The Month in Review - February 2013

Well, that went fast, didn't it? I know February is a short month but this one just zoomed on by. At least we ate well. Actually, what we mostly ate, it seems, was dessert! And all these sweets don't even include all those chocolates that Brian got me for Valentine's Day and that I've been scarfing down. Oh, well. That whole January diet thing is so last month. ;)

Looking carefully, I see that in between the cakes, pies, cookies, trifles and sweet cocktails, we managed to enjoy some homemade soup and a great scratch-made veal stock. Here's a look back at all our tasty offerings.

Brown Sauce (Veal Stock) and a Bestie

A bestie who can cook!

Today I have a double treat.  I'm going to share a recipe for one of the finest sauces you will ever taste and also introduce you to my oldest and dearest friend.  Denise and I count our friendship in decades and though, I won't tell you how many decades because that will depress me, we've been through it all together.  Schools, homes, new loves, lost loves, births, deaths, heartbreaks, disappointments and joys.  We've walked together for most of our lives and I can't imagine ever being without her.  I am also the reason she is now married to the love of her life and for that, she owes me forever!  Possibly into the afterlife as well...

Tales of the Hamantaschen

Tomorrow is the Jewish holiday of Purim and part of the traditional celebrations is a triangular filled cookie called a hamantaschen (literally, Haman's hat). To say I love them would be a gross understatement! My mother was not much of a baker so our pastries came from bakeries, including my beloved annual hamantaschen. She always worked at a school on the lower east side of Manhattan which was once home to many old world Jewish delis, bakeries, pickle vendors, etc. and that's where she bought them. Those were the days...

Oven "Fried" Goat Cheese

Brian and I both really like salads, especially with interesting ingredients such as roasted beets, walnuts and cheese.  Definitely cheese.  Feta is great in salads but there's a special place in our hearts for goat cheese.  Just plain old crumbled chevre is fine but when it's sliced into medallions, breaded and fried so that the outside is crispy and the inside is gooey...well, that's just a heavenly experience.

Taco Bell's Cantina Steak Burrito

Exhibit A

My kitchen is getting on in years and, as such, has been suffering from some of the problems of the elderly.  Leaking, cracking, arthritis...  So, at the end of last week, several large men in work clothes came by to take it apart (see exhibit A), perform some surgery and Scotch tape it all back together again.  Needless to say, there wasn't much cooking going on.

Creamy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

I would not be exaggerating if I told you I've been eating a bowl of soup nearly every day since the new year. I can barely stand the thought of it in the summer but, these days, it's cold around here. Windy and snowy and overcast. Ugh. I want so badly for spring to come. But, till then, I need my soup!

Valentine's Day Recipe Round-Up

How will you be celebrating Valentine's Day tomorrow? Is there someone special for whom you will bake treats while they shop for roses and chocolates? Or maybe your special Valentine is your mom or dad, son or daughter. Maybe you'll be baking those special treats for colleagues, seniors or soldiers. Whatever the case, here are some yummy ideas from my kitchen.

And speaking of my kitchen, my own Valentine travels during the week so we will likely celebrate on the weekend. I know he will buy me my favorite chocolates. And I will cook him his favorite meal. I'm grateful every day for the love in my life but it's fun to have a special occasion to celebrate it. So, whatever your plans, have a very happy Valentine's Day filled with love!

Cherry Brownie Trifles

Last summer, my friend Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic, posted a recipe for Black Forest Brownie Mini Trifles and I was instantly smitten. Even though, at the time, Valentine's Day was a long way off, I immediately thought these trifles would be the perfect dessert. So, I pinned the recipe and waited  Fast forward to this past weekend, just days away from Valentine's Day, and I went back to check out the recipe and shop for my ingredients.

Chocolate Sweetheart Martini

My chocolate loving sweetheart came home with a bottle of Pinnacle Chocolate Whipped Vodka. He said he couldn't resist. We've tried the regular whipped before and used it to create a delicious Lemon Meringue Martini but the chocolate was a new flavor for us. We poured a little into a glass to taste and, once again, were not disappointed in Pinnacle. It has a good chocolate flavor and does not taste artificial. And, no, the Pinnacle people are not paying me for this post. Although, if they're reading this they should feel free to send me a bunch of money. Or some samples...

Raspberry Heart Shaped Hand Pies

Valentine's Day is just about a week away and my eyes have been drawn to all things heart-shaped lately. And so the little "sweetie pies" on The Farm Chicks blog practically leapt right off the page. Not only for their shape but the fact that they're made with pie dough. I love pie dough and always say it's the best part of whatever pie I've made with it. I absolutely had to make these.

Skinny Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

The other day I woke up on a cold, rainy morning with two over ripe bananas on my kitchen counter and a craving for something sweet. Bananas in that state are fairly rare in my house because I love them and usually eat them long before they get to that condition. The sweet craving is, unfortunately, an all too common occurrence. But I'm trying to stick to my new year healthy and light eating plan and I already know I'll be doing some cheating on Valentine's Day. So, I decided to make a skinnier banana bread.  I compared the myriad of recipes, did some calculations, flipped a coin and settled on these ingredients and quantities.

Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Bundt Cake

The combination of chocolate and raspberry is part of a romantic tradition in our house. About 2 months after we met, Brian took me out for a romantic birthday dinner at an elegant French restaurant and I was particularly looking forward to a chocolate dessert. Wouldn't you know, they didn't have one! So the following week, when he came over, he brought a gorgeous chocolate cake from a bakery near him. It was several layers of rich chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream between the layers, a chocolate ganache coating and a tall heap of chocolate curls and shavings dusted with powdered sugar over the top. Wow.