I wanted to go out. And I really wanted to specifically go to the Cleveland Orchestra concert where they project the movie, Vertigo, and then play the soundtrack live! But alas, we waited too long to buy tickets and they were sold out. Hubs had a great idea – “why not watch the movie at home”, and I added “and we’ll make a delicious stay-in meal”! Done and done.

Nothing says romance like a fireplace, so I pulled a little bistro table set we have in our basement up to the living room for a special fireside dining meal. I really didn’t want to buy any new tablecloth or accessories, so I repurposed a plaid blanket into a cozy tablecloth. The heart-shaped ramekins added the right touch/color to our table.

The Menu

We have been on a Paleo kick recently so I knew I didn’t want excessive carbs for our special meal. I decided on filet mignon with roasted asparagus for the main, champagne to start, a special bottle of wine, and chocolate for dessert! Yes, chocolate and wine were required and not Paleo. 🙂 I only buy meat from our local Heinen’s and found two perfect grass-fed steaks. It’s okay to splurge when you’re dining at home – it will still always cost less than a restaurant! Heinen’s had delicious chocolate cake by the slice, but I also made a pit stop at Malley’s (oh yeah) and bought chocolate covered strawberries for a particularly decadent treat.

The Drinks

The champagne was really a bottle of brut rosé sparkling wine from Two Sisters Vineyard in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario called “Lush” that came in this beautifully gold and pink labeled bottle with gorgeous packaging – perfect for romance! And the wine with dinner was a delicious bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon that Hubs got me for Christmas – taking us back to our time in Napa Valley last year, yum.

The Dinner (or “how to cook filet mignon at home”)

Hubs was tempted to grill outside, in the cold, in the snow. But I said “no, they will be delicious made on the stove”. Here’s the key…butter and a hot grill pan. Take the steaks out of the oven 30 minutes before cooking, lightly dry with a paper towel and season with salt & pepper (or Montreal steak seasoning, as we like it). Preheat oven to 400F (this will be for the asparagus and to finish the steaks). Pop the asparagus in the oven about 10 minutes before you start the steaks. Heat an oven-safe grill/sauté pan on the stove until very hot (I used a Le Creuset cast iron grill pan). Add a tablespoon of butter for each steak and let it melt. Btw, I’m convinced that the butter I used – grass-fed pasteurized organic butter – also made a difference. Place the steaks on the butter to sear for 2-4 minutes on each side (these were 4 oz filets, so 2 min/each was enough). As the steaks are searing, tilt the pan and baste them with the melted butter several times, oh yeah. Once the sear is done, put the pan in the oven for another 2-4 minutes to desired doneness (we like medium-rare, so again we only did 3 min). Remove the steaks from pan to a plate and cover with foil to rest 5 minutes. Remove the asparagus from the oven and plate with the steaks. Oh my, bon appétit!

The Dessert

Did I mention Malley’s? Um yeah, the box of chocolate covered strawberries is only available this time of year. Yes, I could have made them myself, but honestly this convenience along with the Heinen’s slice of chocolate cake made the meal so much less stressful and enjoyable. And how does romance not include some variation of chocolate.

The Movie

I love curling up on the couch to watch old movies, especially with the Hubs. Vertigo had actually been on for us to DVR it, so we pretended the Cleveland Orchestra was playing and watched it with our remaining wine and chocolate and the fireplace keeping us warm. It would have been nice to go out but honestly it was perfect to just stay in.