Did you know that a split Chicken breast looks Like a Heart?

Ah, the romance, the seduction, the impact of Valentine's Day. and yes, here it is again. What is your favorite Valentine's meal? Do you cook at home or go out?

 

 

 I searched the web and found these yummy recipes for you to enjoy.  Happy eating everyone.

 

If you are not going out why don't you can tear yourselves away from the Olympic games, here is a simple menu to warm you heart and soul.
 
First course is a small hearts of romaine salad,
Second course orange glazed chhicken with green beans, and rice pilaf
and the third, and fun:
frost it your self cupcakes.

 
First things first; the cupcakes: From http://www.joyofbaking.com/


Chocolate Cupcakes:

 

• 1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water
• 1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

 

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

• 4 ounces (120 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cups (160 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  Chocolate Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

 

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Then in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16-20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.
You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula or if piping, use a large Wilton 1M open star tip to make lovely swirls.
Chocolate Frosting: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute).
Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).
Makes about 16 cupcakes

The nice thing about cupcakes is that you can make them ahead and frost them when your ready to eat. If you want to make the little cakes look more festive, add some red and white sprinkles.

 

 

Hearts of Romaine Salad:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/

• • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• • 3 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
• • 2 tablespoons minced red onion
•  1 3/4 teaspoons salt
•  1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•  1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
•  1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  1 cup thinly sliced red onion
•  2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 pound)
•  5 hearts of romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise
•  3/4 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely chopped

 

Whisk first 8 ingredients in small bowl for dressing. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate. Rewhisk before using.)
Place sliced onion in medium bowl. Cover with cold water; let stand 30 minutes. Drain well. Place 1/3 cup dressing in another medium bowl. Add apples; toss to coat.
Trim off tips of romaine halves, leaving 5-inch lengths. Cut each romaine half lengthwise into 3 wedges. Fan wedges on large platter. Top with red onion slices. Drizzle salad with dressing, then sprinkle with apples and pecans.

 

 

then prepare the main course:   From http://www.bettycrocker.com/

 

• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter or margarine, melted
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1/2 pound)
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

 

Melt butter in 8-inch skillet or 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook chicken in butter about 15 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when center of thickest piece is cut.

 

 

While chicken is cooking, mix cornstarch and mustard in small bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.

 

Place chicken on serving plate; cover to keep warm. Discard any juices left in the skillet.

 

To make the glaze, pour orange mixture into skillet. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until glaze is thickened. Pour over chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wierd Food Combo: How to make them work

Would you ever put Chocolate on Tomatoes? Or Ants? Grasshoppers? Or how about putting cheese on Okra? Would you dip your French fries in chocolate pudding or mayonnaise? Do you know people who put hot sauce on, oh say, everything?

Try mixing Teriyaki sauce, Soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire and olive oil. It makes a good marinade for beef and pork.

Back to the Chocolate and tomatoes: Heard of Mole sauce. It is fantastic on chicken. Sometimes this is how a really great recipe is created. We have all experienced it, we're chewing and tasting, chewing, and wondering to ourselves why the food tastes the way it does. You are trying to determine what is that?

Sometimes one must experiment in order to come up with just the right… zing.
Cheese on okra- When I was growing up it was the only way to get me to eat it. I would mix okra, onion tomato, turkey, and cheese. Cook it all together, and have it like a stew. Yes, my family and friends thought I was nuts.

I did go through a faze where I wanted cheese on almost everything. If the dish had meat, bread or veggies, I wanted cheese on it. Well even apples. The only thing that was not covered in cheese was Chinese and middle eastern food.
I’m still getting over my cheese fixation.

Ok back to the mole:
Here is a really good recipe. My favorite Mexican restaurant makes a chicken mole that could make you cry. It is that good. But I’m not in California anymore. Humm… wonder if they would send me a quart or two?

This is from Mexonline.com.

Mole Poblano
(Chicken with Chocolate Sauce)
• 4 tb Olive oil
• 1/4 c Raisins
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 ts Cumin
• 1/4 ts Nutmeg
• 1/4 ts Ground cloves
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1/4 ts Cinnamon
• 1 Green pepper, chopped
• 1/2 ts Salt
• 3 Slices canned pimento, chopped
• 1/4 ts Pepper
• 1 ts Sugar
• 2 Large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• Grated rind of 1 orange
• 2 Squares bitter chocolate, chopped
• 2 tb Chili powder (or to taste)
• 2 1/2 c Chicken broth
• 1/4 c Light rum
• 1/4 c Slivered almonds

In casserole, heat oil and cook garlic for a few moments to flavour oil; add chicken and brown. Remove chicken.
In remaining fat, cook onion, green pepper, pimento, and tomato over gentle heat for 10 minutes. To onion mixture, add chili powder, blending well. Add broth, almonds, raisins, seasonings, and rind; simmer, covered, 30 minutes longer. Add chocolate, stirring until melted.
Replace chicken, spooning sauce over. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until chicken is tender. Warm rum, ignite it, and pour over contents of casserole; allow to stand for a few minutes.
6 servings