Here’s a meal that is easy and delicious, but fancy enough for a special occasion.
Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Serves 2 – inspired by The Joy of Cooking
2 – 8 ounce pieces beef tenderloin
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the meat dry, and season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until brown, then transfer the skillet to the oven to cook through. Cook for about 30 minutes for medium-well. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Let the meat rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Transfer to plate to serve.
I recently purchased a food thermometer which comes in handy for all sorts of things. It makes it much easier to tell if your meat is cooked to your desired doneness. The Joy of Cooking book gives these guidelines: 125-130 degrees for rare, 135-140 for medium-rare, 150-155 for medium. I also learned that inserting the thermometer into the side of the meat gives a more accurate temperature than inserting it into the top.
Roasted Haricots Verts Serves 2
2 handfuls haricots verts (french green beans) – or substitute green beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (these can go in the oven at the same time as the beef tenderloin). On a sheet pan, drizzle the beans with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer then cover with the parmesan cheese. Place sheet pan in oven and roast beans for approximately 15 minutes, or until tender and the cheese is crispy and golden brown. Transfer to plate to serve.
Pasta with Truffle Butter
Serves 2 – Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa
8 oz fettucine
1.5 oz truffle butter (I found it at Kowalskis in the deli section)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving a small amount of pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot, add the truffle butter, cream, and parmesan cheese, stir to combine. Add a bit of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to plate to serve.
This is an original recipe, inspired by the fried ravioli I loved to eat in the dining center (the “DC”) during college at Bethel University. These probably contributed to my gaining the “Freshman 15″ but they are so delicious. Just don’t eat them once a week and you’ll be fine.
Fried Ravioli Serves 2 or 3
1 package cheese ravioli from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Recommended: Buitoni Riserva Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs
1 cup italian bread crumbs
Marinara sauce, for serving. Recommended: Classico 4-Cheese
Vegetable oil, for frying
In a large saucepan, heat enough oil to be a few inches deep in your pan over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees (a candy/frying thermometer is helpful to have). Note: you can test the temperature of your oil but dropping a little piece of bread into the oil. If it bubbles and floats to the top and starts to fry, the oil is ready.
Make an assembly line with three bowls. Place the flour in the first bowl. In the second bowl, beat the eggs with a small splash of water. Place the bread crumbs in the third bowl. Lastly, line a large plate with paper towels.
Dip the ravioli in the flour and coat completely. Then coat the ravioli in the eggs, then in the bread crumbs, coating completely. Next, coat in the egg and bread crumbs again. This second layer is key to getting a nice thick crust that will stay attached to the ravioli. Repeat with all ravioli.
Place 2 or 3 ravioli gently into the oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t add too many ravioli at once, or you will decrease the temperature of the oil leading to soggy ravioli. Remove the ravioli from the oil and let cool on the paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining ravioli.
Warm the marinara sauce to serve with the ravioli. Serve with a salad to make a meal. Enjoy (in moderation)!!
When the weather turns cold, I crave comfort foods. How about you? Here’s the perfect thing to satisfy your cravings. Watch out – I cut this recipe in half and it still made way too much! I’ll link to the original recipe in case you want to feed a crowd, but if you’re cooking for fewer than 6 people, I’ve halved the recipe for you. The key to a smooth cheese sauce is warming the milk before making the sauce (thanks, Martha, for the tip!).
Macaroni & Cheese Adapted from Martha Stewart, Feeds about 6
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 1.5 qt casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a small dish and add the bread crumbs and stir to coat. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat (stir occasionally). Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, stir and cook for one minute. Slowly pour in the warm milk, and whisk constantly. Continue to cook and the mixture should bubble and become thick. Remove from heat and add the cheese, reserving 1/4 cup. Stir until the cheese is melted. Set aside.
Cook the pasta to al dente, then drain and mix with the cheese sauce. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs. Bake at 375 degrees until warm throughout and bubbly, about 20-30 minutes. The top should be nice and golden brown. Serve with a salad or broccoli.
