A VALENTINE TO REMEMBER

I admit it, Valentine’s Day is one of my all time favorite days of the year. I love the mushy, lovey-dovey day! I ABSOLUTELY ADORE IT! It puts a twinkle in my eye and pep in my step. I love the cards and I’ll search from store to store if I have to until I find the perfect one for my sweetie. I’ll tackle you for the heart-shaped box of candy, so he better release it quickly and step away so I can do the damage! Most of all, I love the sweetness of the day, not just with the love of your life, but people in general. It’s a sweet day! I never forget my sweetie on Valentine’s, but we girl’s must admit that if our significant other doesn’t come up with something spectacular, no matter if he breaks the bank or gives frugally from his heart (let’s hope it lands somewhere in between!), all will not be copasetic on the homefront.

My absolute most favorite Valentine’s Day ever was right after I had moved to Tennessee with my Hubby. You know, I don’t need the hubby to spend a lot of money for a gift on Valentine's Day, in fact, most of the time I probably won’t like it. Most men get frustrated when they go gift shopping and end up grabbing something and get the heck out of that store! That’s not what I want. I want the lovey-dovey. Well, my hubby knocked my socks off that year. I came home from a long day at work to a wonderful surprise. My handsome hubby cooked a gourmet dinner for me, by himself mind you, complete with Seafood Lasagna (The grill master made a homemade rue girls!), beautiful garden salad, and to top it off, the most beautiful hand-dipped chocolate strawberries you have ever seen. That is no small feat for my man's man hubby! He passed by the pre-made strawberries at our local market, paid out the nose for those gorgeous strawberries, called my Mom to get instructions for dipping, and the man made me my very own plate of chocolate dipped strawberries! I loved it!

SO…I thought I would post my hubby’s spectacular Valentine menu. Unfortunately, this was way before I was using my camera to capture delicious morsels coming out of the kitchen so you will have to use your imagination as to what his version looked like.

Seafood Lasagna
Ingredients:
12 Lasagna noodles
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 cup grated Romano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound sea scallops, cut in half or quartered if very large
3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 10-inch aluminum foil pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lasagna noodles until they are just done, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet and cook the onion over low heat until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute more. Over medium-low heat, stir in the flour with a whisk, then gradually add the half-and-half, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly before adding more. When the sauce has thickened to about the consistency of whipping cream, add the cheese and stir well. Add the salt and pepper and stir again. Add the scallops and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, then add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or just until the shrimp turn pink. Turn off the heat.
Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the sauce from the skillet into the prepared pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with 4 noodles, placing them side by side. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce over the noodles, distributing half of the seafood evenly. Layer 4 more noodles, 1/3 of the sauce, and remaining seafood. Cover with the last 4 noodles and the remaining sauce. (For the top layer, do not spoon any seafood on top of the noodles; just use the sauce.) Tuck in any edges of the noodles so they're all coated with sauce. Top with the Parmesan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, uncovered, until bubbly. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
MMMM MMMMM GOOD! Enjoy!


Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Ingredients:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy cream
12 long-stemmed strawberries

Directions:
Melt the chocolate and cream together in a bowl set over simmering water until just melted. Stir and remove from the heat. Dip each strawberry in the chocolate and set aside on waxed or parchment paper to dry.

Enjoy! I hope you have a fabulous mushy, lovey-dovey Valentine’s Day!

