Oh you guys, Steak au Poivre is one of my VERY favorites. I first had it at Barbette, this fabulous french restaurant near my home. Jamie seriously had to stop me from licking my plate clean at the restaurant, so we vowed to try to make it ourselves. Ours still is not as good as the one at Barbette, but it is DAMN CLOSE. I suspect they use far more butter and wine in theirs (and maybe a hint of flour, which I do not touch). Anyway, I want you all to make this next time you crave a steak. It is easy, divine and fast. The perfect trifecta.
What you'll need:• A New York Strip steak (or any kind of your favorite steak -- that's just what I like)• 2 tbsp butter• fresh ground pepper (maybe 3-4 tbsp? Not sure -- you'll see the photo below)• 1/3 cup red wine• 1/3 cup beef broth• 1 pkg of your favorite mushrooms• 1 shallot• a pinch or so of garlic salt
First, preheat your oven to warm. Second, melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet. Next, you need to cover a plate in freshly cracked pepper and then place the meat in the pepper, covering both sides of the steak in it as seen above.
Place the steak in the melted butter and cook for 6 minutes on the first side, then 5 minutes on the other side. Oh! And that's if you like it medium to medium-well like me. Otherwise you may want to cut back a minute or two. Doesn't this smell amazing?? I wish I could make the blog scratch'n'sniff.While the steak is cooking, start chopping your shallot and mushrooms. And maybe have a sip of wine.
Check the time, and flip the steak. The pepper side may look burnt, but it's just a crispy crust. Do not fret.
When the steak is done on the second side, place it in the warm oven on a plate while you prepare the gravy.
Add the mushrooms and shallot to the pan with all the yummy steak fat and butter in it. Season this with garlic salt to your taste. Cook these veggies for 4-5 minutes.
Then add in the beef broth and the wine. Casually stir this mixture as the liquids boil off reducing it to a thicker mushroom sauce (that tastes like heaven).
Once the sauce is close to being done (about 5 more minutes -- which means the mushrooms and shallots cooked about 10 minutes total), remove the steak from the oven.
See that delicious juice that settled on the plate? Poor that into the gravy. Yum.
I slice the steak up and then spoon the mushroom gravy on top like so. This dish is amazingly good with mashed potatoes or french fries or green beans. Or by itself.Because Jamie and I are big on the side dishes (oh don't worry, those recipes will come later), we only eat about 1/3 of the steak each and one lucky soul gets the leftovers. That makes this about 264 calories. If you eat the entire steak (which is not hard) with all the sauce, it would be 793 calories. Whoa.For your internet share of the day, I'm sending you to a french fry recipe that looks amazing. I have never made successful home-made fries because I keep trying the oven and failing. It sounds like (and looks like) this woman has nailed it though. And I bet these would be phenomenal with that steak up there...
I am really, really excited to share this recipe with you guys. I learned how to make this dish when I lived in California in the first few months that Jamie and I were married. We loved this dish and made it ALL THE TIME. It was the thing that all of our friends requested we bring to potlucks etc, and we made it at least once a week. Then? Then we got tired of it and forgot all about it. Until I started this project and remembered! I promise you will love it, plus with the fresh herbs and veggies, it's a taste of summer, which might be a nice break this time of year, eh?
So let's get started! Here's what you'll need:• 1 lb small red potatoes• 1 lb trimmed/cleaned fresh green beans• 1/2 cup olive oil• 3 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar• 2 Tbsp dried, minced basil or 3 tbsp fresh (up to you)• 1 tsp Dijon mustard• 1 clove garlic, minced• 1/4 tsp sugarsalt and pepper to taste (I use a lot)
First, quarter the potatoes while you wait for a big pot of water to boil. I use a pasta pot that has a steamer insert (you'll see why later) but any pot will do.
After throwing in the potatoes (which will boil for about 15 minutes or until fork tender), chop the basil and garlic.
Mix the herbs, garlic, mustard, oil, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
When the potatoes are done cooking, run them under cold water and set aside in a pretty dish that you later realize will be too small. Wait. Don't do that. Choose a proper bowl. (But isn't this one cute?!)
Return the potato water to the stovetop and bring to a boil again, this time using an insert to steam the green beans for about 7 minutes. If you don't have a steamer, you can totally boil them or sautee them or cook them however you like.
While the beans are cooking, whisk up that dressing again.
When the beans are done, run them under cold water and mix in a bowl with the potatoes. Now drizzle the dressing all over them and toss with tongs! Voila!
