Ribeye & Steak Fries

Date cooked: Sept 16, 2010
Meal: Lunch/Dinner
Big Ben's Rating: 4.5

Comments: Ribeye is Ben's favorite steak. The first time I cooked him one with some steak fries was shortly after we started dating, when he came over after having a really bad day at work. The meal was a hit (I think maybe steak is for men what chocolate is for women) and I learned that Ben really likes steak fries. They are pretty easy but they do require some time to bake properly. Salty, crunchy, with just the right amount of "greasy," steak fries pair well with almost any protein, especially if it's grilled.

Recipe: Start with 1/2 to 1 russet potato per serving (depending on the size of the potato and the appetite). Poke potatoes with a fork and microwave (or bake) until they are just starting too get soft. You want to be able to cut them easily with a knife, but you don't want them falling apart. Allow them to cool slightly, till they are holdable. Slice into wedges throw them onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil - enough to thoroughly coat all sides. Sprinkle with desired spices; mine are never the exact same twice. I always start with salt, rosemary and Montreal Steak seasoning. Ben likes Montreal Steak seasoning on pretty much everything! I usually grind some pepper over them and then sprinkle garlic powder and whatever else looks good that day. Once they've been seasoned, lay the fries in one even layer, with one of the cut sides down. Bake at 400 for 15 min. Remove from oven and flip all of the fries over to the other cut side (I never put the skin side down). If they look dry, mist or brush some more olive oil on. Sometimes the seasonings will stick to the pan, so sprinkle on some more if you think they need it. Shredded Parmesan cheese can be added now, if you'd like. Bake for 10-15 min longer, or until they start browning slightly. Ketchup and ranch are good if you want something to dip them in; however, if they come out perfectly, you'll enjoy them just as they are.

Cherry Vanilla Oatmeal

Date cooked: Sept 14, 2010
Meal: Breakfast
Big Ben's Rating: 3.75

Comments: This recipe was created when I was a poor college student and inspired by my Granny's homemade cherry jelly, which she gave me by the jarful. I ate it for breakfast or dinner, and it made a good midnight snack, too. I made my husband the gourmet version - if you're trying to save money you can skip the almonds and the dried cherries. If you like coconut, like me, you've got to try it with toasted coconut on top - so delicious! Ben doesn't; however, being as sweet as he is, thought it could use a little more cherry jelly to reach his desired sweetness level :) Any way you cook it, this is an easy, filling breakfast.

Recipe: Cook oatmeal as directed, using milk. For each serving add to the milk the following: 1 heaping TB cherry jelly/jam/preserves, 1 TB dried cherries (I like to cut them in half to spread out the joy) and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. If you like coconut, you can throw some in as well. While the oatmeal is cooking, toast some sliced almonds (or any other nut that you have around) and coconut, if you'd like. Allow the oatmeal to cook to your desired thickness, pour into a bowl and top with the toasted deliciousness.

Black Pepper Shirmp

Date cooked: Sept 13, 2010
Meal: Dinner
Big Ben's Rating: 3.5

Comments: Neither Ben or I were shrimp fans before we went to Mexico, but while there we gave it another try and fell in love! We ordered shrimp whenever it was on the menu and decided we had to try some shrimp recipes here in Colorado. I found this recipe in a cookbook that was given to me as a wedding gift and Ben & I made it together on Monday for our date night dinner. The sweetness of the shrimp and molasses hits your tongue as you take your first bite, followed soon by the spicy pepper which lingers in your mouth. The sauce was the perfect consistency with a nice contrast between sweet and spicy. Ben and I thought the pepper was a little too strong for our tastes; I used a new container of peppercorns, which Ben cracked just before we added it to the sauce. I think if your pepper is older or pre-cracked the 1 1/2 tsp. would be okay, but otherwise we suggest using less - we'll probably use 3/4 or 1 tsp. next time. Also, take into consideration that shelling and deveining shrimp takes a while; I have never done this before and it took Ben and I 10 - 15 min. We enjoyed our shrimp with rice and stir-fried vegetables, which was a very nice pairing. Frozen shrimp will never be quite as delicious as fresh, but this dish was not disappointing. A great way to enjoy shrimp!

Recipe:
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup Worcestershire
1/3 cup dark beer (open and let stand 1 hour)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup chicken broth, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste (I didn't want to buy this; I used some red pepper flakes instead - about 1/2 tsp.)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I used more - Ben & I love garlic!)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
4 cups cooked white rice

Makes 4 servings

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine molasses, Worcestershire and beer. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and enough of the chicken broth to prevent shrimp from sticking. Cook until shrimp just turns pink. (Make sure to not overcook - it will ruin the tender shrimp taste! It only takes a couple minutes) Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

To same skillet, add pepper, chili paste, garlic and remaining broth. Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in molasses mixture. Cook until reduced by half. (This took almost 15 minutes for us) In small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. Add to chicken broth mixture and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until thickened. Add shrimp, toss to coat and heat thoroughly. (Again, don't let the shrimp get overcooked - just warmed back up)

Recipe from "Colorado Collage" cookbook

Blueberry-Mascarpone Crepes

(click on the image to make it larger)

Date cooked: Sept 9, 2010
Meal: Breakfast
Big Ben's Rating: 5 stars

Comments: My lovely bride made this tasty dinner (breakfast for dinner) on our first night back as a married couple. We had Blueberry Crepes. They were sooo good. Some of the best food I've ever eaten...even better than lava cakes! They were delicious. Very good flavor and texture, balanced with an aroma of citrus in the blueberries. The sweet cream folded inside the crepes tasted like heaven. And if you want that extra treat, top this delectable dish with whipped cream.


Ingredients

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier liqueur
• Pinch salt
• 12 crepes, recipe follows
• 1 pint blueberries
• Blueberry Sauce, recipe follows
• Confectioners' sugar, garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a large glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl, beat together the mascarpone, cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, zest, juice, Grand Marnier, and salt until smooth.

Place the crepes flat on a work surface. One at a time, spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling down the center, and top with a few fresh blueberries. Roll the sides of the crepe up and over the filling and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Bake until the filling is warmed through and slightly puffed, 10 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the crepes and return to the oven and hot, 2 to 4 minutes.

Remove and arrange 3 crepes on each of 4 dessert plates. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

Blueberry Sauce:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1 3/4 cups blueberries, picked over and rinsed

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a small saucepan combine the sugar, water, orange juice, cornstarch, Grand Marnier, and orange zest, and stir well. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and remaining 1/4 cup of blueberries and stir until the butter is melted and the berries are warmed through, 1 minute. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm until ready to use.

Yield: 3 cups

Crepes:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons whole milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch salt

6 teaspoons melted unsalted butter

Whisk together the flour, eggs, milk, sugar, salt, and 4 1/2 teaspoons of the butter to form a smooth, thin batter. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before proceeding.

Heat a heavy 6-inch skillet or crepe pan over medium-high heat. When hot, brush with a light coating of the remaining butter. Ladle about 1/4 cup of crepe batter into the pan, tilting the skillet to evenly coat the pan with batter. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and the top begins to look dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully turn the crepe and cook on the second side just until the bottom colors slightly, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

Assemble as directed in Blueberry-Mascarpone Crepes recipe, and serve. (Or, make ahead and when cool, layer between sheets of waxed paper and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.)

Yield: 12 (6-inch) crepes

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003