You can't really go wrong with steak and mushrooms, plus some good French technique to get you there. That was my thinking on a recent weeknight—I had a steak, half a bottle of red wine, and a bag of mushrooms from the farmers' market (those mushrooms were the only thing I could find; the reality of winter has definitely set in).

I can't say that I set out to cook a Pioneer Woman recipe, but there I was, unable to resist her pictures of a perfect steak and that rich red color of the mushrooms. The recipe itself is pretty straightforward; it probably could have just as well come from Julia Child. But these are flavors that never get old.

An essential step when cooking steaks indoors: deglaze the pan to pick up all that glorious flavor. This is just good, rich cooking for a winter's night.

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Steak with Red Wine Mushrooms »

About the author: Blake Royer founded The Paupered Chef with Nick Kindelsperger, where he writes about food and occasional travels.