**Happy Valentine's Day** Freepers are lovers Too!

www.CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | Feb 14 2004 | Carlo3b, a FReeper, Lover, Dad, Chef

[carlo3b]

Freepers are lovers Too!

**Happy Valentine's Day**

There are days that are so very special, that we should stop and take stock of the marvelous life and times that we live, and honor the wonderful people that we chose to share our lives.

This day has been set aside just for each of us to confirm and express the absolute love and joy that we feel for our loved ones, without whom life would be so shallow and lonely. Whether near or far, with us or a special warm memory, take this opportunity to tell them as you never have before, just how much you care, and how their presence has made the difference in your life.

Let me introduce you to those who have the ability to say the things you feel, in words that express the emotions that we only wish we could done ourselves. I just know that this is what you really want to say to the special ones!

First let me say to all the Freeper lovers out there, "I love you" and you have made my life so much brighter than it would have been without you......sigh.....wink!

How do I love thee?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace
I love thee to the level of every day's
most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
with my lost saints
I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears,
of all my life!
And if God choose,
I shall love thee better after death

~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1770-1850)
 

  "You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her."
-Anon.

Beauty and Love

Beauty and love are all my dream;
They change not with the changing day;
Love stays forever like a stream
That flows but never flows away;
And beauty is the bright sun-bow
That blossoms on the spray that showers
Where the loud water falls below,
Making a wind among the flowers.

~ Andrew Young (1885-1971)
 

  "Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up."
-James Baldwin
 

i have found what you are like
i have found what you are like
     the rain,

    (Who feathers frightened fields
with the superior dust-of-sleep. wields

easily the pale club of the wind
and swirled justly souls of flower strike

the air in utterable coolness

deeds of green thrilling light
                                       with thinned

new fragile yellows

                                   lurch and press

-in the woods
                    which
                                     stutter
                                                 and

                                                              sing

And the coolness of your smile is
stirringofbirds between my arms;but
i should rather than anything
have(almost when hugeness will shut
quietly)almost,
                            your kiss
 

  "Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye."
-H. Jackson Brown Jr.

[mylife]

when it smells done it is done

That concept is difficult to explain to some

[mylife]

Have a good Valentines day I have to turn in.

Thank you for the breaks from the politics ;^)

[MontanaBeth]

MontanaBeth

[Aracelis]

Happy Valentine's Day to my favorite chef!

[Gabz]

Happy Valentine's Day......................

I love your style!!!

(and your recipes!)

[carlo3b]

LowCarb Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu, with Cauliflower

• 4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (pounded out thin)
• 4-6 pieces of prosciutto ham, (baked or boiled will suffice)
• 4-6 slices of regular Swiss cheese, (baby Swiss, can be used)
• 1 can cream of mushroom , or any creamed soup (there are some carbs in most brands )*
• 1/4 c. milk


1) Put ham and cheese on chicken.
2) Roll up and secure with a toothpick.
3) Place chicken in crockpot. so it resembles a triangle /_\.  Layer the rest on top.
4) Mix soup and milk. Pour over top of chicken.
5) Cover and cook on low for 4 + hours or until chicken is no longer pink.
Serve over steamed cauliflower florets, (or noodles) with the sauce it makes.

* The alternative to cream soup is whole cream and sliced button mushrooms, and a teaspoon of tapioca starch or arrowroot as a thickener. Using either of the thickeners are best for freezing foods with gravy or creamed soups, as they will not separate as will flour when thawing.

[carlo3b]

Thanks sweetie.. Happy Valentine's Day.. :)

LowCarb Crockpot Turkey Chili

• Ground turkey 1 pound
• Onion, minced 3/4 cup
• Water 3 cups
• Garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Chili powder 1 tablespoon
• 1/4 tsp. dry red pepper flakes (more or less to taste, or leave out)
• Dry parsley flakes 1 tablespoon
• Paprika 1 teaspoon
• Dry mustard 2 teaspoons
• 1 15-1/2 ounce can red kidney beans, drained
• Tomato paste 1 6 ounce can
• Pearl barley 1/2 cup
• Cheddar cheese, shredded 3/4 cup


1) If using fresh turkey, in large sauce pan, cook turkey and onions in butter until turkey is browned and no longer pink in color, about 9 minutes. Drain; Dice and return turkey and onions to pan.
(If using ground turkey skip #1, and sauté ground turkey in onions)
2) Add remaining ingredients except the cheese to turkey mixture; bring to boil, stirring frequently.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3) Place everything into crockpot, and cover. Cook on low for 2 plus hours.
4) Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of cheese over each serving of chili.

[carlo3b]

Happy Valentine's Day to my favorite chef!

.. sigh. . what a wise woman. :)

LowCarb Lemon Zest Ricotta Crème Dessert

• 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package sugar substitute

Mix together the ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and sugar substitute in a dessert bowl. Serve chilled.

[carlo3b]

I love your style!!! (and your recipes!)

