Lunch for the Ladies

I helped one of my clients with a birthday party today. There were ten ladies, all comparing and complimenting each other on their surely very expensive shoes as they entered the house.

My client made the first course (tortilla soup--yes, some of my clients are actually good cooks), and I took care of the main meal, which mainly consisted of a steak salad. I am so embarrassed to admit that this was the first time I had every grilled fillet mignon, and I had 2 1/2 lbs of meat in my care. I'm not a real steak eater, and I always put R in charge of the grill!

I was so afraid that they were going to be over cooked, so I grilled them for a few minutes on each side and then finished them in the oven. They turned out perfectly, and even I thought the rare slices of meat were yummy and like butter.

On the side of the salad I served a cupcake sized-savory cheesecake. I won't give the full name on here (I don't want it coming up in the search results of the birthday girl, who asked for the recipe for her birthday) but it was from epicurious. I have made it many times in a full-sized spring-form pan, but this was the first time I'd attempted smaller versions. The silicon baking cups I used were key. They came right out and the crust stayed intact. I was really concerned about that.

I could shoot myself for not having my camera, but I did take a blurry picture with my phone: