Herb and Roasted Garlic Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Balsamic Cream Sauce

Cooking spray
4 – 6 oz beef tenderloin filets trimmed of any visible fat
1 cup fat free herb or garlic seasoned salad croutons
1 small head garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary

To roast garlic preheat oven to 350º F. Using a sharp knife, slice head of garlic in half crosswise. Rejoin the top of the garlic head with the bottom and wrap tightly in foil. Bake garlic for 35 to 40 minutes or until garlic cloves become soft and easy to scoop out of skin. Remove garlic from oven and allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes before unwrapping foil.

Using a small spoon or knife, scoop roasted garlic out of each individual clove and set aside in a small bowl.

In food processor or blender process croutons into fine crumbs and set aside. Mix roasted garlic together with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Spread roasted garlic and herb paste on tops and sides of each tenderloin filet. Lightly dust all sides of each filet with 1 heaping tablespoon of bread crumbs. Wrap each tenderloin filet in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 400º F. Remove plastic wrap from each tenderloin. Place tenderloin filets on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, bake 16 to 20 minutes turning filets once for medium rare, 20 to 25 minutes for medium, etc. Remove from oven and allow to rest 2 to 3 minutes. Before serving top each filet with 2 tablespoons sauce.

Blue Cheese Balsamic Cream Sauce