Perfect Beef Tenderloin... Every Time

When my mother-in-law was still alive we always went to holidays at their house and she was a superb cook. Unfortunately, she never shared her secrets with me, then we lost her to cancer before I was ever able to get the chance to get them out of her.


Since then, I've never had much success at the whole traditional turkey and trimmings thing. I can smoke a mean turkey and I can deep fry a whole turkey, both to perfection. However, neither of our children likes turkey that much, so we started a new tradition of having beef tenderloin in place of turkey, for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has made holidays much easier with less stress, which I love.



This is my family's favorite thing to eat ever and it is the easiest recipe ever. We call it the "30-30-30 Method".  


The beauty of this recipe is that once you learn it, you'll never forget it and it never matters how large or small the tender is. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I dare you to challenge me on this. Truly.


Ingredients:

1 Beef Tenderloin (you can have the butcher trim it up for you if it isn't already)

1 Bottle of Pickapeppa Sauce (I usually use about 1/2 of the bottle on a good sized tender)

Garlic Powder

Black Peppercorns, freshly ground

1 Sheet of Aluminum Foil 


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
 
2. Spread a sheet of aluminum foil over a cookie sheet and spray with Pam or other cooking spray.

3. Flop the uncooked tenderloin onto the foil and cover in Pickapeppa Sauce.

4. Next, sprinkle garlic powder and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

5. Place the tenderloin in preheated oven and close the door. Set the timer for 30 minutes exactly. DO NOT OPEN OVEN FOR ANY REASON.

6. When the first 30 minutes is up, DO NOT OPEN DOOR. Turn off the oven for an additional 30 minutes.

7. When the second 30 minutes is up, you then remove the tender from the oven and place it in an area where it won't be in a draft for yet another 30 minutes, allowing the beef to *coast*.

8. When the third 30 minutes is up, you can slice and serve. You will have medium well done on the ends, slowly going to medium rare in the middle.

9. You can adjust time for more or less done, I suppose. But, this is perfect for a wide spectrum of tastes, trust me. Tried and true.

Lulu Larue's Potato Crusted Tilapia With Hollandaise Sauce

This is my favorite way to prepare Tilapia and it is also my entry in The Potato Ho-Down. My Potato-Ho name is Lulu Larue, which explains the title of this recipe. We have this at least once a week here at home. I got the idea from a similar entree served at a local eatery. They serve a Potato Crusted Flounder but I like Tilapia better. Besides, I can get great frozen Tilapia at Sam's Club that are individually frozen and vacuum packed. If you'd like to join in the Potato-Ho Down, click here for rules and instructions. This was all the brainchild of Cathy @ Noble Pig. It's being sponsored by Chew On That this month. This month's date for the Potato-Ho Down is October 15th so come on and join in the FUN!


The Hollandaise Sauce recipe is from The Houston Jr. League cookbook, by a dear friend of mine, Betty Park, who died from cancer about ten years ago. She had the house next to ours at the lake and was my cooking mentor for many years. I will always miss her, but her recipes will live on. She was a Potato-Ho too and were she alive, she'd have loved all the recipes available through the internet.

Potato Crusted Tilapia:



 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Instant Mashed Potato Flakes (The cheapest you can find)

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

3-4 Tilapia fillets

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1/2 Teaspoon Red Cayenne Pepper

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Butter

Directions:

1. In medium sized bowl, mix together the mashed potato flakes, flour, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.

2. In another medium sized bowl, prepare the egg by beating it lightly.

3. Dip the fillet in the egg, coating it entirely.

4. Then, place the fillet in the potato flakes mixture and coat entirely.

5. Repeat process with remaining fillets.

6. In a medium sized skillet, heat one Tablespoon of butter and 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil.

7. When pan is sufficiently hot, place each fillet in pan. Saute on each side to desired doneness.

Hollandaise Sauce:


 

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter

4 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

 

Directions:

1. Heat butter until bubbling.

2. Combine all other ingredients in blender.

3. With blender turned on, pour butter into yolk mixture in a slow stream until all is added.

4. Turn blender off.

5. Keeps well in refrigerator for several days.

6. When reheating, heat over hot, not boiling water, in a double boiler.

7. Makes approximately 1-1/4 cups of sauce.

Snooty's Divine Spiced Peach Jam

This time of year the peaches are ripe and literally the size of softballs, which is the ideal time to make some peach jam. So, let's get her going.

