Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon with Bernaise Sauce

Peter made this for dinner tonight and it was fabulous!!! A delicious meal from the "Le Petit Pierogi" blog.

Ingredients:
2 servings of beef tenderloin (filet mignon) between 6 and 8 oz. each
4 slices bacon
salt
pepper
extra virgin olive oil

For the Bearnaise Sauce:
1 shallot, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon
2/3 cup white-wine vinegar
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Coarse salt

Directions:
Let the beef come up to room temperature and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet so it completely coats the bottom. Heat on medium high until almost smoking, and then add the beef. Cover and sear for about 3-4 minutes. Turn beef over and sear the other side for another 3-4 minutes, or until browned to your liking. Remove from pan and cover with foil. Let sit for a few minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and cover with non stick spray, set aside. Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each filet, and secure the bacon to itself (do not poke holes in your beef!) with a toothpick. Place beef on the top rack of your oven and bake until beef is cooked to your liking. For us (our steaks were about 6 oz.) this took 15 minutes for medium, and 20 minutes for medium well. Let sit for about 5 minutes before cutting into it.

While letting the steaks cook in the oven, you can make the bearnaise sauce. In a small saucepan, bring shallot, tarragon, and vinegar to boil over medium. Cook until liquid reduces to 2 tablespoons, about 4 minutes; strain. Rinse pan; return mixture to pan. Whisk together egg yolks and 2 tablespoons water. Add to pan. Cook over low, whisking, until mixture thickens and forms thick ribbons when lifted with whisk, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in butter (if sauce bubbles at any time, remove from heat, and whisk in a piece of butter). Continue whisking until all butter is incorporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt.

Williams-Sonoma Big Blueberry Muffins

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 3 equal pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried

Put the butter pieces in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set the butter aside to cool.

Preheat an oven to 375. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix with a table fork.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk, egg and vanilla. Using the same fork, beat until well blended.

Add the milk mixture, melted butter and blueberries to the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently until the ingredients are just blended.

Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the muffin cups. Sprinkle the 2 teaspoons sugar evenly over the tops.

Bake the muffins until they are golden and have risen nicely, 18 to 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool at least 15 minutes before removing them from the pan.

Makes 12 muffins

Creamed Cauliflower

1 1-pound head cauliflower, cored and separated into 2-inch florets
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
4 tablespoons soy margarine
Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 325. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the cauliflower florets until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and then spread the cauliflower on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the cauliflower is slightly dried out.

In a small saucepan or in the microwave, combine the soy milk and margarine and heat until the margarine is melted.

Working in batches, puree the cauliflower in a blender with the soy milk mixture, then transfer the puree to a medium microwave-safe bowl.

Season with salt and cayenne to taste.

Makes 6 servings

Easy Golden-Brown Brussel Sprouts

24 Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Trim the stems of the Brussels sprouts and remove the discolored outer leaves. Cut in half, from the stem to the top, and place into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and gently toss until coated.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Place the sprouts in the pan flat side down, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until just tender.

Flip the sprouts and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings

Couscous

Simple Couscous...taken from "Sing for your Supper"

1 cup couscous
1 1/4cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil (I used olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4cup grated Parmesan cheese
fresh lemon juice

Bring chicken broth and olive oil (or butter) to a boil. Remove from heat and add the couscous. Let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Add parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, and parmesan cheese and st

Scallops Provencal

Another great recipe from Ina Garten:

1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in 1/2

If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.

In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.