Leftovers

Valentine's Day Menu

Crab Cakes
Lobster Tail
Filet Mignon
Asparagus with Red Pepper Hearts
Creamy Potatoes with Chives
Fess Parker Riesling

Crab Cakes (adapted from The Pat Conroy Cookbook)
1 pound lump crabmeat (don't even THINK about using the canned variety, it just won't do)
2 egg whites, beaten until just foamy
3 TBSP Flour
1 TBSP fresh snipped chives
2 TBSP minced red pepper
1/2 Tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Pick over crab meat, removing shell pieces and cartilage, place meat in a large mixing bowl. Incorporate egg whites gently into meat. Combine dry ingredients and sprinkle over crab meat, then add peppers and chives. Use a large spatula to gently fold ingredients together, being careful to not break up the crab meat too much. Gently roll crab meat into 8 balls, then flatten them and place on a platter and refrigerate for at least an hour before frying. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 TBSP Canola oil and 2 TBSP butter. When oil is hot enough to make crabcakes sizzle, add first four, using a thin pastry spatula to turn them when golden brown on each side. Place first crabcakes on paper towels, keep warm until second batch is complete.

Lobster Tails
Split lobster tails down the middle of the top shell, using deboning shears. Brush melted butter over both sides of the tail, then put on broiler pan, initially just above the middle rack of the oven. Cook for 5 minutes each side, then bring closer to the heating element for the final 5 minutes. Serve with warm drawn butter.

Filet Mignon
Before cooking filets using your favorite method, use a sharp knife to cut small pockets in several places over the cut of meat. Shave thin slivers from a clove of garlic, and insert the slivers into the pockets of the steak. Then slice one clove in half, and rub the cut side of clove all over the cut of meat. Wrap a slice of bacon around each filet, secure with a toothpick.

Asparagus with Red Pepper Hearts
Use a small heart shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts from a large red bell pepper. Steam asparagus and peppers until crisp tender. Serve immediately.

Creamy Potatoes with Chives
8 medium potatoes
8 oz Philedelphia Cream Cheese
1/2 C sour cream
2 TBSP butter
1/4 C fresh snipped chives
1/4 to 1/2 C half and half
Cut 8 medium sized potatoes into cubes, boil until fork tender. Drain, then quickly put into a mixing bowl (stand mixers work best.) Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT half and half to hot potatoes and mix until smooth. Add half and half until potatoes are creamy, a little more moist than normal mashed potatoes. These potatoes will dry out during baking, so don't be afraid to overdo it with the half and half. Spread potatoes in a casserole pan, or pipe into individual serving dishes for a fancier presentation. Sprinkle with paprika (not the smoked variety) and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffy on top.

Because Valentine's Day fell on a Wednesday this year, I didn't make a homemade dessert. I know. Laaaazeeeeee! I did indulge in some spendy petit fours from Byerly's, a little heavier and more dense than I would expect that particular pastry to be, but had a lovely ribbon of red raspberry inside to cut the extreme sweetness. And because it's not Valentine's day, I also purchased two "Death by Chocolate" tarts. I could do without that phrase. A flourless chocolate cake was covered in a scrumptious ganache. Perfect, EXCEPT, someone felt compelled to roll the sides in mini chocolate chips. I suppose this was for the sake of presentation, but it distracted from the velvety smooth texture of the dessert. Piping the ganache on the side would have been a better bet. Nonetheless, a decadent finish to a wonderful meal.

Developing

Yesterday morning, I was taking my eleven year old twins to school, sparing them a wait for the bus in fifteen below weather. The talk radio station I always listen to was on, and the topic du jour was, of course, Anna Nicole. One of the crew mentioned her big "hooters". My daughter asked me what hooters were. I sighed and answered her truthfully, "It's a bad word for women's breasts."
"Well what about that restaurant-Hooters? Does that mean breasts?"
"Yes."
"I thought it had something to do with owls?"
"No, it's all about women's breasts."
"That's disgusting."
"Yes."

So this morning, we were on our way to the Mall of America with Granny and I repeated the conversation to my mother-in-law. Annelise once again expressed her distaste for an establishment that is seemingly all about boobs. A few minutes later, Annelise reminded me that she needed to look for a bra while we were out. My mother in law asked, "What in the world do you need one of those for?"
My training bra wearing daughter responded, "For my big hooters."

100 Things, well, the first 50

1. I have four kids, my youngest son and daughter are twins.
2. I was painfully shy when I was younger, and I now have a job in sales which requires me to cold call and talk to strangers all day long.
3. My beverage of choice is a triple venti nonfat latte from Starbucks.
4. I've loved to read since I first learned at age 4.
5. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do, and it actually relaxes me.
6. I collect cookbooks.
7. Since my children were small, I've loved to sit and watch Spongebob Squarepants with them. I never get tired of watching certain episodes and sometimes, I watch it even when they're not home.
8. I sing loudly and badly in the car.
9. I hate laundry with a purple passion.
10. I use a Treo 650 cell phone.
11. I love to watch birds, but can't stand to be anywhere near them. In fact, they scare the shit out of me.
12. I used to have the dream where I could fly all the time when I was younger. For many years, I never had it. I love that I'm having it again, but right now, I'm just flying within my house, not outside and over the trees yet.
13. Ever since I was pregnant with my first son, I've been cursed with a heightened sense of smell.
14. I cry very easily and am often embarrassed by it.
15. I love watching thunderstorms.
16. I look just like my mother.
17. I'm terrified that I will turn into her.
18. My blood type is O+.
19. I'm a chronic worrier.
20. I reread my favorite books at least once a year.
21. I'm afraid of heights.
22. I have large feet-size 10, sometimes 10.5.
23. I am obsessed with my hair.
24. I'm probably more of a cat person than a dog person, but I have two dogs.
25. I swear too much.
26. I love going to sleep each night with the man I love.
27. We sleep like pretzels, our limbs tangled together almost all night long.
28. I have very vivid dreams every night.
29. I'm a horrible driver, but have only had one accident.
30. I think it's because someone is looking out for me.
31. I can drive a stick shift.
32. I'm allergic to Penicillin and aspirin.
33. After I was divorced, I couldn't sleep in bed by myself. I slept on the couch almost every single night until I met my future husband.
34. I'm constantly reading motivational books.
35. I couldn't care less about sports.
36. I love word games like Scrabble and Boggle.
37. I don't like crossword puzzles because they make me feel stupid.
38. I have never done a Sudoku puzzle because I'm afraid I'd quickly become addicted.
39. When I'm concentrating or intently focused on something my tongue drifts out of my mouth. I think this makes me look feeble.
40. Dwight Yoakam is my favorite singer. Raul Malo is a close second.
41. I never tried guacamole until I was 33. Now I can't imagine life without it.
42. I hate bananas and can't even stand the smell of them. I actually wish that I liked them because they're so convenient.
43. I have very good penmanship.
44. I love writing with fountain pens.
45. I enjoy it when people compliment my handwriting.
46. I wish I had finished college.
47. My favorite color is cobalt blue.
48. I love vividly colored sunsets.
49. I love Sunday mornings when the house is clean, I have the Sunday paper and a pot of coffee all to myself, and there are no interruptions before noon.
50. My winter "uniform" is a black turtleneck sweater, Levi's 515 jeans, and a black pea coat. I wear this outfit outside of work almost every day.