NY Strip Steak with Cranberry-Port Wine Reduction Sauce and Gorgonzola Cheese Crust

This past summer my husband and I were vacationing on Martha's Vineyard and had dinner at The Black Dog Tavern.  We both had their steak with cranberries and gorgonzola cheese and haven't stopped talking about it since.  Well it's the dead of winter and we can't go to the Vineyard to indulge on this delicious meal, so I decided that I needed to find a recipe and make it myself.  I found a recipe from Bon Appetit and adapted it a bit...for the record this is definitely a 'splurge night' type of dinner...but we all need one every now and then!!

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1 cup canned beef broth
1 cup ruby Port Wine
1/4 cup dried cranberries


4 5-to 6-ounce NY strip (about 1 inch think)
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese


Preparation: 
Put cranberries in the Port Wine and let them soak while you chop your garlic and shallot.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and shallot, then 1 cup broth, Port Wine and cranberries.  

Boil liquid until it reduces down to about a 1/2 cup, about 15 min.  Set sauce aside.

Season steaks with salt and pepper.  Grill steaks to desired doneness, I recommend medium-rare.  Transfer steaks to a lined baking pan,  sprinkle steaks with Gorgonzola cheese and broil for a minute or two until the cheese is soft.  




Place the strips on each plate and spoon over sauce.

YUM!!

P.S. I served the steaks with my Domino Potatoes (recipe on my blog) and Asparagus sauteed with Balsamic Vinegar and a Key Lime Macadamia Nut Mustard. Mmmmmm.....

Cherry Pie

This past Thanksgiving I was tired of Apple Pie and have never been a Pumpkin Pie fan (unless of course it's Ashley's Pumpkin Cheesecake) so when I was asked to make a dessert I didn't have to think twice of what to make....CHERRY PIE!!


I've always wanted to try to make my own pie crust, but this Thanksgiving just wasn't the right time.  I will one day, but until that day comes I'll rely on my good ol' Pillsbury Pie Crust!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees


Pie Filling:
3 (14 1/2 oz) cans of Tart Cherry in water
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Minute Tapioca
1 1/4 Cup Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
1/2 Lemon juice


Drain the cherries completely.  In a large bowl mix cherries, tapioca, sugar, salt, lemon juice and melted butter.  Line pie dish with pie crust, brush it with egg whites.  Pour your filling into the dish and then put the other pie crust on top.  If you want to do the lattice top like I did, it was pretty easy and there were plenty of "how to" video's on youtube.  If you choose to do the more traditional top, make sure to cut 3 small slits on the top.  Brush the top with egg whites and sprinkle with a little sugar.  Bake for 45 min. or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbling.

Roasted Domino Potatoes

I saw this recipe in my Bon Appetit magazine and couldn't wait to make it! This recipe takes a little patience and time to get the potatoes sliced right, but well worth it!!  


Brad's mom came to visit and we had my parents over for dinner. They were a hit so I will definitely be making them again! I also recommend buying fleur de sel, it was a little pricy but incredible and complimented the potatoes!

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided

3 1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes (4-6 large)

8 (about) fresh or dried bay leaves

Kosher salt and fleur de sel

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. Brush a 13x9x2" baking dish or cast-iron griddle with 2 Tbsp. butter. Peel potatoes and trim ends (do not rinse). Trim all 4 sides of potatoes to form a rectangle. Using a mandoline, cut potatoes crosswise into 1/8" slices, keeping slices in stacks as best you can.

Re-form slices from each potato into a stack. Place in prepared dish, fanning apart slightly like a deck of cards. Insert bay leaves between potato slices at even intervals. Season with salt and drizzle with remaining 4 Tbsp. butter.

Bake potatoes, rotating the dish halfway through cooking, until the edges are crisp and golden and the centers are tender, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Serves 8

Homemade Apple Sauce

If you have apples that are leftover from apple picking or some that you bought at the store, and they don't quite look as pretty and shiny as they used to DON'T THROW THEM OUT!  Peel 'em, cut 'em up, and throw 'em in the pot.  Those 'yucky' apples will make your entire house smell like a cool crisp Fall day and taste delicious!!


Directions:
Peel Apples and cut around the pit center. (any variety of apples will work)
Put them in a sauce pan on Medium heat w/ a Cinnamon Stick
Add about 1/2 Cup of water (enough to just cover the bottom but DO NOT cover the apples)


You want to bring your apples, cinnamon stick and water to a boil and occasionally give them a stir. After about 20 minutes or once your apples are cooked through (you should be able to put a fork easily through them and they should not be firm anymore - apples like Granny Smith have a tendency to need more time to cook) turn your heat off.  


Add white and brown sugar.  This measurement is really up to you...if you like it sweeter add more, if you like a more tart sauce then add less.  Finish it off with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon to taste.


And now sit back and enjoy!!