Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Relaxing Sunday Dinner?

Jelly:  How about a relaxing family dinner this Sunday?
Kake:  Did you forget about our two little monkeys?  I think we left the relaxing phase a long time ago.
Jelly:  I was just being hopeful that they might play along and maybe we could get through dinner without wining and food mashed in the little one's hair.  I can always wish :-)
Kake:  We can try...how about some steak?
Jelly:  Filets and Orzo with Roasted Veggies sound good?
Kake:  But of course...

Filet Mignon
I really love the way this turns out in the oven but of course you could also grill the steaks.

1/2 tablespoon Montreal’s steak seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan
2-4 filet mignon

In a zip lock bag combine the first four ingredients and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix well. Add the filet mignons and let marinate for 30 minutes-4 hours in the refrigerator. Remove filets from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (use convection oven if possible). Heat large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add steaks and sear until brown and crusty about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven for approximately 10 minutes or until steaks are registering 125 degrees.

Orzo with Roasted Veggies     Serves about 6
I adapted this recipe from Barefoot Contessa.  This is a great recipe to get the kids to eat their veggies and it is really healthy!  You can add any other veggies you have in our fridge (eggplant, etc).  On busy days or when I am having company over,  I do all the chopping and cook the veggies during nap time and then just cook and add the pasta before serving.  You can serve it at room temperature, cold or warm (my family's favorite)!
 
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup good olive oil
1 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ pound orzo pasta (you can substitute any small pasta)

For the dressing:
1/4 of a freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup good olive oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
 
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Add the scallions, and pine nuts.