Posted on 02/10/2017 3:05:10 PM PST by Yaelle
Happy Weekend, Everyone! A little birdie in a kilt whispered to me that we should have a cooking for Valentine's Day theme this weekend, and that is a perfect idea. I love chocolate so let's get some tried and true old favorite recipes out, as well as some new challenges if you want. But don't stop at dessert! Lots of our true loves have savory desires on Valentine's Day. Steaks, beef stew, potatoes Anna or Baked with sour cream... what is going to delight your honey, family, or even just yourself this week?
Me, I'm thinking of chocolate this week. I keep hearing Sean Hannity's commercials for chocolate covered strawberries, but can't afford those. He deserves support for his sponsors, for sure, but if you ain't got the cash, let not your heart be troubled (lol). They are easy to make.
Get some good quality chocolate chips (you can spend more $ using bars of European chocolate too), like guittard or ghirardelli. Dark, semi, milk. Your preference. Some white for decoration.
Buy organic Strawberries if possible because pesticides really Get Into the berries. Get a lot. Either way, rinse them in batches in a colander, then dry well with paper towels so as not to stain your dish towels.
Melt the chocolate chips in a medium bowl in the microwave, 10 seconds at a time only. Stick a chopstick in after each warming to attempt to stir it. They will suddenly go liquid while faking you out by holding their little shapes.
The rest is easy. Just dip the strawberries by their green stems into The chocolate, and place them on silicone or parchment lined cookie sheets. Let them get hard in the fridge. To decorate with white Chocolate, melt some and put it in a little Ziplock bag. Seal it and snip the tiniest corner off on the bottom. Squeeze little squiggles of White onto the chocolate covered berries.
Make a lot because they will go fast!
What's cooking at your house? What will you make for Valentine's Day?
Would toothpicks stuck in styrofoam or other such material work for that?
Roast is ready in the pot. Prepared per Cooks Illustrated, with some additional ingredients:
1 Round Roast (Braised in XVO + Butter until brown)
Potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Fennel Bulb
Beets
Tomatoes
Pepper Corns
Juniper Berries
Bay Leaves
Garlic Cloves
Salt
Thyme
1 Bottle Red Wine (Washington Cabernet, sorry Bourgogne)
To be served with:
A fresh green salad, XVO, aged balsamic
Shaved Truffle Gouda
E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone, 2012
Flowers for the table
Theo Chocolate for dessert.
I do like to keep well ahead of these “Valentines” events.
:-)
“They will suddenly go liquid while faking you out by holding their little shapes.
“
Too cute! LOL!
Your pictures are scrumptious ETL!
Good you’re tempting me too!
Good job though. It makes the V Thread;)
Thank you for taking care of this thread!
I think that’s a great idea - stick the toothpick up under the leaves, where the hole won’t be seen. I hadn’t thought of that, and I’ll try it.
Somehow, I had the notion that Shari must have some arrangement that hangs the strawberries by the stem in a ‘clothesline’ way :-)
It’s the thought that counts!! They look so yummy.
Mmmmm, I want to hear about that cake! Once I made that Easter butter mold Dish from Russia that is deadly and Rich and luscious. Forgot what it was called.
Are you on the ping list?
Great to see you, Jt!
Thank You!
I’m very glad that my patient is doing much better, and is back in his own house, with things looking up.
I’ll continue next week, Thursday or Friday; and I want to thank Yaelle and CottonBall for their great efforts on this thread.
-JT
I heard another one a couple years ago that ~worries me: ground black pepper never leaves your intestines, it’s indigestible. I grind black pepper on ranch dressing which both go on everything. ;0
They held down the fort for ya.. I lurked because I’ve been off my feed lately.. but I’m dreaming and planning BBQing huge chunks of meat now...
Well, you must tell us all about your rubs, sauces, and technique :-)
I don’t know .. But, I don’t remember seeing a “cooking” thread before .. so, if I’m not on the ping list - I would like to be.
And .. if you have younger children who are learning to cook, they can help .. and it’s a fun lesson for them.
I just showed “Lady & the Tramp” to my special needs kids & they loved it!
JT, can you please add CyberAnt to the ping list?
Yes, I really want one of my kids to love to cook. I keep trying. Just watched Master Chef Junior last night and am always amazed at what kids can do.
I’m glad your patient is doing much better as well! It’s been a pleasure subbing for you. I look forward to jumping onto your thread next week!
CyberAnt has been added!
-JT
Yaelle & Cottonball, thanks so much for keeping the thread going & doing such a wonderful job. JT, glad things are looking up your way.
I love the friend/family feeling of this thread & the great ideas I get from everyone.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.