What more could a Chef/Man wish for.. all this love, so little time. . :)

LowCarb Mediterranean Cheese and Olive Meatballs

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat parsley, or 1/4 cup dry
• 2 Tbs.. onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb. ground lamb or beef
• 1/2 cup crumbled either Provolone, Mozzarella, Pecorino, or feta cheese
• 1/2 cup pitted green and/or black olives, coarsely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. fennel seeds, whole or crushed (optional, or anise seed)
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional, as to more or less)
• 1/2 tsp. salt


1) In a large bowl or a clean dry surface, blend all the ingredients with your hands and shape into 16 meatballs.
2) Place the meatballs about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and broil, about 3 inches away from the heat until browned. Turn  and brown on all sides.
You may also fry the meatballs in olive oil and use them as the base for an Italian meat sauce, which you may serve over them.
Makes 16

[Gabz]

That sounds almost the same as mine - except I've never tried them with olives - next time I will!!!

[mylife]

Thanks for the recipe Carlo.

Im making Shrimp Scampi, but just before it is done add the white wine and deglaze, then add diced tomato and basil and a little red pepper flakes ,emusify with butter as needed, remove from heat as soon as it is warmed thru serve over linguine with a loaf of french bread.

a fresh cheese spread of neufchatel artichoke, shallot, tomato and a lil jalepeno on garlic croutons, or the bread.

And Vino, lots of Vino.

Now what about desert?

[Gabz]

You are making me very hungry!

[carlo3b]

I love this stuff, and have taught my kids how to make it, so I can now just sit and enjoy it!!.. wise Chef, am I .

Banana's Foster, Flambe'

This dish is flamed to burn off the alcohol, but not the flavor!

Serves: 8

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 orange or 4oz juice
• 1/2 lemon or 1 ts real lemon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light rum (1oz of 151 proof if flaming)
• 1 Jigger (1oz) Triple Sec
• 1 Jigger (1oz) Banana Liqueur
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• 4 bananas, sliced lengthwise, then 1" bite sized

Melt butter in a wide skillet.
Add brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Squeeze orange, and lemon add to mixture and reduce. Add white sugar, and carefully add all liquors and cinnamon, simmer and stir constantly for 10 minutes. Add bananas; stir to coat and heat 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla cream over ice cream or on top of pancakes.
Note: If flaming remember the liquor will flare up so please beware.

Simmering will release most of the alcohol from the rum, but if you would rather - use 1 teaspoon rum extract and a cup of apple juice in place of rum.

[mylife]

Banana's Foster A classic! Lay that on some ice cream and you're downtown!

[mylife]

Sorry If I got your stomach growling!

[carlo3b]

  EASY AS PIE BAVARIAN APPLE TORTE

CRUST

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 t. vanilla
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 c. flour

FILLING

• 8 oz. of cream cheese
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/2 t. vanilla

TOPPING

• 1/3 c. honey
• 4 c. apples peeled and medium/thinly sliced (I prefer golden delicious)
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 c. almonds coarsely chopped

1) Cream butter, honey, and vanilla, blend into flour, pat into greased 9 spring form (bottom and up sides enough to accommodate filling and topping).
2) Combine cheese and honey; mix well; add egg and vanilla, mix and pour into pastry lined pan.
3) Place sliced apples on top of the filling (in circular pattern) sprinkle with almonds, and cinnamon and drizzle with honey as uniformly as possible.
Bake 10 minutes at 425  and then turn down to 400 for an additional 25 minutes (approximately).
Cool and refrigerate.

[carlo3b]

Im making Shrimp Scampi, but just before it is done add the white wine and deglaze, then add diced tomato and basil and a little red pepper flakes ,emusify with butter as needed, remove from heat as soon as it is warmed thru serve over linguine with a loaf of french bread.

Geeeze, now I'm hungry, but I just finished lunch.. Ha! :o)

[mylife]

APPLE KUCHEN

1/2 cup butter softened
1 box yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups of baking apples pared and sliced(I like granny smith)
1/2 cup sugar (sorry atkins fans)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 cup dairy sour cream
2 egg yolks or 1 egg (How rich do you want this? go for the yolks)

1. In a large bowl cut butter into the dry cake mix.
2. pat the mixture into a 13x9x2 in ungreased pan
3.bake 10 min
4.arrange sliced apples on top of warm crust
5.In a small bowl mix sugar and Cinnamon then sprinkle over the apples and cake.
6.In the same bowl(after empty)blend sour cream and egg yolks or egg and drizzle over apples (drizzle as you would a strudel)
7.Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 min or until the edges are a light brown, a toothpick comes out clean or your nose says come and get it!
8.Get a pot of coffee going!
9.Serve warm and enjoy!

[mylife]

I love this stuff,(bananas foster) and have taught my kids how to make it, so I can now just sit and enjoy it!!.. wise Chef, am I .

Good job! Many foods are simple to prepare. This really is a good recipe to give kids an idea of how important technique is to cooking, Of course the flambe part requires supervision. But then again its no more dangerous than smores ;^)

[sistergoldenhair]

Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwiches

Excellent! I've been looking for this.
Thanks.