The BEST Restaurant Style Steak EVER.

For as long as I can remember Saturday has always been steak night for my family. This tradition goes way back starting with my Grandpa and still lives on through my dad. When I was little I loved tying back my little yellow apron, pulling up my step stool near the grill and helping Grandpa cook some steaks. And on Saturday nights I would do the same at home with my daddy.

 

So growing up we ate a lot of steak. When we go home to visit we are always guaranteed a steak dinner. Although we love steak, Matt and I haven't carried on the weekly tradition in our home. Instead we save it for special occasions. Valentine's Day happens to be one of those occasions for us.

 

When I first started whipping up this steak I was scared to tell my dad that I don't use the grill. Gasp! Instead I briefly sear the steak in a skillet and then toss it in the oven for a few minutes. Voila -- the best steak you'll ever eat. But shhh, don't tell dad. 

Super fresh ingredients are in part what make this steak so delicious. So don't dig through your spice drawer for the thyme and parsley. You must use fresh ingredients if you're looking for the best steak of your life. I repeat, do not skip any of these steps or substitute any of these ingredients!

Restaurant Style Steak
From Amuse Bouche

Ingredients

•    2 8-ounce Filet Mignon
•    4 teaspoons kosher salt
•    4 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper
•    1 stick butter, softened
•    1 tablespoon olive oil
•    2 cloves garlic, finely diced
•    1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
•    1 tablespoon thyme, finely chopped
•    1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

1. Mix together half the butter, herbs and lemon zest.  Form into a log and refrigerate.

2. Generously season the filets with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side.

3. Heat the remainder of the butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a skillet to a screaming hot temperature. 

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

5. In the very hot skillet, sear the filets for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust has formed. While the steak is searing, continuously spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat.

6. Once both sides are seared, place skillet in oven for about 6-8 minutes for medium rare temperature. Increase time for well done steak.

7. In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a nice thick piece to place on top. Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back.

Print recipe for Restaurant Style Steak.

We normally pick up our steaks from the Harris Teeter. However, one of Matt's clients surprised him with bacon wrapped filet mignons from Omaha Steaks so we were excited to sear these suckers up.

A beautiful log of delicious compound butter.

By the way, to form into a log, I drop the mixed butter onto wax paper and twist it up. Easy.

 

If you become as obsessed as I am about this butter, feel free to add a little more on top at the end!

Thomas Dean {7 Months}

Another incredible month with our little man! The joy that Thomas brings to our family every single day is unlike anything I can describe. Maybe it's because he is a total mama's boy but I am just so obsessed with him in a way I never thought possible. I miss him the second I am away from him and think about him all day long. I am definitely that mom who sticks around his classroom a little too long at drop-off and hug and kiss him goodbye like a hundred times before I actually leave. He has such a huge part of my heart.

The bond between Thomas and Caroline makes our hearts explode too. We are constantly in awe at how much they interact with each other. If Thomas coughs, sneezes or spits up, Caroline is the first to run over and pat his back or wipe his face. She is always so worried about him, constantly brings him toys, shares her cheerios, sings to him and refuses to go to class most mornings until she's helped drop him off at his class. Their favorite things to do together are dancing, holding hands in the car, laughing uncontrollably at the most nonsensical things, tickle fights, rolling around on the ground together and more. I worried that Caroline would become jealous of her brother or territorial of her toys but (knock on wood) it has been the complete opposite and she takes such pride and joy in being his big sister.

Eye Health Update: Last week at his eye doctor appointment Thomas was diagnosed with strabismus which means his eyes are misaligned and oftentimes point in (giving a cross-eyed appearance). After his eye exam our doctor prescribed him with a new contact strength so we're hoping when the new contacts arrive (this takes FOREVER and frustrates me more than anything in the world!!!!) the new fit straightens out his eyes. If not, we may have to begin discussing surgery.

Regardless of his eye misalignment, Thomas really is the happiest baby and is thriving. He's the most lovable little thing and is doing so great.

