Connecting is life-giving Nicole here today :) I am one of three of us here on customer service side at Northstar (so odds are good we've already met if you've ever reached out to us!) but this week I have the opportunity to share one of my favorite things with you...
Affordable, nourishing, memorable, white-table-cloth date nights, at home! I am an advocate for date nights because they are so rare nowadays... the stats say that only 11% of couples have date nights at least once per week, 30% are only monthly and 23% have even fewer date nights than that?! Its easy to imagine why with outside responsibilities, responsibilities within the home, and of course, our busy careers... The obstacles are plentiful but the value of date nights still cannot be overstated. If you want a thriving relationship with anyone, you have to create focused time with them and invest... and there is something about good, wholesome, nourishing food that creates extra special moments together. We often overthink "date night" (at least I typically do!)... I used to think that "dating" my significant other meant heading out for a night on the town. To me, this would be a fun activity like a movie, mini golf, or going on a nice walk and then of course, THE dinner, which all added up to a lot of time, planning, and money... it isn't sustainable for us. Having 2 children (1 teenager and 1 pre-teen) at home, in addition to all the aforementioned challenges, mean that date nights don't happen nearly often enough. So, rather than tossing the idea out, we decided to make our dates look a little different so we could keep them regular (and the kids enjoy being included in on the festivities too!). So rather than my partner and I hitting the town, we decided it was better for us to do what we could from home. This allows us to not only control what we're eating but also still have a high-end eating experience we couldn't afford otherwise! No one would argue that Bison Filet is as good as it gets but I was nervous about ruining them. I cautiously started out trying to not screw it up... because who doesn't love a good steak! So the pressure was on... The first couple were experimental and turned out good but I caught on quickly, gained confidence, and honed in on an easy way to cook up a perfect Bison Filet Mignon, every single time. Absolutely mouthwateringly delicious!!! Our most recent date night consisted of roasted yukon gold potatoes tossed in olive oil, freshly grated parmesan cheese and minced garlic, roasted mushrooms also tossed in olive oil and garlic powder alongside our famed bison filet mignon (it's our favorite of all time). The steak is the centerpiece so starting with quality is half the battle here. So now for the other half of the battle, here's how I make this delicious, compilation of bison-y deliciousness... Long before I fire up the stove, I pull my filet mignon out to get to room temperature (best idea here is to put in the fridge to thaw the night before and then pull out to let rest at room temp just prior to cooking). Then, I pull out my cast iron baking dish (so important to use cast iron or a similar heavy-duty, chem-free type of pan) and I add a fairly generous amount of olive oil to coat the bottom. I set the stovetop temperature to medium high to let the pan start heating. As the pan heats, I begin preheating my oven to 500 degrees F. Once my cast iron pan is heated on the stove, I add my filet and sprinkle it with Northstar Seasoning with Sea Salt on each side and then lay it in the pan to begin searing for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on the size of filet you have and your desired doneness (click here for our helpful doneness guide!). Once the filet is beautifully seared on each side, I quickly cover the cast iron pan with aluminum foil and move it to the preheated 500 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Once the timer goes off, I pull it out, remove the foil, let it rest for a few minutes, and VOILA, perfectly prepared bison filet mignon! I will tell you, this simple recipe is fool-proof and 5 stars every time. I have made it several times and it never disappoints! I urge you to give it a whirl and join the 11% club. I guarantee you won't regret it. And though fancy isn't a bad thing, authenticity is where the real gold lies. |
