Happy Valentine's Day

It was a little chilly on Valentine's day and I thought of making something that would warm our stomachs for dinner. I finally decided on filet of beef bourguignon from my favorite food network star, Ina Garten. I got this recipe from her very first cookbook, simply "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook". This recipe is her interpretation of Julia Child's famous beef bourguignon minus the extra stewing time. I followed Ina's recipe closely and it was very easy to make. The only thing that I omitted from the recipe is butter. I think my husband and I can do without the extra fat and calories. I guess without the butter, it isn't really an Ina Garten dish. Maybe this can be in MY cookbook in the future? :P

The sauce was incredibly smooth and velvety even without the butter. I prepared this dish during the day and re-heated it right before dinner. We enjoyed the beef bourguignon with some crusty french loaf that I toasted and rubbed generously with garlic. That added another depth of flavor when we dipped it into the rich sauce. Although this dish really is a one pot wonder, it is distinctly elegant and absolutely delicious. This is definitely a crowd pleaser that can be prepared well ahead of time.

I made a simple side salad to accompany the beef bourguignon. Since strawberries are in season, I added them to a simple tossed salad. Not only does it add color to the dish, the balsamic vinegar pairs well and adds sweetness to the strawberries. It was almost like a palette cleanser to the richer beef bourguignon.

The night before, I made some red velvet batter that I baked in heart-shaped baking molds (following the Valentine's Day theme). I got the red velvet recipe from my recently purchased Magnolia Bakery cookbook. Magnolia Bakery tops their red velvet cakes with a creamy vanilla frosting. However, I decided to use cream cheese because personally, I love red velvet cakes best with cream cheese frosting.  

I piped a simple rose design on the cake, making sure I topped it generously with cream cheese frosting. I added a simple heart shaped macaron cookie on the side to finish the cake.

Finally, it was time to eat! Overall, it was a relatively simple meal to make and the results are amazing. I hope you will try this if you decide to make something special without a whole lot of fuss.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Recipe for vanilla cream cheese frosting, courtesy of yours truly:

2 8ounce cream cheese packages, room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese, unsalted butter and vanilla with a paddle attachment for 1 minute. Do not whip. Slowly add powdered sugar to the creamed mixture a cup at a time beating until smooth. If the batter is too thick, add some milk. If the batter is too thin, simply add more powdered sugar.