This post can be found HERE with pictures.

This is my take on a recipe I found in Southern Living Ultimate Christmas Cookbook (ISBN-10: 0-8487-3426-2) which I would suggest to anyone because there is nothing I have made in this book that hasn't been fabulous. It was called Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Sauce (can be found on page 123 in that book). The recipe sounded pretty easy. Most of the stuff needed I could get in my home. Problem was the meat - beef tenderloin - costs over $80 and the shallots for a pack of two at Publix was over $1.50 and it called for an entire pound. So I have redid it and made it a lot cheaper.

INGREDIENTS:

2 very large onion or 3-4 small onions

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (1 1/2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme)

1 sirloin roast (size depends on your family; I have not gone less on ingredients if it's small)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups beef broth

1 cup Taylor's Marsala Wine OR I have used white port wine which tastes just as delicious

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 tablespoon pepper

1. Cut onion(s) where they are pretty chunky (refer to picture). Toss Onions and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. Stir in 3/4 teaspoons of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside

2. Stir together 1 tablespoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme into a bowl and set aside.

3. Take out sirloin roast, put on a roasting pan, and coat in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Take the mixture of spices and rub down the sirloin roast.

4. Bake, uncovered at 500 for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 for 20-50 minutes depending on how done you want it. The meat thermometer will read 145 for medium rare and 160 for medium.

5. While the roast is baking stir together 3 cups of beef broth and 1 cup of the wine. Bring to boil and allow to boil for about 8 minutes.

6. Remove all onions and place into the beef broth/wine mixture. Some onions will be charred to the point they are brittle. Take those out. A little darkness to the onions is fine. They burn during the time the ovens at 500.

7. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 3 tablespoons of water and pour into onion/beef broth/wine mixture. Turn on to a medium heat so it's at a rolling boil. Stir constantly!!! If you do not stir it constant there will be little flour clumps and that's not appetizing.

8. Once the flour mixture has dissolved, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

9. At this point the plating is up to you. I always just pour the sauce directly onto the roast. You can chose to do it on the side. If you have guests I'd suggest to place the roast onto a pretty platter and pour the sauce on the outside of the beef.

Try it and let me know what you think. I make this for my family all of the time now and I even made it for Christmas and it was a huge hit with the entire family.

Did you change anything?

Next up is the easiest bread pudding ever made! If I ever need a desert and I haven't been to the grocery store, I know I can always make this with the everyday pantry ingredients.