Steak Enthusiast

Need something to really warm you up this time of year?

A good homemade soup will do the trick!

I like to make mine with different cuts of steak. Sirloin steak is especially good and holds up well in soup. And beef tenderloin tips are the perfect size for adding bite-sized bits of goodness to your creation.

This homemade soup recipe is exactly what I need right now.

Beef and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. package Beef Tenderloin Tips
2 onions, minced
4 cups fresh mushrooms, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 brandy or sherry
4 oz. dried shitake mushrooms
4 oz. dried morel mushrooms
3 cups, heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
6 cups beef stock
salt and pepper

Servings: 8

Directions: Bring six cups of water to a boil and pour over dried mushrooms. Let stand ten minutes. Strain mushrooms, chop and reserve liquid. In a heavy bottomed stock pot, sauté Beef Tenderloin Tips in butter, remove and reserve. Add onions and sauté. Add fresh mushrooms and cook for five minutes. Add garlic and cook for three more minutes. Add flour and cook for five minutes. Deglaze pan with brandy. Add stock a little at a time and until soup becomes smooth. Add reserved mushroom liquid and reduce by half. Puree soup in a blender or with a stick blender. Add beef, cream and reconstituted mushrooms and season to taste.

This recipe uses beef tenderloin tips and just thinking about this soup makes my mouth water!

Treat yourself and your family to a tummy-warming homemade soup!

February is a month to be romantic. We’ve got Valentine’s Day coming up and it’s still cold outside so it’s pretty conducive to snuggling!

But – man or woman – nothing says romance like a romantic dinner.

One of my all-time favorite romantic meal ideas is a couple of filet mignons, whipped potatoes, side salad and a delicious red wine.

That’s a lighter option. If you want something hearty that’ll warm you both up, mouth-watering Beef Wellington is an excellent choice. And… as a bonus, this is a heat and serve gourmet meal. Just pop ‘em in the oven and serve on some lovely china! The flaky pastry crust makes this dish so unique!

Now, if you REALLY want to impress your sweetie, Chateaubriand is the way to go. A gorgeous roast simmering in the oven is one of my favorite aromas. It creates an ambience that’s so important for setting a romantic stage.

Plus, it’s tender and juicy, and, well, it’s French. It just seems more romantic if it’s French.

So, what will you feed your sweetheart? These romantic meal ideas are in themselves a gesture of love. And that speaks volumes!

The folklore goes that in 1922, a restaurateur in Arizona accidentally dropped a pastry into the deep fryer and exclaimed, “Chimichanga!”

That’s Spanish for thingamajig.

Fill it with some sour cream, cheese and beef and you’ve got yourself today’s version of the chimichanga.

Now, since Sunday’s big game is being played in Arizona, it only feels right to honor that venue by serving up some beef chimichangas while you watch!

Check out this incredible beef chimichanga recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/beef-chimichangas/

Many versions of this recipe call for ground beef like you’d find in steakburgers, but you can experiment and use shredded Wagyu beef or any cut of shredded steak you love.

Have fun with your chimichangas and the big game this weekend! I know I will!