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Fashionably new Strawberries.

Technically, a fashion designer didn’t come up with this recipe (that I know of), but they sound like something straight off a runway: Green Tea Latte Strawberries.

I had the inkling to look up some variations on the chocolate covered strawberries because a friend made some traditional milk chocolate ones today and shared them with me. They were delicious, but I wanted to see if there was anything fancy, new or different out there, and these babies seem to be exactly what I’m looking for. I plan on making them this weekend, so if anyone makes them first, be sure to let me know how they turn out!

The recipe calls for white chocolate, strawberries and a teaspoon of matcha powder (green tea powder - Tazo makes a good one). Shortening is optional, but I don’t think I’ll use it. Smooth chocolate matters less to me than good chocolate.

Simply melt the chocolate in your double boiler, blend in the powder, dip the strawberries, and refrigerate after cooling. Quick, easy and I bet they are absolutely delicious. Of course, if you don’t care for white chocolate or green tea, simply substitute for your favorite milk or dark chocolate. Either way, chocolate covered strawberries are a delicacy I could deal with any day.

Fashion Week Continued-- A recipe from Carolina Herrera's Kitchen

Who doesn’t love Carolina Herrera designs? From shoes to dresses to the funky new shorts in her spring collection, the lady is a master. And she’s not a slacker in the kitchen department either, as evident by her contribution to the aforementioned American Fashion Cookbook: 100 Designers Best Recipes.

Her Pommes Toupinel recipe is outstanding - and the best part is, for all you carb-wary folks out there, this clever dish contains some protein: a poached egg in the twice-baked potato.

So, to start, you need a good egg poacher and some foil to bake your potatoes. Start by baking your potatos as usual, while poaching your eggs. There’s also a fancy sauce for this one called Bechamel Sauce (2 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour and two cups of milk).

Prepare twice baked potatoes by mashing the insides with 1 cup of milk, 1/4 stick of butter, a pinch of salt, and a small amount of pepper and mix with finely ground Parmesan cheese. I added some shredded Asiago too, since I love cheese, and you can vary based on your faves. Save 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes.   Put mashed potatoes inside the potato shells, leaving room in the center for the poached egg. Place poached egg inside the potato filled with puree, and then season with salt and pepper.   Spoon a little Béchamel sauce over the potato and on top of that, add a little more of the mashed potatoes.  Top with your favorite cheese and broil in the oven for three minutes until the top is brown and crisp.

Instructions for the sauce can be found at BehindtheBurner by clicking HERE.

And there are good instructions for your poached eggs too, if need be. This is a great dinner - and almost as good as Carolina’s latest pair of shoes. Enjoy!

Fashion Week Calls for High Fashion Recipes

I love everything haute couture, designer labels, and anything New York. Fashion Week has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, although back then I wanted to model in it, while today I just want to see the clothes and write about it.

Alas, I didn’t make it again this year, but I’ve been reading every article I can get my hands on and it got me thinking: High fashion people need high fashion recipes, right?

So in honor of Fashion Week, I decided to turn this week into a high fashion recipe extravaganza, with the help of BehindtheBurner, which featured recipes from the new American Fashion Cookbook: 100 Designers' Best Recipes ($45 USD). The book is definitely on my buy list, as it promises treats like Mark Ecko’s “Adults Only” Chocolate Chip Cookies and Isaac Mizrahi’s Mushroom Truffle Spaghetti.

But the first one on my list is brown bread ice cream, per Lela Rose. I chose this one because I love her style and partly because it calls for a food processor, and I’m always looking for new uses for mine.

This recipe can be made either as frozen custard or regular ice cream. For the ice cream version, you’ll need an ice cream mixer. A regular electric mixer is necessary for both versions.

Brown Bread Ice Cream calls for:

5 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 3/4 cups coarse brown bread crumbs 1/3 cup dark brown sugar 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature 1/2 cup superfine sugar 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1-2 tbsp. rum or brandy 1 3/4 cups heavy cream, very cold Pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

Click for the full instructions. And if you’re serving this for your friends, make sure you tell them it’s a fashionable occasion and they should dress accordingly.

Feelin' Fruity. Fruit Salad.

As tempted as I am to find more fun, fruity, island drink recipes, I need to be responsible and add some real fruit to our Caribbean escape. It’s a wee bit healthier than the cocktails, and I found a recipe that’s almost as much fun! Different from a traditional fruit salad, too.

