Black and White Chocolate Fondue

Black and White Chocolate Fondue

by | Feb 18, 2019 | Recipes

Who says you have to choose between white and dark chocolate?  You can have the best of both worlds with this delicious, silky chocolate fondue recipe!  Talk about a little something for everyone. This recipe is just that! Use your favorite high quality chocolate and let the sky be the limit when it comes to planning things to dip in your fondue.  I love the Fancy Butter cookies recipe for dipping!

P.S. the Fancy Butter cookies are delicious for dipping (check out the recipe).

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Black and White Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients

Black Chocolate

  • 8 oz. Milk or Bittersweet Chocolate chopped
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • pinch Sea Salt
  • 1 pinch Espresso Sugar

White Chocolate

  • 12 oz White Chocolate chopped
  • ¾ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ tsp Saigon Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Place chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Heat heavy cream to boiling and pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted. Stir in sea salt and espresso sugar.

  2. Heat white chocolate and heavy cream together over low heat, stirring to prevent burning. Once melted, stir in vanilla extract and cinnamon.

  3. In small ramekins, swirl both fondues together and serve with any or all of the following: marshmallows, pretzels, pound cake, strawberries, dried fruit, cheesecake, rice krispy treats, brownies. Pretty much anything you can think of.

Grilled Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri

Grilled Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri

by | Feb 18, 2019 | Recipes

This steak recipe is a slam dunk in the flavor department! Loaded with herbs and spices, the chimichurri marinade works to create intense flavor and tenderize your steak. Grilled to medium rare and sliced thin, you will be hard pressed to find a more tender piece of meat. On the off chance you have any left over, this steak works great for steak salad or steak quesadillas!

 

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Grilled Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Garlic Olive Oil
  • 2/3 cup 18 yr. Traditional Balsamic
  • 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
  • ½ cup Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley
  • ½ cup Fresh Spinach
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. Shallots finely chopped
  • ¾ tsp. Black Peppercorns ground
  • 2 tsp. Sea Salt
  • ¼ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 ½ - 2 lbs. Skirt Steak
  • 8 oz. Polenta prepared

Instructions

  1. In food processor or blender, combine the garlic olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, spinach, garlic, and shallots. Pulse until blended but, do not puree.
  2. Add ¼ tsp. of crushed red peppers and half of the salt and pepper. Remove half of the sauce, cover and set aside.
  3. Season the steak with remaining salt and pepper and place in Ziploc bag with remaining chimichurri sauce. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
  4. Remove steak from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat grill to medium heat. Pat meat to remove marinade. Make sure you throw away the bag with marinade. Grill meat 6 minutes per side until medium rare/ medium.
  5. Let meat rest 10 minutes before slicing and serve with reserved chimichurri.
  6. Pan fry or grill sliced polenta. Top with sliced Gaucho steak and chimichurri sauce.

Champagne Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Black Truffle Oil

Champagne Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Black Truffle Oil

by | Feb 18, 2019 | Recipes

Champagne and black truffle oil  come together to bring you this luxurious risotto recipe. The addition of your favorite seasonal Spring vegetables make this a dish you will want to share time and time again.

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Champagne Risotto with Spring Vegetables and Black Truffle Oil

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Chicken Broth
  • ½ lb. Fresh asparagus cut in 1 inch pieces
  • ½ cup Fresh shelled green peas
  • ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Shallot finely chopped
  • ¾ cup Arborio rice
  • 1 tsp. Parsley dried
  • ¾ cup Champagne
  • ½ tsp. Sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. White pepper ground
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/8 cup Black Truffle Oil

Instructions

  1. In medium saucepan, heat chicken broth. Blanch asparagus and peas in simmering chicken broth until tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. In another saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil and sauté shallots until translucent. Add rice and coat with olive oil. Continue cooking rice for 2-3 minutes. Stir in champagne and parsley and continue to cook until most of the champagne is evaporated.
  3. Add broth ½ cup at a time while stirring and cook until absorbed. Keep adding ½ Cup at a time until all of the broth is added. The rice should be firm and creamy. Stir in parmesan and season with salt and white pepper. Garnish rice with asparagus and peas. Drizzle black truffle oil over entire dish and serve.

Fancy Butter Cookies

Fancy Butter Cookies

by | Feb 18, 2019 | Recipes

These little butter cookies remind me of when I was growing up and the bakeries would sell these by the pound in little pink boxes! ! They were always filled and decorated to reflect the closest holiday. Red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July, Spring colors for Easter…….You get the idea!

You can whip these up in no time to enjoy or freeze them for later if you’d like!

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Here’s what you’ll need:

Place butter, margarine (if using), and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.

Cream until light and fluffy. Then add egg and flavorings.

Add flour and mix until combined.

If Dough is too thick to pipe through a pastry bag, add a little water and mix. Up to ¼ cup of water.
Set aside 1/3 of the dough to scoop for almond crescents and pipe remaining dough into bars and rosettes.
Place a cherry halve in the center of each rosette.

Using a scoop or a spoon, scoop about a tsp. full of dough and roll it into a log and then bend into a crescent shape. Press into almond slices before placing on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges at 350 degrees F. Let cool.
Finish by dipping bars into melted chocolate and then into sprinkles. Sprinkle almond crescents with powdered sugar and drizzle cherry rosettes with melted chocolate.

 

 

I love to keep these on hand for those unexpected guests that drop by! Yum!

 

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Fancy Butter Cookies

Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter, unsalted, optional ½ cup Butter and ½ cup Margarine
  • 1 cup Sugar granulated
  • 1 Egg, beaten
  • 4 cup Flour All-purpose
  • *Water
  • Sliced almonds
  • Sprinkles
  • Maraschino cherries, cut in half
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Melted Chocolate
  • 1 tsp Flavoring Agent: Vanilla extract, Almond extract, Orange extract or zest, Lemon extract or zest

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. 

  2. Place butter, margarine (if using), and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment.

  3. Cream until light and fluffy. Then add egg and flavorings.
    Add flour and mix until combined. If dough is too thick to pipe through a pastry bag, add a little water and mix. Up to ¼ cup of water.

  4. Set aside 1/3 of the dough to scoop for almond crescents.

  5. Pipe remaining dough into bars and rosettes. Place a cherry halve in the center of each rosette.

  6. Using a scoop or a spoon, scoop about a tsp. full of dough and roll it into a log and then bend into a crescent shape. Press into almond slices before placing on a parchment lined sheet pan.
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges at 350 degrees F. Let cool.
  8. Finish by dipping bars into melted chocolate and then into sprinkles. Sprinkle almond crescents with powdered sugar and drizzle cherry rosettes with melted chocolate. Yum!