Pasta with Gorgonzola Sauce and Beef Tenderloin

This Valentine's Day did not turn out nearly as romantic as I had envisioned it, but these things happen. We did enjoy a wonderful dinner even if our 4 year old was at the table with us, the kitchen was a mess with dishes, and the family room was strewn with toys. We had a great, candle lit, fireplace glowing, music playing dinner last year, so I guess we've used up our quota for a while. Such is the life when you have 2 darling children.

Regardless of the lack of romance in the atmosphere, our dinner did taste wonderful and was definitely something worth blogging about. I was so lucky that filet mignon was on sale at Sunflower Market and that I was able to get a small 1 pound package for this meal. A little bit goes a long way.

The meat is so incredibly tender even though you hardly do a thing to it. The whole meal comes together incredibly fast, as it should since my original plan was to make dinner while Eric was upstairs putting kids to bed and surprise him with the whole shebang (or maybe that wouldn't be a surprise since that is what I did last year), but oh well. It wouldn't be any fun if life was perfect every day. Better luck next time. Happy Valentine's Day! XOXO

Pasta with Gorgonzola Sauce and Balsamic Beef Tenderloin

a goodLife {eats} creation

• 1 lb. filet mignon, cut into 2 inch medallions
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 3/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, plus extra for garnish
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces uncooked pasta, linquine or fettuccini

Toss the filet mignon medallions with the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Let rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the beef. Cook without turning for 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Turn and repeat. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. (If you would like the meat more well done, cook for additional time)

Combine the butter through white wine in a saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer and stir in the Parmesan and Gorgonzola. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 2 minutes, stirring to ensure the cheese has dispersed evenly.

Toss the pasta with the sauce and filet mignon medallions. Garnish with additional Gorgonzola.

Note: just before serving, I threw the asparagus into the pan I cooked the beef in. Sauteed it for a minute, poured a few glugs of white wine, and put the lid on it. After steaming it for a minute or two I seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Serve it drizzled with some of the pan drippings you cooked it in.