Beef Tenderloin

A little fresh rosemary adds a lot of flavor to this simple but festive roast.

Editor's Note: This recipe was originally part of a menu by Bobby Flay for a backyard barbecue. For the complete menu and Flay's tips on throwing a party, click here. Mustard is one of my favorite condiments. I like to use it for dressings, sauces, and, in this case, a glaze. Be sure to leave the skewers on the grill long enough to get the beef nice and crusty on both sides. This means you have to be patient, and remember: Don't turn them often.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Katie Brown Entertains. To read more about Katie Brown and to get her tips on throwing a headache-free cocktail party, click here.

The trick: Give it a rub.
Outside spa land, great crusts usually come by way of the deep fryer. Inside spa kitchens, however, chefs know that by massaging fresh herbs, dried chiles, and other spices onto the outside of meat or fish before searing it in a hot pan, you can create a flavorful "skin" without any fat. Scott Uehlein, corporate chef at Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, Arizona, went for sweet and spicy when he developed these Moroccan-Spiced Beef Medallions. They call for lean tenderloin (ask for 0" trim), which delivers iron, zinc, and B12. You can also go Tuscan (basil, oregano, rosemary) or Provençal (lavender, sage, thyme). Just follow your taste buds.

Wish you were here in Philadelphia, eating a cheese steak. No doubt about it, cheese steak is the quintessential Philly food. Too bad it can pack more than 60 grams of fat. To keep the greasy drippings from staining shirts, Philadelphians have learned the "Philly lean," a way of bending forward to the cheese steak rather than bringing it to the mouth. Self's "Philly lean" features a trimmer cut of meat, less cheese and more peppers so it has about half the calories and a third of the fat of the original — and provides 60 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. The olives and cinnamon in this stew give it a nice Moroccan flavor. This dish balances sweet and savory with tangy Kalamata olives and golden raisins.

Pho Bo Vietnam's favorite convenience food is usually purchased at street stands, where the quality of his or her broth can make or break a cook's reputation. The secret ingredients in ours are meaty beef shanks, charred ginger, and onions.

These beefy bites are filling enough to stand in for a meal.

Dana Talusani of Longmont, Colorado, writes: "As the mother of two, I don't get to spend as much time in the kitchen as I would like. That said, it's still important for our family to sit down and enjoy a meal together at the end of the day. This is one of my favorite recipes — it's great for a last-minute dinner." The classic combination of blue cheese and steak is updated with a kick of jalapeño chiles.

The truffled fries are an inspired, luxurious accompaniment.

Red Wine-Braised Beef Tenderloin with Red Pepper and Rosemary