For a Caribbean fruit salad, you’ll need:

3 tangelos 1 ripe papaya -- peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup lime juice  another 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon tequila 1 bunch flowering kale 1 (1-pound size) ripe pineapple -- peeled, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut -- toasted

Peel the tangelos, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices over a small bowl, reserving tangelo juice. Set tangelo slices aside. Add next 4 ingredients to tangelo juice, tossing gently to coat slices; cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.   Line a large, round serving platter with flowering kale. Arrange pineapple slices on top of kale around outside edge of platter. Arrange tangelo slices inside pineapple. Drain papaya, reserving marinade. Spoon papaya mixture into center. Drizzle salad with reserved marinade. Cover and chill. Sprinkle salad with shredded coconut.

I put some cherries (pitted) in mine, just because I love cherries. Mango would work well here too, as an addition or a substitute for papaya. Whatever you choose, this fruit salad is sure to brighten up a wintery day.

Let me know what you think of it.

Trouble getting through the winter? Caribbean cocktails and visualizations are the perfect recipe.

Seriously? More snow? There’s only one way to keep sane during this endless winter: Drink like you’re on an island, watching the blue-green waves, smelling the sunscreen, dreaming about snorkeling. This is no joke. We’re even bypassing the chocolate this time and getting right down to business.
Caribbean drinks, I’ve found, are for the fruity drink lovers. Mangoes, papayas, bananas, cherries, whatever your pleasure. Here are two of my favorites:

Emeril Lagasse’s Caribbean Cocktail is a perfect impromptu getaway in your own kitchen. You need:

1 1/2 ounces light rum
1/2 ounce blue curacao
2 ounces pineapple juice
1 tablespoon simple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Shake ingredients in your cocktail shaker, pour over ice and garnish with fresh papaya or a pineapple wedge. Delish!

Daiquiris are also an island fave. Here’s a good one for mangoes and bananas:

2 cups ripe mangoes, chopped (about 2 mangoes peeled and seeded)
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup sugar syrup (1 cup sugar and 1 cup water)
1 1/4 cups dark rum
mango slices for serving

Blend with ice and garnish with mangoes.

Throw on a straw hat and be transported!

If you can’t make it to the Caribbean, cook like you’re there.

I don’t know about you, but after this long winter I’m about ready to pack my bathing suit and head off to some sunny, tropical island.

Since I can’t physically do that at the moment, I’ll have to settle for cooking (and drinking) Caribbean style. So grab your coat and fire up that poor, neglected grill for some chicken skewers with grilled mango, Real Simple style.

You’ll need wooden skewers, 10-12 inch, and six boneless, skinless chicken breasts. (If you’re looking for the vegetarian modification, tofu works great with this recipe. Two blocks should be plenty.) You’ll also need 3 ripe mangoes.

For the marinade: Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice (lime works well too), minced garlic (I like a lot, but you can adjust the amount to your taste), 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, and pepper. Cut each breast into 3 or 4 long strips and add to the marinade, coating all the chicken. You can marinate for as little as 20 minutes or as long as overnight. Soak your skewers in warm water for ease of skewering, too.

When you’re ready to grill, spray cooking spray (olive oil works well too, if you’re not into cooking spray) on the grill and heat to medium-high. Peel and slice mangoes, and skewer your chicken. You can add onions too, if you like, or tomatoes to the skewer if you want spice it up a bit more. You’ll do the mangoes after the chicken is grilled. Place chicken or tofu diagonally on the grill, drop the lip and cook about 3-4 minutes per side. When the chicken is done, cook the mangoes on the grill, about 2 minutes per side. Serve and enjoy. Picture the beach while you eat. Next...beverages.

Tarts, tartlets? Who cares as long as they’re made from chocolate?

The chocolate madness continues as I look ahead to the Valentine’s weekend. Wednesday I talked about chocolate panini and dipping chocolate. Today I want to talk about these adorable little “tartlet” desserts that only Martha Stewart is cute enough to come up with. (And how many of you have used the word tartlet before? I haven’t.)

Anyway, chocolate ganache heart tartlets,  don’t they sound adorable? PLEASE click on the link to check them out -- they are works of art. We’re going to have to make these together, because I just found this recipe and plan on using it this weekend.

First thing’s first: You need a heart-shaped tart pan. I know, I know... Give me a break, it’s Valentine’s Day. The tarts are the time consuming part, but once you get the flour, cocoa powder, salt, butter, sugar and vanilla extract mixed together, roll it out into dough and fit it into your heart shaped pan, you’ll refrigerate to cool off. Then comes the fun part: the filling. Chopped bittersweet chocolate, 1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup whole milk, and an egg, whisk together, fill the tarts and bake.
After they cool, if you want to get really fancy, Martha’s recipe calls for adorable, colored meringue hearts. You have to be really good at planning in advance to add these to the dessert, since they take a bit of prep time, two hours of baking and eight hours in the cooled oven overnight.