Seven Month Highlights:

• 16 pounds? Will confirm this Friday during his flu shot appointment!
• Takes four 8 ounce bottles during the daytime and three pureed meals (mixed with oatmeal) a day. Also loving yogurt, applesauce, eggs, pancakes, crackers, cheerios/puffs and whatever else his big sister gives him when we aren't looking.
• Becoming more interested in food and less interested in his bottle. 
• Size 2 diapers, 6-9 months clothes.
• Celebrated his first snow day and first Valentine's Day.
• Moved in to his own nursery this month!
• Says "dadada" and "babababa" (but not on command)
• Standing assisted for short periods of time. Rocking back and forth on his knees (SO close to crawling). Rolls at lightning speed across floors.
• Loves Charlie and giggles and reaches for him whenever he's nearby.
• Very interested in sissy's sippy cup.
• Taking MAM pacis for naps and bedtime.
• Has the driest skin and the cold weather makes his cheeks so chapped!
• Lost 1 contact this month.

Seven month favorites: Sit-to-Stand Walker / Aquaphor (for dry cheeks) / Ear thermometer / Exersaucer / Fisher-Price Lights Piano / Sippy Cup / Winkel Rattle / Links Toy / Baby Einstein Tag Along Tunes /  Baby Bjourn / Mustela PhysiObebe No Rinse Cleanser / Dohm Sound Machine / MAM pacifiers / Nose Frida / Bumbo Seat / Boogie Mist Saline Spray

 And for fun...

Thomas & Caroline at seven months

 

Supper Club {Baked Potato Bar}!

This month it was my turn to host Supper Club! We are now in our second year of dinners together and it has been so fun doing life with these girls. We have 10 ladies in our group and two of them just had precious little boys a day apart a little over a week ago!

The evening before my dinner I tried to get as much done as possible since my window between getting home from work and guests arriving would be short! I also really wanted to keep things simple and easy so I grabbed some pretty red tulips from the Teeter, pulled down my entertaining box from the attic, prepped the food and cleaned the house early!

For the tablerunner I rolled some pretty wrapping paper down the center of the table. Easy, cheap and disposable - perfect.

I served my favorite herb goat cheese with crackers from Trader Joes as an appetizer.

The rule for Supper Club is the hostess prepares all the food - appetizers, dinner and dessert. Everyone else brings a bottle of wine. 

But my friends are really amazing and broke the rules. Mel showed up a few hours early and helped me clean and chop veggies, chase my kiddos and drink some wine. And when Lisa arrived she (and Caroline) assembled the salad.

Last month Sara served this incredible salad at her Supper Club and it was such a hit that I stole it for my side dish too. The dressing and seasonings are what make this salad so delicious. I wish I had a really specific recipe for you to follow but Sara pretty much said...

"In a small bowl marinate two bunches of chopped green onions and some diced tomatoes in olive oil and red wine vinegar for a few hours.To make the dressing, whisk together some red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Assemble the salad (one head of chopped lettuce, carrots, cucumbers), add in the tomatoes and green onions and top with Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Salt and Cavender Greek Seasoning until it tastes good."

I love a good assembly line dinner party so I went with a baked potato bar! Everyone LOVED it and had such a great time creating delicious potatoes. There were so many toppings to choose from -- steamed broccoli, goat cheese, diced tomatoes, black beans, guacamole, salsa, pesto, bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onion and butter!

Originally I had planned to slow cook the potatoes all day in my crockpot but the morning of my party I quickly realized there was no way to cram in 10 ginormous potatoes. So I ended up throwing them on a large baking sheet and cooking at 400 degrees for 90 minutes. They came out perfect and stayed super hot until we were ready to eat.

So many toppings stuffed into one potato!

For dessert I served a Trader Joes cheesecake and some turtle brownies.

As usual we polished off every bottle of wine that came to Supper Club and laughed late into the night with the last two ladies leaving around midnight!

Recognize that pretty blonde right behind me? Laura welcomed sweet baby James into the world just a few days before Supper Club and still made it to dinner looking gorgeous and rested! She is one heck of a new mama!

Check out my 2015 Supper Club Taco Bar here.