You know what else this salad is awesome for? Easter dinner. Something about that mustard dressing with the ham is divine. But! This salad is best at room temperature, and it's best as leftovers so the flavors in the dressing really settle in. So I refrigerate it and then just set it on the counter about 30 minutes before eating (and re-toss so the dressing doesn't all sit at the bottom).You guys are gonna love this one. I promise.Ok, and for calories! If you are eating this as a side salad, I think you can get at least 8 servings out of it, which would be 176 calories each. If it's more as a main dish, probably double that per person (four servings).For your internet share of the day, I'm sending you to 
Happy Sunday! I was a little perplexed on what to make this week for the blog, but I decided on this recipe for several reasons. First, I consider it to be a "special occasion" dinner in that it's more complex than your normal weeknight fare, and second, it's really really
Ok, are we ready to begin? First we start by heating the butter and oil in the pan until hot and then browning the chicken in the pan, flipping halfway through.
While waiting for the chicken to brown, chop up your onions and garlic.
Once browned, remove the chicken (but leave the fat!) from the pan and toss in the onions, garlic and prosciutto.
You want to cook this until most of the pork fat is released and the onions are starting to soften and brown. Once that happens, remove this mixture to another bowl (again, leave the fat!) and toss in your mushrooms.
Once the mushrooms have lost their liquid and are browning nicely, add the onions and prosciutto back to the pan. YUM.
Cook for just a minute or two, and then add the chicken on top of this. Oh, and add in that wine. Two cups is a lot, but it is soooo good. And salt and pepper it to taste.
Now, doesn't that smell fantastic? You want to simmer this mixture (covered) for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. You just try to keep the dogs (and men) out of the kitchen at this point.
Next, uncover and raise the heat as you add in the cream (or half-and-half). You want this mixture nice and warm and mixed, so cook for about 10 more minutes (if you can stand it).
Add the parsley, and you're done! Now, as you can see here, I had mine as is, served in a bowl. But Jamie had his over rice, and it looked divine as the rice sopped up all those buttery juices. Also? I ate about 1/4 of this bowl here. Have I mentioned this dish is kinda rich? Yeah.Aaaand now the calories. Ahem. This dish, if divided up for 6 servings (which is about what we did) is 499 calories if you use half and half and not full heavy cream. Also, that's without rice. Again, this is a special occasion dinner.For your internet share today, how about 
Since it's Super Bowl Sunday, I figured most of us aren't eating a traditional Sunday dinner anyway and we're all snacking on nachos and hot dogs, right? Oh... just me? Well anyway, I thought I would share with you my guacamole recipe. It only takes about 15 minutes to make, and I promise you it is SEVEN THOUSAND times better than that stuff you get at the store. Seriously, treat yourself.
First, here's a list of what you'll need. You should know that I kinda make this up as I go each time, so these amounts are flexible to your personal taste. You should also know that I cannot seem to remember to buy jalepeños at the grocery store, so I have learned to make it without. It is better with fresh peppers if you yourself can remember them! Just add a small amount at a time and taste as you go so you don't get overwhelmed by the heat. OK, here we go!• 2 large, ripe avocados• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes• 1 small shallot• 2 cloves garlic• handful of fresh cilantro chopped finely• 1 lime (for juice from half of it)• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes• 1/4 tsp ground red papper (cayenne or ancho chili pepper or whatever you prefer)• 1/4 tsp salt
The first thing I do is split the avocado in half and scoop out the guts into a bowl to mash with a fork.
Once mashed, I squeeze 1/2 of a lime all over it. Not only is the juice delicious, but it will delay the browning of the avocado.
Next, dice up your garlic cloves and shallot and throw them in the bowl. And hold a matchstick between your teeth while you chop and you won't cry as much! Honest!
Then dice up your cherry tomatoes and throw them in the mix.
Stir all that up and then add in your red pepper, red pepper flakes, cilantro and salt.