Preparing The Peaches:

To me, the hardest and most time consuming part is having to parboil, peel, and pit the peaches. If they are really ripe, par-boiling might not even be necessary. If not overly ripe they need to be par-boiled for one minute.

If they aren't quite all the way ripe, you should cut a simple crisscross pattern on the bottom of each peach. Boil each peach around 4 to 5 minutes. This makes them much easier to peel.

That done, set the peaches aside and allow them to cool to the point you can handle them. I also use surgical gloves for the peeling and pitting part. Now, I do as many as 12 to 18 pounds of peaches at a time, since it's such a major pain in the ass neck.

Once you have run each batch through the food processor (I only use the pulse button so there will be small chunks), batches can be stored in large containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. It won't matter if the top layer turns a bit brown, just stir before using. It's fine. I also sometimes go ahead and add the lemon juice, which helps. You can also cover it with cling wrap and see that the wrap makes contact with the pureed fruit, then refrigerate. This will help to reduce the darkening effect. Now, you're done with the preparation process.

Preparing The Jars:

I always, without fail, run all the jars and lids through the dishwasher first. However, just to be absolutely certain they're all santized, I also boil RO water in a large stockpot and boil each jar for 15 minutes.

Use a smaller pan to accommodate the lids and rings. All you have to do is pour boiling water over them and let sit until you're ready to use them. I place a large area of clean paper towels out to turn the lids and jars onto when I'm ready to use them.

Preparing The Jam:
 

Ingredients:

4 Lbs. of large peaches, peeled, pitted and pureed (which come to about 4-1/2 Cups)

1/8 Teaspoon allspice (optional)

1 Package of Sure-Jell Reduced Sugar Pectin

3 Cups granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 whole lemon)

1 Teaspoon real butter (to reduce foaming)

Directions:

1. Pre-measure 4-1/2 Cups of pureed fruit into a large pot.

2. Pre-measure the 3 Cups of sugar.

3. In another bowl mix about 1/3 of the sugar in with the Sure-Jell powder. Set this and the other bowl of sugar
aside.

4. If you haven't already added the lemon juice, do so now. You can also add the butter and the Allspice and mix together thoroughly.

5. Heat the mixture over a medium-high flame or med-hi setting on electric stove.

6. When mixture begins to bubble all around the edges, add the remaining amount of sugar, turn the burner to high, stirring constantly.

7. When the fruit comes to a full rolling boil, cook for exactly one (1) minute, stirring constantly. Turn off burner.

8. Begin filling jars with jam, making sure to wipe the tops & threads of the jars with a warm, wet cloth.

9. Immediately put the lids on, screw down the rings, and turn over the jars of jam for 15 to 20 minutes. Don't screw the rings too tightly or it may have an effect on the seal. Just make it firmly tightened, not over tightened.

10. When the time is up, turn the jars back over (upright) and listen for the pops, letting you know the seals have worked. Trust me when I say people will vie for your friendship once they have tasted this jam. It is absolutely amazing, but you might want to refrain from sitting down to eat an entire jar. There is usually a little amount left over from each batch, so I just put it in a refrigerator container for our own personal use.

Bon Appetit!

Black Bean And Roasted Corn Salad

This has always been a popular dish at our house. Its versatility allows you to use it as a salad, a side dish, or a relish. Since the recipe is big enough to feed 6 to 8 people, we normally have it on two separate nights. For the second night I add chopped avocado and diced tomato, which really makes it a whole new dish. It's easy to make and lasts up to five days in the fridge. Besides, it happens to be really pretty with all its color.

Black Bean And Roasted Corn Salad:

Ingredients:

4 ears of roasted corn, shucked

1 12 ounce can of black beans, drained

1 large red bell pepper, chopped (or use 1/2 each of yellow & red peppers)

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium red onion, peeled and chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

2 limes, to be squeezed over salad

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
 

1. Clean the ears of corn, being sure to keep the husks on. Tie small pieces of kitchen twine at the top and bottom of each ear of corn, then allow to soak in water for at least 30 minutes.