I don’t have the time for that, so I think I’ll stick with the chocolate-filled hearts. I may add some of my own toppings, like a dollop of whipped cream, or some raspberry sauce.

I’d love to hear if anyone makes this recipe, though, and what your sweetie thought of it.
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day Chocolate Mania

You’ll forgive me if I go off on a chocolate tangent for the rest of the week, won’t you? I really can’t help myself - Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday to indulge my inner chocolate monster. Finding new ways to eat chocolate truly delights me, and I hope I can enlighten some of you to new recipes you can share with your sweetie over this romantic weekend.

For instance, I found a delightful recipe for chocolate panini at Real Simple. I know, chocolate’s bad enough, and now we’re throwing bread into the mix? The recipe recommends challah or white bread, but you can also try it with a low-fat croissant. You’ll need an ounce of semi-sweet chocolate (chips are tricky, use the bar if you have it on hand) to make a sandwich, then simply melt in a waffle iron, skillet or -if you own one - a panini press. Hint: Let the chocolate get really gooey!

If you’d rather skip the bread, try this Real Simple recipe for chocolate fondue: melt 3/4 cup of heavy cream with a pound of chocolate (I prefer dark, but you can use milk), and choose your favorite dipping foods. Fruit or shortbread cookies work nicely, but potato chips and pretzels are great if you want a sweet and salty mix. I've mentioned them here before but here is a link to some fondue sets.

What’s your favorite fancy chocolate recipe? Feel free to post it here.

Forget the fancy restaurants. Valentine’s Day can be just as romantic at home.

I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day hoopla -- long waits at fancy restaurants, overpriced flowers, big crowds. I’m much more partial to a quiet, romantic evening at home with a fancy meal, some fun drinks and decadent desserts. This week, I’ll create an evening to rival the restaurants that will leave your sweetheart swooning.

Atmosphere is everything, so before you even start cooking, it’s worth it to take stock of your dining area. Clear yesterday’s mail off the table and place a centerpiece made of fresh flowers. Add some splashes of red or pink: Fancy napkins, candles, bowls of red jelly beans. You don’t have to spend a lot to make a good impression. Of course, your meal will be the main attraction.

I love lighter fare for holidays like this, mainly because my mother always taught me to save plenty of room for dessert. Sea bass is my favorite fancy fish, because there are so many different ways to prepare it. For a special occasion, I recommend Sea Bass alla Fiorentina. It’s simple, it’s tasty and you can add a variety of sides, and still have room for the good stuff.

This recipe calls for four 6-oz. pieces of sea bass, which you season, lightly coat with flour, and cook in a simple frying pan with olive oil. Garlic, crushed tomatoes, parsley and basil provide a simple but tasty garnish for the fish. The recipe works great with garlic roasted green beans and a nice sauteed red potato side dish.

Do you and your sweetie have a favorite Valentine’s Day dinner at home? Tell us about it here!

It's all in the Pasta. Baked Stuffed Shells.

I couldn’t get through a week of comfort foods without lauding an Italian dish I grew up on: stuffed shells. Today, the trend is more towards the stuffed manicotti dish -- a simple variation of pasta shape, but some people feel strongly about one versus the other.

I’ve always been partial to the shells, myself so when I found a really great Martha Stewart stuffed manicotti recipe, I of course I tried it with the shells as a substitute. Whatever pasta you use, this is a don’t-miss dish. If you like meat in your meal (pic above) here's another recipe.

The meatless recipe, which I prefer, calls for sun-dried tomatoes, egg yolk and nutmeg added to the ricotta and spices for the filling, which gives it a nice flavoring on top of the tomato sauce you add on top of the pasta once it’s ready to bake.

The real trick is in making the pasta not too overdone or too underdone. I was taught to always boil my pasta, let it cool and then stuff and bake. Martha Stewart suggests in this recipe to soak the no-cook manicotti sheets (or the shells) in a baking dish (or your lasagna pan to save dishes) with hot water and let soften for ten minutes. If you choose to boil, just keep a close eye on the pasta -- it’s hard to fill anything that’s floppy and falling apart.

Once the pasta is filled, the dish needs to be baked with tomato sauce and your favorite cheese. This is a fantastic feel-better food.

Try the shells. They’ll make you smile.