And voila! That's it! You are done! Now, a few tips. First, if you taste it and it's just not flavorful enough, try adding 1 Tbsp of your favorite salsa. A buddy of mine from Texas taught me that trick and it smoothes out the guac and adds a wonderful flavor. But! It takes away a little of the green, so it won't be as pretty. But it will taste delicious :)Also, this starts browning after about an hour, so I suggest making it right before eating. But if it does brown on top, just stir it all up and it's fine. It will still taste good.And lastly! If you are Paleo like me and try to avoid corn chips, guacamole is fabulous on radishes! And radishes only have 1 calorie each! And I guess I should tell you the calories in the guac now, too. The whole bowl is 550 calories. So if you split it with your honey for dinner (what? Like you've never done that?) it's 225 calories. But this bowl is usually enough for 4 people which would be about 135 calories per person.And if you need MORE recipes for the game tonight, 
I'm happy to be guesting on Shuttersmack today and posting one of my all time favorite meals: a delicious twist on ye ol' chicken soup and dumplings!Why do I love this recipe? It's juicy, the meat melts right off the bones, it's puts up with all the extra vegetables I toss in, it's the best kind of comfort food all year round, it'll make your house smell amazing, it's eeeeeeeasy, and you make it all in one pot! Why do I hate this recipe? It disappears way too fast :(.Treat this recipe as a guide and manipulate to your heart's content. I add extra veggies, use up whatever herbs and spices are on hand, and you know what? Dumplings do nothing for me so I leave them out (but they're a huge hit with the kiddos).Enjoy!♥♥♥ 
Ingredients:1 whole chicken, cut into piecessalt & pepper1 Tbsp. butter2 Tbsp. olive oil4 celery ribs, roughly chopped4 large carrots, roughly chopped1 large leek, roughly chopped2 slices smoked bacon, finely diced3 dried bay leaves2 tsp. thyme2 tsp. basil1/2 c. white wine2 c. vegetable stock2 c. waterDumplings:2 c. flour2 Tbsp. baking powder1 1/4 c. half and half1 tsp. saltPreheat oven to 400 degrees.Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels; season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large dutch oven (or oven-safe pot with a lid) over medium-high heat. Thoroughly brown the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary), about 7-8 minutes per side; set aside.
Leaving the fat in the pot, add the vegetables, bacon, bay leaf, and thyme and cook 15 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the white wine, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Remove pot from heat and return chicken to the pot. Place a piece of 
PS,This isn't savory but it's what's for dessert. I'm sorry. 
Today I'm gonna show you how I make my chicken tortilla soup. This is one of my very favorites because a) it's delicious b) it's FAST and EASY and c) it's freezing here and this warms me up.
Here's what you'll need:2 Tbsp olive oil2 cups shredded chicken (I get mine from a rotisserie chicken from the store)2 cloves garlic1 small onion1 can of crushed tomatoes (I like fire roasted)1 quart chicken stock1/4 tsp cumin (heaping full if you like it like I do)1/4 tsp some sort of red chili powder depending on your love of heat1 lime (optional)1 avocado (optional, but if you don't like avocado are you sure we are friends??)tortilla chips (optional)handful of cilantro (optional)
Begin by heating the olive oil in the pan while you dice the onions and garlic.
Then stir them into the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes or until they are soft.
Next, add your spices to the onion mix and let that cook for about one minute to infuse the onions with the flavor. I learned that trick from my dear mother.
Once the onions are soft and infused with yummy spices, add in the can of tomatoes, the chicken broth and the chicken meat.
Try not to knock over the cumin when you do this. Oops.
Stir it all up and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
While it's cooking, you should pet the dog. Or set the table. Or make your kids set the table.Also, if you are NOT using the tortilla chips, you should add salt to taste.
And viola! That's it! I dish it up, squeeze in some fresh lime juice, add some avocado and sprinkle with cilantro. If you want it thick and tortilla-like, you can crumble some chips into the soup here and stir them in, which is delicious. But don't mix them in the pot! Only the bowl! If you mix them in the pot and then you have leftovers it becomes a thick, goopy slop. Nobody wants that.
Without the chips, a bowl of this soup is about 194 calories. And yes, that includes the avocado (yay!).
For today's "Savory Sunday," I'm relying on an old favorite (one that I've even mentioned on the blog before). I discovered a wonderful recipe for Cauliflower soup a year or two back and then decided to add mushrooms and Parmesan cheese to take it to another level. Frankly, adding these two ingredients make anything better, I am convinced. But the garnishes? You guys, that is what truly makes this dish magic.Anyway! Let's get to the recipe! This one is super easy (it takes about 30 minutes to make) and is super hearty and thick and wonderful for cold winter nights. And the leftovers get better and better (but maybe not better looking...)
