Be Cupid in the Kitchen Celebrate Valentines Day Cooking, Eating and Drinking

Ahhh Valentine’s Day – The Hallmark Holiday of Holidays! Traditionally it is the romantic holiday where lovers express their love for each other with flowers, confections and cards.

Saint Valentines Day is named after one or more Christian martyrs and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. Here in the USA where we tend to turn every holiday into a money maker. Jewelers are pushing their baubles, chocolatiers have created beautifully packaged confections and florists jack the price up for roses. Beyond the entire mixed bag of gifts one should take note that restaurants everywhere will be jam packed all weekend long for the second busiest day of dining out each year.

Avoid the all the hype as well as the excessive amount of money you will fork over and show your Valentine that you put a little creativity of your own into celebrating with Cupid as your inspiration this year. Cooking is love made visible - create a meal from the bottom of your heart.

Forget sending a text message or an EVITE and set the tone by giving your loved one an actual invitation to an afternoon or evening of romance. Visit Richard’s Variety Store for fun and festive cards or stationary to handcraft a Valentine outlining the details of the when and the where. Create a menu filled with plenty of aphrodisiac and romantic food and beverages. Stop by Perrine’s Wine Shop and select some delicious wines to compliment your menu. Scour through your music collection and put together a CD full of songs that conjure up fun memories that you have shared together. Set the table with colorful dishes and linens from Star Provisions and plenty of candles and a vase of simple yet festive fresh flowers to set the mood.

Take some of the heat off yourself and invite your love to join you in the meal preparation. Pick out festive aprons for you both at Anthropoligie, as nothing is more fun than heating things up in the kitchen together and sharing a few laughs along the way.

A combination of surprise and celebration are certain to pierce your Valentine’s heart with Cupid’s arrow. For a bit of inspiration on foods that trigger love, set the tone with a few quick simple and delicious suggestions:

Steam It – Beer Broth Clams with Spanish Chorizo, Garlic and Basil
Slice It – Charcuterie & Cheese with Honeycomb and Berries
Eat it Raw – Oysters on the Half Shell with Cucumber Mignonette sauce
Go Green – Arugula with Feta Cheese, Pistachios & Champagne Citrus Vinaigrette
Roast It – Orange Ginger glazed Carrots
Boil It – Bow Tie Pasta with a Truffle Nutmeg Alfredo sauce and Pine nuts
Grill It – Mustard Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with Marinated Asparagus
Bake It – Figs with Brown Sugar, Honey and Whiskey
Chill It – Sparkling Processeco before dinner, Sweet & Tangy Limoncello after dinner
Decant It – A full bodied Barbareso served with rich dark Chocolate Truffles
Whip It – Chocolate Pots du Crème with whipped Cream
Buy It - If you’re baking skills are not up to par pick up a great dessert from
Metrotainment Bakery like their Valentine specials: 4” Red Velvet Heart or
Midnight Torte

Don’t take yourself too seriously, have some fun and create a bit of magic in the kitchen.
Follow your heart (and your stomach) and you are certain to always find yourself lucky in LOVE.

Happy Valentines Day and remember Peace Love Food!

Chile Lime Peanuts

Great citrus spicy tangy snack for entertaining.

Ingredients:
2 cups raw peanuts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss peanuts, oil, coarse kosher salt, and sugar in medium bowl to coat evenly. Place mixture in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast nuts until fragrant and beginning to darken,about 15 minutes. Transfer nuts to large bowl. Add lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and cayenne pepper; toss to coat. Cool nuts completely.
Nuts can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Fan Fare for Super Bowl XLVI Sunday

From Pre-Game to Post Game and all the commercials in between, Super Bowl Sunday lasts a long time. Create, quick simple and delicious Vince Lombardi Trophy winning menu items that will hold up over time and temperature. Skip the bag of tortilla chips and jar of salsa, hold off on ordering that pizza and put your game day cooking skills to work with a few of these sure to be super fan favorites.

Game Day Dips
Served with flatbreads, bread sticks, pita chips and a variety of fresh vegetables like Belgian endive, carrots, cucumbers, red peppers, yellow squash and jicama

Feta Salsa – tomatoes, feta, sliced black and green olives, basil, green onion, lime juice and cilantro
Skillet Pizza Dip – tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and pepperoni baked and garnished with grated Parmesan and basil Chiffonade
Spicy Hummus - chickpea dip flavored with tahini, ginger, cumin, and cilantro
Jalapeno Popper Dip – baked cream cheese, mayo, cheddar cheese, Parmesan, sliced jalapenos topped with a crust of panko and Parmesan
Bacon Guacamole - chopped crispy bacon, avocados, lime juice, diced jalapenos and tomato, red onion, cumin and cilantro with salt and pepper to taste

Super Sunday Snacks
Chorizo & Goat Cheese Rolls – goat cheese, chives and chorizo wrapped in phyllo, baked until crispy and golden
Chile Lime Peanuts – unsalted dry roasted peanuts tossed in lime juice, olive oil, paprika, sea salt and cayenne and baked for a crispy crunch
Garlic Potato Chips – thinly sliced potatoes tossed with garlic oil, cracked black pepper and salt, baked until golden brown

Chilling and Grilling
Grilled Chicken Wings – kick it up a notch and toss your wings in any variety of rubs and sauces such as honey mustard, teriyaki, Caribbean jerk, garlic peppercorn, spicy peanut or chili lime
Jalapeno and Beer Brined Beef Brisket – brine the Brisket in jalapeños, garlic, salt, pepper, brown sugar, lime juice, cilantro, 1 bottle of Mexican Lager and water for at least 4 hours - Grill to desired temperature then slice and serve
Kielbasa Sandwiches – smoked Kielbasa grilled and served on grilled garlic buns topped with a horseradish, honey, Dijon vinaigrette slaw

Fix It & Forget It – Super Slow Cooker Sunday!
Corn Chowder – Sweet Corn, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Pimentos, Shallots, Bacon, Cream, Chicken Broth and Tarragon take the field for this hearty and delicious chowder
Gridiron Grinders – combine cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, chopped onions and garlic with green peppers, sliced mushrooms, Italian spices, crushed red pepper and tomato sauce in the slow cooker for 2 hours on high and serve with toasted hoagie rolls

Half Time Huddle
Taco Bar – pulled chicken, sliced chili spiced skirt steak, soft tortillas, taco shells and all the fixings: salsa fresca, cilantro, Monterey Jack & Cheddar cheeses, jalapenos, sour cream, shredded lettuce, Pico di Gallo and sliced limes

Fourth Quarter Sweet Treats
Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachios and Sea Salt
Chewy Ginger Cookies with Cinnamon, Cloves and Molasses
Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoppie Pies

Even if you don’t have an allegiance to the New England Patriots or the New York Giants the Super Bowl is always a great reason to gather with friends, be an armchair quarterback, sideline referee, ad agency critic and take a time out to watch the Material Girl’s halftime performance.

Enjoy the game and score your own food touchdown on Super Bowl Sunday and always remember Peace, Love, Food!