valentine's foodie

Loverly food for an evening full of love. Yummy. After a day of surprises from the bf (he won't tell me what we are up to!), this is what I will be serving my honey on Saturday night.

BBQ Chicken Pizza –Time: 15-20 minutes prep, 20 minutes in oven

2 tablespoons olive oil
Butter for pizza dough
Crushed garlic spread for pizza dough (or sub garlic butter)
1/2 pound chicken tenders
2/3 cup barbecue sauce (recommended: Sweet Baby Rays)
Flour, for dusting surface
1 (13.8-ounce) package pizza dough (recommended: Pillsbury Classic)
3/4 cup shredded Gouda or crumbled Goat Cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (opt)
Thinly sliced mushrooms (opt)
2 Thickly sliced Roma tomatoes (opt)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders and sauté until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. When chicken is cool enough to handle, dice chicken (yields a little over 1 cup). In a small bowl, toss chicken with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll out dough and place on a greased sheet pan or round pizza pan. Shape to fill the sheet pan, pinching edges. Spread thin layer of butter and garlic (or garlic butter) and remaining barbecue sauce evenly over pizza dough. Sprinkle Gouda/Goat cheese, 1/2 of mozzarella, Parmesan, onions, and chicken over top. Top with slices of tomato and remaining mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cut into pieces.


Leafy Salad –Time: 5 minutes
Toss Red Leaf lettuce (similar to Romaine) with thin slices of pear, pine nuts and shavings of parmesan cheese. Drizzle with balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette.

OR

Low Country Salad –Time: 10-12 minutes
Toss mixed greens with thin slices of sweet red apple, lemon infused goat cheese (at Central Market), and barbequed cashews. Drizzle with mustard vinaigrette immediately prior to serving.

Mustard Vinaigrette
Finely chop one whole shallot. Soak in one tablespoon Chianti Red Wine Vinegar for 5-10 minutes to lessen the onion flavor. Mix equal parts olive oil and Chianti Red Wine vinegar (about 3 tablespoons each). Vigorously stir in one tablespoon spicy brown mustard. Add shallots mixture. Add pinch salt and black pepper. Add additional vinegar or olive oil to taste. Shake or vigorously stir before pouring over salad.


Molten Chocolate Cakes (serves 2) –Time: 20 minutes prep, 7 minutes in oven

You can make the batter ahead of time and refrigerate it, just increase the baking time by two minutes.

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, plus more for the ramekins
1 1/5 oz. chocolate
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
2 1/5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons crème fraîche
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (for crème fraiche)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Generously butter two 4 oz. ramekins.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a small glass bowl set over a small pot of simmering water. Let it cool a bit while you whisk together the egg, egg yolk and 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar in a separate bowl. Whisk in the melted butter and chocolate and then the flour.

Fill the ramekins and bake for 7 minutes. The edges and top should be just set.
Meanwhile, whisk the crème fraîche together with the remaining teaspoon of confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla. (or substitute whipped crème or caramel/chocolate sauce drizzle)

Remove the cakes from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes. Invert onto dessert plates and serve each with a spoonful of crème fraîche or ice cream and caramel/chocolate sauce drizzle.


Bon Appetit!



BBQ Pizza adapted from Sandra Lee. Salads by moi & roughly adapted from Central Market Cooking School class. Chocolate cake adapted from Gwennie's GOOP. Picture of adorb Kate Spade VDay ecard via Smitten.