Turkey Vegetable Soup & Cornbread

Some of my favorite memories growing up are of family gathered around the table laughing, talking and telling tall tales. One of the best comforting meals was Mama's (my sweet grandma) or my Mom's vegetable or vegetable beef soup with a great big slice of cornbread with a big chunk of onion on the side. I can taste it now. Nothing fancy, just a variety of veggies, whatever was on hand, a little ground hamburger meat if you please, and secret ingredients of bacon grease and a squirt or two of ketchup to add depth of flavor. Now, for the cornbread greatness - Mama used this aluminum pan that flipped over so you could cook on both sides, and you cook on the stovetop. It made amazing cornbread or cake. Mom, on the otherhand, always makes her cornbread in an old cast iron skillet in the oven, and it comes out with a crunchy delicious outside. Oh, I am already drooling! They are both equally delicious but different. I wish you could try them both! I make my cornbread both ways because Mom scoured the countryside so I could have my own cornbread stovetop flip pan, and she also passed on a wonderful old cast iron skillet to me many, many years ago. I have so many happy memories of food, family and cooking and I hope you do too. I have adapted the old family favorites below to go along with healthier cooking. I hope you try both of these and make many happy family memories in the kitchen!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
3-4 new potatoes, large diced (depending on size, you need about 2 cups diced)
2 cups celery, large diced
1 large onion, large diced
16 ounces frozen veggies (use your favorite - I use a mix of peas and carrots)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 quart chicken broth
2 tablespoons ketchup
Sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown turkey in olive oil, stirring frequently to break turkey into small pieces. Next, add in celery, onion, potatoes and sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and garlic, cooking five to ten minutes longer until onions are softened. Reduce heat to medium-low and add in ketchup, tomatoes (hint, rinse cans out with a bit of the chicken broth and pour into pot), and add in broth. Gently stir and adjust seasonings as necessary. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring frequently. Add frozen veggies for the last ten 15minutes to heat through.

(Note: I like my veggies to break down a bit so I generally cook my soup for the full 2 hours. In the pot of soup I made today, I substituted ground turkey italian sausage for the plain ground turkey and it was delicious, it just added more depth to the flavor of the soup.)

CORNBREAD
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour (Substitute for brown rice flour if you enjoy a Gluten-Free diet)
1 cup cornmeal (If eating Gluten-Free, check your label - Bob's Red Mill makes a Gluten-Free cornmeal)

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar (Replace with Xylitol or Stevia if avoiding sugar)

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk (I use evaporated milk)

2 eggs

4 tablespoons bacon grease, oil or shortening (I use canola oil)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl then add milk, eggs and oil. Slide cast iron skillet into oven to preheat for five minutes. Remove skillet from oven, drizzle skillet with oil and pour in cornbread mixture. Hear that sizzle? Perfect! Slide skillet into oven and cook for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. (If you are unsure, insert a toothpick in the center to check doneness. When it comes out clean it is done). Finally, cut a big ol' slice and slather with your favorite butter! MMMM MMMM Good! If you have leftover cornbread, why not toast a slice on the griddle the next morning and enjoy with molasses, honey or your favorite preserves? It's heavenly with a hot steaming cup of coffee!

(Optional goodies: A delicious twist - add 1/4 cup sliced jalapeno peppers and 1/4 cup chunked cheese to the mixture before baking - sends this over the top!)

Cherry Pecan Coffee Cake

I found the original recipe for this cake in an old issue of Southern Living, and it was originally made as an Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake. I made the apricot version and it was so delicious. Today, I needed something red or pink, not screaming Valentine's Day, but just a hint of Valentine's flavor, to serve at my jewelry training party tomorrow evening. I decided to make this coffee cake into a Cherry Pecan Coffee Cake. My house smells so wonderful right now! That delectable cake is sitting there cooling, waiting to be drizzled and is begging me to come hither with my fork! I am sure there will be a piece of that cake missing before my party tomorrow evening. I mean, who can leave a perfectly wonderful smelling cake sitting in the kitchen, all warm and oozing with drizzled pecans! Come on, give a girl a break! Just one tiny piece?!

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup cherry preserves

16 ounce package pound cake mix (take one tablespoon out and set aside)

8 ounces sour cream

1/2 cup milk (I use canned evaporated milk)

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze

Directions:

BEAT cream cheese, preserves and one tablespoon of the cake mix just until blended and set aside.

BEAT sour cream, milk, eggs, almond extract and remaining cake mix at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds or until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat 3 more minutes.

POUR cake batter into a lightly greased 13x9-inch pan. Drop cream cheese mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls evenly over batter. Swirl batter gently with a knife. Sprinkle pecans evenly over the top.

