Weddings: Kelly and Matt Get Married!

KELLY AND MATT HAVE A SMALL, SIMPLE, OUTDOOR WEDDING!

Kelly and Matt had a very pretty, simple wedding in Denver. I really love the way they let the day have a life of it's own.

Sometimes keeping a loose grip on the reigns yields the best and most surprising results. They had small group of 8 and they encountered a mid-ceremony rainstorm that gave way to a rainbow! You can't plan this stuff.


I'm gonna let Kelly narrate this one: Her summary of their super cool, intimate wedding is just perfect!

All pictures are by Libby Holmes Photography of Denver, CO.

Kelly and Matt!

"Matt and I had a very elegant, honest, simple wedding.

Our goal was a ceremony that prioritized US and enabled us to be mentally/emotionally Present!
I didn't want to have to think about anyone other than us.... once the door opens to honoring others' expectations, it's no longer OUR wedding. And if it's not 'ours', what's the point?!"

"We sent out announcement cards to friends and family a few weeks before the ceremony and asked everyone to participate "in their own unique way" on our special day."

"We had loved ones in Australia, Kenya, England, Turkey, Spain, Switzerland, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Portland, Santa Fe, Athens... all over the world!... toasting, feasting, paddle boarding, going to concerts, attending art shows, hiking the Camino de Santiago- all as a way to honor the magic wherever they happened to be."

"We'd planned to all ride our bikes down to this incredible wastewater treatment plant that's now an urban reclamation site and preserve along the Platte River, but the weather was iffy so we drove my vintage Mustang instead - win/win!"

"Greg played a KIZZ song on my Mom's vintage ukelele and Jenn wrote/read a dedication. Maureen made bouquets from the flowers that Matt and I grew in our yard."

"Roger led an incredible heartfelt ceremony - we stood in the park, then it clouded over, then rained so we scooted shoulder-to-shoulder under a concrete overhang, then the rain subsided and a brilliant rainbow appeared!"

"The ceremony was built by our friends! We had no idea what anyone was going to do or say or play.... and this unknown aspect made it so incredibly real!"

"Afterward, the 3 couples went to a Mexican restaurant in our neighborhood Matt and I had gone there on our first date, and the food/patio are Awesome!"

"I made our small wedding cake that Matt and I shared with my parents when they came to town the next day-we grilled home-grown vegetables, told them about the ceremony, and packed for our trip to Spain the next day."

"Our attendees were:
Minister Roger Teal, me and Matt, neighbors Greg and Maureen, and friends Jenn and MJ + Libby the photographer.

It was just the 8 of us total."

Thanks again, Kelly, for sharing all the details of this lovely day!!

Did you have a wedding you would like to share?  

Contact us at thekitchenkc@gmail.com or on our Facebook page.

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DIY: Valentines Day Meal - Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Valdeon Butter

 

 

GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH VALDEON BLUE CHEESE BUTTER

Want to really impress your date?  Trim and grill a beef tenderloin!  It's easier than it sounds and has a real "WOW" factor!

Serve it up with some creamy mashed potatoes and french green beans and it's down right elegant!

If both trimming AND grilling the tenderloin seem like more than you want to take on, (or if it's just too darn cold for you to go out to grill), you can also get the same awesome result if you roast the tenderloin. I will include instructions on how to both grill and roast below!

* Buying a tenderloin can be an investment. I usually buy mine at Costco, which sells them in cryovac for about $11 per pound. Generally, each tenderloin is between 5-8 pounds. You can also buy a partially trimmed tenderloin from them for $13 per pound. If this is too much of an expense or more of a project than you want to take on, you can certainly get the same flavor with a nice thick cut filet.

See the great video below for step-by-step instructions on trimming and tying the tenderloin!

Valdeon cheese is wrapped in Sycamore maple leaves and has a creamy, but intense flavor, but is not bitter or biting.

VALDEON or BLUE CHEESE BUTTER

4T unsalted butter, softened
1T finely chopped shallot
1 finely chopped green onion, light and dark green part only
2-3 oz. Valdeon or other creamy blue cheese, softened


1: Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl with a wooden spoon.
2: Lay a 18"x18" piece of plastic wrap on the counter. Scrape the butter onto the wrap and gently roll it into a 4" log.
3: Refrigerate the butter until about an hour before you are ready to serve the meal.
 

GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN

*The key to a perfectly cooked tenderloin is a good working meat thermometer! They cost less then $10 and are worth every penny.

1 small beef tenderloin

2 cloves crushed or minced garlic
1T smoked Spanish paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1T kosher salt
1t ground black pepper 
1/4C olive oil 

1: Prepare the beef by trimming it and patting it gently with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
2: Mix the other six ingredients together in a small bowl and mash into a paste. 
3: Evenly coat all sides of the tenderloin and place on a baking sheet. You can let the beef marinate over night in the refrigerator or at least let it sit out at room temperature with the marinade for 2-4 hours.
4: If you marinate overnight, remove the tenderloin from the fridge and let it set out for about an hour before cooking.


Look at the following article if you want even more information on the finer points of grilling this big guy! 
ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GRILLING A TENDERLOIN

GRILLING WHOLE TENDERLOIN:
1: Lightly oil, salt and pepper the whole tenderloin.
2: Place whole, tied tenderloin directly on a lightly oiled grill.
3: Turn tenderloin once or twice, about 8 minutes per side for a medium rare tenderloin.
4: After about 15 minutes, start checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Rare: take it off when it reads 125º, Medium rare: 130º and so on.
The meat will continue to cook a bit after you remove it from the heat.
5: Let the tenderloin rest on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before slicing it.
6: With a very sharp knife, cut the tenderloin into 1"-1.5" slices.
* Be sure to have everything else ready to serve when you slice the meat. It should be the last thing on the plate.
7: Immediately place a pat of the Valdeon butter on top of the tenderloin slices.




Look at the following article if you want even more information on the finer points of roasting this big guy! 
ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ROASTING A TENDERLOIN


ROASTING WHOLE TENDERLOIN: 
These are the instructions straight from the Pioneer Woman, who says it better than I ever could:

1: Preheat the oven to 475º.
2: Lightly oil, salt and pepper the whole tenderloin.
3: Heat some olive oil in a heavy skillet. When the oil is to the smoking point, place the tenderloin in the very hot pan to sear it. 
4: Throw a couple of tablespoons of butter into the skillet to give it a nice little butter injection before going in the oven. A minute or two later, when one side is starting to turn nice and brown, flip and repeat.
5: Place the tenderloin on an oven pan with a rack. Put several tablespoons of butter all over the meat. 
6: Place it in a 475-degree oven until the temperature reaches just under 135º, about fifteen to twenty minutes. Stay near the oven and keep checking the meat thermometer to make sure it doesn’t overcook. 
7: Let meat stand ten minutes or so before slicing, so the meat will have a chance to relax a bit.
8: To serve, you can spoon the olive oil/butter juices from the skillet onto the top of the meat for a little extra flavor.
9: With a very sharp knife, cut the tenderloin into 1"-1.5" slices.
* Be sure to have everything else ready to serve when you slice the meat. It should be the last thing on the plate.
10: Immediately place a pat of the Valdeon butter on top of the tenderloin slices.



The video below is an excellent demonstration on how to trim and tie a tenderloin.






Now! All you have to do to complete this awesome meal is make some simple mashed potatoes with butter, milk, salt and pepper.  Throw some haricots verts in a pan with olive oil salt and pepper cook them until nice and tender/crisp.

Then -  be prepared to knock everyone's socks off!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

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