Guest guest Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 wow! y'all are gonna have an amazing valentine's day! thanks for sharing all the wonderful recipes....everything sounds delicious. i really want to try the truffles. susie --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > I'll make a special meal followed by home-made > truffles for dessert. > > Starters: Pistachio Dukkah > 1 cup of shelled pistachio nuts > 1 cup almonds > 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds > 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds > 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme > 1/4 cup sesame seeds > 1/4 teaspoon salt > Toast the nuts 400*F oven for about 15 minutes, > stirring frequently to prevent burning. Toast the > spice seeds and sesame seeds separately in the same > way. > Cool and combine with the remaining ingredients in a > food processor. > Pulse grind the mixture until it resembles small > breadcrumbs. The mixture should be very dry and > crumbly, not a paste. Do not over-process as this > can release the oil from the nuts making the mixture > moist, which you don't want. Can also grind with > mortar and pestle. > > To eat, tear pita bread into wedges and dip in a > good quality olive oil and then into the dukkah > mixture. > > Pita Bread > 3 cups bread or whole wheat flour > 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder > 6 tablespoons oil > 1 tablespoon instant yeast > 2 teaspoons sugar or a tablespoon honey (my > preference if using whole wheat flour) > 1/2 teaspoon salt > 1 1/2 cups warm water > > Mix yeast, water and sugar. Set aside. > > In a large bowl, combine flour, dried milk and salt. > > > Pour in oil and water and mix well. You might need > to add more flour or water, depending on the > absorbency of the flour. Knead dough briefly, divide > into 18 egg sized balls. > > Place on a floured surface, cover and let rest for > 15-30 minutes. Roll out balls and cook one at a time > in a medium hot dry skillet until large bubbles > form. (like pancakes) Flip pita over and cook the > other side for a few more minutes. Flatten it out > with a spatula. Keep bread warm, either wrapped in a > dish towel or place in a ziploc bag while cooking > the rest of the bread. Freeze well. > > Main Course: Spinach and Mushroom Manicotti > 8 ounces mushrooms, wiped, sliced > 1, 10 ounce frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and > well drained (mash between layers of paper towels to > remove all water) > 2 cups Italian cheese blend, divided > 14 manicotti pasta shells, cooked (hold in cool > water, drain before filling) > 2 cups your preferred marinara sauce > 2 eggs > 2 tablespoons Italian herb blend > 15 ounces Ricotta cheese > Olive oil for sauteeing mushrooms > 2 cloves garlic, minced > > Saute garlic and mushrooms together in olive oil. > Cream ricotta cheese, eggs, Italian herb blend, > spinach and half the Italian cheese blend together. > Add mushroom and garlic mixture. Wipe a cooked > manicotti shell then stuff with mixture, placing in > baking dish. When all the shells are stuffed, pour > marinara sauce over all. > > Bake at 350* for 40 minutes or until heated through, > sauce is bubbly. Top with rest of the Italian > cheese blend and return to oven until melted. (About > 5 minutes) > > Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Freezes well. > > > Dessert: > Coffee > Truffles (white chocolate cashew and dark chocolate > raspberry) > > White Chocolate Cashew truffles > 1 cup heavy whipping cream > 1 pound Ghirardelli white chocolate > Chopped cashews > > Bring heavy whipping cream to a boil. Immediately > remove from heat and add chopped white chocolate. > Stir until chocolate is melted. Refrigerate until > mixture is cold and you can roll into balls. (I do > it overnight). > > Make tablespoon sized balls of white truffle ganache > and roll in chopped cashews. Store in tightly > covered container. > > The combination of crunchy-salty of the nuts and > sweet-creamy of the truffles is really good. They > are not overly sweet > > White Chocolate Cashew Truffles > 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream > 1 pound Ghirardelli white chocolate, chopped > Chopped cashews > > Bring heavy whipping cream to a boil. Immediately > remove from heat and add chopped white chocolate. > Stir until chocolate is melted. Refrigerate until > mixture is cold and you can roll into balls. (I do > it overnight). > > Make tablespoon sized balls of white truffle ganache > and roll in chopped cashews. Store in tightly > covered container. > > The combination of crunchy-salty of the nuts and > sweet-creamy of the truffles is pure bliss. > > Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles > 1 pound Ghirardelli double chocolate, chopped > 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream > 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam, jelly or preserves > 1 teaspoon raspberry extract (optional) or raspberry > liqueur > Dutch process cocoa for rolling truffles > > Put heavy whipping cream and raspberry jam together > in pot. Bring cream mixture to a boil. Immediately > remove from heat and stir in chocolate, raspberry > extract or liqueur. > > Put in refrigerator until ganache is cool enough to > form into balls. (It is very runny, like frosting, > to begin with. It thickens.) I refrigerate > overnight. > > Form into tablespoon sized balls of ganache then > roll in Dutch process cocoa or dip in melting > chocolate. Store in a tightly covered container. > > Truffle note: Ganache is sometimes sticky to work > with. If, after overnight chilling, it is still too > liquid, add a small bit of sifted confectioner's > sugar. I have never had to do this, but some are > less patient with chocolate. Never, ever, let water > get in chocolate as it will seize up and be a big > blob of garbage. > > Truffles are meant to be slowly savored, not chomped > down like M & M's. I will serve one of each type > truffle on pretty plates with paper doilies. > > We'll enjoy our evening over several hours. I will > give my husband a long massage with coconut oil > followed by a long soak in the tub with candles all > over the place. He'll give me a long foot massage > and we'll sleep like babies. > > We've been married 40 years, so I suppose we're > doing something right. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them > fast with Search. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > ______________________________\ ____ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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