Add the shrimp and scallops and simmer just until the seafood is opaque. ( a few minutes) Add the parmesan and half the Gruyere cheese.  Add half of the chives and parsley. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
6. Break up the salmon and divide between crepes. Add a few tablespoons of the seafood to a crepe, Roll it up and transfer to a greased baking dish or put two in individual baking dishes.  
7. Top with the last of the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake at 350 F until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly.  Top with the last of the chopped herbs. 

Makes 8 crepes

Vegetable Noodle Soup

Here is a quick and delicious noodle soup which is perfectly delicious as a vegetarian dish. But if you happen to have cooked chicken handy...that is also a good addition.  It started with a vegetable soup recipe on the back of a 'fine egg noodle' package and evolved from there.  Since we like things zippy around here...I add Sambal Oelek (a chili paste) but a hot sauce of any kind would do the trick as well.

• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2-3 cups chopped cabbage
• 8 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
• 1 cup fine noodles, uncooked
• 1 cup green peas (small)
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (hot chili paste), optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Heat oil; cook onion, carrots and cabbage for 5-6 minutes.
2. Stir in chicken stock.  Bring to a boil; then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add noodles, peas, soy sauce and salt (along with hot sauce, if desired).  Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until noodles are tender.
4. Stir in the parsley and serve.

Serves six.