2. Prepare your fire, being certain to add hickory (or your wood preference) chips just before placing the ears of corn on the grill, in order to give the corn a nice, smoky flavor.

3. I usually cook them over medium heat for 15 minutes, then turn them over for an additional 15 minutes.

4. When the corn has cooled enough to be handled, scrape the corn off the cob and place in a large bowl.

5. Add the drained black beans, red onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro and jalapeno to the corn in the bowl.

6. Next, add the olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

7. Finally, squeeze the two limes over the contents of the bowl and toss until thoroughly mixed.

This truly goes with just about every entree I can think of. Sometimes I use it as a relish over fish. You can come up with an amazing amount of different ways to use it. As I said above, the second night I add chopped tomato and avacado, which makes it a meal in itself.

Grilled Lamb Chops With Rosemary

There was a time when I refused to eat lamb. No, not because I couldn't bear to eat "Lambie Pie". It was because every place I'd ever been that served it, you could smell it the minute you walked through the door. And not in a good way.


I later came to learn that only mutton has the overbearing gamey odor. A friend who lives out on a ranch and raises sheep convinced us to come to dinner one night to have some real baby lamb and I've been a huge fan ever since. So, I'm going to share my recipe for those of you who THINK you don't like lamb. It's taste is basically like a steak, only much more tender.



Grilled Baby Lamb Chops With Rosemary:  

Ingredients: 

4 Baby Lamb Chops

1 Bottle of Ken's Lite Caesar Dressing

Dash of Garlic

Salt

Ground Pepper

Fresh Rosemary, Chopped  

Directions:

1. Allow the fresh baby lamb chops to come to room temperature before grilling.

2. Coat both sides of the chops with the dressing about 20 minutes before grilling.

3. Salt and pepper both sides of the chops.

 

4. Cover both sides of the chops in the chopped rosemary.

5. When the coals in the grill are ready, place each chop directly over the fire. (I also like to add large hickory chips to the coals for a smokey flavor.)

6. Grill each side of the chops for approximately 4-5 minutes.

7. The Hand Method for testing doneness. Make your hand into a fist with the thumb inside. Push the fleshy part of your skin. When the meat feels like your hand, it should be medium rare.

Veal Marsala With Mushrooms and Red Bell Pepper

I realize there are those out there in the blogosphere who do not approve of using veal, so if you're one of those people, then you'll want to leave now and possibly never return. We eat veal along with other things that many people "Tsk Tsk." us for. I don't care. I live in Texas where everyone that has any sense eats beef... any way they can get it. I am that type of person.






Veal Marsala With Mushrooms, Red Bell Peppers & Onions:



INGREDIENTS:


4 Thinly Sliced Pieces of Veal Scallopini

1 Medium Size Red Onion, thinly sliced

4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 Egg, lightly beaten

3 Heaping Tablespoons of All Purpose Flour

1/3 Cup Grated Fesh Parmesan

Salt & Pepper, to taste

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter1

1/2 Cup Dry White Wine

1/3 Cup Organic Chicken Broth

DIRECTIONS:

1. On a heavy chopping board, pound out the pieces of scallopini until they are very thin, almost see-through.

2. Combine the flour, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl or or deep pan.

3. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg and place the bowl next to the flour bowl.

4. Add 1 Tbls. of the butter and the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium flame.

5. Dip each scallopini in the flour mixture, immerse in the egg, then back to the flour mixture, adding each to the pan as it's ready. Cook until browned on each side, then set aside on a platter.

6. Add the other Tablespoon of butter to the pan and add the red onions, then the mushrooms, allowing them to cook for a few minutes.

7. Next, add the sliced red bell peppers and the garlic, allowing them to cook a couple of minutes.

8. Return the pieces of scallopini to the pan and cover with the veggies.

9. Add the 1/2 cup of white wine and the 1/3 cup of chicken broth and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.

10. Serve over your favorite type of cooked pasta.

Smoke Grilled African Bird Pepper Chicken Kabobs w/ Veggies, Over Rice

This is one of our favorite meals but is often so time consuming that I just pass on making it. However, with the right amount of preparation ahead of time, it can be quite simple. Most of the preparation is chopping, which can always be done ahead of time. I always just wait until the last minute.