BAKE at 350 degrees for 25 to 28 minutes or until golden.

COOL on a wire rack 20 minutes. Drizzle Glaze over slightly warm cake or individual pieces.

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 to 2 tablespoons milk (I use canned evaporated milk)

STIR together powdered sugar, extract and one tablespoon of the milk until smooth. Add additional milk if needed to get the desired consistency.

NOTES: To make the apricot version just switch out the cherry preserves for apricot preserves and the pecans for almond slices. This is fantastic with any flavor of preserves you can think of! I would love to try it with homemade pear preserves or blackberry preserves. Mmm so delicious! And YES I CUT A PIECE! I had to have a picture for my post, right?

Italian Chicken & Pesto Pasta (Gluten-Free)

This has been a crazy week, and there hasn't been much time for creativity in the kitchen. I needed a quick and easy but comforting dinner to help me and that wonderful hubby of mine unwind tonight. We love this because it's a quick and easy dinner, and is a fantastic alternative to take out. Oh, and it is pretty healthy too! Throw in a delicious green dinner salad & enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken strips or 2 boneless-skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
Italian breadcrumbs (I used Gluten-Free bread crumbs, recipe below)
1 package pasta, prepared according to directions (I used brown rice spaghetti)
1/2 cup pesto (I used Basil Pesto from Whole Foods)
Sea salt, black pepper, garlic, parmesan cheese
Olive oil


Directions:
Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Pour breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and dredge chicken into bread crumbs being sure to shake off the excess crumbs. Brown strips on each side until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes total cooking time.


Drain pasta and return to pan. Toss pasta with 1/2 cup pesto, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and add sea salt & pepper to taste, depending on the saltiness of your pesto. Plate pasta and add strips on top, sprinkling with parmesan cheese.

GLUTEN-FREE ITALIAN BREAD CRUMBS
INGREDIENTS:
10-12 slices gluten-free brown rice bread
garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, parsley flakes, Italian seasoning

Place bread on a cookie sheet in a preheated 200 degree oven. After one hour, turn bread over and bake for an additional hour. If bread still feels soft, repeat the process. When bread is dried out, place in food processer and reduce to crumbs. Add in 3/4 teaspoon of garlic and onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and dried parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and sea salt. Mix together and place in a airtight container.

Over The Top Frosted & Stuffed Brownie Bites

I am preparing for an upcoming jewelry fashion show (which will be my training show & my new jeweler showcase - I'm SO excited) at my home next Monday night and have been planning my dessert offerings. I knew I wanted to offer a Cherry Almond Coffee Cake (delicious, red & dainty for Valentine's Day), but I have also been considering some type of over-the-top brownie bite or tart (keeping with chocolate for the Valentine's theme). I found this recipe & thought it sounded scrumptious so I gave it a trial run. This recipe is absolutely fabulous! As if brownie bites aren't decadent enough, these are stuffed with semi-sweet chocolate chips! The semi-sweet chocolate chips perform a dual purpose as a filling and frosting! How fantastic is that?!! This is definitely the go-to brownie dessert for those killer chocolate cravings. I am a very happy and satisfied chocolate lover!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 (about) cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini-muffin tins with papers. Combine cocoa and oil in large bowl until smooth. Mix in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to cocoa mixture, stirring to combine. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips, reserving remaining 2/3 cup for decoration. Fill each muffin paper with about 1 rounded tablespoon of batter. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or just until set and small cracks appear on surface. Remove from oven. Immediately place about 6 semi-sweet chocolate chips on center of each hot brownie bite. Let rest 2 to 3 minutes to soften, then swirl melted chips with the back of a spoon to frost brownie bites. Yield: About 4 dozen brownie bites.

NOTE: I do not have mini-muffin tins but I do have a 24-count mini tart pan. I lightly greased my tart pan and it worked fine, just be sure not to fill each cup to the top or you will wind up with big ol' muffin tops, which are quite tasty but not too pretty.