The result:

Tri Tip Steak Encrusted with Shropshire Blue Cheese – Accompanied with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Peppers and Broccoli

This isn’t a new recipe for us in fact the only thing that was new was the type of blue cheese and cut of steak.

Ingredients:

1 18oz Tri Tip Steak (cut in 2)

100 grams of Shropshire Blue Cheese (extra for snacking on)

1.5 Cloves of Garlic

White Onion

1/2 Cup of Butter

Tbls. of Milk/Cream

Broccoli

Yellow Peppers

***

Before cooking we always start with a glass of wine, some olives and a bit of cheese as an appetizer. The cheese we bought to snack on and use on the steak is Shropshire blue cheese which is a very strong and firm blue. It goes perfectly with a full bodied red wine.  We picked an Italian Negroamaro Salento  varietal that complimented both the cheese and steak perfectly.

The first thing we got started on was the garlic mash:

take 1 large Yukon Gold potato and cut into cubes. Bring a pot to a boil and put potatoes and 1 entire clove of garlic (separated and peeled) into the boiling water.

Once the potatoes and garlic are soft, drain water and return potatoes and garlic to pot. Add 3/4 Cup of Butter and 1 Tbls. of milk. Mash with masher. Use a fork at the end to whip.

Once the garlic mash is done leave on low heat. You can now begin cooking your Tri Tip steak. (Note: If we had a BBQ that would have been ideal, instead we  used a pan).

Tri Tip Steak is one of those cuts that people under estimate. Luckily my boyfriend and I have a friend who works at The Healthy Butcher and informed us that for the price it’s a very tasty, tender cut. We purchased one 18oz piece and it only cost us $11.12.

Add 6 cloves of garlic sliced thinly with onion and 2 Tbls. of butter to a pan. Caramelize the onions and garlic then add the steak. Make sure that the pan is on a high heat.

When the steak is about medium rare (or 3/4 of the way done depending on preference) begin sauteing the broccoli and peppers with 1 Tbls. of butter. Cook until crisp.

C’est Fini!

There you have it, a simple middle of the week dinner date recipe that was affordable, yummy, and a touch romantic!

Image Credit: Jason van Veldhoven

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Week Night Dinner Dates: Tri Tip Steak

In the newsletter, Amy writes that back in the late 1980’s. Dr. Max Lake studied the 400+ flavor compounds in wine. A noted hand surgeon and vintner in Australia’s Hunter Valley, Lake developed a theory that several of those compounds, mainly acids, replicated the scents of human pheromones!

Lake went on to find that the scents in red wine were very similiar the scent of man at his most masculine and were itself, a turn-on. (And not just for women. Lake observed that the masculine scents could bring out that testosterone side in men and wines with female pheromonal notes, like the violet bouquet of a Pinot Noir, can bring a flush to a woman’s cheeks, among other places).

The newsletter also shares that recent scientific data found that drinking two glasses of red wine per day increases sex drive in women. No wonder I’m always randy!

So, I must share – this is certainly true for me. Is it something that has held true for you? And if not…what is YOUR ultimate aphrodisiac?

Image: Sxc.hu

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Aphrodisiac of the Month: Red Wine

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum cardiologist of Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, gave some sweet news for dark chocolate and red wine lovers.

In the interview the doctor explains that by eating dark chocolate and drinking red wine you are actually fighting against heart disease.

Eating one small square of dark chocolate that contains about 30 calories, will aid in fighting high blood pressure and heart disease. Dark chocolate contains flavonids that act as an antioxidant in your system. When eating dark chocolate be sure to read the label to see that it contains at least 70% of cocoa bean content.

Red wine contains the same antioxidant properties as does dark chocolate.

Video thanks to http://www.howdini.com/howdini-video-6657679.html

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Valentine For The Heart

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner you may want to consider giving your love, a heart healthy treat.

For those of us with partner’s that have high blood pressure or heart problems that love their sweets, this article is a great find. Dark chocolate may be just what the answer you are looking for.

Do you know that cocoa is actually a fruit? We all know that fruits are good for us.

Researchers have found a link that shows cocoa and dark chocolate aid in the fight against cardiovascular disease.  The studies show reduced risk for blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.

Food scientists at Cornell University found that there are twice the antioxidants in cocoa as were in red wine. The study also stated that there were three times more antioxidants in cocoa than found in green tea.  

Cocoa also appears to have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. And cocoa is a good source of the minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese; plus some of the B Vitamins.

We have all heard at one time, the chocolate was not healthy. Now the findings are the the right kind of chocolate such as dark chocolate is actually heart healthy.

Studies have also proven that dark chocolate contains an amino acid Tryptophan, that aids in the fight against depression.

To find more on this interesting article click here. Dark Chocolate

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Chocolates For Your Love