Filet Mignon with Balsamic Reduction, Creamed Spinach and Twice Baked Potatoes

I love to make a beautiful Saturday night "date" meal for my husband.  That being said, my daughter still needs to eat.  She LOVES creamed spinach and will tolerate potatoes so I reserve to expensive filet for my husband and I and she get piece of chicken with the same seasonings.  Then we are all happy!!!

Filet mignon (half of a filet for each person) wrapped in bacon or prosciutto

Salt and Pepper to taste

Italian seasoning in a grinder to taste

1 cup of balsamic vinegar

Butter

Olive oil or bacon fat

Preheat oven to 400. Heat oil or bacon fat in an oven proof sauté pan over medium heat until almost smoking.  Season filet generously with salt, pepper and grinder italian seasoning. Hard sear the filet on each side (about 5 minutes per side depending on thickness). Place pan with filet in the oven and cook until medium rare, about 130 (6-8 minutes depending n the thickness of the meat.)  Once cooked to the desired doneness, remove from oven and let meat rest on a plate for at least 5 minutes.  Drain the fat from the pan the meat was cooked in and heat the pan over medium high heat until very hot.  Add in vinegar (put on a vent or fan as it will irritate your nose and eyes).  Reduce the vinegar until it has formed a thick sauce, 5-8 minutes.  Remove sauce from the heat and swirl in 2 tsp of salted butter and swirl until the butter is melted and your sauce has a glistening, thickened look.

Ingredients:

9 oz. bag of baby spinach

1 cup of heavy cream

Salt and Pepper

In a large pot, wilt the spinach over medium heat with a little water to prevent burning.  Remove the spinach to a strainer and drain over a bowl while you proceed with the rest of the recipe.  In the same pot (rinsed if necessary), bring the heavy cream to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes until reduced and thick.  Add the wilted spinach back in and season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients:
1/2 - 1 potato per person
2 tsp of butter per potato
1 heaping tbsp of sour cream per potato
1/2 scallion, trimmed and chopped, greens and white part included per potato
2 pieces of cooked bacon per potato, cooled and crumbled
1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese per potato
Milk or half and half to desired consistency
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400.  Bake the cleaned, pierced potatoes for 1 hour (don't forget to cook bacon while these are cooking).  Set aside to cool slightly so that you can handle them.  Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, leaving a small border to keep the shape of the potato.  Add in butter to the flesh and mash the potato with a fork. Add in sour cream, a small amount of milk or half and half, salt and pepper and stir.  If the potatoes are too thick, add more milk. It is fine if the potatoes cool down as it will keep the cheese from melting prematurely.  Add in bacon, scallions and cheese and stir till well mixed.  Scoop mixture back into potato skins, overfilling and then place on a baking sheet.  Return stuffed potatoes to a 400 oven for 20 minutes until tops are browned and cheese is melted and serve.