You'll need to start with:2 Tbsp olive oil2 Tbsp butter1 medium yellow onion2 cloves garlic, minceda head of cauliflowera container of mushrooms. I prefer buying presliced (cuz I'm lazy), and I am loving these baby bella mushrooms latelyA quart (or box) of chicken stock. Note! You can use veggie stock instead to make this vegetarian.1/2 cup Parmesan cheeseA splash of cream or half and half (optional)Garnishes can include bacon bits, chives, sunflower seeds and more parmesan -- it's up to you! But it's wonderful just plain as well.
Start by putting 2 tbps olive oil in a large saucepan and warm while you dice a medium yellow onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Add them to the pan and cook until soft. While that’s cooking, chop up one head of cauliflower.
Add one quart of chicken stock to the pan once the onion mix is soft, along with the cauliflower. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
While that’s simmering, melt 2 tbps butter in a frying pan and brown one container of mushrooms, sliced. I like to sprinkle them with garlic salt while they cook.
Once they have released their liquids and it has all evaporated off (and the mushrooms are toasty brown), take them off the heat. Right about this time, the cauliflower should be done simmering.
Which is when you add the cauliflower/stock/onion mixture to a blender (or food processor) to smooth. Have I mentioned lately how much I would love an immersion blender?
Return the soup to the pot on low to medium heat and mix in the mushrooms and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. If you want it richer, you can add the half-and-half at this point as well. Viola!
And finally, garnish as you like! Also note: this soup is thick enough to be a main course, or smaller portions will work as a starter. Either way, it pairs well with any kind of wine you can find -- I prefer red blends. And the best part? It only has 177 calories per bowl!
How delicious does THAT look, eh? Today I'm starting a new feature at Shuttersmack HQ, and it's called Savory Sunday.I decided that one of my goals for 2014 was to take more (and better) food photos. And how do you do that? You practice! So each Sunday I'm going to give you a recipe -- about half will be old standbys of mine and about half will be something new I'm trying. I'll walk you through how it's made (which is usually pretty simple as I like easy meals) and hopefully you guys will get some ideas for Sunday dinner! And yes, obviously I am a big believer in a nice Sunday dinner. Must be my Midwestern values.Also! Many of you might remember that I've been eating Paleo for about 2.5 years now. What does this mean? It means that I don't eat sugar or grains. I cheat and eat dairy because cheese is amazing. However! My husband has zero eating restrictions and loves bread and pasta and the like. So many of my recipes will be offered both ways.Anyway! Today we're starting with garlic and feta shrimp. This was a brand new recipe to me, and I 
First off, what you'll need:1.5 lb cleaned, peeled and deveined shrimp2 Tbsp olive oil3 Tbsp butter3 garlic cloves, minced1/4 cup chopped flat, Italian parsley3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (roughly the juice of one large lemon)1 Tbsp chili powder (I like the smoked ancho chili powder from Penzey's)1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup feta cheese (or more if you love it like I do...)
You start by slicing the butter and creating a "butter layer" on the bottom of a cool frying pan (leave the heat off for now). And yeah, we are off to a good start, right?
Next you chop up and dice all of your yummy garlic and parsley etc.
Now, you start to "build" the dish. The pan is still cold, but you are basically building layers like a lasagna. So it goes butter, then half of the shrimp, half of the garlic, half of the parsley, half of the salt and then half of the chili powder. Next, you drizzle half of the olive oil on top.Once that layer is done, you do it all again!
So now you put the rest of the shrimp, the rest of the garlic, parsley, salt and chili powder on the second layer. Drizzle the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil on top, cover the pan and cook on medium-high heat for 8 minutes.Go pour yourself some wine. Scratch the dog behind the ears. Enjoy the amazing smell coming off of your oven.
Once your 8 minutes are up (or the shrimp are opaque in color), open the pan up (omg, lovely right?) and sprinkle on the lemon juice and the feta cheese. Spoon some of the 
While it's cooking this time around, I toasted some leftover dinner rolls we had for Jamie. I thought this would make a divine open-faced sandwich, and I wanted him to have that. I used very buttery rolls, but after we ate he said super thick and crusty bread (sourdough!) would have been better, so that's what we'll do next time.
Once the food was done cooking, I spooned it over Jamie's rolls and then made myself a small bowl.
Overall, this was an amazing dish -- we had it for our New Year's day dinner. I will warn you though, it is super rich and has produced about eight servings for us. However, if you are from The Heartland and love buttery, rich food, it might make less for you.Oh! And I'll be including the calorie counts for my dishes as well. For the small bowl (sans bread) this was 272 calories.And that's it for my first Savory Sunday! Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions or ideas on how to make the dish even better!