Brownies

So this is one way to get my heart-shaped food. You can cut these brownies into any shape you like, not just traditional squares. I like my brownies chewy, and this recipe reflects that. If you prefer cake-like brownies, this one may not be for you.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you the myriad ways you can eat brownies. There is just plain, of course, or with ice cream, or whipped cream, or.....Well you get the idea. I hope you enjoy these with your sweetie. Or all by yourself if you don't feel like sharing. I won't tell anyone! ; )

3/4 Cup Melted Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat Oven to 350

Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan

Combine the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a mixer. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the mixer and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into the pan and bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

For a printer friendly version of this recipe, click here.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Oh, I really wanted to make something heart-shaped for Valentine's Day. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but I did. I tossed dozens of ideas around, but none of them seemed appropriate somehow. So finally I gave up on heart-shaped, and just went for yummy.

Make this lasagna for your sweetie, and they will be yours forever!


Butternut Squash Lasagna


Inspired by a recipe from Giada de Laurentiis

1 Medium Butternut Squash (about 2 lbs)
Olive Oil for Rubbing the Squash
Salt and Pepper
1/2 Cup Water
3 Tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Flour
3 Cups Milk (2% or Whole)
1/2 Loosely Packed Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Pepper
1 1/2 - 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese- depending on how cheesy you like it!
1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
6 No-Bake Lasagna Noodles
Olive Oil or Butter for Greasing Baking Pan

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down in a baking dish, add 1/2 cup water, cover and bake until very tender, about 45-60 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook the squash covered in the microwave until tender, about 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, mash it up with a fork, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking for about one minute. Gradually add the milk, whisking the whole time to prevent lumps. Continue cooking over medium to medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking until thickened a bit, about 5 minutes. Whisk often to prevent lumps. Remove from heat.

Put the basil leaves in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to chop them up. Add about 1/2 of the sauce to the processor and process until the basil is well-incorporated. Return the basil-sauce to the rest of the sauce in the pan, and stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 375

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Pour about 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom. Cover the sauce with 2 of the lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 of the squash over the noodles. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese over the squash. Repeat the layers : sauce, noodles, squash, mozzarella. Drizzle some sauce over this layer of mozzarella, cover with 2 more noodles, and pour the remaining sauce over top. Cover tightly with foil and bake until nice and bubbly and the noodles are soft, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven. Take off the foil and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan cheese. Return to the oven until the top is nicely browned, 10-15 minutes longer. Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here.

Balsamic Beet Salad

Continuing with the Valentine's Day theme, here is a very red side dish that can be served with any number of things, including roasted chicken.

1 Bunch Beets (about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds)
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Scrub the beets well. No need to peel yet, we will get to that later. If your beets are small, you can cook them whole. If they are larger, you will want to cut them into smaller pieces for quicker cooking. Mine were about medium and I quartered them lengthwise.

Put the beets in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the beets are tender. This will take about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the beets. When the beets are tender (stab one with a fork or the tip of a knife to test for doneness), remove them from the heat and drain. Put some cold water in the pot with the beets to cool them down a bit and pull the skins off. They should slip right off. I like to do this with the pot in the sink.

Drain the beets and put them in a salad bowl. Cut them into slices or bite-sized chunks and pour the balsamic vinegar over them. Stir to coat with the vinegar, then add the remaining ingredients and stir again. Adjust seasonings as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here.

Roasted Chicken

Valentine's Day is this Sunday. If you haven't already arranged for a babysitter and made a reservation at your favorite romantic restaurant, chances are you'll be eating in this year. Between now and Friday look for recipes that can be mixed and matched for a simple yet elegant meal for you and your sweetie, whether they be a meat-eater or a meat-freer. First up, roasted chicken. This is so simple to prepare, yet always makes an elegant presentation.

Roasted Chicken

1 Whole Chicken
2 tsp Olive Oil
3-4 Cloves Garlic, Minced or Pressed
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
2 tsp Fresh Herbs, such as Thyme or Rosemary
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, depending on how spicy you like things
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 Lemon, Halved
1-2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
1-2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 or 2 Carrots
1 or 2 Stalks of Celery

Preheat Oven to 400

Remove and discard (or save for a later use) the giblets from inside the bird. Combine the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, herbs, pepper flakes and paprika in a small bowl. Place the carrot and celery in a roasting pan in such a way that the chicken can sit on top of them without touching the bottom of the pan. (Essentially, you want to use the veggies as a 'roasting rack' for the chicken. You can also use potatoes, onions, rutabagas, whatever you have on hand. This is a good use for veggies that are a bit past their prime.)

Place the chicken on top of the veggies in the roasting pan and rub it all over with the olive oil mixture. Put the cut-up lemon and remaining sprigs of herbs inside the cavity of the chicken. Roast in the 400 degree oven until done, about 1 1/2 hours. You can tell the chicken is done when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 170-175. Alternatively, you can give it the 'wiggle test'. Grab a hold of one of the legs (using a pot holder or paper towel) and wiggle it, if it feels like it would easily separate from the rest of the bird, it's done.

Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.


For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here.