Filet Mignon with Boursin Sauce, Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Italian-Style Spinach

sorry, this was the only pic I could grab !

Readers, I am certifiably insane - no two ways about it. The day after a concert (which was fantastic, BTW) I'm so sore and exhausted that I have every excuse to lay about and be waited on - or, even better, to go out to dinner. But I woke up with both an extreme urge to nest, and a craving for BEEF. What choice did I have but to get my ass in the kitchen ??


I know one of the reasons I was craving beef was my email...on Friday, I received an email from the Pampered Chef . The last party of theirs I went to was years ago, but somehow I recently ended up on their mailing list, which kinds of annoys me...but I can't seem to bring myself to unsub. I have a love-hate relationship with the Pampered Chef - I really don't like most of their cookware, their knives seem to be junk, and they have gadgets for a lot of things I'd rather use a good knife for. But some of their equipment I absolutely love - my stoneware gets a heavy workout, my grater and my batter bowl are always drying in the dish rack, and there's some other stuff that I have to admit is the real deal.


The recipes crack me up - they're so busy pushing their products that it makes it hard to follow the actual steps needed. ("In Small Micro-Cooker®, melt butter in microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Using Deluxe Cheese Grater"...well, you get the idea.) Occasionally, though, a recipe will surface that has good enough bones to stand on its own once you remove the sales speak. Such was the recipe for filet Mignon that arrived on Friday. A bit of translation - and conversion from pre-made mixes to real world ingredients - made this one a winner. All it needed with it were some simple potatoes, and something green...a perfect Sunday supper.

Filet Mignon with Boursin Sauce 

1 tsp vegetable oil

4 beef tenderloin filets (5 - 6 oz each)

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp fresh cracked pepper 

1 tsp minced garlic (dried) 

1 shallot, minced

1/4 cup white wine

1 pkg Boursin cheese 

1/4 cup chicken broth

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Season filets with salt, pepper and garlic. Cook undisturbed 3-5 minutes or until browned. Turn filets over; cook another 3-5 minutes (for medium-rare) Transfer filets to platter and cover with foil (they will cook a tiny bit more under the foil) and let rest while you prepare sauce.

Return skillet to heat and add shallot; cook about a minute or until softened. Add wine to deglaze pan, stirring up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add cheese; cook and stir 20-30 seconds or until cheese spread is melted and smooth (use whisk if needed). Add broth and cook an additional 30-45 seconds or until heated through. Serve filets with sauce  (there will be plenty; it's also good on potatoes or vegetables).

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

 2 pounds small potatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 - 2 sprigs rosemary, cut into 1 inch lengths
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper


Preheat oven to 400. Scatter potatoes in roasting pan in a single layer. Drizzle oil over potatoes; scatter rosemary into pan, and season with a few pinches of salt and grinds of pepper. Roast undisturbed for 20 minutes; stir and roast another 20-40 minutes, until golden on the outside and cooked completely through (stirring every 10 minutes or so.)



Italian-style Spinach


1 pound baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste


In a large skillet with a lid, saute garlic in olive oil (uncovered) until just starting to go golden. Add spinach and cover...it's fine if you have to press down a little; spinach cooks down quickly. After about 5 minutes stir well, getting up the garlic. Let cook another 5 minutes or so, or until done to your liking. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.