Christmas Dinner

Every year my family's dinner for Christmas is a fancy prime rib dinner. Well, this year we decided to stay home for Christmas dinner (long story). So we decided to continue on the tradition. However, thinking we didn't need a huge 7-8 pound roast, we bought a 2-3 pound. Upon inspection, we realized that it was too small to roast, so we cut it in half and had a nice rib-eye steak dinner. Just as fabulous!!! We served it with a creamy gorgonzola sauce, Cheddar bacon smashed potatoes, and roasted asparagus. It was divine!!!

Cheddar Bacon Smashed Potatoes

5 lbs potatoes, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced.

1 pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cube butter, melted

1 cup sour cream

1 lb crisp bacon, crumbled – reserve some to sprinkle on top

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated – reserve some to sprinkle on top

1 bunch green onions, chopped – reserve some to sprinkle on top

Boil together potatoes and garlic until tender. Mash. Add remaining ingredients. Put into casserole dish. Sprinkle top with bacon, cheese, and onions. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes. Serve.

***I halved the recipe, cooked it in a 9 x 9 pan.

Roasted Asparagus

1 TBSP Olive Oil

2 pounds asparagus spears, ends trimmed

Kosher salt and ground pepper

Parmesean Cheese, finely grated

Line asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Roll asparagus to coat evenly. Bake at 400˚for 10-15 minutes. After removing from oven, sprinkle with Parmesean Cheese.

Gorgonzola Sauce

1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces crumbly Gorgonzola (not creamy or "dolce")
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

Bring the heavy cream and garlic to a full boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then continue to boil rapidly for 10-20 minutes, until thickened like a white sauce, stirring occasionally.

Off the heat, add the Gorgonzola. Whisk rapidly until the cheeses melt and serve warm. If you must reheat, warm the sauce over low heat until melted, then whisk vigorously until the sauce comes together.

Crushed Tomato Sauce

This tomato sauce is to be used with the pizza recipe. It is an easy sauce that you don't have to cook. The basil and oregano in this recipe are optional. The flavors of the herbs and garlic will intensify while the pizza is baking, so resist the urge to increase the amount.

1 (28 ounces)can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried basil or 2 tbsp minced fresh basil, optional
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp granulated garlic powder or 5 cloves fresh garlic; minced and pressed
2 tbsp red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice or a combination
1 tsp salt, or to taste

In a bowl stir together all ingredients, starting with only 1/2 tsp salt and adding more to taste . Store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator for up to one week. No need to cook this sauce. the tomatoes and flavors blend while the pizza cooks.

Going out to eat - At home...

Ryan and I love a good steak dinner. One of our favorite restaurants is Corbin's Grille in Layton. We seem to always get the same thing...Rib-eye steaks with peppercorn sauce and mushroom risotto. I would consider it heaven on a plate!

I saw the recipe for Corbin's Peppercorn Sauce on GTU. So we thought we could try to make it at home. Luckily, it turned out just as good. We also found a risotto recipe that is very similar. Now we make this for special occasions or if we're in the mood for a good meal. The mushroom risotto is a hands on dish - lots of stirring! It takes patience, but definetly worth every bite!

Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin with Peppercorn Cream Sauce

(Corbin’s Grille)

8 Beef tenderloin steaks 4 oz each

1/4 cup olive oil (used to pan sear steaks with)

1/4 cup brandy

3 TBSP canned green peppercorns

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 cups beef stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Soak 3 TBSP of canned green peppercorns in 1/4 cup brandy for 3 hours.

Season the meat to be cooked with salt and pepper. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a sauté pan until hot. A drop of water should dance around in it before evaporating. Add the seasoned steaks and cook until desired doneness. Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside.

Add the brandy soaked peppercorns to the oil and drippings in the sauté pan. Flame the brandy or cook until it is almost gone. Stir in the flour, turn down the heat to low and stir continuously making a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add in beef stock. Stir with a wire whisk until all lumps are gone. Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir in until well blended. Pour over steaks or serve on the side. Makes 3 cups. (serves 4)

***Use on any steak. We prefer rib eyes.

Mushroom Risotto

6 cups chicken broth
3 TBSP olive oil, divided
1 pound Portobello mushrooms, sliced thin
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 shallots, diced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
Sea salt to tast
Freshly ground black pepper to tast
3 TBSP chives, finely chopped
4 TBSP butter
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

Warm 2 TBSP olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Add 1 TBSP olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add ½ cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.