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11-12-2007, 10:24 AM
Re: (...)
This was certainly a winner!! Everything went together, flavor-wise, so well. Thoroughly enjoyed the entire dinner and will do the tatoes often with steak from now on. I didn't use the entire amount of cheese called for (1 cup) - I'm not that much of a blue cheese fan, altho Roy could eat it by the spoonful, but he was happy also with the amount.
And now, Laura's B'day menu pick is in three weeks, so we have time for one more dinner before then. Can someone think of an easy (read cheap and fast) dinner we can work into the hectic next couple of weeks??? I'll look also.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
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I agree with you Jean. This meal was a huge winner in our house. My husband and I loved everything:
Roasted Potatoes w/ Blue Cheese and Chives These were so delish! I am with Roy on this one. I could eat blue cheese (good stuff) by the spoonful. These potatoes will definitely have an encore in our house.
Peppered Beef Filets on Garlic Spinach We purchased a whole tenderloin and cut it myself. This was great because the Choice meat was only 10.99/lb! At the grocery store they were 24.99/lb. I also happened to have a ton of baby spinach already washed and dried. The meat turned out wonderful and looked spectacular. My husband said that it was 'as good or better' than a
C@H recipe we did a year ago called
Spinach and Blue Cheese stuffed Filets, that was good too.
Balsamic Reduction This really tied the spinach and filet together and really help marry all the flavors. It was almost sweet tasting. Wonderful sauce and a wonderful meal.
Awesome recipe!
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura
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I made this one. My mom was visiting and my hubby was home. I think I made it a week ago. We loved the potatoes - I did not use the whole cup and we like blue cheese, but we had some very blue tasting blue cheese. But we really liked them.
Reducing the balsamic was an eye and nose burner! Wow - Yowza. I kept it on for twice as long and it still did not reduce quite enough. I think it would have been better if I had reduced it longer.
Loved the spinach - always love spinach. I did not blanch it - just wilted it in the pan like I usually do.
The meat was good - but honestly I think we prefer a ribeye to fillet. More flavorfull and while still expensive - not quite as much. So we were actually a little dissapointed. It was tender and perfectly cooked.
Overall we thought it was a good meal - but only rated it a 7 - We just didn't think it was terrific. I will definately make the potatoes again, and again, and again...
Erin
Mom to three wonderful 7th graders!
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Laura - you're getting really good at posting pictures! It looks delicious. I'll have to give this one a try.
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A winner!!!
But.. the spinach at the store looked too funky so I bought these good looking green beans. I am a big fan of t-loin, spinach and blue cheese, so I was a little disappointed, but the green beans were so good, it made up for it.
I was a little concerned about the sauce, too, reducing it. It took me about 5 min in my mini cast iron skillet, instead of 3, but it turned out quite nicely. I was surprised it tasted so good after the reducing fumes
Will definately do this one again, with spinach next time.
PJ
PJ
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I guess I am a visual person. I love the pictures! Now I can't find my camera!!! Yikes, what will I do???
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura
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I was a little undecided on which skillet to use - my angst was caused by normally using my little cast iron for steaks vs. not wanting to do the vinegar in the cast iron - don't like putting acidic ingred. in cast iron. I finally went with my allClad and all worked out well. darn, it would have been fun to have three different platings for this dinner, but my picture was a little fuzzy so deleted it...
I do a lot of Balsamic reductions and I think this is my favorite flavor - using the goop from meat and the addition of mounting it with butter at the finish. Just love it.
I'm with Erin - filets are not my first (or third) choice when wanting steak, but can you imagine how much spinach it would have taken for a T-bone??????
I went for the filet for the ascetics.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
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I would have loved to see your picture Jean. I should have cut into mine like PH did, that was very dramatic looking. Made me hungry all over again.
I like filets, but not the cost. Purchasing the entire tenderloin made it very cost-effective. I am so happy we did that. As for flavor, I guess I am a ribeye or Porterhouse gal. But like you said... You would need a MUCH larger bunch of spinach to plate that
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura