February 10th Recipes

“DEATH BY CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKE”

14.4 oz. box chocolate graham crackers

Chocolate Mousse:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 c. cocoa
8 oz. Cool whip (or homemade whipped cream)

Combine cream cheese, sugar and milk together in mixing bowl. Mix until completely combined then add in the cocoa until smooth. Fold in the Cool whip.

Chocolate Ganache
11 oz semisweet or milk chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream

Place chocolate chips in a glass bowl. Microwave the heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 mins. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.

Chocolate Whipped Cream
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/4 c. powdered sugar

Add all ingredients to mixing bowl and whip on high until stiff peaks form.

Toppings:
chocolate sauce
Mini chocolate chips

To assemble:

Place a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Top graham crackers with half of the mousse mixture and spread evenly. Spread half of the ganache on top of the mousse and spread evenly. Place another layer of the graham crackers on top of ganache. Spread remaining mousse mixture then the rest of the ganache and make sure to spread evenly. Top ganache with another layer of graham crackers. Top cake with chocolate whipped cream and spread. Finish cake off with chocolate sauce and mini chocolate chips if desired. Refrigerate.

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“15 MINUTE PAN SEARED FILET MIGNON WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE”

4 (6 oz) filet mignon, brought to room temperature (take out of fridge 30 mins or so before cooking)
salt & pepper to season both sides
2 Tbsp. butter

Chimichurri sauce:
1 garlic clove
1 c. fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 415. Season both sides of filets with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet until it is searing hot. Add butter to pan. Then place the filets in the skillet. Sear the first side for 2 mins. Do not touch them at all. AFter the 2 mins, flip the filet and repeat by searing 2 mins on opposite side. After those 2 mins are up, immediately place the skillet in the oven, uncovered. Cook 5-6 mins for medium rare or add 1-2 mins more for each temperature (medium steak would be 6-7 mins). Remove steaks when done and let sit. While steaks are sitting, add all of the chimichurri ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Serve each filet with a scoop of chimchurri.

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“MOLTEN LAVA CAKES”

5 oz. dark chocolate
10 Tbsp. butter
3 egg yolks
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 450. Butter bottom and sides of ramekins. Over low heat, melt butter. Chop chocolate while butter melts. Once melted, add chocolate to butter and remove from heat. Stir until melted and incorporated. Separate 3 eggs. Add yolks to bowl and save whites another time. Add another 3 whole eggs. Whisk for a minute until lightened and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and whisk until combined. Pour chocolate into bowl and stir again until incorporated. Add flour and stir just until combined. Divide batter into ramekins. If making 8, bake at 450 for 9 mins. Remove from oven onece sides are set and top has just split. Run a knife around edge of ramekin to loosen then turn upside down onto a plate. Serve immediately alone or with ice cream.

Note: you can use larger ramekins to make 6 cakes but bake for 10-11 mins or use smaller ramekins to make 10 and reduce baking time to 8 mins.

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RED VELVET CAKE BALLS

1 red velvet cake mix and ingredients to make it
1 -1 1/3 c. cream cheese frosting
24 oz. white chocolate (vanilla almond bark)
sprinkles or chocolate for decoration

Bake cake mix according to package directions. Let cool compeltely. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add 1 c. frosting and mix with wooden spoon. If it needs more moisture, add more frosting (spoonful at a time). You want it like a stiff cookie dough. Roll into balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Before freezing the cake balls, Melt chocolate slowly over double boiler. Dip truffles into white chocolate and add sprinkles right away. If you want to add chocolate on top, wait for balls to harden then add chocolate on top.

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Questions:
What can I use poppy seed and fennel seed for?
—Poppy seed- use in bread
—Fennel seed-use in bread, fish dishes, sauces, sweet pickles, pizza & Italian dishes

If he’s had it in for a while, pitch because it can be rancid.

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“KITCHEN TIP MINUTE”
DISCLAIMER: Please note that tips I give are mostly ones found online, magazine article, cooking show, etc and have not been personally tested by myself.

1. To test the freshness of baking powder, add a teaspoon to a glass of water. If it does not fizz, the baking powder is too old and should be tossed.

2. If you buy bagged lettuce or salads, choose the bag that is the flattest. When the greens are packages, all of the air is sucked out of the bag. Then as they age, they give off gas, making the bag puffier. Choose the flattest bag and your salad will be fresher and will last longer in the fridge without going bad.

3. If you are baking a fruit pie that requires a sprinkling of sugar, sprinkle the sugar underneath the fruit, not on top. This will prevent the juice of the pie from bubbling over while baking.