HE SHOULDA BEEN A COWBOY!

If you've been visiting my blog since it began, you know that my sweet husband thinks he "shoulda" been a cowboy, so for his birthday celebrations, I usually create a cowboy theme for his dinner table. I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, and I'm joining Michael Lee at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.

So, go ahead on - git yer cowboy (or girl) hat, git on yer boots, and join us for his rootin' tootin' bash.

Did you see that cute reproduction vintage cowboy tablecloth that my friend, Susie, gave me? I know, I'm always showing you something Susie gave me, but if Susie wasn't such a great gift-giver, I wouldn't have anything worth showing you!

(I purchased the cowboy dinner plates from Tuesday Morning a few years ago --- 222 Fifth "Slice of Life")

John held salad dressing for our dinner. My sister, Julie, gave my cowboy those vintage whiskey decanters several years ago. (Looks like some feathers from Indian head dressings have been left in the shrubs too!)

The guest of honor had a magnetic "shoulda been a cowboy" sheriff badge attached to his napkin ring. Oh, and there's a gift from my friend, Melinda - "35 Things to do with a Cowboy's Bandana". We had fun laughing over some of those suggestions before we ate dinner. See my Davy Crockett mug that I drank from when I was a child (another salad dressing server for our dinner)? (Yep, back then, I thought I shoulda been a cowgirl! I outgrew it though-he didn't!)

Yep! I even have Roy Rogers' lunch box and thermos salt and pepper shakers (a gift from my friend Charlie Ann). I sure have some generous and kind family and friends, don't I?

I served salad on the blue spatter ware "camp fire" plates.

I used two recipes from fellow bloggers for our chuck wagon dinner, and let me tell y'all, we have some fabulous chefs in Blogville! For my contribution to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum, I'm showing you Individual Beef Wellington and Faux Bananas Foster.

Dinner included two recipes that came from some of our fellow bloggers, and I just want to say that we have some excellent chefs in our corner of Blogville! When I get a recipe from a blogger, I ALWAYS record the name of the blog ... well, ALMOST always! Remember, I recently told you that senility is taking over. When I looked at this Beef Wellington recipe in my file, I could not believe that I had forgotten to record where I got the recipe. Just more of my senility! So, if this is your recipe, please let me know so I can give you credit for it. Since I can't send you to the blog that originally posted the recipe, I am posting the recipe for you, and I'm tellin' ya, this recipe got rave reviews at my house. (Yes, Filet Mignon is expensive, but this was worth it!)

Edited to Add: Yea! Rett at The Gazebo House stopped by and told me she was glad I enjoyed the recipe she posted last week! Can you believe that? She just posted this last week, and I could not remember where I found it! Thanks so much Rett.

Beef Wellington Singles

Ingredients

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 sheets puffed pastry, thawed

1/2 Cup Boursin Garlic & Herb Cheese (I used a different kind of cheese, because my cowboy can't handle garlic)

1/2 Cup mushrooms, chopped

2 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoon olive oil

2-3 shallots, finely chopped

4-6 filet mignon steaks, 2" thick

Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Parchment paper

Recipe Description:

Traditionally a large roast entrée, Beef Wellington Singles are essentially individual "roasts" that provide the flexibility to serve fewer people. They may be prepared a day in advance.Recipe Directions:Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Season steaks with salt and pepper, and sear. Sear steaks for 3 minutes on each side. For rare steaks, sear 1 to 2 minutes; for well done, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove beef from skillet and allow to cool.In the same skillet, melt butter. Add mushrooms, shallots and thyme, and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and cool. Preheat oven to 425F. On a lightly floured surface, prepare pastry.Roll out each puff pastry into a 13 to 15" square. Cut into 4 equal squares, for a total of 8. Blot steaks dry and place in the center of each square. Spread 2 tbsp. Boursin cheese on each and top with mushroom mixture.Brush the corners and sides of each square with lightly beaten egg, fold each corner up to the center, tuck in the sides, and press lightly to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.To decorate, use a paring knife to cut out pastry leaves from remaining puff pastry. Brush with egg to help leaves adhere. Cover and chill 1 hour or overnight.Remove singles from refrigerator and brush again with lightly beaten egg. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for medium doneness, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Since my "cowboy" doesn't really love birthday cake, I prepared the Bananas Foster that had been posted by Susan at Thoughts from Over the Rainbow. (Okay, I must have been having a good brain day when I saved this recipe!) Click here to get this easy, but delicious recipe from Susan's blog. This one also got rave reviews at my house, and let me tell ya, rave reviews are not the norm when I cook dinner!

Now pardner, git yersef over thar to Between Naps On the Porch and Designs by Gollum fer all the links to great tables and great grub. You might wanna git that cowboy hat offen yer head fore ya git to those more refined blogs though. Thanks fer visiting me, and y'all come back soon, ya hear. laurie