The secret ingredient and the key to the subtle heat of the marinade is called African Bird Pepper, which makes Cayenne Pepper seem like paprika. Only a very light sprinkling leaves food with a definite bite, but different from jalapeno or habanero pepper hot. I get this amazing powder at a wonderful little shop in downtown Galveston, Texas, called Maceo Spice & Imports. This place has the most wonderful items... like 12 oz. jars of imported Beluga caviar, fresh handmade cheeses, imported olive oils, fresh & dried pastas. I could go on forever. Every time we go to Galveston to visit our friends, we make a special trip downtown to The Strand to this family owned market.

INGREDIENTS:

Kabobs:

• 3 Plump Chicken Breasts, skinless & boneless



• 1 Pkg. Whole Mushrooms, cleaned & trimmed



• 1 Pkg. of Small Onions, cleaned & trimmed



• 1 Pkg. of Cherry or Plum Tomatoes



• 1-2 Yellow Squash, washed & chopped into large chunks



• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped into large chunks



• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped into large chunks



• 6 Long Metal (or bamboo) Skewers



• Vegetable Cooking Spray

Marinade:

• 1/2 Cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce Light



• 1/2 Extra Virgin Olive Oil



• 1 Tsp. Dry Mustard



• 1 Tbls. Honey



• Light sprinkling of African Bird Pepper



• Salt & Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Trim and chop chicken breasts into desired size pieces.

2. Using glass casserole dish, combine all ingredients for the marinade and mix well using a whisk. Place chicken pieces in marinade & refrigerate for at least two hours. I usually save a little to marinade the veggies in another bowl.

3. After getting fire started, you can begin the assembly of chicken & veggies. I always spray the skewers with vegetable cooking spray, which makes removal ever so much easier. You should be done by the time the fire is ready, approximately 20-25 minutes.

4. When fire is ready, place some water soaked hickory chips on the coals.

5. Place the skewers on the grill, watching, moving & turning as needed.

6. When grilled to desired doneness, remove from fire, remove the skewers and serve over rice.

7. We also had this again the next night with fresh rice and it was even better.

8. Bon Appetit!

Risotto Cakes, Snooty Style

At my house we adore Risotto Cakes, so I often freeze half of the recipe, already shaped into cakes. Since there are just the two of us now, most of my recipes are too big for us, so I freeze a lot of things. These cakes freeze amazingly well. The first time I made these I dipped them in Mashed Potato Flakes to coat both sides. We later decided that was entirely too decadent. That said, here is my recipe for them:



Risotto Cakes:



Ingredients:









1 Cup Arborio Rice (good for lowering cholesterol)

4 Cups Chicken Stock

5 Garlic Cloves, pressed

1 Cup Red Onion, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Dry White Wine

1/2 Cup Grated or Shredded Parmesan Cheese, fresh

2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley

Sea Salt & Pepper, to taste








Directions:




1. In a medium saucepan melt 2 Tbls. of the butter and add the olive oil. Saute' the onion & garlic over medium heat until onion is translucent.




2. Add the rice and mix well to coat. Stir the mixture over heat, pan frying for one minute, or until you smell the fragrance.






3. Add wine & allow to evaporate, then add one cup of the chicken stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally until all liquid has been absorbed.









4. Continue adding chicken stock by 1/4 cupfuls, stirring occasionally.










5. When rice is cooked (approximately 20 minutes), add the remaining one Tbls. of butter, parmesan cheese and parsley. Stir vigorously.


6. Allow mixture to cool for an hour or so. You can use the refrigerator to do this, but I just set it on the counter, covered in plastic wrap, under the ceiling fan, which works quite well.

7. When ready to cook the cakes, shape a fistful of the mixture into small patties.


8. Be sure that your oil is hot enough or they will just soak up all the oil. I usually start this when the oil is just beginning to smoke.

9. Brown on each side for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cakes reach desired color.

10. Drain risotto cakes on paper towels and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

11. Sprinkle a little shredded or grated Parmesan over the tops. They are also great served with Hollandaise Sauce.